Outrage Machine:
A book about how the internet has broken our brains,
and what we can do to fix it.
“The most useful book of the year.”
The original internet was not designed to make us upset, distracted, confused, and outraged. But something unexpected happened at the turn of the last decade, when a handful of small features were quietly launched at social media companies with little fanfare. Together, they triggered a cascading set of dramatic changes to how media, politics, and society itself operates—inadvertently creating an Outrage Machine we cannot ignore.
Author, designer, and media researcher Tobias Rose-Stockwell shares the defining shifts caused by these technologies, and how they have ignited a society-wide crisis of trust. Drawing from cutting-edge research and vivid personal anecdotes, Rose-Stockwell illustrates how social media has bound us to an unprecedented system of public performance, training us to react rather than reflect, and attack rather than debate.
Outrage Machine reveals the triggers and tactics used to exploit our anger, unpacking how these tools hack our deep tribal instincts and psychological vulnerabilities, and how they have become opportunistic platforms for authoritarians and a threat to democratic norms everywhere.
But this book is not just about the problem. In a story spanning continents and generations, Rose-Stockwell explores how every new media technology disrupts our ability to make sense of the world, from the printing press to the telegraph, from radio to television. Outrage Machine situates social media within a historical cycle of confusion, violence, and emerging tolerance. Using clear language and powerful illustrations, this book reveals the magnitude of the challenges we face, while offering realistic solutions and a promising pathway out.
Praise for
Outrage Machine
“Tobias is a master of intuition and metaphor. This is a vivid and unforgettable book.”
“The rigor, research, and depth of Tobias’s book is unparalleled, and yet it is refreshingly accessible. I recommend this book to everyone, not just those interested in technology.”
“Outrage Machine is a fascinating deep-dive into the way technology affects our minds and our societies. Tobias provides badly-needed perspective in an era that feels increasingly confusing and chaotic.”
“Rose-Stockwell debuts with a masterful appraisal of how social media platforms feed on users’ anger... a superior take on how to tame social media.”
“With insight and sensitivity, Tobias offers a deep examination of how digital technologies are shaping our perceptions, relationships, and even our sense of personal identity. This book offers a vital perspective that’s needed for us to build a more humane future.”
“This book is a true page-turner. It shows how our platforms have inadvertently addicted us to outrage — and how we can sober up. Outrage Machine is an absolute must-read.”
“From the printing press to AI, this book is a riveting exploration of how our tools help us make sense of the world... and what’s at stake when they fail. A true wake-up call.”
About the Author
Tobias Rose-Stockwell is a writer, designer, and media researcher whose work has been featured in The Atlantic, WIRED, NPR, The BBC, CNN and many others. His research has been cited in the adoption of key interventions to reduce toxicity and polarization within leading tech platforms. He previously led humanitarian projects in Southeast Asia focused on civil-war reconstruction efforts, work for which he was honored with an award from the 14th Dalai Lama. He lives in New York City.
