[1276] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: Dead trees and humanities
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Walt Crawford)
Tue Sep 22 11:43:45 1992
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1992 10:33:06 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
From: Walt Crawford <BR.WCC%RLG.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Re "ksumme01"'s charming comments about dead trees and the
humanities...
I am attempting not to respond to the contempt expressed in
this message with equal-but-opposite contempt. It's not easy.
It is, however, refreshing to be reminded once again that
absolutists of any stripe (death-of-print advocates among them)
have consistent answers for serious objections: make fun of
them.
More seriously, those of us who regard an all-electronic
future as both dystopian and improbable may be encouraged
by such messages to do our best to see to it that none of
*our* tax or other funds are siphoned off to support such
initiatives. If the attitudes expressed here (and, to be sure,
by some other e-zealots) are what we can expect, I will
gladly sign up for such a movement.
I am indebted to Tom Wilson for the phrase "binary thinking"
(whether he originated it or not). In a way, it's an
oxymoron, however: true believers seem to cease thinking
right about the time that they discover The Truth.
(The rest of us are doomed to a complex future, combining
books, mass print media, mass electronic media, electronic
publishing, electronic communication, etc. What a shame.)
-walt crawford
my opinions, my words-
