The end of patience : cautionary notes on the information revolution / David Shenk.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Shenk, David, 1966-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Information technology--Social aspects.

Information technology.

Telecommunication--Social aspects.

Telecommunication.

Information society.

Physical Description:

xii, 161 pages : illustrations, map ; 22 cm

Place of Publication:

Bloomington : Indiana University Press, 1999.

Summary:

In this provocative new collection of essays, David Shenk expands his enlightened skepticism to include thoughts on the dangers of online journalism, the ethical implications of digital photography, and the misguided hopes for computers in the classroom. Shock-jocks, computerized toys, Microsoft-bashing, and genetic testing are all subject to his incisive and discerning criticism.

Is Shenk just another neo-Luddite determined to bash all things digital? Hardly. This self-described technology enthusiast--and avid fan of the Internet--is simply interested in clear-eyed analysis of how machines we use actually affect our lives. As one of the founders of the Technorealism movement, he insists that new technologies must be appraised for their ability to achieve traditional human ends, rather than embraced merely for novelty's sake. The End of Patience includes vignettes from Shenk's conversations with some of the most provocative technology thinkers of our time, including Mitch Kapor, Steven Johnson, Esther Dyson, Douglas Rushkoff, and Steve Silberman.

Contents:

Prologue: The Problem with Hypertext ix

I. The Disease of Images

Stealing Calm 3

Just Sit Still 10

II. When More Is Less

The Devolution Has Been Televised 15

More Is Less 18

A Wrinkle in Cyberspace 21

The World Wide Library 24

The Mother of All Howard Sterns 27

Disclose Disclose Disclose 29

Ad Creep (Excerpts from an E-dialogue with Steven Johnson) 31

III. The End of Patience

The End of Patience 41

The Age of Net Scoops 43

This Just In 45

A Few Moments with Steve Silberman 47

IV. The Paparazzi Is Us

The Paparazzi Is Us 53

Not Kissing but Telling Anyway 56

Ph.D., Inc. 59

The World According to You 72

V. The World and Redmond, Washington

Deep Pockets 77

Hating Gates 79

A Few Moments with Mitchell Kapor 90

To Mac or Not to Mac 92

A Few Moments with Douglas Rushkoff 100

VI. Generation Next

School Bells and Whistles 105

"Use Technology to Raise Smarter, Happier Kids" 106

Hall Pass to the Twenty-first Century 120

Stupid Kid-Tricks 122

Biocapitalism 124

Be Afraid 135

VII. Technorealism

A Philosophy for the Rest of Us 139

Technorealism: An Overview 141

A Few Moments with Esther Dyson 145

Know Thy Motherboard 147

Epilogue: Here Is Tokyo 152.

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

0253336341

OCLC:

40996178