Post #525 – extension 2 link dump

06 Apr 2005

Journalism? Our news on television and in print pander to the worst instincts in our culture, favoring sound bites over substance and critical analysis. Movies and books? So much pandering to simplistic character arcs and blockbuster plots that one has to wonder if we’ll see more lasting contributions to the culture from this past century.

Medicine? People can now live through incredible diseases, extending life well past what would be expected in the past. In fact, it’s gotten to the point where we expect medicine to save us or cure us when in fact it might be most natural to move on from this Earth.

We make things so easy to use, do, digest and process these days that we’re faking out Darwin and cheating Mother Nature, getting what we want regardless of the cost to ourselves or the planet. Most likely, though, it’s probably just a facade. We only think we’re cheating death and have advanced past clever monkeys with keyboards and a few choice words beyond a simple grunt. The question is when will it all come to roost?

Sourced from Design by Fire: Please make me think! Potential dangers in usability culture.

Link dump:

My life as a Berkperson — the centre looks interesting.

The Cluetrain Manifesto — looks startlingly relevant to the work, and overwhelmingly intelligent in its discourse and analysis.

The Future of Ideas — by Lawrence Lessig. Seen his name and this work before, but haven’t read. Adding to “to-do” list.