Hacked Minds: A Loss of Personal Freedom

“We are exchanging our minds for the promise of endless convenience and unmatched accessibility,” argues Rudko in this short, startling treatise on the ill effects of society’s overreliance on digital technology. Rudko warns that digital technology is inhibiting creativity, encroaching upon privacy and freedom, and tearing families apart by eroding time together (he describes the average family dinner as a bunch people at table preoccupied by their devices). He urges readers to reflect critically about their own habits, designating such common behaviors as sleeping with one’s phone next to the bed or checking it unprompted by a notification as red flags. His remedy is straightforward: people need to turn off and step away from their devices for at least part of the day. Though there’s merit to some of his observations, his alarming tone detracts from his cause (on media manipulation: “The modification of our brains comes from such deceitful tactics, biased data coverage, and false stereotypes”). There are some good ideas, but many readers may find the overheated manner in which they are delivered off-putting. (BookLife)