Googlezon

Science fiction, or near term extrapolation? Today marks the announcement of Google’s agreement with four major libraries (and probably more to come) to scan and make available substantial portions of their holdings. This is, I believe, a wonderful thing. But I also think that simply providing information does not guarantee learning. Learning is about choosing, about interpretation, about relationships amongst people, and the ways in which they construct meaning in their world. Now, more than ever, those of us who care about active, creative, meaning-making need to think about how we will support that.

So how to go about doing so? Here's a vivid piece of science fiction (or near term extrapolation?) created by a young web producer, Robin Sloan. In it Sloan postulates a fascinating confluence of events that begins with the creation of the web and ends with something Sloan titles "Epic." Along the way Google and Amazon.com join forces (hence "googlezon") in ways that make creative and logical sense. It's a future that makes logical sense -- and is also quite alarming. What do you think? Is it possible? And what ought the role of people of faith who care about justice and peace be in the middle of creating such a future?