Blog 02

A letter to our daughter

By Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan

Many of the greatest opportunities for your generation will come from giving everyone access to the internet.

People often think of the internet as just for entertainment or communication. But for the majority of people in the world, the internet can be a lifeline.

It provides education if you don't live near a good school. It provides health information on how to avoid diseases or raise healthy children if you don't live near a doctor. It provides financial services if you don't live near a bank. It provides access to jobs and opportunities if you don't live in a good economy.

The internet is so important that for every 10 people who gain internet access, about one person is lifted out of poverty and about one new job is created.

Yet still more than half of the world's population -- more than 4 billion people -- don't have access to the internet.

If our generation connects them, we can lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. We can also help hundreds of millions of children get an education and save millions of lives by helping people avoid disease.

This is another long term effort that can be advanced by technology and partnership. It will take inventing new technology to make the internet more affordable and bring access to unconnected areas. It will take partnering with governments, non-profits and companies. It will take engaging with communities to understand what they need. Good people will have different views on the best path forward, and we will try many efforts before we succeed.

But together we can succeed and create a more equal world.

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This excerpt was composed by founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerburg along with his wife Priscilla Chan. It was a letter written for their young daughter in hopes that technology will serve a great purpose in her future and young generations to come. 

I like how the piece of writing is split into short paragraphs of only a couple of sentences. It is easy to read, evokes a strong message, all in all is authentic. I like how it is straight to the point, includes examples that most people can relate to. I like the overall message that he is trying to portray— which is to create a difference and positive change in the world through the innovation of the internet. 

It embodies a sense of connectivity in the world and even though we are not his daughter, the message can be applied to anyone’s life. This is only a portion of the actual letter, but even in conclusion to this part of the excerpt, it has a strong ending “But together we can succeed and create a more equal world. They don’t use complicated words, run-on sentences, or clutter to send out their message. It is clear and straight to the point, leaving out any room for misinterpretation. 

https://www.facebook.com/notes/mark-zuckerberg/a-letter-to-our-daughter/10153375081581634/