Digital Mythologies: The Hidden Complexities of the Internet [Hardcover]

Thomas Valovic (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Are we letting our techno-toys dumb us down? Are we so wrapped up with living in a sci-fi paradise--finally--that we can't see the dark, sordid side of our new lives? Writer Thomas Valovic, former editor-in-chief of Telecommunications magazine, pulls aside the curtain in Digital Mythologies: The Hidden Complexities of the Internet. The 33 short essays here shine a light on the assumptions of technophiles, which they might prefer be left in shadow: electronic democracy, scientific spirituality, and portable offices all look distinctly sinister when seen from a new perspective. What if the ritual of voting every other year commanded a different, more considered way of thinking than instantaneous direct polling? How can the materialism inherent in technological solutions transcend itself to give substance to cyber-religion? Why is it a good thing to be able to draft memos and rearrange spreadsheets while sitting in coffee shops? Valovic asks these questions relatively free from constraining values and finds in favor of technology as long as it is used intelligently for benign purposes; unfortunately, our thinking about this use is often deeply flawed. Literate, deep, and well-considered, Digital Mythologies is good medicine for those of us who are ill at ease with our brave new world. --Rob Lightner

Review

"In general, the media seemed to have gotten caught up in the Internet craze, almost in a pop culture sense, and became prone to endlessly repeating a single idea: that the new technologies were going to profoundly change our lives in the realms of business, education, health care, and just about any other realm of human activity that could be thought of. While this was true enough on the surface of things, it also became apparent after a little analysis that these breathlessly delivered renditions were usually devoid of any real specifics... I wanted to find the answers to some very basic questions: Where were the specifics of these transformations? How do we get past all the marketing hype and the constantly invoked mythologies of digital process and into something more tangible, more grounded in day-to-day reality?... After all, if we don't know what these changes will really amount to, how can we possibly say that we think they are important or exciting or wonderful?" -- Digital Mythologies: The Hidden Complexities of the Internet

"Wondering how the Internet grew to where it is today? Think there might be side effects from our techno-obsession? Slightly skeptical of the hype surrounding the digital promised land? Thomas Valovic was there when the Internet suddenly blossomed from academic playtoy into commercialized cyberspace. As he sifts through the promises of the network, his work shows the wide gulf separating hyperbole from reality." -- Cliff Stoll, author of High Tech Heretic and Silicon Snake Oil

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 242 pages
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press; First Edition edition (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813527546
• ISBN-13: 978-0813527543
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,487,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Digital Mythologies, October 9, 2000

By 

Randy (Mililani, Hawaii USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Digital Mythologies: The Hidden Complexities of the Internet (Hardcover)

Digital Mythologies: The Hidden Complexities of the Internet is a collection of essays compiled by Thomas Valovic, editor in chief of Telecommunications (the magazine). In 1991, Valovic published an article for Telecommunications dealing with the Internet and how this unknown technology at the time would greatly impact the commercial market. Back in 1991, there were basically two types of users on the Internet: Defense contractors and Academics. Valovic's vision had seen the Internet shifting from a behind the scenes technology into a technology that would be widely available to public users. Little did Valovic know that this very article would eventually be a stepping stone to a digital revolution.

Valovic covers a lot of issues dealing with the Internet such as Information Euphoria, Information Ennui, Web Conversations, Information Bombing, Technological Dependence and a lot more. While reading the book, there is a sense that Valovic perceives most users to be in Information Euphoria. Many of these users believe that all-important information may be found on the Internet. Valovic then counters Information Euphoria with Information Ennui. Information Ennui discusses the dark side of information technology such as Information overload and isolating one's self from the "real" world. After users go through Information Euphoria and Ennui they will eventually attain information wisdom. I totally agree with this mindset on Information technology. Although information technology has advanced tremendously in the past 5 years, the issues surrounding the use of technology are becoming quite complex. There is a keyword that Valovic had mentioned in the book and that keyword is experimentation. We in society are still learning our way through cyberspace. With more computers being connected to the Internet, there will be greater diversity and maybe greater than the Information technology problems that exist today. Many users are so in awe of the physical technology that most tends to ignore the social affects of technology. In my opinion, many users are slaves to the technology. Users want faster and better featured technology because it may make life a lot easier, but in actuality technology is making things a lot more complex. A lot more complex for new users who know nothing about computers or how to navigate while on the net. In my opinion society should be in full command of technology. There is no sense in coming up with faster and more complex technology if a majority of users cannot use it.

I enjoyed most of the essays, particularly the essays on Information overload and quality of information. Right now, there are a billion web pages on the Internet. With that much information at our fingertips finding accurate information it would be hard to distinguish relative information to trash. The advent of the e-mail has given business users as well as residential users multiple communication options. Although there are multiple communicative connections, keeping track of information becomes a lot more complex and difficult. Traditional mail takes a few days to be passed between sender and receiver. E-mail on the other hand is sent quickly between sender and receiver, so message transactions should be made right away. Too many options might be difficult for businesses that allow customers to make on-line purchases or mailed deliveries.

I would definitely recommend getting this book, especially to students who are studying Telecommunications. It is informative and straight to the point.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Digital Mythologies, September 21, 2000

By 

R. Kincaid (Honolulu, Hawaii) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Digital Mythologies: The Hidden Complexities of the Internet (Hardcover)

Is the Internet a technological system that creates a numbed populace, living in the "here and now" without regard to the body of human knowledge that precedes them? In a series of well thought out essays, Valovic (media theorist and former editor in chief of Telecommunications magazine)endeavors to go beyond the present Internet euphoria by probing the basic tenets of the promoters of the "digital culture." These promoters, writers and editors affiliated with Wired magazine and Mondo 2000 spearheaded the irreverent electronic lifestyle that is cyberculture. The media and commercial interests have picked up and amplified the same hype, touting cyberculture and the profound changes it would bring to every aspect of our lives. According to Valovic, these acclamations are overused and lack depth. Promoters argue that the Net has an equalizing affect that strips away biases and is truly democratic representation. Valovic counters that the Net is filled with opinions void of context. He adds that hierarchies, power structures and spin doctors can all be found on the Net as well. Further, this technocracy seems to apply to a very narrow slice of the society since the majority of the people have no access to technology at all. Believers pose that the Net will create a new knowledge base; this implies that history will be jettisoned because of its "useless" undigitized state. And if we have no history, how are decisions made? Do we become, as Valovic suggests, a kind of knee-jerk society that reacts without reflection or deliberation. Is this a premonition of how electronic democracy will work? Media conglomerates created by recent deregulation would surely seek to impact consumers, public opinion, and votes. Might they want to involve theirselves in a bit of "managed reality" as well, especially if it would benefit their bottom line? According to Valovic the mediasphere that we are constantly exposed to is re-sequencing our value system and stripping away our code of ethics. Further erosion to values is caused by the blurring of work and play created by the constant presence of portable telecommunication devices. And what of the alienation created by cyber living? Is it really paradise or the ultimate denial of responsibility for real life issues concerning societal needs and the environment? In Valovic's schema for the adaptation of any new technology most of us are definitely in the first stage, information euphoria. The second stage is information ennui and the last stage, information wisdom. This last is where we might reside once we have pondered the questions and studied the ideas posed by this author. His mix of technology, theory, philosophy, and humanism along with his knowledge of the Internet and its players make for a thought-provoking read. I highly recommend it to all who seek the human side of the virtual revolution.