The Dark Side of Tech Worship: When Innovators Become Our Modern Gods

In today’s culture, technology entrepreneurs are often revered as heroic visionaries shaping the future. However, this narrative obscures the vital role of public investment and collective innovation. Many core technologies—such as the internet and GPS—stem from government-funded research initiatives dating back to the mid-20th century.

Federal research and development spending has declined from nearly 2% of GDP in the 1960s to less than 1% today, shifting the innovation burden onto private companies that often prioritize short-term profits. Meanwhile, the rising cost of higher education has transformed college degrees into gatekeepers of opportunity, limiting access for many.

This idolization of tech founders as lone geniuses ignores the complex ecosystem of public institutions, researchers, and communities that enable breakthroughs. It also influences policy decisions that reduce public research funding, potentially stifling long-term innovation and exacerbating inequality.

Recognizing the collective nature of innovation is crucial for building a more inclusive and sustainable technological future. This blog draws on extensive research and insights to challenge popular myths and advocate for renewed investment in public science and education.

Further reading and analysis can be found in the book and related critiques of the tech economy's cultural dynamics. 1 3