There is something in us, possibly our own DNA, that recalls animistic ritual – the fear of night, of the gods who come back in different form on the big screen. If somebody comes along who’s a persuasive demagogue and really commands the wires, commands the codes, and is an irresistible presence, I can imagine some dangerous scenarios. I can also imagine a spiritual leader tapping in and turning those same desires in the other direction. So it’s a gamble. Electronic Church or electronic Reich? It could be either.
Predictor: Birkerts, Sven
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article for Wired magazine, Harvey Blume interviews Sven Birkerts, author of “The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading in an Electronic Age.” Birkerts fears new technology is bringing us convenience in exchange for the loss of our souls. Following is a portion of the interview: ”Wired: If [the networked world is] a hive, who is the queen? Is the queen electronic?” ”Birkerts: There is something in us, possibly our own DNA, that recalls animistic ritual – the fear of night, of the gods who come back in different form on the big screen. If somebody comes along who’s a persuasive demagogue and really commands the wires, commands the codes, and is an irresistible presence, I can imagine some dangerous scenarios. I can also imagine a spiritual leader tapping in and turning those same desires in the other direction. So it’s a gamble. Electronic Church or electronic Reich? It could be either.”
Biography:Sven Birkerts was the author of “The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading in an Electronic Age.” Birkerts feared new technology was bringing us convenience in exchange for the loss of our souls. (Author/Editor/Journalist.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Politics
Subtopic: Democracy
Name of publication: Wired
Title, headline, chapter name: Digital Refusnik: Sven Birkerts Believes that Technology is Leeching the Spiritual Out of Human Experience
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/3.05/refusnik_pr.html
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney