We live in an age where access to information has become easier than ever before. However, not every access, every piece of data, every file, and every figure necessarily brings us closer to knowledge. In this provocative work, Theodore Roszak asks what we are actually losing in a world spellbound by information technology: Is it the ability to think, the capacity to understand, or our sense of justice?
The author reveals the role computers play in the turbulence of the global financial system, how digital entertainment is confused with education, and how children are being steered away from true literacy through gamified software. Yet, despite all this critical perspective, he does not shy away from a glimmer of hope. According to him, if the right paths are followed, computer technology—through public libraries, internet access, and shared data spaces—can create a foundation for freedom rather than a tool for oppression.
Roszak’s pen, not only toward technology