Jonathan David Sabin on Transformation and Integration of Web 2.0

I have been pondering the social implications of the Transformation of society and how we do business in the 21st Century versus all previous recorded history.  Keep in mind that I do not hold any advanced degrees in these areas. Merely thoughts and reflections on what’s going on….

We live in exciting times, maybe too exciting in terms of sensory input over stimulation.  I remember being a kid and hearing old timers talk about the “way it used to be”. Indeed things used to be different.  My Grandmother was born on a ship coming over from France in 1903; she died at 92 in 1995. In her life time, we went from the horse and buggy to putting a man on the moon, from the classical modes of distribution of information to the information super highway. These classical modes included newspapers, books, telegraph, telephone, radio, film, TV, more diversification of TV and Finally the internet.  As Web 2.0 comes of age, we look at the robust interactive distribution of media via streaming financial quotes, news, video and more. Add in various social media, too numerous to mention and the world is at our finger tips. It is exciting and over whelming.  Exciting in that there is nothing that we cannot inquire about and find an answer to in a nano-second. Over whelming in that we are constantly being bombarded with information and imagery.  I have come to realize that of the 50-100 Emails I receive daily, there are only a hand full that must be dealt with…now.

Bus companies used to put governors on engines to keep them modulated under the speed limit. Yet we are witnessing such acceleration that there must be self modulation. I do this by having computer free days on Sundays; this includes my variety of crack-Berry.  Ah, the return to a simpler life… I personally hold on to some romantic fantasies about living a simpler life. These I take by walking my Jack Russell around the pond and in the woods every morning and knowing when to shut down the cell phone/Email/PDA/Video/TV/Camera thingy that is surgically embedded in my side.

Let’s now discuss the social implications of this techno boom-age that we are all experiencing.  Humans are social creatures; we need to interact with people for business, for pleasure, for romance and the creation of future generations. Web 2.0 is a lovely way to Skype with loved ones, Talk via VOP to family and associated around the world, have web meetings and instructions worldwide simultaneously. Not too long ago, you needed a 20K Sat Phone to do that and Now there’s magic jack, but wait there’s more….

I have witnessed many times watching four University students walking down the street all talking on their cell phones. Is this the best usage of our time –space continuum? Is social life solely predicated on tweets and Facebook entries? Do we get to be in the NOW with no commercial interruption?  Have you talked to anyone lately who is retired? Retirement is a full time job!  Really, the overhead of life is becoming more and more time-intensive/ expensive. Have you noticed that in your daily life, how more and more time must be dedicated to getting stuff done, yet not necessarily contributing to our work? Yes, the price we are paying for an accelerated life has an interest expense. Being a technophobe, I wouldn’t trade any of it and still I wonder what will web 3.0 be?

The value of community both on and off line creates a balance in my life that I treasure and by the way, my Grandmother never set foot on an airplane in her 92 years….

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