Jonathan Taplin with Franklin Foer: Our Cornered Culture

In his new book World Without Mind, author and correspondent Franklin Foer traces the intellectual history of computer science—from Descartes and the enlightenment to Alan Turing to Stuart Brand and the hippie origins of today's Silicon Valley, exposing the dark underpinnings of our most idealistic dreams for technology. He turns to Google, Facebook, Apple, and Amazon, arguing that in our rush to embrace these huge corporations, we have succumbed to the automation and homogenization of social, political, and intellectual life. Foer will join producer and manager Jonathan Taplin in conversation, whose book Move Fast and Break Things tackles a similar theme, asking the question of how the people behind big tech came to corner culture and undermine democracy. In tracing the rise to power of the tech behemoths that have unprecedented influence over the way we live, he highlights the shift in power they now have - both financial and political. 

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Engage with the brightest at The New York Public Library’s premier cultural series! LIVE from the NYPL offers conversations with notable writers, artists, and leaders, hosted by Paul Holdengräber. Learn more about LIVE.

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The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of The New York Public Library.