Category: Posts

Discovering new and various identity markers is something I have found useful. When you are interested in many things/areas, it’s sometimes difficult to answer the regular questions – what do you do, what are you interested in.

The broadest catch-all phrase that has been useful is “generalist”. I then made it “technical generalist” to add some detail. Recently, I read Speaking Tech to Power: Why technologists and policymakers need to work together, in which I discovered a perfect upgrade to my identity markers: “public-interest technologist“. Someone “working at the intersection of security, technology, and people” as detailed by the post’s author, Bruce Schneier.

And it makes perfect sense to me. Time to read more into it.

The profit motive energizes businesses and industry to innovate with information systems.

Public Good as the profit motive should energize governments and public administrations to innovate with information systems.

It should become possible and commonplace to consider increase in Public Good as Profit.

It’s not about simply “digitizing” or digitally transforming existing public administration policies and workflows as-is. Instead, it’s a potent opportunity to review public administration and organization from the ground up.

At this time, businesses are facing fundamental pressures to re-invent itself as a non-destructive juggernaut. The public realm actually has a chance to lead this turnaround from extractive, unjust practices in the name of profit to economics of care, justice, and sustainability. The power of information systems is waiting to be deployed for this cause.

We noticed the sounds coming from our throats and built languages on top of it.
We noticed the on-off rhythm of electricity, and made a binary language on top of it (programmable electronics). We then created additional programming language layers on top of it – of varying complexity and use-cases, in response to various felt needs and ideas. Just like how we have many languages.

New languages also sparked new media. New media took our intentions/thoughts/feelings farther, faster, and in richer detail.
The binary language now even handles non-binary language through sheer compute power.

Through all this, one thing is clear: the desire/drive to communicate seems to be a fundamental desire. Whatever state we are in, we seem to keep trying to communicate – communicate more, communicate better. Almost like we are driven by an inkling, a knowing, that communicating can take us to better places, that communicating can take us to harmony.

Driven by this desire/inkling, we keep finding new ways to communicate. And our story is far from over.

Short answer: I see the possibility of the following:

Longer answer to “What is it that drives me to the Cybersecurity realm?”

Because I love to hold safe spaces where goodness can grow. I believe connections are a key attribute of life – not just human life, the life force as a whole. And communication is a form of connection. Using computer-based technologies to exchange information – to communicate using ‘digital technologies’ / ‘IT’ – is an evolutionary step in human beings’ journey of seeking and discovering connections. Therefore, to me, the use of Information Systems and Information Technology is a great indicator of human progress. The progress towards peace, joy, health, beauty. And I want to be part of ensuring that the Information Systems and Technology remain safe and reliable, so that humans can make the best of it.

Continue reading “What is the larger significance that I see in Cybersecurity?”