Rhymes of History

A new technology that recalls something from the past is referred to as a Rhyme of History(Laureate Education, 2009). Modern massive multiple player (MMP) and massive multiple player role playing games (MMPRG) are examples of a Rhyme of History. The precursors to many modern British sports (football, rugby, hurling, shinty, etc.) were often played between towns and sometimes from town to town (RugbyFootbalHistory.com, 2007). Toli, the early form of modern lacrosse, was similar, often with thousands of participants (UGA.edu, 2004).  These games involved hundreds of participants from neighboring towns, some time miles apart. Some of these games were ritualistic in nature and part of militaristic training, similar to MMRPG (SportsKnowHow.com, 2011).

Kelly discusses restructuring, embodiment, and codependency (Kelly, 2007). Restructuring addresses the changing nature of the web. First, the web linked computers to the web; currently it links computers to web pages. Kelly believes the structure will evolve to connecting a computer directly to the data it seeks (Kelly, 2007). He predicts embodiment will occur when all programs connect to the web. These certainly may happen. As the technical aspects of the web are not my forte I cannot comment accurately if these two will happen. Embodiment certainly sounds a lot like cloud computing, so this may already be happening.

Codependency refers to users becoming dependent on the web for information (Kelly, 2007). Kelly believes no one will memorize anything anymore. Codependency can’t completely take hold. It flies in the very nature of the nature brain, a learning organ that can hold immense amounts of data, and needs to so the organism can survive. (Medina, 2008). We have to remember many things to get through life. To have a discussion, argument, debate, etc. requires have lots of data stored in the brain. Such activities also require executive function, the ability of the brain to hold information so that it can be accessed. For example if you are having a debate, your opponent might make a point that immediately brings to mind five points you want to make in your rebuttal. Your brain must hold those five points in working memory while you wait for an opportunity to respond. It also has to hold them in the sequence that you want to bring them up. Any situation where you have to think on the fly can’t succumb to codependency. It would feel hollow and untrue. Suppose you are in a park and you meet someone you find very interesting. You have to be able to hold a lot of information in your brain to have a reasonable conversation with that person. If you are looking to your smart phone every five seconds for an interesting tidbit to converse about that would just ring hollow. Perhaps you need to respond quickly to an emergency. Do you power up and hunt the web for what to do?

 References

Kelly, K. (2007, December). Kevin Kelly on the next 5,000 days of the Web [Speech]. Speech delivered at the EG 2007 Conference, Los Angeles. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/kevin_kelly_on_the_next_5_000_days_of_the_web.html

Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Rhymes of history. [Video]. Retrieved from: http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5260655&Survey=1&47=5075954&ClientNodeID=984645&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Medina, J. (2008). Brain rules: 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home, and school. Seattle: WA: Pear Press.

RugbyFootbalHistory.com. (2007). Origins of rugby. Retrieved from: http://www.rugby footballhistory.com/originsofrugby.htm

SportsKnowHow.com. (2011). History of lacrosse. Retrieved from: http://www. sportsknowhow.com/lacrosse/history/lacrosse-history.shtml

UGA.edu, (2004). History of toli. Retrieved from: http://www.uga.edu/toli/ information/History.html