“Social Software and the Politics of Groups” is a neat little article about the tensions between groups and individuals online. I don’t agree that we’re in a digital metropolis entirely, but a chaotic system definitely. And i definitely believe that all digital tools will be put to social uses fundamentally. Anyhow, good for the records…

My non-cellphone friends always ask me what the point is in having one. I usually recount what it took for me to convince a friend to get one: it means that you can procrastinate making plans even more!

But seriously, i’ve envisioned and wanted to live in a mobile culture for a long time. I love the fact that no one knows where i’m at or from (particularly since i live in California and have a Rhode Island phone number). I love that i can choose when and where i will answer my phone (and i’ve definitely developed a strict set of personal social norms that i believe everyone should follow… kinda like my road rules). That said, the US is still sooooo far behind in mobile culture (compared to, say, Japan). SMS, mobile web access and moblogging has not permeated US culture because of our corporate pricing structures. Cell phone are still predominantly post-18 year olds (the result of early credit card requirements). It pains me to realize that we continue to get further and further behind in mobile culture…