http://www.simonpure.ca When something is said to be the real deal or genuine article, it is said to be Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:18:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://www.simonpure.ca/2010/04/07/ladies-and-gentlemen-please-stand-up-for-your-15mb-of-fame/comment-page-1/#comment-615 kim_chee Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:18:16 +0000 http://www.simonpure.ca/?p=764#comment-615 I am delighted to find I am not alone in harboring these thoughts - but also dismayed at the validation of what has been my observation. This phenomenon may, in part, be an effect of our digital age and the global village, but it may, too, just be a coming full circle in a social cycle. We live in a decadent, self-absorbed society (certainly in the commercialized western world); we worship youth and beauty above talent and accomplishment; we strive for material wealth and hedonism above contribution and emotional connection. We are just like the ancient Romans right before the fall of the empire. Will our civilization fall too? And if it does, will the cycle be accelerated do next time around it doesn't take 2000 years (give or take a century or two either way)? I am delighted to find I am not alone in harboring these thoughts – but also dismayed at the validation of what has been my observation. This phenomenon may, in part, be an effect of our digital age and the global village, but it may, too, just be a coming full circle in a social cycle. We live in a decadent, self-absorbed society (certainly in the commercialized western world); we worship youth and beauty above talent and accomplishment; we strive for material wealth and hedonism above contribution and emotional connection. We are just like the ancient Romans right before the fall of the empire. Will our civilization fall too? And if it does, will the cycle be accelerated do next time around it doesn’t take 2000 years (give or take a century or two either way)?

]]> http://www.simonpure.ca/2010/03/10/go-go-gadget-creep/comment-page-1/#comment-210 MikeMulligan Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:35:29 +0000 http://www.simonpure.ca/?p=680#comment-210 That robot is creepy. Especially given the non-standard body proportion. On that topic though, the whole humanoid robot thing is pretty creeps-inducing. Not their existence so much - I think they're awesome. But the ones with actual human heads like the one above definitely fall into "uncanny valley" territory, and they're going to have to work hard to deal with that issue. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley That robot is creepy. Especially given the non-standard body proportion. On that topic though, the whole humanoid robot thing is pretty creeps-inducing. Not their existence so much – I think they’re awesome. But the ones with actual human heads like the one above definitely fall into “uncanny valley” territory, and they’re going to have to work hard to deal with that issue. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley

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