by David Shenk
First published 1999
David Shenk confronts the relentless pace of digital transformation with sharp analysis and measured skepticism. The author dissects online journalism's pitfalls, digital photography's ethical questions, and misplaced faith in classroom computers. Shenk targets shock radio personalities, computerized playthings, corporate tech giants, and genetic screening with precise criticism. Rather than rejecting technology outright, this self-proclaimed internet enthusiast and technology movement founder demands honest evaluation of how digital tools reshape human experience. He argues that society should judge new technologies by their capacity to serve enduring human goals, not embrace them simply because they represent change. Throughout these essays, Shenk weaves insights from conversations with leading technology philosophers including Mitch Kapor, Steven Johnson, Esther Dyson, Douglas Rushkoff, and Steve Silberman. His clear-sighted examination reveals why constant connectivity creates unease and offers readers a thoughtful counterpoint to uncritical digital evangelism.
Genres: computers, non-fiction, criticism, technology, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: intimate, measured, thought-provoking
Tropes: counterpoint, skepticism
176 pages · Hardcover · Indiana University Press