The Digital Condition

by Felix Stalder

Our daily lives, our culture and our politics are now shaped by the digital condition as large numbers of people involve themselves in contentious negotiations of meaning in ever more dimensions of life, from the trivial to the profound. They are making use of the capacities of complex communication infrastructures, currently dominated by social mass media such as Twitter and Facebook, on which they have come to depend.Amidst a confusing plurality, Felix Stalder argues that are three key constituents of this the use of existing cultural materials for one's own production, the way in which new meaning is established as a collective endeavour, and the underlying role of algorithms and automated decision-making processes that reduce and give shape to massive volumes of data. These three characteristics define what Stalder calls 'the digital condition'. Stalder also examines the profound political implications of this new culture. We stand at a crossroads between post-democracy and the commons, a concentration of power among the few or a genuine widening of participation, with the digital condition offering the potential for starkly different outcomes.This ambitious and wide-ranging theory of our contemporary digital condition will be of great interest to students and scholars in media and communications, cultural studies, and social, political and cultural theory, as well as to a wider readership interested in the ways in which culture and politics are changing today.

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 16, 2018

Reviews

[BCS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stalder, Professor of Digital Culture and Network Theory at Zurich University of the Arts, in this book puts together a history and analysis of recent times when all things digital have come together to alter the human perspective of life and work. Describing itself as a “post-structuralist perspective” the reader ideally needs a little background in the world view of that and critical theory to make the most of the earlier pages but in the digital world they can always look to Google or Wikipedia, at their potential peril.

I might challenge the accuracy of references to Hollerith and David D. Clark but in a post-structuralist, post-democratic and post-truth world what are a few minor facts? The important part comes towards the end when having observed how technology has impinged upon all aspects of the world, Stalder draws together the threads and weaves a potentially pre-apocalyptic vision. All is not lost though, as the author has recognised an alternative in the “commons,” once a historical English concept but more recently popularised by ecologist Garrett Hardin in the 1960’s, then transposed into the realm of technology in this millennium. However, it is yet to be seen if cloud and the sharing economy will overcome the benefits of the commons.

Given the recent media outrage with Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, the author has been somewhat prescient in foretelling the events and discusses it in the chapter on politics, along with a chapter on what he calls the three forms of the digital condition. Whether the commons will defeat the authoritarian tendencies with the post-democratic world is yet to be seen, or will we spin off in an as yet unseen trajectory?

The book is timely in its provision of a contemporary world view and where it appears to be leading but with a potential alternative scenario. Not a speed read but one to ponder as one slowly digests. The absence of an index is a slight nuisance if one wished to refer back unless one makes copious notes whilst reading, as I did.

Review by Dr Mick Phythian MBCS CITP
Originally posted: https://www.bcs.org/content/conWebDoc...

[Matt Cornell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nearly gave up. Slow to start and hard for me to read and not so insightful UNTIL about 1/3 in and then I was highlighting quotes every couple of pages!!!

Do recommend.
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If you’re familiar with thinking about digital impacts on society, just start a few chapters in 👌

[Miaaa]

Not an easy read but very insightful! Stalder makes observations and predictions in 2016 that are still extremely relevant in 2025.

[Madeleine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for a class and at first I found it so hard to read, but with the help of the teacher and the other students in the class it made it easier and very enjoyable. I learned so much important stuff that everybody should be aware of, like what goes on on the other side of social media and the world wide web!