There are no drastically new ideas in Without Their Permission--instead the book serves as part reminder and part call-to-action to a generation that is in desperate need to hear them. The crux of the book revolves around the idea that, because the Internet is practically a meritocracy, anyone on it has an equal right to be awesome. That means pursuing something that teaches you, challenges you, and gives you a sense of meaning. Unfortunately, I do not know many people who can say that about their careers.
Alexis himself is a byproduct of the idea he presents in the book. He started a website straight out of college that is now considered the "front page of the Internet" and is one of the world's most visited sites. After selling Reddit, Alexis moved on to start two other companies and was instrumental in defeating a bill that would have led to a significantly less-open Internet.
Alexis, among many others, is a tribute to the notion that resourcefulness counts more than resources do. It no longer matters whether or not you graduated from here or there--your product/service/organization speaks for itself and the masses decide whether it wins or not.
People often complains about not being satisfied with the status quo, yet do nothing to change it. These people no longer have the right to complain, because they now have the resource to do something about it. Alexis's journey in the startup world is just one example of one that succeeded despite harrowing odds.