From Synesis, a special issue on Historical and Social Constructs of Technology: Contexts and Value for the Contemporary World. From The New Atlantis, Mark Blitz (Claremont McKenna): Understanding Heidegger on Technology; and Robert Herritt on when technology ceases to amaze. The introduction to Illusions of Freedom: Thomas Merton and Jacques Ellul on Technology and the Human Condition by Jeffrey M. Shaw. Christie Barakat on how technology affects the brain. Ryan Rigney on why online games make players act like psychopaths. The average tech worker now makes $291,497 in San Mateo County. Is Silicon Valley about to turn San Francisco’s South of Market (SoMa) region into the new Versailles? Gregory Ferenstein on why Silicon Valley billionaires are obsessed with Burning Man. Is Burning Man really full of tech billionaires? Grover Norquist goes to Burning Man. A line is drawn in the desert: At Burning Man, the tech elite one-up one another. Noam Scheiber on how Silicon Valley is ruining "sharing" for everybody. Kevin Roose on what Silicon Valley’s favorite word says about tech priorities. Joel Stein writes in defense of the Silicon Valley tech bro (and the reports of Silicon Valley’s unpopularity have been greatly exaggerated). Noah Smith on how Silicon Valley can solve the big problems. Once in a long while, you come across something that reminds you that, yes, Silicon Valley is still doing some very worthwhile things. Matthew Schnipper on the rise and fall and rise of virtual reality: In the wake of Facebook’s purchase of Oculus VR, can this revolutionary technology triumph anew? Andrea Caumont on the hype cycle of emerging technologies. Welcome to the Everyman’s App Store — or, as some have put it, Idiocracy.
