Words Matter

On a recent Zoom call, one of my fellow participants said 2021 was going to be the year of the “Digital Human.” There was a moment of pause, and for a brief second, you could see the words lingering in the air as everyone tried to comprehend exactly what that was supposed to mean. How do we become digital? Will I be replaced? Am I still relevant?

At that moment, I was quickly reminded how much words matter. This vague buzzword - the kind which we are all too fond of in the tech industry - was too fearful for people to internalise as it might have been intended. Without a clear definition, each individual brings their own interpretation.

Sometimes that’s a good thing. Looking at the words in this picture, it’s very likely that each one invokes a slightly different response from all of us. While we may have a different association, memory or feeling connected to them, we can all agree that they are aspirational and positive. Collectively we can get behind their message even if we interpret it differently.

Problems begin when there is not enough clarity in our words which leaves a vacuum for detractors to fill. We have seen it during the pandemic when a lack of information and understanding turned into conspiracy theories. We also see it in our own industry. Data centres are under constant scrutiny, and when we don’t speak up to provide clarity on the value and benefit the industry brings to Ireland, space gets filled with negativity.

During the most recent Host in Ireland webinar, Changing the Way We

Live, Work & Play: Global Data in 2020, we discussed the role of data as one of the biggest drivers of social behaviour of all time. First, there was the printing press, then the Industrial Revolution, and today, the digital revolution.

The full article can be read at Words Matter at https://www.hostinireland.com/post/words-matter