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"Will change the way you think about thinking." -Daniel H. Pink, author of A Whole New Mind
Renowned behavioral economist and commentator Tyler Cowen shows that our supernetworked world is changing the way we think-and empowering us to thrive in any economic climate. Whether it is micro-blogging on Twitter or buying single songs at iTunes, we can now customize our lives to shape our own specific needs. In other words, we can create our own economy-and live smarter, happier, fuller lives. At a time when apocalyptic thinking has become all too common, Cowen offers a much- needed information age manifesto that will resonate with readers of Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational, Steven Johnson's Everything Bad is Good for You, and everyone hungry to understand our potential to withstand, and even thrive, in any economic climate.
Preface
When the economy is doing poorly, people “cocoon” and turn to less expensive pleasures. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, people cut back on the expensive evening out and looked to board games, radio, and family entertainment at home. People learned how to do more with less and those tendencies shaped American life for decades. The Great Depression wasn’t just an economic event; it was also a cultural shift. And there is another cultural shift going on right now. In bad economic times people exercise more, eat out less and cook more, and engage in more projects for self- improvement and self-education. Usage at public libraries goes up and people will spend more time on the internet; (after all, once you’ve paid for your connection most of the surfing is free). These trends are more important than most of us realize and in this book I will tell you why. I will tell you why they are not just short- run trends but why they presage something much deeper about our future and about how we use information.
The challenge is this: When a recession comes, rather than surrendering, what can we do to empower ourselves and create a better life? What technologies can we use and how? How can we use information in a more powerful way? To whom should we look as the new role models and the new heroes? How can we turn inward and improve who we are and how we organize our internal personal worlds?
This book is about the power of the individual to make a difference and also to change an entire world, whether or not the supposed economic forces are on your side. To thrive in an era that produces and devours information like never before, you need to become more adept at finding, sorting, and absorbing ideas, news, and all kinds of data. The age of the infovore has arrived.
Anonymous
Posted October 27, 2011
The new title is more fitting than the original published title, "Create Your Own Economy." That name connoted a business/career/self-improvement vibe that is almost wholly absent in the actual text. Cowen focuses more on reconceiving autism and autistic' experience and lifestyle--both in and of itself and as a lens for understanding how technology is reshaping our lives.
In that respect, I felt it is an important work, but beyond changing how I think about autism, I don't anticipate much change in either my behavior or how I think about myself or my world. The former may be enough to make it worthwhile but I was hoping for more. (The fault may be my own--I was familiar with both editorial and Cowen's own comments about the work, and I was still taken aback by the extent to which it seemed to be about autism per se. I assume the mistake is mine).
I ultimately didn't enjoy it much. Again, the fault may be my own; I find Cowen's blog more interesting and had encountered the seeds of enough of these ideas there that there were relatively few surprises. I hope his notions--particularly of autistics as more normal, capable and valuable than conventional wisdom holds--gain wider traction, but I can't recommend the current book with much enthusiasm.
Anonymous
Posted July 8, 2011
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
"Will change the way you think about thinking." -Daniel H. Pink, author of A Whole New Mind
Renowned behavioral economist and commentator Tyler Cowen shows that our supernetworked world is changing the way we think-and empowering us to thrive in any economic climate. Whether it is micro-blogging on Twitter or buying single songs at iTunes, we can now customize our lives to shape our own specific needs. In other words, we can create our own economy-and live smarter, happier, ...