Amazon.co.uk Review
Are nerds playing into the hands of the corporate elite? Commentator Paulina Borsook examines the politically and philosophically libertarian world of high-tech culture in
Cyberselfish and finds it wanting a soul.
Formerly a writer for Wired, Borsook made a career out of alienating the technology priests and worshippers just enough to keep them reading. Now she is free to go whole hog and say exactly what she thinks--and the techies in San Jose won't be happy. Her leftist-liberal slant helps her see the "me me me" attitudes behind the anti-government, pro-freedom rhetoric spouted reflexively by so many programmers and suits in Silicon Valley and its virtual suburbs.
Unfortunately, that same slant keeps her from respecting that many techies hold these beliefs following years of struggle and thought--and prevents her from understanding that many libertarians are as much or even more sympathetic with liberals than with conservatives. Still, her insights far outweigh her biases, and Cyberselfish is a fascinating take on the Weltanschauung of mid-90s cutting-edge capitalists.
It seems unlikely that Borsook's dark visions of a heartlessly anarchic free market, populated by self-indulgent code millionaires presiding over the long- suffering masses, will materialise on schedule--but her predictions do make for thought-provoking reading while we wait to find out. --Rob Lightner
Product Description
A critique of the narcissism, ignorance and anti-communitarianism of the digital elite and their culture. Until now, the pronouncements of the high-tech gurus and society's obsession with them have rarely been questioned. The author of this text seeks to set the record straight, examining such issues as the lack of philanthropy among high-tech companies, the anti-liberal arts bias - which dismisses most art and literature created before the computer revolution - and the culture's misogyny.
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