Day: August 17, 2013

I have the privilege of writing in the amazing world of Shadowrun, an urban fantasy/sci-fi genre where I get to explore the social ramifications of technology. One of the things I find the most engaging about the possible future is the cybernetic eye–specifically a device that records what you see and can provide internet-based data in a Heads up Display style. Imagine what we could do with that tech. Imagine a doctor working on a patient and sending a live feed to international experts who may assist her in the surgery or even pull down graphic overlays to guide the surgery. The possibilities are endless.

The possibilities are close to reality.

Google recently introduced Google Glass, an eyepiece device that serves as a HUD and a camera, a tool that takes pictures and videos and responds to voice commands. However, this isn’t a fanboy post on why the Glass is awesome. Actually it is more of a warning about what it could mean.

If we have all of the internet’s information only milliseconds away, what is the need for us to know anything? At some point in our near-future it is going to become more important to understand how to retrieve, discern, and apply information than it is to know, or to remember, information in any significant way. We may transition from a place where the signifiers of knowledge are PhD and MA to a place where knowledge is based on bandwidth and understanding of the specific situation. Expertise will be localized as information goes global. So, what does that mean to how we value intelligence?

I want to use this space to explore some ideas. I have a Sociology through Film class coming up and I feel like the class is a wonderful opportunity to explore the youth culture and their interpretations of the world around them. Like any good bonfire, these students need fuel. I try to strike a balance in my classes between directed and culled material. I want them to choose a certain amount of the media we explore, which narrows the amount of media I bring to the table and for what purpose.

I want to bring in The Wire for certain. The show is a poor opener for the class, as the complexity of the Wire is better unraveled with a basic understanding of sociological theory. But where do I start? I Love Lucy? Birth of a Nation? Actually, that last one isn’t a half-bad idea. While it could be too ‘in your face’ for an initial screening, it does make a statement about how film has and continue to be used over time. Perhaps I show a clip and get them going.

Its all about the energy in the room. If you can get the energy flowing at get them feeling safe and uncomfortable and excited to learn. Just gotta find the right clips to get them there.

Some Thoughts:

1. The assertion that macs do not become infected by viruses is totally false.
2. I still cannot believe MJ married that Debbie Rowe chick. If anyone needed an intervention it was him.
3. Lady Gaga is a lot like a deranged version of Madonna. Just saying…
4. Thinking about taking 1 or more boys to a Cardinals game. The price for tickets is restrictive, especially if they cannot make it a whole game. Still, I might go ahead and make this happen, because the experience of a pro game is awesome. Maybe I’ll do a dry run with them at a preseason game…