Living in the Future

One of the best things I've read on the impact of 'the internet' on modern life and the inability of our power structures to come to terms with it.

You might remember a time – I kinda do myself – where a phone number represented a place. That might be a hallway in a house, or a desk in an office, but it was a place – and there was a understanding that someone might not be at that place when you called.

Weirdly, you used to be able to call people and find them in a strange state of being “not in”. Schrödinger would have proud.

Now, of course, a phone number is a person. If you call my number, whereever I am on the planet, more or less, I will answer the phone. Tomorrow I’ll be in Amsterdam, and Friday I’ll be in Athens, but that doesn’t matter.

Call me. I’ll answer, partly because you all seem nice, but also because not answering one’s phone has gained a completely new social significance over the past few years. If you’re “not in” now, something may well be up.

The point is that this switch of the meaning of phone numbers, from place to person, has created a complete change in social behaviour. New technology does that. It creates new norms.

Long but worth it- if you only read one of my links this month, make it this one.