In my quest to put the twelve rules of Compassion in practice, I decided to travel and learn (1). Shanghai (China) was my hometown in 2012. There I saw the beauty of The Underground, which is an European invention (2).
If people can build such a mobility system for the individual, the roll-out of the digital infrastructure with a digital seat for every single person must be possible. In 2012 I started to use the metro map as a sign of creativity, collaboration and hope.
What did I like about the metaphor? The London Metro System solved a societal problem that emerged as a consequence of the industrial revolution. It underpins the integration of the old and the new way of living. I liked that infrastructural idea at that time.
At that time, the glorification of the digital revolution and the power of Silicon Valley was fully alive. We in Europe were just powerless losers. I refused to buy that story. I believed we will do far better and we are doing better. Europe is leading in a third way.
The European Strategy for Datadescribes a vision for a digital society that works for all. It is published this month. It states that the human being is and should remain at the center of their digital life.