Techdirt Reading List: The Internet Is My Religion

from the the-power-of-the-internet dept

We’re back again with another in our weekly reading list posts of books we think our community will find interesting and thought provoking. Once again, buying the book via the Amazon links in this story also helps support Techdirt.

Four years ago, long-time internet developer Jim Gilliam gave a really inspiring speech at Personal Democracy Forum about why the internet is his religion. It’s a discussion about growing up in a devout religious family — and then facing a series of harrowing health issues. And from that, he came to believe more and more in the power of the internet and what it does for people. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend spending the 12 minutes it takes to watch it (or 6 minutes if you use YouTube’s double speed feature):

Now, Gilliam has come out with a book version of The Internet is My Religion, and it’s absolutely worth reading, even if you’ve seen the video above. It goes into much more depth and is really, really moving. The Kindle version is just $2.99 as well. I’m obviously a big believer in the internet as well, but my life story and experience and perspective is very, very different from Gilliam’s, and it’s interesting to see how he’s processed these ideas and the importance of the internet through his own, sometimes traumatic, life experiences. At times the book feels a little strange, in trying to put certain ideas into a religious framework, even to the point that some of it made me a bit uncomfortable, but the book certainly made me think and look at some things in a different way. It’s a quick read, and for $3 ($13 for a paperback version), it’s worth it.

Filed Under: internet is my religion, jim gilliam, reading list, techdirt reading list