This is a quick review of Douglas Rushkoff's book "Program or be Programmed".
Its a pocket guide to how to become a literate participant in the digital age. It's small, quick to read and well worth the effort.
Douglas Rushoff's basic premise is that in "the emerging, highly programmed landscape ahead, you will either create the software or you will be the software. It's really that simple: Program or be programmed." - a direct quote from his book.
I couldn't agree more - is the population going to be controlled by mobile technology, facebook and it's future derivatives (including interfaces that blend man and machine even more) or will you recognise this control, and decide to program your own alternative?
As Douglas mentions, we have the capacity to do something about this, but this time round we could relinquish control not just to other people (as in religion and economics) but to the machines.
His ten basic commands include what should be general advice for the digital age - how we can never be always switched on and connected like a machine and how our humanity doesn't need to be reduced to something less complex or one size fits all just because that's the simple option.
Read this book to find the little stories that back up his ideas - you'll probably finish this book wondering why this information isn't taught in schools ( - remember ... someone has to teach the teachers first, they're still coming to terms with powerpoint in the classroom).
Check out his website here - http://programorbeprogrammed.com
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