Friday’s Big Idea
Today's Big Idea: Humanizing Technology
Social networking, we are repeatedly told, is completely redefining the way we communicate and do business. What is less clear is exactly how it is changing us. Facebook and Twitter enable us to share ideas and discoveries with incredible speed and efficiency. LinkedIn is a powerful tool for professional networking. At the same time, there’s a sense that our identities in these virtual spaces are being limited and distorted in ways we’re only beginning to understand.
The goal of Humanizing Technology, Big Think’s virtual expo in partnership with Bing – which will culminate next month with a live event and prize ceremony in New York City – is to identify new technologies that integrate themselves seamlessly into our lives, capitalize on our unique strengths, and amplify the best of human nature.
Today we focus on social networks – their individual strengths and limitations, and how we, their users, would like to see them evolve. Also, check out our most recent set of nominees for the Humanizing Technology Prize, in the category of Human Relationships – which include some innovative improvements on first-generation social networking . . . and submit your own nominations.
