I loved that you called attention to this Vice quote: "application of knowledge to work being about the application of attention"
This nails it! In those increasingly rote roles, performed throughout the world by hundreds of millions of people, your job is NOT to think. It is to pay attention.
Your "job" on social media, from the platform's perspective, is also to pay attention. It doesn't matter if you're happy, outraged, depressed..... just pay attention, no matter the negative implication.
(also, thank you so much for the mention! I hope some of your readers gain value from an additional, complimentary perspective)
Hey, there's a lot to be alarmed about! But of course, the potential is so far beyond anything else we've ever done. It is such a paradox, and such an incredible time to simply observe the world as it changes.
Oh yeah, I meant to add: the first time I tried META's Oculus, I also got sick!
I tried again after a bunch of updates, and it was much better. It's still not quite ready for prime time yet, meaning I won't get excited on a personal level any time soon. AR is going to be way bigger, way faster, I think.
Just seeing this here! Yes, it's funny about the Google glass because isn't that the same concept - overlaying everything we see with software. But at that time (just a moment ago!) no one was up for that. Now it'll be fine? If I see people walking around with these things I'm going to die. (Or they are).
I think a transparent glass that overlays stuff onto the real world is the bridge we're looking for. I can see a roadmap coming up in real time while you're driving, or a heads up display while walking somewhere that talks about places you might wanna stop. I can see Glass reminding you of who someone is you're talking to (I would LOVE this to be a thing! I have a rough time with names/faces), and reminding you of meetings, stuff like that.
VR is a bridge too far, but AR just has so much use right now. Anything you do with your smartphone screen could be made hands-free. Some aspects of our lives might work well with this sort of optional augmentation.
kind of like having the guy in your ear prompting you with your script lines in a movie. I think I'd go mad! I believe this will all be embedded in us via a chip or whatever at some point and we'll just BE the computer. "Alexa find me a song" will be us instead.
As a semi-aside, the body can only take so much of this (Michael and Anna). Over time pain becomes a real issue and there'll be no thinking/abstracting your way through that. Have spent some years fighting through some truly painful and at times semi-crippling tendonitis from the body positions all this technology has us assume. It's feels kind of amazing that it's gone now. How to keep it away? Yeah, respect the body and exercise. Also I'm just like you with the typing and I think it's because the body's involved (and with it a different part of the mind).
yes, just back as we speak from my latest escape. My favorite part of it is I shut it all down - there's no cell service, no wifi. If I post my newsletter before I go, I can cut off my tendency in the aftermath to keep checking things/editing. (Have to work on being quicker producing it on the front end too so there's more time for the other real things in life.) But yes, it really helps me return to regular life when I know I have this palette-cleanse in between.
“My friend Dana and I, circa 1999 at our job in the early DotCom heyday in NYC when we wrote book blurbs and IMed each other giggling just few feet apart all the lifelong day, had her mom calling us from home every 20 minutes to remind us to look away from the screen. The rule of 20s will save your sight: Look for 20 seconds 20 feet into the distance every 20 minutes.”
How lovely to recognize myself but even more my mom! I honestly forgot she used to do that for us. But she did, you remember!
I loved that you called attention to this Vice quote: "application of knowledge to work being about the application of attention"
This nails it! In those increasingly rote roles, performed throughout the world by hundreds of millions of people, your job is NOT to think. It is to pay attention.
Your "job" on social media, from the platform's perspective, is also to pay attention. It doesn't matter if you're happy, outraged, depressed..... just pay attention, no matter the negative implication.
(also, thank you so much for the mention! I hope some of your readers gain value from an additional, complimentary perspective)
Yes, our attention is $$. Even if we're zombies!
But I for one definitely appreciate your (more measured) perspective when I'm all freaking out with alarmism!
Hey, there's a lot to be alarmed about! But of course, the potential is so far beyond anything else we've ever done. It is such a paradox, and such an incredible time to simply observe the world as it changes.
Oh yeah, I meant to add: the first time I tried META's Oculus, I also got sick!
I tried again after a bunch of updates, and it was much better. It's still not quite ready for prime time yet, meaning I won't get excited on a personal level any time soon. AR is going to be way bigger, way faster, I think.
terrifies me! I think it would be great if it makes everyone sick and they just stay away but we're too far past that..
I haven't tried the Apple one yet (few have), but maybe this fixes it. I don't know, still may be a long time to go.
Remember Google Glass? I think they were onto something.
Just seeing this here! Yes, it's funny about the Google glass because isn't that the same concept - overlaying everything we see with software. But at that time (just a moment ago!) no one was up for that. Now it'll be fine? If I see people walking around with these things I'm going to die. (Or they are).
I think a transparent glass that overlays stuff onto the real world is the bridge we're looking for. I can see a roadmap coming up in real time while you're driving, or a heads up display while walking somewhere that talks about places you might wanna stop. I can see Glass reminding you of who someone is you're talking to (I would LOVE this to be a thing! I have a rough time with names/faces), and reminding you of meetings, stuff like that.
VR is a bridge too far, but AR just has so much use right now. Anything you do with your smartphone screen could be made hands-free. Some aspects of our lives might work well with this sort of optional augmentation.
kind of like having the guy in your ear prompting you with your script lines in a movie. I think I'd go mad! I believe this will all be embedded in us via a chip or whatever at some point and we'll just BE the computer. "Alexa find me a song" will be us instead.
As a semi-aside, the body can only take so much of this (Michael and Anna). Over time pain becomes a real issue and there'll be no thinking/abstracting your way through that. Have spent some years fighting through some truly painful and at times semi-crippling tendonitis from the body positions all this technology has us assume. It's feels kind of amazing that it's gone now. How to keep it away? Yeah, respect the body and exercise. Also I'm just like you with the typing and I think it's because the body's involved (and with it a different part of the mind).
Oh I'm glad the pain is gone. It's definitely real, and people suffer. Keep on moving on!
P.S. Do you find your weekend cyber detoxes make you feel clearly different afterward?
yes, just back as we speak from my latest escape. My favorite part of it is I shut it all down - there's no cell service, no wifi. If I post my newsletter before I go, I can cut off my tendency in the aftermath to keep checking things/editing. (Have to work on being quicker producing it on the front end too so there's more time for the other real things in life.) But yes, it really helps me return to regular life when I know I have this palette-cleanse in between.
That's really got to be so good for you. I think few people would want to give up the pipe though.
Yes very true
“My friend Dana and I, circa 1999 at our job in the early DotCom heyday in NYC when we wrote book blurbs and IMed each other giggling just few feet apart all the lifelong day, had her mom calling us from home every 20 minutes to remind us to look away from the screen. The rule of 20s will save your sight: Look for 20 seconds 20 feet into the distance every 20 minutes.”
How lovely to recognize myself but even more my mom! I honestly forgot she used to do that for us. But she did, you remember!
And candy apples!!
You are such a talented writer, and you are putting those talents to fantastic use with this blog!
That means so much coming from you, the Memoir Mentor! Thank you Susan.