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I am among the disrupted. - Books have never been cheaper. - I can video call around the world. - Almost anything can be delivered quickly. - Email has taken o

I am among the disrupted. - Books have never been cheaper. - I can video call around the world. - Almost anything can be delivered quickly. - Email has taken over my life. - I have free access to an evergrowing encyclopedia. There is some loss, but I'll take this life over that of a small-plot farmer or industrial worker. It's much easier to be an intellectual with access to all this on-line knowledge. It doesn't kill our humanity, it elevates what our humanity is capable of.

shanusmagnus 12y ago
Nicely said. I never understand how some people who claim to be 'intellectuals' (whatever that means) seem incapable of grasping the following truism: Change happens. Something is gained. Something is lost. I mean, it's fine to lament the passing of a world, but Jesus, get some perspective.
- williamcotton 12y ago
  Ok, so change is inevitable, but how about you get some empathy for the people who had other plans that were derailed in the process of "creative disruption"? Count your lucky stars that things are working out for you because you might be in the position some day where your skills and knowledge quickly become obsolete.
  - benihana 12y ago
    Please. This piece is not about empathy for people who've been disrupted. It's a self-proclaimed intellectual bemoaning the fact that the change that is inevitable isn't happening the way he thinks it should. He's not feeling for the factory worker in Detroit who is out of a job. He's feeling for himself because when he strolls around the East Village, he's sad that there aren't bookstores. He's sad because now everyone has a voice and his voice isn't as loud or meaningful. It's the exact opposite of what you're suggesting: 'getting some' empathy for people.
    - williamcotton 12y ago
      So was everyone of these "gatekeepers" just a "self-proclaimed intellectual" before social media came along and "liberated everyone from their tyranny"?
      - deleted 12y ago
        [deleted]
  - shanusmagnus 12y ago
    Man, you're sure assuming a lot about me, my life circumstances, and my level of empathy. FWIW, I feel keenly for people who get the rug yanked out from under them, even in circumstances when they should have seen it coming, even (usually) when they come across as entitled and patronizing assholes, because fear can do that to you. I admit that my heart grows less tender when people shake their fists at the sky for the cruel turns the world has wrought unto them, without acknowledging the myriad ways they have benefited from the same forces that have given rise to their complaints. Another mitigating factor, as a sibling on this thread remarked, is that I am unaware of this author's poignant appeal on behalf of milkmen, TV repairmen, and gas station attendants, although you are free to correct me on that account.
    - williamcotton 12y ago
      I admit that my heart grows less tender when people shake their fists at the sky for the cruel turns the world has wrought unto them, without acknowledging the myriad ways they have benefited from the same forces that have given rise to their complaints. That's basically the description of callousness. You're rather arrogantly assuming that you're capable of judging wether or not they have benefited from these changes. Economic factors and whiz-bang gadgets might not excite people as much as having a stable core of friends and family around them. I'm sure you've seen studies on how uncorrelated economic indicators and happiness are? I am unaware of this author's poignant appeal on behalf of milkmen, TV repairmen, and gas station attendants Why is that pertinent?
      - nl 12y ago
        >> I am unaware of this author's poignant appeal on behalf of milkmen, TV repairmen, and gas station attendants > Why is that pertinent? The author start Amid the bacchanal of disruption, let us pause to honor the disrupted. I think it is reasonable for someone to point out that his "honoring" only seems to apply to (for want of a better term) the "creative classes" as opposed to blue collar workers.
        williamcotton 12y ago
- ThomPete 12y ago
  Perspective of who? I am assuming you are not claiming there is only one perspective right? So perhaps these peoples perspective isn't the same as yours as their benefits aren't as obvious. Change happens that much is sure but lets not replace that insight for thinking about how to deal with the fact that people who get disrupted aren't all part of the self improvement clique and can't just change their lives from cleaning lady to Ruby developer.
smacktoward 12y ago
For purposes of argument: > Books have never been cheaper. Thanks to market distortions enforced by a still-growing quasi-monopoly, whose stock price is only propped up by Wall Street's expectation that they will jack those prices way, way up once all the competition has been flattened and customers have nowhere else to go. > I can video call around the world. If you and the person on the other end both use the same software out of dozens of options. "Let's see, Jane is on Skype, but Mike uses Google Hangouts..." > Almost anything can be delivered quickly. If you live in San Francisco or New York City. If you happen to be among the very few people who live anywhere else, your mileage may vary. > Email has taken over my life. As an open platform that can be freely integrated with rather than a closed corporate silo with a cocktail-straw API, email is a remnant of a more civilized age rather than a product of our current one. > I have free access to an evergrowing encyclopedia. Whose quality is determined entirely by which obsessive-compulsive editor has the most free time on their hands.
- nl 12y ago
  >> Books have never been cheaper. > Thanks to market distortions enforced by a still-growing quasi-monopoly, whose stock price is only propped up by Wall Street's expectation that they will jack those prices way, way up once all the competition has been flattened and customers have nowhere else to go. Assuming you mean Amazon here, this isn't the case at all. Wall Street supports Amazon's stock price because they keep growing. They do that by expansion, not by price rises. Wall Street has zero expectation that Amazon will ever raises prices for anything it does - they expect Amazon will continue to cut prices and expand markets. That expectation may be bad for book publishers and possibly authors, but not for consumers.
- maratd 12y ago
  > propped up by Wall Street's expectation that they will jack those prices way, way up once all the competition has been flattened and customers have nowhere else to go Wall Street will be disappointed. Prices for digital goods always have and will continue to be controlled by piracy. > If you and the person on the other end both use the same software out of dozens of options. "Let's see, Jane is on Skype, but Mike uses Google Hangouts..." In real life, Jane and Mike are both on Skype. > If you happen to be among the very few people who live anywhere else, your mileage may vary. If you live in the middle of nowhere, chances are you have a PO Box at the local post office. Not as convenient, but works just as well. > email is a remnant of a more civilized age rather than a product of our current one. There are plenty of open standards being pumped out. Nobody is using them. Would it be nice to have everything open and universal? Sure. But given the choice between sparse and open ... and rich and closed, I'll take rich and closed. Virtually everything has an API now. How awesome is that? > Whose quality is determined entirely by which obsessive-compulsive editor has the most free time on their hands. How was this not true of the old encyclopedias? At least now, you can do your own digging pretty easily to verify any claims. On top of that, Wikipedia keeps a history of who wrote what and when, which is specifically useful for determining if the editor has an axe to grind.

shanusmagnus 12y ago

Nicely said. I never understand how some people who claim to be 'intellectuals' (whatever that means) seem incapable of grasping the following truism: Change happens. Something is gained. Something is lost. I mean, it's fine to lament the passing of a world, but Jesus, get some perspective.

williamcotton 12y ago
Ok, so change is inevitable, but how about you get some empathy for the people who had other plans that were derailed in the process of "creative disruption"? Count your lucky stars that things are working out for you because you might be in the position some day where your skills and knowledge quickly become obsolete.
- benihana 12y ago
  Please. This piece is not about empathy for people who've been disrupted. It's a self-proclaimed intellectual bemoaning the fact that the change that is inevitable isn't happening the way he thinks it should. He's not feeling for the factory worker in Detroit who is out of a job. He's feeling for himself because when he strolls around the East Village, he's sad that there aren't bookstores. He's sad because now everyone has a voice and his voice isn't as loud or meaningful. It's the exact opposite of what you're suggesting: 'getting some' empathy for people.
  - williamcotton 12y ago
    So was everyone of these "gatekeepers" just a "self-proclaimed intellectual" before social media came along and "liberated everyone from their tyranny"?
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
- shanusmagnus 12y ago
  Man, you're sure assuming a lot about me, my life circumstances, and my level of empathy. FWIW, I feel keenly for people who get the rug yanked out from under them, even in circumstances when they should have seen it coming, even (usually) when they come across as entitled and patronizing assholes, because fear can do that to you. I admit that my heart grows less tender when people shake their fists at the sky for the cruel turns the world has wrought unto them, without acknowledging the myriad ways they have benefited from the same forces that have given rise to their complaints. Another mitigating factor, as a sibling on this thread remarked, is that I am unaware of this author's poignant appeal on behalf of milkmen, TV repairmen, and gas station attendants, although you are free to correct me on that account.
  - williamcotton 12y ago
    I admit that my heart grows less tender when people shake their fists at the sky for the cruel turns the world has wrought unto them, without acknowledging the myriad ways they have benefited from the same forces that have given rise to their complaints. That's basically the description of callousness. You're rather arrogantly assuming that you're capable of judging wether or not they have benefited from these changes. Economic factors and whiz-bang gadgets might not excite people as much as having a stable core of friends and family around them. I'm sure you've seen studies on how uncorrelated economic indicators and happiness are? I am unaware of this author's poignant appeal on behalf of milkmen, TV repairmen, and gas station attendants Why is that pertinent?
    - nl 12y ago
      >> I am unaware of this author's poignant appeal on behalf of milkmen, TV repairmen, and gas station attendants > Why is that pertinent? The author start Amid the bacchanal of disruption, let us pause to honor the disrupted. I think it is reasonable for someone to point out that his "honoring" only seems to apply to (for want of a better term) the "creative classes" as opposed to blue collar workers.
      - williamcotton 12y ago
ThomPete 12y ago
Perspective of who? I am assuming you are not claiming there is only one perspective right? So perhaps these peoples perspective isn't the same as yours as their benefits aren't as obvious. Change happens that much is sure but lets not replace that insight for thinking about how to deal with the fact that people who get disrupted aren't all part of the self improvement clique and can't just change their lives from cleaning lady to Ruby developer.

smacktoward 12y ago

For purposes of argument: > Books have never been cheaper. Thanks to market distortions enforced by a still-growing quasi-monopoly, whose stock price is only propped up by Wall Street's expectation that they will jack those prices way, way up once all the competition has been flattened and customers have nowhere else to go. > I can video call around the world. If you and the person on the other end both use the same software out of dozens of options. "Let's see, Jane is on Skype, but Mike uses Google Hangouts..." > Almost anything can be delivered quickly. If you live in San Francisco or New York City. If you happen to be among the very few people who live anywhere else, your mileage may vary. > Email has taken over my life. As an open platform that can be freely integrated with rather than a closed corporate silo with a cocktail-straw API, email is a remnant of a more civilized age rather than a product of our current one. > I have free access to an evergrowing encyclopedia. Whose quality is determined entirely by which obsessive-compulsive editor has the most free time on their hands.

nl 12y ago
>> Books have never been cheaper. > Thanks to market distortions enforced by a still-growing quasi-monopoly, whose stock price is only propped up by Wall Street's expectation that they will jack those prices way, way up once all the competition has been flattened and customers have nowhere else to go. Assuming you mean Amazon here, this isn't the case at all. Wall Street supports Amazon's stock price because they keep growing. They do that by expansion, not by price rises. Wall Street has zero expectation that Amazon will ever raises prices for anything it does - they expect Amazon will continue to cut prices and expand markets. That expectation may be bad for book publishers and possibly authors, but not for consumers.
maratd 12y ago
> propped up by Wall Street's expectation that they will jack those prices way, way up once all the competition has been flattened and customers have nowhere else to go Wall Street will be disappointed. Prices for digital goods always have and will continue to be controlled by piracy. > If you and the person on the other end both use the same software out of dozens of options. "Let's see, Jane is on Skype, but Mike uses Google Hangouts..." In real life, Jane and Mike are both on Skype. > If you happen to be among the very few people who live anywhere else, your mileage may vary. If you live in the middle of nowhere, chances are you have a PO Box at the local post office. Not as convenient, but works just as well. > email is a remnant of a more civilized age rather than a product of our current one. There are plenty of open standards being pumped out. Nobody is using them. Would it be nice to have everything open and universal? Sure. But given the choice between sparse and open ... and rich and closed, I'll take rich and closed. Virtually everything has an API now. How awesome is that? > Whose quality is determined entirely by which obsessive-compulsive editor has the most free time on their hands. How was this not true of the old encyclopedias? At least now, you can do your own digging pretty easily to verify any claims. On top of that, Wikipedia keeps a history of who wrote what and when, which is specifically useful for determining if the editor has an axe to grind.