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I’m speaking at Vancouver, BC’s Simon Fraser University on March 8/9, in a couple of events that will include launches for my new book, Overclocked — and I’m delighted to note that the book has sold out its entire print run in two weeks and is going back to the presses!


The talk is presented by the Faculty of Applied Sciences’ Leonardo Institute, a non-credit graduate program that examines the risks, uncertainties, ethics, and art of applied science.

Doctorow’s topic is The Totalitarian Urge: total information awareness and the cosmic billiards. “It’s about how technology changes the way we view social problems,” says Doctorow. “Older mechanical technologies make us see the world as deterministic, knowable and manipulable. New emergent technologies like the Internet teach us that control is an illusion, the universe is out of control and laughing at us, and that the more we watch and control, the more problems we have.”

The lecture will be presented twice:

Thursday March 8 at 6:00pm in the Fletcher Challenge theatre at SFU Vancouver (515 West Hastings St.) Free. Seating is limited. Reservations, 604-291-5100.

Friday March 9 at 3:30pm at SFU Burnaby in Academic Quadrangle, C9001. Free. Arrive early to ensure a seat

Link, Download poster