BOOK BRIEF

You Are Not a Gadget

Jaron Lanier
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You Are Not a Gadget

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2010

Book Brief

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Jaron Lanier

You Are Not a Gadget

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2010
Book Details
Pages

221

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Publication Year

2010

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

In You Are Not a Gadget, Jaron Lanier critiques technology's impact on individuality and creativity. He discusses digital culture's tendency to devalue personal expression and warns against collective online identity shaping. Lanier advocates for preserving personal agency and diversity, urging thoughtful design to ensure technology enhances rather than diminishes human experiences.

Informative

Contemplative

Challenging

Mysterious

Unnerving

Reviews & Readership

3.9

6,702 ratings

56%

Loved it

29%

Mixed feelings

15%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Jaron Lanier's You Are Not a Gadget critiques the digital age, emphasizing the risks of dehumanization and loss of individuality online. Positively, it encourages critical thinking about technology's impact. However, some find it overly pessimistic and lacking solutions. The book is thought-provoking but can seem nostalgic for a pre-digital era.

Who should read this

Who Should Read You Are Not a Gadget?

A reader who enjoys You Are Not a Gadget by Jaron Lanier is likely a tech-savvy individual interested in the philosophical impacts of digital culture. Fans of The Shallows by Nicholas Carr or Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport would find its thought-provoking critique of Web 2.0 appealing.

3.9

6,702 ratings

56%

Loved it

29%

Mixed feelings

15%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

221

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Publication Year

2010

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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