Technology narrowing life experiences
This article in The Times talks about technology narrowing life experiences:
"Technology has given us a universe entirely for ourselves — where the serendipity of meeting a new stranger, hearing a piece of music we would never choose for ourselves or an opinion that might force us to change our mind about something are all effectively banished."
But what's new about this? Surely we've always self-organised along these lines? Look at ways in which people have socialised in the past: by religion (where you meet other people who share your worldview and moral values), by geography (where you meet people who share at least your environment, and usually much more), by sex. None of these have gone away, they've just been augmented by technology which lets us arrange social encounters by hooking together people who share interests, now matter how dispersed they are physically. Often these people even have opposing values or beliefs - after all, the Internet is awash with disagreement and argument.
"That bloke next to you on the bus could be listening to heavy metal or a Gregorian chant. You’ll never know. And so, bit by bit, you’ll never really know him. "
Sorry - but was there ever a golden age where individuals met on the bus and bonded over shared love of classical music?