The Social Life of Technology

There are often fears that the growth of technology will isolate its users from the physical world. I remember a picture in a local newspaper, a couple of years back, of a kids' birthday party. The group was all seated in neat rows in front of computer monitors, apparently playing some type of interactive game. It didn't really seem like your typical kids party, and it seemed a little sad.

Consider the introduction of other technologies -- specifically the radio, then television, and then home video player. At each turn the demise of the movie theater was predicted. The prevailing wisdom at the time of each innovation was that people would no longer have any reason to go out to the movies when they could get the same entertainment in their home. Well, the movie industry has certainly changed, but plenty of people still go to the movies. It turns out the social aspect of going to the movies is still a strong draw, and watching movies at home is not an acceptable alternative to that experience. It does seem to be an alternative to watching network television, but that's another discussion for another time.

In The Social Life of Paper, Malcolm Gladwell reviews the myth of the paperless office and why it has never appeared. It fact paper use is at an all time high. It turns out that paper is a really good medium for collaborating with others, and a valuable way to park ideas that one is still working on. In fact the messy desk with piles of paper really is the sign of an active mind -- I knew I was doing something right.

It turns out that other technologies also have their social aspects. In The Social Life of Information John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid explore various promised and fears of technical advances, and the ability of human social nature and institutions to adapt. Getting back to my earlier example of the technological birthday party, my 13 year old son has recently gotten hooked on the on line game Runescape. This is a massively multiplayer on line game which occupies hours of his time. Hours that is with his friends who join him there to explore. And talk on the phone to him at the same time (Do you see me? I'm at the top of the stairs. Look out!), and stop over to see what he is doing, and he goes over to their houses, etc. etc. His gaming experience is incredibly social, not isolating at all.

As education courses move into the digital realm we need to remember that there is critical social interchange on a college campus. Sure some of it doesn't seem very educational, but it is an important part of the experience. On line courses and digital libraries have their place, but they don't replace the benefits of the collegial atmosphere, and won't eliminate the need to physical centers for learning.