Ubuntu – an idea from the Southern African region which means literally “human-ness,” and is often translated as “humanity towards others,” but is often used in a more philosophical sense to mean “the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity.”
In thinking about a person that inspires me, I immediately thought of the great Nelson Mandela. His philosophies on humanity show how powerful the human spirit can be no matter the circumstance. One of his many philosophies centered about the concept of Ubuntu, a South African word literally translating into “human-ness.” As seen in the video, Mandela breaks down the meaning of Ubuntu into a simple phrase, “to enable the community around you and help them to improve.”
In relation to the world of technology, one can’t help but think about the daily innovations being made that are doing just that…enabling our communities. An example that comes to mind is the Internet.org project announced by Facebook earlier this year.
At the Mobile World Congress Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg argued that carriers need to start subsidizing baseline mobile data services in the developing world to encourage people to use the Internet. Internet.org doesn’t just want to make access to the mobile Internet cheap in the developing world. It wants to make baseline connectivity free, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg said at Mobile World Congress on Monday. As Zuckerberg sees it, there are two big obstacles to connecting the world’s billions of unconnected: the cost of data plans and basic Internet literacy. Not only is the cost of data prohibitive in countries where average income is a fraction of income in the West, but even those who could afford a data plan don’t see its value. “We’re really not on a path to getting everyone connected unless something drastic changes,” Zuckerberg said.
As we continue to see these types of projects spearheaded by the technology industry, it is easy to see why young, aspiring professionals gravitate towards professions within the IT world. While the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity isn’t industry-specific, it is inspiring to be a part of an industry making such a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis.
— Alexis Short, SYNNEX Marketing Specialist
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