For All the People

Redeeming the Broken Promises of Modern Media and Reclaiming Our Civic Life

By: Michael Slaby, Deval Patrick

Narrated by: Michael Slaby

"Slaby is the Yuval Noah Harari of media. He pointedly outlines the fracture of our culture and democracy while providing hopeful next steps for how we can redesign our systems for a more civically-minded world."
—Megan Kiefer, author of The Third Dimension of Literacy

A leader in digital communication and grassroots political campaigns explains how the internet and modern media have undermined America and how we can reclaim our voices for the good of civic life.

The creators of the internet promised us jetpacks: better experiences, more choices, and deeper relationships.

Built on a diversity of voices, our online freedom was supposed to spark a democratic transformation. But our platforms don't work for us—we're the inventory and our outrage fuels a tech revolution optimized for profit, not civic life.

As one of the top digital strategists for Barack Obama's two presidential campaigns, Michael Slaby saw the beginning of a new kind of national division. What he witnessed would spawn the Tea Party movement, upset the 2016 election, and accelerate the polarization of American civic life.

Slaby presents the four core areas which can be reclaimed to work better for all of us: platforms, government institutions, corporations, and even the users ourselves. Optimistic, future-focused, and deeply passionate, For ALL the People breaks down how we got here, and how we, the users, can work toward a better democracy through tech.

©2021 Michael Slaby (P)2021 Disruption Books

Critic reviews

"A protÉgÉ of Obama, Slaby is relentlessly optimistic even while acknowledging the contemporary cesspool of new media platforms and the failures of traditional media outlets, and the book successfully blends sophisticated analysis with an uplifting, engaging message."
—Kirkus Reviews

"In For ALL the People, Michael Slaby shows us how to think anew about media and the tsunami of information coming at us in our age of technology. This is a book for all of us, offering insights and actions to help make sense of our new world and connect more powerfully with one another."
—Beth Comstock, author and former Vice Chair, GE

"The book combines the big thinking that is too often lacking from today's political dialogue and action steps that will actually make a difference. To say it is a must-read is an understatement."
—Brian Reich, author of The Imagination Gap and VP of Communications, Murmuration