Ruminations on our relationship with technology
“To read well, that is, to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will tax the reader more than any exercise which the customs of the day esteem. It requires training such as the athletes underwent, the steady intention of the whole life to this object.”
– Henry David Thoreau, Walden
If you’re a bibliophile like Thoreau, you may enjoy some of the recommended reading below. Suggestions include books that give valuable insight into our relationship with technology. Select a title below to explore a book review or synopsis that piques your interest.
You can also browse these book reviews or synopses by genre, including fiction/science fiction, scientific writing, and social commentary.
A warning about Technopoly “Technopoly … is totalitarian technocracy” (Postman, 1992, 48). Technology: friend or foe … or both? It may seem indisputable that technological innovation is, on the whole, a great thing. And yet, if innovation gets pushed to an extreme—if we’re just innovating for innovation’s sake, as opposed to using innovations to help … Read more
What’s the difference between nudging vs. manipulating? Summary: It’s no secret that products, services, and technologies are designed to influence people’s decisions—sometimes known as ‘nudging’ people. But how is nudging people different from manipulating them? Is there a difference between nudging vs. manipulating? Ideas from the book ‘Nudge’ can shed light on that question. A … Read more
How can smartphones and social media affect mental health? Since the 2010s, the U.S. and several other countries have seen troubling trends in psychological well-being. For instance, rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide have risen significantly, especially among adolescents and young adults. Why are we seeing this overall decline in mental health? Well, one … Read more
Swift’s use of satire and science fiction to ask: Why invent that? As someone who enjoys reading both satire and science fiction, I absolutely love Jonathan Swift’s novel, Gulliver’s Travels. Published in 1726, it soon became a famous—if not infamous—satire on modern European nations. What’s more, Gulliver’s Travels also became notable as what’s arguably the … Read more
Fire and cooking technology … and the dawn of humanity! Fire and cooking technology … and the dawn of humanity! What on earth could these things have to do with one another? Well, when it comes to thinking about our evolutionary origins, there’s an intriguing theory developed by the primatologist Richard Wrangham. And this theory … Read more
The philosophy of modern minimalism: A new name for an old way of thinking Summary: Contrary to popular misunderstanding, modern minimalism doesn’t mean getting rid of all your belongings and living like an ascetic. Rather, it means asking a simple question about what we own and how we spend our time, energy, or resources. Namely, … Read more
What is “cognitive surplus”? In the previous part of this two-part book review, I summarized some of Clay Shirky’s ideas in his popular book Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing without Organizations. As pointed out, Shirky makes several interesting observations about how new media, such as smart devices and social networking sites, give users … Read more
Critique of Clay Shirky and organizing without organizations If you’re somebody who regularly reads about technology trends and how they shape society at large, you may have come across Clay Shirky’s writings (if not the occasional critique of Clay Shirky and his ideas). Shirky is an influential author when it comes to discussing the social … Read more
Four ways to practice digital minimalism According to Cal Newport, author of Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World, we can greatly improve our lives by learning how to use technology more intentionally—that is, in ways that support our goals and values. Newport refers to this approach as digital minimalism. (See Part … Read more