Despite following Steven Johnson’s blog for a while, I’d only read one of his books, Emergence, many years ago. I bin Johnson in that category of technology pop writers such as Rheingold, Kelly, and Levy that make the stuff I deal with on a daily basis accessible to the wider population. For me though, reading their work is perilous since I often feel I know more than the author does. That does not apply here and Everything Bad is an enjoyable if not particularly deep read.
Everything Bad takes the contrarian view that various elements of our media culture (TV, video games) are making us smarter rather than dumber as numerous pundits claim. Johnson’s argument rests on two pillars: 1) modern media challenges us in new and different ways and 2) the complexity of modern media is increasing at an unprecedented rate. An admittedly limited discussion of various supporting demographic trends, and brief media analyses are used to bolster his side of the debate. His main point though is that we need to stop being dogmatic about how modern media affects us, especially our youth, and examine the impacts with a more nuanced eye.
I swallowed Everything Bad pretty much whole, but can’t say I was fully satisfied. As even Johnson might admit, the book is barely the start of a debate, not the definitive end of one. It’s a book worth reading, especially if you’re wondering what all the fuss was within the blogerati, but I wouldn’t rush out to make it happen.