Description

The beloved author ofThe Revenge of Analoglays out a case for a human futurenot the false technological utopia weve been living

For years consumers have been promised a simple carefree digital futureWe could live work learn and play from the comforts of our homes and have whatever we desire brought to our door with the flick of a finger Instant communication would bring us together Technological convenience would give us more time to focus on what really mattered

When the pandemic hit that future transformed into the present almost overnight And the reviews arent great It turns out that leaving the house is underrated instant communication spreads anger better than joy and convenience takes away time rather than giving it to us Oops

But as David Sax argues in this insightful book weve also had our eyes opened There is nothing about the future that has to be digital and embracing the reality of human experience doesnt mean resisting change In chapters exploring work school leisure and more Sax asks perceptive and pointed questions what happens to struggling students when theyre not in a classroom If our software is built for productivity who tends to the social and cultural aspects of our jobs Can you have religion without community

For many people the best parts of quarantine have been the least digital ones baking bread playing board games going hiking We used our hands and hugged our children and breathed fresh air This book suggests that if we want a healthy future we need to choose not convenience but community not technology but humanity