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aaron_anderson's review against another edition
3.0
The Glass Cage is an enjoyable read and nice compliment to more rosy essays on automaton. The central thesis is that automation alienates us from meaningful work, and when we lose meaningful work, we lose something fundamental to our humanity. I can appreciate this sentiment (oh how he hates the label "sentimental"), but think he overlooks the artificial nature of all work.
His arguments would have been as relevant to neolithic hunter gatherers on the verge of full agriculture as they are on us and automation. All technological change comes with a "but think about what we are losing!" faction. We certainly lost something when we stopped hunting in packs and gathering wild plants, however we gained much more than comfort. Who could have predicted the arts and philosophies that would grow out of the increased specialization of agriculture? Who can predict the benefits to our humanity that increased automation may bring? I found his argument that it is different this time wanting.
Carr acknowledges our autonomy in interaction with technology, but not when it comes to the definition of meaning. Being in the world is what we make of it, it is not inherently tethered to the use of our bodies for physical work.
His arguments would have been as relevant to neolithic hunter gatherers on the verge of full agriculture as they are on us and automation. All technological change comes with a "but think about what we are losing!" faction. We certainly lost something when we stopped hunting in packs and gathering wild plants, however we gained much more than comfort. Who could have predicted the arts and philosophies that would grow out of the increased specialization of agriculture? Who can predict the benefits to our humanity that increased automation may bring? I found his argument that it is different this time wanting.
Carr acknowledges our autonomy in interaction with technology, but not when it comes to the definition of meaning. Being in the world is what we make of it, it is not inherently tethered to the use of our bodies for physical work.
skylarkochava's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very powerful read. The book was good, but not incredible-oh-my-god, until the later chapter about how machines are being placed into situations where we need to program them with morality. And how do you program morality? What choices would you make that another person might not? And what if that person is the one writing morality for machines? A really fascinating read that has stuck with me in the weeks since I read it. I only give it 4 stars because the language was a bit technical at times and not always written in an interesting way. Thankfully, the content is inherently interesting!
beeeeg's review against another edition
4.0
A good read about increasing automation of daily tasks is making us more passive and less able to work things out for ourselves. I'd have liked a little more on some of the more subtle ways algorithms discriminate, but I guess that's personal preference.
juleemhuy's review against another edition
3.0
Thought provoking and thorough if not too thorough. Slightly doomsdayish, but all in all I enjoyed the book, was happy to finish it and had many lively conversations because of it.
izz_y0507's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
1.5
Hella slow. Many points were repeated too often. Many points were disproved by other points so nothing was really true. But the last chapter kinda ate.
tgwilliams's review against another edition
5.0
Informative and extremely relevant. Carr details the many ways that automation, and technology in general, affects us and our society. He is not anti-technology, but rather a technology critic. Should be required reading alongside The Shallows. (Both changed the way I look at digital technology in a profound ways.)
josiahdegraaf's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating book that looks at many different areas where fields have been automated with technology and there have been unexpected negative consequences. At times it felt a bit eclectic and in a negative way, as he switched from one topic to another without much transition, but it also helped to show that an overreliance on technology has ill effects in many, if not all fields, and not merely a couple. My main takeaway: technology is not the panacea to man's problems, and the rush to automate everything, while good at the outset, often has hidden dangers.
Some noteworthy points:
The importance of the embodiment of our thinking, and the fact that we are not minds alone, but minds and bodies together.
When we assume that humans are weaker than technology, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy.
It's possible to create human-centered technology, and not just tech-centered technology
Once good tech was viewed as a means to an better end; now it's just viewed as an end
Rating: 4.5 Stars (Very Good)
Some noteworthy points:
The importance of the embodiment of our thinking, and the fact that we are not minds alone, but minds and bodies together.
When we assume that humans are weaker than technology, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy.
It's possible to create human-centered technology, and not just tech-centered technology
Once good tech was viewed as a means to an better end; now it's just viewed as an end
Rating: 4.5 Stars (Very Good)
nlgn's review against another edition
2.0
Readable, and some interesting points, particularly with respect to the multitude of "small" ways that our experience of the world is diminished by automation. However, ignoring the massive advanced in safety that have come about as a result of automating eg planes, cars, etc, is a pretty massive lacunae.
in2reading's review against another edition
4.0
Thoughtful book that acknowledges the benefits of technology but is also a cautionary tale on the pitfalls of our increasing dependence on navigating our lives with screens. Backed up with plenty of scientific study but very readable.