Comments on: The real world http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:53:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: beezer http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261913 beezer Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:21:38 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261913 A Chicago politician with immense powers of persuasion leading a talented, motivated group of internet savvy insiders. I don't know whether to run to the nearest exit or sit still and hope the lights I see aren't the front end of a tractor trailer. A Chicago politician with immense powers of persuasion leading a talented, motivated group of internet savvy insiders. I don’t know whether to run to the nearest exit or sit still and hope the lights I see aren’t the front end of a tractor trailer.

]]> By: Alice http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261511 Alice Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:55:04 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261511 Its great to finally have an administration which takes science and technology seriously. I hope you had a great time in DC. Its great to finally have an administration which takes science and technology seriously. I hope you had a great time in DC.

]]> By: PersonFromPorlock http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261507 PersonFromPorlock Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:45:15 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261507 I suspect 'the interest of the government' will be expressed by trying to deliver the internet to a particular political viewpoint or to commercial interests, or both. Politicians of all stripes jockey shamelessly for advantage and take bribes, and there's no reason to suppose that the Obama camp will be any different. The excellence of his internet advisors will probably best be reflected in their advice that's ignored. I suspect ‘the interest of the government’ will be expressed by trying to deliver the internet to a particular political viewpoint or to commercial interests, or both. Politicians of all stripes jockey shamelessly for advantage and take bribes, and there’s no reason to suppose that the Obama camp will be any different. The excellence of his internet advisors will probably best be reflected in their advice that’s ignored.

]]> By: drpangloss http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261487 drpangloss Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:19:01 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261487 Glad you are still enthused and thanks for that, eh. But my fingers are so really, really crossed that Obama et al aren't just a well spoken mediocre crew it is very difficult to type this message. Glad you are still enthused and thanks for that, eh. But my fingers are so really, really crossed that Obama et al aren’t just a well spoken mediocre crew it is very difficult to type this message.

]]> By: Luther Blissett http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261486 Luther Blissett Sun, 21 Dec 2008 01:15:32 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261486 Seth, I'm just glad Al Gore invented the internet. Seth, I’m just glad Al Gore invented the internet.

]]> By: gmoke http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261473 gmoke Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:13:50 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261473 Eszter, have you sat down with Nolan Bowie over at the Shorenstein Center? He's a public interest lawyer who's been working for years on media access issues. I'll buy you guys lunch just to listen to the conversation (someplace in Harvard Square in January?) Eszter, have you sat down with Nolan Bowie over at the Shorenstein Center? He’s a public interest lawyer who’s been working for years on media access issues. I’ll buy you guys lunch just to listen to the conversation (someplace in Harvard Square in January?)

]]> By: Eszter Hargittai http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261467 Eszter Hargittai Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:50:23 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261467 Cyrus, in my post I link to my research page, which has links to <a href="http://www.webuse.org/papers" rel="nofollow">my publications</a>, many of which deal with related issues. Looking at the reference lists of my publications will point you to lots of literature on these topics. Also, searches for terms like "digital divide" on <a href="http://scholar.google.com" rel="nofollow">Google Scholar</a> would likely help. Regarding Internet literacy in particular, there's much less work and I welcome pointers you might find. Cyrus, in my post I link to my research page, which has links to my publications, many of which deal with related issues. Looking at the reference lists of my publications will point you to lots of literature on these topics. Also, searches for terms like “digital divide” on Google Scholar would likely help. Regarding Internet literacy in particular, there’s much less work and I welcome pointers you might find.

]]> By: HH http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261466 HH Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:13:56 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261466 There is a simple test of the political value of Internet academic research: Is it actionable? Apart from a few crusaders like Lawrence Lessig, the Internet academic community has been remarkable timid. Perhaps this will change with the encouragement of the Obama administration. I think the central difficulty is that, for most scholars, their core mission is to conserve and perfect our understanding of things of known value. Because the Internet is emergent, and we are just at the beginnings of its socially transformative effects, scholars can't get their canonical bearings. So they stay on the periphery, and have "exciting" conversations. Meanwhile, Internet history is made by entrepreneurs, eccentrics, and, yes, politicians. There is a simple test of the political value of Internet academic research: Is it actionable? Apart from a few crusaders like Lawrence Lessig, the Internet academic community has been remarkable timid. Perhaps this will change with the encouragement of the Obama administration.

I think the central difficulty is that, for most scholars, their core mission is to conserve and perfect our understanding of things of known value. Because the Internet is emergent, and we are just at the beginnings of its socially transformative effects, scholars can’t get their canonical bearings. So they stay on the periphery, and have “exciting” conversations. Meanwhile, Internet history is made by entrepreneurs, eccentrics, and, yes, politicians.

]]> By: C. Hall http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261457 C. Hall Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:48:09 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261457 Eszter- Would it be possible for you to point to some of the research on Internet access, adoption, and literacy? Thanks, Cyrus Eszter-

Would it be possible for you to point to some of the research on Internet access, adoption, and literacy?

Thanks,
Cyrus

]]> By: Seth Finkelstein http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261456 Seth Finkelstein Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:39:47 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261456 Sadly, "smart and knowledgeable" isn't enough in politics. Al Gore was one of the most visionary politicians and a true proponent of the Internet, yet a vicious hatchet-job on him still haunts his public reputation ( see my <a href="http://sethf.com/gore/" rel="nofollow">Al Gore "Internet"</a> page). Anyway, I hope you can use your position in The Belly Of The Beast to counteract the hucksters selling Internet popularity-mining as a political solution, and much worse, the horrible alliance between corporate interests and some techno-utopians to use theoretical Internet effects to promote risk-shifting onto the weak and powerless. While the popularity-miners are mostly annoying flacks, the risk-shifters are deeply destructive to the fabric of society. Sadly, “smart and knowledgeable” isn’t enough in politics. Al Gore was one of the most visionary politicians and a true proponent of the Internet, yet a vicious hatchet-job on him still haunts his public reputation ( see my Al Gore “Internet” page).

Anyway, I hope you can use your position in The Belly Of The Beast to counteract the hucksters selling Internet popularity-mining as a political solution, and much worse, the horrible alliance between corporate interests and some techno-utopians to use theoretical Internet effects to promote risk-shifting onto the weak and powerless. While the popularity-miners are mostly annoying flacks, the risk-shifters are deeply destructive to the fabric of society.

]]> By: Paul http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261454 Paul Sat, 20 Dec 2008 10:24:36 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261454 I hope that these "smart and knowledgeable people" have a good dose of common sense too. Obama has a very difficult task ahead of him and people need to realize that in the political realm anything can happen even with the best of intentions. History can be a harsh judge . I hope that these “smart and knowledgeable people” have a good dose of common sense too. Obama has a very difficult task ahead of him and people need to realize that in the political realm anything can happen even with the best of intentions. History can be a harsh judge .

]]> By: MarkUp http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261450 MarkUp Sat, 20 Dec 2008 03:31:46 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261450 I'm sure VP Dick will claim it all to be personal/political and subject to an undisclosed location burial. I’m sure VP Dick will claim it all to be personal/political and subject to an undisclosed location burial.

]]> By: P O'Neill http://crookedtimber.org/2008/12/19/the-real-world/comment-page-1/#comment-261448 P O'Neill Sat, 20 Dec 2008 02:10:53 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/?p=8876#comment-261448 If you have any influence with them, ask them not to trash the current White House webpage when they move in. Or at least ensure some way that the links to it will still work. A lot of the Bush disaster was documented by bloggers via links to the site. It would a shame for it all to disappear. If you have any influence with them, ask them not to trash the current White House webpage when they move in. Or at least ensure some way that the links to it will still work. A lot of the Bush disaster was documented by bloggers via links to the site. It would a shame for it all to disappear.

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