The Fluid Society

The Digital Challenge for Europe

“The Digital Challenge for Europe”(including”The Fluid Society”) is available as an e-book from Apple Books, Google Books, Kindle, Kobo and Bol.com. The book with hard cover can be ordered via this website. “There is no doubt that the world is in an important phase of its evolutionary development” writes Herman Wijffels (Among other things, former… Continue reading The Digital Challenge for Europe

Review by Patrice Chazerand on “The Digital Challenge for Europe”

There is much to love in Peter Hagedoorn’s vision of a “Fluid Society”. There is also much to question. This is precisely what makes this reading so compelling. Europe’s self-inflicted woundsTake the “We-they” stance legitimately portrayed as blocking progress. But what else should we expect from sovereignty or national security raising their not-so-pretty heads around… Continue reading Review by Patrice Chazerand on “The Digital Challenge for Europe”

To build a better world after the COVID crisis …

To build a better world from the Covid crisis, we need a global push to connect the world’s young people Web Foundation · March 12, 2021 As the World Wide Web turns 32, Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Web Foundation Co-founder Rosemary Leith reflect on its power to catalyse change, and celebrate the young people stepping… Continue reading To build a better world after the COVID crisis …

Review by Herman Wijffels on “The Digital Challenge for Europe”

With the book “The Digital Challenge for Europe”, Peter Hagedoorn makes an important contribution to the discussion on digitalization, the need for global connectivity and new forms of governance.There is no doubt that the world is at an important stage in its evolutionary development. Major problems such as climate change and the threat of overpopulation cannot… Continue reading Review by Herman Wijffels on “The Digital Challenge for Europe”

Digital espionage

Digital threats. The FD (Financieel Dagblad) of 10 February 2021 contains an important article on the digital threats posed by China and Russia. The article argues for more cooperation on a national level between governments, companies and universities to exchange information. It claims that the crown jewels of the Dutch economy are in danger due to digital espionage… Continue reading Digital espionage

A Hyperconnected Jungle

A Hyperconnected World. According to the WEF (World Economic Forum), we should speak of a Hyper-connected World now that everything is increasingly connected to everything else. Not only people and organizations are connected, also more and more devices (the Internet of Things) are linked to the ever-expanding internet. But technically connected does not mean being… Continue reading A Hyperconnected Jungle

Why European IT Companies and Platforms

The price of digital communication. Step by step, the world is changing toward a hyper-connected, digital world. Everyone and everything is connected, through a system of thousands of systems, running on the Internet. A poor smartphone owner in Mozambique can receive free online education, improving his hopeless situation. An entrepreneur in France trades effortlessly with other… Continue reading Why European IT Companies and Platforms

Trump Offline

Trump offline. The Big Tech firms in the US have denied President Trump access to their platforms. And immediately, of course, there were all kinds of reactions. Are these firms allowed to deny private individuals, and perhaps especially a President, access to their platforms? Answer: yes they may, at least in the US. They are private… Continue reading Trump Offline

A plea to think differently in the digital world

reflections on digitalization and society Original review published on Reedsy Discovery Free book preview The fluid society is a name for the digital society that humanity will grow towards in the coming years. Over the last ten years I have written many columns about the digital transformation of society, comparing the old situation with ice cubes –… Continue reading A plea to think differently in the digital world

Does digitalization lead to low inflation?

Prolonged low inflation. Recently, economists have questioned why inflation remains low for a long time, while it is expected that when the economy picks up, inflation will also rise due to higher wages, higher energy costs and resource use. At the moment the economy is apparently behaving differently than “normal”. The question is asked whether this… Continue reading Does digitalization lead to low inflation?