Better Off is one of a handful of books that I have read two or three times. The first was in college as a naive first year, the second was as a writing teacher of adolescents and the third was, well I don’t remember, but a few years ago. The book made a profound impression on me and my way of thinking. As some of you will know, I don’t own a smartphone and never have; this book is largely responsible for my resistance!
In a nutshell, Better Off questions the pervasive and largely unquestioned role of technology in our lives. In the book Eric Brende and his then girlfriend leave the halls of MIT to live in a community without modern technology as part of an experiment. Brende seeks to learn where the technological tipping point is: where does technology solve problems and where does it create problems?
Even if you love every bit of technology in your life, I recommend this book as a counterpoint to our tech-hungry culture. If you are already trying to limit your screen time or questioning whether you need yet another social media account, I bet you’ll eat up this book.
Better Off is for sale for $5.99 at the Book Shelf.
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