The network would indeed generate a lot of wealth, but it would be wealth of the Adam Smith sort—and it would be concentrated in a few hands, not widely spread. The culture that emerged on the network, and that now extends deep into our lives and psyches, is characterised by frenetic production and consumption—smartphones have made media machines of us all—but little real empowerment and even less reflectiveness. It’s a culture of distraction and dependency.
Aeon shares an excerpt from Nicholas Carr’s new book on the American technological myth and the repercussions of the Internet.
