The Future of Violence

Robots and Germs, Hackers and Drones - Confronting a New Age of Threat

By: Benjamin Wittes, Gabriella Blum

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

From drone warfare in the Middle East to digital spying by the National Security Agency, the US government has harnessed the power of cutting-edge technology to awesome effect. But what happens when ordinary people have the same tools at their fingertips? Advances in cybertechnology, biotechnology, and robotics mean that more people than ever before have access to potentially dangerous technologies - from drones to computer networks and biological agents - that could be used to attack states and private citizens alike.

In The Future of Violence, law and security experts Benjamin Wittes and Gabriella Blum detail the myriad possibilities, challenges, and enormous risks present in the modern world and argue that if our national governments can no longer adequately protect us from harm, they will lose their legitimacy. Consequently governments, companies, and citizens must rethink their security efforts to protect lives and liberty. In this brave new world where many little brothers are as menacing as any Big Brother, safeguarding our liberty and privacy may require strong domestic and international surveillance and regulatory controls. Maintaining security in this world where anyone can attack anyone requires a global perspective, with more multinational forces and greater action to protect (and protect against) weaker states that do not yet have the capability to police their own people. Drawing on political thinkers from Thomas Hobbes to the founders and beyond, Wittes and Blum show that despite recent protestations to the contrary, security and liberty are mutually supportive,and we must embrace one to ensure the other.

The Future of Violence is at once an introduction to our emerging world - one in which students can print guns with 3D printers and scientists' manipulations of viruses can be recreated and unleashed by ordinary people - and an authoritative blueprint for how government must adapt in order to survive and protect us.

©2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.; 2015 Blackstone Audio

Informative but dry

This may be a 4 or 5 star book if you're looking for information about international law as it applies to cyberspace/technology. However, I was expecting something more like "Future Crimes" and the like so I was rather disappointed. Narration was good and it's very in depth for its topic... just not what I was looking for.

Great academic tool

It was read well. No issues with the narrator.

This is a high-value academic book discussing the social contract theory. While caged as a book about technology and emerging violence, the book focuses on a greater theoretical discussion. Specifically, it studies the issue of a government’s ability to regulate high-impact, decentralized action. Written from the cultural perspective of a U.S. theorist, it offers deep understanding of the foundational academic issues and promises significant opportunity for further research, discussion, and debate. Recommended for legal and technology students as well as anyone concerned with the regulation of emerging technologies.

Wanted to like it more.

There was some really good material in here. Sadly, the narration was extremely distracting; everything was like an action movie trailer voice-over...without the emotion.

thought provoking but dry

interesting exploration of the future. very academic, and dry at times. most interesting was the examination of our existing contrasts and contradictions about the definition of privacy, and the alternate definition that they proposed.

Good Info on Advancements in Society and Politics

If you are an academic, or teaching a course in political theory applied to a growing world of “many-to-many threats,” then this is for you. If you are a casual listener, and thought this would be an interesting listen, or read then it is not. Don’t take me wrong, there are a lot of great ideas and concepts in here to unpack, but it is dry material and not for a casual listen.

Very thought provoking

The picture the authors paint is one we will all have to come to terms with. overall I think they do a pretty good job of raising and examining the implications of new enable technologies while not spinning with a politically motivated conclusion.
Its given me a lot to think about.

Definitely weighed my viewpoint on defense

What’s your idea I wish the guy did a little more research I still want to know what a A.R. 47 is?

something to think on

This is a great book to think on, but I would hesitate to make it doctrine for your life. The authors pay some lip service to keeping the government out of our lives, but have fairly statist views for our planet. That's my personal belief, and I'm a gun toting hippie from Colorado that wants very very very little to do with the government.

Enlightenment era governments are struggling...

Good book for those looking to see how modern governments might survive the AI and tech revolution.

Starts good...loses its way

This book really struggled to be more than what should have been a good magazine article. Started well with some interesting points... Then lost its way and became plodding. I somehow managed to finish it, but wish I hadn't. The last chapter was embarrassing in the extreme. The word 'leviathan' (yes, leviathan, lol) is used countless times and quickly becomes an annoying distraction.