This is the caption that goes with the image of the super-hot computer nerd I posted a few days back:
“In a computerized society where individuality is diminished there are those who find little or no satisfaction in strict conformity to stereotyped living and are searching for their own answers to life’s questions and how best to live, work and find happiness”
Computers *were* predicted to diminish our individuality, weren’t they? And look what happened. Anyone out there found the Intertubes cramping their individuality lately?
2 Comments
I can kind of understand the attitude, though. Before computers and the Inkernetz most of the new technologies we had, particularly tv and radio as they were at the time, did alienate people from one another. They extrapolated based on the one-way broadcast media they were familiar with.
Going from that to a world where everyone on-line is (potentially) their own global newspaper, radio station and tv network is a hell of a paradigm shift.
If you did read this article when Ashamel linked to it a few days ago, you simply MUST! ‘Gin, Television and Social Surplus’ by Clay Shirky: it makes so much sense!
http://www.herecomeseverybody.org/2008/04/looking-for-the-mouse.html