What do we talk about when we talk about culture and technology?
I think a lot of us tend to talk about the culture of technology—about the few thousand people (myself included) who really care about this stuff, who live and breathe it. The parties they go to, the art projects they’re creating, the feuds that consume them.
But there’s a whole world of culture out there. And that world—bursting with art and music, teeming with celebrities and politicians, guided by the great fashion houses and Hollywood and professional sports alike—is changing a lot faster than you might realize. We’re living through an unprecedented moment in the history of technology, and mass culture is shifting under our feet.
Blockchain tech could change the way we think about team ownership in professional sports leagues like the NBA; it’s also becoming a wedge issue for the luxury fashion conglomerates that own the likes of Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Versace. AI is ripping apart the basic agreement that’s kept Hollywood functioning for a century.
Next month, I’m traveling to try on a neurotech cap that can supposedly make you crave a workout no matter the time of day. Pray for our collective fate if Peloton nabs a patent.
Those are the stories I want to tell—and the kind I don’t think yet have a dedicated home: stories about technology in the service of culture. We built SCENE to be that home. And I’m so excited you’re here.
SCENE is a curated destination for anyone interested in exploring how cutting-edge technologies are reshaping art, fashion, entertainment, music, politics, and sports. It is not only a resource for those who work in the space and want to keep their finger on the pulse, but also a place to enjoy fun and immersive stories about the tech phenomena influencing the names you know and the brands you love.
If you have an idea or lead you think might make a great SCENE story, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at sander@decrypt.co. And stay tuned: we have some very exciting content and experiences in the works.
For now though, take a look around, and welcome to the conversation.
Thanks,
Sander Lutz
SCENE Producer and Lead Culture Reporter