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History & Culture - The Know-It-Alls: The Rise of Silicon Valley as a Political Powerhouse and Social Wrecking Ball

Description

Book Synopsis: Included in Backchannel’s (WIRED.com) “Top Tech Books of 2017”

An “important” book on the “pervasive influence of Silicon Valley on our economy, culture and politics.”—New York Times

How the titans of tech’s embrace of economic disruption and a rampant libertarian ideology is fracturing America and making it a meaner place In The Know-It-Alls former New York Times technology columnist Noam Cohen chronicles the rise of Silicon Valley as a political and intellectual force in American life. Beginning nearly a century ago and showcasing the role of Stanford University as the incubator of this new class of super geeks, Cohen shows how smart guys like Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, Sergey Brin, Larry Page, and Mark Zuckerberg fell in love with a radically individualistic ideal and then mainstreamed it. With these very rich men leading the way, unions, libraries, public schools, common courtesy, and even government itself have been pushed aside to make way for supposedly efficient market-based encounters via the Internet.

Donald Trump’s election victory was an inadvertent triumph of the “disruption” that Silicon Valley has been pushing: Facebook and Twitter, eager to entertain their users, turned a blind eye to the fake news and the hateful ideas proliferating there. The Rust Belt states that shifted to Trump are the ones being left behind by a “meritocratic” Silicon Valley ideology that promotes an economy where, in the words of LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, each of us is our own start-up. A society that belittles civility, empathy, and collaboration can easily be led astray. The Know-It-Alls explains how these self-proclaimed geniuses failed this most important test of democracy.

Details

Discover the untold story of Silicon Valley and its impact on our economy, culture, and politics in the captivating book, The Know-It-Alls: The Rise of Silicon Valley as a Political Powerhouse and Social Wrecking Ball. Written by esteemed technology columnist Noam Cohen, this book is an undeniable eye-opener that delves into the pervasive influence of Silicon Valley's titans on our society.

From the early days at Stanford University to the present, Cohen traces the journey of influential figures like Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, Sergey Brin, Larry Page, and Mark Zuckerberg as they embraced a radically individualistic ideal and turned it into an ideology that is shaping America. These extremely wealthy men have systematically sidelined institutions like unions, libraries, and public schools, all in the name of creating a supposedly efficient market economy through the Internet.

The unintended consequences of this Silicon Valley ideology became painfully evident during Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election. The spread of fake news and hateful ideas on platforms like Facebook and Twitter showcased the disregard for consequences that technology giants exhibited. The very communities left behind by Silicon Valley's meritocratic beliefs turned to Trump in frustration.

Are we willing to sacrifice civility, empathy, and collaboration for the sake of a disruptive economy where each of us is our own start-up? The Know-It-Alls poses this critical question and sheds light on the failures of self-proclaimed geniuses when it comes to protecting the foundations of democracy.

To uncover the truth behind the rise of Silicon Valley and its impact on American society, grab a copy of The Know-It-Alls now and join the conversation.

Get your copy of The Know-It-Alls today and discover the hidden influence of Silicon Valley!

Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this website