Everything Bad is Good For You by Steven Johnson
Looking through IQ tests over the past 50 years, one finds an interesting development. People are getting smarter. Each generation is scoring higher than the one before. Steven Johnson presents a piece of persuasive writing that the reason for this increase is the increasing complexity of popular culture. Johnson argues that video games, television, and the internet are making our culture smarter. He points out that many of these things have been demonized and evaluated by the wrong criteria. He points out the positive things that help one in life and to enjoy life. With video games, he avoids the common hand-eye coordination bs. Instead, he argues that the ability to focus, how to find goals, how to keep multiple goals in mind, and how to complete goals is making everyone smarter. With TV, he analyzes how many more story threads and characters go through the modern tv drama, kids program, or movie compared to past programming. He also points out how the reality shows actually give people practice in reading human emotions and human interaction. He further points out how the internet is making the world more interconnected. Those are the main points in what is a powerful book that will blow the socks off some of the fascist talking heads on tv.