An evening with Paulina Borsook about her classic book, Cyberselfish

Paulina Borsook at Local Economy in Oakland

Oakland gets a smart, timely book conversation on Thursday, September 17, when Paulina Borsook comes to Local Economy for a talk about Cyberselfish.

The book first came out in 2000, back when Silicon Valley was still selling itself as bright, weird, and harmless. Borsook saw something colder under the surface. A culture short on empathy. A deep dislike of rules. A belief that success with computers should lead to power in the wider world.

That makes this event feel less like a nostalgia stop and more like a clear look at the present. Cyberselfish is being republished by Tin House, and Borsook will be in conversation with Alexis Madrigal about what she noticed then, what followed, and why the book still has a pulse.

Local Economy should be a good room for it. The space has the feel of an Oakland gathering spot built for close conversation, where ideas can stretch out without getting lost in a giant hall. Expect a thoughtful crowd, a few sharp questions, and the kind of evening where people hang around after because the topic is still buzzing.

If tech culture has shaped your work, your neighborhood, your rent, your news feed, or your sense of where the Bay Area is headed, this is worth putting on the calendar.

When: Thursday, September 17, 2026, 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Where: Local Economy, Oakland, California
More info: Event page

Paulina Borsook’s Cyberselfish, first published in the year 2000, was a groundbreaking exploration of the culture of Silicon Valley.
The book saw the warning signs about a culture violently lacking in compassion, tremendously opposed to regulation, more comfortable with computers than people, and surprisingly ignorant. Borsook foresaw that once tech boomed to new heights of financial success, those at the helm would feel their achievement in one sphere should result in greater power and influence in others.
“It was never intended as a book of prophecy,” says Borsook, “but that sadly is what it has turned out to be.”
Cyberselfish is being republished this year by Tin House, and Borsook will visit Local Economy for a conversation with Alexis Madrigal about the book itself and the 26 years afterwards in which its observations, themes, and intuitions became fully elaborated in our world.