Book review of: N. Carr (2025). Superbloom. How Technologies of Connection Tear Us Apart, W. W. Norton & Company, 272 pages.
The question of whether the world has become a better place since the arrival of ‘technologies of connection’, as Nicholas Carr calls them, is a complex one. These technologies, which include all forms of hardware and software designed to facilitate connectivity between individuals, such as phones, computers, tablets, internet browsers, social media platforms, and large language models, have become an integral part of our lives. However, the potential implications of these technologies for democracy, as well as the dissemination of misinformation, hallucinations, and deepfakes that threaten societal norms and values, ethical considerations, and democratic plurality, appear to contradict the naïve idealism expressed in Silicon Valley’s manipulative marketing. However, the advent of GPS has facilitated global navigation, enabling individuals to communicate with others, even in remote locations, and to access and stream a vast array of audio and video content. It is a mixed bag, with many advantages for the individual and a lot of disadvantages for society. [i]
Nicholas Carr has published extensively about business, information technology and culture, and has expressed highly critical views on the effects of these on individual users and society at large. His book The Shallows. What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains was a finalist for the 2011 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction. In this provocative book, Carr advanced the argument that Google and the internet are ‘making us stupid.’ It established Carr as a leading commentator on the Internet and its societal consequences. In my review of the book (in Dutch), I stated the following:
‘To substantiate his thesis with the findings of neuroscience, Carr’s efforts can be said to be only marginally successful. However, when he limits his argument to cultural criticism and addresses the losses suffered with the acceptance of new technology, his case becomes significantly stronger. Indeed, a substantial body of research indicates that increased Internet use is associated with a decline in interest for reading books. However, adopting this approach would have resulted in a less compelling and less dramatic book. Notwithstanding the way the argument is presented, Carr has authored a book that is both formidable and provocative, albeit with a one-sided scientific approach and somewhat lacking in rationality. The writing style is commendable, rendering the book a pleasure to read. I read the book in one sitting, immediately realizing that the effects of years of my Internet use were apparently limited.’
A significant proportion of the reviews (ignoring those from techno-utopians who often condemn those who voice even marginal reservations concerning technological advancements), concur with the assertion that Carr’s perspective, although largely unproven, holds merit.
In his new book, Superbloom, Carr extends his analysis to social media and digital communication technologies. He asks how these media and communications are changing us as individuals and as a collective. He begins with the example that explains the title of his book: in early March 2019, there was an unusually abundant bloom of poppies in a canyon near Los Angeles. When an influencer posted pictures, the hashtag #Superbloom went viral. Soon, the place was overrun, a traffic cop was injured, online discourse turned sour, and the media started talking about ‘Flowergeddon’. Carr explains the event further as:
‘a portrait in miniature of our frenzied, farcical, information-saturated time. There was the excitement of communal discovery and the noxiousness of mob action. There was the democratization of media production, with everyone churning out content and competing for the symbolic applause of the like button. There was the hurried, hieroglyphic language of hashtag, emoji, and exclamation mark. There were the influencers, with their cavalier blurring of commerce and conversation, and the followers, revelling in a pageant of mass mimicry. There were the trolls and their cruel, often misogynistic barbs. There were the virtue vigilantes, eager to pillory anyone straying outside prescribed lines of speech and behaviour. And, everywhere, there were the phoneheads, so obsessed with their busy little screens that they could neither see their surroundings nor hear the voice of common sense.’ [ii]
Carr interprets Superbloom as a metaphor for the contemporary world, inundated with media content. While acknowledging the appeal of social media platforms, Carr also identifies an accompanying loss of common sense. Carr compares social media messages to a ‘perpetual Superbloom’ and mobile phones to ‘nodes on a communication network of unprecedented scope and speed.’ However, as with the Superbloom of poppies, Carr remarks that ‘the more we communicate, the worse things seem to get.’ The vivid and captivating nature of these platforms can be seen as both appealing and disconcerting, owing to their sheer abundance, invasiveness, and the way in which they can engender an almost addictive state of mind. The phrase ‘tearing us apart’ is included in the subtitle for good reason. [iii]
The advent of communication technology has been accompanied by psychological, practical and social consequences. The way anonymity on the internet facilitates the most detrimental behaviours among users is evidenced daily, particularly when users are not held accountable for their actions. An example of this phenomenon is provided by Superbloom, which also serves to illustrate the ‘black side’ of social media. By making it easy to amplify posts, without needing to ask if the posts are true, retweets became a megaphone for misinformation. Plato’s insinuation in The Republic of the idea that individuals who believe they can act with impunity will often choose to do so, highlighting the tendency for some individuals to be corrupted when they cannot be held responsible and accountable. This resonates profoundly with the contemporary context of social media. [iv]
Carr takes his narrative back in history. The concept of instantaneous communication over long distances has been a subject of interest since antiquity. In 1499, Johannes Trithemius of Sponheim asserted in Steganographia, a book of cryptography masquerading as a work of (dark) magic, that he had discovered a method for sending thoughts over great distances, utilizing ‘fire’ with the aid of angels. [v] Telecommunication has invariably been accompanied by notions of the supernatural, as evidenced by radio transmissions, television, and the internet. The observation by John Durham Peters that ‘Every new medium is a machine for the production of ghosts’ is a pertinent one. [vi] Carr has many narratives and historical analogies about communication, its links with the supernatural, and the ill effects of digital media.
Utilizing Superbloom, Carr undertakes a rigorous examination of the utopian conviction that rapid advancement of communication and the dissemination of more and more information would inevitably engender a more profound comprehension, enlightened education, and peaceful coexistence. Carr explains the story of Charles Cooley, who initially used the term ‘social media’ in a utopian way, being highly optimistic.[vii] But, says Carr,
‘well before the net came along, …. [the] evidence was telling us that flooding the public square with more information from more sources was not going to open people’s minds or engender more thoughtful discussions. It wasn’t even going to make people better informed.’ [viii]
The utopian conviction was proven to be wrong.
‘We live in its ruins,” states Carr, “overwhelmed by the information that was meant to enlighten us, imprisoned by the data that describe us.’ [ix]
Because information was flattened and the notion of ‘post-truth’ changed the traditional characteristics of information into ‘a single category—it’s all ‘content’.’ And the content that matters is not whether it is true or not. Content is ‘good’ when it generates profit, nothing else. [x]
Carr’s analysis demonstrates how proponents of social media overlooked critical issues such as authoritarianism, misinformation, and radicalization. The erosion of the distinction between conversation and broadcasting, culminating in an endless feed of messages, is a key point of the argument. He goes on to detail how self-expression can give rise to feelings of envy, self-depreciation, loneliness, and depression. He gives many examples of how digital media can intensify the negatives of human behaviour.
‘The phenomenon of online polarization and extremism is not, as some have suggested, a manufactured product of algorithms. Instead, they are manifestations of deeply ingrained tendencies in human nature that have invariably influenced and strained social relations and political debates.’ [xi]
Digital media do not change human nature, ‘but they do accentuate certain aspects of it while dampening others.’ [xii] Breaking up the firms controlling the digital media platforms is ‘unlikely to change social media’s workings.’ [xiii]
The role of social media is not without bias. They are political instruments employed by those who control them to influence our thinking and behaviour. Carr’s work is unequivocal in its emphasis on this aspect of social media. Social media platforms promote certain forms of communication and impede others. Their content moderation practices are intricately linked to the personal motivations, desires, values, and biases of the individuals who oversee them. This has resulted in the silencing of dissenting voices, the dissemination of misinformation, and the suppression of facts that conflict with their narratives. They act primarily in their own self-interest, presenting their actions as being beneficial to society.
Carr does not offer viable solutions. He disregards the concept of ‘frictional design’ to impede the dissemination of messages and diminish the engagement of social media. He deems this to be both futile and irksome for users. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the users themselves to initiate a transition towards a life that is more material and less virtual, through ‘personal, wilful acts of excommunication.’ [xiv] This approach can be likened to a ‘digital detox’, a term used to describe the deliberate practice of removing oneself from digital distractions for a period of time. A detailed and persuasive argument is followed with disappointing proposals.
As the book progressed, some of Carr’s arguments began to feel repetitive, somewhat diminishing the strength of his overall message. The notion that social media have damaging effects is now commonplace. Carr’s scepticism regarding the promises of technology firms was provocative twenty years ago but is now widespread.
Nicholas Carr has written an excellent, well-researched book. There exists a thematic thread with his previous books, The Shallows and The Glass Cage.
‘The three works examine how we came to apply industrial goals and measurements — efficiency, productivity, speed, profit — to the most subtle and distinctively human of our pursuits. The Shallows looks at the application of industrial ideals and measurements to thinking; The Glass Cage, to doing; and Superbloom, to communicating. The way computer systems have abetted the encroachment of the industrial ethos into the most intimate facets of human life strikes me as one of the most important stories of our time.’ [xv]
This thematic thread is a distinguishing feature of Carr’s critical stance. While less provocative, his approach is consistent over many years. This consistency in narrative is a notable distinction that sets him apart from many of his peers in the field. Superbloom is an engaging and informative read, characterized by a precise analysis of the detrimental impact of social media. The present situation in the USA exemplifies all these characteristics of social media, the positive and especially the negative. Reading all three books again, as I did, the last two months, illuminates this thematic thread to a greater extent. It serves to underscore the merits of Superbloom, making it a highly recommended read.
[i] G.J. van Bussel (2024). The Accessibility Conundrum. The Problematic Phenomenon of Information Access and Accessibility. Papers on Information and Archival Studies, III, VanBussel Document Services, Helmond, pp. 70-74.
[ii] Superbloom, Prologue, Poppies.
[iii] Superbloom, the penultimate line of the Prologue.
[iv] Plato, The Republic, translated by D. Lee, Penguin Classics; 2nd edition, 2007.
[v] Johannes Trithemius of Sponheim (1606). Steganographia, published in Frankfurt. For a facsimile of the 1608 edition, see the Internet Archive. This edition was retrieved on 1 April 2025 from https://archive.org/details/SteganographiaBSB1608/mode/2up. Manuscript copies of the book circulated in the 16th century, provoking both attack and defence. A shorter work, Clavis Steganographiae (Frankfurt, 1608), presumably also by Trithemius, explained how the ciphers of Books I and II of the Steganographia worked. For an online version of Clavis, retrieved on 1 April 2025, see: https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_majQsj4dz1wC/mode/2up. The incantations functioned as encrypted instructions for concealing a secret message within the cover letters. The book appears to be about magic, specifically, about using spirits to communicate over long distances. Prior to 1996, it was widely accepted that Book III dealt with magic; however, subsequent research has revealed that these ‘magical’ formulas are, in fact, covers for additional material on cryptography. J. Reeds (1998). ‘Solved. The ciphers in book III of Trithemius’s Steganographia’, Cryptologia. Vol. 22, No. 4, pp. 191–317. Also: T. Ernst (1996). ‘Schwarzweiße Magie. Der Schlüssel zum dritten Buch der Stenographia des Trithemius’. Daphnis: Zeitschrift für Mittlere Deutsche Literatur, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 1–205.
[vi] J. Durham Peters (1999). Speaking into the Air. A History of the Idea of Communication, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, p. 139.
[vii] Superbloom, chapter 1.
[viii] Superbloom, chapter 6, paragraph An Unattainable Ideal.
[ix] Superbloom, chapter 6, paragraph Paradise Lost.
[x] Superbloom, chapter 6, paragraph The Algorithmic Editor.
[xi] Superbloom, chapter 6, paragraph Us and Them.
[xii] Superbloom, chapter 6, paragraph Paradise Lost.
[xiii] Superbloom, chapter 10, paragraph Saboteurs
[xiv] Superbloom, chapter 10, paragraph Excommunication
[xv] A. Kapur (2025). ‘How Technologies Divide Us: A Q&A with Nicholas Carr’, TechPolicy Press. Online source, retrieved 1 April 2025, from: https://www.techpolicy.press/how-technologies-divide-us-a-qa-with-nicholas-carr/.
