Paulina Borsook’s critique of Silicon Valley libertarianism returns in print
Paulina Borsook’s 2000 book *Cyberselfish* is being republished by Tin House after renewed interest in its critique of techno-libertarian ideas in Silicon Valley. Its return matters because readers and academics are again looking to understand how those beliefs shaped the technology industry.
Borsook describes techno-libertarianism as a set of beliefs strongly opposed to regulation, despite the industry’s substantial benefits from government and relatively limited harms. She says she encountered these attitudes while spending time in Bay Area tech circles from the 1980s onwards, and saw them persist after the dot-com crash. Interest in the out-of-print book grew last year, with rising prices for used copies, social media discussion and enquiries from European academics; the new edition includes an introduction by Gil Durán.
In short
- *Cyberselfish* is returning in a new Tin House edition.
- The book examines anti-regulation beliefs in Silicon Valley.
- Renewed interest grew last year among readers and academics.
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The case for
Borsook’s critique merits renewed attention because Silicon Valley’s hostility to regulation can sit uneasily with the industry’s reliance on public research and infrastructure, while its products can have consequences beyond the companies that make them. Reprinting the book gives readers historical context for examining whether libertarian ideas shaped technology policy and whether those ideas remain adequate today.
The case against
A thoughtful defence of techno-libertarianism would stress that scepticism of regulation can protect experimentation, individual choice and innovation from rules that entrench incumbents or lag behind fast-changing technology. The industry’s public-sector support does not by itself settle how much oversight is justified, and the book’s account of a particular tech milieu may not capture the diversity of motives or views across the sector.
Explained simply
Silicon Valley is the technology industry centred in the San Francisco Bay Area, where many influential companies and investors are based. Paulina Borsook’s 2000 book Cyberselfish examines a political outlook she encountered there: techno-libertarianism, which favours individual freedom and limited government rules.
The debate includes how much government should regulate technology companies and how public support, such as research funding, has contributed to the industry. Borsook wrote about these ideas from her experience in Bay Area tech circles beginning in the 1980s, including their persistence after the dot-com crash, when many internet businesses failed.
The subject matters because these beliefs can shape how technology companies operate and how their effects on society are addressed. The book has drawn interest from readers and academics seeking background on the ideas that helped shape the industry.
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Originally published by TechCrunch as “‘Cyberselfish’ author takes aim at Silicon Valley libertarians as her book returns from the dead”.