“As a man molded within the literate Western tradition, I do not personally cheer the dissolution of that tradition through the electric involvement of all the senses: I don’t enjoy the destruction of neighborhoods by high-rises or revel in the pain of identity quest. No one could be less enthusiastic about these radical changes than myself. I am not, by temperament or conviction, a revolutionary; I would prefer a stable, changeless environment of modest services and human scale. TV and all the electric media are unraveling the entire fabric of our society, and as a man who is forced by circumstances to live within that society, I do not take delight in its disintegration.”

posted at 11:11 am
on Oct. 24, 2007

who said it?

“This continuous modification of man by his own technology stimulates him to find continuous means of modifying it; man thus becomes the sex organs of the machine world just as the bee is of the plant world, permitting it to reproduce and constantly evolve to higher forms. The machine world reciprocates man’s devotion by rewarding him with goods and services and bounty. ... Now man is beginning to wear his brain outside his skull and his nerves outside his skin; new technology breeds new man. A recent cartoon portrayed a little boy telling his nonplused mother: “I’m going to be a computer when I grow up.” Humor is often prophecy.”

posted at 11:11 am
on Oct. 23, 2007

who said it?

“I see no possibility of a worldwide Luddite rebellion that will smash all machinery to bits, so we might as well sit back and see what is happening and what will happen to us in a cybernetic world. Resenting a new technology will not halt its progress.”

posted at 11:11 am
on Oct. 22, 2007

who said it?

“Everything is spam to everyone, within a few significant digits.”

posted at 2:44 pm
on Oct. 19, 2007

who said it?

“Most people, as I indicated, still cling to what I call the rearview-mirror view of their world. By this I mean to say that because of the invisibility of any environment during the period of its innovation, man is only consciously aware of the environment that has preceded it; in other words, an environment becomes fully visible only when it has been superseded by a new environment; thus we are always one step behind in our view of the world ... In the midst of the electronic age of software, of instant information movement, we still believe we’re living in the mechanical age of hardware.”

posted at 11:11 am
on Oct. 19, 2007

who said it?

“That is the key to history. Terrific energy is expended—civilizations are built up—excellent institutions devised; but each time something goes wrong. Some fatal flaw always brings the selfish and cruel people to the top, and then it all slides back into misery and ruin. In fact, the machine conks. It seems to start up all right and runs a few yards, and then it breaks down.”

posted at 4:05 pm
on Oct. 10, 2007

who said it?

“It is common sense to take a method and try it.  If it fails, admit it frankly and try another.  But above all, try something.”

posted at 4:05 pm
on Oct. 9, 2007

who said it?

“In the end, life and business are about human connections… and computers are about trying to murder you in a lake.”

posted at 1:33 am
on Oct. 7, 2007

who said it?

“Chick: So, what’s so special about this phone other than making millions of people shit their pants simultaneously?
Guy: It hasn’t got any buttons, or some-such. It can tell who you want to call by reading your mind. Also, it smells like flowers and tastes like bacon. Which is handy, since it can regrow its own skin. And fly.”

posted at 7:29 pm
on Oct. 4, 2007

who said it?

“When you’re screwing up and nobody’s saying anything to you anymore, that means they’ve given up on you.”

posted at 10:09 pm
on Oct. 1, 2007

who said it?

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