Interview with Douglas Rushkoff: Program or Be Programmed

Interview Intro —

MK: We’re here to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Program or Be Programmed, arguably one of the most foundational books on digital literacy.

Program or Be Programmed originally offered 10 commands to intentionally navigate the biases of our digital technologies. Now a decade and a half since its original release, Program or Be Programmed — for better or worse — is more important than it has ever been… especially in the context of AI… the newest and 11th command in the re-released version...

...Which was published earlier this week.

In prepping for this chat, I came across an online review that I think is perhaps best description of the value and intent of this work.

Now mind you, this is a random review from Nathan G. on Amazon nearly 15 years ago...

And I think Nathan nails it. Thank you, Nathan G.

“What makes this book worthy of the Neil Postman Award that it won (I just learned that such an award exists) is its refusal to let any digital technology become transparent.

From the first Arpanet connections to email to the ubiquitous vibrating phones (and "phantom phone buzz syndrome"), Rushkoff keeps his sharp eye on the assumptions that one has to make before the technology makes any sense: that one should adjust one's personal biological rhythms to the atemporal "always on" existence of computer networks rather than vice versa; that the world should conform its complexity to the reductionism of binary choices; and that human beings are meant to exist as infinitesimal nodes in a vast global network, just to name three.

Spelling out those assumptions, Rushkoff does not so much give ten commands as ask ten penetrating questions, questions that ought to haunt human beings as we jump on board the Internet train.”

Now 15 years later, we are certainly haunted by these questions and the Internet train feels to be hijacked, barreling and completely off its tracks.

Program or Be Program is a time machine to a moment of opportunity 15 years ago. At the time, a chance to pre-read the rules of engagement in order to mindfully approach our tech.