The DU Lounge

jfz9580m

(15,584 posts)

64. He is a writer

Tue Dec 3, 2024, 11:58 PM

Dec 3

I don’t think he actually works in tech. He observes it and provides insightful critiques.

I came across this article in 2020 and found it eye opening:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Is_Google_Making_Us_Stupid%3F

I had been feeling for a while that using the net to read research papers was bad for my brain.

You end up skimming and retaining information poorly. It is not the best form for attention and memory imo. I read his book The Shallows and thought it was very interesting.

I generally find his takes on tech useful:
https://www.newcartographies.com/

https://www.roughtype.com/

I really like how he thinks (aside from his admiration for Stephen Pinker which is his one view I do not share ;-/.).

I have heard of Cory Doctorow. I heard of him via John Naughton’s Guardian page. Heh yeah..enshittification. So that was Doctorow? I think I heard that term on another ai critic’s substack (Gary Marcus). That pretty much fits our media environment (with all due apologies to mere feces which is less weaponized).

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

69 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

The death of text. [View all] malthaussen Dec 3 OP

Reading and writing is becoming a quaint relic of the past. Irish_Dem Dec 3 #1

And they voted for a person who speaks like a grade-school bully Redleg Dec 3 #9

I've seen some analyses that show he speaks at a 4th grade level... SeattleVet Dec 3 #12

Yes the IQ, education and moral decline of the US population is quite clear. Irish_Dem Dec 3 #17

LOL. Charisma lies in the eye of the beholder. Redleg Dec 5 #66

We can blame social media instant gratification algorithms for this. Clouds Passing Dec 3 #25

I agree, social media and instant gratification PatSeg Dec 3 #33

27 years in the university classroom teaching American history. Last spring, I wrote some terms on the chalkboard, I Comfortably_Numb Dec 3 #18

I read an article a couple of years ago. Irish_Dem Dec 3 #22

Honestly. Not reading cursive doesn't mean not intelligent LearnedHand Dec 3 #42

Evidence for these young people's lack of signature? LearnedHand Dec 3 #41

After the election a number of stories hit the popular press about signatures and ballot problems. Irish_Dem Dec 3 #43

Do you have links? LearnedHand Dec 3 #44

Why don't you google it. Irish_Dem Dec 3 #45

I don't think that at all! LearnedHand Dec 3 #49

Not to butt in jfz9580m Dec 3 #50

Thank you. This is interesting LearnedHand Dec 3 #60

Thank you jfz9580m Dec 3 #62

Thanks for the link to Nicholas Carr LearnedHand Dec 3 #63

He is a writer jfz9580m Dec 3 #64

This genxlib Dec 3 #2

And they take twenty minutes to tell a story that PatSeg Dec 3 #37

I think they drag it out morillon Dec 3 #48

Exactly PatSeg Dec 3 #55

4 Or 5? ProfessorGAC Dec 3 #58

Wholeheartedly agree. Flatrat Dec 3 #3

Oh! Yes! Words, unaccompanied by emotional delivery, pauses, and Tesha Dec 3 #4

And video demands too much of my time splat Dec 3 #5

Yeah, seriously. malthaussen Dec 3 #29

I never watch videos. Can't stand them. They are way too slow. Demobrat Dec 3 #6

I can read a post way faster than watching a video, and skim read even faster Bernardo de La Paz Dec 3 #7

I can relate Redleg Dec 3 #8

Not sure it's that people are dinosaurs LearnedHand Dec 3 #61

Good points. It is a matter of preference Redleg Dec 5 #65

I almost never click a video link that is snuck in following a text headline. The Unmitigated Gall Dec 3 #10

What I dislike is the tweet or X thingy that has a link to an article. I wonder why people just sinkingfeeling Dec 3 #11

Agreed! And it would be rude to listen to a video in the Doctor's waiting room. surfered Dec 3 #13

I have nothing against text. I love text. I also appreciate video, which sometimes shows up online highplainsdem Dec 3 #14

I hear you on good commentary. ShazzieB Dec 3 #27

Me Too Innocent Smith Dec 3 #15

Honestly if i click a link and it goes to video WalkerinSC Dec 3 #16

Me too. Bo Zarts Dec 3 #23

And I should add, re text vs video, that a lot of times any text about a statement or exchange will leave highplainsdem Dec 3 #19

Agreed AverageOldGuy Dec 3 #20

Out of "an abundance of caution" beware: malware can be inserted into a device through text messaging, ancianita Dec 3 #21

I do like some videos (especially comedians) Kali Dec 3 #24

With text, I can copy and paste key excerpts into my notes nmmi Dec 3 #26

Same here - I'll generally not watch videos, and am often disappointed that there's no text bhikkhu Dec 3 #28

Too many people are just flat out illiterate now. Basso8vb Dec 3 #30

Yeah. And it's KILLING the experience here. Auggie Dec 3 #31

Just different ways of getting information. Elessar Zappa Dec 3 #32

That's not true. hunter Dec 3 #57

I don't open red square posts. Blue square aren't as bad. Srkdqltr Dec 3 #34

Yeah, I don't care what a dude or gal with a web camera has to say on politics or the economy. Jacson6 Dec 3 #35

There are a couple of videos I like to watch Deuxcents Dec 3 #36

I think I agree. I understand complex issues better if I read them as opposed to hearing someone talk about LoisB Dec 3 #38

I soooooo agree with this. jfz9580m Dec 3 #39

And I can skim text to see if I'm interested. nilram Dec 3 #40

You are not alone... rasputin1952 Dec 3 #46

Me too TexLaProgressive Dec 3 #47

I agree w/ you. Too many videos, too many going after that 'click count'. I too, like the sound of actual SWBTATTReg Dec 3 #51

"I can read and interpret at my leisure..." J_William_Ryan Dec 3 #52

Meanwhile they scream at us to NOT click on links Phentex Dec 3 #53

It seems to me that most videos are talking heads taking 10 minutes to explain 45 seconds of actual news. Earthrise Dec 3 #54

Television news and opinion is worthless. hunter Dec 3 #56

Too many podcasters who think they have all the answers. Fla Dem Dec 3 #59

I noticed a while back how often people are declaiming a need to "express themselves" while at the same time ... eppur_se_muova Dec 5 #67

You want an argument ? Here you go ! eppur_se_muova Dec 5 #68

"It's not just contradiction!" "Yes it is!" malthaussen Dec 5 #69