Interesting essay by Richard Forno of infowarrior.org:
We want to be part of this information environment and feel more empowered with each new gadget, service, or digital connection in our lives. The concept of “information everywhere” provides instant gratification to satisfy our needs for books, music, porn, and digital interaction with others through web searches, e-commerce, wireless, instant messaging, e-mail, and streaming content over broadband. High-speed links enable organizations to operate around the world at light speed and conduct business on a twenty-four hour clock. (…)
Yet as we rush to embrace the latest and greatest gadgetry or high-tech service and satisfy our techno-craving, we become further dependent on these products and their manufacturers so dependent that when something breaks, crashes, or is attacked, our ability to function is reduced or eliminated. Given the frequent problems associated with the Information Age – losing internet connections, breaking personal digital assistants, malicious software incidents, or suffering any number of recurring problems with software or hardware products, we should take a minute to consider whether we’re really more or less independent – or empowered – today than we think, knowing that how we act during such stressful periods is similar to a heroin junkie’s actions during withdrawal.
Link, (via politech)