On this week’s podcast, Jaron Lanier, pioneering computer scientist, musician, visual artist, and author, discusses his book, You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto. Lanier discusses effects of the web becoming “regularized” and dangers he sees with “hive mind” production, which he claims leads to “crummy design.” He also explains why he thinks advertising is a misnomer, contending that modern advertising is more about access to potential consumers than expressive or creative form. Lanier also advocates for more peer-to-peer rather than hub-and-spoke transactions, discusses why he’s worried about the disappearance of the middle class, claims that “free” isn’t really free, talks about libertarian ideals, and explains why he’s ultimately hopeful about the future.
Related Links
- “Book review: Jaron Lanier’s You Are Not a Gadget”, by Adam Thierer
- “Caught in the Web”, The Wall Street Journal
- “A Rebel in Cyberspace, Fighting Collectivism”, The New York Times
- “The Geek Freaks: Why Jaron Lanier rants against what the Web has become”, Slate
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The Technology Liberation Front is the tech policy blog dedicated to keeping politicians' hands off the 'net and everything else related to technology.
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