Updated: 10/08/2003; 4:36:21 PM.
Transforming Technology
Information of Technology that has transforming or disruptive potential
        

Tuesday, July 08, 2003

The meta-message: Information sucks.

Matt Richtel in the NY Times: The Lure of Data: Is It Addictive? Several people wrote pointing me to this piece. A sample:

The ubiquity of technology in the lives of executives, other businesspeople and consumers has created a subculture of the Always On — and a brewing tension between productivity and freneticism. For all the efficiency gains that it seemingly provides, the constant stream of data can interrupt not just dinner and family time, but also meetings and creative time, and it can prove very tough to turn off.

This is high-priced Orlowski stuff, lathering about yet another red herring issue, all but calling for a detox center for the overwired. BUT he said technology dependence could have its down side, Richtel snarks.

Here's what's on TV right now: Nothing. Trust me. You can store it for later suckage off your TiVo, but it'll still be Nothing.

Here's what's in your magazines right now: Lots of Something you're not interested in. Same with your newspapers.

As for radio: Forget it, unless you're an amen-corner conservative, a sports junkie, an NPR addict, or in need of a traffic report in the next fifteen minutes.

Yes, there's lots of stuff in all those media you might like or use. But you have to wait for it if it's on a broadcast outlet or root for it in a publication. And you're not in charge. They are. And to Them, you're still just a consumer. A gullet for gobbling "content" and crapping cash. (Thank you for that perfect metaphor, Jerry Michalski.) Even if They are NPR and the New York Times.

On the Web, most of what you want, including informative friends and cyberneighbors, are right here, providing stuff you can learn in a time frame as close to Now as you're gonna get.

Here on the Net, we get to inform ourselves, and each other. No, not all information is here. Is it a perfect system? Far from it. But it's a human one. And human beings are learning creatures, after all, even if they do like to watch television.

Of course there will always be a need for libraries and conventional media of all kinds. Again, AND logic applies. But there's no substitute for learning stuff. Call it an addiction if you like, but consider the alternatives.

[The Doc Searls Weblog]

Doc is right - it is a year now since I have been blogging. I have almost stopped watching TV. I have stopped listening to the radio and hardly read the paper. I do spend a lot more time using my news aggregator but mainly to follow my new friends and less to pick up on News in the classic sense.

I am becoming very fond of my little group of blogging friends and I wonder what our relationhsip wil be like in 10 years. Some of us will no doubt drift away but I am certain that some of us will become very close indeed.

Real versus fake relationships - friendships aimed at mutual growth and learning!


2:17:43 PM    comment []

© Copyright 2003 Robert Paterson.
 
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