http://refpenny.wordpress.com/2009/03... ( )

While I actually do embrace my profession, works such as this re-inforce my self-determined need to have a simpler view of the life; that is, to be able live without technology if required. Although he never quite displays his own political or philosophical stance, he does build a very clear case against the continual surge of fragmentation in our daily lives and the onslaught of technology anxiety. In just a few pages, he discusses psychological research involving the tracking of eye movements while a subject flips through evocative photes, a similar study involving brain waves, store tracking of purchases, and the plan for ETS to sell academic reference checks. The examples were scary, but even more convincing were his conclusions regarding the message (McLuhan) of the newest media. Our society is becoming less able to concentrate on one topic, requiring a "two-by-four" effect to get attention, which doesn't last long anyway. He especially deplores the effect of that trend on journalism, though taking it too far in disclaiming the value of internet news because if bypasses traditional journalism (I note MSNBC). Shenk also writes about the movement for true democracy through on-line voting -- he's right, be afraid. In addition to proposing several legislative steps, he also advocates a very basic "downteching" to combat, or at least minimize, the unavoidable problem. ( )