Summary of Google's Ways and Means By Sivia Vaidhynathan

“We allow Google to determine what is important, relevant, true on the web”

–Sivia Vaidhyanathan

Siva Vaidhyanathan is a cultural historian and media scholar. Currently, he is the Robertson Professor, and Chair, of the Department of Media Studies at the University of Virginia. He teaches in the University of Virginia School of Law as well.  He is also a frequent contributor to media and cultural issues. As the author of The Googlization of Everything And Why We Should Worry, he examines, one of the key cultural issues that he notices, as he addresses everyone society.

The Googlization of Everything And Why We Should Worry was published at California University in 2011. In Siva Vaidhyanathan’s chapter, “Google ways and means”, in The Googlization of Everything And Why We Should Worry. He examines how society’s reliance and expectation of “newness, “nowness”, speed, and convenience” is causing us to lose our sense of wonder, and amazement, we once had in technology. As a society, he feels that we are starting to take a lot of the things the Internet does for granted. An example he gives of this includes a show with the host Conan O’Brien where the main character is excited about the fact that he can receive internet on a plane. Once the Internet encounter’s a problem, however, is when problems arise with other passengers. Not only are we becoming frustrated, as a society, when the speed, or connection, to the internet runs short. We are also not paying attention to what is actually going on inside of the technologies we use. We are so concerned with the output that we are paying attention to all of the work inside that technology.  For example, we pay so much attention to the speed of Google that we do not realize that Google is collecting data from us. As Google users, society is blind to the invisible process that goes on behind closed doors on the site. Ultimately since we have this “insatiable hunger” for speed, speed matters more than anything else when it comes to Internet and service. This causes firms to want to expand markets and revenue to satisfy its customers.

In addition to that point, Vaidhyanathan continues on to talk about Google and how it is Google’s “magic that hooks us in”. The magic that we believe Google has caused us to instill to much trust into the product itself. This magic comes from the fact that we believe “Google has measured and understood us better than we have assessed ourselves”. Google works so well, and delivers information to us so simply, that it seems magical and trustworthy. As a society we need to further examine this trust and ignore the cultural assumptions of instilling this “blind faith” in Google. 

So in all, Vaidhyanathan expresses that fact that through relying on speed, we are putting faith in Google that is dangerous.Google causes an increase in our “appetite” for these services and efficiency to continue. As Google users we have to understand this appetite, and the complexity of Google’s operation. Those who should understand this complexity of Google does not just include the users of society,  it includes those who work for Google as well. We cannot let Google continue to “affect our expectations and information about the world.” We need to indulge into decisions and actions that “enrich us” rather than “satiate us”.

Many people have made reference to Vaidhyanathan’s article in a way that is highly positive. Many people support and appreciate the fact that Vaidhyanathan has opened the eyes of everyone who puts faith in Google. Many scholars agree with his ideas and expand on his views. Vaidhynathan has many people questioning their faith in Google indefinitely now. Nevertheless, there are those that disagree. For example there are those who work for Google that state that Google is only trying to give the society what it wants and what it deserves, Google is not evil. However,  Vaidhyanathan is not expressing the fact that Google is evil, he is merely analyzing an issue he notices in society.

Other scholarly Articles include:

Gleick, James. "How Google Dominates Us." The New York Review of Books Aug 18 2011: 24. ProQuest. Web. 23 Oct. 2013 .

Keen, Andrew. "Google's Crown is Slipping." New Scientist Mar 2011: 52. ProQuest. Web. 24 Oct. 2013 .

Morozov, Evgeny. "DON'T BE EVIL." The New Republic Aug 04 2011: 18. ProQuest. Web. 24 Oct. 2013 .

Works Cited:

“Sivia Vaidhyanathan” Department of Media Studies. University of Virginia. Web. 24 Oct. 2013

Sivia Vaidhynathan, “Google’s ways and means,” in The Googlization of Everything And Why We Should Worry (2011)

“Sivia Vaidhyanathan” University of Virginia School of Law. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.