<\/p>\n Smarter Than You Think<\/i> is Clive Thompson\u2019s thoughtful consideration of how technology enhances our cognitive abilities and an exploration of the anxieties that emerge with every innovation.<\/p>\n Socrates feared writing would destroy the capacity to memorize information and ruin Greek traditions of debate and dialectic.<\/p>\n Ye Mengde of 10th century China worried that the wider availability of written records made possible by China\u2019s advanced printing technology would weaken memories and cause errors to be repeated without end.<\/p>\n Tools and palaver across 15th century European coffee shop conversations, 19th century novels and periodicals, 20th century telephone calls, and 21st century social media were all supposed to render us into frivolous blockheads and\/or anti-social narcissists.<\/p>\n Take a breath. As Thompson documents in each of these instances, our species adapts.<\/p>\n As we adapt, we offload, enhance, and extend memory and cognition to and through our tools. The memory of thoughts and information captured in writing, audio, video, and photos is of significantly greater volume and fidelity than individual human memory.<\/p>\n The external memories captured through our arts are then available to us for deeper analysis, consideration, sharing, and collaboration. We see trends and patterns. We access stories, facts, templates, and instructions. Machines become what Thompson calls \u201ctransactive memory buddies\u201d<\/a> throughout our daily lives.<\/p>\n Our connected tools have increased our capacity to quickly and effectively use external memory while also providing us with new capabilities and opportunities for play. \u00a0Through blogging and social media, we engage in public thinking and experience \u201cambient awareness\u201d<\/a> of the thoughts, activities, and locations of others. We leverage \u201cmultiples.\u201d<\/a> We google the terms I\u2019ve placed in quotes. Regular people have resources to coordinate unprecedented collaboration for games, problem-solving, art, exegesis, education, advocacy, \u201csousveillance\u201d<\/a>, and all types of activities including buying print.<\/p>\n If you are reading this, you are a mythic beast (or a cyborg)<\/b><\/p>\n Thompson introduces readers to a new meaning for \u201ccentaur\u201d that emerged among chess players who play in concert with specialized chess software. In this context, \u201ccentaurs\u201d are people who engage challenges and the world itself as composite beings: part human and part information technology.<\/p>\n Centaurs are common, and if you are reading this, you probably are one. Google is your co-pilot. Your ambient awareness tells you which hoaxes are frightening your Facebook friends and whoever you stalk on Twitter. You hire rides with Uber to get to restaurants you found with Yelp or OpenTable. You got escorted out of the restaurant, but you did it for the Vine.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re one of those special print buyers who for some reason elicits full-frontal geekitude, here is where the book might creep into our conversation. While we\u2019re chatting about your current print procurement process and the eLynxx platform, I might switch out \u201ccentaurs\u201d for \u201ccyborgs\u201d and say eLynxx is in the business of helping print buyers become better cyborgs. At that point, either hang up or strap in for the ride we\u2019re going on together.<\/p>\n Chess players have software to complement their human skill and judgment while choosing game strategies and moves. Project managers, accountants, nurses, and salespeople all have purpose-built software for their professions.<\/p>\n eLynxx is software purpose-built to empower and support print buyers. It is the \u201ctransactive memory buddy\u201d with templates and guidance to enable robust specification writing. Through dashboards and custom reporting, it tracks open tasks, records every event and activity, and provides the capability to easily see metrics, patterns, and opportunities that would otherwise be invisible. eLynxx remembers the verified capabilities of vendors and how they have performed on each job. It links every actor in the print buyer\u2019s supply chain together for collaboration, communication, and compliance.<\/p>\n Better cyborgs equal better processes and better results. And, yes, there is someone who has heard eLynxx described as her \u201ctransactive memory buddy\u201d for print.<\/p>\n Sometimes those conversations spin out of control. Hopefully the\u00a0fun won\u2019t deny me the presence of mind to invite my new friend\u00a0to a software demo. But we could go on. There is so much more to learn, discuss, and enjoy in Smarter Than You Think<\/i>. Check it out for yourself. Also, Printerverse citizens will likely be inspired to go deeper into subjects like the history of libraries and Paul Otlet\u2019s Mundaneum.<\/p>\n What\u2019s on your reading list?<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Connect to get ambient awareness of Andy Solages on LinkedIn<\/a> and Twitter (@andysolages)<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n Explore eLynxx.com or call 717-709-0990 to learn how eLynxx\u00a0empowers print buyers and producers to achieve better results with fewer hassles.<\/i><\/p>\n Female centaurs flanking Venus (Mosaic from Roman Tunisia, 2nd century AD) by Giorces (Own work) [CC BY 2.5 (http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons<\/em><\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you need me in your life at around 4pm EST on a Wednesday, your best bet is to dive […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[230,62,231,64,72,232,63,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-printchat","category-books","category-cyborgs","category-print-buyer","category-print-procurement","category-print-production","category-printmediacentr","category-technology"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elynxx.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/Smarter-Than-You-Think-PrintChat.jpg\")
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