Like, Comment, Subscribe

 

 

Like, Comment, Subscribe: Inside YouTube's Chaotic Rise to World Domination by Mark Bergen (2022), 407 pgs. 

"Charlie bit my finger!" Evolution of Dance. Annoying Orange. Fred. 
You have probably seen a YouTube video at least once in your life, whether it be one of the viral clips mentioned above, or just a simple tutorial or cat video. For all the videos you have seen though, there are hundreds of thousands more that you haven't. There is no larger collection of homemade footage than YouTube. In this look into YouTube's formation and business practices, journalist Mark Bergen delves deeply into the values of the company and how they have led to some extreme issues. Bergen talks about the harm that has come from YouTube's practices in terms of content moderation (or lack thereof), and its, at times, tenuous relationship with the very creators who make it what it is. 

If you are a fan of YouTube, or even just an occasional viewer of its content, this is an interesting read. I grew up insatiably consuming videos from my favorite creators, and from time to time they would mention YouTube policy (often in frustration). They would talk about how they changed their content in response to "the algorithm." This book examines how "the algorithm" came to be, what YouTube brass has done to change it, and how sometimes it seems like the code itself is running the show. Mark Bergen manages to write this book about a business in a way that is both captivating and understandable for someone who does not often read nonfiction. I highly, highly recommend.   

Technically Yours

Technically Yours by Denise Williams, 365 pages

Five years ago, Pearl left her entry-level job at a Chicago tech startup for a big career advancement in California. She also left behind Cord, the startup's cofounder and a guy with whom the simmering sexual tension was about to finally erupt into a boil. Now Pearl is back in Chicago and has found herself a job as the interim executive director of a non-profit dedicated to helping expose marginalized teens to tech career paths. And who should show up as a new board member but Cord. Can they keep their feelings for each other PG and keep things professional?

The answer to that is "definitely not," and it's frustrating as all get-out to read this walking HR scandal being pitched as a fantastic romance. These are two ostensibly smart people who do one dumb thing after another, risking her career and the great nonprofit she helps run just because they can't keep it in their pants. (Also, Cord could just step down from the board that he was pressured into being on and there would be no conflicts whatsoever.) This book made me mad, and unless you're in the mood for a good hate-read, I'd suggest avoiding it.

Outliers

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell, 309 pages

There have been a zillion and a half books written about success and how to achieve it, but Outliers is the first to look at it as a result of diligence, cultural history, and luck — either through the opportunities successful people are given or through the dumb luck of being born at the right time. I found this a fascinating examination of success and I learned SO MUCH. Somehow, this is the first Gladwell book I've read. It will not be the last.

Sophia of Silicon Valley

 Sophia of Silicon Valley by Anna Yen (2018) 349 pages

I had a love/hate relationship with this book. During my reading of it, I stopped to read another book or two. At 200 pages in, I was still not sure if I would finish it or cut-and-run. What was keeping me reading? Sophia, a young Chinese-American woman with a history of diabetes is pursuing a career in investor relations with tech companies in Silicon Valley. She still lives with her parents, immigrants who have succeeded in their adopted country, but who coddle their daughter because of her health condition. Family dynamics play a large role in Sophia's personality. Sophia seems to excel at her career, but opposing forces battle it out in her head: Self-sufficiency versus traditional life with marriage, husband taking care of her, and children. Sophia wasn't that likable to me, but the story line worked and the writing flowed. I did complete the book, and it both does AND does not resonate with me. Perhaps that's a mark of a talented writer?