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A review by rbcp82
Infocracy: Digitization and the Crisis of Democracy by Byung-Chul Han
5.0
Quotes:
Information capitalism, no more industry capitalism.
If we are to gain a deeper understanding of infocracy, of the democratic crisis under the information regime, we need a phenomenology of information. The democratic crisis begins at the cognitive level. Information is relevant only fleetingly. Because it lives off the 'appeal of surprise,' information lacks temporal stability, and because of its temporal instability, it fragments our perception. It draws reality into a 'permanent frenzy of actuality.' It is not possible to linger on information. This makes the cognitive system restless. The compulsion towards acceleration inherent in information means that time-intensive cognitive practices such as knowledge, experience and insight are pushed aside.
Fake news is first of all information. It produces its effect before the process of verification has even begun. Information flies past the truth, and truth can never catch up. Any attempt at fighting the infodemic with truth is therefore doomed to fail. The infodemic is resistant to truth.
... democracy gives way to a data-driven infocracy that seeks to optimize the exchange of information.
Information capitalism, no more industry capitalism.
If we are to gain a deeper understanding of infocracy, of the democratic crisis under the information regime, we need a phenomenology of information. The democratic crisis begins at the cognitive level. Information is relevant only fleetingly. Because it lives off the 'appeal of surprise,' information lacks temporal stability, and because of its temporal instability, it fragments our perception. It draws reality into a 'permanent frenzy of actuality.' It is not possible to linger on information. This makes the cognitive system restless. The compulsion towards acceleration inherent in information means that time-intensive cognitive practices such as knowledge, experience and insight are pushed aside.
Fake news is first of all information. It produces its effect before the process of verification has even begun. Information flies past the truth, and truth can never catch up. Any attempt at fighting the infodemic with truth is therefore doomed to fail. The infodemic is resistant to truth.
... democracy gives way to a data-driven infocracy that seeks to optimize the exchange of information.