Into Tomorrow
The Information Age

General traits of the Information Age.

• De-massed
  • Second wave - mass media stamps icons on society
    • Hitler
    • Marilyn Monroe's skirt
  • Third wave - temporary/fleeting ever changing
    • Xerox
    • Web sites
    • Sitcoms
    • Famous people
• "Blip Culture"
  • Second wave gave prepackaged strings of information
    • Filtered and organized strings of information
    • Newspapers
    • News reels
    • 6:oo news
  • Third wave gives "blips" which each person must organize themselves
• Fragments from multiple sources, unfiltered
• Potential for confusion
• Political ramifications
• Multiple sources and smaller audiences
  • Cable
  • Internet
• Community by interest verses geography

Ramifications of the Information Age

• Less commonality, and more individualism
• Social Fragmentation

The Coming Conflict?

• Clashing waves and the struggle for survival
  • Historical examples
    • Bourgeois vs. Aristocracy
    • American War between the States
  • Today's manifestations
    • Education
    • Government policy
• The changing Nation-State?

Humanities Resource of Mark Hunter