TheySOCPR

My good friend/father-figure (hahahahaha) Herman left a comment well-worth reading. He and I discussed the "Statelessness of the Internet in Puerto Rico" for hours over a two-year period, with increasing levels of frustration. Because I know he'll be around to add his 2 trillion cents to The Conversation, I'll focus on one aspect of his remarks: the "Internet Society" of Puerto Rico.

I had never joined a professional group until the ISOC came around. I was asked to join and be a Founding Member by the first President, Ramón Morales. Thrilled at the prospect of a leadership group doing its job, I said yes.

And in less than five months, I was disgusted. Instead of leadership, the ISOCPR ["I Suck (at) P(ublic) R(elations)"] turned into an incestuous client-grubbing swamp so much like other "business organizations" in Puerto Rico. (Centro Unido de Detallistas, anyone?) The leadership vacuum started with the Executive Board (or whatever they called themselves) and never developed even a snowball's-chance-in-hell of fulfilling a leadership role for the Internet in Puerto Rico.

What should they have done? The Jenius Knows:

1) Create an "Internet Vision for Puerto Rico," a document that clearly establishes what the Island needs to do to take its rightful place as a key player in the global economy. Only through the Internet could that be possible.

2) Determine the proper roles for key players in that development, such as government, private industry and education and TEACH power-brokers in each area how to make their roles successful.

3) Educate the population as a whole on the benefits of the Internet and seek methods to bridge the "technology divide" that goes so much deeper than mere economics.

4) By having an overarching Vision and Mission, the ISOCPR could thus create a community bonded by TRUST--TRUST, people--united in building a future, fusing the amazing talent base We have into a knowledge engine very few countries in the world could hope to match.

Ya think I'm joking? Here's a Nugget of Information for you: Puerto Ricans are UNIQUELY poised to be one of the greatest contributors to the Knowledge Economy of the 21st Century and beyond. This is not wishful thinking: it is Fact. And I'll put My money where My mouth is anywhere, anytime.

More than I can say for the ISOCPR, that's for sure.

Is there hope? There's always Hope whenever The Jenius is involved...and you, and you and you and even you over there spamming like a 12-letter word (if you rise from the sewer to join We The People.)

The Jenius Has Spoken.