2 ms·

This is exactly right. We are (still) in the midst of one of the greatest social revolutions since the invention of the printing press. The invention of the i

by dmfdmf 7y ago

This is exactly right. We are (still) in the midst of one of the greatest social revolutions since the invention of the printing press. The invention of the internet has changed the assumptions behind sources of reliable news, funding journalism and control of the political agenda. It is an open question how this revolution will play out but it is clear that the major newspapers such as NYT, WashPo, WSJ, etc. cannot dominate the social narrative as they did in the past which is one reason why everything seems so divisive and scary today. The current uncertainty is not sustainable, so it won't be sustained. But what will take its place is still not clear and the fading influence (and mistrust) of what used to be reliable news sources is all part of the process. For those interested in this viewpoint I highly recommend reading Clay Shirky's excellent article from 2009 "Newspapers and Thinking the Unthinkable"[1]. [1] http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2009/03/newspapers-and-thinking-the-unthinkable/ http://www.shirky.com/weblog/2009/03/newspapers-and-thinking...

lioeters 7y ago
That was a relevant and prescient article, especially drawing the parallel between our current uncertain news/media situation with the social changes that occurred after the invention of the printing press. I guess it comes down to how big leaps in information technology act as catalyst for a disruptive reorganization process in society. Interestingly, the transition from paper to digital media is turning out to have unexpectedly larger implications, disrupting institutional power, control of narrative, facts (and "facts"), knowledge, public awareness, intellectual property, ideologies.. --- Pithy lines I liked: "If you can’t trust Aristotle, who can you trust?" "Society doesn’t need newspapers. What we need is journalism." Added to my reading list: The Printing Press as an Agent of Change (Elizabeth Eisenstein)

by dmfdmf 7y ago

lioeters 7y ago

That was a relevant and prescient article, especially drawing the parallel between our current uncertain news/media situation with the social changes that occurred after the invention of the printing press. I guess it comes down to how big leaps in information technology act as catalyst for a disruptive reorganization process in society. Interestingly, the transition from paper to digital media is turning out to have unexpectedly larger implications, disrupting institutional power, control of narrative, facts (and "facts"), knowledge, public awareness, intellectual property, ideologies.. --- Pithy lines I liked: "If you can’t trust Aristotle, who can you trust?" "Society doesn’t need newspapers. What we need is journalism." Added to my reading list: The Printing Press as an Agent of Change (Elizabeth Eisenstein)