2014年10月13日月曜日

Drawing the line

The right to be forgotten
Drawing the line
Google grapples with the consequences of a controversial ruling on the boundary between privacy and free speech

The article starts from Spanish lawyer’s case in which the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled in May that Google must remove certain links on request. This ruling has established a digital “right to be forgotten” and forced Google to tackle on setting boundaries between privacy and freedom of speech.
Two rights had coexisted occasionally offline, but online, these rights conflict frequently. Complicating matter is that American people put much importance on freedom of speech, but on the other hand, Europeans prefer to value on privacy.  

Discussion:
(1) What kind of information should be removed?
ECJ’s decision is vague. It ordered Google not to show a link if it is “inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant” unless there is a “preponderant” public interest. Google is now piling cases which can help them to set boundaries of removal. What type of information do you think should be removed from results?

(2) How should users be made aware of the fact that the result has been affected by the ruling?
We already know that Google’s search results are somewhat controlled by the company (ex: advertising banners) but we still rely on its results. If Google change its results based on ECJ’s ruling, should it state clearly that its results are changed on someone’s requests?

(3) Whether should Google remove links from searches everywhere, not just on its European sites?

ECJ’s decision can be applied to other regions. Google provides its service globally and right to know or to be forgotten can be changed in places. What do you think Google should do in other places if requested?

2014年10月6日月曜日

Mission relaunched

America and Islamic State
Mission relaunched

Article:
Barak Obama has been trying to avoid getting into a fight in Syria for more than 3 years but he at last faced up to the inevitable fights with the jihadists. His attempt to deal with them is a test of America’s commitment to global security.

America seems to be locked in relative decline in recent years and overwhelmed by the forces of disorder. IS embodies this frightening trend. It is a non-state body and thrives on chaos. Its rise has also reflects American policy (Mr. Bush’s invasion of Iraq and Mr. Obama’s studious inaction in Syria).

Standing back has not worked well elsewhere in the world. When America stepped back, its allies also stepped back, too. IS has induced a change of heart among the American people by threatening them. Mr. Obama has a chance not just strike a blow for order in the Middle East, but also to give diclinists pause.

Mr. Obama should take a lesson from the mismanagement in post-invasion Iraq. He needs coalitions and partnerships from Sunnis, the UN, Britain, Turkey and so on. Although the mission to stop IS will be long and hard, it is true that no other nation could even contemplate.

Discussion:
1.        The economist clearly suggests the America interfere in the situation in the Middle East. But, some people think it should not. What kind opinion do you have on this issue?


2.        One of the reason why IS hates the America and the Western society is a wide gap between Western society and the other places including their places. Why do you think this kind of gap leads hatred? How should we act to ease the situation?

2014年10月1日水曜日

機能的な伝統工芸品

伝統工芸は機能的であらねばならない

伝統産業の衰退が言われて久しい。京都で働く私も伝統産業に触れる機会が多いが、いい話をこれっぽっちも聞かない。なぜなのか。

中には元気に仕事をしているところもあるが、それは限定的だ。そういったところは、創意工夫を持って新しい商品を世に出したり、海外で評判になり認められるところが中心である。この差は何か。

最近気づいたのは、伝統工芸品が便利でないという点だ。どちらかというと私たちが伝統工芸品に手を出すとき、それは美しさとか手間ひまかけた一点ものだとか言った点に着目する。とくに美しさという点だろう。高くてもその品物を手にしたいのは、プラスチック製の工業製品では得られない満足感があるからだ。
それにしても高すぎる。そして美しさにはトレンドがある。流行り廃りがある。私にはどんなに輪島塗がうつくしくてもどうしたって、iPhoneのほうが魅力的だ。

伝統産業はいつから機能性をないがしろにするようになったのだろうか。機能が美をもたらすのではなく、美が機能のようになってしまっている。確かに美という機能もあるかもしれないが、アートの世界で安寧してしまうには量産的であり、物足りない。

伝統工芸品はあくまで生活の中の一機能を担うべき存在だ。官能的であろうとするあまり、機能的な側面を失ってはしないか。たしかに和服は美しい、それは最大の魅力ではある。しかし、着にくい動きにくい服を日常に使おうとする人はいなくなり、その美は次第に色あせてしまうだろう。


私は伝統工芸の機能性に注目したい。技術とは機能であるべきだ。機能性をもたらさない技術は廃れていくしかない。逆に、機能をもたらす技術は、時代がどう変遷しても生き残るだろう。