The world seems to be shifting on its axis this week. Many things we thought we knew may be wrong. We could have to adjust to looking at our country differently, if we’re Americans. As I write this on Thursday afternoon, the outcome of the presidential election remains uncertain, though Joe Biden appears to be in a better position to ultimately win. Whatever happens, we need to find less division, less acrimony, and more dialogue.
At Techonomy we often think about the world through the lens of tech, and of government through the lens of tech policy. Oddly, neither candidate has shown much interest in tech as a driver of social and economic progress. The only real exception is social media, which both candidates are angry at, though their remedies for its shortcomings differ.
We believe that a more thoughtful, deliberate, and aggressive engagement with tech could be a key factor to drive the U.S. into a new era of prosperity. It is not a partisan thing. Innovation is our weapon to combat inequality, climate change, the inadequacies of our health care system, and even to help remake our education system so it can more equitably and efficiently prepare our kids for the future. And a more focused approach to national innovation is the best tool we have to compete with China and ensure we hold our own economically with the entire world.
We are an events and editorial group, and so we believe the way to deal with complicated and surprising developments is to talk about them. That’s why on Friday, Nov. 6 at 1pm ET we’re hosting a town hall for our community, a free event to ask, collectively, “What Just Happened?” Please join us so we can hear your interpretation and reaction to what’s happened already this week and what happens between now and tomorrow afternoon. We may be a divided country in some ways, but dialogue is what helps us bind more closely together.
