The Current How to feel human in a tech world
Feb 2, 2026
Douglas Rushkoff, media theorist and author who writes about technology and culture. He revisits early internet optimism and explains how capitalism reshaped the web. He warns how AI could create dependency while also offering a chance to reclaim agency. He champions community, sharing, and simple practices like pausing and eye contact to keep human connection alive.
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The Internet As A Connected Commons
- Douglas Rushkoff saw early web tech as a connected commons enabling new pathways of thought.
- Hypertext promised a fractal of linked ideas that let people navigate reality on their own terms.
Capitalism Enclosed The Commons
- Rushkoff argues capitalism enclosed the internet's commons into business-controlled spaces.
- Early optimism underestimated how commercial incentives would reshape online interaction.
AI Risks Repeating Past Mistakes
- AI offers another chance to reshape society but likely repeats past failures if left to corporate actors.
- Rushkoff worries AIs will prioritize creating dependency rather than enhancing human autonomy.
