Second Machine Age, The: Work, Progress, And Prosperity In A Time Of Brilliant Technologies (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
Great read. Brynjolfsson and McAfee do a great job getting you as excited as they are about the changes our world is going to go through the next couple of years. I'm not sure I'm as optimistic as they are, but I too am impressed with the latest technological progress. I'm also very happy that they thought through the implications (distributional and societal) well. The last few chapters are a bit US-based, and I'm not very sure about what to do with the advice for how to raise my children. I will definitely think about this book a lot in the years to come. How has technology affected human culture and economics? How will the rapid progress of digital technology do so in the future? These are the questions this book attempts to answer, albeit not in any great depth. Primarily it's about the economic impact of increased productivity due to automation. It highlights some likely challenges ahead (such as unemployment and the growing spread in wealth between capital owners and people who work for a living), and it offers suggestions on how those can be met. I can't say it brings up any major points I have not thought of before, and my only real disappointment in this book is that it offers nothing truly bold, insightful, or innovative. Still, it is a good read. I recommend it.
What do You think about Second Machine Age, The: Work, Progress, And Prosperity In A Time Of Brilliant Technologies (2014)?
A good analysis of the problem but the proposed and numerous solutions are mostly wishful thinking.
—uza
2nd best book of the year for me - macro economic implications of technology, greatly explained
—Libby
Excellent book that everyone should read.
—sheena_pot
