It makes sense to look forward in time, especially when we’ve also looked backward for context. (I love the Cicero quote.) But you’re absolutely right that, like Europeans before the arrival of the printing press, we can’t predict accurately now the shape that things will take in time to come. The best we can do, I think, is to make intelligent guesses, compare and adjust them constantly in light of new evidence, and keep ourselves open to dealing with changes as they emerge.

She belonged to a an unofficial that grandpa coined The “Didyahearaboutit” Club. Ladies would call daily and talk about their experiences. They shared news and gossip. They “know a guy” for every service. They like this store, but dislike another.

Twitter, services like Yelp and forums are the ultimate “Didyahearaboutit” Clubs. People post the same things online that Dolly told her friends. Only we don’t need the phone or a Gutenberg or even a Heidelberg – it’s all online and easy to do.

Great post!