Watch a BBC Anchor Ask Robert Scoble If He's a Total Narcissist
[There was a video here]
The BBC's Jeremy Paxman is none too eager to jump in the shower with Google Glass, if this interview with Robert Scoble is any indication. The veteran Newsnight anchor grills Scoble, skeptical about his vow to never live another day without Glass.
"You're a—this is a just a device for total narcissists, isn't it?!" Paxman says, poshly, wagging an accusatory finger. Scoble shrugs off the Glasshole characterization. "Are you really that interested in your own life?" Paxman prods. "Well, I'm partly a journalist," Scoble says feebly, of his evangelizing efforts.
But don't let Paxman's scorn eclipse the most compelling part of the TV segment: an elegant synopsis from Microsoft's Jaron Lanier about why technology that incentivizes "creepiness"—by gathering data about users for advertising "at the pay of third parties"—is ultimately bad for civilization.
Scoble's response? That Google has prohibited traditional advertising in lieu of commerce: "One of the first things you want to do with this is say, 'Show me the Starbucks that's closest' . . ."
"That is advertising, Robert!" Lanier responds, throwing up his hands. Those sputtering hollow half-laughs coming from Lanier at the end of the clip are a good pretty good metaphor for the modern condition.
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