for example, a credit card seems a very practical and useful little
tool, based on some nice sophisticated information systems - nothing
more profound. But our social reality is affected by it in much more
profound ways. For example, if you choose not to want to have one,
you will not be able to rent cars or book hotel rooms. Why? Because
the business has chosen to use your ability to charge a credit card
as the general indicator of your reliability.
This is a weak signal of the changes digitalization will introduce
into society; people who are not present, competent and qualified in
the digital domain, do not exist for many systems. Unless we design
the digital domain and its rules differently.
But we can't do that, unless we see the bigger picture more clearly,
and unless we are responsible, and unless the responsibility finds
its way to influence true development. Unfortunately, these are
current weaknesses. Those who actually drive the development do not
seem to consider that they would be making such dramatic changes into
basic societal infrastructures - they are simply carrying out their
own limited (mega)business. Those who are more concerned, do not
usually have influence. Very few see the big picture in a
sufficiently large time scale. Challenges!...and "designerly
potentials".
kari-hans
...
At 16:57 -0800 2.12.2001, Gunnar Swanson wrote:
>Christena,
>
>>for me, too, technology
>>frequently problematizes what is problematic. More often than not,
>>it backs into what is already socially constructed yet reified to the
>>point at which we don't see it or its artificial nature.
>[snip]
>>A technology, or a device, in other words, concretizes some assumptions
>>and throws others into the hemisphere, into such stark and provocative
>>relief,
>
>Would you give some specific examples?
>
>Gunnar
>--
>Gunnar Swanson Design Office
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>Ventura CA 93001-3625
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>
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