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It heartens me to see here these sort of posts! Because it means that finally, after decades of us being blinded by the wow-factor of technology, hackers and e

It heartens me to see here these sort of posts! Because it means that finally, after decades of us being blinded by the wow-factor of technology, hackers and engineers - we who are responsible for creating the next wave of technology - are starting to ask grown-up questions about whether some things are such good ideas. That healthy scepticism doesn't have to mean pessimism, or Luddite rejection of "progress". That's enormous progress of a different kind - a shift from purely technical progress to a better balance of spiritual and social progress.

neilv 4y ago
We had that before -- e.g., your nerds had grown up on s.f. allegories about society, as well as general education -- but it was obliterated by the frenzied influx during the dotcom gold rush. Since then, "the victors write the history books", including formative influences on children's thinking. It's encouraging if we manage to collectively scrape our way back from that, and have genuine concerns -- despite the noise of fashionable posturing, "influencer" conflicts of interest, etc.
- nonrandomstring 4y ago
  Good points about the more rounded origins of hacker culture. I had read most of Arthur C Clarke by 9 years old and already had complex misgivings and ambivalence about "technology". > obliterated by the frenzied influx during the dotcom gold rush. Something changed in mid 1990s, something that was more than just the commercialisation and Eternal September. Perhaps it was millenial angst but a certain darkness and nihilism crept in as if William Gibson stopped trying to imagine future dystopias because the future had "caught up" and we were living in it. I think that's when things actually stopped progressing. After that, everything that had been written as a warning became a blueprint. > Since then, "the victors write the history books", including formative influences on children's thinking. 80s and 90s media moguls only owned the channels, and there was cursory regulation. When you own all the platforms, and devices that people use, and shape the content they see from school-age onwards it is no longer "media" but total mind control. > It's encouraging if we manage to collectively scrape our way back from that It may not be "back", but it may be somewhere better than here. Each generation finds it's own voice. I have some optimism in the kids since 2000 - it's like they're born knowing "The cake is a lie". They're just not quite sure yet what to do about it.

neilv 4y ago

We had that before -- e.g., your nerds had grown up on s.f. allegories about society, as well as general education -- but it was obliterated by the frenzied influx during the dotcom gold rush. Since then, "the victors write the history books", including formative influences on children's thinking. It's encouraging if we manage to collectively scrape our way back from that, and have genuine concerns -- despite the noise of fashionable posturing, "influencer" conflicts of interest, etc.

nonrandomstring 4y ago
Good points about the more rounded origins of hacker culture. I had read most of Arthur C Clarke by 9 years old and already had complex misgivings and ambivalence about "technology". > obliterated by the frenzied influx during the dotcom gold rush. Something changed in mid 1990s, something that was more than just the commercialisation and Eternal September. Perhaps it was millenial angst but a certain darkness and nihilism crept in as if William Gibson stopped trying to imagine future dystopias because the future had "caught up" and we were living in it. I think that's when things actually stopped progressing. After that, everything that had been written as a warning became a blueprint. > Since then, "the victors write the history books", including formative influences on children's thinking. 80s and 90s media moguls only owned the channels, and there was cursory regulation. When you own all the platforms, and devices that people use, and shape the content they see from school-age onwards it is no longer "media" but total mind control. > It's encouraging if we manage to collectively scrape our way back from that It may not be "back", but it may be somewhere better than here. Each generation finds it's own voice. I have some optimism in the kids since 2000 - it's like they're born knowing "The cake is a lie". They're just not quite sure yet what to do about it.