Road Trip: What We Need...
By John Caswell
“An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense 'intuitive linear' view. So we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century—it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today's rate).” Ray Kurzweil, inventor and futurist, ‘The Law of Accelerating Returns’ Does this letter seem different because I wrote it on the back of a motion sickness bag as I flew to my annual holiday? Does it? I eventually input and uploaded my words from my Mac to my website.
Alternatively, I could have called in the text to our Studio like the reporters in those 1930’s movies who rush to the phone booths with the big ‘scoop’. Uh. Dramatic but unlikely. I don’t own a fedora nor do we see those booths so much anymore. It is amazing that in fact I have written much of what appears on this site on a Blackberry. I’ve written on my little black books of course.
I’ve even sent myself SMS texts of thoughts and that is now on my BB too!!! “Within a few decades, machine intelligence will surpass human intelligence, leading to The Singularity—technological change so rapid and profound it represents a rupture in the fabric of human history.” Ray Kurzweil, inventor and futurist, ‘The Law of Accelerating Returns’ I have to fess up to being something of a fan of gadgets. Well some of them. The ones that just ooze relevance to me. The ones that combine intelligence with design or purpose with sensitivity.
I do not own a Game Boy or an X-Box. I do own several I Pods of course and I have the newer Blackberry. I love the technology that assists me to improve my life. I hate Sat Nav in the wrong hands (As you may already have read). I actually want a Tablet Mac! They only make a Tablet PC. I don’t like PC’s. I also like smart powerboats. You can have an I Pod wired directly into a powerboat. And you can wear a fedora too. I’m certain, and I think Kurzweil gets this completely right, that in the future we will live forever. If we choose. Our minds and our souls being re-created in some way technologically and we lose the body. With all of our senses giving us every experience, our joy and our value put to work in ways currently beyond our ken.
Our Minds are already an utter marvel of ‘technological’ might and why can’t we use that mind to such purpose so as to improve and replace the inefficiencies of our world. After all that is what we all say we are trying to do. For me the future is still a blank canvas of opportunity. I love the blank canvas. Even a motion sickness bag. I’m just not afraid of the empty space or the blank page. In fact I just need a decent size room with good light, a whiteboard or just some flat walls – and a client with a problem to solve. We bring in the pens, even the white wall now in a little box. We bring in the energy, the thrill and the electricity.
Actually no technology in sight. But when it catches up I will try all the technology I can if it improves the outcome of what we do. I’ve always been curious, I’ve always scribbled, drawings and notes everywhere. Our Studio, of course, has state-of-the-art technology to transmute the outcome of the work I do. We’ve built the client’s collective intelligence into online systems, workbooks, brochures, posters or whatever it takes. ‘Pictures’ isn’t our end product. ‘Cool toys’ isn’t our goal.
A few weeks ago, for example, we helped a global IT outsourcer re-examine their relationship with a major account. As a result of what the group learned about its customer in our sessions, the outsourcer halted and redesigned an upcoming product launch. The enterprise improved performance through improved thinking. We didn’t use technology, just brainpower. But I'm certain that in a few decades technology will be able to do this too. It was a great outcome and that’s the outcome I want to offer. Technology or no technology.
That’s what I want to get out of that scribble on the air sickness bag. I felt good that technology was in its rightful place to. “I took a test in Existentialism. I left all the answers blank and got 100.” Woody Allen, film director and author Our client engagements tell me a lot about individuals, organizations and tools. I certainly see technology becoming more human, rather than the other way around.
Online services for connecting people are booming. Linkedin has 5.5 million users now. Plaxo adds 20,000 subscribers every day. eBay reports 193 million confirmed registrants and recently bought Craigslist, a self-organizing entity if ever there was one. Demand for visualization capability increases all the time. e-Bay buyers expect to see a picture of the product before they commit. The ability to create e-Cards for your contacts on Plaxo makes perfect sense.
So I’m not too worried about the future of the human. Just the future of fedoras. Sorry if you travelled after me and got sick too. Some thoughts on technology, people and the future: “When you take technology and mix it with art, you always come up with something innovative”. Robert Rodriguez, filmmaker, ‘Sin City’ etal “Control is an illusion”. Avram Miller, VP of Business Development, Intel “There's nothing more flexible than a human being”. Alan VanDeMoere, Manufacturing Manager, Eastman Kodak “The best way to predict the future is to invent it”. Alan Kay, co-Founder, PARC Xerox “Simplicity changes the world”. Jonathan Schwartz, COO, SunFrom the Minds Eye...
“An analysis of the history of technology shows that technological change is exponential, contrary to the common-sense 'intuitive linear' view. So we won't experience 100 years of progress in the 21st century—it will be more like 20,000 years of progress (at today's rate).” Ray Kurzweil, inventor and futurist, ‘The Law of Accelerating Returns’ Does this letter seem different because I wrote it on the back of a motion sickness bag as I flew to my annual holiday? Does it? I eventually input and uploaded my words from my Mac to my website.
Alternatively, I could have called in the text to our Studio like the reporters in those 1930’s movies who rush to the phone booths with the big ‘scoop’. Uh. Dramatic but unlikely. I don’t own a fedora nor do we see those booths so much anymore. It is amazing that in fact I have written much of what appears on this site on a Blackberry. I’ve written on my little black books of course.
I’ve even sent myself SMS texts of thoughts and that is now on my BB too!!! “Within a few decades, machine intelligence will surpass human intelligence, leading to The Singularity—technological change so rapid and profound it represents a rupture in the fabric of human history.” Ray Kurzweil, inventor and futurist, ‘The Law of Accelerating Returns’ I have to fess up to being something of a fan of gadgets. Well some of them. The ones that just ooze relevance to me. The ones that combine intelligence with design or purpose with sensitivity.
I do not own a Game Boy or an X-Box. I do own several I Pods of course and I have the newer Blackberry. I love the technology that assists me to improve my life. I hate Sat Nav in the wrong hands (As you may already have read). I actually want a Tablet Mac! They only make a Tablet PC. I don’t like PC’s. I also like smart powerboats. You can have an I Pod wired directly into a powerboat. And you can wear a fedora too. I’m certain, and I think Kurzweil gets this completely right, that in the future we will live forever. If we choose. Our minds and our souls being re-created in some way technologically and we lose the body. With all of our senses giving us every experience, our joy and our value put to work in ways currently beyond our ken.
Our Minds are already an utter marvel of ‘technological’ might and why can’t we use that mind to such purpose so as to improve and replace the inefficiencies of our world. After all that is what we all say we are trying to do. For me the future is still a blank canvas of opportunity. I love the blank canvas. Even a motion sickness bag. I’m just not afraid of the empty space or the blank page. In fact I just need a decent size room with good light, a whiteboard or just some flat walls – and a client with a problem to solve. We bring in the pens, even the white wall now in a little box. We bring in the energy, the thrill and the electricity.
Actually no technology in sight. But when it catches up I will try all the technology I can if it improves the outcome of what we do. I’ve always been curious, I’ve always scribbled, drawings and notes everywhere. Our Studio, of course, has state-of-the-art technology to transmute the outcome of the work I do. We’ve built the client’s collective intelligence into online systems, workbooks, brochures, posters or whatever it takes. ‘Pictures’ isn’t our end product. ‘Cool toys’ isn’t our goal.
A few weeks ago, for example, we helped a global IT outsourcer re-examine their relationship with a major account. As a result of what the group learned about its customer in our sessions, the outsourcer halted and redesigned an upcoming product launch. The enterprise improved performance through improved thinking. We didn’t use technology, just brainpower. But I'm certain that in a few decades technology will be able to do this too. It was a great outcome and that’s the outcome I want to offer. Technology or no technology.
That’s what I want to get out of that scribble on the air sickness bag. I felt good that technology was in its rightful place to. “I took a test in Existentialism. I left all the answers blank and got 100.” Woody Allen, film director and author Our client engagements tell me a lot about individuals, organizations and tools. I certainly see technology becoming more human, rather than the other way around.
Online services for connecting people are booming. Linkedin has 5.5 million users now. Plaxo adds 20,000 subscribers every day. eBay reports 193 million confirmed registrants and recently bought Craigslist, a self-organizing entity if ever there was one. Demand for visualization capability increases all the time. e-Bay buyers expect to see a picture of the product before they commit. The ability to create e-Cards for your contacts on Plaxo makes perfect sense.
So I’m not too worried about the future of the human. Just the future of fedoras. Sorry if you travelled after me and got sick too. Some thoughts on technology, people and the future: “When you take technology and mix it with art, you always come up with something innovative”. Robert Rodriguez, filmmaker, ‘Sin City’ etal “Control is an illusion”. Avram Miller, VP of Business Development, Intel “There's nothing more flexible than a human being”. Alan VanDeMoere, Manufacturing Manager, Eastman Kodak “The best way to predict the future is to invent it”. Alan Kay, co-Founder, PARC Xerox “Simplicity changes the world”. Jonathan Schwartz, COO, SunFrom the Minds Eye...
posted by John Caswell at 3:30 AM
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