Interesting distinction between artifacts vs ephemera and the “uncanny valley of hyperreality”. I had a similar reaction to the Alexis tweet. In that limited form it seems harmless and is very valuable for him. But the implications of what that could mean in the future, the ways old video and images could be manipulated, fictional scenes from the past could be spun up in no time. Makes my head spin a bit
Jeff, your essay reminds me of a semi-dystopian series that first hit the TV screens about 12 years ago: "Person of Interest." It's about the ramifications of a super sophisticated digital machine that sees – and tracks – *everyone* the vast majority of the time. I initially balked at the feasibility of this, but a good friend showed me how it's really happening in 2025.
In any event, I don't know if there's an answer to all of this *permanent* data gathering. It's quite disturbing. Still, we need to be reminded of the potential fallout from this. Thank you for doing so.
It seemed so utterly ridiculous, especially for 2012, and I blew it off after the first episode. Then a good friend, a guy with some high-level contacts, referred me to a clip called "The Real Person of Interest." That turned me around. Still, some of the plot lines are pretty silly -- but that's when I engage what's known as the "suspension of disbelief."
Interesting distinction between artifacts vs ephemera and the “uncanny valley of hyperreality”. I had a similar reaction to the Alexis tweet. In that limited form it seems harmless and is very valuable for him. But the implications of what that could mean in the future, the ways old video and images could be manipulated, fictional scenes from the past could be spun up in no time. Makes my head spin a bit
Absolutely. Same reaction. It's partly what inspired this piece, this idea of forgetting as a way to protect what's sacred.
Jeff, your essay reminds me of a semi-dystopian series that first hit the TV screens about 12 years ago: "Person of Interest." It's about the ramifications of a super sophisticated digital machine that sees – and tracks – *everyone* the vast majority of the time. I initially balked at the feasibility of this, but a good friend showed me how it's really happening in 2025.
In any event, I don't know if there's an answer to all of this *permanent* data gathering. It's quite disturbing. Still, we need to be reminded of the potential fallout from this. Thank you for doing so.
Thanks Larry. I remember that show but was never into it. I may have to go back and check it out.
It seemed so utterly ridiculous, especially for 2012, and I blew it off after the first episode. Then a good friend, a guy with some high-level contacts, referred me to a clip called "The Real Person of Interest." That turned me around. Still, some of the plot lines are pretty silly -- but that's when I engage what's known as the "suspension of disbelief."
…if we don’t own our online self then what value is there to having one…
So true.... Thanks again for the feedback and headline!