I recently came across a prompt that asks ChatGPT to analyze you as though you were a person of interest. The prompt originated with a Reddit user and was picked up by UNILAD Tech. I tried it on myself, and the result was surprisingly good. It described me as a technically capable systems thinker with strong … Continue reading How Much of Me Is Already Public?
Category: Technology and Modernity
Essays examining how modern technologies shape society, culture, and human behavior.
The Revolution Will Still Not Be Televised
The revolution will not be televised, will not be televisedWill not be televised, will not be televisedThe revolution will be no re-run brothersThe revolution will be live—Gil Scott-Heron, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised A few years ago, while watching The Get Down, I heard a piece of spoken-word poetry woven into the soundtrack that stopped me cold. … Continue reading The Revolution Will Still Not Be Televised
Becoming the Gray Man in the Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Living in Alabama, I don't often have the opportunity to walk through fresh snow. Fortunately, mud tells many of the same stories. After a good rain, a hiking trail or dirt road becomes a record of everyone who has passed that way. Every boot and every tire leaves an impression. Some tracks are deep enough … Continue reading Becoming the Gray Man in the Age of Surveillance Capitalism
Emancipation Digitization
History remembers proclamations because they announce more than policy. They declare that the world has crossed a threshold. When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery did not disappear the moment the ink dried. At that instant, it was, in the most literal sense, merely words on paper. Its authority depended upon institutions willing to … Continue reading Emancipation Digitization
Zero Trust Civilization
There is a moment now, familiar in its repetition, that would have been difficult to imagine not long ago. You log in, confirm a code, approve a prompt on another device, and wait briefly while the system decides. Nothing about the process feels remarkable. It is quick, often invisible, and usually successful. Over time, it … Continue reading Zero Trust Civilization
The Machines That Verify Us
There was a time when finding your way required more than a signal. In the early years of my military service, I used a PLGR, a Precision Lightweight GPS Receiver. The name suggested something more refined than the device itself. It was large, deliberate, and slow to orient. Acquiring a signal could take time, and … Continue reading The Machines That Verify Us
When “Accredited” Isn’t Enough
A young student asks a simple question: Is this college accredited? The answer is yes. The better question is never asked. In the American imagination, accreditation functions as a kind of institutional seal. It suggests legitimacy, baseline quality, and a degree that will carry weight beyond the walls of the issuing school. It is a … Continue reading When “Accredited” Isn’t Enough
