Nov 13, 2013

Book Recommendation: Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age

Posted by Wendy Weber

My daughter recommended a book that I would like to share with you:  “Program or Be Programmed:  Ten Commands for a Digital Age“, by Douglas Rushkoff.  I found it to be very thought provoking.

The premise of Rushkoff’s book is that programming is the new literacy of the digital age…we each need to choose whether those that have the knowledge will direct us, or whether we will learn enough to make informed decisions.

We need to understand how programming works, and what is possible, so that we can understand the biases of the tools and programs.  If we don’t educate ourselves in digital technologies, we cannot be active participants in our own future.

I was recently asked for my opinion on whether an MBA or additional technical skills would be most career-enhancing.  After reading this book I feel that the technical skills are more relevant, and likely to be more valuable to one’s career.  (And I spent 4 years in night school attaining my MBA!).

I used to think of programming as something that one could delegate, like art production or search optimization.  I thought it was “best left to the specialists”.  And I still do…I’m not a programmer, and I don’t aspire to be one.  But after reading this book, I am convinced that it is in my best interest to learn enough about programming to ask the right questions, and understand the answers.

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