3 ms·

I miss the days when the Internet just didn't have a long standing archive of reminders of how old I'm getting, every day. And somehow I don't feel like anythi

by keyle 3y ago

I miss the days when the Internet just didn't have a long standing archive of reminders of how old I'm getting, every day. And somehow I don't feel like anything, but the absolute obvious, is any better.

vouaobrasil 3y ago
> And somehow I don't feel like anything, but the absolute obvious, is any better. I don't think it is either, speaking as someone who also started using the internet when hardly anyone was. I mean, if you think about it, human needs (even up to self-actualization) require just a modest amount of innovation. After that, it's just the trick that was invented at the turn of the 20th century with psychological manipulation and advertising: they found a way to make us think things are getting better, but not really in the sense of absolute human enjoyment. For example: * Yes, I do love my Macbook Air M1 which has undreamt of power compared to my old 486 computer that could barely run "Tomato Blaster", but the power my current Mac is only valuable in regard to the rest of the technology that exists...but if computer development stopped at the 486 would I really be less happy? Not really, I would still enjoy using it and developing basic junk on it. * Yes, I love my 24MP full-frame camera with my 500mm prime lens. Looking back at a photo guide to animals from the 80s, my equipment destroys the shots back then. But then again, if NO ONE had this advanced stuff, I doubt I would be less happy. In fact, I recently put an old mirror lens introduced in 1983 on my camera. The shots are way worse than the modern prime, but yet...I can get some interesting images and honestly I'd be happy "perfecting my craft" on that lens if no modern lenses were available The truth is, the very knowledge of the existence of newer technology makes us want it, but do we really need it? In most cases no, and because creating new tech requires more resources, I think that endless technological development (especially with regard to new computing) is an enormous mistake.
- kqr 3y ago
  On your second point, the book Camera Work contains lots of really good photography from the late 1800s and very early 1900s, before they had even really figured out what photography is. Looking at how beautiful pictures they were able to make with potatoes helped me stop worrying so much about gear and technical perfection. (I mean, art is subjective, but this I would judge to be beautiful and yet I can almost count the pixe^wsilver grains: https://kurtgippert.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/018668_4.jpg?v=1533864711 https://kurtgippert.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/018668_4.jp...) (Playing really good old video games has the same effect for me except in that area.)
  - vouaobrasil 3y ago
    Indeed! Modern photographic technology (which I will admit is quite impressive) allows you to get certain kinds of shots more often, but it doesn't necessarily improve the "health" of the creative sphere of humanity. Sadly, it's the obsession with the new that sells, and I think to some extent it also harms the photographic endeavours of people because they get a bit too obsessed about gear.
- rpastuszak 3y ago
  This reminds of of a quote by Zygmunt Bauman: https://untested.sonnet.io/Proteus+-+Uncertainty+is+the+only+Certainty https://untested.sonnet.io/Proteus+-+Uncertainty+is+the+only...
  - vouaobrasil 3y ago
    Indeed, a relevant quotation!
kqr 3y ago
I take the opposite perspective: I'm so glad I got the opportunity to see all these amazing things be conjured out of thin air in front of my eyes. I feel sorry for the younger people who missed it, and only get to view the end result we have today. (Of course, they will go on to see other fantastic things I will miss, but that's hopefully far into the future so I'm less concerned about that.) (On the contrary, I feel sad when things I missed are brought up. There's a lot that happened technologically in the late '60s and through the '70s that I can only read about in history books.)

by keyle 3y ago

vouaobrasil 3y ago

> And somehow I don't feel like anything, but the absolute obvious, is any better. I don't think it is either, speaking as someone who also started using the internet when hardly anyone was. I mean, if you think about it, human needs (even up to self-actualization) require just a modest amount of innovation. After that, it's just the trick that was invented at the turn of the 20th century with psychological manipulation and advertising: they found a way to make us think things are getting better, but not really in the sense of absolute human enjoyment. For example: * Yes, I do love my Macbook Air M1 which has undreamt of power compared to my old 486 computer that could barely run "Tomato Blaster", but the power my current Mac is only valuable in regard to the rest of the technology that exists...but if computer development stopped at the 486 would I really be less happy? Not really, I would still enjoy using it and developing basic junk on it. * Yes, I love my 24MP full-frame camera with my 500mm prime lens. Looking back at a photo guide to animals from the 80s, my equipment destroys the shots back then. But then again, if NO ONE had this advanced stuff, I doubt I would be less happy. In fact, I recently put an old mirror lens introduced in 1983 on my camera. The shots are way worse than the modern prime, but yet...I can get some interesting images and honestly I'd be happy "perfecting my craft" on that lens if no modern lenses were available The truth is, the very knowledge of the existence of newer technology makes us want it, but do we really need it? In most cases no, and because creating new tech requires more resources, I think that endless technological development (especially with regard to new computing) is an enormous mistake.

kqr 3y ago
On your second point, the book Camera Work contains lots of really good photography from the late 1800s and very early 1900s, before they had even really figured out what photography is. Looking at how beautiful pictures they were able to make with potatoes helped me stop worrying so much about gear and technical perfection. (I mean, art is subjective, but this I would judge to be beautiful and yet I can almost count the pixe^wsilver grains: https://kurtgippert.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/018668_4.jpg?v=1533864711 https://kurtgippert.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/018668_4.jp...) (Playing really good old video games has the same effect for me except in that area.)
- vouaobrasil 3y ago
  Indeed! Modern photographic technology (which I will admit is quite impressive) allows you to get certain kinds of shots more often, but it doesn't necessarily improve the "health" of the creative sphere of humanity. Sadly, it's the obsession with the new that sells, and I think to some extent it also harms the photographic endeavours of people because they get a bit too obsessed about gear.
rpastuszak 3y ago
This reminds of of a quote by Zygmunt Bauman: https://untested.sonnet.io/Proteus+-+Uncertainty+is+the+only+Certainty https://untested.sonnet.io/Proteus+-+Uncertainty+is+the+only...
- vouaobrasil 3y ago
  Indeed, a relevant quotation!

kqr 3y ago

I take the opposite perspective: I'm so glad I got the opportunity to see all these amazing things be conjured out of thin air in front of my eyes. I feel sorry for the younger people who missed it, and only get to view the end result we have today. (Of course, they will go on to see other fantastic things I will miss, but that's hopefully far into the future so I'm less concerned about that.) (On the contrary, I feel sad when things I missed are brought up. There's a lot that happened technologically in the late '60s and through the '70s that I can only read about in history books.)