cult of the amateur: how today's internet is killing our culture

Andrew Keen

Sometimes I read a non-fiction book and when I finish I realize that I disagree with many of the observations and conclusions of the author, but nevertheless am very glad I read the book and think that almost everyone should read the book. Such is the case with with the cult of the amateur: how today’s internet is killing our culture , by Andrew Keen. (The author and/or the publisher has elected to use no capital letters in the title.)

Keen is an interesting commentator, as he founded a dot.com company in the 90’s and hobnobs with many of the stars in Silicon Valley. The book is a “polemic” which argues the case that “today’s new participatory Web 2.0 threatens our values, economy, and ultimately the very innovation and creativity that form the fabric of American achievement.”

In a polemic the author, like a lawyer arguing his case in a trial, selects data points and argues conclusions that support his thesis, as opposed to trying to objectively examine data and/or evidence to determine objective truth or reality. This being the case, I have no argument with the style or data the author has chosen, but I do not share a majority of his observations and/or conclusions. Nevertheless, as an everyday user of the web (as almost all of us are) I think it is of the utmost importance to be aware of the issues such as privacy, theft of intellectual property, identity theft, and many other potential issues and problems that are becoming major threats to our culture and society. Keen is no Luddite, and that makes his observations and criticisms all the more compelling.

Having read this book, for the first time I understand what a “cookie” is and how it is an invasion of my privacy. Furthermore, and closer to home I realize how Amazon (and Google) are trying to become “Big Brother” and know everything about us and use it for their commercial advantage. In an effort to encourage our readers to order from our website and eschew Amazon, I will conclude this review with a quote from this book:

“This compilation of personal information is not just limited to the Internet search engines. On August 10, 2006, four days after AOL’s release of its search queries, the Internet retail giant Amazon.com lodged a request with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to patent ‘a system to gather and keep massive amounts of intimate information about its millions of shoppers.’ This ‘system’ is designed to compile the most intimate economic, ethnic, sexual, and religious information about Amazon shoppers. Amazon not only wants to own our online shopping experience, they want to own the online shopper—turning each of us into another data point within an infinite database of e-commerce intentions.”

This is an important book and I really believe we all need to read it in order to become more informed about what is happening on the Internet, and how and why it may be giving birth to significant risks to our way of life and many of our cherished institutions.

Review by Len Oppenheim

20% off hardcover price