Comments on: Is smlr bttr? http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/03/02/is-smlr-bttr/ Fearless. Thoughtful. Witty. Canadian. And Opinionated. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:05:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Chris Ellis http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/03/02/is-smlr-bttr/#comment-3442 Chris Ellis Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:54:27 +0000 http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/03/02/is-smlr-bttr/#comment-3442 I wouldn't consider the above graph a determinist theory, as it end in 2008. If it went off into the future, possibly. I would slug this one under a bit of discourse theory - though not describing the change in words and meaning, but more the length of the medium we use to communicate. I seem to remember someone telling me about the phone number being 7 digits. Something about it being easier to remember a broken sequence of odd number and then even... three digits then two two digits, or one four sequence. I wouldn’t consider the above graph a determinist theory, as it end in 2008. If it went off into the future, possibly. I would slug this one under a bit of discourse theory - though not describing the change in words and meaning, but more the length of the medium we use to communicate.

I seem to remember someone telling me about the phone number being 7 digits. Something about it being easier to remember a broken sequence of odd number and then even… three digits then two two digits, or one four sequence.

]]> By: Pat Tanzola http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/03/02/is-smlr-bttr/#comment-3439 Pat Tanzola Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:51:27 +0000 http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/03/02/is-smlr-bttr/#comment-3439 I'd say what's happening now is that our eyes and ears are being overworked, while our hands and mouths are getting lazy. Mcluhan would says it's a rebalancing of our sense ratios. But are we being re-balanced or UNbalanced? Emerging from the written society into the total electric field society or somesuch balderdash. I guess we don't need to be able to explain things anymore; that's what hyperlinks are for. In the future all essays will consist of titles followed by a series of footnotes - why bother to explain something yourself when google has the answer? Just creates extra info no one has the bandwidth to process... We're getting back to our caveman roots - and grunting and pointing is the new black. I’d say what’s happening now is that our eyes and ears are being overworked, while our hands and mouths are getting lazy. Mcluhan would says it’s a rebalancing of our sense ratios. But are we being re-balanced or UNbalanced? Emerging from the written society into the total electric field society or somesuch balderdash.

I guess we don’t need to be able to explain things anymore; that’s what hyperlinks are for. In the future all essays will consist of titles followed by a series of footnotes - why bother to explain something yourself when google has the answer? Just creates extra info no one has the bandwidth to process… We’re getting back to our caveman roots - and grunting and pointing is the new black.

]]> By: Chantelle Oliver http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/03/02/is-smlr-bttr/#comment-3437 Chantelle Oliver Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:38:53 +0000 http://www.walrusmagazine.com/blogs/2008/03/02/is-smlr-bttr/#comment-3437 I think that, when North America went with seven-digit numbers instead of eight it was based on some huge difference in what we can remember. The whole reason, to me, that 140/160 is ideal is not that it replaces or transforms attention but rather fits into an emerging system where immediate communication is possible about key themes and ideas that are happening _right now_. If it is interesting to us we can follow up and read more. Since I am not a determinist I don't really believe and I haven't found in my academic research into technology and culture that technology shapes us in a way that can ever be shown on a graph. I think that, when North America went with seven-digit numbers instead of eight it was based on some huge difference in what we can remember.

The whole reason, to me, that 140/160 is ideal is not that it replaces or transforms attention but rather fits into an emerging system where immediate communication is possible about key themes and ideas that are happening _right now_. If it is interesting to us we can follow up and read more. Since I am not a determinist I don’t really believe and I haven’t found in my academic research into technology and culture that technology shapes us in a way that can ever be shown on a graph.

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