I am just starting to read Jaron Lanier’s new book, Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, which so far, I think adds some interesting points to Jore’s documentary. Lanier is a Silicon Valley veteran and insider, but also a humanist and artist and soulful being who hasn’t really drank (or become drunk on) the techno-reductionist kool-aid. I recently read his semi-autobiographical coming of age tale, Dawn of the New Everything, and he is really a deep, sweet, intelligent soul. His new book is kind of preaching to the choir for me, but it is helpful to see the widespread practice of targeted ads not just as “advertising,” which we might find relatively innocuous since we grew up with generalized TV ads, but actually as a massive global program of ‘behavior modification,’ targeting our individual souls.
A Subtle Energy Age would not enslave our vital awareness to serve algorithms of profit maximization, as all our personal information is monetized.
I would be happy to dicuss the subject again. We are, I believe, here, the conscientous objectors and part of a very, very small minority that is attempting to use this technology in a different way. That said, many more people are now seeing the problem, after the 2016 election fiasco and Cambridge Analytica scandal, etc. But we are doing something about it!
Jaron’s talk on the subject:
His new book is short and looking like a quick read. I got it from the library until 9/13, but it’s an interlibrary loan so I can’t renew! If anyone wants to read it and discuss, as a follow-up to Stare Into the Lights…hit me up.