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It appears that you're being downvoted, but I've found Wendell Berry to be one of the most insightful writers about the weaknesses of technological advances, despite the fact that he doesn't use a computer. Reading his essays would be worth the time of a lot of young programmers, if only to learn why old people scowl at their newfangled gizmos.

"But what could someone who never uses a computer know about computers!?!" They could know what is lost when you use a computer, and, in general, you can't get that perspective from the Hacker News crowd (or nearly anyone under 30 or so). I don't agree with everything he writes (especially not the religious stuff), but he's very wise, I think.

If intrigued, one might try "The Unsettling of America" (1977), "What Are People For?" (1990) or "Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community" (1993).



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