Jaron Lanier

1.1. Childhood and Family Background

Born Jaron Zepel Lanier in New York City on May 3, 1960, he was raised in Mesilla, New Mexico. His parents were Jewish; his mother was a survivor of a Nazi concentration camp in Vienna, and his father's family had emigrated from Ukraine to escape pogroms. When Lanier was nine years old, his mother died in a car accident. Following this tragedy, he lived in tents with his father for an extended period before they embarked on a seven-year project to build a geodesic dome home, which Lanier helped design.

1.2. Education

At the remarkably young age of 13, Lanier convinced New Mexico State University to allow him to enroll. There, he pursued graduate-level courses and received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study mathematical notation. This project introduced him to computer programming, marking his initial foray into the field. From 1979 to 1980, his NSF-funded work at NMSU focused on "digital graphical simulations for learning." During this time, Lanier also attended art school in New York, but later returned to New Mexico, where he worked as an assistant to a midwife. The father of a baby he helped deliver gifted him a car, which Lanier later used to drive to Santa Cruz, California.

2.1. Founding VPL Research

While working for Atari Inc. in California, Lanier met Thomas G. Zimmerman, the inventor of the data glove. After Atari was divided into two separate companies in 1984, Lanier found himself unemployed, which provided him with the opportunity to focus on his own projects. This led him to develop VPL, a "post-symbolic" visual programming language. Collaborating with Zimmerman, Lanier co-founded VPL Research, Inc. in 1985. This company became the first to commercialize virtual reality technologies, notably selling VR goggles and wired gloves. VPL Research developed pioneering programs that allowed multiple networked users to explore virtual worlds, introducing the concept of avatars to represent users within these systems. The company also innovated early virtual reality applications, such as medical surgery simulations. Although VPL Research initially prospered, it filed for bankruptcy in 1990. In 1999, Sun Microsystems acquired VPL's virtual reality and graphics-related patents.

2.2. Tech Companies and Research Activities

Lanier's early career included a role at Atari Inc., where he developed the game Moondust for the Commodore 64. In the late 1990s, from 1997 to 2001, Lanier served as the Chief Scientist of Advanced Network and Services, which housed the Engineering Office of Internet2. During this period, he also led the 'National Tele-immersion Initiative', a collaborative effort among research universities to explore advanced applications for Internet2. This initiative successfully demonstrated the first prototypes of tele-immersion in 2000 after a three-year development phase. From 2001 to 2004, he was a visiting scientist at Silicon Graphics Inc., where he focused on developing solutions for core challenges in telepresence and tele-immersion. He also held visiting scholar positions at the Department of Computer Science at Columbia University (1997-2001) and was a visiting artist at New York University's Interactive Telecommunications Program. In 2006, Lanier began working at Microsoft, and from 2009, he has served as an Interdisciplinary Scientist at Microsoft Research.

3.1. Early Essays and Critiques

In his 2000 essay "One-Half of a Manifesto," Lanier sharply criticized what he termed "cybernetic totalism," a concept associated with writers like Ray Kurzweil that posits a future where computers achieve ultra-intelligence and master matter and life. Lanier argued that humans cannot be accurately compared to biological computers and that the notion of computers easily replacing humans, even economically, within a few decades is highly improbable. He contended that while Moore's Law dictates an increase in transistor count, overall performance improvements are slow due to the incremental nature of human productivity in software development, leading to bloated and error-prone code.

In his influential 2006 online essay "Digital Maoism: The Hazards of the New Online Collectivism," published in Edge magazine, Lanier critiqued the perceived omniscience of collective wisdom, using Wikipedia as a prominent example. He specifically noted that the Wikipedia article about him often exaggerated his film directing work. Lanier argued that believing the internet itself possesses something to say devalues the individuals who create its content and can lead to a form of "digital Maoism." His critique targeted several issues: the danger of creating a single, authoritative bottleneck for knowledge, the false sense of authority behind collectively generated information, and the sterile style of wiki writing that removes the connection to original authors and their nuanced opinions. He also expressed concern that collective authorship tends to align with mainstream or organizational beliefs and that works created collectively could be manipulated by anonymous editors, potentially fostering future totalitarian systems that oppress individuals. This concern was further elaborated in an interview on Radio National's The Philosopher's Zone, where he criticized the "denatured effect" that "removes the scent of people." In December 2006, he further expanded on these ideas in his Edge article "Beware the Online Collective," where he suggested that human nature might be vulnerable to the "lure of the mob" and that online software design can bring out varied potentials in human behavior, necessitating moral consideration. Lanier concluded that seeking deeper information ultimately requires engaging with content produced by individuals, as "You have to have a chance to sense personality in order for language to have its full meaning." He sees limitations in the utility of an encyclopedia produced by only partially interested third parties as a form of communication.

Lanier's speculation also extends to "post-symbolic communication," a concept he explored in his April 2006 Discover magazine column. He discussed cephalopods, such as octopuses and squid, which can rapidly change their body pigmentation, texture, and shape. Lanier views this behavior, particularly when exchanged between two cephalopods, as a direct, behavioral expression of thought.

3.2. You Are Not a Gadget

Published in 2010, Lanier's book You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto offers a comprehensive critique of what he identifies as the "hive mind" mentality prevalent in Web 2.0 and the concept of the wisdom of the crowd. He describes the open source and open content movements' approach to intellectual production as a form of "Digital Maoism." Lanier contends that these developments devalue progress and innovation by glorifying the collective at the expense of individual contributions. He uses Wikipedia and Linux as examples of this problem, criticizing Wikipedia for what he perceives as "mob rule" by anonymous editors, the weakness of its non-scientific content, and its tendency to "bully experts."

Lanier further argues that certain aspects of the open-source and content movements are limited in their capacity to foster truly new and innovative creations. For instance, he points out that the open-source movement did not create the iPhone. He also asserts that Web 2.0 has made search engines "lazy," destroyed the potential of innovative websites like Thinkquest, and hindered the effective communication of complex ideas, such as mathematics, to a broader audience. Moreover, Lanier suggests that the open-source approach has diminished opportunities for the middle class to finance content creation, leading to a concentration of wealth among a few individuals-whom he calls "the lords of the clouds"-who achieve their positions more through luck than genuine innovation by strategically positioning themselves as content concentrators. The book also includes a critique of the MIDI standard for musical instrument commonality.

3.3. Who Owns the Future?

In his 2013 book Who Owns the Future?, Lanier explores the increasing economic disenfranchisement of the middle class within online economies. He argues that by offering free services, large technology firms, which he terms "Siren Servers" (alluding to the Sirens of Odysseus), entice users to freely provide valuable personal information. These firms then accumulate vast amounts of data at virtually no cost. Instead of compensating individuals for their contributions to these data pools, Siren Servers concentrate wealth in the hands of the few who control the data centers.

Lanier illustrates this phenomenon with examples such as Google's translation algorithm, which aggregates previous human translations uploaded online to provide its best guess. The original human translators receive no payment for their work, while Google profits from increased ad visibility as a powerful Siren Server. He also contrasts the employment figures of Kodak in 1988, which employed 140,000 people when it led the digital imaging industry, with Instagram in 2012, which, as a free photo-sharing site, employed only 13 people when Kodak filed for bankruptcy.

To address these issues, Lanier proposes an alternative structure for the web based on Ted Nelson's Project Xanadu. This system would involve a two-way linking mechanism that points to the source of any piece of information, thereby creating an economy of micropayments that compensates individuals for original material they contribute to the web.

3.4. Dawn of the New Everything

Lanier's 2017 memoir, Dawn of the New Everything: Encounters with Reality and Virtual Reality, offers a personal reflection on his upbringing in 1960s New Mexico, his lifelong engagement with technology, and his journey to Silicon Valley. The book combines personal anecdotes with deep insights into the nature and potential of virtual reality.

In the book, Lanier highlights VR's unique capacity to engage and inspire users, contrasting it with other technologies like television and video games, which he suggests can induce a "zombielike trance," whereas VR is active and can be tiring. He posits that older, less sophisticated VR equipment might have been more effective at revealing one's own process of perception, as "the best enjoyment of VR includes not really being convinced. Like when you go to a magic show." Lanier also emphasizes how VR inherently helps users focus on reality rather than the virtual world, noting that the most profound magic of VR often occurs in the moments immediately after a demo concludes. His lab, for example, would often present flowers to visitors emerging from a headset, allowing them to experience the flowers as if for the first time.

Lanier cites a broad range of modern VR applications beyond gaming and entertainment, including its use in treating war veterans with PTSD, assisting doctors in performing intricate surgeries, providing paraplegics with the sensation of flight, and serving as a prototyping mechanism for nearly every vehicle manufactured in the preceding two decades. Throughout the book, Lanier intersperses 51 distinct definitions of VR, illuminating its diverse uses, benefits, and potential drawbacks.

3.5. Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now

In his 2018 book, Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, Lanier expresses profound concern about the pervasive influence of social media. He argues that platforms like Twitter and Facebook have contributed to making their users cruder, less empathetic, and more tribal. Lanier worries that an over-reliance on social media platforms diminishes individuals' capacity for spirituality and that users are, in essence, transforming into automated extensions of these platforms. His arguments highlight the negative impacts of social media on users' empathy, spiritual well-being, social relationships, and overall quality of life.

3.6. There Is No A.I.

In an essay published in The New Yorker in April 2023 titled "There Is No A.I.," Lanier presented an alternative perspective on Artificial Intelligence (AI). He argued that AI is often over-mythologized and is less intelligent than its name and popular culture suggest. Lanier advocates for a more grounded understanding of AI's actual capabilities and limitations. He concludes his essay with the thought-provoking statement: "Think of people. People are the answer to the problems of bits."

4.1. Musical Achievements and Performances

Lanier has been actively involved in the world of contemporary classical music, sometimes referred to as "new classical," since the late 1970s. He is a skilled pianist and a specialist in numerous non-Western musical instruments, particularly Asian wind and string instruments. He possesses one of the world's largest and most diverse collections of actively played rare instruments. Lanier also owns a BACH.Bow, a convex curved bow that enables polyphonic playing on string instruments, unlike a traditional bow.

He has performed with a wide array of artists, including Philip Glass, Ornette Coleman, George Clinton, Vernon Reid, Terry Riley, Duncan Sheik, Pauline Oliveros, and Stanley Jordan. His recording projects include an acoustic techno duet with Sean Lennon and an album of duets with flutist Robert Dick.

Lanier also composes chamber music and orchestral music. His commissions include an opera that is set to premiere in Busan, South Korea, and a symphony titled Symphony for Amelia, which was premiered by the Bach Festival Society Orchestra and Choir in Winter Park, Florida, in October 2010. Other recent commissions include "Earthquake!", a ballet that premiered at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco in April 2006; "Little Shimmers" for the TroMetrik ensemble, which premiered at ODC in San Francisco in April 2006; and "Daredevil" for the ArrayMusic chamber ensemble, which premiered in Toronto in 2006. He also composed a concert-length sequence of works for orchestra and virtual worlds, including "Canons for Wroclaw," "Khaenoncerto," and "The Egg," which celebrated the 1000th birthday of Wrocław, Poland, in 2000. Additionally, "The Navigator Tree," a triple concerto commissioned by the National Endowment for the Arts and the American Composers Forum, premiered in 2000 and was documented in Continental Harmony, a PBS special that won a CINE Golden Eagle Award. His symphony "Mirror/Storm" was commissioned by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and premiered in 1998.

In 1994, Lanier released the contemporary classical music album Instruments of Change on POINT Music/Philips/PolyGram Records. This album has been described as a Western exploration of Asian musical traditions. He is currently working on a book titled Technology and the Future of the Human Soul and a music album, Proof of Consciousness, in collaboration with Mark Deutsch.

Lanier's extensive work with Asian instruments is prominently featured on the soundtrack of the 1999 film Three Seasons, which was the first film to win both the Audience and Grand Jury awards at the Sundance Film Festival. He and Mario Grigorov also scored the film The Third Wave, which premiered at Sundance in 2007. He is collaborating with Terry Riley on an opera titled Bastard, the First.

Lanier has also pioneered the use of virtual reality in musical stage performances with his band, Chromatophoria, which has toured internationally, headlining at venues such as the Montreux Jazz Festival. In these performances, he plays virtual instruments and uses real instruments to guide events within virtual worlds. In October 2010, Lanier collaborated with Rollins College and John V. Sinclair's Bach Festival Choir and Orchestra for the worldwide premiere of his "Symphony for Amelia."

Lanier contributed the afterword to Sound Unbound: Sampling Digital Music and Culture (2008), edited by Paul D. Miller, also known as DJ Spooky.

On May 9, 1999, Lanier authored a The New York Times opinion piece titled "Piracy is Your Friend," arguing that record labels posed a greater threat to artists than piracy. He later published a mea culpa sequel, "Pay Me for My Content," also in The New York Times on November 20, 2007. On August 31, 2023, Lanier made a guest appearance as a pianist at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, California, improvising during John Zorn's 70th Birthday celebration alongside Bill Frisell, Laurie Anderson, Dave Lombardo, and Zorn.

4.2. Instrument Collection

Jaron Lanier maintains a significant and diverse collection of rare musical instruments, estimated to number between one thousand and two thousand. His collection is particularly notable for its emphasis on Asian wind and string instruments, which he actively plays. Examples of instruments featured in his album Instruments of Change (1994) include the khene mouth organ, the suling flute, and the esraj, a sitar-like instrument.

5.1. Assessment of the Internet

In 1998, Lanier asserted that the internet serves as an accurate mirror of contemporary culture and humanity. He described it as the "most precise mirror of people as a whole that we've yet had," noting that it is not a filtered summary but "the real us, available for direct inspection for the first time." He observed that the internet reveals "the mundanity, the avarice, the ugliness, the perversity, the loneliness, the love, the inspiration, the serendipity, and the tenderness that manifest in humanity," ultimately concluding that, "Seen in proportion, we can breathe a sigh of relief. We are basically OK."

5.2. Critique of Collective Wisdom

Lanier has consistently voiced concerns regarding the concept of collective wisdom and its implications for individual contributions and expertise. He argues that the emphasis on collective authorship, particularly on platforms like Wikipedia, can devalue individual voices and expertise. He has characterized this phenomenon as "digital Maoism," expressing worries that such systems can create a false sense of authority and lead to a "sterile style of wiki writing" that removes the "scent of people" by filtering the subtlety of authors' opinions and losing essential contextual information.

Lanier is concerned that collective authorship tends to produce or align with mainstream or organizational beliefs, potentially suppressing dissenting or unique perspectives. He fears that collectively created works might be manipulated by anonymous groups of editors who bear no visible responsibility, and that this type of activity could lay the groundwork for future totalitarian systems by fostering misbehaved collectives that oppress individuals. He argues that the search for deeper, more meaningful information in any field inevitably leads back to content produced by a single person or a few dedicated individuals, emphasizing the importance of sensing personality for language to convey its full meaning. He sees limitations in the utility of an encyclopedia produced by only partially interested third parties as a form of communication.

6.1. Major Recognitions

In 2005, Foreign Policy magazine named Lanier as one of the top 100 Public Intellectuals. In 2010, he was included in the Time 100 list of the most influential people by TIME magazine. Prospect magazine recognized Lanier as one of the top 50 World Thinkers in 2014. In 2018, Wired magazine named him one of the top 25 most influential people in the last 25 years of technological history.

6.2. Academic and Professional Awards

Lanier's professional accolades include the Jill Watson Festival Across the Arts Wats:on? Award in 2001 and being a finalist for the first Edge of Computation Award in 2005. He received an honorary doctorate from New Jersey Institute of Technology in 2006 and the IEEE Virtual Reality Career Award in 2009. In 2012, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Franklin & Marshall College. His book Who Owns the Future? received the Goldsmith Book Prize for best trade book in 2014. Also in 2014, Lanier was awarded the prestigious Peace Prize of the German Book Trade.

7.1. Books

• Information Is an Alienated Experience (2006)
• You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto (2010)
• Who Owns the Future? (2013)
• Dawn of the New Everything: Encounters with Reality and Virtual Reality (2017)
• Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now (2018)

7.2. Other Works

• Video Games**
  • Alien Garden (Atari 800, 1982, with designer Bernie DeKoven)
  • Moondust (C64, 1983)
• Music Albums**
  • Instruments of Change (1994)

8.1. Documentaries and Broadcast Appearances

Lanier has appeared in several documentaries, including Cyberpunk (1990), the Danish television documentary Computerbilleder - udfordring til virkeligheden (English: Computer Pictures - A Challenge to Reality) (1992), Synthetic Pleasures (1995), Rage Against the Machines (2004), and the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma (2020). He was also credited as part of the miscellaneous crew for the 2002 film Minority Report, where his role involved helping to conceptualize gadgets and scenarios for the film. Lanier has appeared on television programs such as The Colbert Report, Charlie Rose, The Tavis Smiley Show, and ABC's The View (on June 19, 2018, to promote his book Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now).

8.2. Podcasts and Interviews

Lanier has been a guest on various podcasts, including the Radiolab episode "The Cataclysm Sentence" (released April 18, 2020), the "Yang Speaks" podcast episode "Who owns your data? Jaron Lanier has the answer" with Andrew Yang (May 28, 2020), and the Lex Fridman podcast (September 6, 2021), where he discussed his views on AI, social media, VR, and the future of humanity. He has also delivered speaking engagements and presentations at institutions such as Concordia University Wisconsin and University Temple United Methodist Church.

9.1. Advisory Roles and Initiatives

Lanier has served on numerous advisory boards, including the Board of Councilors of the University of Southern California, Medical Media Systems (a medical visualization spin-off company associated with Dartmouth College), the Microdisplay Corporation, and NY3D (developers of auto stereo displays). In 1997, he was a founding member of the 'National Tele-Immersion Initiative', an effort dedicated to using computer technology to create the illusion of physical togetherness for people separated by great distances. Lanier is also a member of the Global Business Network, which is part of the Monitor Group.