OT: Summer reading.

by oviedoirish @, Oviedo, Florida, Thursday, June 14, 2018, 10:03 (2114 days ago)

The Boring Company thread below got me to thinking about Musk, AI, and Big Data (the bad aspects). I'm presently reading "Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy," by Cathy O'Neil, which I highly recommend. I also enjoyed(?) the following articles:

How Frightened Should We Be of A.I.? https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/05/14/how-frightened-should-we-be-of-ai

How the Enlightenment Ends (by Henry Kissinger) https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/06/henry-kissinger-ai-could-mean-the-...

and

Elon Musk's Billion-Dollar Crusade to Stop the A.I. Apocalypse
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/03/elon-musk-billion-dollar-crusade-to-stop-ai-spa...

I'm wondering how much of this is just rhetoric ...

by Mark, O Town, Thursday, June 14, 2018, 15:25 (2114 days ago) @ oviedoirish

But I'm interested in reading this:

Democracy in Chains
THE DEEP HISTORY OF THE RADICAL RIGHT’S STEALTH PLAN FOR AMERICA
By NANCY MACLEAN

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/533763/democracy-in-chains-by-nancy-maclean/97...

This article discusses the research behind the book.

https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/meet-the-economist-behind-the-one-perce...

Here's some excerpts from reviews:

“Democracy in Chains leaves me with hope: Perhaps as books like MacLean’s continue to shine a light on important truths, Americans will begin to realize they need to pay more attention and not succumb to the cynical view that known liars make the best leaders.” —New York Times Book Review

“A remarkable new book which argues that the radical right revolution engineered by Charles and his brother David is not just about accruing political and economic power, but about restricting democracy itself.” —The New Republic

“[A] vibrant intellectual history of the radical right . . . [MacLean] has dug deep into her material—not just Buchanan’s voluminous, unsorted papers, but other archives, too—and she has made powerful and disturbing use of it all. . . . The behind-the-scenes days and works of Buchanan show how much deliberation and persistence—in the face of formidable opposition—underlie the antigoverning politics ascendant today. What we think of as dysfunction is the result of years of strategic effort.” —The Atlantic

“This sixty-year campaign to make libertarianism mainstream and eventually take the government itself is at the heart of Democracy in Chains. . . . [MacLean] takes the time to meticulously trace how we got here. . . . If you’re worried about what all this means for America’s future, you should be. . . . And if someone you know isn’t convinced, you have just the book to hand them.” —NPR

“It’s the missing chapter: a key to understanding the politics of the past half century. To read Nancy MacLean’s new book, Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for America, is to see what was previously invisible.” —George Monbiot, The Guardian

“For those who think the Tea Party, Freedom Caucus, and the alt-right are recent constructs, MacLean provides an extensive history lesson that traces the genesis of the right wing back to post-WWII doctrines. . . . A worthy companion to Jane Mayer’s Dark Money, MacLean’s intense and extensive examination of the right-wing’s rise to power is perhaps the best explanation to date of the roots of the political divide that threatens to irrevocably alter American government.” —Booklist (starred review)

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"2020 ... Let's win it all ..."

The book has spurred a lot of academic controversy

by HullieAndMikes, Yelling at Sam Cane, Dunedin, Friday, June 15, 2018, 05:09 (2114 days ago) @ Mark

it's been awhile since I read up on it, but it took a lot of heat from all sides about whether the author overran her headlights with that thesis.

Wow, that topic sounds horrifying.

by oviedoirish @, Oviedo, Florida, Thursday, June 14, 2018, 19:55 (2114 days ago) @ Mark

And the right's plan seems to be working. I know that I should read it, but I'm already depressed enough with our present political situation that I don't think I want to, at least not at the moment. If you read it, please give us a report.

Some stuff I went through recently

by Mike (bart), Thursday, June 14, 2018, 12:18 (2114 days ago) @ oviedoirish

Fortune's Children - Story of the building and slow motion squandering of the Vanderbilt fortune. Some classic Gilded Age stuff, interspersed with American history and typical family bullshit.

American War - fictional account of 2nd American Civil War in year 2075 following tensions exacerbated by global warming. Page turner.

Vacationland - John Hodgman collection of essays. Nothing groundbreaking but some really funny stretches.

I wouldn't call any of these great but they're definitely weighted properly for the beach

A year or two late

by PBurns ⌂ @, Ah Denver, the Sunshine State. Beautiful, Thursday, June 14, 2018, 11:20 (2114 days ago) @ oviedoirish

But I just finished listening (thanks audiobooks) to Hillbilly Elegy. Liked it quite a bit.

Any recs for good audiobooks I'd love em.

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Just run 4 verts

Just finished a couple of audiobooks by Erik Larson

by hobbs, San Diego, CA, Thursday, June 14, 2018, 20:54 (2114 days ago) @ PBurns
edited by hobbs, Thursday, June 14, 2018, 20:59

'In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin'

Just finished it and found it a really good and informative read.

https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Beasts-Terror-American-Hitlers/dp/030740885X

If history isn't your bag or if you like murder stories you might want to check this Larson book.

'The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America'

https://www.amazon.com/Devil-White-City-Madness-Changed/dp/0375725601

If you're into the "Silicon Valley is actively bad" genre

by Jim (fisherj08) @, A Samoan kid's laptop, Thursday, June 14, 2018, 10:08 (2114 days ago) @ oviedoirish

I mentioned it in another thread, but BAD BLOOD, about Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos, is truly excellent. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/21/books/review/bad-blood-john-carreyrou.html

It also features a cameo by Kissinger but this one is not very positive.

I missed it, so thanks.

by oviedoirish @, Oviedo, Florida, Thursday, June 14, 2018, 10:18 (2114 days ago) @ Jim (fisherj08)

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