Logic Magazine, Issue 12: Commons

by Ben Tarnoff

The information age began with dreams of a common language. The internet would let any network speak to any other. It has since been described as many kinds of places to gather: a public square, a mall, a street, a garden, or utopia, which is another way of saying no (real) place at all.

In this issue we explore shared standards and protocols that make possible new forms of civic life, ownership, aid, and their opposites, at the same time that they differentiate us ever more precisely. Online, you are unique like everybody else.

Genres: Essays

214 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2020

About the author

Ben Tarnoff is a tech worker, writer, and co-founder of Logic Magazine. His most recent book is Voices from the Valley: Tech Workers Talk About What They Do—and How They Do It, co-authored with Moira Weigel. He has written for the New York Times, the Guardian, the New Republic, and Jacobin.

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite essay in this one was Charlton McIlwain's "The Fort Rodman Experiment," about early tech diversity initiatives and why they were built to fail.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, it took me a while to get through this periodical. Some great articles that get you thinking and trigger debate.

There were so many great articles, it's hard to only pick a few that stand out, but I'd say my favourite articles were "Enter the dragnet", "Decelerate now", "The Fort Rodman experiment" and "How to make a pencil".

I'm looking forward to the next one!

[Subliminal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bunch of articles about cutting-edge tech issues from a left perspective. I enjoyed most "How to Make a Pencil" by Aaron Benanav, about the socialist calculation debate and the "Interview with an Anonymous Amazonian".