High-res I know Clay Shirky is a really smart guy, and he’s just quoting someone else here, but this is just silly. Of course those “pulped wood bound in cardboard” things are part of the culture; in the obvious ways, like as objects of art and craft, but also, fundamentally, the structure and limitations of the form have profoundly influenced how we pass along knowledge for centuries. If we stop using those things, our culture will indeed be profoundly different. Not necessarily better or worse, but certainly not the same.

I know Clay Shirky is a really smart guy, and he’s just quoting someone else here, but this is just silly. Of course those “pulped wood bound in cardboard” things are part of the culture; in the obvious ways, like as objects of art and craft, but also, fundamentally, the structure and limitations of the form have profoundly influenced how we pass along knowledge for centuries. If we stop using those things, our culture will indeed be profoundly different. Not necessarily better or worse, but certainly not the same.

Notes

  1. markcoatney posted this