The Reputation Economy, by Michael Fertik with David Thompson

[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Blogging For Books/ Crown Business in exchange for an honest review.]

In some ways this book could have been a nightmare given my own lifelong struggles over matters of reputation. Although I frequently review books where I have no personal expertise in the subject matter, in this particular case, as a data analyst with an interest in patterns of behavior as well as the repercussions of moral decisions, this book is one that deals very directly with my career in one of its more relevant areas. In the hand of a less skillful writer this book could have been a much less compelling read, focusing merely on image management (which is a part of this book), but this book gives advice that is much more satisfying, and that is to be open and honest about who one is and to look for opportunities that fit in with who we are, and to “close the loop” and be people of integrity who present a good image and live up to it.

What makes this book particularly relevant is the way that the author points out the trends of the second wave of technology which allows for companies to gather and analyze at almost no cost encyclopedic data on everyone, and combining that information together to create a reputation profile that has drastic effects on everyone. There are some chilling aspects to this picture, where having the wrong reputation could keep someone from buying or selling and even from working, all because of the information that is known about them. One could think of ways in which people with political or social or religious worldviews that are considered unacceptable in a suitably advanced nation would be unable to find work or shop. The book hints at how such a situation could take place, and it is a pretty uncomfortable picture to realize the implications of how our personal lives could very easily becoming a coherent whole that is judged by computers. The book, though, focuses on positive examples, like how having a reputation for good tipping or paying bills on time or being respectful to hosts or hotel property could lead to benefits in other areas of life, or how Journey found its latest lead singer by looking up Youtube videos of their songs and realizing that an obscure singer of a Philippine band had an amazing voice.

That is not to say that this book is perfect. Despite the fact that some aspects of this book are relevant on a wider scale, there is a lot about this book that does not appear to be designed for longevity. Many of the companies and people talked about in the book are somewhat au currant, but are not likely to be remembered. In five years, for example, who is likely to remember “Get Lucky,” as a song reference for the memory capability of ancient technology, or remember the names of obscure fly-by-night tech companies that do not last very long before going under or being bought out. This does not appear to be a book that is written for five years from now, but a book designed for those who wish to be on the cutting edge of social trends just before they become commonly known and recognized. For those readers who have a taste for technology and data analysis, and wish to be ahead of the curve on the sometimes scary implications of data aggregation, this book provides a good read and a lot to think about.