The Luddites Guide to the Future
How the warnings around synthetic media have a familiar ring
Brandon Kaplan closed the Synthedia conference in September with a discussion about the resistance to technology adoption. It was a refreshing topic as so often technology conferences only talk about adoption and inevitability. The expanded use of synthetic media may be inevitable, but there are also some familiar reservations being expressed.
A history lesson in the Luddite’s excursions into smashing knitting machines in the industrial era of Great Britain, along with some other warnings throughout the centuries about the horrors that new technology will bring, demonstrate that resistance to synthetic media is nothing new. Kaplan transitions from the phenomenon of “techno panic” to how we should really be interpreting synthetic media technologies. He also outlines several new use cases and one new executive role that he expects to soon be commonplace in brand marketing and advertising.
Let me know what you think about Brandon’s presentation and the fireside chat afterward. Also, when you are on YouTube, give us a “Like” and “Subscribe” if you don’t mind. We are always at odds with YouTube’s algorithm, and not growing that subscriber base can lead to actual techno panic.
