That's not me, obviously. Photograph: Time Out
...reading Steven Johnson's Everything bad is good for you, an analysis of how modern popular culture - videogames, TV, the internet - is actually making people more intelligent rather than dumbing them down.
Jack mentioned SJ's piece in the New York Times a couple of weeks ago, and he's been getting a lot of play in the US.
I don't agree completely with his premise, although it's certainly compelling. His best case, I think, is in the developing ability of people to find their way around new systems, to explore unknown rules and (that covers everything from playing a new game, watching The West Wing and programming your VCR).
A lot of the book seems to be aimed at the rather closed minds of those who sniff at pop culture, gaming and the like... and I'm not sure he's ever going to convince many of those.
Pointless trivia: My middle name's Steven. We might be related or something.
