I’m sitting on the Tarmac waiting for my flight to leave, headed for the WebVisions conference, where I’ll be giving a presentation called “Children of the Revolution: Reaching the Cybernetic Teen”. It’s an update to talk I gave a couple of years ago at Macworld, but is taking on increased significance as the world of social media grows.
(Ok, I’m in the air now. I have to say that JetBlue is not bad, but can’t hold a candlestick to Virgin America, at the same price (where does the expresssion “can’t hold a candlestick” come from anyway?).)
So, anyway, cybernetic teens. I’ve been doing a lot of reading and research on how, by internalizng technology–both metephorically and literally on some cases– is changing the way we think and communicate. “COTR”, brings together those thoughts, focusing on the generation where electronic communication became mrs than a way to extend our voices, but our entire nervous systems.
I know, I know: it all sounds pretty blue sky, but I bring it down to earth by placing it in the context of my theroies of the Trusted Filter, and how we see the need to find credibility in the online arena played out all around us. Teen, who are at the fore front of this change are a great litmus test for how these new technologies will be adopted and how they will adapt to our needs.
(Now sitting in Long Beach Airport, which appears to be less of an “airport” and more of a trailer-park where jets land.)
The theme of trusted filters is something I see hinted at all the time in news media that deal with any form of computer mediated communication. It’s not enough just to be talking about a lack of trust online. We have to explore how the qualaties of trust are changing and how we are adapting.
(Back on a plane. Headed to Portland… Ummm, no observations)
Speaking In Styles is about done. I finished the major writing yesterday with chapter 10 (there are 12 chapters, but I skipped around some). Right now I’m deep in the woods editing. Look for the book out later this summer.
