Lanier Finale 4/5

Lanier Idea: "We should reject cybernetic totalism as a basis for making most decisions but regognize that some of its ideas can be useful methods of understanding."

We shouldn't let the computer think for us. We are the ones in control.

My first response when coming to the end of this "Manifesto" was thank goodness. Although, Lanier makes some good points and is very opinionated in his writing it was hard to understand him sometimes. He kept jumping from point to point in a almost very abrupt manner. It was clear that his audience wasn't necessarily college students but computer programmers like him. In the last 2 sections of his book Lanier takes the reader through a different angle. He directs us through what he believes is a "more positive focus" on the Internet. He examines "human culture" and its development, this complete interaction with the "cyber world" which is greater each day.
What makes us "human" is the ability to function independently and think for ourseleves. We are free to choose. We are conscious of the things around us which make us different from computers. Computer's are our creation. Many computer programmers believe that one day computer's will have the same qualities as humans. However, we should not forget that computer's are just a creation. They are not "human." We have a freedom of choice in terms of what to look up and what to analyze. Computer's have no choice. We tap its buttons to make this "device research" ideas for us and help us. Lanier mentions the idea that computer's are able to regognize patterns. Computers can now regognize facial expression. A quality much like that of a human. The problem that is rising from computers is its way of "thinking." We can not make the mistake to treat items like humans. At the very end he wraps up this idea of human attachment to technology. He talks about "Computalism" this idea of humans and computers as a whole.
However, computers and humans are completely different. Computer's follow commands while we have expression, feelings and emotions. Computer's aren't able to smell. Those senses are specifically unique to just humans,  Computer functions can be a bit "human like" but never be exact to what humans are. How can we think that this gadget can be human?  Lanier rejects this notion that computer applications are like humans and we should treat them like humans. Humans can identify who we are, computers will never actually be self aware. As humans we are losing our sense of reality due to technology.
  Lanier is truly about individuality and creativity. I really liked the fact that he values these human qualities.However, their were many parts of the book I wasn't so fond of. I do believe that the Internet has brought forth a lot of positive notions to our society. Thanks to social networking such as Facebook people are becoming reconnected each day. The Internet besides its negative aspects have shaped the life of many people. The Internet has had a positive impact on some and a negative impact on some people. It all depends on how one decides to manage the Internet. I am very happy I got to view Lanier's perspective. However, I am happy that we are moving on from his book. I look forward to the other readings in the class and what I will learn about the networking world!