The mantra “Move fast and break things!” has often struck me as the naive slogan of a group of reckless individuals with little regard for the consequences of their actions. Now, many of these individuals possess mega-yachts and luxurious hideaways worldwide, believing their possessions are invulnerable. I sincerely hope they never learn otherwise, as the inevitable reckoning may eventually arrive. While I am rarely optimistic, I must admit that I can be inexplicably hopeful at times.
About a year ago, while searching for unrelated material, I came across an article where Forbes made an attempt to dissect this concept without destroying its essence. Earlier this year, Evan Selinger and Albert Fox Cahn released a thought-provoking book entitled Move Slow and Upgrade: The Power of Incremental Innovation (Cambridge University Press, 2026). This book will undoubtedly find a place on my shelf of “little books,” which I often recommend to friends and colleagues seeking unconventional insights.
The authors captivated me with their dedication: “For those who do the hard work, walk the long path, even as others seek shortcuts.” Throughout my scientific and academic career, I have encountered many who prefer shortcuts, often with mixed success in combating their strategies.
The case studies within Move Slow and Upgrade cover a range of intriguing topics, including:
- Zuckerberg’s Mythological Metaverse
- The Crypto Con
- Home Security Upgrades
- The Failed Promise of Covid Innovation
- Moving Fast and Breaking Schools with Remote Proctoring
- Upgrades in the Age of Generative AI
- Upgrading Hiring
These intriguing studies are complemented by concluding chapters on:
- Cybersecurity: The Land of the True Upgraders
- The Upgrader’s Mindset
Below are brief discussions of selected chapters from Move Slow and Upgrade, focusing primarily on the distinction between innovation and upgrade. Selinger and Cahn introduce the concept of the Innovation Trap, exemplified by the arrival of new cars equipped with controls that can be hazardous, particularly touchscreens that require drivers to divert their attention from the road. Interestingly, a BMW executive suggested that younger drivers, particularly those under 45, prefer these screens, indicating that it’s more than just technology. Thankfully, other automakers are beginning to revert to classic controls. This was a significant selling point for the Mazda MX-5 (jpeg) [1] I purchased last year following an unfortunate accident where my beloved 15-year-old MINI Cooper convertible was smashed at a red light by an inattentive driver of a large pickup (thankfully, without injuries).
In general, innovation is often the source of exaggerated claims, typically unfulfilled, whereas an upgrade is driven by the genuine hope that the change will prove beneficial. As Selinger and Cahn succinctly put it, “Innovations are when we use a dollar to buy a lottery ticket (actually $2, I think); upgrades are when we put a dollar in the bank.” The following discussion briefly explores the case studies, starting with Zuckerberg’s Mythological Metaverse, where:
Few innovation mirages are as enticing to technology companies as the “metaverse,” the all-encompassing digital platform that is so immersive it rivals our physical world in what we consider real.
As my British friends might say, “Bollocks!” The Zuckerberg metaverse was essentially a means to escape the reality that many of our dreams remain unattainable. The stark truth of the metaverse is that it has largely resulted in a loss of privacy.
One of the more ludicrous claims associated with the metaverse and its counterpart, virtual reality, is that it fosters empathy among its supporters. Studies have, on the surface, shown an increase in emotional empathy, which is “fast, automatic, and occurs spontaneously.” This is not surprising, as filmmakers and television producers have effectively generated tear-jerking content for over a century. However, cognitive empathy, which involves a more advanced mental process requiring attention and effort to understand another’s thoughts and feelings, remains elusive.
The authors of the referenced study suggest that this limitation arises because virtual reality often leaves too little to the imagination, potentially hindering users’ capacity to develop the necessary mental skills for perspective-taking. This drawback is a feature, not a bug, of the metaverse. As Selinger and Cahn assert, “the truth is that when technology brings us together, we still behave as ourselves.” Many people, unfortunately, have been conditioned by poor role models to act as mere online avatars rather than genuine individuals. The proverbial “killer app” of the metaverse that unites us continues to evade us, while its hype has significantly enriched the elite of the tech industry.
Even Zuckerberg eventually amended his slogan to “Move fast with stable infrastructure,” a clunky adaptation that he likely never intended. I have often wished to ask him, “Do you not realize that the phrase ‘that’s so meta’ is not a compliment?” When considering another tech titan, did the founders of Google genuinely intend “Don’t be evil”? Perhaps at one time, but as Rana Foroohar has articulated, that sentiment did not endure. Ultimately, money speaks louder.
I admit that I have never fully grasped the Crypto Con. I suspect I am not alone. However, I recognize that individuals like Sam Bankman-Fried and his once-effective altruist associates have done considerable damage. Fundamentally, cryptocurrency operates as a shared database that enables millions to track transactions collectively, rather than relying upon a single central server. This distributed ledger is termed the “blockchain.” I can understand the utility of blockchain, but I struggle to see how cryptocurrencies can serve as reliable currency. They appear more like digital tulips, with uncertain value and limited practical application in real economic systems, despite the beliefs held by some, including the current president of the United States. [3] Crypto represents an asset bubble, continuously inflated by the belief that someone else will pay more for a token tomorrow than its current worth.
How long will this bubble endure? No one knows, but as Selinger and Cahn remind us, gold has experienced bubbly fluctuations for over two millennia, with an overall trend favoring upward swings. While “crypto enthusiasts may claim they trust in the math…their fortunes rely solely on positive thinking.” [4]. There are significant issues with crypto as a legitimate currency, including slow, energy-intensive mining processes, and expensive, non-reversible transactions. Although Bankman-Fried touted crypto as a solution for the unbanked, few among those without bank accounts—save for notable figures like Francesca Albanese, George Galloway, and Nigel Farage—have sufficient funds to open an account in the first place. Crypto holds no relevance for their financial plight.
Home Security Upgrades correlate to the constant glucose monitors utilized by affluent HealthMaxxers who often lack underlying metabolic conditions like diabetes. Devices like Ring cameras primarily serve to provoke fear and dependency on technology that frequently fails to meet its lofty promises. I have many friends in suburban areas who have been incessantly told that they should be afraid within our vibrant community. [5] This raises their dependency on surveillance technology.
The myriad failures surrounding Covid Innovations are narratives we have explored from various angles. It is crucial to remember that two truths can coexist: Covid mRNA vaccines did reduce mortality and illness, although they did not prevent virus transmission. They were built upon forty years of molecular biology research preceding the pandemic. Conversely, no substantial effort was made during the intense period of the pandemic to reasonably invest in improving indoor air quality, a measure that could have significantly reduced the spread of COVID-19 and aided in preventing future pandemics. Regrettably, we rarely approach problem-solving with the seriousness and incremental mindfulness required.
Much of the chapter on Generative AI has been rendered somewhat dated by the rapidly evolving landscape we’ve seen discussed at Naked Capitalism, often referred to as “an overly dynamic situation.” Yesterday’s Breaking Points discussion serves as a prime illustration. At its core, AI represents a non-human answer to the demand for dedicated personal assistance. One colleague from the early 1980s lamented, “What I need is a wife!” The larger dilemma accompanying generative AI is its tendency to cultivate reliance, potentially leading to cognitive surrender among those who begin to rely on it for intellectual engagement. Is AI a hyped innovation or a hopeful upgrade? For my colleagues and me, AlphaFold represents an incredible upgrade that enhances our cognitive capabilities. However, for medical students and professionals, AI as it stands is largely a retreat from cognition, likely resulting in negative consequences.
Cory Doctorow’s perspective on AI, as expressed in The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI, provides further food for thought:
A centaur is an individual whose work is aided by technology, a worker whose tools lead to greater happiness and productivity. A reverse centaur, by contrast, is an individual forced into servitude by technology, a person driven beyond human limits to work in alignment with machine demands. Consider a warehouse worker deprived of food and bathroom breaks or a programmer pressured to produce exorbitant quantities of code.
Alternatively, consider individuals whose livelihoods are obliterated by the rise of AI. Unfortunately, as we face the impending enshittification of human existence, the way current AI is being developed has the potential to transform people into reverse centaurs. While horses are noble creatures, a horse with human legs is utterly impractical. Unless AI industry leaders intervene to alter this trajectory, widespread adoption of AI will yield unfavorable outcomes.
Finally, in the realm of Cybersecurity, we encounter one of the few genuine success stories of incremental upgrading:
Many of the poorly designed innovations discussed in this book begin with the erroneous belief that a solitary change can resolve a complex social issue. Time and again, innovators oversell their products, asserting that a single application or algorithm can somehow rectify deep-rooted problems stemming from entrenched inequities or outdated infrastructures. They may move fast and break things, but they seldom achieve lasting solutions. In contrast, cybersecurity experts understand the necessity of comprehensive approaches—they don’t merely install a better lock; they construct a better door.
Cybersecurity professionals exemplify the honest, upgrader mindset that would have been a more effective response to each issue explored in this “little book.” In doing so, they reflect the principles of good science. Genuine scientific advancements rarely occur as sudden leaps; those that claim to be are often mere hype. Gene therapy was heavily promoted to the public in the 1980s and 1990s as molecular cloning gained traction in laboratories. Nearly fifty years on, gene therapy has proven useful, but only for a limited range of diseases, and even then, the “fix” is rarely straightforward. The original gene therapy pioneers moved fast, and they broke things. Complex issues entangled within intricate systems rarely have simple solutions. It took a long time for the gene therapy initiative to recover from premature advancements, and even now, moving too swiftly breaks things and often leads to adverse outcomes.
The old adage holds true: a carpenter measures twice and cuts once. A good scientist carefully implements all necessary controls, enabling them to comprehend why an experiment may fail. Most progress is achieved incrementally, just as the majority of societal challenges can only be approached obliquely. When the goal is profit maximization, the most effective strategy is to enhance product quality and treat customers with respect. Deliver on your promises, and the customers will follow. If the objective is to inflate executive compensation, then the stock price may be manipulated in the short term through buybacks rather than genuine upgrades. There are no shortcuts, even as we are incessantly told that AI will revolutionize society for the better.
As a parting thought: Always keep your operating systems up to date. Cybersecurity experts can’t help you stay ahead of malicious actors if you don’t provide the necessary tools.
Notes
[1] The presence of analog controls was vital in a vehicle that could also face similar accidents. I must admit that what I truly desired was a successor to the Opel GT from my teenage years. Driving my agile little car with a 6-speed transmission evokes a smile, as it may be the last vehicle I ever purchase. Additionally, it achieves approximately 35 mpg overall, and I typically drive only about two miles each day.
[2] This raises the question: mythological or mythical? I would lean toward the latter. While mythology serves as a valuable human construct, the term mythical often suggests “unreal.”
[3] It’s worth noting that the current administration has leveraged its crypto mechanisms to amass substantial wealth while leaving many of his “investors” poorer for their investments.
[4] The Trump family attended Norman Vincent Peale’s church during the president’s childhood.
[5] Crime rates in my urban neighborhood are considerably lower than those in suburban areas, primarily because we have active community engagement at all hours, with a fire station nearby and constant presence from county, hospital, and university law enforcement. More importantly, our sense of community is robust—neighbors genuinely know one another and actively look out for each other.
