[Its.an.education.project] Ivan's latest blog entry on OLPC

[info at olpc-peru.info]

Pamela,

If you don't take ofense I will comment inside your lines.  My ideas are 
not the same than yours, but I enjoy reading different points or view.  
I hope you do the same.

Regards,

Javier

> To me,  it's a matter of human empathy and figuring out what is useful 
> and what is not. 
I understand you in full.  I know what you mean.  But there is a "point 
of no return". When you see that some people is wrong you can be polite. 
You can have empathy.  You can turn to the other side and don't see. 
Until some moment.  It the wrong things damage only the one that is 
behaving wrong then you advise and shut your mouth.  When you see that 
the damage will be for other people (the expectations of the kids) then 
you have to stand up and say "no more".  When you see that the other 
person (any person) gets fame, money, salary, rewards, knowledge or "his 
once in his life" opportunity to prove this or that theory, then you 
MUST stand up and say "no more".  Some people have more patience than 
other people, but everyone has to analyze and in some point in your life 
you have to say "no more".  Maybe this is not your time, you have a 
bigger "buffer" than other people.  It is just that we are different 
people (that is the salt and pepper of this earth!).
> Some things have to be said, no matter what, of course, but in truth, 
> not many.  
Ivan has said nothing new.  All the peruvian newspapers have been full 
with tons of critics to the OLPC project.  How they realize that exist 
some problems? Easy: asking where, who, when, how, how many, how long, 
how deep... then they turn to peruvian internet/computer experts to ask 
"do you know something about this? what do you think?" and then they mix 
the info and realize that "something is rotten in Denmark".  Then they, 
the very well trained people in the newspapers (that know A LOT about 
how public business are conducted in my country) get their conclusions.  
They were polite enough to allow that the project works.  But the 
critics (by the newspapers and some peruvian websites) were very aware 
that something was wrong. 

Let me tell you that I was ready to call all the people that I know in 
the academic arena in Peru for asking his collaboration with the OLPC 
project.  I had just 2 weeks studying and learning about the project.  
Then I realize that I would be ask many questions that I would need to 
be "too polite" to answer in an ambiguous way so I don't damage the 
project.  That is not my way to behave so I cancel my idea to call for a 
meeting with all the universities.  I am glad I cancel the "all 
universities meeting" idea.  Now I am trying to organize my time for 
helping just with my scarce time and resources.  If I would call for a 
conference I would call for "collaboration and deployment of the 
educative goals of the original OLPC project" (looks similar but it is 
totally different).

I think that in our "coast" (here in Lima) we need to be more open and 
speak the true directly, naked. Argentina people is more in this way.  
Andean people (here, in Bolivia, and in the Andes of Chile and 
Argentina) are more "polite", much more! They will never tell you a "no" 
in the same way that a person of the coast.  Brazil... I was told by a 
friend that in Brazil firing and employee is a matter of pain for all 
the company, it is a matter that they need to speak very politely, very 
calm... totally different culture.  "Donde fueres... haz lo que vieres" 
(where you go... do as they do!)... is an old spanish saying.

This OLPC project is a political project (here in Peru).  And I know my 
politicians: when you put huge lights over them then they behave a 
little better.  These politicians, and old politicians.  So the true 
(the huge lights) avoid that some people take advantage (that is the 
reason we have FOIA laws here in Peru, the same than in the U.S.).  If I 
am paranoid then there must be a full congress (that approved the law) 
that was paranoiac.
> And finally the simple truth I have learned is that the more people 
> who know you and respect your work, the more responsibility you have 
> to think before you speak or act, because others *will* be influenced. 
> It's a serious weight, and there is no way to remove it from your 
> shoulders and "just be yourself" and let your hair down in public.  
> It's an inescapable burden.
In the same way you are responsible for your silence.  If you speak you 
are responsible, if you don't speak you ARE responsible.  We are owners 
of our words until they are out of our mouth.  Other people think that 
"If you don't have nothing good to say you must keep silent".  But if 
you think that more damage will happen if you keep silent then you MUST 
talk.  Aloud.

There is time for peace, and time for war.  And there is people good for 
the peace and people that is good for the war.  I love your way Pamela, 
but it is not my way.  I don't hope that you t change your way.  I need 
(we need) your calm and reflective way.  And, I am totally sure, 
sometimes you will need at your side someone (man or woman) that speak 
harder.  This is a world of complements.

Best regards,

Javier Rodriguez
Lima, Peru