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Reviews
Digital Disconnect: How Capitalism Is Turning the Internet Against Democracy by Robert W. McChesney
alexander0's review
2.0
This book, although useful from a journalistic perspective, is not an economically accurate understanding of the internet. This book is out of line in claiming capitalism to be the major issue of the internet's colonization. More accurately, it can be said that big business has been investing in skewing governmental views through well funded interest groups and lobbying. This is what is known as "Crony Capitalism" and is an interference of powerful companies in government, not what is Adam Smith's idea of capitalistic economy.
dreamofbookspines's review
3.0
Interesting book, though the first few chapters are all sociology 101. Talking about capitalism as flawed like this is some huge revelation is really weird to me. Then again, the author's in a different field where that stuff may not be common knowledge, so perhaps it's necessary. Also it's aimed at public policy folks, who may not have gotten the whole "here's why capitalism is bad" speech on day 1. Lots of interesting facts and figures and things, but not exactly what you'd call a fascinating engaging piece of work. McChesney has some major issues with being long-winded in ways that are not productive. I feel like maybe he should fire his editor. Other than that, pretty good internet + capitalism 101 basics type read.
rray_'s review
4.0
Although an excellent book and a necessary read in of itself, I do have to knock it down one star for one particular reason: the documentary based on this book, also titled Digital Disconnect, available for free on Hoopla and Kanopy and written, hosted and narrated by author Robert W. McChesney himself. For two reasons: 1.), granted the book (with only 232 pages of actual narrative) is not terribly long, I feel the documentary does a better job of providing the information in a more concise format, and 2.) if nothing else, the fact that the documentary was made during the "Age of Alternative Facts" allows it to provide a massive update and coda of the then-current state of things compared to the now nearly decade-old book.
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