In the name of keeping up with what’s happening in the tech industry—and I’ll admit that “technology” seems rather ridiculously broad as a category to lump it all into a single industry, but here we are—I wanted to note a couple of insightful and forthright works that have helped deepen my understanding. And also firmed up my resolve to keep searching for ways to fight, circumvent, or organize against the continuing concentration of power and wealth at the expense of users.
Questing on down to the News & Activism Dept., the steadfast Gandalf to my hapless Pippin continues to be Cory Doctorow, whose dizzyingly link-packed Plura-listic newsletter-slash-blog is indispensable. He’s become my favorite writer, a Harlan Ellison for our time (and also doesn’t require disclaimers about abusive behavior like HE) who blends activism, social commentary, and deeply human stories together.
Paris Marx’s 4-part “Data Vampires” series on the essential Tech Won’t Save Us podcast breaks down the growing incursion of data centers into communities that are often finding vast amounts of their power and water supplies hijacked by server-packed warehouses. And, of course, there’s plenty of cross-referencing with AI hype and the head grifters leading it.
Ed Zitron is always worth reading, but a recent post thoroughly articulated the central problem of tech journalism: reporters who justify their fawning by saying that without direct access the work can’t exist. But all too often they become unquestioning mouthpieces, transcribing promises and pronouncements wholesale, even as it’s become clear the emperors are naked as jaybirds. It’s long and it’s well worth your time.
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