But now the clockwork is coming apart as we get used to the truth that everything affects everything else, all at once, forever. In this new future, our best strategy often requires holding back from anticipating and instead creating as many possibilities as we can. The book's imperative for business and beyond is simple: Make. More. Future.
Modern science, the Internet, big data, and AI are each saying the same thing to us: the world is -- and always has been -- far more complex and unpredictable than we've allowed ourselves to see. As a result we're undergoing a sea change in our understanding of how things happen, and in our deepest strategies for predicting, preparing for, and managing our lives and our businesses. For example, machine learning allows us to make better predictions (think the weather, stock performance, online clicks) but we know less about why those predictions are right--and we need to get used to that. And in fact, over the past twenty years we've been unintentionally developing strategies that avoid anticipating what will happen so we don't have to depend on unreliable revenue forecasts, assumptions about customer needs, and hypotheses about how a product will be used. By embracing these strategies, we're flourishing by creating yet more possibilities and yet more unpredictability. In wide-ranging stories and characteristically all-encompassing syntheses, technology researcher, internet expert, and philosopher David Weinberger reveals the trends that hide in so many aspects of our lives--and shows us how they matter.--
"Weinberger has given us a beautifully written set of mental maps to help keep us aligned with our own futures." -- KMWorld
Advance Praise for Everyday Chaos:
Seth Godin, author, This Is Marketing--
"My copy is filled with notes on the margins of every page. This is what books are for--a mind-blowing, game-changing, fun-to-read race into the future. Wow."
Reid Hoffman, cofounder, LinkedIn; Partner, Greylock--
"If you want to better understand the possibilities that machine learning and other forms of AI are creating--and harness the power of these breakthroughs--read this lively and illuminating book!"
Aneesh Chopra, former (and first) US Chief Technology Officer, Obama Administration--
"Weinberger's thought-provoking call to action is a must-read for business leaders pushing the envelope on innovation, for policy makers seeking to protect the public from undue harm, and for the rest of us who are keen to live better lives but mindful of any unintended consequences."
Robin Chase, cofounder and former CEO, Zipcar--
"David's writing is just so pleasing, and his ideas so interesting and useful, that I found myself reveling in his words, nudging my partner and saying, 'Let me read you this bit . . . '"
Joichi Ito, Director, MIT Media Lab--
"With classic Weinberger wit and brilliant insight, this book shatters the myth of predictability while delivering grounded, actionable advice for anyone trying to thrive in the everyday chaos that has become our world. A page-turner must-read for everyone."
