Chaos Monkeys: Inside the Silicon Valley Money Machine

by Antonio García Martínez

Around 2011 or so, and probably still to this day, the priciest word in the global auction on words was “mesothelioma.” This tongue twister is a rare form of lung disease common among former asbestos-plant workers. Thanks to a series of class-action lawsuits against former factory owners, filed by plaintiffs’ attorneys who make fortunes on contingency fees, the value of this word was bid up as high as $90 per click. Want to screw a slimy lawyer? Google “mesothelioma” and start randomly clicking on the ads that appear. You’re costing a lawyer almost a whole benjamin every time you do that.