http://ils.unc.edu/inls187/notes/...

The Transparent Society

Prelude: Tripwire
  • Who's this Brin guy? Why might we believe him? Is he credible?
  • What's the core concept of the book (so far)?
  • Have you seen these little cameras? Where?
  • Representative quote (p. 26) "I surely won't give up essential privacy [...] but that's a far cry from maintaining a so-called right to skulk in shadows and act against others anonymously &em; a right that shelters nearly all the predators who make this a wary, suspicious age, fueling both the growth of government and a rising obsession with personal security."

  • Is Brin an optimist? A pessimist?
  • In The Age of Knowledge, he indicates that people will have more free time and more inspiration to do things with it (pursue knowledge, sports, hobbies, etc.). Do you believe this?
UNC SILS
Prof. Greg Newby