18. The Efficiency Paradox: What Big Data Can't Do. Edward Tenner (@edward_tenner). #my2018reading #books 1/9
The book is an exploration of technology-enabled efficiency and the many ways that seeking short-term efficiency undermines innovation and, in the long run, efficiency itself. 2/9
Following a similar path to that in earlier work on unintended consequences of tech, Ed reaches the same conclusion as @timoreilly & others: that the best future lies in using technology to augment human abilities, not replace them. 3/9
There are many fascinating themes & ideas here, but the ideas that most grabbed me were the irreplaceable richness of interaction in physical 3D space (w/ people, books, the passing environment, ...) and the value of serendipity. 4/9
The book is also a fun foray into the mind of one of the most interesting people I've ever met, a man with astounding breadth of knowledge and a quirky and unique perspective on the world. 5/9
I recall a 20-min ride with Ed from the train station to his apt during which he spontaneously delivered a history of chairs that kept me and my wife riveted. He can do the same with computers, sports equipment and who knows what else. 6/9
Side note on my history with Ed. Back in the late 80s/early 90s we worked together on a project Ed once called "the publishing project from hell," the first Princeton Univ Press computer-typeset book outside conference proceedings. 7/9
The 2-vol Selected Works of Ya. B. Zeldovich had a scientific editor in the US & 2 in the USSR & co-authors scattered all over the world. One of the manuscripts visited pretty much all of them, in pieces - took over a year to gather them all back. 8/9
I ended up re-translating most of the first volume & typeset both in TeX. I learned WAY more than I ever wanted to know about publishing, fonts & typesetting. The scars are still visible. 9/9
