I have many tabs open in my browser right now which may be contributing to the rambling state of mind I have as I write this. Two of them are alluding to the same idea – that we need to monitor the unintended consequences of technology in order to keep focused on its intended use.
Alan Levine points out that all our social technologies might have a perversely opposite effect to what we intend:
Words are awfully cheap now, they fly around at near light speed (not really, this is metaphor land). They go farther then ever, to unintended places, and thanks to the google-bot, they are out there for a long time.
And we don’t see where, how they land. We are hyper-connected, yet at the same time, rather disconnected.
The google-bot is such an unforgiving beast since it forces us to deal with words that might have been written long ago and in a much different frame of mind than one might have today.
Rick Schwier relates an interesting story of technology disconnecting people from their community. A couple who were often away from home installed a security system for their condo. This kept the condo and all their stuff safe, but it had the effect of distancing them from their neighbours who they often counted on to look after and keep an eye on their place when they were away. Rick has a keen observation:
The lesson in all of this? Well, it isn’t that technology is bad and interpersonal connection is good – we all know that is too simplistic and a false dichotomy. But what it tells me is that we need to constantly monitor the unintended outcomes of any technology. We need to see if the way we implement technologies does damage to a larger purpose by enabling a smaller purpose.
A couple of good thoughts about those unintended consequences we create out here on the social side of the internet. I think that many of us are putting ourselves online in a very open and honest way because we want to connect to people. I’m surprised how many people I’ve connected with online who describe themselves as introverts. Having some tools that allow people to connect, including those who find it difficult to connect in their analog lives, is a tremendous social good. Unfortunately, it often ends up that these same tools can be used to hurt and isolate someone who wants to find a community to be a part of. This isn’t a new phenomenon – anyone who has been connecting online since the good old newsgroup days will have stories of flame wars.
Rick says that it takes some positive leadership to keep the unintended consequences from overwhelming the positives afforded us by our social technologies. I’ll end with his thoughts on this because maybe they offer a good perspective on what each of us can do to mitigate this:
We need to realize that what we do is about how we leverage technology to help people reach their own purposes, and in the context of enormous uncertainty. And we have to make mistakes and learn how to move beyond them.
Ramble, shmamble, this is a very thoughtful post.
I’m having some new thoughts to what is nearly always trotted out as a “concern”:
This is said almost universally, but what does it really say? We have a rather deep seated fear about “looking bad” or being embarrassed, and sets up an expectation that a public profile should be Hollywood (or in .edu HarvardWood) perfect, that we should have no character flaws.
Fear is the strongest demotivator.
What if the world formed a “reputation” of you based on weighted more on what you’ve done lately, so that the bad clothes dressing of childhood or the toliet seat drinking photo is something to laugh at and cherish, not to be ashamed of?
What is this fear of “looking bad” cause it makes us strive for a false world image of flawless-ness.
With that, I implore a campaign of self sharing our embarrassing past moments; if more do it, and laugh, they may be minimized in the fear department (at least that is my utopian theory).
So here is my early sad statement of fashion sense:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/2608036844/
Ramble, shmamble, this is a very thoughtful post.
I’m having some new thoughts to what is nearly always trotted out as a “concern”:
This is said almost universally, but what does it really say? We have a rather deep seated fear about “looking bad” or being embarrassed, and sets up an expectation that a public profile should be Hollywood (or in .edu HarvardWood) perfect, that we should have no character flaws.
Fear is the strongest demotivator.
What if the world formed a “reputation” of you based on weighted more on what you’ve done lately, so that the bad clothes dressing of childhood or the toliet seat drinking photo is something to laugh at and cherish, not to be ashamed of?
What is this fear of “looking bad” cause it makes us strive for a false world image of flawless-ness.
With that, I implore a campaign of self sharing our embarrassing past moments; if more do it, and laugh, they may be minimized in the fear department (at least that is my utopian theory).
So here is my early sad statement of fashion sense:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/2608036844/
I once heard another friend, also someone who was trying to create the same kind of change, say “We are all motived by primarily two things: love and fear.” Maybe.
One of the things is that we can’t deal with unintended consequences until they happen. That means we have to actually learn from our own histories, and I don’t know about you, but that is something I continue to struggle with. I don’t just make mistakes. I make them several times.
I once heard another friend, also someone who was trying to create the same kind of change, say “We are all motived by primarily two things: love and fear.” Maybe.
One of the things is that we can’t deal with unintended consequences until they happen. That means we have to actually learn from our own histories, and I don’t know about you, but that is something I continue to struggle with. I don’t just make mistakes. I make them several times.
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