Sociology 101: The Digitalization of Culture

Or should it be Anthropology 101? What ever you call it, the digital transformation of our culture as we know it has only just begun.

Case in point. This morning's slim newspaper (of course news is sparse on Monday - despite the international dateline, in which Monday here is not Monday at other parts of the earth) had no less than three articles about the cultural changes arising out of this sweet little computer that allows me to have this conversation with you.

The first article: The possible demise of Barnes and Noble, an institution we have come to accept as permanent (remember the short  B. Dalton era). Big-box book stores are sliding into impending doom. Leaving malls who have built their success around bookstores the way Sears and Penney's used to be the anchors. It's those electronic books, online publishing, and a host of other technological factors. Since there are some of us who still like holding printed books in our hands (probably not wise to read your Kindle while soaking in the bathtub), books are not likely to disappear altogether. But the way books arrive in our hands is on the move, along with the potential loss of the Barnes and Noble Reading Room.

The second article: Remember all those advantages of working at home? No rush-hour traffic jams, no work wardrobes, flexible hours, and other advantages. There is a new work trend arising. Computer screens just aren't a substitute for the energy of people at the next desk. People who operate one-person businesses (from their home offices and computers) are now finding communal office space. The person in the next desk may not know anything about your business, but there is a real live person at the next desk. A bit like writers who do all their writing in coffee shops and the like, because the isolation of writing at home doesn't do it. Just like reading books at Barnes and Noble is akin to reading at the library. After all, we are social creatures.

The third article: There are now online sites hosted by (get this) major publishing houses where writers can post excerpts of manuscripts - while working at their laptops at Barnes and Noble. Readers of these sites can indicate their favorites. Not only does the writer get feedback while engaged in a solitary calling, the hosts of such sites monitor the responses. For example, at ww.inkpop.com operated by HarperCollins, the five writers per month with the most hits are invited to send in their manuscripts. No literary agents needed and an amazing chance at having a major publisher print your work.

A cursory look at all of this techno-driven phenomena might suggest the usual arguments of distress. The computer with its social networking options is tying more people to a screen rather than spending real face-to-face time. Look a little deeper! Workings at home in your PJ's may be more efficient, but where is the energy buzz of other people? And the odds of a major publishing house accepting a first-time writer is about 0.0001.

We need each other. Technology offers options beyond our wildest imaginations to access each other. Voila' - cultural changes happening all around us.

Did I say that Monday's news was sparse . . .

Elizabeth