Distrust that Particular Flavor

This book contains about 20 pieces of short writing by William Gibson. They vary in style and content, from his essay on the culture of Singapore (“Disneyland with the Death Penalty”) to long discussions of his history with buying mechanical watches to his thoughts on the future of technology and the societal importance of science fiction.

Not every piece was terribly resonant with me, but I found the book very worthwhile overall. Gibson makes a reasonable case for the importance of technological development in the evolving character of societies, though he may go a bit too far in saying that “all cultural change is essentially technologically driven” (p.123 hardcover).

“Googling the Cyborg” was probably the most interesting essay – discussing the way in which human biology and technology have already started to compliment one another to a remarkable degree.

Author: Milan

In the spring of 2005, I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a degree in International Relations and a general focus in the area of environmental politics. Between 2005 and 2007 I completed an M.Phil in IR at Wadham College, Oxford. I worked for five years for the Canadian federal government, including completing the Accelerated Economist Training Program, and then completed a PhD in Political Science at the University of Toronto in 2023. View all posts by Milan