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Webtopia: The world wide wreck of tech and how to make the net work
The web was supposed to transform our world. So why are things so messed up? The arrival of the internet promised a utopian, creative and democratic future that would break down traditional institutions and replace them with exciting collaborative networks. But 20 years on the world seems more divided and more distracted than ever, and it is this amazing technology that lies at the heart of many of our most pressing problems. In Webtopia, Peter Lewis draws from his own pre- and post-tech experience and conversations with entrepreneurs, politicians, pastors, parents, teachers and journalists to argue that technology itself is not the problem. We are. If we can fix our relationship with technology, it will be easier to fix our relationships with each other in an increasingly fragmenting world. Riveting, engaging and wise, Webtopia traces our digital journey to this crisis point and, fearlessly, marks out a better route from here.
- GenresNonfictionTechnology
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 24, 2020
The last 30 years or so has seen the growth and development of what might be termed the Digital Revolution. It continues to grow at what appears to be an exponential rate of growth, to the extent that despite its increasing popularity, the appearance of cracks in the system are beginning to show; and the very effort of trying to keep up with the ever mushrooming applications of digital technologies is contributing to our modern sense of societal anxiety, both in regards to the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) and also the Fear of being forever left out and abandoned by the very speed of its progress. If this resonates with your current state of mind in this regard, then Lewis’ book is a must-read.
The book covers the past several decades conceptually regarding this Digital Revolution in four parts: The Way the World Was; The Way the World Would Be; The Way the World Is; and The Way the World Could Be. Lewis is perfectly positioned to be able to comment on each of these aspects: he has been part of (directly and indirectly) the whole process — so he knows both the highs and the lows of his subject. His writing is not technical, but instead is very easy to read; and it is full of anecdotes of actual experiences by many as involved in the process as the author. We can experience the excitement of the new and the great potential offered via the new associated technologies, as well as pinpointing the moments when some of the consequences (real and potential) of those same technologies seem to raise some doubts about the unalloyed positive values and ideals that accompanied its beginnings.
Personally I have always felt that part of the problem of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is that it is artificial — i.e. that it is man-made, and therefore subject to human errors as much as anything man-made is. AI is a tool, not an end in itself: it should be used to assist us in achieving Real Intelligence. Uncontrolled and unregulated AI is more concerned with speed, more or less instantaneous processing, superb rapid analysis of mountains of data to achieve astonishing and marvellous results which, unfortunately, are just as illusory as ordinary human processing.
With the latter, the comparative slowness of the process allows for more time to think about, respond, and hopefully have more time to adjust and temper results in accordance with our actual human needs and realities. With AI we are often (always?) left with the feeling that, whatever we might say or do with our information, it is already so far behind where AI is, that we are forced to succumb to its greater processing power: we are being left behind almost before we have even had the time to process what has happened. Is this the most useful way to use AI?
Mercifully, humans are very good at responding when things go awry; but we can do so only at our own pace. The real danger of AI is that it can so readily outpace humanity in that, especially when our technologies are also linked to dangerous political, social and military hardware, we might very well find ourselves unable (literally) to adjust and tame any intemperance in time to prevent the worst excesses.
Lewis is not negative about all this: he fully appreciates that in AI we have a great, powerful and wondrous tool at our disposal — but only so long as we can ensure that it is used to our advantage. Uncontrolled and untethered AI has the great potential, on the other hand, to completely sideline humanity, to the extent of potentially destroying the very humanity which created it.
Time to stop and think? Most definitely. And this book will provide an excellent backstory to help all of us along the best pathway for humanity’s brighter future.
The book covers the past several decades conceptually regarding this Digital Revolution in four parts: The Way the World Was; The Way the World Would Be; The Way the World Is; and The Way the World Could Be. Lewis is perfectly positioned to be able to comment on each of these aspects: he has been part of (directly and indirectly) the whole process — so he knows both the highs and the lows of his subject. His writing is not technical, but instead is very easy to read; and it is full of anecdotes of actual experiences by many as involved in the process as the author. We can experience the excitement of the new and the great potential offered via the new associated technologies, as well as pinpointing the moments when some of the consequences (real and potential) of those same technologies seem to raise some doubts about the unalloyed positive values and ideals that accompanied its beginnings.
Personally I have always felt that part of the problem of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is that it is artificial — i.e. that it is man-made, and therefore subject to human errors as much as anything man-made is. AI is a tool, not an end in itself: it should be used to assist us in achieving Real Intelligence. Uncontrolled and unregulated AI is more concerned with speed, more or less instantaneous processing, superb rapid analysis of mountains of data to achieve astonishing and marvellous results which, unfortunately, are just as illusory as ordinary human processing.
With the latter, the comparative slowness of the process allows for more time to think about, respond, and hopefully have more time to adjust and temper results in accordance with our actual human needs and realities. With AI we are often (always?) left with the feeling that, whatever we might say or do with our information, it is already so far behind where AI is, that we are forced to succumb to its greater processing power: we are being left behind almost before we have even had the time to process what has happened. Is this the most useful way to use AI?
Mercifully, humans are very good at responding when things go awry; but we can do so only at our own pace. The real danger of AI is that it can so readily outpace humanity in that, especially when our technologies are also linked to dangerous political, social and military hardware, we might very well find ourselves unable (literally) to adjust and tame any intemperance in time to prevent the worst excesses.
Lewis is not negative about all this: he fully appreciates that in AI we have a great, powerful and wondrous tool at our disposal — but only so long as we can ensure that it is used to our advantage. Uncontrolled and untethered AI has the great potential, on the other hand, to completely sideline humanity, to the extent of potentially destroying the very humanity which created it.
Time to stop and think? Most definitely. And this book will provide an excellent backstory to help all of us along the best pathway for humanity’s brighter future.
September 11, 2019
I loved this. As a gen-X this documentation of the rise of the web and the connected world is a fascinating read, especially for those of us concerned about the virtual taking the place of the relational. Not a catastrophising text but an honest one with hope for our shared future.
August 29, 2021
When you life coincides with a transformative technological change, it can be hard to maintain a sense of historical perspective, so rapid are the changes and so fundamental is the shift in our consciousness
But in this book, former journalist and entrepreneur Peter Lewis, who founded the research firm Essential Media, seeks to reflect in a meaningful way on the upending of our lives by the internet in these past three decades.
As one of those who has thrived and prospered amid the disruption wrought by the web, Lewis could easily have written 'Weptopia' as another of those digital fanboy 'the-world-has-changed-forever-suck-it-up-baby' triumphal declarations over the Luddites. And perhaps had he written this 10 years earlier, it might have turned out that way.
But as he notes throughout this book in chapters reflecting on the transformation of work, politics, community, media and even religion by the internet, the dark side of the disruptive powers of the web has become increasingly evident in recent years.
The early hopes of web idealists like Timothy Berners-Lee for the internet as a force that brought us together, broke down established hierachies and instituted a new form of commons that liberated us from the marketisation of everything have turned sour.
While mindful of not dismissing the huge advantages the internet has given us in opening up information flows, encouraging connections and unleashing huge productive forces, Lewis suspects it is now time to cast a more critical eye on what we have created.
"I think changes like those we are experiencing today are so profound that they should be negotiated carefully to ensure the benefits are shared broadly rather than concentrated in those few who hold the levers of the technology," he writes.
"More fundamentally, I think as citizens in a democracy we have the right to demand these changes be critically examined and negotiated before they are imposed on us."
Key to this is the now enormous power of behemoth companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon (the last of which owns this website I am writing this review on), who are capturing and monetising our data and taking all the spoils for themselves.
His last chapter focuses on possible solutions, which inevitably will be political ones. A break-up of the digital giants, similar to what happened to the robber barons of the late 19th century, seems inevitable. But it will be a brave politician that attempts it.
This is not the only recent book to raise the alarm about the direction in which our hyper-networked lives are taking. An even darker view is expressed by US academic Shoshana Zuboff in her magisterial 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power'. Lewis' take, while more journalistic and anecdotal, is nevertheless a good place to start.
Highly recommended.
But in this book, former journalist and entrepreneur Peter Lewis, who founded the research firm Essential Media, seeks to reflect in a meaningful way on the upending of our lives by the internet in these past three decades.
As one of those who has thrived and prospered amid the disruption wrought by the web, Lewis could easily have written 'Weptopia' as another of those digital fanboy 'the-world-has-changed-forever-suck-it-up-baby' triumphal declarations over the Luddites. And perhaps had he written this 10 years earlier, it might have turned out that way.
But as he notes throughout this book in chapters reflecting on the transformation of work, politics, community, media and even religion by the internet, the dark side of the disruptive powers of the web has become increasingly evident in recent years.
The early hopes of web idealists like Timothy Berners-Lee for the internet as a force that brought us together, broke down established hierachies and instituted a new form of commons that liberated us from the marketisation of everything have turned sour.
While mindful of not dismissing the huge advantages the internet has given us in opening up information flows, encouraging connections and unleashing huge productive forces, Lewis suspects it is now time to cast a more critical eye on what we have created.
"I think changes like those we are experiencing today are so profound that they should be negotiated carefully to ensure the benefits are shared broadly rather than concentrated in those few who hold the levers of the technology," he writes.
"More fundamentally, I think as citizens in a democracy we have the right to demand these changes be critically examined and negotiated before they are imposed on us."
Key to this is the now enormous power of behemoth companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon (the last of which owns this website I am writing this review on), who are capturing and monetising our data and taking all the spoils for themselves.
His last chapter focuses on possible solutions, which inevitably will be political ones. A break-up of the digital giants, similar to what happened to the robber barons of the late 19th century, seems inevitable. But it will be a brave politician that attempts it.
This is not the only recent book to raise the alarm about the direction in which our hyper-networked lives are taking. An even darker view is expressed by US academic Shoshana Zuboff in her magisterial 'The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power'. Lewis' take, while more journalistic and anecdotal, is nevertheless a good place to start.
Highly recommended.
January 14, 2022
Excellent book. Explains how the Web grew and how it operates and how it affects us in so many insidious ways and what we can do about it. Written in plain English by an author who is not an historian, nor an academic, nor a technical expert. He draws on his vast experiences as a journalist instead.
August 20, 2022
Excellently articulated account witness of the impacts of network technology across the last few decades. Intertwined with relatable anecdotes makes this piece speak to the reader. Thoroughly enjoyed.
March 11, 2023
Essential Reading
Though it took me few years to get back to - still very relevant; and important for all of us; trying to make sense of tech in our lives and our family’s - and what it is doing to broader society
Though it took me few years to get back to - still very relevant; and important for all of us; trying to make sense of tech in our lives and our family’s - and what it is doing to broader society
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews