Lifelogging

[RonBoyd]

This is one of those "live in interesting times" items. I have a difficult time getting my head around Social Sharing but still feel a need to understand it so as not to be left outbehind. The ridiculousness, to me, is eptimized in the TV Commercial where the Dad Tweets "I am sitting on the Porch" to his son who is standing beside him -- a waste. Now there is this:

Blogging. Lifestreaming. What's next: Lifelogging!

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People feel compelled to record their lives, and have for millennia. As technology progresses, it gets easier and therefore more popular. Blogs. Twitter. Facebook. Evernote. Self-photos with camera phones. The use of these sites and of media prove that people instinctively capture more whenever capturing becomes easier. In fact, the hardest part is coping with the huge variety of ways we can share thoughts and experiences.

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History shows, however, that most people will gladly give up their privacy and take on a few other risks in order to enhance social sharing. Lifelogging feels like science fiction. But it's real. It's culture-changing. And it's coming soon.

[W2R]

From the article,

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Like all culture-shifting technologies, lifelogging comes with upsides and downsides. The upsides are: Better memory about our lives; literally photographic memory. Evidence when we're falsely accused Capturing of amazing events Evidence against criminals and sociopaths when we witness crimes Ability to share our memories, strengthen personal bonds Leaving our lives for posterity Self examination (Wow, I'm spending all my time working!) But the downsides are: Potential privacy abuse Potential accidental abuse of other people's privacy Self incrimination Behavior change (will people act differently when everything is recorded and shared?)

I can think of one further downside: complete and total boredom when faced with the unedited lifelog of every single person you know or come across. To me, the problem with this approach is that (from what I gather) there is no filtering or editing whatsoever and so you cannot show people things that you think they might find interesting or significant. Boring, boring, boring.

[RonBoyd]

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Originally Posted by Want2retire From the article,[/LIST]I can think of one further downside: complete and total boredom when faced with the unedited lifelog of every single person you know or come across. To me, the problem with this approach is that (from what I gather) there is no filtering or editing whatsoever and so you cannot show people things that you think they might find interesting or significant. Boring, boring, boring.

That is exactly my point. How can something so mundane (and, seemingly, unproductive and/or unentertaining) be so popular? Have I, unexpectedly, become a Fuddy-Duddy?

[harley]

I read an article about 15 years ago talking about the future glut of hard drives with people's personal stuff on them, pictures, journals, documents, spreadsheets, etc. The author was pointing out that in the (pre-computer) past the people left after somebody dies had to wade through boxes of stuff, but that it was at least limited. With the advent of electronic storage it multiplied by hundreds of times, and eventually there would be boxes full of family hard drives. So now, with practically unlimited space on the social networks it's going to be even worse. I suspect that within 10 years you won't be able to walk along the information super-highway because of all the litter.

[TromboneAl]

I've found this to be extremely useful: Every month my computer reminds me to write the monthly journal. I then write up a paragraph or two about what happened that month.

This is useful when asking questions like "When did I see my sister last?" "When did we start bike riding?" "Did I have a cold last year?" "How long did the firewood last last year?" "When did I pull my back muscle?" etc.

Here's an example:

September, 2007

On Sept 1, I planted a doug fir, two red firs, and a scots pine (listed from north to south).
I only went surfing one day and the waves were good (4 feet). Did a good amount of firewood cutting and splitting, starting a new holz hausen at the happy hour spot.

Created a MyPublisher book for Mom, but have not mailed it yet. Had two gigs at OTCC, one with no bass player. Played HK with Lukas.

[RonBoyd]

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Originally Posted by TromboneAl I've found this to be extremely useful: Every month my computer reminds me to write the monthly journal. I then write up a paragraph or two about what happened that month. This is useful when asking questions like "When did I see my sister last?" "When did we start bike riding?" "Did I have a cold last year?" "How long did the firewood last last year?" "When did I pull my back muscle?" etc. Here's an example: September, 2007 On Sept 1, I planted a doug fir, two red firs, and a scots pine (listed from north to south). I only went surfing one day and the waves were good (4 feet). Did a good amount of firewood cutting and splitting, starting a new holz hausen at the happy hour spot. Created a MyPublisher book for Mom, but have not mailed it yet. Had two gigs at OTCC, one with no bass player. Played HK with Lukas.

I rest my case.

(Just kidding)

[W2R]

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Originally Posted by RonBoyd That is exactly my point. How can something so mundane (and, seemingly, unproductive and/or unentertaining) be so popular? Have I, unexpectedly, become a Fuddy-Duddy?

If you have, then I have unexpectedly become a Fuddy-Duddyess!

[bbbamI]

You mean people are not fascinated by my posts in the "what did you do today" thread?!?

[RonBoyd]

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Originally Posted by bbbamI You mean people are not fascinated by my posts in the "what did you do today" thread?!?

Present company excepted.

[ls99]

Reading other people's escapades and tribulations in small doses is interesting at times entertaining sometimes --whew glad it is not me-. I never could find a reson to keep a regular log.

Having re-read some of my field notes from Alaska, mostly station setup logs, I prefer my software -in brain- memories and accompanying images. Can even recall the scents and smells.

One special is the day a brown bear came crashing in through the window of the chow hall in Cold Bay, stepping on to the hot grill, burning the paws callouses. That mixed with onions, burgers and bear crap on the grill is truly unique. Needless to say everyone vacated the chow hall in a rapid fashion.

There, now it is immortalized in a public log. And only here.

[CuppaJoe]

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The upsides are: .... Evidence against criminals and sociopaths when we witness crimes ...

I witnessed a crime last week and probably could ID the people involved. Had I whipped out my camera, I would have been a part of the action, so to speak, and beaten to a pulp. Best response IMO was to mind my own business and get away from the scene ASAP. A week later my memory is not reliable, which is a blessing considering the type of people involved.

It's the unedited aspect of journals and photo records that kills it for me. Even published books are rightly criticized for poor editing. If my laptop were to crash without backup, I wouldn't mind; in fact I like the idea of starting afresh.

A close friend keeps excruciatingly boring detailed records of every day but still has a different memory of the events we experienced together. Apparently for some people it is a form of therapy.

I did keep some journals of my working years which are actually fun to read because I stuck to the funny parts. Don't care if someone burns them.

[MuirWannabe]

I'd rather be busy experiencing life than tied up recording such details. But I've never been much for taking a camera everywhere and loading up the photos. This lifelog thing just amps that mindset up more notches. Not for me.

[Gotadimple]

I think that this fad will pass, just like CB Radios. Remember those?

However, I don't think the social medium will go away, rather it will become more commercialized, just as the internet has become commercialized.

Nothing is more boring than learning the tiny details of another person's life -- especially when that person feels compelled to share.

However, reading about something good or extraordinary that happened to someone, or sharing a wondrous event (What Did You Do Today) is infinitely more interesting that the hourly 'drivel' that gets posted in most social media sites.

-- Rita, stepping on the first rung of the ladder toward the Curmudgeon Certificate

[Nords]

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Originally Posted by RonBoyd This is one of those "live in interesting times" items. I have a difficult time getting my head around Social Sharing but still feel a need to understand it so as not to be left outbehind.

We have a local self-professed tech geek who's created his avocation out of social networking. He's the guy who stands in line for four hours to buy the latest iPhone, the person the TV stations interview about local tech, and the leader of a couple groups that meet for Web 2.0 talks or offer seminars on using social networks on businesses. He runs one of the state's most popular discussion boards.

He pioneered "livecasting" here. He walks around with a video camera button on a backpack strap, connected to a laptop that's streaming on the Web via a cellphone. When he goes to the park he can be accompanied by a virtual crowd. His only limits are batteries & bandwidth.

"All he does" is use technology to connect with people. And he's getting paid pretty well to do what he'd happily pay to do by himself.

In my family, my daughter knows more about my cousins & aunties because everybody's stopped sending e-mail and started posting on Facebook. I'm probably going to have to get my own Facebook account just to weasel my way back into the loop. On the other hand that would attract the usual host of new problems for every solution, usually at a 10:1 ratio, so for now I'm just handling the issue by asking my kid what's new with our relatives.

[unclemick]

I hate Facebook - some woman acquaintance got me to join.

I discovered that I don't want to 'Farmville, play Mafia, send hearts, post photo's, etc.'

Watch old fashioned tv football, drink beer, put yer feet up and pick out navel lint.

Just an old fuddy duddy is just fine.

heh heh heh - high def is optional - I really don't want to pay extra.

[freebird5825]

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Originally Posted by bbbamI You mean people are not fascinated by my posts in the "what did you do today" thread?!?

I am!
Sometimes my posts there are done completely TIC (you'll have to join the secret acronym society to get that one spelled out).

[RonBoyd]

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Originally Posted by freebird5825 I am! Sometimes my posts there are done completely TIC (you'll have to join the secret acronym society to get that one spelled out).

Not another one. I only recently found out that WTF meant "Wow! That's Funny."

[Khan]

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Originally Posted by RonBoyd Not another one. I only recently found out that WTF meant "Wow! That's Funny."

Snort!

[freebird5825]

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Originally Posted by RonBoyd Not another one. I only recently found out that WTF meant "Wow! That's Funny."

Is that what it really means?
Now I'm going to have to go back and read zillions of posts to get the proper context.

[FIREd]

Lifelogging in itself is nothing new. Some people used to keep longhand or pictorial journals for their own benefit. The novelty is how we are now willing to share our lifelogging with strangers and worse, how we delude ourselves into believing that others are interested in the mundanity of our life. I think that this is a symptom of how self-absorbed we have become.