Book Review: The Future by Naomi Alderman

A sharp critique of tech billionaires and our fractured world (minimal spoilers)

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Estimated read time is 3 minutes — enjoy!

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This past weekend, I finished reading Naomi Alderman’s The Future, a thought-provoking novel that explores the largely unchecked power of tech billionaires (looking at you, Elon, Jeff, Mark, and Sam) and the devastating consequences of their influence on society. While framed as a story about preparing for an impending global collapse, the book is ultimately an indictment of how a handful of ultra-wealthy individuals have reshaped the modern world—often for the worse.

At its core, The Future examines the immense damage wrought by social media platforms and monopolistic tech giants, with its fictional companies bearing a striking resemblance to Facebook, Amazon, and even OpenAI. Alderman connects their influence not just to social and political fragmentation but also to the broader environmental crisis. While I found this connection somewhat less compelling—there are industries far more directly responsible for climate change—the novel raises a crucial question: if these billionaires truly believed in a cleaner future, wouldn’t they put their vast resources and influence behind a rapid transition to sustainable energy?

Alderman doesn’t dwell on the role of government in addressing these crises, which, for me, felt like a missed opportunity. Market failures—especially climate change—require structural intervention, not just the whims of a few wealthy individuals. While one could argue that tech billionaires could do more to elect pro-environmental politicians (they are, in fact, doing the opposite), the idea that big business will solve the climate crisis out of sheer goodwill ignores the fundamental nature of capitalism. And I say that as someone who believes in capitalism—so long as it’s properly regulated. Still, as an exploration of the corrosive effects of social media and tech more broadly, the book is deeply effective. It asks whether a handful of individuals have effectively dismantled modern democracy, and given my own writing on manufactured hatreds, I think the answer is an emphatic yes.

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Another intriguing theme in The Future is its discussion of whether humanity made a mistake transitioning from hunter-gatherer societies to agriculture. While I would argue this shift wasn’t truly a choice—it unfolded over thousands of years—the book wrestles with the idea that early humans may have lived healthier, more balanced lives before the rise of civilization. That said, I’ve always been skeptical of romanticized visions of returning to a simpler, pre-industrial existence. Many 'small-world environmentalists'—a term I use for authors like Bill McKibben, who advocate for a kind of pastoral utopia—fail to grapple with the uncomfortable reality that billions of people exist today, and there’s no viable way to transition to such a small-scale model of sustainability without catastrophic loss of life. To its great credit, The Future acknowledges this tension, grappling with how to balance technological progress with sustainability.

Beyond its themes, the novel succeeds on a narrative level as well. The characters are engaging, with Lai Zhen—a refugee from a near-future collapse of Hong Kong who now makes a living teaching survivalist skills online—serving as a fascinating lens through which to view this fraught world. Meanwhile, the tech leaders are both distinct and disturbingly believable, with Alderman skillfully dissecting their true motivations, which rarely align with the public good. Even though the book came out last year, it feels eerily prescient about the events of our new presidential administration. The plot has a few well-placed twists and turns, keeping the story compelling while doubling as a vehicle for broader philosophical and political arguments.

Ultimately, The Future is a must-read for anyone interested in the outsized role the ultra-wealthy play in shaping our world, particularly in the context of capitalism’s environmental failures. Alderman delivers a sharp critique within a gripping story, making this a novel I’ll be thinking about for months—if not years—to come.

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