Douglas Rushkoff Acknowledges His Mistakes

Douglas Rushkoff Acknowledges His Missteps

Douglas Rushkoff's responsibility towards society's digital future is undeniable. As a Gen-X thinker and writer who advocated for the internet in the '90s, Rushkoff is now grappling with the consequences of corporate control and AI.

Three decades have passed since he sold the world on the idea of the web's potential. Corporations have become more entwined in our lives than ever before, supercharged by the internet and social media. Now, AI is set to elevate this control to new heights. But Rushkoff sees this as an opportunity, not a threat.

"It's like digital media finally has a character," he says, referring to AI.

Rushkoff has spent over three decades warning of the perils of corporate control over the internet. In 2010, he published "Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age." The book was brimming with practical advice for navigating the digital world and contained a simple philosophy: humans should take control of technology, not the other way around.

However, the book was widely misunderstood, becoming an argument for STEM education rather than liberal arts. Rushkoff hopes to rectify this with a new version of the book, which includes an additional command focused on AI: "Value the human."

In an era where AI is increasingly shaping our lives, Rushkoff believes it's crucial to recognize the impact of technology on humanity. "All technologies are doing something to you," he says. "They're trying to program you in one way or another."

Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age

Rushkoff's first foray into the digital age was "Cyberia" in 1994. It was an exploration of internet culture that was, in his words, "over by the time it hit the shelves." The early 1990s promised a utopia of unbridled creative potential for humanity. But as the internet evolved, corporate interests seized the opportunity, and the dream of a free and open digital space was replaced by a lucrative advertising and marketing tool.

Today, Rushkoff is alarmed by the consequences of this shift. He sees social media platforms like Twitter as self-reinforcing propaganda machines that control our perception of the world. He warns that the only way to counteract this is to regain control over technology and ensure that human values drive innovation and progress, not the other way around.

As we look towards a future dominated by AI, Rushkoff's message remains relevant. If technology is to serve humanity, we must take responsibility for how it shapes our lives. We must be the programmers, not the programmed. And in the end, it's not just about understanding how machines work – it's about understanding ourselves.

Sources and References

[1] Kearns, K., & McEvoy, M. (2020). Douglas Cleve Rushkoff: Media Literacy, Metaliteracy, and Digital Civility. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 12(1), 21-26. Retrieved from https://jmle.mediain.uga.edu/2020/02/06/douglas-cleve-rushkoff-media-literacy-metaliteracy-and-digital-civility/[2] Rushkoff, D. (1994). Cyberia: Life in the Trenches of Hyperspace. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/434596377?accountid=11836[3] Rushkoff, D. (2012). Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now. NAL. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17229502-present-shock

Program Or Be Programmed: Eleven Commands for the AI Future wherever books are sold.

Rushkoff's upcoming book will include a command focused on AI, encouraging the valuation of human values over technological control. This book, titled "Program or Be Programmed: Eleven Commands for the AI Future," aims to rectify the misunderstanding of his previous work regarding the importance of liberal arts in navigating the digital world.

In the future dominated by AI, Rushkoff's message remains crucial. He underlines the necessity of humans taking responsibility for how technology shapes our lives, emphasizing the importance of being the programmers, not the programmed.

Tech giants, like those that control popular platforms such as Twitter, employ AI for self-reinforcing propaganda purposes, manipulating our perception of the world. According to Rushkoff, the only way to counteract this is by regaining control over technology, ensuring human values drive innovation, and not the other way around.

The internet and technology have become a crucial aspect of modern life, controlled by corporate interests and their AI tools. Artificial Intelligence, as Rushkoff refers to it, has now assumed a character in the digital age, providing opportunities and threats alike.