Biopolitics is about how regimes of power seek domination over human bodies. Philosopher Michel Foucault popularised the term, and it plays a major role in the political philosophy of Giorgio Agamben. However, the philosopher Byung-Chul Han takes the debate in a completely new direction in his book Infocracy. Humans are being ruled by an information regime that exploits human freedom by gathering data and offering us conveniences, but only when we provide more data.
Whereas older forms of domination thrived on the visibility of power - the king had to be crowned in public, the army had to display its weapons - new forms of political power are completely invisible while making the lives of ordinary citizens completely transparent. Our real-life world is no longer the public square where we meet other people, but we live in a digital bubble created by algorithms that know us better than we know ourselves.
Han argues that these digital bubbles threaten our democratic systems because democracy depends on exchanging ideas and opinions, especially with those with whom we disagree. But as we have become increasingly dependent on digital information, we have become less and less capable of dealing with real people and differences. Hence, real discussions tend to derail quickly into a shouting match or threats of violence. We have yet to learn to find common ground between different interests and connect with people we disagree with.
Anyone interested in political theology or catholic social thinking should read this book as it sketches the dilemmas when we try to engage with the political impact of new technologies, including AI. Infocracy argues that digital power is real political power and maybe even the most dangerous because it is the least visible power of all. As Carl Schmitt warned towards the end of his life, the sovereign is not he who decides on the state of exception but the person who controls the (digital)waves.
Read by the same author: The Burnout Society
New: Dominican Dispatches and Missiepost 010
Some Dutch-speaking readers may be interested in news related to our mission in Rotterdam, including events open to the public. From now on, this kind of information will be shared on my new monthly update on Substack in Dutch: Missiepost 010 (010 being the area code for Rotterdam). Missiepost 010 does not replace the Dominican Dispatches.
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Good morning dear brother, thanks for sharing this interesting publication! As information management is my other profession (and job too) it's an issue that puzzles me for some years already. The notice 'knowledge is power' is not new. New is that it undermines our democracy and that makes us anxious. For me I don't have that anxiety, because God gave me another perspective. In my work at the government there's a lot of work to do for preaching this hope! And I'm very aware of my own bubble and it's difficult the get/stay out of it!