I'm concerned that it's very likely that Amazon.com knows me just as well if not better than any living, breathing person. They send me emails every day about stuff I've looked at, and other stuff they think I would like. I wonder how much Shoprite and Stop and Shop know about me based on what I eat, and whatever else goes on those price-plus cards. Kinda creepy.
I actually don't mind the supermarket tracking so much (You do get 'customized' coupons, after all.) As far as I know, they don't sell or otherwise share your personal info.
As much as FB, Twitter, Tumblr, and everything else leave a pretty good digital footprint, you're probably right that sites like Amazon and ebay know the real us better than our dearest meatspace friends. How many people in your life can remember exactly what time you looked at flash drives or sunglasses or headphones or ipod touch screen protectors, as well as exactly what brands and styles? lol. Just imagine the AI that would be constructed out of our Amazon and ebay cookies.
I imagine mine would look and act like Elroy from the Jetsons, except, you know, Asian.
Not too long ago (the 1980s) my friends and I were obsessed with cyberpunk. It seemed like a new way to talk about the stuff you've brought to mind, in addition to things like implantable tech. Most of us wrote SF stories, listened to electronic music, and the awesome tech future still seemed bright, shiny and just around the corner.
The virtual Bukowski would be rather like the meatspace one, somehow just shy of him. At some point those two Bukowskis would diverge to have different experiences and lives. They would both be Bukowski, and neither of them would be, since there'd be no Definitive Bukowski. No real article.
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I imagine there'll be more left than would ahve been a hundred years ago. For what it's worth.
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I don't mind if it's in a silicon body, looking out through photo sensors.
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As much as FB, Twitter, Tumblr, and everything else leave a pretty good digital footprint, you're probably right that sites like Amazon and ebay know the real us better than our dearest meatspace friends. How many people in your life can remember exactly what time you looked at flash drives or sunglasses or headphones or ipod touch screen protectors, as well as exactly what brands and styles? lol. Just imagine the AI that would be constructed out of our Amazon and ebay cookies.
I imagine mine would look and act like Elroy from the Jetsons, except, you know, Asian.
Reply
The virtual Bukowski would be rather like the meatspace one, somehow just shy of him. At some point those two Bukowskis would diverge to have different experiences and lives. They would both be Bukowski, and neither of them would be, since there'd be no Definitive Bukowski. No real article.
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