Lift sounds interesting. Sure some great speaks and likely many neat tech ideas and insights into why they work or why we need them.
But what really excites is this line in description of its purpose:
"to explore the social implications of new technologies."
To explore the social implications of X is a good way of looking at what we do and how we could do it better. It implies an unknown, some discovery and removes the limitations of things like "media" or "channels."
Rather than burrowing down a mine shaft and asking "does this TV ad work" or is this an effective mobile application" ultimately we need to simply explore the social implications of an idea.
- Did you share it?
- Did it make me laugh?
- Did it remind me of someone who I will now call, visit, email or Friend
- Did it give me something to talk about in the car share tomorrow so Tom the blabbermouth doesn't take all the attention and I can be respected as a entertaining compatriate."
- Did it change the way I see the world, better or worse?
- Did it change the way I see myself, better or worse? Stronger or weaker? Inspired or detered?
I like how Lift is focused on the social implications of technology. When you dig into it, implications of one things have cascading implications on other things. Social implication of a new application will themselves have social implications on another "thing" it replaces or improves.
Technology often looks at itself within its own buble or technolgoy or at the expense of all things non-technological. Nice to open itself up, and allow us to be arm chair socialogists.
Right, now back to making things.
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