Breaking Smart: How Software is Eating the World

I keep a regular eye on VGR's Twitter and his newsletters to peer around the bend and into the future. Despite having read all of these essays when they came out I found re-reading them very worthwhile. It's fascinating to read them altogether and see how the ideas inter-relate and complement each other. Some of the ideas are super practical and can be implemented in my business. Some are just plain mind-expanding and fascinating. VGR is one of the most original and consistently interesting thinkers out there. Do yourself a favor and read it.

Puts technology in the context of progress over the last few hundred years. If the mantra “ location location location” means anything to you, then “connection connection connection” is the modern equivalent.

Not only a great ebook but concise and to the point. I had read all this already, via the email list, but getting out of my inbox meant finally understanding it. Likely the best $4 (or so) you’ll spend on books this year.

Essential wisdom for the modern human! I think Venkatesh's historical, organizational, societal and individual analysis makes for a superior compass to orient yourself in the twenty-first century. No matter who you are, you doubtless stand to benefit from the broad insight this bite-sized series contains. Succinct, brilliant and inspiring!

Long-time lurker on Ribbonfarm, enjoyed reading a purposefully selected collection of essays. I like fresh/ innovative/ speculative ideas and this is chock full of them.

Favorite Putting these ideas together, we are messily slouching towards a non-pastoral utopia on an asymptotic trajectory where reality gradually blurs into magic, waste into wealth, technology into nature and work into play.

I guess a lot of the authors fans left the 5 star reviews? It started off good, by the end it seemed to be just word salad and sophomoric. Some good observations throughout, but feels unpolished.

I like the optimism, but it was just a synthesis of his reading list. More words were needed to submit.