M.I.T. Media Lab
Good Day, God!
I actually went to a week long workshop at the Media Lab on designing CD ROMs — way back in 1994. So, God, when I was at the library and saw the book, Sorcerers and Their Apprentices: How the Digital Magicians of the MIT Media Lab Are Creating Innovative Technologies That Will Transform Our Lives — I borrowed it.
The Future is ACCELERATING, God! Of
Sorcerers and Their Apprentices
course, we know this viscerally. I wasn’t ready for Apple’s Lion (OS 10.7) and now Apple will be coming out with Mountain Lion. (A friend suggested Sabertooth Tiger might be next . . .)
But the book isn’t just about technology. It is filled with stories about the people working at the Media Lab. Stories about HOW the design of the workplace can help us work and play better together. Stories about HOW helpful it is to have an Anti-Disciplines mindset with experts in all sorts of fields interacting in surprising ways. And it’s stories about HOW many iterations it takes to get to someplace worthwhile — and often unexpected.
My favorite story, so far, is about Amy Farber. She’s a social scientist who discovered she had LAM (lymphangioleiomyomatosis). It’s a very rare disease and that makes both research and support groups difficult. But Farber teamed with Ian Eslick, a computer scientist, and they created an online group for people with LAM. It has grown from just supporting and sharing information with each other to conducting collaborative research projects. In fact, it is now the LAM Treatment Alliance and the “patients” are full participants in the search for cures.
I love that, God! I love the whole idea that these women don’t have to sit around waiting for help. They are bright able people — and who better to notice what is going on in their own bodies. Imagine, God! Patients as respected participants in the research projects!
Now, that’s the kind of future that can’t come too soon!
Story teller,
A Moment with God 
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