Not exactly information, but definitely super.


The concept of the information superhighway has been identified with the internet for years. I've even complained, at least once, that the metaphor creates distinct problems toward the way we understand our usage of information. Strangely, however, when relating to this metaphor, we tend to emphasis the information, yet disregard the idea of the superhighway. After all, a superhighway is, apparently, just a regular old highway, only bigger.

With that in mind, this month's date tie-in gives us an opportunity to reflect on just how vast a technological achievement a modern highway is. It was on this day, in 1956 that U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower signed the National Interstate Highways Act into law, setting into motion the construction of a vast network of roads that would cross the United States - truly a superhighway.



Go to: Strangers on a network.