Losing the Human Touch

Stephen Fry once said of technology that ”One technology doesn’t replace another, it complements. Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators.” As technological advances continue to be made manifest, it is no wonder that communities want to embrace change. However, change is not always for the better and though I welcome the advance of e-media and having to rely less on staff, one can’t help but worry about the impact of technology on bookshops, libraries and their employees.  There are real and visible human costs as I will discuss and illustrate below.

A sad day for students and staff alike. (John Smiths UCC)

Reaction to L. Lessig Assigned Reading

     As a quick intro to this blog entry, we have been asked to review/respond to one of the readings we were previously assigned. As an added bonus this blog is also available in a downloadable epub format, thus making it available for reading on the go.

Downloadable here: ePub.

     Lawrence Lessig‘s book  The Future of Ideas: The Fate of the Commons in a Connected World (pictured below)  provided me with new insights into how content is controlled and subject to regulation, often impinging on creativity. I was unaware of the extent to which it remains the decision of the lawyers as to whether or not items can be used in filming. While I understand the need for legal control, potentially saving costly lawsuits down the line, it seems absurd that creative thinkers are hindered so dramatically. As a creative writer myself, the lack of control over one’s own work strikes a chord.

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The cover of Lessig’s book.

     Having thus far only read the introduction, titled ‘‘Free’’ (3-16), Lessig introduces a variety of points. He emphasises the changes and advancements in technology over the last decade or so, something he also talks about in the video below and critiques how the internet and its content are being regulated  ‘An environment designed to enable the new is being transformed to protect the old’ (7).

Reaction to M. Kirschenbaum Assigned Reading

 Hello and Welcome!

     As a quick intro to this blog entry, we have been asked to review/respond to one of the readings we were previously assigned. The whole concept of digital humanities is new to me and while complex, I feel there is a lot to be said in support of it, but I must admit its interdisciplinary nature holds great appeal for me as an english and geography enthusiast. For instance, in the process of obtaining the pdf I will explore below, I was forced to engage with the digital and the human (putting faces to the names). This firstly showed me what can be achieved with an online professional portfolio (see Matthew’s blog). Secondly I began to engage with the community of ‘‘DHers’’ (5), a status that I hope can be applied to myself in the near future.

Downloadable here: ePub.

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 +    = Digital Humanities

     It could be said that I had a very proactive reaction to the article ‘‘What is Digital Humanities and what’s it doing in English Departments?’’, a reaction which I would attribute to the digital nature of the humanities and the very online world Kirschenbaum relates to the reader through his discussion. While I appreciated his retrospective look on the origins of the digital humanities I think he could have focused more on his title and less on the past.