For All The People: Redeeming the Broken Promises of Modern Media and Reclaiming Our Civic Life

by Michael Slaby, Deval Patrick (Foreword by)

Overview

A leader in digital communication and grassroots political campaigns explains how the internet and modern media have undermined America and how we can reclaim our voices for the good of civic life.

The creators of the internet promised us jetpacks: better experiences, more choices, and deeper relationships.

Built on a diversity of voices, our online freedom was supposed to spark a democratic transformation. But our platforms don’t work for us—we’re the inventory and our outrage fuels a tech revolution optimized for profit, not civic life.

As one of the top digital strategists for Barack Obama’s two presidential campaigns, Michael Slaby saw the beginning of a new kind of national division. What he witnessed would spawn the Tea Party movement, upset the 2016 election, and accelerate the polarization of American civic life.

Slaby presents the four core areas which can be reclaimed to work better for all of us: platforms, government institutions, corporations, and even the users ourselves. Optimistic, future-focused, and deeply passionate, For All The People breaks down how we got here, and how we, the users, can work toward a better democracy through tech.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"In For All the People, Michael Slaby shows us how to think anew about media and the tsunami of information coming at us in our age of technology. This is a book for all of us, offering insights and actions to help make sense of our new world and connect more powerfully with one another." —Beth Comstock, author and former vice chair, GE


"The book combines the big thinking that is too often lacking from today's political dialogue and action steps that will actually make a difference. To say it is a must-read is an understatement." —Brian Reich, author of The Imagination Gap and VP of communications, Murmuration


"An awakening for innovators seeking to drive positive social change and a reclamation of our democracy." —Elizabeth Brigham, director, Hurt Hub@Davidson


"Essential reading for every storyteller, politician, technologist, and citizen." —Lyel Resner, professor, NYU Interactive Telecommunications Program


"Michael Slaby does stellar work explaining how we got to this point as a society and, even more important, presents a compelling—and constructive—vision of where we go from here." —Ian Bremmer, founder and president, Eurasia Group


"This is required reading for anyone working in media, technology, or civic life." —Alex Johnston, founder, Cities Reimagined


"Slaby is the Yuval Noah Harari of media. He pointedly outlines the fracture of our culture and democracy while providing hopeful next steps for how we can redesign our systems for a more civically-minded world."  —Megan Kiefer, author of The Third Dimension of Literacy and founder, Take Two Film Academy


"An earnest and optimistic must-read that can help lead us to a better place as a nation." —Lauren Zalaznick, former chair, Entertainment & Digital Networks, NBC Universal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633310513
Publisher:	Disruption Books
Publication date:	02/23/2021
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.00(d)