“If you trace the history of mankind, our evolution has been mediated by technology, and without technology it's not really obvious where we would be. So I think we have always been cyborgs in this sense.” IfsThinkingHas BeensWould BeTechnologyMankindEvolutionObviousCyborg Author:Evgeny Morozov
“If you want to plan a revolution, you never do it in public - the authorities show up and arrest everyone.” IfsWantShowsPlansRevolutionAuthority Author:Evgeny Morozov
“It is easy to be seen as either a genius or a crank. If you have a Ph.D., at least you somewhat lower the chances that you will be seen as a crank.” IfsEasyChanceGeniusCrank Author:Evgeny Morozov
“Military commanders do not want to be tried for war crimes, even if those crimes are committed online.” IfsWantWarMilitaryCrimeCommittedOnlineCommandersWar Crimes Author:Evgeny Morozov
“A lot of the geeks in Silicon Valley will tell you they no longer believe in the ability of policymakers in Washington to accomplish anything. They don't understand why people end up in politics; they would do much more good for the world if they worked at Google or Facebook.” PeopleIfsWorldBelieveEndsAbilityAccomplishValleysGoogleGeekSiliconSilicon Valley Author:Evgeny Morozov
“Faster roads are not always safer roads - and virtually all societies, democratic or authoritarian, prefer safety over speed, even if many of their citizens enjoy fast driving.” IfsEnjoyCitizensSafetyDemocraticSpeedDrivingFaster Author:Evgeny Morozov
“If China's expansion into Africa and Russia's into Latin America and the former Soviet Union are any indication, Silicon Valley's ability to expand globally will be severely limited, if only because Beijing and Moscow have no qualms about blending politics and business.” IfsAmericaAbilityUnionsChinaRussiaFormerLatinValleysSovietExpansionSoviet UnionIndicationLatin AmericaSiliconMoscowSilicon ValleyBeijingQualmsQualms About Author:Evgeny Morozov
“If we don't like rent control, we ought to oppose it on political and social grounds - and not just by arguing that, thanks to smartphones and social networks, we can create new, more efficient markets for matching short-term renters with tenants.” IfsPoliticalSocialTermOughtArguingThanksEfficientShort TermSocial NetworkMatchingSmartphonesTenantsEfficient MarketsRent Control Author:Evgeny Morozov
“In reality, quitting Facebook is much more problematic than the company's executives suggest, if only because users cannot extract all the intangible social capital they have generated on the site and export it elsewhere.” IfsRealitySocialCompanyQuittingExecutivesUsersElsewhereSiteIntangibleSocial Capital Author:Evgeny Morozov
“When we can commit a crime, we can also trigger debate. Cases go to courts. Media start covering the cases. But once you build smart environments where, if you meet a certain probabilistic profile, you won't even be allowed to board a bus, let alone commit a crime, we're perpetuating existing laws so they face no challenges or revision.” IfsFacesLawCertainChallengesCasesEnvironmentMediaCrimeSmartCourtDebateCommitBoardsBusTriggersCoveringProfileRevisionPerpetuating Author:Evgeny Morozov
“You actually see liberals checking 'Fox News,' if only to know what the conservatives are thinking. And you're seeing conservatives who venture into liberal sources, just to know what 'The New York Times' is thinking.” IfsThinkingKnowsSeeingNew YorkSourceNewsVentureFoxesNew York TimesFox News Author:Evgeny Morozov
“In the past it would take you weeks, if not months, to identify how Iranian activists connect to each other. Now you know how they connect to each other by looking at their Facebook page. KGB ... used to torture in order to get this data.” IfsKnowsPastUsedOrderKnow HowWeekMonthsInternetPagesDataTortureActivistIranianKgbFacebook Page Author:Evgeny Morozov
