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Changing the Subject

Changing the Subject

By Sven Birkerts

Art and Attention in the Internet Age. Graywolf Press, 2015.

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12 mins read

11 Key insights

A brief summary of Changing the Subject

A collection of essays that challenges the way the digital age is affecting us in profound ways by reducing our capacity for attention and imagination, restricting our individuality, and changing our subjective experiences of the world itself.

Key insights in Changing the Subject

1
What do you get from this book? A philosophical exploration of how information technologies affect your experiences, perceptions, and imagination
2
Digital information is overrunning our lives—we no longer gain knowledge or create meaning for ourselves
3
The Internet gives us data without context, so we’re missing points of reference and comprehensive information
4
The vast collection of digital information is a form of groupthink which is eroding individuality and independent thinking
5
Your data is being incorporated into the technology you use, so be aware of what you’re giving up
6
We’re constantly distracted by technology, affecting our attention spans and subjective experiences, and changing our brains
7
To confront a lack of self-sufficiency and emotional clarity, turn to art and nurture your creativity
8
Step away from technology and turn inwards—take time to read, reflect, and find your purpose in life
9
Summary of the key insights
10
Selected critiques in brief
11
Final word

Who should read Changing the Subject

Anyone looking to cut back on screen time • luddites • media studies and philosophy students • defenders of technology

About the author of Changing the Subject

Best-selling author Sven Birkerts is a professor at Harvard University who has reviewed publications for The New York Times Book Review, The New Republic, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and The Yale Review, among others. He was the director and a founding member of Bennington Writing Seminars and is well-known for his essays published in peer-reviewed journals.

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Sven Birkerts

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