The Convivial Society

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2024-12-02 18:00:04

Welcome to the Convivial Society , a newsletter about technology and culture. Before getting on to the usual business I wanted to note that a few days ago I was more than a little surprised to discover that I had been included in Vox’s Future Perfect 50, a list of “innovators, thinkers, and changemakers working to make the future a better place.” Being on the same list with Billie Eilish and Christopher Nolan was not something I ever anticipated, but the real honor was sharing the list with the likes of Shannon Vallor and Deb Chachra. I even got a flattering illustrated portrait with all the grey taken out of my beard. But I mention this chiefly to say thank you to you. This week in the U.S. we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. In that spirit, let me express my thanks to you for reading and supporting my work. I’m deeply grateful, and I’m quite certain any plaudits I earn flow from the generosity of my readers.

In this installment, I offer you a historical analogy that I hope will be of some use to you as you think about and try to make sense of the social and personal consequences of digitization.