The Hypercomplex Society (Digital Formations, V. 5)

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, deep account of the networked society
Review: I read this book shortly after reading 'Small Pieces Loosely Joined' and this one is the winner hands down. IMO Weinbergers book presents a simplistic dreamview of networked society, relying on anecdotal evidence mostly. Qvortrups account of the networked society is both 1) Based in a solid historical and sociological account of society and people 2) Solidly grounded in the main 20th century schools of philosophical writing 3) Accurately tied to acute observations on social and cultural phenomena and last but not least 4) highly entertaining.
Add to that, the fact that it presents a plausibly unified theory on how to understand this new society and we have the makings of a classic.

I write this with one caveat: The english edition is a scholarly reworking of a series of three books published in Danish, and my comments are actually based on the danish book of the same title - one of the three part series.
If you're not turned off by the solid scholarly basis, then this is a truly remarkable book, well worth the read.