The Internet Is Not the Answer
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- ¥1,400
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- ¥1,400
Publisher Description
The renowned Internet commentator and author of How to Fix the Future"expos[es] the greed, egotism and narcissism that fuels the tech world" (Chicago Tribune).
The digital revolution has contributed to the world in many positive ways, but we are less aware of the Internet's deeply negative effects. The Internet Is Not the Answer, by longtime Internet skeptic Andrew Keen, offers a comprehensive look at what the Internet is doing to our lives. The book traces the technological and economic history of the Internet, from its founding in the 1960s through the rise of big data companies to the increasing attempts to monetize almost every human activity. In this sharp, witty narrative, informed by the work of other writers, reporters, and academics, as well as his own research and interviews, Keen shows us the tech world, warts and all.
Startling and important, The Internet Is Not the Answer is a big-picture look at what the Internet is doing to our society and an investigation of what we can do to try to make sure the decisions we are making about the reconfiguring of our world do not lead to unpleasant, unforeseen aftershocks.
"Andrew Keen has written a very powerful and daring manifesto questioning whether the Internet lives up to its own espoused values. He is not an opponent of Internet culture, he is its conscience, and must be heard." —Po Bronson, #1 New York Times–bestselling author
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Keen (Digital Vertigo) presents an damning indictment of the Internet and digital technology, arguing that they have failed to deliver on their promises of fostering greater democracy and openness. Keen acknowledges that new technology is reshaping society but asserts, "It hasn't transformed the role of either power or wealth in the world." Instead, we're seeing "deepening inequality of wealth and opportunity." Keen points repeatedly to the Internet's destructive impact on jobs, noting that the private sector employs fewer and fewer people, even as profit levels rise; new technology companies are destroying jobs without creating new ones. And the Internet fosters voyeurism, narcissism, and misogyny; it enables unprecedented and untold information gathering and surveillance. Keen has a deep understanding of technology and concedes that "the Internet is not all bad." But he argues that the negatives outweigh the positives, and that the self-important Silicon Valley entrepreneurs of the 21st century "have much in common with the capitalist robber barons of the first industrial revolution." Though Keen misses several opportunities to genuinely, journalistically engage with the examples he draws, he offers a well-written, convincing critique of Silicon Valley, and a worthy read for anyone with an email account.
