Note: This is an encore edition of our program that initially aired in April 2020.
Over the past few decades there has been a revolution in terms of who controls consumer knowledge and information. This rapid change has imperiled the way we think. We shop with Amazon, socialize on Facebook, turn to Apple for entertainment, and rely on Google for information.
But is there a hidden price we’re paying beyond that cheap shipping and low monthly subscription?
In his new book, World Without Mind, Franklin Foer argues that today’s monopolists are seeking access to every facet of our identities, and influence over every corner of our decision-making. While few have grasped the sheer scale of the threat, Foer explains not just the looming existential crisis but the imperative of resistance.
Franklin Foer is a national correspondent for The Atlantic, a New America Foundation fellow, and former editor of The New Republic. His writing has appeared in Slate, New York Magazine, and many other outlets. He is the author of How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization.
