Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus audiobook cover - How Growth Became the Enemy of Prosperity

Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus

How Growth Became the Enemy of Prosperity

Douglas Rushkoff

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Economics

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Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus
The Digital Economy's Downside+
Historical Hijacking of Markets+
Illusion of Digital Marketplaces+
Threat of Crowd-Sharing+
Rethinking Work+
Solutions: Local Currencies+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
What did the 'Google buses' symbolize in the context of the San Francisco tech boom?
  • A. The tech industry's commitment to reducing carbon emissions through public transit.
  • B. The growing inequality and gap between the wealthy tech elite and displaced local workers.
  • C. The successful collaboration between private tech companies and public transportation sectors.
  • D. The need for better infrastructure to support the city's rapidly expanding population.
Question 2 of 7
How did the aristocratic class historically respond to the rising wealth of the merchant class and open markets?
  • A. They embraced the bazaar system and invested heavily in local merchants.
  • B. They developed monopolies and granted exclusive rights to certain companies to regain control.
  • C. They eliminated the use of currency to force a return to the barter system.
  • D. They implemented a 40-hour work week to limit the merchants' production capabilities.
Question 3 of 7
According to the text, why did the digital music market fail to empower smaller artists, contrary to early predictions?
  • A. Consumers strongly prefer purchasing physical albums over digital downloads.
  • B. Independent artists lack the technological skills to upload their music to digital platforms.
  • C. The removal of human selection and reliance on paid recommendation algorithms favors already-popular, corporate-backed songs.
  • D. Digital platforms charge exorbitant hosting fees that only large record labels can afford to pay.
Question 4 of 7
Why are crowd-sharing platforms like Airbnb able to offer cheaper rates than traditional businesses like hotels?
  • A. They utilize superior automated algorithms to dynamically price their services.
  • B. They bypass the expenses of business licenses, professional staff wages, and safety regulations.
  • C. They operate entirely as non-profit organizations focused on community sharing.
  • D. They receive massive subsidies from local governments to promote tourism.
Question 5 of 7
How did the ruling class historically change the function of money to maintain their economic advantage?
  • A. They centralized currencies and required merchants to borrow money with interest.
  • B. They encouraged the use of diverse local currencies to stimulate community wealth.
  • C. They pegged the value of money to agricultural goods rather than gold.
  • D. They distributed wealth equally to prevent any single merchant from becoming too powerful.
Question 6 of 7
What was the outcome of the state of Utah changing its public employees' schedules to a four-day, ten-hour work week?
  • A. Productivity dropped significantly due to employee exhaustion.
  • B. The state lost money because of the need to hire additional part-time workers.
  • C. Employees reported being happier and more productive, and the state saved millions by eliminating unnecessary overtime.
  • D. The carbon footprint of the state increased due to longer daily commutes.
Question 7 of 7
How do local currencies, such as Berkshares in Massachusetts, benefit a community?
  • A. They allow local businesses to easily participate in the global stock exchange.
  • B. They replace the need for traditional banks entirely by outlawing business loans.
  • C. They force large tech companies to pay higher local property taxes.
  • D. They incentivize residents to buy locally, keeping money circulating within the community.

Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus — Full Chapter Overview

Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus Summary & Overview

Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus (2013) explores society’s unhealthy relationship with money, as it transformed from a means to facilitate trade to a goal in itself. The rise of digital markets has done little to improve the situation. These blinks explore the history of money and offer practical solutions to help local communities make money work again for everyone.

Who Should Listen to Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus?

  • Workers concerned about losing a job to a machine
  • Students exploring sociology, history, economics or politics
  • Entrepreneurs

About the Author: Douglas Rushkoff

Douglas Rushkoff is a bestselling author, teacher and documentarian, and won the Media Ecology Association’s first Neil Postman award for Career Achievement in Public Intellectual Activity. He is a professor of media theory and digital economics at CUNY Queens and a technology and media commentator for CNN.

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