The Better Practice Forum

I found You are not a gadget to be a compelling book, especially worthy of attention by anyone who has embarked on the perilous journey of making a living from the web.

Jaron Lanier is a man after my own heart: someone who is not afraid to swim against the tide, even when the gathering waters seem irresistible.

Lanier has taken on the mantle of the boy in the story of The Emperor’s New Clothes and points out some essential home truths about the prevailing tide of enthusiasm for washing away established business models and human behaviour.

He is a global heavyweight who has substantial experience at the bleeding edge of technology and talent in the world of music.
[ad#notagadget]Lanier is credited with coining the term Virtual Reality and has impeccable credentials in that field.

Now, in his book You are not a gadget Lanier swims against a tide, that he has formerly surfed quite happily, by speaking out against some of the fundamental tenets of Web 2.0, the Hive mind, Creative Commons, the Singularity and the so-called Long Tail; all of which he categorises as worrying elements in the previously inexorable trend towards what he terms Cybernetic Totalism.

The book is insightful and highly recommended.

Lanier thinks that, if unchecked, Cybernetic Totalism will dehumanise mankind and destroy opportunities for creators to benefit from their endeavours.

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