Data visualization is important because, as Nick Kallen puts it, “Everything has become a giant fucking heap.” [1] Which is to say, we’re now dealing with information and data at a scale and speed that we can’t comprehend anymore. Data visualizatio…

No, not i my dear dear friend, not i – i have not it under control. I have the barest fraction of understanding the deep lost secrets of the dinosaurus rex, the masmune, and the persion alchemy. No – i have no control – simply the illusion of control.

Simply, the cybernetic addenda to prove what has already been proved – that the lead in the water will be unseen.

The real technology was invented long ago – your birth – your brilliant brain and the conceiver of your wilful and delightfully tufted words. The real technology is the heart, the love.

We make t-shirts for puppies and parkas for zebras, but the real craft is beyond all of of what we can put together – the true gold is inside.

i have lived in an urban neighborhood for ten years; i know at least 100 of my neighbors, and usually remember their names; i recognize and wave to a few times that many neighbors

if you think the heaps are overwhelming, my suggestion is to just start where you are; there is a tangible world where you can make a tangible difference

(btw, the “previous article” link area is dangerously close to the “notify me” checkbox — easy to lose a post by clicking the checkbox one pixel off)

http://www.s-anand.net/calvinandhobbes.html#19950817

“If we wanted more leisure, we’d invent machines that do things less efficiently.”

Perhaps these technological adaptations you speak about are successfully because they are primarily created for an audience a little to old to accept and adapt to their new reality?

Of course, nothing is free and as society evolves to deal with the massive amounts of superficial connections we now make with people, places, entertainment and information something must be lost. We will pay in attention to detail, critical thought, reflection and tranquility. I wonder if camping will still be popular?

It would be something if the human experience were objective. But it’s not. It’s completely subjective.

To put it in context of the original problem, a heap is dependent on the outcome, which is subject to interpretation by the hungry guy eating the pastry. Or better put, a “heap” of sugar is defined not by a static size, but by the the experience it creates. If it’s sweet enough, the heap was sufficiently large (and therefore, a heap). If not, too small, etc.

So I think humanity is the same way. If only one person showed up to vote, then that person’s vote *should* be all that matters, because they’re the only person that showed up to vote. And the inverse.

Some people probably remember the names of everyone they meet, but me, I never do. But then, I don’t desire to know all that many people. If I did, maybe I’d be better at remembering their names, and vice versa.

My heap is small because that’s how I like it. If you look for an objective answer to a subjective question, you will indeed ponder indefinitely.

Obviously, that’s just my interpretation of all of this. But that’s kind of the point, right?