The TrueTalk Blog

Nerds, Jocks, Preps, Goths and Goofs

David Brooks channels Tom Wolfe (again!) today in his spot on piece, "Lunch Period Poli-Sci" (sub req'd). Brooks quotes Wolfe's 1976 Commentary essay which observed that adult political preferences are "sub-rational" reflections of adolescent affiliations. You know, the people who hang out together before class, in study hall and at lunch. For all time thereafter, Brooks claims, our fates are sealed: "nobody has ever voted for a presidential candidate they wouldn't have had lunch with in high school."

How perceptive.

No matter the ex post facto explanations (as a demonstration of the accuracy of Brooks' observations, I almost resorted to the Three Stooges' ex post fatso construction of that phrase, a big hit in my own peer group) of our choices, their roots lie deeply ingrained in our psyches. As a rule, we like people who are like us. We dislike those who aren't. Our strongest +/- emotions are reserved for those special demons and nemesises (nemisi?) who haunt our early years, especially adolescence.

What else could explain even 32% of Americans still supporting the horrendous performance of George W. Bush? Transparent failure of this magnitude can only be ignored by those blinded by old loyalties.

But here's where Brooks' thesis breaks down for me. I would have had lunch with Bush in high school. Back then, he was probably a goofy, fun-loving idiot, full of fart jokes and stories of backseat conquests. Just the kind of stuff that made the grade in my corner of the Bronx in the early 60s.

It's today's version of Bush that I wouldn't have lunch with...then, or now. The sanctimonious, self-righteous "Decider" who's let the fiction of being the leader go to his head while the big boys in the back jerk him around like Howdy Doody. The only thing still intact from the old days is the goofiness.

We're watching a man completely at sea trying to outrun the consequences of a misplaced belief in the nature of his destiny. And at this point, we're almost all harkening back to the high school version of that person in horror.

Tags: David Brooks George W. Bush

Proud Old City

Ever notice how much pride some cities take in their histories? Pittsburgh's one. I'm here for a sad occasion, a memorial service tomorrow for my dear old friend, Ray Webb. More about that in the next couple of days.

Today, I had a little time on the North Shore (which is a fancied up version of what we used to call the "North Side" when I lived here from 1971-1989). Here are some Friday Fotos that give a little of the flavor of this proud city.

First, the lovely downtown vista.

Then, a montage that demonstrates the city's pride in its long sports heritage.

First, baseball history:

Then, football history.

By the way, that's 500 1892 dollars. Not too shabby. Any estimate of what that would be today?

Then, Art Rooney, the founder of the city's beloved Steelers:

And finally, a bobblehead quartet from last year's Super Bowl champions:

For the record, that's Troy Polamalu on the left.

Pittsburgh. A town that's comfortable with who it is.

Tags: Pittsburgh Featured Foto Friday

Rene Berger and Human Nature

Bruno Giussani posts some intriguing reflections on the work of philosopher, art historian, "archtypal European erudite," Réne Berger. Reading them reminded me of the podcast I recorded earlier this week. In it, I described a conversation I'd had several months ago with a group that included my good friends Hillery and George Ballantyne. We attended an opera with Hillery and George a couple of weeks ago and Hillery alluded to a statement I'd made in the course of that conversation; something like, "the developments taking place on the Internet will change human nature." At the recent opera dinner, Hillery allowed as how she believed the Internet has already, and would continue to have a significant impact on our lives, but that she didn't think it would do much in the way of human nature.

In the podcast, I describe why I believe it will, predominantly because of the way in which it will change our relationships with objects. What I did not describe there is the ways in which the Net will also radically alter our lived-experience of time and space.

From Giussani's post:

Following the format of the book, Berger gave a biographical speech, intertwining personal anecdotes with profound analysis. "A dozen years ago something happened that was unexpected and unforeseen", he recalled. "The invention of the World Wide Web and the networking of the world introduced the idea that anyone can establish a contact with anyone else on the planet, in real-time. It's a Quixote-like idea, in a way. Real-time never existed before, and it brings a total transformation of our spirit, cultural categories, and behaviors".

At the beginning, "not many bought into this", but today the network is a vital portion of the economy and of everyday life: "It's becoming impossible to not visit with Google daily", he said.

Berger strongly believes that we live in the era of "technoculture", that for the first time in human history technology is a constitutive element of cultural development. He argues that the networked computer is not just another innovation in the long development of tools used by humans to enhance their capabilities. "Some may argue that we're just living another acceleration of history, but this is not the car replacing the carriage", he said, "this is about the brain, it's a cognitive revolution. We are at a totally different, superior level. For the first time in history, we can simulate reality, we can grasp the complexity of the real, we can create alternative realities. We can externalize our intellectual capabilities".

These changes are not simply "cognitive." "[Externalizing] out intellectual capabilities," does more than simply change how we think. If it changes our brain, it changes our being-in-the-world; how we are.

Now, I'm arguing that these changes are utopian. We don't really know what kinds of neurophysiological/neuropsychological/existential  changes will emerge from this new connectedness. But, like Berger, I do not see the Internet as a step-wise modification of, say, the telephone (which, itself, led to incredible transformations in daily life.) This is what Kurzweil means by the "singularity," and, the more I see, the more I think singular changes are afoot.

Tags: Bruno Giussani Réne Berger Ray Kurzweil Singularity

Runnin'

Busy schedule the last couple of days, so no blogging. On to Pittsburgh today for memorial services on Saturday for my good friend, Ray Webb. May post from there, but maybe not.

Technology, Objects and Human Nature

Here's another edition of the TrueTalk Podcast, this time some musings on the relationships we maintain with things, and the impact those relationships have on what we think of as human nature. Hope you enjoy it.

Objects and Human Nature

Wisdom of Crowds Meets GWB

How many words is a picture supposed to be worth?

Here we have a representation of a compendium of polls that reveals our collective disenchantment with the leadership of a man who's lost his ability to relate to our lives. My digibuddy fouroboros flashingly captured something of our disillusionment here. Pretty much captures my wife Karen's feelings, too.

Earlier this evening in an email to a friend I noted that the president is like a racehorse we've all bet on. We need him to win. He can't. We can't really root against him. What do we do now?

Hat tip: Once again, to the amazing Design Observer blog.

Tags: Bush Popularity Polls Fouroboros

Ornamental Power

The brevity of our lives makes it impossible for us to comprehend the magnitude of creativity that has preceeded us. The availability of online resources only amplifies that gap.

Here, we have one small example of masterful things we've never heard of. This time, it's an 1868 book entitled The Grammar of Ornament, by Owen Jones. It is a compendium of hundreds, no, thousands of exquisite drawings.

The power of visual imagery to elicit emotional responses is deeply ingrained in our neurophysiology. It's impossible for us NOT to respond to visual beauty.

One of our most important missions here is to carry on this tradition of creating stimulating visual experiences.

Hat tip: the remarkable blog, Design Observer.

Tags: Design Design Observer

Dorkbots: Another Reason I Love Geeks

This little article from AP perfectly demonstrates why geeks are such a precious natural resource. The piece features Jeff Han, who blew us away with his touchscreen at TED2006, doing a demo at a gathering of techies who are "doing strange things with electricity." Here's the money line:

"There is a need to have a casual way of talking about what you are interested in without pressure to succeed," says [artist/technologist Doug] Repetto. "It's a virus that our society has that the only one reason to do things is because you are going to get famous."

Talking about what you're interested in without pressure to succeed...sounds like blogging, doesn't it?

Tags: Dorkbot TED2006 Jeff Han

Auto Mania

I don't know about all this GM stuff I've been thinking and writing about recently. I think It's starting to get me.

First, I attended two very disparate events this week: a pre-screening of the film, An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore's truly extraordinary treatise on global warming. Here's the New Yorker review.

Then, I schlepped to the New York Auto Show.

Whoa. These two events in one week is enough to give a man the psychic bends!

Here's a foto to start us off.

That's the window sticker from a new Chevy Tahoe. In case you can't read it, sticker price: $51,980! OK, boys, way to go! Fuel expectations...well,  those I'm sure you can read. 15 city, 21 highway. By the way, ever actually get the mileage they quote on the sticker?

Didn't think so.

So, this baby probably gets about 13 MPG in the city. Let's see, what octane fuel does it like to eat? Oh, yeah, give me the fully caffeinated! So, OK, here in the Constitution State, that'll set you back about, let's call it, $3.20/gallon.  This boy's got a 26 gallon tank, so that'll be, roughly...hang on a second...$83 to fill it up. And, for that you'll get...wait...let's get crazy and call it 15 MPG...390 miles...or, about 21 cents a mile for gas. For me to drive to NYC, that's roughly 100 miles round trip, so, $21 a trip. For gas. No tolls, no parking, no nothin'. Do that 5 times a week, 48 weeks a year (I don't, but lots do) and it's a skosh over $5,000 a year. For gas. Just to go to work. Never mind drivin' to get milk, or to the mall, or out to the great outdoors where those ads are shot.

That'll clear your sinuses, won't it?

Look, I think GM's done some nice work. Take a look at the window line of the Camaro re-launch prototype:

Damn nice looking, isn't it?

But, at the end of the day, I think GM's problem still resembles the path taken by this big, bad boy (the mileage sticker for which was nowhere in sight.)

Uphill climb, baby, steep uphill climb.

Oh, and, by the way, if you're interested in reading a great piece of creative writing by a guy who does it well, check out my man fouroboros' recent GM post, in which yours truly makes a cameo appearance. For the record, I think his suggestion is crazy/brilliant.

Have a great weekend.

Tags: GM An Inconvenient Truth

GM: The Bloggers Are Coming, The Bloggers Are Coming!

A couple of months ago, Bob Lutz asked for suggestions about how GM could start combatting the perception that their vehicles weren't competitive on quality, design, and performance.  Many readers responded, as did I. My suggestions:

• Where are the other GM bloggers? How about encouraging a widespread campaign of transparent communication between people inside and outside GM. If they're out there, tell us about them. If not, why not? Like Bob Lutz, Robert Scoble is a powerful symbol of Microsoft's commitment to transparency, but the thousands of other bloggers in the company have created an impressive network of authentic voices. Would GM's lawyers allow this much free-ranging communication?
• How can customers talk to you? Start a publicity campaign, yesterday, encouraging people to tell you stories about their GM vehicles, past and present, good and bad, and get those on your Web site. The comments on the Fastlane Blog are loaded with great nuggets...use them more broadly. Put them into ads, put them in podcasts, get them on the news....Give customers a chance to design things, or write ads, like Boeing and Mercedes did.
• Give people a reason to give you a second chance. GM has a critical role in American history. Many, many people are angry with you: you let us down, took us for granted and skimmed the cream. But there's also something else besides the anger: national pride. You can't leverage your heritage without giving people a reason to give you a second chance. Apologize. Tell us you lost your way. We love redemption and if you let pepole know that you're aware that you've screwed up and made mistakes and are now asking for a second chance, you've got a hell of a lot better chance of them doing so than making believe the problem's been currency exchange rates or some other such nonsensical esoterica. Sure you're saddled with enormous healthcare costs and other legacy problems. So is Social Security. Let the country know why it should give a damn if you going under.

Now, GM's actually done it; launched a blog called, FYI.gmblogs.com. It's purpose?

While we are certainly happy with the conversation that the FastLane has created, for the most part, it has been the exclusive domain of some of our most senior executives, particularly Bob Lutz (most of us even call it Bob's Blog). Over the last few months we decided that we could add another blog to our portfolio; and that it could be even more grassroots, providing an opportunity for all GM employees to contribute in one way or another.

Our hope is that this will be an effective way to spread the conversation about GM; that we can continue to get better at listening and maintaining the dialogue, and ultimately, create products and services that not only meet your needs but are truly the best.

Smart. Welcome to the conversation.

<Psst...somebody get the lawyers out of the room!>

I hope you're wearing your seatbelts!

Tags: GM Fastlane Blog GM FYI Blog