This post follows from a lot of different thoughts recently. Different thoughts which made me realise that the nature of my thoughts are getting constrained by my own actions. When today's products were envisaged and the world moved towards mass personalisation, it seems we have missed a veiled threat. The threat of over personalisation, the threat of excess customisation to an individual.
I had some time ago, read an article about the prevalence of personal culture, about people increasingly being regulated by their own beliefs and actions rather than of the society and the groups that they live in.
Today instead of the web we have "my Web", the web comes customised for every person, when I open Google reader, i read the articles from sources that i have selected, even the sources that are suggested are the ones similar to my likings. Even stumble customises the pages it serves in a similar manner. Eventually ones view of the world around them becomes a reinforcement of their beliefs and thoughts rather than an exercise in exploring new frontiers and ideas.
I do have a feeling that I am being overly skeptical, which means i am growing old as i am starting to compare today with yesterday. But the fact remains that I do not just want things that make me feel good, in order to live and adapt I also need to reflect and correct my beliefs, and if one is unable to do that, I believe that is when one ceases to learn and grow.
After all what is more real, your beliefs of yourself, or your perception in someone else's eyes, and what happens when when the disconnect between the two is as wide as the world you have woven around yourself.
