Unfortunately, this order eventually affected the quality and substance of knowledge itself in that it required text to conform to a linear model. The rigidity of this model discouraged later thinking and made the dissemination of information difficult 6. The transformation of Knowledge into Information We can see from the time line of change that another important event undermining the traditional structure of knowledge was the rapid communication of information that became possible after the invention of the telegraph, telephone, television and radio, and finally computers. The immediacy of information became of prime importance. The telegraph was initially used, for example, to convey results of a battle to a newspaper which then printed the story. Swift immediate knowledge of an event--news--became a premium, and has in many respects taken over the knowledge base of Western society. However, some believe that while such news may be information, it is not knowledge in the traditional sense; it fails to add to a body of knowledge in which there is the repository of wisdom. Television provides an example: sound bytes and news clips are used one day, and are gone the next. News has a very brief life. News organisations report on the most recent, striking events, while stories of the distant past are relegated to obscure television channels The transformation of communications into instantaneous news-making technology has changed the way society values knowledge. The immediate and the present have taken priority over history, undermining traditional order. Yet this change in the way information is viewed is but a logical extension of the alphabetic culture which began long ago: it is now the accumulated abstract and disembodied symbols of life. The traditional book is the last bastion of ordered knowledge. Moreover, the order of society has been transferred into the ordered inearity of the book Change has separated the order that resided in the authority of revered individuals on to the physical objects of books. Once upon a time order was transmitted in traditional(auditory)societies from elders to the younger, and authority was recognised in age and experience. In contrast, the late twentieth century is a new age. Because of the primacy of immediacy over history, age and experience have come to mean much less. In fact, inexperience(i.e youth) has come to be revered in western society In sum, knowledge has become a commodity, and in that sense is no longer knowledge, but information- -a product like any other product. Karl Marx wrote that the process of goods exchange erodes the intrinsic value of the commodity or product, such that it becomes only worth what the marketplace is willing to pay. Thus, the essential transformation of knowledge into information"gutts"knowledge of its substance giving it value only in terms of its exterior qualities in the market place, subject to the laws of supply and demand What Marx could not have foreseen is that information used in the market place can also affect its demand in profound ways Advertising, for example, is a way of using information as a means to enhance demand for products, many of which depend on information for their value. Thus, while information has little intrinsic value, it has tremendous value as a motivating force in the market place. As the twentieth century draws to a close, it appears that information has gained the upper hand, and has subsequently created a massive demand, despite the present glut Postman, N(1992)Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology. New York: Vintage Bouloukos, A. C, D. C. Benamati, G. R. Newman(1995)"Teaching Information Literacy "in Journal of Criminal Justice Education6(2)213-233- 7 - Postman, N. (1992) Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology. New York: Vintage. 5 Bouloukos, A. C., D. C. Benamati, G. R. Newman (1995) “Teaching Information Literacy” in Journal of Criminal Justice 6 Education 6(2) 213-233. Unfortunately, this order eventually affected the quality and substance of knowledge itself in that it required text to conform to a linear model. The rigidity of this model discouraged later thinking and made the dissemination of information difficult. 6. The Transformation of Knowledge into Information We can see from the time line of change that another important event undermining the traditional structure of knowledge was the rapid communication of information that became possible after the invention of the telegraph, telephone, television and radio, and finally computers. The immediacy of information became of prime importance. The telegraph was initially used, for example, to convey results of a battle to a newspaper which then printed the story. Swift immediate knowledge of an event--news--became a premium, and has in many respects taken over the knowledge base of Western society. However, some believe that while such news may be information, it is not knowledge in the traditional sense; it fails to add to a body of knowledge in which there is the repository of wisdom. Television provides an example: sound bytes and news clips are used one day, and are gone the next. News has a very brief life. News organisations report on the most recent, striking events, while stories of the distant past are relegated to obscure television channels. The transformation of communications into instantaneous news-making technology has changed the way society values knowledge. The immediate and the present have taken priority over history, undermining traditional order. Yet this change in the way information is viewed is but a logical extension of the alphabetic culture which began long ago: it is now the accumulated abstract and disembodied symbols of life. The traditional book is the last bastion of ordered knowledge. Moreover, the order of society has been transferred into the ordered linearity of the book. Change has separated the order that resided in the authority of revered individuals on to the physical objects of books. Once upon a time order was transmitted in traditional (auditory) societies from elders to the younger, and authority was recognised in age and experience. In contrast, the late twentieth century is a new age. Because of the primacy of immediacy over history, age and experience have come to mean much less. In fact, inexperience (i.e. youth) has come to be revered in western society. In sum, knowledge has become a commodity, and in that sense is no longer knowledge, but information- -a product like any other product . Karl Marx wrote that the process of goods exchange erodes the intrinsic value 5 of the commodity or product, such that it becomes only worth what the marketplace is willing to pay. Thus, the essential transformation of knowledge into information “gutts” knowledge of its substance giving it value only 6 in terms of its exterior qualities in the market place, subject to the laws of supply and demand. What Marx could not have foreseen is that information used in the market place can also affect its demand in profound ways. Advertising, for example, is a way of using information as a means to enhance demand for products, many of which depend on information for their value. Thus, while information has little intrinsic value, it has tremendous value as a motivating force in the market place. As the twentieth century draws to a close, it appears that information has gained the upper hand, and has subsequently created a massive demand, despite the present glut