In a new book, MIT literature professor Benjamin Mangrum explores how we deal with our doubts and fears about computing through humor, whether reconciling ourselves to machines or critiquing them.

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MIT literature professor Benjamin Mangrum explores how society uses humor to process anxieties about computing technology in his new book. From Steve Jobs using jokes to make the Macintosh seem friendlier to modern comedies critiquing tech industry promises, comedy serves as a cultural mechanism for both accepting and criticizing technology. Romantic comedies particularly use plot structures where technology transforms from obstacle to partner, while contemporary humor focuses on the gap between tech companies' utopian promises and their actual outcomes, especially in social media.

Processing our technological angst through humor