

The unexotic underclass - yarianluis
http://miter.mit.edu/the-unexotic-underclass/

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runawaybottle
Why is web/app devlopment responsible for fixing all of society's problems?
Most of the problems the author mentioned have more to do with civic education
and a politically weak middle class. How many of the smartest engineers are
toiling away for Oil companies? Arent't they supposed to be fixing the world
with their super powers? 20 something developers are just a lucky bunch, right
time and right place, and god bless them for it. If the world could, it would
outsource and marginalize their livelihoods, like it has for so many others
(and it most likely will at some point, booms and busts). Most are wondering
if they'll even be in same career past 40. Seriously, let it go, they really
don't have it THAT good.

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a3n
Web/app development is not responsible for this. People are. One way to move
the needle would be to _not_ go into web/app development, instead starting
something that directly serves people who have the problems in the article. It
could be as boring as enterprisey CRUD done right. A medical network for
health professionals and users. Physical products. Face to face services,
where technology is not the point but merely the tool.

~~~
a3n
Here's an example: digital music for prisoners.

[http://www.spin.com/articles/prison-jail-music-
mp3s-access-j...](http://www.spin.com/articles/prison-jail-music-mp3s-access-
jpay/)

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vishaldpatel
It is easy to see how the exotic underclass can be helped by an entrepreneur:
they are technologically behind in one way or another. Someone can create
technology tailored to their needs and solve their problems.

By comparison, problems facing the unexotic underclass are generally much more
difficult to solve through technology. Most of their problems are
sociological, economic and political in nature.

