Nation of Things
We've given up our individuality and identities for the Internet, social media, streaming, and e-commerce.
No one made us do it.
It's time to look in the mirror.
We've become a Nation of Things, not people.
Why NoT?
You’re not much of a person. Neither am I. Neither is anyone we know.
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Don’t get me wrong, I’m not casting aspersions. In a micro sense, within our communities of friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues, we are individuals. But those communities are minute compared to who we are in our broader cultures and societies – not just in the United States, but globally. There, we are nothing but data points to be aggregated, manipulated, and sold to for the sake of money and power.
We have become a Nation of Things, not people.
If you truly believe otherwise; if you think that you as an individual can influence the course of governments and corporations (both of which are things, not people), then have at it. 99.9% of you are wrong.
This is the purpose of Nation of Things, to honestly look at how we’ve allowed this to happen, how we can manage going forward, and to spotlight some current issues I feel like writing about.
I’ve wanted to do this for a number of years, but since I’ve spent many of them working for large corporations and government agencies, I felt that doing so would most likely cost me my job. That’s no longer a concern.
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My name is Jeff Honeyman, and I hope you find Nation of Things of value. Tell your friends.
Who am I?
Jeff (Jeffrey) Honeyman was born in 1956 and raised in Havertown, Pennsylvania, a little west of Philadelphia. He graduated from New York University with a double major in Journalism and Politics, along with a Computer Science Minor. After his junior year, he was hired by public television station WNET, where he spent nearly two decades in various writing and producing positions. His last several years were spent as part of the station’s directorial staff.
In the mid-1990’s, Jeff’s position was eliminated as part of a contract negotiation. He left television and moved into information technology, where he spent nearly 30 years as a technologist, solution architect, IT service owner, and project manager. He has been employed by DEC, Compaq, HP, The State of North Carolina, Quest Software, Dell Software, and Peraton, among others. His clients/customers have included Fortune 100 companies, major non-profits, and local, state, and federal governments and agencies.
Jeff has been an avid reader from a very young age. He is also a musician on the side. He plays saxophones and clarinets. Although he’s had to take a few months off for medical reasons, he is very much looking forward to returning to play bass clarinet with the Raleigh Concert Band. Bass Clarinet is the most wonderful instrument in the universe. Don’t argue!
Jeff has two children from his first marriage, one son and a daughter with special needs. He is currently remarried and lives in Knightdale, NC, near Raleigh, with his wife, two dogs, and a box turtle who is over 50 years old.
He’s spent nearly half a century writing for other people. Now it’s his turn.