Technological innovation and the future of work: synopsis of ‘The Second Machine Age’

Rise of the second machine age Whether or not technological innovation is good for our working lives has been debated since Plato condemned the invention of writing for ruining human memory.  Unlike Plato, however, we’re not dealing with tools like pen and paper.  Now we’re dealing with machines.  In the past, our ancestors lived through … Read more

Multitasking is a liability, not a skill – a reminder we’re not computers

Multitasking skills? There was a job interview I had in the not-too-distant past when the hiring manager asked me a peculiar question: “So, how are your multitasking skills?” Now, as a former student who minored in cognitive science, and as someone who dabbles in mindfulness meditation, I felt tempted to go into a spiel about … Read more

Technical writing, what it is, and what it taught me about technology

What technical writing is (and what it isn’t) When I mention that technical writing and editing are part of what I do for a living, I occasionally hear this reaction: “Oh God, technical writing?  Writing long, complicated documents sounds awful!” In fact, I very much agree. Writing long, complicated documents does sound awful. But that’s … Read more