Blood in the Machine
The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech
by Brian Merchant · first published 2023
22mentions
14recommended by
21HN commenters
2023–2026first – last mentioned
67% recommend33% neutral
Why HN recommends it
A history recasting the Luddites as workers protesting wages, child labor and lost craft, not technophobes; recommended for readers drawing parallels between early automation and today's AI debates.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2013–2026The Horse, the Wheel, and Language
David W. Anthony
Recommended by 17 · mentioned by 2217 recommend · 22 mention17 recommend · 2217 recommend
2007–2026The art of computer programming
Donald Knuth
Recommended by 336 · mentioned by 1,125336 recommend · 1,125 mention336 recommend · 1,125336 recommend
…inequality and bad working conditions that the new technology allowed for, for example child labour. Their opponents painted them as fearing and hating the technology itself. A good book on the subject is “Blood in the Machine” (2023) by Brian Merchant, which is about what the Luddites actually meant. The 99 Percent Invisible podcast recently interviewed the author: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/blood-in-the-machine/
on “Sora could ruin peoples lives” ↗…industry. Nor was the technology they attacked particularly new. Moreover, the idea of smashing machines as a form of industrial protest did not begin or end with them. I would also recommend the book Blood in the Machine[2] by Brian Merchant for an exploration of how understanding the Luddites now can be of present value 1 https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/what-the-luddites-rea... 2 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59801798-blood-in-the-ma...
on “OpenAI to become for-profit company” ↗If anyone is curious about automation and people's/worker's reaction to it, I recommend Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech by Brian Merchant: > The most urgent story in modern tech begins not in Silicon Valley but two hundred years ago in rural England, when workers known as…
on “MIT study finds AI can replace 11.7% of U.S. workforce” ↗Brian Merchant's Blood in the Machine is a good overall history of the Luddite movement (though be aware it does not strive to be ideologically neutral).
on “Ask HN: Is it just me or techno-optimism died in the past few years?” ↗…the one hand, that these tools are going to eliminate millions of jobs, and on the other that they have to use them if they don’t want to fall behind. I'm currently reading a fascinating book called Blood In The Machine° about the Luddites who opposed certain technologies in 19th century England and the parallels with the current state of affairs. It's important to remember that while history doesn't repeat itself, it…
on “The More Young People Use AI, the More They Hate It” ↗…fair day’s work could be fired and replaced with new workers, without the logistical hassle of the multi-year apprenticeship demanded by the hand-loom and its brethren. > As Brian Merchant documents in Blood in the Machine, his stunning, forthcoming history of the Luddites, the factory owners of the industrial revolution wanted machines so simple that children could work them, because that would let them pick over England’s…
on “I lost everything that made me love my job through Midjourney overnight” ↗You’d probably enjoy this episode of 99% Invisible, as well as the book that inspired it (if you haven’t already listened/read). https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/blood-in-the-machine/ I’ve heard Luddite used a couple ways. One is derogatory, the other is by people self-identifying as Luddites when they get tired of the endless pursuit of technology for technology’s sake, or they…
on “Would Luddites find the gig economy familiar?” ↗One of the more interesting perspectives I gained about Lord Byron was when I learned of his support of the Luddites from reading the book Blood in the Machine[0], which I am surprised the posted article never mentioned once since it seemed to be a significant part of his fame, especially during his time in the House of Lords[1]. [0]: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/brian-merchant/bloo...…
on “On the 200th anniversary of Byron's death, two new books” ↗…the machines there were guilds of cloth-makers and weavers that would work less than five days a week and at less strict hours, but they lost their jobs to automation. I can really recommend the book Blood in the machine if anyone is interested in how automation early on affected workers.
on “Most AI value will come from broad automation, not from R & D” ↗…about machines like the water frame. It was great at spinning coarse thread, but for high quality/luxury textile (ie. fine fabric), skilled (human) spinners did a much better job. You can read the book Blood in the Machine for even more context. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Revolution [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandy_loom
on “AI coding made me faster, but I can't code to music anymore” ↗I read a book called "Blood in the machine". It's the history of the Luddites. It really put everything into perspective to where we are now. Pre-industrial revolution whole towns and families built clothing and had techniques to make quality…
on “The Future of Software Development Is Software Developers” ↗…for military aid and capital punishment instead of negotiating with the workers. IMO, the only tactic for worker that has EVER had lasting success is solidarity through some form of unionization. Read "Blood in the Machine" if you want to see what happened to the losers of the industrial revolution. The book does contain some fictional embellishments but that is explained up front, and noted when it comes up.
on “Study found that young adults have grown less hopeful and more angry about AI” ↗> I really enjoyed Merchant’s book and did not enjoy Mueller’s (which I found to be 10% about the Luddites and 90% about interminable intra-Marxist ideological arguments). I'm just about done with Blood in the Machine, and didn't quite remember the authors name so expected Sean to be critiquing this one as overly Marxist, since it is overwhelmingly sympathetic to the luddites and the working class in general, but apparently…
on “Luddites and AI Datacenters” ↗For rethinking the Luddite movement I recommend the book Blood in the Machine (I think I learned about it here on HN)
on “Is it time for a Luddite Renaissance?” ↗…used as an insult to anyone resistant to technological innovation; it suggests ignoramuses, sticks in the mud, obstacles to progress. But a new book by the journalist and author Brian Merchant, titled “Blood in the Machine,” argues that Luddism stood not against technology per se but for the rights of workers above the inequitable profitability of machines. Just because Luddites were sympathetic doesn't change the fact…
on “Rethinking the Luddites in the Age of A.I” ↗