He begins to investigate the explosion at the cafe with the help of Erin, who was a waitress there. Together they search for possible motives behind the bombing. They eventually track down a computer belonging to Andy, a friend of Erin’s, who has recently committed suicide by leaping from the Golden Gate bridge. Andy was, in turn, friends with Simon Anderson, one of the possible targets in the cafe bombing. Nat and Erin discover that Andy’s computer is running a secret program in the background. This becomes the backdrop of this technological mystery.
I personally thought the book was a little choppy in it’s delivery and the narrative isn’t overly detailed or descriptive, moving quickly from one idea to the next. I suppose this adds to the tension, but it leaves me mildly unsatisfied. This is not to say I didn’t enjoy reading it. My personal tastes run closer to Cormac McCarthy and Charles Frazier, where character development takes considerably longer, but the reward is more fulfilling. This book does remind me of Daemon by Daniel Suarez, in terms of the technological thriller aspect and is done in a very similar style and similar time frame. I finished that book earlier in the year so it was easy to make the comparison.
In my mind, Nat and Erin lacked real appeal as a main characters. They don’t come to life as clearly as they might. This is in part due to the development issues I mentioned, but it is also the fact that these are not people that I recognize from my daily life. Nat moves from engaging to aloof and from sensitive to insincere. Sure, we all have these qualities, but there is an insubstantial element. While he pace of the book leaves them somewhat shallow, there are also implausible connections that are never really clear. The connections that are exposed between all of the cafe patrons, Nat, and Erin, feel conveniently deus ex machina. I am generally able to suspend belief while I am engaged in a book or film, but from a critical analysis, these things are more bothersome. I did find that other reviewers had some of the same conflicts I had.
In his article "Orwell That Ends Well," Randall Amster discusses our immersion in technology and the basis of our technology addiction. The constant invasion of our privacy has been addressed in Joel Stein’s Time article, "Your Data for Sale." Then, in "This is Your Brain on Facebook," by Rob Mitchum, we explored the possible neurological consequences of technology on our minds. Together, these provide some tenable explanations for the loose connections made in the book.
In another Time article, “Technology and Culture,” Richard Stengel states:
“Historically, the most powerful new mediums have changed the way we perceive the world--and how we relate to one another. The telephone, television and Internet have done that in ways we are still processing. But technology itself is neutral. It's a tool, neither good nor evil. It's all in how we use it.”
Warning about the overuse of technology are everywhere.
Dangers of technology addiction: foxprovidence.com
In Matt Richtell’s Authors@Google presentation, he shares some of his insights that underscore the novel, which helped me appreciate the novel a little more. One of the questions he posed to himself when writing the book was, “What is happening to our brains by virtue of our constant interaction with technology?” He surmises that we must be adapting due to this interaction. He also addresses some of my concerns regarding the snippet style of writing:
“...(There is a) recognition that readers and writers have pretty short attention spans these days. And you have to write to keep peoples attention...I have to really be writing very precisely.”
The New York Times ran a series of articles in 2010 titled “Your Brain on Computers.” They explored several ideas, including a poll where they argue that technology has increased our level of stress. The main attraction of “Hooked” for me is it’s plausibility, the underlying story which is based on reality. I understand the feeling of constantly being “plugged in” and the sense of being held hostage by technology. The benefits are enormous, but the downside is really unexplored for me. I get that almost uncontrollable urge to check my email on my cell phone when I hear the little viola alert. There is a satisfying tactile interface with the touchscreen. It offers unlimited entertainment. I can pick it up and watch a Netflix movie anywhere and any time I like. So, I see where we make ourselves vulnerable to a nefarious plot of some tech giant to gain more control of our interaction.
Albert Einstein said, “It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.” I believe this is the challenge we face in the rise of consumer based technology - to remember our humanity. Emily Yellin, a keynote speaker at a recent customer service conference was quoted as saying “Your challenge, in a lot of ways, is to infuse what you do with humanity.” Let’s just hope that a real life Glenn Kindle doesn't end up at Microsoft or Google.
No comments:
Post a Comment