Links.net: Justin Hall's personal site growing & breaking down since 1994

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justin @ hotwired

wired is digital culture cocaine.

I remember my first taste of wired. I was giddy, excited, confident to be a part of a cool new cultural movement. I couldn't wait to get the next issue.

today I read it and I feel paranoid. like I'm not caught up! like there's a great technology party going on somewhere, and I'm not there!

now hold on a second. I've got a powerPC laptop. I've got a web page. I've got tons of friends who practically live on computers. I know a fair number of folks who make digital stuff happen.

I am not supposed to feel left out of "the digital revolution."
I saw an ad for wired, in Details magazine:
it read,
this is the digital revolution,

you are either part of the steamroller,

or part of the road.
give me a break.
that ain't inclusive! that ain't encouraging!
that's capitalist meglomaniacal pave-the-earth puffery.

If I get the feeling I'm being left out of something cool, then I can't imagine how less computer literate folk feel. perhaps inadequate. it's regrettable that wired holds so much of the digital culture spotlight with elitism - I'm more inclined to the inclusive,

especially if I can help set the tone.

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