Program or Be Programmed

Posted on December 10, 2019 by George Beam

Updated December 15, 2020

Douglas Rushkoff’s book, Program or Be Programed: Ten Commands for the Digital Age, is an excellent statement of the overriding importance of programming/coding. In Rushkoff’s words, programming/coding is “the steering wheel of our civilization.” Either you learn to program/code and thereby help steer your life according to your interests, or you relegate the programming/coding/steering of your life to others who will decide what your life will be like. Simply put, program or be programmed.

Rushkoff also presents guidelines for optimal living in the Digital Age. But the major contribution of the book is the discussion of the role and effects of programming/coding and, consequently, the need–now at least partially met by a plethora of apps and off- and online workshops and courses–to learn how to program/code.

About George Beam

I'm an educator and author. The perspectives that inform my interpretations of the topics of this blog are behaviorism and system analysis. Specific interests include American politics, socioeconomic issues, survey research, and effects of the Internet and attendant hard- and software. I'm Associate Professor Emeritus, Department of Public Administration, Affiliated Faculty, Department of Political Science, University of Illinois at Chicago.
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2 Responses to Program or Be Programmed

  1. Pingback: GEORGE’S OFFICE WALL | George Beam's Blog

  2. Pingback: Importance of Code Increasing | George Beam's Blog

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