Response Week Five: No, I’m Not a Gadget

In reference to You are Not A Gadget, Lanier is critical of Internet projects including Wikipedia, open source software, video pranks and spoofs and the “hive mind” in general.  It almost seems like Lanier loved the Internet when it was very new and major corporations were not involved.  He is so against people taking a piece of code or software and editing it just a little to produce something new, like mashups.  My question: Are all of these things Lanier is arguing against so passionately really that bad?  Yes, we are in a “hive mind” society now, but is that necessarily a bad thing, or is it just a new aspect of culture?

In reference to Lanier’s “hive mind” concept:  He claims that the new collective ethos as seen in Google searches and Wikipedia diminishes the individual voice and leads to something similar to a mob rules situation.  How is this possible with all the citizen journalism and amateurism online today?

When I proposed these questions earlier in the week I did not see the connection between them, but now, after a little class discussion and some time to ponder Lanier’s work I see that the two inquiries are indeed connected, but in a hypocritical way.

Lanier argues so hard against the new “hive mind” mentality, but he also argues against things like mashups, Wikipedia, etc.  These arguments are conflicting because citizens are using mashups, amateurism, etc. to speak outside of the hive mentality.  The are taking what Hollywood and other major corporations produce and are changing it to reflect their personal thought, emotions and personality.

As for Wikipedia and citizen journalism, average Joe’s are breaking away from what major news networks and large corporations tell them what to think about and go out and set their own news agenda.  Furthermore, the information that citizen journalists uncover is often the information those large corporations are trying to hide from public knowledge.  This is a huge example of breaking away from the hive mentality, in that people are going out and reporting on some of the same topics as the big companies, but are incorporating their own thoughts and ideas in doing so.

On the topic of Wikipedia, while this online encyclopedia is informational and does not include opinions, (well, it isn’t supposed to), it contains information posted by regular people who research and post what they think is relevant on the topic.  Furthermore, unlike traditional encyclopedia’s and the hive mentality, Wikipedia includes what people think is important, not what companies tell them to think is important.

The creation of mashups and amateurism helps people break out of the hive mentality, but it is also important to remember that knowing that this mentality exists and knowing how to operation within and outside it is important.  Whether we like it or not, this is the way our society is, and we need to not only realize this, but also know how to manipulate it to our needs.

No, Mr. Lanier, I am not a gadget.

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