What Technology Wants

This is the second book I’ve read that sort of argues that technology is kind of its own life form. It “wants” to advance, and humans are just the unwitting accomplices.

This isn’t…bad. Meaning the book isn’t dystopian or doom and gloom or something. But is does speak to the idea that technology is an emergent result of the actions and desires of billions of people, and it grows and expands on its own accord. Sometimes that’s great, and sometimes it’s not.

The author is Kevin Kelly, who was the original editor-in-chief at Wired magazine. I’ve met him once – we were at a conference together at The Presidio in the Bay Area, and he gave me a personal tour of the Internet Archive building back in 2007, which was pretty cool.

I don’t know what to make of the book. It’s definitely very strategic, big picture, philosophical stuff. It’s something that might inform your thinking, but it’s not a collection of practical advice or anything.