The Knowledge Age or the Age of Ignorance and the Decline of Freedom?

Increasingly knowledge has become a determining factor in achieving life’s potential and is the currency of the age. Without access to Information an individuals’ knowledge base cannot be enriched and without knowledge the individual becomes increasingly powerless. Advances in technology have provided opportunities for some to add to their stock of knowledge but access to sources of information is uneven and can lead to social unrest. The availability of information is an important factor in managing change and empowering citizens. The question about information and power then becomes one of ownership or sovereignty of the information. If we are to create an open society then we need to ensure that there is open access to knowledge through flexible and intelligent information systems that are available for all. In this paper we consider if we are truly entering the knowledge age or the age of ignorance.