McMoneagle's description of exploring the deeper waters of consciousness is a template for learning how to move with clear intentionality among the nested levels of symbols that fold into one another in the digital world. It is easy to lose ourselves in the act of building simulations that our brains think are real and forget that intentionality animates the network like a ghost in the machine. We define ourselves as a spectrum of possibilities, choose one, and do it. The symbols we think we use as tools disappear, the nested levels built of those symbols collapse, and we see in that moment our responsibility for what we are building instead of pretending we're merely technicians or just along for the ride. Islands in the Clickstream is a weekly column written by Richard Thieme exploring social and cultural dimensions of computer technology.
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Feel free to pass along columns for personal use, retaining this signature file. Richard Thieme is a professional speaker, consultant, and writer focused on the impact of computer technology on individuals and organizations. All rights reserved.