You Are Not a Gadget

You Are Not a Gadget (2010) by Jaron Lanier. The author's self-described "manifesto" eloquently makes the case that computers are just extensions of humans -- not the other way around. He pushes back, hard, against the idea that computers are getting so smart that soon humans will be irrelevant. He poo-poos a wide range of ideas, such as the notion that sites like Wikipedia, Facebook and Twitter are elevating the "wisdom of mobs" and computer algorithms over the intelligence and judgment of individuals. Unfortunately, Lanier is so erudite and esoteric that his book was hard for me to fully understand. It's not an easy read, but it is an interesting one. Grade: B+