What technology wants
by Kevin Kelly · first published 2010
49% recommend47% neutral4% critical
Why HN recommends it
Thought-provoking look at technology as an evolving, almost life-like force with its own direction. Draws on examples like the Amish and simultaneous invention; suits technologists who want to rethink what they build.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
A fascinating, innovative, and optimistic look at how humanity and technology join to produce increasing opportunities in the world and how technology can give our lives greater meaning.
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So begins the slow descent into Luddism. Seriously now: I think there needs to be a grassroots push for a vety selective approach to technology adoption as described by Kevin Kelly in his book What Technology Wants. If people generally treated new apps and devices with a skeptical 'what does this do for me?' attitude, there might be more herd immunity against abuses of power by large tech firms (Google's stealing…
on “Facebook Can’t Cope with the World It’s Created” ↗Kevin Kelly has an interesting take on this in _What Technology Wants_ [1]. Essentially - that these sort of works were inevitable. If Kubrick, Gates, or Bezos hadn't made 2001, MS, or AMZ - someone else would have. Not _exactly_ the same thing of course, but something…
on “The cult of Stanley Kubrick” ↗This is a thoughtful review of Kevin Kelly's "What Technology Wants." The book itself is very thought-provoking, so much so that I haven't stopped thinking about it since reading it a month or so ago. The criticisms in this review are certainly valid, and this is one…
on “A Power so Great it can only be used for Good or Evil” ↗…physics near the turn of the 20th century; he didn't go from cave painting to special relativity all on his own. The rest of your examples have nothing to do with scientific advancement. You should read What Technology Wants. The first chapter or two contains a few leaps of logic, but the rest of the book makes a compelling case for emergent behavior leading to most of our scientific results.
on “Darpa has come up with a way to put out fires with sound waves” ↗…this from some book? could have sworn i had read this somewhere, but no credit is given here. edit/update: ah, ok, so this is from kevin kelly's site, and he's the author of http://www.kk.org/books/what-technology-wants.php which contains either this text or something similar. not a bad book.
on “Amish Hackers” ↗…Using this year to learn things outside of technology has been time very well spent for me. Here are some of my top books this year. - Currency Wars, James Rickards - The Shock Doctrine, Naomi Klein - What Technology Wants, Kevin Kelly - The Art Of Happiness, Dalai Lama - Lies My Teacher Told Me, James Loewen - The Four Agreements, Miguel Ruiz - Man's Search For Meaning, Viktor Frankl - Understanding Power, Noam Chomsky…
on “Ask HN: book suggestions in non-tech fields (e.g. psychology, philosophy…)” ↗I see that you're getting downvotes but I wish to cast my support for your comment. I suggest those interested in the thought process please check out the book What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly. The book basically says that technological growth is almost independent of human input.
on “Dolphins as a model for alien intelligence” ↗If you thought the scientist A and scientist B discovering X at the same time phenomenon was neat you'll probably like Kevin Kelly's take on it (https://www.amazon.com/What-Technology-Wants-Kevin-Kelly/dp/...). More or less he claims that not only does that sort of pattern occur, but that that's the norm, and that all human advancement, biological, social, technical etc. is a part of evolution.
on “The dark legacy of Carlos Castaneda (2007)” ↗…Peril, and New Business of Engineering Life. By Rob Carlson The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves. By Matt Ridley Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation. By Steven Johnson What Technology Wants. By Kevin Kelly The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer. By Siddhartha Mukherjee Culture, society and travel Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages.…
on “Economist books of the year (science and technology picks)” ↗You should read "What Technology Wants" by Kevin Kelly. He investigates these sorts of things, talking about how it is now impossible to be separate from civilization (even the Amish are dependent upon civilization at large to support their…
on “How to Make Trillions of Dollars” ↗…the right to make and buy something non-free if they wish. I do admire Stallman's principled lifestyle, though. Finally, it's interesting that Kevin Kelly (former editor of Wired), in his awesome book "What Technology Wants", also makes the case for not owning a cell phone, but for different reasons.
on “Richard Stallman: Cell phones are 'Stalin's dream'” ↗…technology. The arguments I've read that led me to my current position on software patents are far too lengthy to summarize in a single post, but if you want to understand where I'm coming from, read What Technology Wants[0] by Kevin Kelly, along with the collected works of Pamela Jones, et. al. on Groklaw. [0] Kelly makes some untenable logical leaps in nonessential arguments in the first few chapters, but the core ideas…
on “ A Brief Explanation of Microsoft's Anti-Google Patent FUD” ↗What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly - I highly recommend reading this book. The title describes what the book is about ~ as a hacker it might just make you rethink everything you do.
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011” ↗excellent, 'What Technology Wants' KK ~ http://www.kk.org/books/what-technology-wants
on “Richard Stallman: How I do my Computing” ↗Turing's Cathedral Darwin Among the Machines Technomanifestos Possiplex What Technology Wants A couple of not computer related, but quite interesting books- The Structure of Scientific Revolutions A Thousand Years of Nonlinear History
on “Ask HN: Good books on the history of computer science?” ↗