Historical Precedent: Reverse Engineering as Innovation

Is Trump’s crazy train an existential threat to Canada or an existential opportunity?

Cory Doctorow gave the world the concept of “ensh*ttification”. Doctorow’s doctrine says there is a gradual but inevitable process by which tech platforms go from marvelous and novel and exciting to, well, they go to sh*t. They get less useful and more spammy. Your Netflix library gets smaller while your monthly fee gets bigger. It gets harder to find the Google link you were looking for underneath all the sponsored links. Uber rates seem to always be set to surge pricing. 

The idea can be applied to Canada itself. For a long time we enjoyed bundled access to the U.S. cable package. We got access to their markets. We got military protection. We were along for the ride of globalization. All we had to do was play by their trade rules, their foreign policy expectations. We had to subscribe to their vision of the world.

But the beta test is over. Now that we are locked into their platform, introductory rates are no longer available. If we want to trade with them, it'll cost us. If we want a golden dome protecting us, it'll cost us. Even if we just want off the crazy train, it’ll cost us.

Can we unsh*ttify Canada?

Host: Jesse Brown

Credits: Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor & Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)

Featured guest: Cory Doctorow

Fact checking by Julian Abraham

More information:

• https://craphound.com/

Sponsors: 

oxio: Head over to https://canadaland.oxio.ca and use code CANADALAND for your first month free! 

Squarespace: Check out https://squarespace.com/canadaland for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch use code canadaland to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

BetterHelp: Visit https://BetterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month.

Can’t get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more.

It’s crowdfunding month here at Canadaland! The next 10 people to sign up today will receive a FREE hand-printed t-shirt from My Moving Parts. Eligible supporters can choose between one of the following two designs: https://shorturl.at/MT520 

Become a supporter at canadaland.com/join today. 

You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.