In this episode, Sage, Hanna and Julius hear from Stanford Professor Fred Turner about how personalization and commercial platforms have corrupted the “public sphere.” Fred traces the historical roots of the fantasy of a global connected conversation system back to post-WWII scientists, critiques the techno-utopianism of Silicon Valley, and underscores the importance of institutions and regulation for breaking up companies that would otherwise destroy public goods. He reminds us of the power of in-person organizing and solidarity to resist authoritarianism.
Key Takeaways from Fred:
Personalization and profit-driven platforms killed the public sphere - When debate is about who you are as a person not how to distribute resources, rational deliberation becomes impossible
Tech companies are terrified of regulation for a reason - Their fear is a measure of our power. We've broken up extractive industries before, and legislated safety. We can build seat belts.
Online attention is not action - Stop circulating “misery porn.” Hard, dull in-person work builds the solidarity, trust, and friendships that create change
This podcast is part of CAPT’s efforts to encourage open and diverse intellectual exchange. The ideas presented by individuals on the podcast are their own and do not represent Purdue University, which adheres to a policy of institutional neutrality.
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