[Sigia-l] don't pick and refuse me

[Derek R]

James Weinheimer wrote:
>| This is an interesting idea: the fact that if 
>| an expert exists, it means that non-experts
>| have less freedom and/or control; that others
>| are inferior

Everyone has their special aptitudes in life. Some people are better
than others, generally, or in particular. Of course, one hopes that
together, as a group, each one is able bring their best to the table
*for the benefit of all,* that we can combine our skills to produce
designs 'usable' for all (this requires sharing).


>| I *must* seek out an expert or two, ask his/her
>| advice and believe them

Isn't sharing great? We're all in this together; we can watch out for
one another's best individual interests, unselfishly.


>| who is competent to determine what information I need?

Of course, only you, individually, can determine what is best for you.

The superior individual does not have *the right* to alter your
decisions in life, just as TiVo does not have *the right* to alter your
programming, (both of these instances), for any reason, without your
explicit consent to deferment.

The user-commands, not the user-'self' (demography) should receive the
privileged position -- which is the best of *all* worlds since
*anything* is possible and one is not locked into a particular
scheme/design (i.e. you can't lose -- or rather, you win with freedom)
-->
http://www.info-arch.org/lists/sigia-l/0207/0572.html

Otherwise you are, once again, pushing the idea of a 'soulless' user who
is neither genuine or capable (being soulless) and therefore cannot
advance without some other/outside agent. This is, of course, incorrect,
because we all can, and are able, to do all kinds of things, being
human. In this life, anything can happen.


>| If I am smart, I will admit that I am incompetent and 
>| that the best decision is to ask an expert for help

Very good. I'm glad you are 'running' things for yourself -- that you
have *freedom,* as you stated, to do what you want. This is the first
step.


>| I would hope that IA produces experts who can make
>| the right decisions

This is the crux of life, isn't it? Are they making the best decisions?
Would it be easier to just out-right put something/someone in control of
ourselves and give-up our own freedom (consciously)? Is that the best
choice we as individuals can make? 

Agreeing to be a slave sounds like a sucker-job to me. However, the
point is that you, individually, have the *right* to be a sucker,
especially in America.


>| Leaving everything to the discretion of the user
>| based on an idea of 'freedom' seems to me to
>| entirely shirk the responsibility of making a usable
>| website

Those who would fully-endorse the categorical/schematic, even in the
interest and pursuit of reasonable or 'better' design, are endorsing a
Police State of control which obviously removes the user's freedom. It
is a *cowardly* direction to be sure, and a most contemporary phenomenon
(1 out of every 10 Americans are behind bars in the USA today). 

So that, refusal and failure to address *social problems* (problems
users have with what is presented) is what leads to these
schema/category/TiVo-themes -- in short, a 'Police State' (like the
Gaza-Strip).

Whereas, if designers were to recognize that they, themselves, are
'free' and *both* genuine and capable of producing designs which respect
an individual's God-given *right* to be individual (to choose their own
path); to help one another on their way -- then our little trouble would
be quickly over. We would be addressing social issues instead of
endorsing Police States (quick fixes).

However, keep in mind working to benefit *all* (social
sensitivity/ethics) is much more difficult then producing something
which just suits oneself (police state). (it is easier to destroy than
create)

So James, if we are to place the 'usability' or ill-conceived 'goals' of
a product design over that of the people who actually use it in
practice, we are saying "do it my way" (fascism) or it won't be done at
all (that freedom doesn't exist in the design -- a police state).

Simply ignoring the user -- when you are genuinely capable of supporting
them -- is lazy-easy-work, self-serving, full-of-vanity, etc, etc, all
evil and not righteous. My suggestion to those who choose this type of
path is to begin to 'live up.' Reggae music will help you discover this
'upbeat' path, for instance, instead of being a downpressor -- insisting
on control and power over others. We, as human-beings, have just as much
a *right* as any other (A=A=A). 


______________________________

 These are the big fish
 Who always try to eat down the small fish,
 just the small fish.
 http://bobmarley.com/songs/lyrics/guiltiness.lyrics.txt