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A Circle’s Past Perfection is a Modern Imperfection
“When and how should technology be utilized? How much personal information is too much information? Have we crossed the line of no return? Has the human race finally come full circle with its development, innovation and necessity for information technology?”
–“Technology Coming Full Circle?” on Jimmy’s Daily Planet from December 7, 2016
The excerpt above is from a Jimmy’s Daily Planet blog post from December 7, 2016 that was inspired by the first trailer for the movie The Circle that stars Tom Hanks, Emma Watson and John Boyega. Given the ever-increasing dependency (and apparent willingness) on the part of advanced societies to insert technology into seemingly every aspect of our daily lives, the questions above are left wanting at a somewhat alarming rate and moment in time. And The Circle aims to not only cover, but actually answer these critically important inquiries with truths we may not be prepared to discover.
Adapted from the 2013 novel by Dave Eggers with the same title, the two cinematic trailers for The Circle confirm I’m not the only person who fears that innovators (and some fans/consumers) of new technological advancements have possibly never seen any films or read any books related to science-fiction or robots or the rise of machines. I’ve been saying for many years that we’ve been (as shocking as it reads) “big brothering” ourselves. Truly incredible, isn’t it?
Ladies and gentlemen, there’s even a popular CBS show called “Big Brother” that involves recording people interacting in a surveillance house. And it’s a hit show.
It must be stated that many (possibly countless when all of recorded history is concerned) technological inventions can and have greatly propelled us forward to better places. Absolutely no argument there. We need innovative technology to help us. “Help us” are the key words here. However, these select (and amazing, in some respects) advancements do not provide blanket approval for every single new innovation that presents a new camera and form of surveillance. The second trailer for The Circle, released just hours ago online, will present this modern dilemma with, hopefully, consequential introspection.
“Some people simply view a circle as full and some people simply view a circle as empty.
Time will tell for this cinematic Circle.”
–“Technology Coming Full Circle?” on Jimmy’s Daily Planet from December 7, 2016
Let’s see if the second trailer adds clarity for the cinematic destiny of The Circle.
The theatrical release date for The Circle is April 28, 2017. Until then, good luck trying to find all the cameras.
Hint: There may be too many to count…
We All Have an Ocean View
Information is addicting. Plain and simple. Those NBC commercials titled, “The More You Know” always spark an internal curiosity in me. Watching those brief messages on the weekend from NBC personalities is like taking a swig of Knowledgeade.
I’m ready to go Mr. Lauer!
Aside from these brief, uplifting messages are a myriad of other outlets before us that present nearly unlimited opportunities for discovery and insight. The access to information on a daily basis is astonishing in the 21st century. It’s even borderline mesmerizing considering the world once existed and functioned well before a printing press was invented, let alone the pre-Internet era. Consider this: a phone is actually a computer first, with its calling capabilities down to probably third or fourth on the priority list of preferred functionality.
We all know it’s true. And if you think that’s an exaggeration, perhaps you are forgetting about the camera, your wide array of cool apps and your digital music player. Plus, don’t neglect the GPS (seriously, don’t neglect it).
Even the term “iCloud” has altered our perspective of the sky above us. No longer do we glance up into the open sky and blankly ponder the open space with imaginative daydreams. Instead, we look up and visualize data points and infinite transfers of structured and random information moving from Point A to Point B with a diagonal cut to Point S.
Is this a good evolutionary trait?
There are some nights when I look forward to relaxing and taking a break from writing papers and participating in the daily grind. Laying comfortably on a couch with a favorite show playing on the television in front of me, the urge becomes too overwhelming. I instantly (while simultaneously regretting it) open up my MacBook Pro that was closed and start searching for witty articles by a specific author or funny interview clips from a talk show.
On the one hand, it’s good that we are a people that is anxious and excited to seek and find new bits of information. Expanding our horizons should be viewed as a positive characteristic.
Still though, is it really positive that we’ve developed a never-ending quest for knowledge (traditional and non-traditional alike) that prevents us from taking necessary mental breaks?
On the knowledge front, we’ve all moved to the beach with a beautiful ocean view. Everyday, we look out into the vast blue, shimmering openness with the ambition to learn something new, knowing full well that complete knowledge is impossible. We take the dive regardless. On Wednesday, it’s waves hitting a bunch of rocks we see far to the right that stirs our inquisitiveness. On Thursday morning, we see surfers, which makes us want to learn about the history of surfing. Friday evening shows us fun being enjoyed on the boardwalk. Something clicks in our minds that we find too irresistible not to explore.
The rocks, surfers and people on a boardwalk represents something different to each of us. Regardless, these are topics we now find ourselves searching about…virtually nonstop.
While we may be exhausted, we are still seeing things we may never be able to or think to see again.
It’s a classic dilemma.
Speaking of classic…
Extreme Makeover: Knowledge Edition
Upon first glance at today’s cover page on bing.com, I was baffled. As is protocol with viewing Bing’s daily front page, I scrolled over the image to navigate to one of the four informational boxes. The link took me to a collection of pictures of the University of Zurich Library.
Stunning.
The big, dramatic curves guide your eyes within its grandiose space. This description is hardly ever used to characterize a library. Most of us know libraries to be very quiet, calm and non-exciting. The need for such fancy, eye-catching exterior and interior designs is considered nonsense when referring to a place to read, write and study.
Maybe this is the problem.
Books, periodicals, research journals, magazines, movies and so forth remain popular commodities with the public for various reasons. Despite the demand and ample supply on the shelves, libraries are rarely packed from wall-to-wall, unless it’s mid-term or finals season. As a solution, I suggest more libraries search out for private investment collaborations. Specifically, imaginative minds, inventors and architects who would jump at the opportunity to make his or her mark. Living in the age of information (ie- digital technologies), libraries offer an outstanding and nearly unlimited resource for people to invest their time and energies to further their education and personal enlightenment.
Think of it as “the knowledge renaissance.”
It’s time to view libraries as not just a building filled with old books and shushing librarians, but instead a destination of learning. In other words, it’s time to follow the lead of some around the United States and the world in their recent and historic efforts to boldly brand libraries as, generally speaking, “a cool place to be.” The silence must be upheld, along with the other proper rules and norms for any library. Learning and expanding one’s mind still need to be the predominant objectives. The primary difference is making the trip to the library an experience for people of all ages with dynamic and innovative educational value, attraction and content.
To better illustrate my point, below is a small collection of some creative takes on the library:
(Keystone/Gaetan Bally)
The University of Zurich Library
(STUA on Tumblr)
Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
(princetonreview.com)
Arnold Bernhard Library at Quinnipiac University
The Library at the University of California at San Diego
(myloc.gov)
The Library of Congress
Above are only a few examples of how architects throughout history have defined libraries as spaces intended for learning whilst being surrounded by magnificent inspiration. Hopefully, the future will feature creative minds who expand on past and present designs (there really is something truly special about those old world libraries and the history they speak to its visitors…). Architects could also innovate these themes with entertaining and engaging technologies with the aspiration of uniting communities and people all around the world towards the journey of abundant knowledge and unparalleled perspective.
How does that phrase go, “if you build it, he will come.”
With all the technological advancements and varying mediums for sharing and presenting information, the grand opportunity to innovate, reinvigorate and redirect the public to the library in masses is undeniably present. Could this mean holographic shows with famous historical figures? Perhaps. There are seemingly countless possibilities. The key is finding and connecting with eager and imaginative men and women (like Ted Mosby, formerly of Mosbius Designs) to collaborate with to build these kingdoms of knowledge.
Kingdoms of knowledge…sounds like an adventure already.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 