Comments on: The Unbearable Lightness of Being on the Web http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/ any technology distinguishable from magic is not sufficiently advanced Thu, 08 Jan 2009 02:24:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Mark Federman http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/#comment-2442 Mark Federman Tue, 02 May 2006 21:22:52 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/#comment-2442 (Sorry I'm late to this conversation.) There is a historical context to this entire conversation about the construction of knowledge - and more importantly, the construction of knowledge authority - that is almost always missed. I talk about it in <a href="http://individual.utoronto.ca/markfederman/WhyJohnnyandJaneyCantRead.pdf">Why Johnny and Janey Can't Read (and Why Mr. and Ms. Smith Can't Teach)</a>. The simple point of the matter is that the standards of knowledge that emerged in the literate era now ending are different than those of a primary oral culture (from long ago), and different than those emerging under UCaPP (ubiquitously connected and pervasively proximate) conditions. To say that instantaneous, multiway communications "changes everything," may be trite, but it is indeed true, if the history of Western civilization is to be truly understood, and believed. However, the nature of the changes are only starting to be observable by most people; those who are "chronically literate" (that include everyone over the age of 22) cannot truly perceive a world to which they have been forced to adopt and adapt. Orlowski and his ilk may be perfectly logical and rational - but these, too, are artefacts of the literate conditions that have shaped their perception. (Sorry I’m late to this conversation.) There is a historical context to this entire conversation about the construction of knowledge - and more importantly, the construction of knowledge authority - that is almost always missed. I talk about it in Why Johnny and Janey Can’t Read (and Why Mr. and Ms. Smith Can’t Teach). The simple point of the matter is that the standards of knowledge that emerged in the literate era now ending are different than those of a primary oral culture (from long ago), and different than those emerging under UCaPP (ubiquitously connected and pervasively proximate) conditions. To say that instantaneous, multiway communications “changes everything,” may be trite, but it is indeed true, if the history of Western civilization is to be truly understood, and believed. However, the nature of the changes are only starting to be observable by most people; those who are “chronically literate” (that include everyone over the age of 22) cannot truly perceive a world to which they have been forced to adopt and adapt.

Orlowski and his ilk may be perfectly logical and rational - but these, too, are artefacts of the literate conditions that have shaped their perception.

]]> By: David Utter http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/#comment-2183 David Utter Mon, 24 Apr 2006 10:10:33 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/#comment-2183 @Mark: I'm a Moleskine fan as well, having just picked up another pair of their reporter notebooks (one for the pocket, one for the desk.) Before you go forth and make Montblanc even wealthier, check out the Instructibles lesson on turning a G2 into a Montblanc-writing machine: http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/7899F5DC1A2310299AD7001143E7E506/?ALLSTEPS Amazing how much money some patience and an Exacto knife can save, isn't it? :) @Mark: I’m a Moleskine fan as well, having just picked up another pair of their reporter notebooks (one for the pocket, one for the desk.) Before you go forth and make Montblanc even wealthier, check out the Instructibles lesson on turning a G2 into a Montblanc-writing machine:

http://www.instructables.com/ex/i/7899F5DC1A2310299AD7001143E7E506/?ALLSTEPS

Amazing how much money some patience and an Exacto knife can save, isn’t it? :)

]]> By: mark safranski http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/#comment-2177 mark safranski Mon, 24 Apr 2006 01:30:45 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/#comment-2177 Hi Rob, Thanks for the link ! Much appreciated. Oddly enough, a few Christmases ago I received a few moleskines - they're quite handy. They also tempt you to go out and buy an expensive pen. Hi Rob,

Thanks for the link ! Much appreciated.

Oddly enough, a few Christmases ago I received a few moleskines - they’re quite handy. They also tempt you to go out and buy an expensive pen.

]]> By: FieldNotes: Notes on the Anthropology of British Columbia » How ‘Shallow’ Is The Web? http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/#comment-2175 FieldNotes: Notes on the Anthropology of British Columbia » How ‘Shallow’ Is The Web? Sun, 23 Apr 2006 20:46:08 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/#comment-2175 [...] A propos of the upcoming summer teaching term, Rob Hyndman blogs today about the value of the internet for research and the quality of the information it contains. He cites a current discussion in the blogosphere about the fact that searching for information on the internet is akin to swimming in the shallow end of the pool. The deep end of the wisdom pool contains books and other print items. It’s part of a critique of Wikipedia. (Hyndman’s post contains the links.) [...] [...] A propos of the upcoming summer teaching term, Rob Hyndman blogs today about the value of the internet for research and the quality of the information it contains. He cites a current discussion in the blogosphere about the fact that searching for information on the internet is akin to swimming in the shallow end of the pool. The deep end of the wisdom pool contains books and other print items. It’s part of a critique of Wikipedia. (Hyndman’s post contains the links.) [...]

]]> By: mark evans http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/#comment-2174 mark evans Sun, 23 Apr 2006 11:53:04 +0000 http://www.robhyndman.com/2006/04/23/the-unbearable-lightness-of-the-web/#comment-2174 rob, very nice post! ironically, it's thinking and thoughts like this one that make the web such a compelling place. it's the range of ideas and how they can be so easily and quickly accessed that have caused me to shift a lot of my television and magazine time to the web. that said, i do agree balance is important, and many of us passionate about technology have an unhealthy need to be connected at all times. personally, i need to spend less time on the blackberry and checking e-mail, and more time reading books (i just started to tackle robert friedman's the earth is flat). as for your purchase of a moleskin, i agree there is nothing like paper to really make thoughts resonate. one of the most valuable tips i adopted recently was 43folders.com suggestion to use index cards to organize what you want to accomplish each day. it seems like a strange technique in a world of outlook and palms but it works! cheers, mark rob,
very nice post! ironically, it’s thinking and thoughts like this one that make the web such a compelling place. it’s the range of ideas and how they can be so easily and quickly accessed that have caused me to shift a lot of my television and magazine time to the web. that said, i do agree balance is important, and many of us passionate about technology have an unhealthy need to be connected at all times. personally, i need to spend less time on the blackberry and checking e-mail, and more time reading books (i just started to tackle robert friedman’s the earth is flat). as for your purchase of a moleskin, i agree there is nothing like paper to really make thoughts resonate. one of the most valuable tips i adopted recently was 43folders.com suggestion to use index cards to organize what you want to accomplish each day. it seems like a strange technique in a world of outlook and palms but it works!

cheers, mark

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