Paperless Office, Where are You?

Interesting insights contained on http://www.mindjack.com/:

“Tiffany Wilken in her essay on the myth of the paperless office reiterates, ‘paper usage seems to be increasing, rather than decreasing. What gives?’ Though we take advantage of digital technology for info-searchs, email, chats, and games, we don't quite trust it. We've all been burned by our computers at one time or another. In the back of our minds is the haunting doubt, ‘What if my computer crashes and I lose all my files?’ A hardcopy back-up still feels safer than something on hard-disk.

“The major obstacle to reaching the paperless office may be sociotechnical, according to a report funded by the Electronic Document Systems Foundation. People like the smell of opening a book. We may simply prefer paper…” !

A Quote Worth Pondering

"Technology reduces the amount of time it takes to do any one task but also leads to the expansion of tasks that people are expected to do." – Juliet Schor

Dependency on Tech Gadgets

An article four years ago in USA Today said it all: “Personal computers, cellphones, and high-speed Internet are considered essential to getting by for millions of Americans who are showing early signs of addiction to the next wave of high-tech toys…”

The article went on to say that “many people… consider high-tech gadgetry essential to modern life,” and quoted psychologist Bob Greenfield who observed, "Part of the reason is the hype, the commercial selling of it. Some people feel the products will improve the quality of their lives. But do we really need to be connected in every way, shape or form?"

Information Without End

The volume of new knowledge published in every field is enormous and exceeds anyone's ability to keep pace. Everyone today fears that they are under-informed.
* In its 50th year, the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C. added more than 950,000 items to its collections!
* Even the English language keeps expanding. Since 1966, the English language has gained more than 66,000 words -- equal to half or more of most other languages.

Beyond the Information Explosion

As I wrote in my 2007 book, Breathing Space, the term "Information Explosion" has no meaning. The discharge of information spewing forth since the phrase information explosion was first coined dwarfs the original meaning. Within a few years, half of our technical knowledge will have been replaced.

Every other page in all the texts on AIDS, biomass, chemical dependency, diet, electronic funds transfer, fire retardation, gynecology, hydrogen fission, immunology, jet propulsion, kinetics, linear motion, meteorology, novas, obstetrics, pituitary functioning, quasars, relativity, sonar, telemetry, uranium, viruses, wellness, x-rays, yacht racing, and zoology, will be rewritten.

So, your task becomes to focus on the handful of key developments in your field that will have the greatest impact on you, your organization, your family, and your world.

Scientific Info for 460 Years

"As we go from grade school to high school we learn only a billionth of what there is to learn. There is enough scientific information written every day to fill seven complete sets of Encyclopedia Britannica; there is enough scientific information written every year to keep a person busy reading day and night for 460 years!" Source B. L. Siegel, Vital Speeches of the Day, 4/15/84!!