Convergence, not Pax Americana

A remarkable picture, from a satellite streaking at 17,000 mph, 423 miles above Barack Obama’s Inauguration, clearly shows countless people clustered on the Mall in Washington D.C. observing the historic proceedings.

We have become used to seeing grand man-made structures from space. Until this photo, we had not seen man himself from that new frontier. Individually, he is too small, too visually insignificant to be seen from such a lofty perspective. Now, the power of people, converged into masses of thousands, united in a single purpose, focussed in the same direction, becomes palpably evident.

Barack Obama is at the center of that convergence. He is an embodiment of ethnic and cultural convergence.

(Photo by Maya Soetoro-Ng Published in the New York Times
President Obama hugged his half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, at her December 2003 wedding to Konrad Ng, third from right, in Hawaii. From left, his daughters, Sasha and Malia; his grandmother Madelyne Dunham, seated; Konrad’s parents, Joan and Howard Ng, and brother Perry Ng; and Michelle Obama)

His message is one of convergence. His political manifesto emphasizes convergence. His inaugural speech stressed that theme.

He assumes the Presidency at a time when the major thrust of technology is towards convergence. Witness the dominance of smart phones and networked computers, cameras and other peripherals that are designed for the convergence of several functions and ideas. That satellite photo of the crowds on the Mall represents the first time NASA released such a picture, to link their technology with that of the news media for enhanced coverage of a live event.

Globalization has represented an attempt at convergence, but its scope has been limited to commercial enterprises.

Now the world’s attention is turning to political and cultural convergence. The European Union is one result.

Nations, races, religions have often talked about and fought over, domination, cooperation and acceptance, but have always feared assimilation, or the concept of a “melting pot” and have not been comfortable with the idea of plurality.

Perhaps under leadership such as Obama’s we are finally going to come up with a new, successful paradigm for peaceful coexistence (remember that ‘60’s term?), cooperation and productivity. I think the concept of convergence will be paramount in the new order.