Join BookitisSave favorites, build lists, and follow creators.

Software for the self

Work detail

Bookitis Pick
Cover for Software for the self
SF
Image source: Open Library
Anthony SmithAnthony SmithFirst published 19963 editions

In Software for the Self, Anthony Smith casts a wide net over society and culture, describing the effects of the "information revolution" on humankind now and suggesting what will happen in the future. Smith traces the development of entertainment describing how in the past it was something mostly outside the home but, beginning with radio and then television broadcasting, entertainment has gradually taken over the home and, indeed, transformed its organization. Moreover, mass forms of communications like radio, television and cinema are themselves currently giving way to more personal forms of communications like the Internet. Smith sees entertainment moving off in two opposite directions: towards the "big spectacular communal experience" like Disney World on the one hand, and, on the other, towards solitary interaction on a computer. He believes it quite possible that a new generation will look no further than their computers for information and entertainment. Smith sees entertainment itself becoming more central to culture and society because people will have increasingly more leisure time. Although hightech advances have been made in the world of information exchange, science, commerce, industry, and defense. Smith believes entertainment is crucial to the forms that new technology will take and the uses to which they will be put. As Smith pointedly says, "the entertainment industry, alongside the health industry, is as close as any other to the things that people actually want and are willing to pay for."

Overview

Shared work-level identity and catalog context.

First publish date 19962 credited authorsSearch language english

Bookitis keeps work pages focused on the shared book identity and the editions that actually belong to it. Unrelated books should not appear here as primary content.

Contributors

People credited with this work in the active catalog.

  • Anthony Smith

    Author profile in the active Bookitis catalog

    Open Author
  • Anthony Smith

    Author profile in the active Bookitis catalog

    Open Author

Editions

Publication-specific versions linked to this work only.