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The title is a bit misleading, since the book isn't really about programming or being programmed.
Rather, it's an effective look at how various pervasive digital technologies - always-on email and messaging, social networks, website "commenting" that allows hiding behind anonymity - are contributing to the polarization of political views, the devaluing of face-to-face time and leisure activities, and so on.
A boatload of books have been written on this topic, but this one stands out to me in two ways. First, the author hits on things "we all know" feel "wrong" about the effects of some of these technologies, but he summarizes them in observations that immediately cut to the heart of the dissonance. For example, he notes that digital devices are "timeless" (in that nothing about their programming accounts for or is affected by linear time or the passing of time), whereas the passing of different time intervals defines many aspects of our existence and interactions, and it is by juxtaposing these opposing natures that the conflict arises: in order to more effectively use the machines, we are drawn into behaviors that ignore what used to be a defining characteristic of our rhythms of life. The second way in which this book stands out is that unlike others, it at least tries to provide concrete advice on how to avoid these pitfalls. It's not a Luddite book - it doesn't argue the technologies should (or could) be abolished, only that we must be thoughtful in making choices about how to incorporate them into our lives, lest our lives instead adapt to the algorithms.
There are a few minor errors of fact (eg "the Internet was designed to survive a nuclear attack" is an often-repeated meme that is simply incorrect) but they're incidental to his main points and generally forgivable. It's a concise read and makes its thought-provoking points without beating around the bush.
- Paperback: 152 pages
- Publisher: Soft Skull Press; 1st edition (September 6, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 9781593764265
- ISBN-13: 978-1593764265
- ASIN: 159376426X
- Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.5 x 7.2 inches
- Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
- Average Customer Review: 64 customer reviews
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Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#174,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1335 in Communication & Media Studies
- #273 in Social Aspects of Technology
- #1117 in Early Childhood Education Materials
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