Too Big To Know

The Internet has changed how society gains information. Today's weather forecast, political commentary on U.S. relations with the Middle East, and tips for using the latest software can all be obtained in seconds through a search engine. Weinberger (senior researcher, Berkman Ctr. for the Internet & Society, Harvard Univ.; Everything Is Miscellaneous: The Power of the New Digital Disorder) asks whether the increased availability of information has changed what most people know and whether it is changing knowledge itself. He explores the benefits and drawbacks of our thoroughly connected culture, using several examples to illustrate how the knowledge paradigm is changing—once information was sought from experts, and now it is gleaned from networks. Although Weinberger does provide some insightful answers, this book may be even more valuable as a catalyst for further discussion.