I shall make the same comment over at Zeus's blog as well, but I think the divide is not as B&W. Looking at this list itself, I want to debate one or two points.
The thing about Communal vs. Private - um - Digital doesn't work that way. It lets one person share things about him/her self with the world - and this is driven by a very private, selfish urge. My voice, my ideas, my people, my photos, my friends, my blog, my opinion.
What the systems and technologies allow is to find more people who have similar ideas and a half-decent chance of getting to know each other without a slap in the face.
There are people on either side of the divide (that the divide exists, I concede. I have been witness to it) that are critical, pessimistic and competitive. And there are people on both sides who are optimistic, love sharing ideas, open to differing opinion and will discuss first principles, not the letter of the law.
This list is just a bunch of keywords. But perhaps I should read the full post first?
Hi mate. Thanks for that great comment. Firstly I agree that the list is a bit binary. Life is a lot more complex than just polar opposites but I do believe that Adrian has picked up on something.
You've very cleverly identified something I've been talking about with regard to 21st century digital culture. You write "people who have similar ideas and a half-decent chance of getting to know each other without a slap in the face."
I totally agree. I was describing this to a colleague from Brazil and he called it filtering. The wonderful thing about emerging net culture is that it allows us to focus and concentrate on the good side of people, and this is something I want to blog a little about. Its unprecedented that we can become so familiar with people without allowing ourselves to become distracted with what we all have. Our flaws. I've made terrific friendships in 2007 that are based on my understanding of the good side of those people and I'm pretty sure that I've just ignored the points that maybe I disagree with.
Even when I've met people offline whose blogs I love that I didn't quite 'connect' with on a deeper level I still have their terrific words to keep as a focus point for admiration. So it works offline to online too.
Adrian on that post made a point about selection bias on the digital haves part of the equation - people who are optimists tend to embrace technology and then they become more so - a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy in my mind.
And that's the same as your friend's concept of filtering. You kind of weed out people who are not you and then preach/evangelise new technology, new ideas, new stuff to them.
I am rambling at this point, but I think there's something here. Will try and make a post out of it.
Good one. Ta.
ReplyDeleteThat Zeus Jones certainly has a head on him. Are you joining us for AoC Mk II Charles?
ReplyDeleteHi Gavin. Welcome!.. I haven't been invited to contribute on AoC part two but will gladly help out if I can :)
ReplyDeleteI shall make the same comment over at Zeus's blog as well, but I think the divide is not as B&W. Looking at this list itself, I want to debate one or two points.
ReplyDeleteThe thing about Communal vs. Private - um - Digital doesn't work that way. It lets one person share things about him/her self with the world - and this is driven by a very private, selfish urge. My voice, my ideas, my people, my photos, my friends, my blog, my opinion.
What the systems and technologies allow is to find more people who have similar ideas and a half-decent chance of getting to know each other without a slap in the face.
There are people on either side of the divide (that the divide exists, I concede. I have been witness to it) that are critical, pessimistic and competitive. And there are people on both sides who are optimistic, love sharing ideas, open to differing opinion and will discuss first principles, not the letter of the law.
This list is just a bunch of keywords. But perhaps I should read the full post first?
Hi mate. Thanks for that great comment. Firstly I agree that the list is a bit binary. Life is a lot more complex than just polar opposites but I do believe that Adrian has picked up on something.
ReplyDeleteYou've very cleverly identified something I've been talking about with regard to 21st century digital culture. You write "people who have similar ideas and a half-decent chance of getting to know each other without a slap in the face."
I totally agree. I was describing this to a colleague from Brazil and he called it filtering. The wonderful thing about emerging net culture is that it allows us to focus and concentrate on the good side of people, and this is something I want to blog a little about. Its unprecedented that we can become so familiar with people without allowing ourselves to become distracted with what we all have. Our flaws. I've made terrific friendships in 2007 that are based on my understanding of the good side of those people and I'm pretty sure that I've just ignored the points that maybe I disagree with.
Even when I've met people offline whose blogs I love that I didn't quite 'connect' with on a deeper level I still have their terrific words to keep as a focus point for admiration. So it works offline to online too.
Great comment mate. Keep them coming.
Adrian on that post made a point about selection bias on the digital haves part of the equation - people who are optimists tend to embrace technology and then they become more so - a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy in my mind.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's the same as your friend's concept of filtering. You kind of weed out people who are not you and then preach/evangelise new technology, new ideas, new stuff to them.
I am rambling at this point, but I think there's something here. Will try and make a post out of it.