Synopsis
This cautionary analysis urges a wired culture to probe the complex issues surrounding rapid technological advancement, including increasing productivity demands in the workplace and potential discriminatory uses of biotechnology.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 1999-10-01 |
| Size | | Length: | 274 pages | | Height: | 9.5 in | | Width: | 6.0 in | | Thickness: | 0.8 in | | Weight: | 19.2 oz |
Publisher's Note
Examining the relationship between technology and culture in today's society, John Naisbitt reveals me convergence, or "consilience, of the two into one Culture." Naisbitt explains that the more we improve on technology, the more we seek a human, spiritual connection. The rise of the Internet leads to a rise in online dialogue and relationships, high-tech medicine leads to a greater interest in alternative healing, and the more we use computers at work, the more our hobbies reflect a need to get back to the earth (gardening, hiking, etc.) Debunking the common view of a polarization of culture into fragmented, warring camps, Naisbitt sorts out the effects technology has had on our society in each realm: -- Life Sciences and Religion: The growing controversy surrounding scientific practices like cloning and genetic engineering are only the latest examples of the confluence between science, nature, and religion. Increasingly, doctors, scientists and clergy leaders find their worlds overlapping, as people seek advice from their spiritual leaders about scientific procedures, and look to their doctors for answers they would have turned to prayer for a few years ago. -- War and Play: As children's video games become increasingly violent and military training begins to include these same games, the lines between war and play have obviously blurred. Where do parents draw the line between entertainment and exposure to deadly violence? Are we numbing our children to the horrors of violence? If so, what does that mean for the next generation? With guns in schools becoming a growing problem, this issue has never been more timely. -- Consumer and Time: As John Naisbitt writes in thissection, "The two biggest markets in the $8 trillion a year economy of the United States are 1) consumer technology, and 2) the escape from consumer technology." Most of us now live in a world that is almost totally removed from the rhythms of natural life, one in which time-saving technology has left us with even more time in which to cram in our millions of daily activities. Naisbitt interviews cultural icon Martha Stewart in this section, who perhaps better than anyone in this day and age personifies the move towards making use of nature by "working" on hobbies in our leisure time, blurring the lines between work and play. -- Art and Science: With movements like Specimen Art making use of what were formerly considered the domain of science (dissected animals in formaldehyde, etc.), and scientists exploring the aesthetics of scientific data and the utility of using art or poetry to communicate their ideas, consilience between these seemingly disparate domains is a reality. One illustration of this is in the 1996 Apple marketing campaign, in which both artists and scientists were depicted with the logo, 'Think Different." -- Information and Story: TV and film have forever changed the way we view information and story. As dramatizations of true events make them into "stories" with neat beginnings, middles, and ends, and as shows like America's Funniest Home Videos, MTV's The Real World and the Simpson trial make "real people" into characters in stories, the lines between real and unreal, between "truth" and fiction, blur. In a world of airbrushed photos, edited talk shows, and plastic surgery, how do you tell? -- Manufacturing and Nature: Increasingly, manufacturers are turningto nature as the model for efficiency. Perfectly organized and with no waste, nature has created some of the most advanced "machines" around, the human body among them. In this chapter, the author focuses on businesses that embrace the "nature-based principles of spontaneous organization and work to become more eco-friendly and efficient, " as well as the highly controversial world of nanotechnology, which is patterned after living organisms. Is technology expanding our realm of experiences, or limiting our imaginations? Is it neutral, or do we need to develop new moral codes to ...
HIGH TECH/HIGH TOUCH examines why and how technology has come to be the greatest unifier in history and presents a crucial compass for navigating the everyday effects of this sweeping global transformation. Culling evidence from the most fascinating aspects of modern life, consummate trend-spotter John Naisbitt takes on every essential techno-cultural dilemma of our time. From doctors, scientists, and clergy leaders who must collaborate when addressing genetic engineering to parents who must contend with violent computer games, HIGH TECH/HIGH TOUCH provides a compelling tour of our technological immersion. Naisbitt's forecast span science, war, religion, commerce, art, communications, entertainment, manufacturing, and nature to present the most complete survey of our technologically defined future to date.
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