[patrickaljord]

Increased internet penetration in Kenya creates jobs, improves education http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/articles/features...

But seriously, this is HN, do I really need to explain to you why the internet creates job? Why it helps spread information and education? Is this 1997?

I'll give you a first hand experience though, I've lived for 5 years in Peru. There, students told me that Google and the internet has literally changed their life. Before they had to buy expensive books, cross the city or travel to get that book and be able to do copies. Now they just go to the net cafe next door, search on google, get their answer, print it and they're done. For less than half a dollar. A gain in time, money and information and a gain in what these newly educated students will bring to society. I can't even begin to imagine the impact that http://duolingo.com and http://khanacademy.org will have on humanity and the poorest.

[Volpe]

Show me the (at the very least) the correlation between internet access and social mobility.

You may help educate some people, though the data says educational outcome is more correlated with socio-economic status. And education is correlated with social mobility, but now we are two correlative (at best) steps away from the conclusion you are drawing. We've yet to show any causation...

Your outrage of having to explain this, is misplaced. This is not an obvious fact, nor is it backed by any evidence.

[patrickaljord]

> Your outrage of having to explain this, is misplaced. This is not an obvious fact, nor is it backed by any evidence.

I'm not outraged at all, just surprised. I don't have enough time to explain something like that on HN (especially to someone who may just be trolling or acting in bad faith, not saying you are but you could be) and I don't feel the need to because the evidence that the internet has a positive effect on society and the economy are so overwhelming and just a few google searches away anyway. That's like asking why science or education are a good thing for the economy. Have a nice day :)

[Volpe]

... you moved the goal posts significantly. We aren't talking about whether the internet has a positive effect on society or the economy.

We are talking about uplifting the poor. Which is more formally known as "increasing social mobility". The internet doesn't do that... Social mobility in the US did not change significantly with the introduction and growth of the internet... what more evidence do you need against your point?

[patrickaljord]

When the economy improves, the poor live better and there are less of them living in the worst conditions. Otherwise, the economy wouldn't be improving. Call that uplifting, or social mobility or any other hip buzz word if you like. Doesn't change the fact that by helping the economy and creating jobs, the internet helps the poor by default. I witnessed it myself when living for years in the third world but it's a well known fact too that the internet helps the economy and creates jobs (and therefor helps the poor). Maybe you need to live in the third world for a while to see the direct positive impact the internet has on the poor and get out of your bubble.