Ruminations on our relationship with technology
The Cambridge Analytica data scandal Many of us first heard about the Cambridge Analytica data scandal shortly after the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election. At that time, we learned that Cambridge Analytica, a consulting firm, acquired personal data from tens of millions of Facebook users before selling it all to political campaigns, without users’ clear consent. … Read more
What is surveillance capitalism? No doubt, one of the unintended consequences of social media has been the loss of privacy. (See Part I of this three-part article.) To recap, big tech companies like Facebook surveil what you do online, collect massive amounts of your personal data (your likes, dislikes, consumer preferences, locations, comments, private messages, … Read more
“Narcissus as narcosis” Throughout history, new technologies have changed culture and transformed society, sometimes with unintended consequences. For instance, the printing press had the effect of spreading literacy and transforming tribal, oral cultures into national, literate cultures. Likewise, electronic and digital technologies are transforming society in fascinating but unpredictable ways. As Canadian philosopher and media … Read more
From technical writing to humanistic technical writing Over my years as a technical writer, I’ve learned that technical communication is sometimes a misunderstood profession. Occasionally, I meet people who think technical writers are professionals who write long, complicated documents about science and technology. Actually, I tell them, technical communication is practically the opposite. In truth, … Read more
Digital distraction and the loss of depth and meaning Do smart devices hinder our ability to think deeply? Are social networking sites displacing meaningful connections in the real world? Over the years, researchers have asked such questions about digital distraction, and not without reason. As smartphone ownership has risen and social media use has increased, … Read more
Scaffolding memory and thought … in the name of love! One Friday, as my wife and I came home after a long work week, she asked me what I felt like doing that evening. We decided to order a pizza, crash on the couch, and watch a movie. Pulling up Netflix, we cued a comedy … Read more
Why are smart device ‘smart’? Perhaps they’re part of an extended mind! Harkening back to my 1980s childhood, I remember, almost nostalgically, the analogue experience of calling my friends on the phone. How different it felt compared to the digital experience today. As a kid, I’d walk over to the landline, pick up the corded … Read more
Distracted driving laws FAQs Those who have followed my writing as of late probably noticed I’ve felt a need to write about the problem of distracted driving, including shortcomings with some distracted driving laws in my state (Minnesota) and other states. For instance, on this site, I’ve written about research on distracted driving and distracted … Read more
The science of expertise vs. ‘talent’ Anders Ericsson is a psychologist who studies how people acquire expert skill and knowledge. It’s research known as the science of expertise. (Notice we say expertise and not talent—we’ll soon see why.) Basically, Ericsson is an expert on how to become an expert. In a book written with mathematician … Read more