Technological Slavery
by Theodore J. Kaczynski, David Skrbina · first published 2011
75% recommend25% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Collected writings of Theodore Kaczynski presenting a lucid neo-Luddite critique of technology and modern society; read for the ideas behind the manifesto, especially by readers interested in technology criticism.
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…offline and go outside to reconnect with where you come from. Anything that contains batteries is probably toxic. Most shit we don't need we just are brainwashed into thinking we do. An interesting read is Technological Slavery The Collected Writings Of Theodore J. Kaczynski, A.k.a. ' The Unabomber' which has been mentioned in Bill Joy's famous post "Why the Future doesn't Need Us" and my guess is that despite his infamy he…
on “Ask HN: What can be done to prevent a climate catastrophe?” ↗It's so refreshing to actually read a truly free thinking and intelligent discussion on the problems of technology and its impacts on society. Anyway, I just finished reading Kaczynski's first book, "Technological Slavery" (Feral House, 2010) It's an amazing work and it elaborates on this point quite a bit. Recommended.
on “Self-driving Uber car kills Arizona woman crossing street” ↗…civilization, but it has become especially acute and accelerated after the industrial revolution. Kaczynski's knowledge of history is deep and extensive on this point. I recommend you read his first book, "Technological Slavery" on this topic. You can check out his second book "Anti-Tech Revolution" as well, though this deals more with ecological issues in my opinion and less with human freedom.
on “Japan's 'Naked Hermit' Pried from Island Utopia After 29 Years” ↗I agree. I recommend that you read Kaczynski's two books: "Technological Slavery" (2010) and "Anti-Tech Revolution"(2016). The second book is truly extraordinary and insightful. Here's a review by MIT: "Anti-Tech Revolution: Why and How is Kaczynski’s well-reasoned, cohesive composition…
on “Japan's 'Naked Hermit' Pried from Island Utopia After 29 Years” ↗You should certainly also read the books "Technological Slavery" (2010) and "Anti-Tech Revolution" (2016) by Kaczynski
on “Ask HN: Favorite nonfiction books of 2018?” ↗Yes, this is more or less correct. You should absolutely read Kaczynski's two books as well, "Technological Slavery" and "Anti-Tech Revolution."
on “Amazon VP Resigns, Calls Company ‘Chickenshit’ for Firing Protesting Workers” ↗Also check out Kaczynski's books: "Technological Slavery" and "Anti-Tech Revolution."
on ““Industrial Society and its Future”: the writings of the Unabomber” ↗Let’s get to the bottom of the barrel, why not abolish all modern technology which has a will independent of humanity and leads to all those bad outcomes? see the book Technological Slavery by Dr. Skrbina
on “UK Blocks Microsoft’s $69B Activision Deal” ↗…phone from scratch, eat chocolate bars, have a 3 story concrete house, am surrounded by all sorts of digital screens. I’m aware what supposed “benefits” of modernity are. See Islam [1,2] or the book Technological Slavery by Dr. David Skrbina [3]. [1] Documentary series: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcnL9bB-q3ymnRNcpZGcVVjiD... [2] Third-party moderated debates on Islam versus Modernity: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcnL9bB-q3ylQ9CZdB8YfjoDv...…
on “Language models can explain neurons in language models” ↗Anti-technologism would gladly welcome you. See the book Technological Slavery by Dr. Skrbina (available online).
on “Modern work requires attention. Constant alerts steal it” ↗We can (at least theoritically) abolish technology too. It's also not even only about software. It would honestly be better, see the book Technological Slavery by Dr. Skrbina (available on internet archive).
on “Authoritarianism Keeps Surging in Western “Free Democracies”” ↗…accumulation is inevitable when modern technology is used by humans, or aliens, or AI, or anything with the instinct of survival and self-replication, argues anti-technologist Ted Kaczynski. See the book Technological Slavery, free on internet archive.
on “Beware the Man of Many Studies” ↗…a pre-tech world (e.g. 15th century), our needs were directly tied to our happiness due to biological reward circuits. Ted Kaczynski argues about this point extensively in his books, I recommend esp. Technological Slavery, available free online.
on “The Riddle of the Well-Paying, Pointless Job (2019)” ↗Technology itself has an emergent will that is independent of humans who create and operate it. A global technological system is not subject to rational human control. Please see the book Technological Slavery by Dr. David Skrbina and the books of Jacques Ellul on this matter.
on “The Rot Economy” ↗Holding back the humanity from what? Technological progress? I encourage every technophile to read Technological Slavery by Dr. David Skrbina: https://ia800300.us.archive.org/21/items/tk-Technological-Sl...
on “Gates' Law: How progress compounds and why it matters (2018)” ↗