The content of this book is somewhat different than the many other books on the topic of technological change and its ramifications. The author of book does not really argue against technological advancement, but instead argues that certain technological changes actually prohibit better ones from occurring. In addition, sometimes the classification of these changes as advances requires that one "devalue" or "demean" the human experience, he asserts. It would be fair to classify most of the contents of this book as mere opinions, since the author does not really justify his assertions quantitatively or scientifically. Sometimes the reader gets a heavy dose of anger, cynicism, and elitism from the author, and so the book demands patience and discipline to get through. However as compared to other books that address similar topics, this one is relatively mild in tone and temperament.
The UNIX operating system, the MIDI representation of musical notes, and the file system all take a hit in the book as being "locked in" and "inalterable" developments in information technology. This means, according to the author, that any improvements to these will not happen, and further, that such a "lock-in" might happen to the very definition of what it means to be human. Uniformity, Web page templates, anonymity of commentary all he says contribute to a dull, unimaginative online presence which acts in the long run to degrade "ordinary" people. Interestingly, the does not articulate on what it means to be "ordinary", and if he did he might become aware of his (seeming) lack of respect for human beings in general.
Anonymity in online presence also seems to act as a strong perturbation to the author's psyche, but for those who have experienced anonymous criticism from this venue and in the academic world, verbal sadism is nothing new, and in the latter predates the rise of the Internet. The ugliness, cowardice, and irrationality of anonymous criticism is not likely to go away, either online or in academia, along with "proud extroversion" that the author feels has been diminished because of the "standardized" designs on social sites and Weblogs. But it must be remembered that standardization often accompanies innovation, once the bugs and limitations of the innovation have been ironed out. Economy of thought and speed of access and use are the natural consequences of standardization. And there is no sign that innovation has been stifled online or in any other field of human endeavor. Indeed, the twenty-first century is a perfect example of Schumpeterian innovation, and entire companies have been wiped out because of their failure to indulge in the hyper-competition of contemporary technological change.
As sociology based on quantitative research via statistical sampling, this book does not deliver, especially when he speaks of the tendency of crowds to revert to "bad moblike behaviors." What evidence is there of this, besides the anecdotes that are presented in the book? And what are the "sound financial principles" that were replaced by "computing clouds"? Are there any examples of attempts to "transform the conduct of science" along the lines of what the author is criticizing? This is of great interest to historians of science and philosophers of science.
The book is not without merit though, as there is an optimistic tone at the end, and some intriguing ideas for further research and investigation. One of these concerns the origin of the cerebral cortex as being in the olfactory system. Another is the delineation of two systems of language, one to serve as a descriptor and classifier, and the other having its origin in the affective part of the brain, i.e. the one that controls the emotion of displeasure. Swearing it seems, has its own module in the brain. The author is speculating a lot here, but such is the nature of innovation. He and many others continue to engage in it, and for this reason he should stop worrying and learn to love the bomb of the twenty-first century.Get more detail about You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto.
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