Lots of thought-provoking thinking in this Interview with Clay Shirky. Items that resonated for me:
Firstly the thought that information overload has probably existed since the Library at Alexandria (more information in one place than one human could digest). The change we are seeing currently is the move from classification systems to filters. The difference: classification is intellectual and done to information, filters can be ad-hoc and changed on the fly. This means that many of the structures we have erected to contain and manage information are no longer necessary. This results in a lot of un-learning required.
Shirky argues that television killed reading, not the internet. If anything, the availability of so much content on the internet helps me with reading. I have to store interesting materials until I have a time to sit and read, but I do still do it. Not to mention the time on the tube and before going to bed.