Home / Quotes / Quote by Astra Taylor

Quote by Astra Taylor

“For example, instead of being asked to write an article, suddenly editors wanted me to make super-short videos. The assumptions of those video gigs was that kids don't read as much news and basically need to be read to, which I found really problematic and kind of insulting. I thought, Isn't it just that you don't have any money and that's why you want me to make some crappy "content" for your website?”

Quote by Astra Taylor

Author

Astra Taylor is a Canadian documentary filmmaker and writer, known for her in-depth exploration of social and political issues. Born in 1979, she has been producing documentaries since the 2000s, and her work has received international recognition. more

You May Also Like

“Basically political economy - that you have to look at how funding structures shape the media landscape. You have to look at commercial interests, consolidation - the economy structures are experience.”

Looks Political Interest Economy Media Shapes Structure Landscape Funding Political Economy Consolidation

Author:Astra Taylor

“Not to be to be a vulgar materialist or be too reductive, but all of that was completely absent from the conversation. Instead we were told it was a "revolutionary" moment, where these new tools would inevitably displace the old media dinosaur and that things would be democratized and wasn't it great we could all collaborate on these platforms.”

Moments Would Be Media Conversation Tools Revolutionary Platforms Vulgar Absent Dinosaurs

Author:Astra Taylor

“I'd go to conference after conference and it would essentially be the talking points. Either pro or con. It's amazing how polarized the tech conversation is. There's also this neurological fixation, the incessant wondering what the Internet's doing to our brain: "Does it make us stupid, does it make us distracted?" And then the other guys say, "No, it's making us smarter than ever, and better than ever, and more connected." And it's like, where is the economic and social context? Why is that rarely considered?”

Doe Guy Social Brain Talking Wonder Economic Stupid Internet Conversation Connected Smarter Conferences Distracted Other Guys Incessant Fixation

Author:Astra Taylor

“A big factor is that the enthusiast camp's values are really rooted in Silicon Valley and in these supposedly new business models. But again, I think this such an interesting moment because things like the NSA revelations are really forcing people to recognize the connections between corporate and government surveillance.”

“I mean look at all these acquisitions and mergers - WhatsApp and Oculus and et cetera. There's no way that you can envision these tech companies as the underdog anymore. They're always presented as though they were these little guys who you should be championing - Facebook will overthrow the cable television complex, blah blah - but it's more likely they will merge with them.”

Way Should Looks Mean Littles Guy Company Television Complexes Cables Acquisition Underdog Blah Mergers Whatsapp

Author:Astra Taylor

“The point is, there's this new sense of skepticism and questioning toward tech, even if it is pretty inchoate. What I hope the book helps to do is help people clarify what is amiss, by presenting a critique that is grounded in economics.”

People Ifs Book Helping Economics Questioning Skepticism Grounded Critique Presenting

Author:Astra Taylor

“Technology isn't simply addictive - it's addictive because it's a servant to business incentives. There are huge departments in these companies that are devoted to this and staffed by incredibly talented people who have skills that could be put to socially beneficial projects but who are now trying to find out how to make you click and how to maximize your time on a certain site, or encourage teenagers to "friend" more products and constantly engage with them.”

People Trying Certain Company Technology Products Huge Skills Projects Teenager Servant Department Devoted Site Incentives Beneficial Clicks

Author:Astra Taylor

“The point is, this is what happens when advertising and data collection is the dominant business mode. We are encouraged to be compulsive. It's not that we're terrible addicts who need to go to an AA meeting and get off our gadgets.”

Needs Happens Terrible Meetings Advertising Data Collections Dominant Addict Gadgets Aa Meeting Data Collection

Author:Astra Taylor

“It's not just that we all as individuals should reevaluate our relationship with our devices - maybe you should, on a personal level - but in terms of balancing the micro and the macro and the personal and the structural, it's actually a bigger issue than you and your phone addiction.”

Should Individual Term Levels Issues Bigger Addiction Phones Devices Our Relationship Macro

Author:Astra Taylor

“It's always the balance between the individual's subjective experience and the social structural condition. As individuals we have access to more than we've ever had before. Giving up our data seems a small price to pay, especially if, as you say, we don't feel we have anything to hide.”

Ifs Giving Feels Seems Individual Social Pay Conditions Balance Giving Up Access Data Subjective

Author:Astra Taylor