Rachel Plotnick's book (Power Button, referenced in the article) is very good. Here's a much longer excerpt from it, on the button as it relates to carrying out life-and-death decisions (e.g., warfare and executions): https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/of-war-and-electric-death...
(Full disclosure: I work for the MIT Press, who published Power Button. But it really is one of my favorite history of tech titles we've published in the 10+ years i've been here)
I presume I am talking to the author right now of the book [1]. Anyway I find fascinating that you used Ernest Becker ideas (his book denial of death) and others overlooked ideas. I would check out the book.
Haven't read this specifically, but agree with the concept. Also recommend The Psychopath Code by Pieter Hintjens (the ZMQ guy). Most books are ultimately quite abstract. A few are useful when the shit really hits the fan.
Thanks so much for taking the time to write this. Do you have recommended followup resources? Opinions on recent books such as New Jack or When Brute Force Fails?
Adding to this, I also did a summary of a book from Ernest Becker way back in the day, and the section on neuroticism, or how psychology is taking over from religion, and such broader societal topics you can read about here: https://www.lostbookofsales.com/notes/the-denial-of-death-by...
It's quite some brutal and heavy reading, but then again, if it helps you understand the condition better then it's for the best I guess...
First, a dedicated GrapheneOS user here. Kudos and mad props to all who create(d) and maintain(ed) it.
Second, I look in the mirror and see a grey beard. I've seen a lot of interpersonal strife in the High Tech world over the decades. I got stung a few times myself, directly and indirectly. I can relate to what I've read of this situation in the other HN thread, which leads me to...
Third, I hope that the personal cost of such a taxing series of events will lead those people affected towards books like this:
(Full disclosure: I work for the MIT Press, who published Power Button. But it really is one of my favorite history of tech titles we've published in the 10+ years i've been here)
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