Morozov offers cautionary tales about technologists and their solutionism mentality to solve all of society's problems. Be prepared for lots of different ideas and references competing for your attention. He is a necessary voice of balance against those who see technology as the end of history. Sometimes a little over the top in his tone. Recommend it. ( )

prescient; illuminating ( )

400 pages of distilled smugness.

Great non-fiction books provide insightful analysis of the world or brave new ideas. Good books provide a fair description of the world and use 1st degree sources. This book falls somewhere between that and the mediocre category. It mostly cites secondary sources, many of which are books much better than itself. It labours the same point repeatedly without making much progress. I'm sympathetic with the author's opinions but this book doesn't argue them well. His attention is always concentrated on the means rather then the source of the problems.

Some passages are just baffling, like the defence of the food critic which the lack of the author thinks is robbing us of the guiding light that would steer us toward culturally enriching food rather than just good food. I don't mind the patronising tone but the pettiness. ( )

good points made obnoxiously ( )

Refreshing. ( )