Does she adequately account for the neoliberal forces we write about? There’s the marcusian neo-Marxist one dimensional man argument that tech could be liberating but is currently oppressive because of the relations of production and ideology and such.
Maybe, but I’ve never fully bought this argument. Technologies are designed with purposes in mind and have a horizon of purposes built in. A machine gun could be repurposed to etch beautiful messages in glass, but it was designed to shoot motherfuckers - that’s the use to which it is most suited. To sell millions upon millions of them then argue that we should get them out to all etch glass is beyond naive.
Computers and networking technologies are designed to collect and quantify, along with monitor and surveil. They literally facilitate the standardization she appears to claim is anachronistic. We wouldn’t have standardization taking such a strong hold without it. The Taylorist logic has been marching unabated for 100+ years while academics wax philosophical about the power of tech to liberate, while labeling people like me technophobes. It is reaching its apex in its ability to control on a micro level.
If only Foucault were here; he would clearly derive some very kinky B&D pleasure out of systems like Amazon’s that micro control their workers both in the warehouses and out on America’s roads.
Does she adequately account for the neoliberal forces we write about? There’s the marcusian neo-Marxist one dimensional man argument that tech could be liberating but is currently oppressive because of the relations of production and ideology and such.
Maybe, but I’ve never fully bought this argument. Technologies are designed with purposes in mind and have a horizon of purposes built in. A machine gun could be repurposed to etch beautiful messages in glass, but it was designed to shoot motherfuckers - that’s the use to which it is most suited. To sell millions upon millions of them then argue that we should get them out to all etch glass is beyond naive.
Computers and networking technologies are designed to collect and quantify, along with monitor and surveil. They literally facilitate the standardization she appears to claim is anachronistic. We wouldn’t have standardization taking such a strong hold without it. The Taylorist logic has been marching unabated for 100+ years while academics wax philosophical about the power of tech to liberate, while labeling people like me technophobes. It is reaching its apex in its ability to control on a micro level.
If only Foucault were here; he would clearly derive some very kinky B&D pleasure out of systems like Amazon’s that micro control their workers both in the warehouses and out on America’s roads.
This whip’s for you, Michel! Rest in power.