Maybe not totally wishful thinking.

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I haven't read it yet, but it seems that John Markoff's What the Dormouse Said: How the 60s Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer, clearly suggests that the reality of being able to surf the web while eating a McDonald's hamburger clearly goes against that early (dare I write "original"?) ethos. Each "revolution" sets apocalyptic goals for itself, only to see that vision ultimately co-opted into the society at large. We may still be able to identify still flickering embers of that original vision, hints of an almost forgotten promise may still echo throughout the web, but on the whole, the fire has been consumed, the voice silenced.

As we move further and further away from that original promise, we may even question whether the dream ever really existed. Markoff's book apparently verifies the fact that, at least in part, that promise was once truly there. And that should remind us that while there's certainly nothing wrong with getting quick information while we get our fast food, this wasn't necessarily the original goal.

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Go to: Who cares?