Infoglut

Reviews / Votes

"Mark Andrejevic's compelling new book is an impressive survey of the impact of big data on domains extending from bodies and brains to policing, marketing, and sentiment analysis. As it documents the shift from comprehension to correlation, Infoglut raises disturbing questions regarding new operations of power and control in a world of algorithms." -Jodi Dean, author of Democracy and Other Neoliberal Fantasies "Mark Andrejevic's compelling new book is an impressive survey of the impact of big data on domains extending from bodies and brains to policing, marketing, and sentiment analysis. As it documents the shift from comprehension to correlation, Infoglut raises disturbing questions regarding new operations of power and control in a world of algorithms." -Jodi Dean, author of Democracy and Other Neoliberal Fantasies

"Andrejevic advances a common claim that people have more information than they can process. His new work examines the meaning of living in a world of information overflow, and shows how it changes people's thought and behavioral processes. The book is particularly relevant as people become increasingly aware of how much information about themselves is accessible by the government, corporations, and other entities, especially with the controversy involving the National Security Agency. Andrejevic argues that people prioritize correlation over comprehension - "what" and facts are more important than "why" and reasons. People distrust authorities. They rely on fact checkers as if a singular objective fact exists. They simulate wars, crimes, and even emotions, generating metaphysical questions about what it means to feel, experience, and live. They can scan brains to predict what cultural phenomenon will be popular in the future. Infoglut is a critique of contemporary society driven by information. Andrejevic's language is accessible, but good familiarity with various cultural theories is necessary to understand the book's theoretical frameworks. Summing Up: Recommended." -CHOICE