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The Art of Manliness

#372: World Without Mind — The Existential Threat of Big Tech

The Art of Manliness

The Art of Manliness

Society & Culture, Education, Philosophy

4.714.5K Ratings

🗓️ 18 January 2018

⏱️ 41 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

During the past decade three companies have revolutionized the way we shop, socialize, and find information. I’m talking, of course, about Amazon, Facebook, and Google. While these companies have made our lives easier in many ways, my guest today argues that they’re also eroding autonomy and individuality. His name is Franklin Foer and he’s the author of the book, "World Without Mind: The Existential Threat of Big Tech." Today on the show, Franklin talks about how the utopian ideals of Silicon Valley have led to an internet that is becoming more and more homogenized and centralized. We then dig into how the vast amounts of personal information these companies have about us can be used to manipulate us. Franklin then argues that while these companies make us feel more autonomous, they’re actually diminishing our choices and reducing our individuality. We end our conversation discussing ideas on what you can do to maintain your sense of autonomy in today’s atmosphere.

Transcript

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0:00.0

[♪ INTRO MUSIC PLAYING [♪

0:13.9

Brett McCay here and welcome to another edition of the Art of Manliness Podcast.

0:17.9

During the past decade, three companies have revolutionized the way we shop, socialize,

0:21.7

and find information.

0:22.7

I'm talking, of course, about Amazon, Facebook, and Google.

0:25.6

While these companies have made their lives easier in many ways, my guests are the argues

0:28.5

that they're also eroding autonomy and individuality.

0:30.8

His name is Franklin Four, and he's the author of the book, World Without Mind, the Extrude

0:34.4

Right of Big Tech.

0:35.4

And today on the show, Franklin talks about how the utopian ideals of Silicon Valley have

0:38.6

led to an internet that's becoming more and more homogenized and centralized.

0:42.2

We then dig into the vast amounts of personal information these companies collect about

0:45.4

us and how they're using it on us.

0:47.4

And then Franklin argues while these companies make us feel more autonomous, they're actually

0:50.9

diminishing our choices and reducing our individuality.

0:53.5

He then provides suggestions on what you can do to maintain your sense of individualism

0:57.0

in today's atmosphere.

0:58.0

After the show's over, check out the show notes at a-m-dot-i-s slash world without mind.

1:02.8

We can find links to resources, we can delve deeper into this topic.

1:17.0

Franklin Four, welcome to the show.

1:19.0

Pleasure.

1:20.0

So you just published a book, World Without Mind, the existential threat of big tech sounds

...

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