A textbook requires a consistent sense of style and a linear structure, hallmarks of a single authorial presence. An encyclopedia doesn't. Clive Thompson authorialconsistentencyclopedia Change image and share on social
Politicians or pundits can distort or cherry-pick climate science any way they want to try and gain temporary influence with the public. But any serious industrialist who's facing 'climate exposure' - as it's now called by money managers - cannot afford to engage in that sort of self-delusion. Clive Thompson affordcallcherry share on social
A huge amount of our everyday thinking - powerful, creative, and resonant stuff - is done socially: talking to other people, arguing with them, relying on them to recall information for us. Clive Thompson amountarguecreative Change image and share on social
The Internet lets thousands of total strangers collaborate to produce a truly hivelike result. Clive Thompson collaboratehivelikeinternet Change image and share on social
Railing at scientists for massaging tree-ring statistics won't stop the globe from warming if the globe is actually, you know, warming. Clive Thompson globemassagerail Change image and share on social
The genius idea of industrialism was the concept of the Model T: In exchange for something cheap and well-made, we'd forgo unique, lovely design. Clive Thompson cheapconceptdesign Change image and share on social
Ambient awareness is the experience of knowing what's going on in the lives of other people - what they're thinking about, what they're doing, what they're looking at - by paying attention to the small stray status messages that people are putting online. Clive Thompson ambientattentionawareness share on social
I don't think the Internet has replaced cities in any significant way, nor really could it. Cities are dynamic - and deeply seductive for the people who flock there - because they broker all sorts of fantastic and useful connections, cultural and economic and social. Clive Thompson brokercityconnection share on social
Software is now so complex - requiring so many gazillions of tiny files all over your computer - that most consumers don't want to bother to know what's really going on. Clive Thompson bothercomplexcomputer Change image and share on social
Novelists in particular love to rhapsodize about the glory of the solitary mind; this is natural, because their job requires them to sit in a room by themselves for years on end. But for most of the rest of us, we think and remember socially. Clive Thompson endgloryjob share on social