The Information Society is often though of as an Artificial Society because of the increasing use of unnatural products and ideals. Some of these include computers and the prominent use of data related resources, as well as the growing trends in fast foods and desire for material objects rather than mental or spiritual riches (Boldt, 1999).
Probably the most noticeable offspring of artificial society is Digitisation. That is the conversion of information, products or services into binary information for a computer system. The computer system has become one of the strongest (or weakest), most important and fundamental components of the Information Society.
This is usually reflected by the translation of money or funds into an electronic source. Some of these electronic funds are automatic teller machines (ATM’s) and the use of credit cards. Both of which rely on an intangible source of money that can be obtained from interaction with a mechanical device. In the case of the ATM this invisible currency can be converted into tangible money or in the case of credit cards physical objects can be purchased without the use of physical money. Even though the use of money itself is a rather artificial process.
For example take the comparison between a knife and a $100 note. The knife is a useful tool that can be used for a number of different purposes and is made of higher quality materials than the note. While the $100 note is simply a piece of paper with some markings on it. The knife is clearly the more valuable object. But because of the society that we have built, the note will be more valuable. This is the extent of the changes information society is bringing to us.
The information society encourages us to be “consumers�?, that is to consume goods and services that are for sale by purchasing them regardless of whether we actually need them or not. Multinational corporations, some of which have more money than entire countries, push this culture of shallowness and greed forward.
In an artificial society there is little room left for Spirituality. It is considered to be an unimportant part of life. Where as in the past it had been considered one of the most important parts of an individual’s life. This change has occurred because of two primary reasons. The first is the domination of science over the mindset of people in the information society. The second is the use of extremists as examples or stereotypes of all members of that religion. Just as certain cultures tend to discriminate against others, the Information Society tends to discriminate against spirituality.
Daniel Cotter 15:49, 16 Oct 2005 (EST)
