Cover of the Pirate's Dilemma by Matt Mason.

According to Mason, it started with punk and then hip-hop, rave, graffiti and gaming took it to another level and now modern technology has taken us to the next level. Matt Mason, of Vice magazine, using the skills of IT wizard and his passion for music sorts through the changes brought about to the world by the interface of pop culture and innovation. In this fascinating book, he traces the influences of the various youth movements, from pirate radio to remix culture, and how they had a ripple effect throughout society as a whole.

He answers such questions as: did three high school kids who remixed Nazis into Smurfs in the 1980’s really change the future of video games and can hip-hop really bring about world peace. And who was the nun who invented dance music and how is it undermining capitalism? Chapter by chapter he analyzes different fringe movements and shows how they combined with technology to bury the old and usher in the new.

Mason discusses the influence of such diverse characters as the Ramones, Andy Warhol, Madonna and 50 Cent and exposes all the trends that have transformed industry and eventually our way of life. Told with wit and humor, The Pirate’s Dilemma tells us how the youth culture ultimately drives innovation and changes the way the world works. Mason discusses everything from music piracy to remix as a marketing tool and why altruism is as powerful a motivator as competition and tells why the rest of us need to catch up with the youth culture. A unique and fascinating look at how the world works.

Kathy Thomason is an avid reader and runs a successful jewelry design business at www.brightfacedesigns.ecrater.com