Machines That Become Us: The Social Context of Personal Communication Technology

Social critics and artificial intelligence experts have long prophesized that computers and robots would soon relegate humans to the dustbin of history and many among the general population have shared this fear of a dehumanized future. But how are people in the twenty-first century actually reacting to the ever-expanding array of gadgets and networks at their disposal? Is computer anxiety a significant problem, paralyzing and terrorizing millions, or are ever-proliferating numbers of gadgets being enthusiastically embraced? Machines that Become Us answers these questions. It explores the increasingly cozy relationship between people and their personal communication technologies.