Is Twitter Eroding our Humanity?

Is Twitter Eroding our Humanity?

Information Overload in the 21st Century

Kaisa Schreck, Editor, International Relations and Security Network (ISN), ETH Zurich

Information Overload in the 21st Century

Kaisa Schreck, Editor, International Relations and Security Network (ISN), ETH Zurich

From Books to the Online World

From Books to the Online World

Moore’s law of exponential growth in tech capacity; processing power doubling, prices down by 99,9% since 60’s

Personal computing since 80’s, now mobile computing

Birth of world wide web in 1991, now trillions of pages

>2 billion people online, 5% of world electricity More information created every year than past 5,000

years; more info in newspaper than 19th C lifetime Dual change: tech capacity AND info explosion

Moore’s law of exponential growth in tech capacity; processing power doubling, prices down by 99,9% since 60’s

Personal computing since 80’s, now mobile computing

Birth of world wide web in 1991, now trillions of pages

>2 billion people online, 5% of world electricity More information created every year than past 5,000

years; more info in newspaper than 19th C lifetime Dual change: tech capacity AND info explosion

Information Meets the NetInformation Meets the Net

Open, easy, cheap to produce and spread info “The Internet is an innovation that brings out the

very essence of technology- making everything accessible and optimizable...” - Hubert L Dreyfus, On the Internet

“The Net has become my all-purpose medium, the conduit for most of the information that flows through my eyes and ears and into my mind...It is the ‘perfect storm’ of information.” - Nicholas Carr, The Shallows

Open, easy, cheap to produce and spread info “The Internet is an innovation that brings out the

very essence of technology- making everything accessible and optimizable...” - Hubert L Dreyfus, On the Internet

“The Net has become my all-purpose medium, the conduit for most of the information that flows through my eyes and ears and into my mind...It is the ‘perfect storm’ of information.” - Nicholas Carr, The Shallows

Organizing Information Online – Google Rises

Organizing Information Online – Google Rises

1999 only hyperlinks, no vertical hierarchy. No order, no meaning? Pessimism about future

Google revolutionizes search – meaning, ranks results

Google: organize all information, make Net “a repository of all human knowledge.”

‘Entryway’, but ALSO main advertising platform. Carr: “Google is in the business of distraction.”

1999 only hyperlinks, no vertical hierarchy. No order, no meaning? Pessimism about future

Google revolutionizes search – meaning, ranks results

Google: organize all information, make Net “a repository of all human knowledge.”

‘Entryway’, but ALSO main advertising platform. Carr: “Google is in the business of distraction.”

The Promise of the NetThe Promise of the Net

Free information* The democratization, digitalization of info

Connectivity and collaboration* Instant connection, global teams? Political and social organization; crisis management

Productivity* Unprecedented advances

Openness/Transparency/Accountability* WikiLeaks world? Strengthened civil society, ‘Jasmine revolution’

Free information* The democratization, digitalization of info

Connectivity and collaboration* Instant connection, global teams? Political and social organization; crisis management

Productivity* Unprecedented advances

Openness/Transparency/Accountability* WikiLeaks world? Strengthened civil society, ‘Jasmine revolution’

Enter Web 2.0Enter Web 2.0

Interactive web only since 5-6 years Blogs >200 million blogs Facebook > 500 million members, most visited

site, 3rd biggest ‘country’ Youtube > 2 billion videos a day Foursquare > 6 million users Wikipedia > 13 million articles in 200 languages

Interactive web only since 5-6 years Blogs >200 million blogs Facebook > 500 million members, most visited

site, 3rd biggest ‘country’ Youtube > 2 billion videos a day Foursquare > 6 million users Wikipedia > 13 million articles in 200 languages

Twitter, Tweets and ‘Useless Information’Twitter, Tweets and

‘Useless Information’

Since 2006, >190 million accounts > 130 million tweets a day ‘Personal broadcasting’, vital for marketing, public

relations, political organization Original concept: "short burst of inconsequential

information” - Jack Dorsey, Chairman Important or ‘tsunami of nonsense’?

Since 2006, >190 million accounts > 130 million tweets a day ‘Personal broadcasting’, vital for marketing, public

relations, political organization Original concept: "short burst of inconsequential

information” - Jack Dorsey, Chairman Important or ‘tsunami of nonsense’?

User-Generated Content, User-Generated Pain?

User-Generated Content, User-Generated Pain?

Everybody is a creator Everybody is an expert Everybody has an opinion “The Cult of the Amateur”- ordinary people

become ‘stars’ and figures of authority. Wisdom of the crowd = culture?

Accountability, responsibility in this world? New maze to find your way through?

Everybody is a creator Everybody is an expert Everybody has an opinion “The Cult of the Amateur”- ordinary people

become ‘stars’ and figures of authority. Wisdom of the crowd = culture?

Accountability, responsibility in this world? New maze to find your way through?

What Does Information Do To Us Online?

What Does Information Do To Us Online?

Early studies: unhappy, less connected, anxious, jaded

Today everything online: meet people, talk to friends and family, shop, plan holidays, read, express ourselves...

Making life more independent and convenient, but...

Technology always has unintended consequences, can we afford to ignore this?

Early studies: unhappy, less connected, anxious, jaded

Today everything online: meet people, talk to friends and family, shop, plan holidays, read, express ourselves...

Making life more independent and convenient, but...

Technology always has unintended consequences, can we afford to ignore this?

What’s the Problem?What’s the Problem? Distraction

* “Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski.” - Carr

* “Staccato thinking and chronic skimming.” - Bruce Friedman

Stress* Information - everywhere, all the time... “Orchestra without a conductor”?

Forgetting* Technology remembers for us. What are we without ‘organic’ memories/ability to memorize? Fuzzy humans?

Distraction* “Once I was a scuba diver in the sea of words. Now I zip along the surface like a guy on a Jet Ski.” - Carr

* “Staccato thinking and chronic skimming.” - Bruce Friedman

Stress* Information - everywhere, all the time... “Orchestra without a conductor”?

Forgetting* Technology remembers for us. What are we without ‘organic’ memories/ability to memorize? Fuzzy humans?

... And More Problems...... And More Problems...

Loss of productivity* Human ping pong balls? Interruptions eat 28% working time* “Computer users at work change windows or check e-mail or other programs nearly 37 times an hour.” - NYT* Multitasking costs and we tend to suck at it!* Impact on intelligence: e-mail vs. marijuana in IQ test

Loss of creativity, innovation* Loss of deep thinking and slow, organic creativity

Loss of practical wisdom* Need to live, experience world in physical sense to really ‘know’* “Man can embody the truth, but he cannot know it.” – Yeats

Loss of productivity* Human ping pong balls? Interruptions eat 28% working time* “Computer users at work change windows or check e-mail or other programs nearly 37 times an hour.” - NYT* Multitasking costs and we tend to suck at it!* Impact on intelligence: e-mail vs. marijuana in IQ test

Loss of creativity, innovation* Loss of deep thinking and slow, organic creativity

Loss of practical wisdom* Need to live, experience world in physical sense to really ‘know’* “Man can embody the truth, but he cannot know it.” – Yeats

...And Even More!...And Even More!

Confusion

* What is real/valuable on web? Loss of significance in a “cloud of anonymous speculation.” - Kierkegaard

Frustration* Information growth exponential, ability to absorb the same

Addiction* Multi-sensory - gateway to the world* Endless possibilities, stimulation for brain; addictive, bored without?* ‘Online ego’ to maintain (in addition to offline one!)

Confusion

* What is real/valuable on web? Loss of significance in a “cloud of anonymous speculation.” - Kierkegaard

Frustration* Information growth exponential, ability to absorb the same

Addiction* Multi-sensory - gateway to the world* Endless possibilities, stimulation for brain; addictive, bored without?* ‘Online ego’ to maintain (in addition to offline one!)

As a Result...As a Result...

Information Overload - Brains are not computers, limited working memory, complex cognitive processes

“We are exposing our brains to an environment and asking them to do things we weren’t necessarily evolved to do... there are consequences.” – Adam Gazzaley

But maybe brains are adapting? Building collective brain online? Infinite Internet Intelligence?

Information Overload - Brains are not computers, limited working memory, complex cognitive processes

“We are exposing our brains to an environment and asking them to do things we weren’t necessarily evolved to do... there are consequences.” – Adam Gazzaley

But maybe brains are adapting? Building collective brain online? Infinite Internet Intelligence?

The Medium MattersThe Medium Matters

YES “Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of

our thoughts.” - Nietzsche “The technology is rewiring our brains.” - Nora

Volkow “Illusion of control...Technology is more than a tool,

it’s a way of life.” - CarrNO “Technology is technology... It is a means of

communication... Nothing more.” - James Carey

YES “Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of

our thoughts.” - Nietzsche “The technology is rewiring our brains.” - Nora

Volkow “Illusion of control...Technology is more than a tool,

it’s a way of life.” - CarrNO “Technology is technology... It is a means of

communication... Nothing more.” - James Carey

Are our Brains Eroding?Are our Brains Eroding?

Lives and thinking from linear to networked Neuroplasticity - brain it is not piece of hardware “Plasticity is the normal ongoing state of the

nervous system...” - Alvaro Pasqual-Leone, Harvard Medical School

UCLA study: new neural pathways created by use of Net. Bad habits maintained ‘offline’; seeking instant gratification and stimulation online AND offline

Lives and thinking from linear to networked Neuroplasticity - brain it is not piece of hardware “Plasticity is the normal ongoing state of the

nervous system...” - Alvaro Pasqual-Leone, Harvard Medical School

UCLA study: new neural pathways created by use of Net. Bad habits maintained ‘offline’; seeking instant gratification and stimulation online AND offline

Are We Eroding?Are We Eroding?

More connected, better informed, make decisions faster, visual-spatial skills improving

Richer experience with info and media Study: ‘Generation Net’ kids read - no longer left-

right; skim, scan instead. F-shaped reading pattern online

Impatient, disjointed way of thinking, cognitive load too heavy? Superficial learning; delving deeper?

Less empathy/emotional depth because brain has no time to react and process. Numbness?

“To be everywhere is to be nowhere” - Seneca

More connected, better informed, make decisions faster, visual-spatial skills improving

Richer experience with info and media Study: ‘Generation Net’ kids read - no longer left-

right; skim, scan instead. F-shaped reading pattern online

Impatient, disjointed way of thinking, cognitive load too heavy? Superficial learning; delving deeper?

Less empathy/emotional depth because brain has no time to react and process. Numbness?

“To be everywhere is to be nowhere” - Seneca

The End of Humanity as We Know it?

The End of Humanity as We Know it?

The Information-Knowledge-Wisdom link* The process of ‘knowledge-making’ weakened, changed? No time to synthesize* More information does not always equal more knowledge or better understanding

Culture* “As we are drained of our inner repertory of dense cultural inheritance... we risk turning into pancake people, spread wide and thin as we connect with that vast network of information.” - Richard Foreman

Alienation* Alienation from our physical reality, from life’s true meaning?

The Information-Knowledge-Wisdom link* The process of ‘knowledge-making’ weakened, changed? No time to synthesize* More information does not always equal more knowledge or better understanding

Culture* “As we are drained of our inner repertory of dense cultural inheritance... we risk turning into pancake people, spread wide and thin as we connect with that vast network of information.” - Richard Foreman

Alienation* Alienation from our physical reality, from life’s true meaning?

A New Humanity?A New Humanity?

A virtual humanity? * Virtual reality: Second Life; transcend body’s limits and life’s vulnerability. Next step in evolution or just utopia?* Deeply philosophical question…“Isn’t facing the truth of life - its misery, pain and death - our highest duty?” – Dreyfus* Hybrid reality: "I see human intelligence consuming machine intelligence, not the other way around… our intelligence is so interconnected with all the cells in our body.” – David Ferrucci, IBM Watson project

A virtual humanity? * Virtual reality: Second Life; transcend body’s limits and life’s vulnerability. Next step in evolution or just utopia?* Deeply philosophical question…“Isn’t facing the truth of life - its misery, pain and death - our highest duty?” – Dreyfus* Hybrid reality: "I see human intelligence consuming machine intelligence, not the other way around… our intelligence is so interconnected with all the cells in our body.” – David Ferrucci, IBM Watson project

What Is at Stake?What Is at Stake?

Our self - essence as compassionate, committed and engaged humans

Our linear, ‘deep-thinking’ world: science, culture, philosophy- foundation of our civilization, yet new hybrid world emerging? Time of transition?

‘Magic’ : “When things come to you while you're waiting it feels more like fate. Instant gratification feels unearned. That random song, perfectly attuned to your mood, seems more profound when heard on a car radio than if you had called up the same tune via YouTube.” - Foreman

Our self - essence as compassionate, committed and engaged humans

Our linear, ‘deep-thinking’ world: science, culture, philosophy- foundation of our civilization, yet new hybrid world emerging? Time of transition?

‘Magic’ : “When things come to you while you're waiting it feels more like fate. Instant gratification feels unearned. That random song, perfectly attuned to your mood, seems more profound when heard on a car radio than if you had called up the same tune via YouTube.” - Foreman

Do Things Really Look That Bleak?

Do Things Really Look That Bleak?

It’s inevitable* Information growth and technological progress

* The Digital Generation - don’t know analogue world * There’s a lot to love about it too…

But, lack of balance...* Balance online stimulation with deep thought, nature, reality

Nothing is black and white* Unprecedented challenge - adapt and yet stay true to ourselves? Return ‘texture’ while connecting to world

It’s inevitable* Information growth and technological progress

* The Digital Generation - don’t know analogue world * There’s a lot to love about it too…

But, lack of balance...* Balance online stimulation with deep thought, nature, reality

Nothing is black and white* Unprecedented challenge - adapt and yet stay true to ourselves? Return ‘texture’ while connecting to world

Help May Be On the Way...Help May Be On the Way...

Wired magazine: “The Web is dead” - customizable, on-demand consumption of info the future

Openness of Net (no one owns) vs. manageability of new web (where apps rule)

By 2020 almost all browsing mobile; changed experience of info consumption

Logic of the market deciding for us? Profits drive customization and targeted delivery of info to paying customers

Wired magazine: “The Web is dead” - customizable, on-demand consumption of info the future

Openness of Net (no one owns) vs. manageability of new web (where apps rule)

By 2020 almost all browsing mobile; changed experience of info consumption

Logic of the market deciding for us? Profits drive customization and targeted delivery of info to paying customers

What Can We Do?What Can We Do?

All about awareness and self-critical approach Also skills: info/Net literacy; time management

skills; use of human/tech filters; create personalized map for info consumption online; apps might help?

Go out: importance of being ‘offline’: calmer, sharper, better memory; time to process

Meditate: better memory, more empathy, longer attention span, less stress > more grey matter in brain

Not about giving up online world, but REASSERTING CONTROL!

All about awareness and self-critical approach Also skills: info/Net literacy; time management

skills; use of human/tech filters; create personalized map for info consumption online; apps might help?

Go out: importance of being ‘offline’: calmer, sharper, better memory; time to process

Meditate: better memory, more empathy, longer attention span, less stress > more grey matter in brain

Not about giving up online world, but REASSERTING CONTROL!