Re: Kate and computers....

[jessica@maurolycus.rutgers.edu (jessica)]

mailrus!gatech!netlink.cts.COM!lionhart@uunet.uu.net (Jackie Zucconi) writes:

> Funny how I sat here reading the interviews of Kate talking about Deeper 
>UNderstanding/computers and suddenly it dawned on me....when she 
>mentioned people staying up all night with their computers my clock read 
>1am.....hmm...maybe she is on to somethign here. What time was it when 
>YOU read that part?!?!?!
>                     Kateness,
>                           Lionheart

It is 12:35am. :)

Actually, some of Kate's comments reminded me of something that is
continually an issue for me. She talks about how people can spend all
their time with the computer and have no kind of real human
interaction at all - she's not alone in thinking that way - i find
that most people (who do not also do the things we reading this group
do with computers) see me at my computer, and assume that this means i
am not experiencing any kind of human interaction. The attitude i
invariably get from these people is that i'm doing a terrible thing -
in the case of some people, i get real anger and misunderstanding -
from others i just get criticism and lack of respect.

It's a bit frustrating that while it's true that when i am at work i
am simply doing my work on a computer, when i am logged in for
*recreational* purposes, it is not games i am playing nor additional
programs i am writing, it is in fact communication, with other real
people, and often completely real time interactive communication (by
way of ICB - *not* IRC or MUDs mind you). email, news, and systmes
like ICB do provide a _great_ deal of human interaction. Of course it
is not the same as actually being with people in person - there are
soem obvious things that are lacking. But it is *far* from the
complete isolation that I find peopl eimagine - and that it seems kate
imagines. 

Of course I note that Kate *does* say she thinks computers will _help_
us, on emotional/spiritual levels, as they help us see ourselves more
clearly. There i think she's right. :)


		       jessica
-- 
|| jessica  || It is this that || Don't try to tell me there's no reason for ||
|| lawrence ||    brings us    || any moment in time, every memory of mine.  ||
|| koeppel  ||    together.    || Those years are lines of color on my face, ||
|| dembski  ||        --Kate   || the past is warpaint.     --Happy Rhodes   ||