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A review by bristlecone
You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier
2.0
I found the early chapters of this book, which discussed ideas like lock-in in technology, reduction of humans to widgets and standardized inputs, and outlined the beliefs and incentives of some technologists interesting. But the last half to two thirds of this book reveal myriad of shortcomings.
First, this is a book by a technologist who rails against the large wealthy technology companies that exploit and constrain creativity but sees himself and other like him as the savior of us all. Basically, this book is a wealthy middle class digital citizen and creator trying to convince digital peasants that if we adopt the changes he wants (which will make him and others like him more powerful) then we all will be better off, and some of us peasants even have the opportunity to become part of the digital middle class of creators. It basically ignores that his "solutions" mean that those who are currently largely excluded from the digital community would be effectively entirely locked out.
Second, the early chapters of the book are about how technologists' failure to understand and imagine how the world would use technology leads to poor outcomes. The second half to two thirds reveals how the overconfidence of technologists isn't limited to the past. I have no doubt that Lanier is intelligent, but he displays that dangerous trait of knowing what the answers are or should be without really knowing the questions, or examining and acknowledging where his knowledge and imagination are limited.
Third, all of his solutions are technical --- solutions provided by people like him. He claims to be thinking about people and valuing people, but he's really only thinking in terms of technology.
Basically, this book is exactly what one might expect from a silicon valley guru who also acknowledges people matter (almost) as much as technology
First, this is a book by a technologist who rails against the large wealthy technology companies that exploit and constrain creativity but sees himself and other like him as the savior of us all. Basically, this book is a wealthy middle class digital citizen and creator trying to convince digital peasants that if we adopt the changes he wants (which will make him and others like him more powerful) then we all will be better off, and some of us peasants even have the opportunity to become part of the digital middle class of creators. It basically ignores that his "solutions" mean that those who are currently largely excluded from the digital community would be effectively entirely locked out.
Second, the early chapters of the book are about how technologists' failure to understand and imagine how the world would use technology leads to poor outcomes. The second half to two thirds reveals how the overconfidence of technologists isn't limited to the past. I have no doubt that Lanier is intelligent, but he displays that dangerous trait of knowing what the answers are or should be without really knowing the questions, or examining and acknowledging where his knowledge and imagination are limited.
Third, all of his solutions are technical --- solutions provided by people like him. He claims to be thinking about people and valuing people, but he's really only thinking in terms of technology.
Basically, this book is exactly what one might expect from a silicon valley guru who also acknowledges people matter (almost) as much as technology