The Rise And Fall Of The Artificial State
Cut along the dashed lines and pass the cards around the table.
Before we open the book, what's one piece of technology you feel real affection for, and one you secretly wish would go away?
Where did you do most of your reading for this book, and did reading about screens and machines make you want to put your phone in another room?
Lepore writes about how technology has shaped human community. What's a gathering, ritual, or place in your life that makes you feel most connected to other people, and has technology made it stronger or weaker?
Was there a moment in the book that made you feel protective of something, like a tradition, a habit, or a way of being together, that you hadn't really thought about losing?
Democracy can feel huge and far away. When have you felt like part of a community deciding something together, even something small like a neighborhood or school decision? How did it feel?
Did any part of the book leave you feeling hopeful or comforted? What was it about that section that gave you some reassurance?
After reading the whole book, has your sense of what makes something feel "real" or "human" to you changed? Is there a person, conversation, or experience that came to mind as you thought about it?
Lepore takes a long view of history. If a younger person in your life asked what you most want them to hold onto as technology keeps changing, what would you tell them, and did the book shape your answer?