Mechanic and the Luddite

Paperback, 296 pages

English language

Published 2024 by University of California Press.

ISBN:: 978-0-520-39807-8

This short book demystifies how the two systems of technology and capitalism work together and equips readers with practical tools to dismantle them and build a better world, bit by bit.

Our society is constantly made to serve the needs of two systems: technology and capitalism. Neither exists outside humans, but both are treated as above and beyond us. The Mechanic and the Luddite offers the critical tools needed to deconstruct these systems—how they work, whom they work for, and what work they do in our lives. With signature style and energy, Jathan Sadowski presents a provocative one-stop shop for understanding the political economy of technology and capitalism.

Each chapter breaks down key features of technological capitalism, offering sharp, synthetic, and authoritative analysis of topics like innovation, labor, data, and risk. It's not enough to know how the machinery of capitalism is put together and how its parts …

This short book demystifies how the two systems of technology and capitalism work together and equips readers with practical tools to dismantle them and build a better world, bit by bit.

Our society is constantly made to serve the needs of two systems: technology and capitalism. Neither exists outside humans, but both are treated as above and beyond us. The Mechanic and the Luddite offers the critical tools needed to deconstruct these systems—how they work, whom they work for, and what work they do in our lives. With signature style and energy, Jathan Sadowski presents a provocative one-stop shop for understanding the political economy of technology and capitalism.

Each chapter breaks down key features of technological capitalism, offering sharp, synthetic, and authoritative analysis of topics like innovation, labor, data, and risk. It's not enough to know how the machinery of capitalism is put together and how its parts operate; we must also know whom the machines serve and when they should be taken apart, to be rebuilt for new purposes or destroyed for good. The Mechanic and the Luddite provides the political guidance needed to make these crucial decisions.

2 editions

Fionnáin reviewed Mechanic and the Luddite by Jathan Sadowski

Honest High-Level Tech-Criticism

2 stars

Jathan Sadowski introduces himself as a kind of 'learned proletariat' in this Marxist reading of contemporary technology. His upbringing is one that I understand well, having had a similar upbringing (albeit in a very different country). He repaired things at a young age, had little access to 'high academia' and went to a community college before extending his academic education. This story foreshadows his book on technology that covers many areas, from exploitative labour in AI to exclusionary practices in research funding.

I will preface that technology criticism is a large part of my work, so generally this book didn't introduce me to many new ideas. If you are not familiar with some of the more dystopic practices of big tech, then this might be a very good introduction. It's well written, although for me it has flaws. It does something that I always dislike about Marxist writing and …

Jathan Sadowski introduces himself as a kind of 'learned proletariat' in this Marxist reading of contemporary technology. His upbringing is one that I understand well, having had a similar upbringing (albeit in a very different country). He repaired things at a young age, had little access to 'high academia' and went to a community college before extending his academic education. This story foreshadows his book on technology that covers many areas, from exploitative labour in AI to exclusionary practices in research funding.

I will preface that technology criticism is a large part of my work, so generally this book didn't introduce me to many new ideas. If you are not familiar with some of the more dystopic practices of big tech, then this might be a very good introduction. It's well written, although for me it has flaws. It does something that I always dislike about Marxist writing and tends to over-reference other obscure Marxist writers without qualifying their perspective. And like those writers, Sadowski tends to make matter-of-fact statements about things that he feels we must all believe to be true. While compellingly 'everyman' in tone, this is also often annoying, and I prefer the sharpness of writing of others who have covered these topics, such as Kate Crawford, David Graeber or Naomi Klein.

Carlos Cámara

rated it

July 31