 Good communications necessary, but not sufficient, says Sir Arthur C Clarke
16 December 2007
Improved communications help advance human progress but technologies alone cannot achieve understanding and harmony between people and nations, says Sir Arthur C Clarke.
The inventor of the communications satellite – which enabled instantaneous global communications – made this remark in a short video released to mark his 90th birthday on 16 December 2007.
The video was published last week on TVEAP Films' YouTube channel for free worldwide viewing and use, with no copyright restrictions. Clarke chose to release his video online instead of conventional broadcast channels – indicating his faith in the new media.
In the 9 minute video, the renowned science fiction writer, underwater explorer and science populariser looks back at his illustrious career spanning nearly 70 years. He also offers glimpses of what lies in store for humanity in the coming decades.
He offered quick assessments of two sectors where he has left his mark: space travel and communications technology. Always an optimist, he believes that the best is yet to come in both fields.
Clarke singled out the mobile phone as leading the current wave of bringing connectivity within reach of everyone.
He noted that the world's mobile phone coverage recently passed 50 per cent -- or 3.3 billion subscriptions. This was achieved in just a little over a quarter century since the first cellular network was set up.
He added: "The mobile phone has revolutionized human communications, and is turning humanity into an endlessly chattering global family!"
Probing further what these advances meant for humans as a species, he cautioned: "Communication technologies are necessary, but not sufficient, for us humans to get along with each other."
He explained: "This is why we still have many disputes and conflicts in the world. Technology tools help us to gather and disseminate information, but we also need qualities like tolerance and compassion to achieve greater understanding between peoples and nations."
The futurist and technology visionary said he has great faith in optimism as a guiding principle, "if only because it offers us the opportunity of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy".
"I hope we've learnt something from the most barbaric century in history – the 20th. I would like to see us overcome our tribal divisions and begin to think and act as if we were one family. That would be real globalisation…"
The video was filmed in early December 2007 by the Colombo-based production company Video Image (Private) Limited, in collaboration with TVE Asia Pacific (TVEAP). Both organisations donated their services to this effort.
Read full transcript of the video
Sir Arthur C Clarke answers questions from BBC Focus magazine
Read TVEAP Director Nalaka Gunawardene's 2003 interview with Sir Arthur Clarke: Humanity will survive information deluge
Photographs by Shahidul Alam of Drik
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