Techno-humanism aims to amplify the power of humans, creating cyborgs and connecting humans to computers, but it still sees human interests and desires as the highest authority in the universe.
We need imagination in programming, not sterility; creativity, not imitation; experimentation, not conformity; excellence, not mediocrity. Television is filled with creative, imaginative people. You must strive to set them free.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of creativity and imagination in programming and innovation rather than following traditional or safe paths.
Newton N. Minow highlights the crucial role that imagination, creativity, and experimentation play in programming and, by extension, technology and innovation. He argues against sterility and conformity, advocating for a culture where creative individuals are encouraged to express themselves freely, ultimately fostering excellence over mediocrity. This philosophy encourages programmers and innovators to take risks and explore new ideas rather than merely imitate existing ones.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a tech conference discussing the future of software development.
Similar quotes
Technology should do the hard work, so you can get on and live your life. We're only at one percent of what's possible, and we're moving slow relative to the opportunity we have.
In our interconnected world, novel technology could empower just one fanatic, or some weirdo with a mindset of those who now design computer viruses, to trigger some kind of disaster. Indeed, catastrophe could arise simply from technical misadventure - error rather than terror.
We are inhibited from aggression by the presence of another face, another person. We're aware that we're with a human being. On the Internet, we are disinhibited from taking into full account that we are in the presence of another human being.
I think that technology is always invented for historical reasons, to solve a historical problem. But they very soon reveal themselves to be capable of doing things that aren't historical that nobody had ever thought of doing before.
Before social media, if I, as an individual wanted to publish something to the world, unless I could get some local TV crew to interview me, or I wrote an op-ed or took out an ad, I had no voice.