In a nitpicky way, I wish WW had employed an editor who would make sure she’d stayed with either past or present tense the whole way through, since the random switches were jarring. Otherwise, it was perfectly fine, and if FB doesn’t want its misdeeds known, maybe it shouldn’t do them.

He doesn’t seem to get the level of power he could wield and behaves, at times, like an actual child—wounded when he realizes his ideas really were bad, throwing furious tantrums when he doesn’t get his way. I have no idea if this is accurate, but it is very funny.

So they’re gonna get the nastier treatment (rightly so). That said, it’s almost comical to see the Zuck constantly bumbling into situations like a teenage Pinocchio who has no idea how to human and has just been given more money than sense. He seems naive to the possibilities of his platform.

The second thing was the almost comical dopeyness of the Zuck compared to how other C suite members like Sheryl Sandberg and Joel Kaplan get painted. On one level I get it, since Sandberg and Kaplan allegedly perpetuated sexual harassment against WW.

Of course they’re coming up with innovative ways to spy on people for China. Of course everyone’s data is for sale to the highest bidder. It’s about the profits, baby. Those private jets with enormous bedrooms won’t pay for themselves, you know.

Don’t get me wrong; the depth of evilness is theoretically shocking if you haven’t encountered capitalism before. But if you have, it’s like. Of course they don’t care that they enabled a literal genocide in Myanmar. Of course they’re thrilled at how well the algorithm worked in 2016.

And maybe if WW were on a lower rung of the ladder, I’d get the Kool Aid drinking, but as highly placed as she was, it felt… mmm, disingenuous that she remained so naively convinced of their goodness through international shenanigans for so long. Like were we missing memos or smth here?

Even when she sees the whole C suite shrug off abominable situations. Even when she watches them consistently put profit over people. There’s this almost cultish certainty that no, they really do want to do good in the world! Honest they do! Can’t you see it??

But it was invented by a bunch of bros to rank women on a scale of attractiveness. I feel like none of them really ever had world peace in mind from the start. WW enters the scene with this almost naive belief in the goodness of FB and its potential that takes FOREVER to quench.

Throughout this book, two things stood out to me.

First, the author’s constant shock at the constantly unshocking valuation of profits over FB’s alleged mission of teaching the world to sing in perfect harmony.

Yes, the tech could/can be used for good.

“Long Shadow,” by Olivia Atwater. Her Regency Faerie Tales are basically my gold standard for romance novels. Every single one makes me grin like an idiot and kick my feet and giggle. This one is no exception. #longshadow #oliviaatwater #booksky

“Babel,” by R.F. Kuang. Put this one off for a while bc I knew it would destroy me and it did. Reminded me of people I loved in very good ways. Made me miss Oxford in good and bad ways. And then hurt me in the best way. #babel #rfkuang #booksky

“Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire,” by Don Martin. Just the most delightful little story about a witch in training and her familiar and the Appalachian town where she’s solving a mystery. Perfect for heading into fall. #verityvox #donmartin #booksky

“Apostles of Mercy,” by Lindsay Ellis. Third of the Noumena series, giving me a lot of emotions that are not necessarily positive about one of the characters I used to love deeply. But still so delightfully written. #apostlesofmercy #lindsayellis #booksky

“For Whom the Belle Tolls,” by Jaysea Lynn. I expected just a demon romance and got something remarkably healing and touching and deep. Where did that come from? I can’t even explain this except to say damn. #forwhomthebelletolls #jaysealynn #booksky

“On Writing,” by Stephen King. Sometimes you need to revisit old friends. My copy is held together with dreams and yesterdays. I reread this in about an afternoon and loved it as much as the first time. #onwriting #stephenking #booksky

“Swordheart,” by T. Kingfisher. Tiny review: love this world and series, love a love story where the MCs aren’t Hollywood perfect, love the monsters both human and not. Romances aren’t completely my thing, but this was lovely. #swordheart #tkingfisher #booksky

Idk. I’m feeling discouraged and let down by a support network and wishing that I could magically barf out novels like Stephen King or have a Carrie like he did but pressure actually makes it harder to think creatively, shockingly enough, and I’m on the ocean floor.

(also not ideal are jobs that require schooling and certification bc the bank account is moths now)