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I'm nearly positive Malcolm Gladwell (he of The Tipping Point) has written on this subject, possibly in the context of "granularization" (as used here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granular#In_computing ) There may also be something useful in the sources (or, indeed, the article itself) over here: http://tiny.cc/rC7fZ Seems to overlap with a lot of sociological things, too.... --- Alan Pritchard <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > This is a bit of a ramble, but you are such a > wide-ranging academic group & > it does slightly impinge on aspects of the > topic > > I was talking to my son the other day who is > doing a PhD on the history of > the photographic industry in the UK, 1837-1914, > and looking at a poster he > has done. His comments on Kodak & the rise of > popular photography started me > thinking and talking about what I said was the > 'democratisation of > technology' or what I am now thinking of as the > 'decline of priesthoods' > Unfortunately he has now asked me for > references. I wish I had kept my mouth > shut! > > Examples seems to abound in all areas of > society, the common feature being > the decline of a priesthood that controlled > access to something and the rise > of direct access by individuals. Examples: > > Protestantism with the move from the Catholic > priesthood controlling access > to God to each individual with their bible > having direct personal access to > God > > Photography. At one time you had to go to a > professional photographer and > have your photo taken. Kodak put the power of > taking photos in the hands of > the people. > > Computers. The rise of the PC in the the '80s > onwards took (some) power away > away from the IT Department to controlled > access to mainframes and the > programs that ran on them to individual > departments who could run Lotus or > dBase and get the programs that would meet > their own needs. I can remember > that there were discussions in the popular > computer press of the time > debating just this issue. This is the area that > I am most familiar with. > > Wikipedia. Move away from the formal > encyclopedias with very controlled > access to a more popular, democratic approach > to encyclopedias. > > One can also consider it as a move from the > passive to the active - from > having things done to you or for you to doing > them oneself. Having ones > photo taken to taking them oneself. Or, asking > someone to write a program > for you to writing a spreadsheet or database > oneself. Once this happens the > priesthood loses control of the temple and a > 'thousand flowers bloom' > (Protestantism or uncoordinated computer > program). > > Now, either this idea is very obvious and there > is lots of literature on it, > or else it is so original that *I* should be > doing a PhD!!! > > I'm more inclined to think the former, but I do > not have access to a decent > library to try to find anything. > > So the question is are there any books or > papers on this topic treating it > in an eclectic fashion - drawing on examples > from a wide range of social and > technological fields, bringing the idea > together? > > Did Tawney's book (*Religion and the rise of > capitalism*) cover this aspect > at all. I read it around 1960 when I was at > university, but don't remember > any thing from it. > > Any leads would be appreciated, and thank you > for your indulgence. I hope it > is not to much OT. > > Alan > > -- > Best wishes > Alan Pritchard MPhil FCLIP MBCS > Tel: +44 (0)1202 417477 > ------------- grant's words: http://www.flyingfists.org grant's music: http://grantimatter.com/, http://guildofscientifictroubadours.com