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A review by aaron_anderson
The Glass Cage: Automation and Us by Nicholas Carr
3.0
The Glass Cage is an enjoyable read and nice compliment to more rosy essays on automaton. The central thesis is that automation alienates us from meaningful work, and when we lose meaningful work, we lose something fundamental to our humanity. I can appreciate this sentiment (oh how he hates the label "sentimental"), but think he overlooks the artificial nature of all work.
His arguments would have been as relevant to neolithic hunter gatherers on the verge of full agriculture as they are on us and automation. All technological change comes with a "but think about what we are losing!" faction. We certainly lost something when we stopped hunting in packs and gathering wild plants, however we gained much more than comfort. Who could have predicted the arts and philosophies that would grow out of the increased specialization of agriculture? Who can predict the benefits to our humanity that increased automation may bring? I found his argument that it is different this time wanting.
Carr acknowledges our autonomy in interaction with technology, but not when it comes to the definition of meaning. Being in the world is what we make of it, it is not inherently tethered to the use of our bodies for physical work.
His arguments would have been as relevant to neolithic hunter gatherers on the verge of full agriculture as they are on us and automation. All technological change comes with a "but think about what we are losing!" faction. We certainly lost something when we stopped hunting in packs and gathering wild plants, however we gained much more than comfort. Who could have predicted the arts and philosophies that would grow out of the increased specialization of agriculture? Who can predict the benefits to our humanity that increased automation may bring? I found his argument that it is different this time wanting.
Carr acknowledges our autonomy in interaction with technology, but not when it comes to the definition of meaning. Being in the world is what we make of it, it is not inherently tethered to the use of our bodies for physical work.