James Kim and a lack of governance
With the passing of James Kim this week, people who are reached by this story will ask themselves how such tragic events could be avoided. In my mind there are two things that keep coming up in attempts to prevent this sort of terrible thing from happening again. The first is an issue of public information, and the second is an issue of ubiquitous communications.
This morning’s Chronicle article about the pilot with a hunch has become the tipping point. It was this man’s knowledge of a common wrong turn made by out-of-towners that lead him to find Kati Kim and her daughters. ” ‘I saw the picture of the kids in the paper,’ Rachor said. ‘I really know that area well. I live out there, so I know it better than most. I fly over it once a week.’ “ I’m obviously thankful that Mr. Rachor was correct in his assumption and was able to help rescue Kati and her kids. However it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth when you consider that both governmental and privately-contracted search teams weren’t looking where this local man knew to look. To me it shows that not finding the Kim’s earlier was an issue of privatized knowledge. While clearly not on purpose, Mr. Rachor and others familiar with this particular area of Oregon, have failed to publicize and share their knowledge with the world. Could the road network in Oregon be better mapped by its own citizens using OpenStreetMap?
The other aggravating part of this story is the inability of the Kim family to simply ask for help. I think it’s a safe assumption they had a mobile phone, though they were probably in an area without network coverage. Here on my desk is a Helio Drift with assisted GPS technology. While more accurate directions could not have helped the Kim family combat a snowed-out road, the ability for such a device to report its own location could have proved invaluable. All of this however is dependent on the reach of the network, something that is typically dictated by capitalist market forces. The single largest reason there is no network coverage is a lack of demand and/or revenue potential.
I have for some time functioned under the belief that the purpose of a government is to accomplish those tasks that persons cannot accomplish on their own. To control, rule, regulate, manage, or guide is how the Englishmen from Oxford define governance, and the story of the Kim’s reminds that our government is failing us. While our representatives spend their time arguing over farm subsidies and oil drilling and abortion rights, the innovations that can help prevent meaningless losses of life like James Kim are left to the market. How much longer will we stand by while a universal communication network is overlooked as a necessity of modern life? The EU recognizes that broadband is critical to its development and success. Show me the people who will make access to the network the priority in their political careers, and I’ll show you who I’m voting for.