Re: Oh! The pain!

[pwh@bradley.bradley.edu (Pete Hartman)]

In <1993Sep13.032652.2187@galileo.cc.rochester.edu> as010b@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Tree of Schnopia) writes:
>>>I think, to reiterate, that the quarrel lies not with the technology, but
>>>with the accompanying atrophy of human skill.
>>The same has been said about every technological advance forever,
>>but I don't see brain's atrophying in light of computers, or composers
>>atrophying in light of sequencers.
>Then, with all due respect, you are not looking.  I see it everywhere. 
>Whether this is due to the technology or...
>..no.  Let me be clearer.  I hate to reopen a old discussion as you've done
>here, but I did *not* mean to say that human skill *atrophies* as a result
>of new technology.  I meant to say only that certain human skills do not
>develop if they have technology upon which to rely.  Some of these skills
>are unlamented; some are very sorely missed indeed.  E.g., the use of
>spelling checkers may seem to be a convenience, but it rarely encourages
>people to learn to be observant and careful about what they're typing in the
>first place.  (Note the word "brain's" in your remark above, which is
>incorrect.)

While we're being grammatical, how about "reopen a old discussion" as you've
typed above.  I mean, you have to draw the line between stupidity and
habitual (fingerwise) typographical errors.  Had I NOTICED "brain's" I
would surely have corrected it because I'm quite particular about using
editors to EDIT, not simply type.  I assume the same about your own
mistake, until given reason to believe otherwise.

>		Another example, quoted directly: "fully automated cameras that
>take the art out of photography."  Sure, everyone will come out with nice
>pictures (in theory)...but they'll all be the same.  Photography will become
>mechanical and bloody boring.  How about microwaves which render the owner
>helpless to cook a "real" meal without one?

Are you trying to say that because 35 mm cameras are now nearly fully automated
art photography is dying out?

I think Mapplethorpe would have wanted to argue with you about that.  Not
to mention any number of photo majors at the university of your choice.

>Here's the big one.  The glass teat.  The TV.  The human skills of original,
>complex thought and imagination is being ripped to shreds by the crap that
>shows up on the screen.  After nursing at Ellison's Bane for an hour or two,
>everyone's brain is a little less puissant.

And if they stop nursing it and go read a few books, or if they read a few
books after turning it off, they get back to something like where they
were.  The only damage I can say I've contracted for the Teat is poor
original visualization, and that would be rectified if I took the time
from a busy life to work on it.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the lowest common denominator enforced by the
Teat as much as anyone, but it's certainly not something that is a
forceable bane of civilization.  Civilization is waning quite voluntarily.

>>You seem to be mistaking technology to deliver a wider range of dreck
>>with technology to make music.
>There's no difference, sir.

And here you are wrong.  The technology for any idiot to make music
has been around as long as the guitar and the bongo drum.  The technology
for said idiot to let the world know what an idiot s/he is has only been
around since Marconi invented radio, and has only become widespread in
the last half-century.

>>Pete Hartman		       Bradley University	pwh@bradley.bradley.edu
>> "Mommy mommy, turn on your headlights!  Daddy's car is parked in your garage!"
>  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>Normally, I am above making disparaging comments about .signatures.  But a
>quote from a "dirty" joke whose variants were first told to me by third-graders
>is very slightly tasteless, n'est-ce pas?

1) You started this with a disparaging comment about Jon's signature, how
am I to judge the veracity of your claim to avoid them?

2) Pardon if you miss the point.  My sense of humor is none but my own,
and if you don't like it, neither of us is really in any kind of pain
(at least not I).
-- 
Pete Hartman		       Bradley University	pwh@bradley.bradley.edu
         High-tech trickery is USELESS with your COLON on the sidewalk.