I read in today's Guardian that social media seems to be losing its appeal, at least as a source of 'news.' Perhaps the entry of my website onto the scene has already made its mark. Actually, that was a fake thought, the kind of thought the POTUS would entertain. But a more critical use of social media is long overdue. I wonder how long the fad will survive in its present form, not least if the overpriced companies behind social media take a big hit in the next crash, just around the corner. Another piece of good news recently was the resurgence of physical book sales and the concomitant decline in e-book sales. Does this mean the much trumpeted domination of the 'e-world' is faltering? I suspect not, more a case of two steps forward and one step back. And this is nothing new. I am currently reading The Buddha In The Machine: Art, Technology and the Meeting of East and West by R. John Williams (purchased in the ever excellent Ken Spelman's bookshop in York) which amongst many other things reveals a deep anxiety about the machine age in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Now, with new forms of technology about to be unleashed in the home (the Amazon Alexa, for example) a far greater tech intrusion into our lives is promised. For now these robots will be our servants, but it won't be long before they become vehicles of subtle control. As regards the 'Buddha' in the machine, I will return to this subject when I've finished the book, which I recommend.
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