Book Review : Program Or Be Programmed
In one scene of the book, a character is chanting "Peace & Love, Peace & Love" to calm a tense situation. At the exact same time I was reading that scene, a group of teenage boys sitting near me on the train started repeating "Peace & Love, Peace & Love" in unison, followed by one of them saying "That's so lame" and erupting in laughter. No I am not making this up. So thank you, Douglas Rushkoff, for being a part of one of the strangest synchronicities in my life.
Program Or Be Programmed - Ten Commandments For A Digital Age
Good
The debate over whether the Net is good or bad for us fills the airwaves and the blogosphere. But for all the heat of claim and counter-claim, the argument is essentially beside the point: it’s here; it’s everywhere. The real question is, do we direct technology, or do we let ourselves be directed by it and those who have mastered it? “Choose the former,” writes Rushkoff, “and you gain access to the control panel of civilization. Choose the latter, and it could be the last real choice you get to make.” In ten chapters, composed of ten “commands” accompanied by original illustrations from comic artist Leland Purvis, Rushkoff provides cyberenthusiasts and technophobes alike with the guidelines to navigate this new universe.
Good
The Survival Strategy:
Rushkoff provides a much-needed perspective on how we can use the 21st century for positive change, rather than being used by it. Digital is a tool that we can use to empower or disempower ourselves, and we'd best decide which it's going to be before it's too late.
Rushkoff provides a much-needed perspective on how we can use the 21st century for positive change, rather than being used by it. Digital is a tool that we can use to empower or disempower ourselves, and we'd best decide which it's going to be before it's too late.
The Format:
Dividing his points into ten rules, followed up with brief explanations, was a great way to make the material understandable. You could pause between each rule, and make sure you fully absorbed it. Better format than similar books that throw a lot of disparate info at you at once.
Dividing his points into ten rules, followed up with brief explanations, was a great way to make the material understandable. You could pause between each rule, and make sure you fully absorbed it. Better format than similar books that throw a lot of disparate info at you at once.
The Contrarian:
Rushkoff is a discerning intellect and a TRUE skeptic, meaning he really does question everything, as opposed to skeptics who just function as attack dogs for the status quo. He helps the reader shed a lot of preconceptions about what the Digital world is (or should be) about.
Rushkoff is a discerning intellect and a TRUE skeptic, meaning he really does question everything, as opposed to skeptics who just function as attack dogs for the status quo. He helps the reader shed a lot of preconceptions about what the Digital world is (or should be) about.
The Positive Intention:
Douglas Rushkoff wants the Digital World to be about social and human interactions as much as possible. He is highly critical of branding and advertising. Yet, despite that that's what I do for a living, I did not come away feeling like shit. I came away inspired to create genuinely uplifting and useful things while in the service of my corporate masters.
Douglas Rushkoff wants the Digital World to be about social and human interactions as much as possible. He is highly critical of branding and advertising. Yet, despite that that's what I do for a living, I did not come away feeling like shit. I came away inspired to create genuinely uplifting and useful things while in the service of my corporate masters.
The Hive Mind:
I, along with many other wacky nerds, believe the Internet is in the first stages of creating a collective consciousness that will connect people on many intimate levels in the future. Rushkoff discusses that possibility several times in the book, and states one of his purposes is to ensure our individuality isn't overrun in the digital march forward. Good stuff.
I, along with many other wacky nerds, believe the Internet is in the first stages of creating a collective consciousness that will connect people on many intimate levels in the future. Rushkoff discusses that possibility several times in the book, and states one of his purposes is to ensure our individuality isn't overrun in the digital march forward. Good stuff.
The Anti-Freeloaders:
"Free" can be a part of valuable marketing programs and business models in some cases. But people who participate in the piracy of intellectual property are thieves and freeloaders. One of the worst aspects of the way the Internet has developed is in its facilitating of intellectual property theft. It is seriously disrespectful to people who have worked very hard to create something compelling. Douglas Rushkoff points this out, and shows a healthy skepticism of selfish aggregators on the internet who want to push the "Free" kool-aid on everyone.
"Free" can be a part of valuable marketing programs and business models in some cases. But people who participate in the piracy of intellectual property are thieves and freeloaders. One of the worst aspects of the way the Internet has developed is in its facilitating of intellectual property theft. It is seriously disrespectful to people who have worked very hard to create something compelling. Douglas Rushkoff points this out, and shows a healthy skepticism of selfish aggregators on the internet who want to push the "Free" kool-aid on everyone.
Not So Good
Just The Facts:
Rushkoff makes the claim several times in the book that people participating in the internet's peer-to-peer relationships are most inspired by relaying facts and discussing information with each other. I think that is way off base. I can only assume I must not be understanding his point.
Rushkoff makes the claim several times in the book that people participating in the internet's peer-to-peer relationships are most inspired by relaying facts and discussing information with each other. I think that is way off base. I can only assume I must not be understanding his point.
The Internet is an incredibly popular medium for storytelling and entertainment within and outside of social networks. And one need only point at YouTube and games like World of Warcraft for examples of social networks based on storytelling. One could say that YouTube isn't an interactive medium, but between videos, video responses, and comments, we have a lot of interactive storytelling going on. And not every video is just facts and information.
He goes on to say that because facts and truth rule, then branding on the internet is dead. I will concede that most internet advertising is insulting garbage. But there are plenty of interactive ad campaigns, and campaigns that bridged online and offline worlds, that serve as counterexamples.
I agree that authenticity, usefulness, and truthfulness win big in digital peer to peer relationships. But it's simply not true to say that facts and information are all that's going on there. Furthermore, compelling stories can make your memes spread further than they would on their own.
Update: I've written a more coherent response to Rushkoff's declaration that "Branding is Dead" here. "I have been a great admirer of Douglas Rushkoff for many years and thoroughly recommend his latest book "Program Or Be Programmed." But I feel he is creating a Straw Man argument here. I had the same issue with his comments on branding in the aforementioned book.I actually agree with Rushkoff that brands based on BS aren't going to be all that successful in social networks. But not all brands are stunts, hype, and lies, such as starlets lasciviously eating burgers.There are, and have always been, many brands based on true and authentic attributes of the product. In fact, the brands that are the most authentic often have the most staying power, and this authenticity carries over into social networks. Example:
Imagine you and your friend are jogging enthusiasts. He tweets "My new British Knights running shoes are so comfortable. I just ran for miles and my feet feel great." You're probably going to go "Huh?" But on the other hand, if your friend said that about Nike, you're going to be nodding your head. Nike has spent a mind-boggling fortune ensuring that both their products and their brand authentically represented high quality. The social media age doesn't change the power of strong, authentic, and compelling brands. And companies that want to be successful will continue to find meaningful ways to make their brand resonate."
Imagine you and your friend are jogging enthusiasts. He tweets "My new British Knights running shoes are so comfortable. I just ran for miles and my feet feel great." You're probably going to go "Huh?" But on the other hand, if your friend said that about Nike, you're going to be nodding your head. Nike has spent a mind-boggling fortune ensuring that both their products and their brand authentically represented high quality. The social media age doesn't change the power of strong, authentic, and compelling brands. And companies that want to be successful will continue to find meaningful ways to make their brand resonate."
Summary
Eminently readable, quotable, and applicable to your job and your life.
(Illustration at the top from here- http://www.orbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/6IDENTITY_ink.jpg)
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