Techdirt Reading List: The Idealist: Aaron Swartz And The Rise Of Free Culture On The Internet
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Two weeks ago, our book of choice was a collection of Aaron Swartz's writings. And this week, it's a new book by Justin Peters not only about Swartz, but also about the rise of free culture online, putting Swartz's ideas and actions into context, called The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet. I have to admit that I had no idea this book had even come out until I heard a wonderful interview with Peters over on On the Media (and, for what it's worth, in a separate podcast, OTM's Brooke Gladstone said that the interview was so good that they struggled to figure out how to edit it down -- so I wonder if they'll release an even longer version as a "podcast extra.")
After that interview, I picked up a copy of the book and have only just started it, but am impressed already. By not just focusing on Swartz, but the wider context of copyright law and information policy over the years, it makes Swartz's focus much more understandable. I've found that, in talking about Swartz with people who aren't familiar with internet and open information culture, that they don't understand why Swartz would focus on what he did. But when put into the much broader context, it becomes much more understandable. For folks who are already knowledgeable about this world, it's still an interesting overview, potentially capturing parts that you weren't aware of, or putting other aspects into context as well. For folks with little deeper knowledge of the background of the open culture movement, it's a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the details.
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