The document discusses the evolution of reading over time through various technological innovations from 1850 to the present. It explores how each new medium from newspapers to movies to computers changed expectations of what reading entails and how text can be experienced. While e-books brought changes, they have not revolutionized reading like prior innovations. The most important expectations for reading involve quantity of content available rather than qualitative aspects of the reading experience. Constraints that initially seem limiting can become freeing over time as new standards and skills develop.
13. Paper Modernism
1850-1950
media revolutions: cinema, newspapers, telegraph
typewriters, diagrammming sentences, advertising
14. Paper Modernism
1850-1950
media revolutions: cinema, newspapers, telegraph
typewriters, diagrammming sentences, advertising
all deeply related
15. Paper Modernism
1850-1950
media revolutions: cinema, newspapers, telegraph
typewriters, diagrammming sentences, advertising
all deeply related
technical possibilities of production & distribution
16. Paper Modernism
1850-1950
media revolutions: cinema, newspapers, telegraph
typewriters, diagrammming sentences, advertising
all deeply related
technical possibilities of production & distribution
typewriter, offset printing, cheap paper
17. Paper Modernism
1850-1950
media revolutions: cinema, newspapers, telegraph
typewriters, diagrammming sentences, advertising
all deeply related
technical possibilities of production & distribution
typewriter, offset printing, cheap paper
bombarded with information, text and images in
19. new expectations and possibilities for reading
how text should look and be experienced
20. new expectations and possibilities for reading
how text should look and be experienced
books, movies, city streets
21. new expectations and possibilities for reading
how text should look and be experienced
books, movies, city streets
no reason to distinguish between media
47. skills
Clay Shirky: “a screen without a mouse ships
broken”
Steve Jobs: “if you see a stylus, they blew it”
48. skills
Clay Shirky: “a screen without a mouse ships
broken”
Steve Jobs: “if you see a stylus, they blew it”
if you see a mouse, they blew it
49. skills
Clay Shirky: “a screen without a mouse ships
broken”
Steve Jobs: “if you see a stylus, they blew it”
if you see a mouse, they blew it
NOT TRUE
60. path-dependency and learning effects
switching costs
coordinating around a common standard
people get better at things they practice
61. path-dependency and learning effects
switching costs
coordinating around a common standard
people get better at things they practice
need external shock
70. Odysseus and the Sirens
we actually like constraints once we’re in them
71. Odysseus and the Sirens
we actually like constraints once we’re in them
constraints are freedom
72. Odysseus and the Sirens
we actually like constraints once we’re in them
constraints are freedom
we have an endless supply of constraints
73. Odysseus and the Sirens
we actually like constraints once we’re in them
constraints are freedom
we have an endless supply of constraints
(this itself is a paradox)