TechGnosis: Myth, Magic, and Mysticism in the Age of Information

I first read this shortly after it came out, but I have periodically been back to it and I think it's still as relevant as when it came out - which is no mean feat for a book that deals with a fast-moving area like technology. I think the reason it has stood the test of time so well has to do with its focus on our own attitudes to technology (as much as on the technology itself). We like to think of ourselves as having attained a level of sophistication that has taken us beyond the kind of primitive attitudes which Arthur C Clarke was probably thinking of when he suggested that any sufficiently advanced technology would be indistinguishable from magic. The key insight of Techgnosis is that some of those primitive views still exert a show more strong influence when it comes to our reactions to technology and in particular, our hopes about what it can do for us (particularly its ability to "transform" our world). That insight remains as important now as when the book was first written. show less

I loved this. Not only does it shine light on traditionally-occulted aspects of tech history, the writing exuberates in allusions that range from hilarious to astute.

Less satisfying than I'd hoped. Though Erik Davis makes the case that technology and spirituality are and have been inextricably linked throughout human history, he doesn't really offer a theory as to why this is so or take a position on whether this is a good or a bad thing. I would have preferred less of his supporting his argument and more analysis of it.

Sharp and timely, TechGnosis reveals the occult and classical mythologies and symbolism underlying communication technologies from ancient history to digital file-sharing. It's an original and erudite piece of work, written with a flair and playfulness that belie the scholarly research evident throughout, and with just the right balance of wonder and scepticism.

“Erik Davis’ compendious recitation of the history of communications technology dominates the discursive landscape of techno-exegesis like a Martian war machine. In the grand style of H.G. Wells, TECHGNOSIS is an apocalyptic synopsis of this century’s technological climax.”