writing
11/07/2024
xCoAx & ZKM
The theory proposed in this paper suggests that the pursuit of immortality is a significant motivator behind the development of digital data technologies. Data storage is viewed as eternal, as the information itself does not decay. Although the hardware that contains the data may decay, the information can remain immortal due to lossless duplication. This characteristic of digital technology provides significant advantages and is a key factor in the success of information technology. However, the idea of data as eternal creates social and natural fallacies based on a simplistic model of knowledge as storage. Memory is more than bytes on a silicon chip. Generalization, abstraction, and forgetting are key components of thinking. It is argued that a new concept and model of data will be necessary for a sustainable and socially responsible collective future.