Why we're thankful for tech
This is a week to be thankful, and I’d like to share a few reasons for hope.
I asked Techtonic listeners what tech they’re thankful for, and they said: Sony MiniDiscs, indoor plumbing, synthesizers, power tools, air fryers, and medical technology. All of which are good for people – not, in the tradition of Silicon Valley, deceptive and exploitative.
See? Despite the gloom of the daily headlines, there’s plenty to be thankful for. I hope you’ll listen to the show (stream it, or download it as a podcast, and see the episode links).
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Watch this doc
Here’s a documentary to be thankful for. Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy, on Netflix, focuses on the waste created by tech giants, retailers, and other companies.
The film is organized around five ways that companies maintain their wasteful practices (by hiding it from the customer, for example), all narrated by an AI-bot and accompanied by glitchy graphics. It’s a bit stylized, but the message is strong – especially with the inclusion of interviews with former Big Tech employees who confirm that, yes, this is how the industry works.
Watch this documentary with friends and I can almost guarantee that people will buy less stuff, and thus generate less waste, during this holiday season.
Forum pointers
On our members-only Creative Good Forum, I’ve posted a number of new threads and resources:
The fall of Big Tech (Nov 27, 2024), a new thread about how people are starting to wake up to the predations of the tech companies. (Thankfully!)
AI voice scams are on the rise (Nov 26, 2024), with articles and tips on how to avoid getting scammed by voice clones.
In our growing collection of AI-generated commercials and short videos, I’ve posted the recent Coke ad and a lunatic AI remix.
An update on the Google surveillance kiosks, aka LinkNYC, that blight the streetscape of NYC.
An update on the government-Big Tech partnership, in a thread I created about Byron Tau’s book on the topic.
People don’t want smart appliances, quoting a piece in the WSJ.
Surveillance news: Norfolk, VA lawsuit on roadside cameras … fitness app Strava giving away the location of heads of state … self-surveillance game Pokemon Go revealed to be training AI … new report about workplace surveillance and the companies that supply it.
You can help
Please join Creative Good to get access to these resources, and to support my work on this newsletter & community.
Have a great Thanksgiving, if you celebrate it. (My thoughts about the holiday are in this week’s show.)
Until next time,
-mark
Mark Hurst, founder, Creative Good
Email: mark@creativegood.com
Podcast/radio show: techtonic.fm
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