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| GeoCommunity Mailing List |
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| Subject: | RE: GISList: NPR, CNN, Iraq & the elusive "GIS" |
| Date: |
04/07/2003 01:50:01 PM |
| From: |
Anthony Quartararo |
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I'm not sure I buy the "any means necessary" approach. The first impression
that the masses would have, if incorrect, would be almost impossible to
overcome at any later date. The inertia of misinformation is a very
powerful force. I don't expect the major media outlets to take the time to
really understand the basics, it's not their core business, and they really
could care less about any downside to an industry that makes the nifty tools
they use to show maps, 3D models, fly-throughs, etc. Let's not kid
ourselves, it's all about money. I do agree however that a by-product of
such hyper-saturation on TV will create some elevated interest in students
of all ages (those that are allowed to view war news) because let's face it,
it's cool stuff. Maybe even a few of those Xbox junkies will search even
farther to see where all that cool stuff comes from. Anything that
challenges and tears down the ivory towers of academics can't all be bad.
ajq
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Karen Morley [mailto:kmorley@lizardtech.com]=20
> Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2003 4:30 PM
> To: 'Anthony Quartararo ': 'gislist@geocomm.com '
> Subject: RE: GISList: NPR, CNN, Iraq & the elusive "GIS"
>=20
>=20
> I don't usually weigh in on these types of threads but=20
> couldn't resist this one.
>=20
> A recent big sensation on TV has been the forensic science=20
> shows, my mother even hangs up on me to go watch CSI (I think=20
> that's what it's called). At any rate, the shows=20
> consistently misrepresent the technology to the public but=20
> interest increases as a result. I read an article that=20
> applications to university programs in forensic sciences have=20
> gone up 200% as a result.
>=20
> Perhaps even if the technology is misrepresented the industry=20
> will see a growth in interest as a result and an opportunity=20
> to truly educate people in geospatial sciences.
>=20
> my $0.02...
>=20
> -Karen
>=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Anthony Quartararo
> To: gislist@geocomm.com
> Sent: 4/4/2003 6:26 AM
> Subject: RE: GISList: NPR, CNN, Iraq & the elusive "GIS"
>=20
> Both good points and well taken. However, when I hear and=20
> see what clueless celebrity news anchors say and do while=20
> using these very powerful tools of persuasion (I'm not=20
> kidding, it's just like Monday Night Football - with the same=20
> intellectual capital), the ability to present an incredible=20
> array of spatial information to global audiences, all the=20
> time, over and over, the impact of a little white "lie" makes=20
> "How to Lie with Maps" seem almost
> quaint and homey. We don't need to worry about official
> misinformation
> sanctioned as part of a military strategy, the media has that=20
> handled all too well. I'm not expecting the "beautiful=20
> people" at CNN to launch into a GIS 101 course each time they=20
> ramp up the Teledestructor, but it does bother me that these=20
> fools are many people's first real exposure to the power and=20
> application of the fruit of our collective efforts.
>=20
> I sometimes explain to people I meet that what I do (and what=20
> industry I work in) is to make the guts of "Mapquest.com" for=20
> lots of different industries, and they seem to get it right=20
> away. This is a 10 second explanation that works just fine=20
> in social settings, because when I launch into the GIS 101=20
> course, lots of glassy eyes abound. While I'm not pretending=20
> to be an ambassador for the industry, every chance I get to=20
> turn someone on to "how do they do that....", I take=20
> advantage. The point is, in the rush and effort to become=20
> ingrained into everyday business/consumer mainstream=20
> technology, are we (and we should be) prepared to hand over=20
> control of the mainstream "interface" to non-industry professionals ?=20
>=20
> ajq
>=20
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Richard Hoskins [mailto:healthmaps@attbi.com]
> > Sent: Friday, April 04, 2003 8:43 AM
> > To: gislist@geocomm.com
> > Subject: RE: GISList: NPR, CNN, Iraq & the elusive "GIS"
> >=20
> >=20
> > Totally right-on comment. When I show up at community
> > meetings with cool maps and statistical models of why the=20
> > such and such death rate near a toxic waste site is higher=20
> > than elsewhere, I sort of have my feelings hurt because the=20
> > community passes right over the technology, GIS, computation,=20
> > and statistical effort that it took to produce the results.
> >=20
>
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