Are we in the Midst of an Information Revolution?
The first thought that struck me while reading the articles this week was the multitude of terms attributed to the “information society”. Are we in a "post-industrial society" as Daniel Bell wrote, or the "third wave" of a technological revolution as Toffler spoke of or a "knowledge society" as Stehr proposed?
How do we define the term information? Is it interchangeable with technology?
Are there appropriate qualitative or quantitative methods to evaluate whether we have entered a new era?
Webster, in his article The Information Society Revisited, points out that there is an assumption (that he argued against) that quantitative increases transform-in unspecified ways-into qualitative changes in the social system. Are more computers and more information synonymous with a new societal order? Is there a tipping point?
Webster would argue that technology is a part of society not the major force in change as the determinists would state. There is a much more complicated relationship between technology, history and society.
After reading the articles, I would agree with Webster that the basic structure of our society has not changed, so have we entered the Information Revolution?
I say no.
Sandra,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the relationship between technology, history and society is complicated. I like that you brought up the question of a tipping point. I think that society is changing (or, at least the technology it uses to communicate is changing) but I agree with you, and Webster, that the basic structure of our society has not changed. At least, not yet.
Hi Sandra. I too agree with both you and Webster the basic structure of our society has not changed. Despite new technological mediums, human interaction is just that - interaction amongst humans. I suppose that the methods have changed, but the underlying concepts have not.
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