Enshittification - Cory Doctorow at Powell's Books

I got to see one of my favorite authors and bloggers present at Powell’s Books, professor Cory Doctorow. On tour for his latest release “Enshittification” - a term he coined that describes perfectly what is happening to our internet and the digital neurocenter of our society.

Much of the talk and likely I’m guessing his book contained much of what he has been blogging and saying on podcasts and public appearances for the last few years. Essentially, the erosion of our competitive and political controls around private business, the dominance of monopolies and their effects, regulatory capture, digital surveillance, and much more. All told in that inimitable Cory Doctorow fashion. The eloquence and speed that this man can weave humor, biting critiques and observation, and fascinating factoids into his stream of consciousness speaking style is frankly breathtaking.

I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and it was worth getting out for.

Also fascinating:

• book recommendation: Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy

  A deeply researched investigation that reveals how the United States is like a spider at the heart of an international web of surveillance and control, which it weaves in the form of globe-spanning networks such as fiber optic cables and obscure payment systems

• “Reverse Centaurs” - when man is a tool of the machine, rather than the other way around

• Cory had very pragmatic and rational things to say about our individual ability to fight enshittification - namely that it won’t matter (however do what you want/need to in order to better your personal life, just don’t expect Amazon to implode as a business because you cancelled your Prime subscription). What we really need to do is band together collectively. Fascists hate the collective power of unions, which is why they are always one of their priority targets. I learned there are several volunteer organizations for EFF (the Electronic Frontier Foundation) that operate in Portland. And passed a bill in Oregon that prevents companies from making right to repair illegal. EFF Website

• Vocational Awe as a term. Coined by Fobazi. A love of what you do, and how that is often used to exploit labor - think video game artists and programmers.

• book recommendation: Careless People A Cautionary Tale of Power Greed & Lost Idealism. A tell all of facebook’s early days. A friend felt there was just justifiable critique around the timing of this book - apparently she released it years after she had already gotten rich off of vested Facebook stock, but better late than never I suppose?