#2158
Mentioned in 14 episodes
The Unaccountability Machine
Why Big Systems Make Terrible Decisions - and How The World Lost its Mind
Book • 2024
In 'The Unaccountability Machine', Dan Davies explores why large systems, including markets, institutions, and governments, often produce outcomes that no one intends.
He draws on the work of Stafford Beer, a pioneer in management cybernetics, to explain how organizations can be seen as artificial intelligences making decisions independent of their members' intentions.
Davies critiques the current state of management and economic systems, highlighting the concept of 'accountability sinks' where negative feedback is ignored, and discusses the consequences of these systemic failures, including the 2008 financial crisis.
The book is a blend of part-biography and part-political thriller, offering a compelling narrative on the need for better accountability and decision-making processes.
He draws on the work of Stafford Beer, a pioneer in management cybernetics, to explain how organizations can be seen as artificial intelligences making decisions independent of their members' intentions.
Davies critiques the current state of management and economic systems, highlighting the concept of 'accountability sinks' where negative feedback is ignored, and discusses the consequences of these systemic failures, including the 2008 financial crisis.
The book is a blend of part-biography and part-political thriller, offering a compelling narrative on the need for better accountability and decision-making processes.
Mentioned by
Mentioned in 14 episodes
Recommended by 
Alistair Croll as a book he has literally made an entire conference theme out of this year.
Alistair Croll as a book he has literally made an entire conference theme out of this year.
581 snips
Just evil enough: Subversive marketing strategies for startups | Alistair Croll (author, advisor, entrepreneur)
Recommended by 
Rory Stewart ; explores unaccountability in large systems and how it leads to poor decisions.
Rory Stewart ; explores unaccountability in large systems and how it leads to poor decisions.
118 snips
404. Question Time: How Starmer Fell Into Farage's Immigration Trap
Recommended by 
Sebastian Gehrmann as a recently published book about how organizations fail to build accountability processes.
Sebastian Gehrmann as a recently published book about how organizations fail to build accountability processes.
98 snips
905: Why RAG Makes LLMs Less Safe (And How to Fix It), with Bloomberg’s Dr. Sebastian Gehrmann
Erwähnt von 
Alexander Schatten im Zusammenhang mit der zunehmenden Strukturierung und Standardisierung in Organisationen.
Alexander Schatten im Zusammenhang mit der zunehmenden Strukturierung und Standardisierung in Organisationen.
48 snips
121 — Künstliche Unintelligenz
Mentioned by 
Rory Sutherland when discussing the impact of optimization models on human preference and decision-making.
Rory Sutherland when discussing the impact of optimization models on human preference and decision-making.
27 snips
Rory Sutherland – Are We Now Too Impatient to Be Intelligent?
Mentioned by 
Martin Reeves as the author's latest book, examining why companies and governments create unwanted outcomes.
Martin Reeves as the author's latest book, examining why companies and governments create unwanted outcomes.
17 snips
The Unaccountability Machine with Dan Davies
Mentioned by Rory Stewart as one of the books he is currently reading, focusing on the complexities of modern societies and accountability.
Rory Stewart as one of the books he is currently reading, focusing on the complexities of modern societies and accountability.16 snips
321. Question Time: Why do politicians leak to the press?
Mentioned by Michael Caley and Mike Goodman as the subject of the podcast episode, discussing its ideas on business, capitalism, and European football.
11 snips
The Cybernetics of Football with Dan Davies
Mentioned by Ben Mathis-Lilley when discussing how organizations fail by focusing on specific numbers and neglecting other planning.
Behind the Democrats’ Losing Strategy
Mentioned by Ben Catanio as the title of his book, explaining why big systems make terrible decisions.
Ep. 240: Dan Davies - On "The Unaccountability Machine"
Mentioned by Ben Mathis-Lilley when discussing how organizations fail by focusing on specific numbers.
What Next | Behind the Democrats’ Losing Strategy
Mentioned by Stably as a book they are looking forward to discussing in a future episode.
The Art of Happiness by Epicurus
Discussed by Jerry and Stably for its exploration of irrational outcomes in large systems.
The Unaccountability Machine by Dan Davies
Recommended by 
Jennifer Pahlka as a fantastic exploration of why when things go very wrong in our society, at the end of the day, after all of the investigations, there's sort of no one to blame.
Jennifer Pahlka as a fantastic exploration of why when things go very wrong in our society, at the end of the day, after all of the investigations, there's sort of no one to blame.
In This House, We’re Angry When Government Fails
