The introduction and first two chapters of Weinberger's Everything Is Miscellaneous discuss the way we organize things; what I found most interesting is the distinct ways we have of organizing things based on what they are, what they do, and what their importance is. Weinberger begins by describing the way things are put away in a Staple store in order to make shopping as easy as possible for each and every shopper. He brings up the fact that items have certain material limits and can therefore only be placed in one location. This limitation disappears when an object is digitalized; a book that can only be found in one location in a store can have endless categories when found online. Users help in this categorization, adding information on where to find the object, and tags so they reach even more users.
The alphabetization of things and its controversy is a big part of Chapter 2, individuals trying to find ways to organize the world we live in and making it understandable to each and everyone of us. Weinberger insists on the fact that there are different ways to organize things, from letters to encyclopedia to planets. I enjoyed the section describing the way the Periodic Table of Elements went through a number of changes before becoming what it is today.
One thing I attempt to keep organize is my bookshelves back home. I have a shelf for hardbacks, and English classics; one with the Harry Potter series and a few of my personal, favorite books; a third shelf with a collection of French books my mom brought along when we moved here; another with paper-backs I've bought myself; one with more educational books from past university classes and a last one with French comic books. All of these are organized by their author's last name; I'd never quite thought why I organized them that way, considering for my French books, I don't know half of the authors, I'm just used to the way my mom used to have them organized before they became mine and have kept them this way. When I look for a specific title I know exactly where to find them; having them organized any other way would have me a bit confused.
The alphabetization of things and its controversy is a big part of Chapter 2, individuals trying to find ways to organize the world we live in and making it understandable to each and everyone of us. Weinberger insists on the fact that there are different ways to organize things, from letters to encyclopedia to planets. I enjoyed the section describing the way the Periodic Table of Elements went through a number of changes before becoming what it is today.
One thing I attempt to keep organize is my bookshelves back home. I have a shelf for hardbacks, and English classics; one with the Harry Potter series and a few of my personal, favorite books; a third shelf with a collection of French books my mom brought along when we moved here; another with paper-backs I've bought myself; one with more educational books from past university classes and a last one with French comic books. All of these are organized by their author's last name; I'd never quite thought why I organized them that way, considering for my French books, I don't know half of the authors, I'm just used to the way my mom used to have them organized before they became mine and have kept them this way. When I look for a specific title I know exactly where to find them; having them organized any other way would have me a bit confused.
I thought that Weinberger did a really good job of illustrating how much more freely and completely digital information can be organized. He also seemed to draw from the “wisdom of the masses” idea, discussing how user organization can create a much vaster, multidimensional order(s). An organization system that is, at least ideally, free from the control of “The Man”, who might otherwise be able to manipulate data and definitions to serve the authority’s purposes. Hmmm, I better be careful or I’ll start talking about ‘changing the paradigm’ and whatnot.
ReplyDeleteYour way of organizing books is quite different from mine; I don’t think any of mine are in alphabetical order, even by accident. I’ll bet your way would be a lot easier for others to figure out though.
You spoke about how you liked the section on creating the Periodic Table of Elements which I also thought was very interesting. I discussed the portion on the encyclopedia and how they to had to create the proper organizational structure to the text.
ReplyDeleteMany things to us seem to make perfect sense because that is how they existed before we got there. It is hard for me to imagine the keyboard differently or the alphabet but that is only because we have been so heavily conditioned to see it that way.
This makes me think if we structured something like the 24 hour clock differently and made it a 23 hour clock for a year, what that would do to the people that have been so used to the normal standard.
Weinberger categorizing by physical location in staples is an example of the first type of order of orders. However, how about when we take this to the second portion, like card categorizing, as is his example. Have you ever been in a store and they look up a different size you needed and they said they had it, but they couldn't find it? or they said it was at another location and you call and they don't have it on the rack? this has happened to me often and shows a flaw in this type of organization. His point may not be a failed or perfect system. However i think it is important to note weaknesses in our new way of organizational systems. Maybe in the future they will be able to do an entire check of the store with one big sweep of checker and categorize everything. that would be a pretty awesome way of doing inventory. wireless.
ReplyDeleteOrganizing books is one thing I've always done very poorly and yet I never seem to have any problem finding them... Part of the second order of order is building an index, but one of the most important indices you can build is the one in your head - the one that makes your order make sense.
ReplyDeletethat's interesting that you mention you keep your books organized in a certain way because that is the way you are used to since your mom organized her books that way. It makes a lot of sense since most of the ways we do things we learn from our parents.
ReplyDeleteThat's really coincidental how you organize your books by categories such as English Classics or Harry Potter. Back at my home on the west side, my grandparents have an immaculate room full of bookshelves. I didn't know how much its organization meant to them until I started to put books back in the wrong spot..
ReplyDeleteYou do a great job here taking away the "so what" from the reading. I would've been curious to hear a few more key terms/ideas (just a few more specifics) from Weinberger, but you definitely have the main point. Next time just take a look at my "pay attention to" suggestions on the schedule, it might help you focus in on a few smaller points...but you have the big point down. This is good.
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