With rare exceptions, no one likes being called a Luddite. Steve Talbott, the thoughtful, somewhat skeptical philosopher who writes the Netfuture e-mail newsletter, for example, takes offense at being labeled "pessimistic." I thought it was a fair beef, but he devoted considerable space in his last missive to a defense of his position and denied that he was negative
It's easy to be a critic: Technology may not be a poisoned chalice, but it sure is a Mickey Finn. Focusing on the flaws is a simple way to stake out a position, and one that can be especially gratifying when the other half of humanity is touting the wonders of our digital future.
The real problem is that the middle ground isn't sexy. Pragmatism is so boring. "On the one hand ... on the other hand..." Balance, objectivity -- fine stuff, but real snoozers.