- Infornography
Infornography is a
portmanteau word formed by the combination of the words "information " and "pornography ". Infornography is used to define anaddiction to or anobsession with acquiring, manipulating, and sharing information. People "suffering" from infornography are generally people that greatly enjoy receiving, sending, exchanging, and digitizing information.The term was popularized by the cult
cyberpunk anime series "Serial Experiments Lain " (1998), which used the word as the title ofepisode eleven; seeInfornography (Serial Experiments Lain episode) .According to
Science and Technology Studies scholar Lawrence Eng, the main idea behind the concept of infornography is that, in modern society, "information is being considered not just a valuablecommodity from a practical point of view, but something that generates an almost sexualthrill , something that we lust after and enjoy hunting because it is special and gives us power." [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/lain.htm#infornography thought experiments lain: infornography] ]The definition (without explicitly using the term itself) is also greatly applied in most
cyberpunk settings, where information can almost be considered a currency of its own, in a sense facilitating the development of an alternate world for 'escapism '.Megacorps , hackers and other kinds of people use information to strive. They can subtly be called "infornographers".References
External links
* [http://phoenix.swarthmore.edu/2006-02-16/sports/15831 "Data Disease"] by Tommy Bennett from "The Phoenix"
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/06/business/yourmoney/06WIRE.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5070&en=5dcc3e6e1d52aae0&ex=1144040400&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1143925628-qxZJooVEPPWS+w6GESB2Jw"The Lure of Data: Is It Addictive?"] by Matt Richtel from "The New York Times " (registration required)
* [http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar98/smog.html "Data smog: newest culprit in brain drain" by Bridget Murray from] "The APA Monitor"
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