The Airportline: Observations

I read my Swedish newspaper on-line. Outside the window the Danish summer is walking down the road to the ocean with the sound of children and birds. I read this article (in Swedish) about the value of contemplating. The author, Ulf Eriksson, criticize the modern media system with its focus on interactivity and questions what impact it really has.

The interactivity media gurus talk about around the world, often framed as the clash between the 'old media' and the 'new media' is automated and makes no change. Eriksson claim that interactivity is becoming equal to action, to write, to comment, to discuss to make yourself heard and have an effect. He points out that the internal sensemaking process when consuming art, a construction and development of the internal world, without any need to expose it, is also an interactive process. And, when you have time to think about things, without the need to expose your opinion immediately, maybe it is here that wisdom is born. This is Eriksson standpoint.

I've thought a lot about wisdom lately. And even though I think there is room for both the automated interactive nature in 'new media' and the contemplative process that art can bring, its nice to hear a voice against the wall of interactivity that we are bombarded with in the media. 'Reigning has always been about keeping people busy, to constantly turn their attention outside so that they cannot shelter their experiences but let them slide away in all directions instead.' (my translation)