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Fast and informative.

Unless you have a compelling professional or academic interest in getting an understanding of the subject, don't read this book. It is incredibly dry and reads like an encyclopaedia.

Reads like a literature review of all important works on Assam.

Two Key Takeaways:

Alignment Problem: rewarding fort A while wanting B. Facebook might want social good but rewards user engagement. This led to the


‌Intersubjective computer realities: Computers can also be prone to errors. They also create mythologies. For instance, Women being denied jobs by Amazon algorithm because of past data showing they were not ideal fit for the role.

With the rise of surveillance capitalism through AI, we will be monitored for our every actions.

Like in China's social credit scheme we will get jobs not just on the basis of merits, but also on the number of visits we make to our parents and the kind of friends we have in life. It will be an all encompassing totalitarian system that is unparalleled in history.

Halfway in

Takeaways till now

1) Stories & Lists create civilizations

2) Information Network can create order, that is completely bereft of truth. Books created an ecosystem of medieval witch hunters who wrote pamphlets & guidelines about their activities.

3) Better Information Networks have self correcting mechanisms: Christianity doesn't know how to deal with homosexuality. Stalinism led to the death of Stalin

What India After Gandhi did for Indian Politics, this books seeks to do exactly that for Assam. Although the task is monumental, my early impressions are that Saikia is sincere.

It makes an important contribution towards Power Transition Theory (PTT). PTT states conflict arises when a rising power gains material wealth relative to the status quo power and additionally has the intention to dislodge the state.

Miller theorizes what are rising powers? Her core argument is, in addition to rising relative material wealth, a rising power should also have narrative built around its rise.

The book is comprehensive. Often time too comprehensive. Although no one can doubt its relevance due to its detailed theory building.