It's 11:00pm on a Monday night at some point in the future. What's on TV? Which channel should I tune in?
You look up and to the left to access the critics. The view changes, now you're in a whole room full of critics. Most of them, the ones you rarely consult, are conversing with each other quietly along the edges of the room. Your favorite critics are in the middle of the room. There's Bob, the pipe-smoking connoisseur of conspiracy and off-center camp. The two-headed Siskebert is arguing about the historic role of big breasts in film. You can just hear some tantalizing little snippets of their conversation. Sir Perry Thornbottom, the Public Broadcasting specialist, is talking to Alexandra Skolnikov, the Russian avant guardian, about state sponsored media. You stare at Bob and blink once. You're right next to him.
``How about a student sci-fi video from the early 90s?'' Bob is asking you. You remain noncommittal. Bob smiles broadly. ``Wait. Wait. I've got it. Russ Meyer's Faster Pussycat. Kill. Kill. You've been enjoying works with lots of cleavage lately. This is ultimate 60s cleavage with a sense of humor. It'll begin in 10 minutes.''
You nod your approval. Bob continues: ``There's a lead-in interview with Meyers that just started. Want to join now?''
You nod again as Bob winks conspiratorially in your direction. The interview with Meyers appears on a screen in the back of the virtual room. It gradually enlarges to fill your field of vision. Bob's head remains in the lower right-hand corner of the view.
``He's got a great story about an altercation with the Los Angeles police coming up in about 40 seconds. You'll love it.'' Bob's head fades out, grinning like the Cheshire Cat, and the audio on the interview is now at full volume, the image filling your liquid crystal glasses.
You have just changed channels.
The point is that you will enter ``choice spaces''. Some of these choice spaces will feature walls of TVs. In others, critical embodiments (e.g. Bob, Sir Perry and Alexandra), representing aspects of your taste will help you choose from the variety of available programming. You'll be about as aware of what channel you're watching as you now are of the ISBN number of a book you're reading.
