Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category

Monday, April 9th, 2012

Love 2.0

Algorithms do not love make….

Yes, yes – we all know the advertised stories of all the happy couples brought together by digital dating services through the magic of advanced algorithms.

But hear out Eli Finkel, a professor of social psychology at Northwestern University. As quoted by The New York Times on Easter Sunday, Professor Finkel had this to say:

“Technology is not the way to figure out who is compatible and who will never be.  At the end of the day, the human algorithm – neural tissue in our cranium called a brain – has evolved over a long period of time to size up people efficiently. On a blind date, a person arrives and in that instant can say, ‘I’m glad I did this or I regret it.’”

It also reminded me of a joke often told by Rodney Dangerfield, the well-known American comedian:

“My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.”

And there you have it….

As I contemplated both the professor and Rodney and the sentiment they shared, I was reminded of a piece I had seen in TIME Magazine regarding the technological aspects of the various revolutions and movements of the past year or so:

“Technology mattered, but this was not a technological revolution. Social networks did not cause these movements, but they kept them alive and connected. Technology allowed us to watch, and it spread the virus of protest, but this was not a wired revolution; it was a human one, of hearts and minds, the oldest technology of all.”

Bottom line – algorithms help us make order out of chaos – but they have no soul.

Imagine a world where we could make peace by algorithm….

So it seems to me that as we contemplate what algorithms can and cannot do – as we understand them for the tools they are and not the tools they might make us – I thought the following might spark a thought or two….

Listen:

“If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe.”
Carl Sagan

So if you are looking for the love of your life or you have the urge to bring about world peace – by all means begin with Bing or Google – but remember that creating the universe takes a lot more thought….

What do you think?

Posted by David on 04/09 at 05:11 PM
Monday, March 26th, 2012

Crossing The Street

Friends, friends, friends

We will always be….

So went the popular song – popular that is in summer camp – and usually sung on the last night of the summer holiday as we all, sadly, faced a full year of school, and for many of us a full year away from one another as we lived in different towns and went to different schools.

In those “ancient times” most people had one phone line at home – land of course – and only a couple of actual phone sets – so privacy was in a funny way not unlike today.

More importantly – calls were expensive – the minute clock ticked – so someone a few miles away, but in a different county, was for all intents and purposes as far away as the moon.

But we managed – and somehow relationships stayed strong – friendships grew – and time and distance meant little, and there we were again the next year – in a circle – arms linked – singing “Friends, friends, friends….”

Today we have Facebook, Skype, IM, Twitter, email and mobile phones, and all you need is a connection – but do we have more connectivity? That is the human linkage…people relationships.

Today I am linked to hundreds of people who went to the summer camp I attended – don’t know most of them – some before my time, some after—but we share pictures and remembrances and news, and I have to admit I do look at most of the postings – something I don’t do usually – but I do so in the event someone I know has surfaced. So my “friend” circle has expanded with names I don’t recognize and people I have not reached out to.

On the other hand – in my inner circle of close friends from those summers – are Zelly and Waz and D and J and a handful of others – all of whom I have kept up with all these years – from the time we saw each other only over the summers till today – sometimes going months without contact – but nevertheless first-circle, close-in real friends – the kind who pick you up at the airport in the middle of the night – even if they aren’t on Facebook.

I was inspired by a piece I read on the plane – in GQ of all places – in their “Tech” column – the heading goes:

“Honey, This Face Time Is Torture/If you’ve ever suffered through a long-distance relationship, you’re familiar with the painful mix of love, longing and resentment. But technology was supposed to make it so much easier. So why am iLonely?”

All of which lead me to this – listen:

“I have lost friends, some by death…others through sheer inability to cross the street.”
Virginia Woolf

Here is the question – are you crossing the street?

I have pointed out before that Facebook is all about crossing the street today – so why not learn from the masters?

And please cross the street…

What do you think?

Posted by David on 03/26 at 06:06 PM
Monday, March 19th, 2012

The Verdict Is In

Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty.

Fifteen charges and all Guilty.

I am referring to the case of a New Jersey/USA student who was on trial for spying on his roommate with a webcam and then using the usual social tools to spread the word and share the view.

The roommate committed suicide – the trial wasn’t really about that; there was no charge for the death – but it clearly was about that:  Unintended consequences made the charges that much more real…if you will.

Sadly – the verdict will not bring back the dead – but it might drive a stake in the endlessly shifting sands where law meets technology.

I’ve written about this before – accountability for posting, accountability for sharing, accountability for what we say online – or anywhere for that matter.

Anonymity is not acceptable unless you are in fear of your life – hiding behind some vague notion of liberty and freedom of speech while you deny others theirs is absurd – yet it is accepted by many….

Read the story of the trial – youth, freedom of speech, digital openness and social liberty are not excuses – this may or may not be a landmark – I hope it is…

Bottom line, we cannot allow people to harm others because they have convinced themselves they have a right…listen:

“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”
Voltaire

Gotta love Voltaire.

Also interesting how the digital footprint was used – card swipes, surveillance cameras, computer usage, twitter feeds – wild – if that isn’t a lesson, I don’t know what is.

Read the case – how would you have voted had you been on the jury…?

WHAT DO YOU THINK???

Posted by David on 03/19 at 05:35 PM
  • I hope it is landmark also. Digital accountability is not different than real life accountability. What we say and how we act is a reflection of who we are. Why is it that people assume that its different? With the digital finger prints that we leave, why would someone think that they would not get caught for posting ...
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    Posted by Joanna Pena-Bickley on 2012-03-28 05:05:34
  • Technology + Social Media in the hands of our young children today have shown to cause atrocities. It is sad, but hopefully a verdict of guilty will help deter repeaters!
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    Posted by Above Odds on 2012-03-26 13:42:27
  • With technology comes power, and with power comes responsibility - something that seem's to have gotten lost along the way. Lest we remind ourselves in the communciation game that we share the same responsibilty in terms of what we communicate.There are consequence's to the messages we put out, so take a moment and ponder those before you do.
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    Posted by Jerome on 2012-03-19 20:01:00