My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The second great book in a row I've read about understanding the impact of various new technologies of the "digital age." The prior book, "The Shallows," really focuses narrowly on the impact had on our neurology - our thinking, our memory, our mindfulness. In this book, Taylor gives a much more expansive and encompassing look at the impact.
She discusses it from the perspective of "old media" versus "new media," from politics and psychology, to economics, sociology, culture, and environmentalism. Similar to "The Shallows," she establishes that so many of these swift changes have occurred with little thought as to the impact it would have; though at times she argues persuasively that society was sold a bill of goods as to the impact, but ultimately got a raw deal.
While she makes convincing, and timely, arguments about the often disastrous economic impact of the new digital media, the lasting impact for me from Taylor's work is the discussion of environmentalism. She very effectively broadens the scope and shows why the contentions that the digital age were an improvement for the environment (we all use less paper, right?), are very much false. Reading it, and reflecting it, gives me pause on my own use of technology - not from the perspective of how it impacts me (which is what reading "The Shallows" did) - but in how it impacts my world and neighbors. The consumerism culture, of which I am often guilty of succumbing too, shares much blame and responsibility for the disastrous effects on our environment.
"The Shallows" made me want to reduce how much I use technology for the sake of my own mental well-being. Taylor's work makes me want to rethink how I use and re-use technology for the sake of my society, and my world.
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