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.
Synopsis of Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less From Each Other Self-ordering kiosks in restaurants. Self-checkout machines at stores. Self-driving vehicles on the road. Year by year, an unstoppable trend appears to be gaining traction across multiple industries: automation. It’s clear what the economic consequences of automation will be: robots will … Read more
Digital distraction and the loss of depth and meaning Do smart devices hinder our ability to think deeply? Are social networking sites displacing meaningful connections in the real world? Over the years, researchers have asked such questions about digital distraction, and not without reason. As smartphone ownership has risen and social media use has increased, … Read more
The science of expertise vs. ‘talent’ Anders Ericsson is a psychologist who studies how people acquire expert skill and knowledge. It’s research known as the science of expertise. (Notice we say expertise and not talent—we’ll soon see why.) Basically, Ericsson is an expert on how to become an expert. In a book written with mathematician … Read more
From the Internet paradox to the village effect The British sitcom The IT Crowd once ran a hilarious episode about a fictional social networking site called “Friendface” (a parody of social media like Facebook). “Isn’t it great the way Friendface brings people together,” says Jen, one of the main characters of the show. However, contrary … Read more
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
Proust and the Squid: Maryanne Wolf on the science of reading It’s uncontroversial to say we humans evolved to eat and reproduce. But it would be ridiculous to argue we evolved to read or write—even though reading and writing are clearly consequences of our evolution. So how did we end up with these abilities? Maryanne … Read more
Research on Internet Generation, or iGen How do smartphones and social media affect the minds and lives of today’s youth? More parents and teachers began asking this question after the first iPhone came out in 2007, just a year after Facebook opened to everyone 13 and older. Since then, most teens have never known a … Read more
Deep work vs. shallow work I’m a fan of Cal Newport for the same reason I like Henry David Thoreau. Newport sees immense value in the ability to focus and filter out distractions. For this reason, I highly recommend his book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. The key idea is … Read more
Revisiting Thoreau’s Walden Every so often, I like to pick up books I haven’t glanced at in a while and lose myself in the words of a sagacious writer. One author I find myself constantly revisiting is Henry David Thoreau—in particular, his book Walden. Most have probably heard of Thoreau, even though his message of … Read more