Book · 2025 · Business & Economics
The Age of Extraction
How Tech Platforms Conquered the Economy and Threaten Our Future Prosperity
Why people recommend it
The Age of Extraction by Tim Wu is an incisive examination of how major technology companies and modern corporations have shifted from generating genuine wealth and public good to extracting value from the economy at the expense of societal prosperity. Ray Madoff recommended the book on The Ezra Klein Show during an episode titled Our Tax System Should Make You Furious, praising it as a fantastic work that exposes the systemic shift toward corporate wealth extraction. Ezra Klein also discussed Tim Wu's contributions on his podcast in an episode titled We Didn't Ask for This Internet, introducing Wu as a Columbia Law School professor and the author of influential technology books, including this latest release detailing how tech platforms conquered the economic landscape and threaten future prosperity. Both hosts emphasized the urgent need to address the monopolistic practices and extractive business models analyzed in the book. The work serves as a vital diagnostic tool for policymakers, economists, and citizens concerned about the future of technology, market competition, and democratic governance in the digital age.
Who recommended it
- Ray Madoff Recommended
- Ezra Klein Discussed
Ray Madoff — 1 mention
“The first book is "The Age of Extraction" by Tim Wu. This is a fantastic book that talks about how many of our companies that used to do a lot of good for the world are now, rather than producing wealth, they are doing wealth extraction”
Ezra Klein — 1 mention
“He's a professor at Columbia Law School and author of influential books on technology, including his latest to The Age of Extraction, how tech platforms conquered the economy and threaten our future prosperity.”