4 ms·

Theses on the Techlash

15 points by imartin2k 4y ago

Animats 4y ago
Ads. It's not about technology. It's about ads.
- nonrandomstring 4y ago
  It's about control. Ads are a weak(ish) form of control (more powerful than we believe) but only one of many. TBH I've hardly heard the word "techlash" since I cited it in Digital Vegan as an Economist headline. It never really got traction. But the article is correct in identifying it as a moment of reflective realisation rather than a substantial movement. And perhaps in locating it in a dislike of Big-Tech personalities as much as any experienced harm. Today I'm more cognisant of "peak tech", a tangible bend on the curve that seems to be about limits of attention, practical connectivity, exhaustion with gadgets and a limit on how many times the same app can be re-branded "Now with AI". On the other hand there remains a more serious branch to contemporary tech critique. For that I prefer the term "Technofascism", because it's got a bit more fuck-you built into it. Despite widespread awareness there's precious little action beyond Software Freedom, or ability to turn to meaningful choice and "take-back tech". I suppose a regular one-minute-hate of screaming insults at Mark Zuckerberg makes a good safety valve to distract from the real FaceBoot.
  - upsidesinclude 4y ago
    >I've hardly heard the word "techlash" I'd hardly call that a wonder considering the avenues. That would be technofascists at work. Don't be surprised to find a vast number of people have either no clue or no concern about what controls are in place for them.
- alexvoda 4y ago
  I think ads are a major component of this but not the only one. (See a recent top HN post about chumboxes. It is hard to not become cynical.) You also have: - growing complexity beyond the comprehension of a person resulting in fear of unknown - plain old disinformation and conspiracy theorising - an abundance of brain dead behaviour on the part of technology creators (see the recent article about the glovebox you can only open from the touchscreen) - plenty of bad behaviour on the part of corporations I do not think the techlash is unjustified yet I think technology is an inseparable aspect of humanity. I think the main cause is a crisis of misaligned incentives which on the surface are coherent. The corporate social structure is no longer capable of functioning as an engine for betterment of humanity.
kkfx 4y ago
I'm a sysadmin, so hardly an (IT) tech Luddite. I LOVE IT (yes, even after year of ****) BUT I love IT, NOT "commercial IT", so I'm extremely against craphones and craporcals third party services, modern cars full of connected crapware and so on. My own personal "techlash" is simply that: I foresee where we are heading and I know it's very dangerous and obscene so I'm against not "the gun" but a certain use of certain guns by some who own them. Others who do not have technical knowledge might feel the future in instinctive terms and react reactionary against it. Other instead might feel a sense of magic and react enthusiastically but while most people repel ANY real change for mere fear the repel of tech is mostly due not about fear but ignorance and abuses.

15 points by imartin2k 4y ago

Animats 4y ago

Ads. It's not about technology. It's about ads.

nonrandomstring 4y ago
It's about control. Ads are a weak(ish) form of control (more powerful than we believe) but only one of many. TBH I've hardly heard the word "techlash" since I cited it in Digital Vegan as an Economist headline. It never really got traction. But the article is correct in identifying it as a moment of reflective realisation rather than a substantial movement. And perhaps in locating it in a dislike of Big-Tech personalities as much as any experienced harm. Today I'm more cognisant of "peak tech", a tangible bend on the curve that seems to be about limits of attention, practical connectivity, exhaustion with gadgets and a limit on how many times the same app can be re-branded "Now with AI". On the other hand there remains a more serious branch to contemporary tech critique. For that I prefer the term "Technofascism", because it's got a bit more fuck-you built into it. Despite widespread awareness there's precious little action beyond Software Freedom, or ability to turn to meaningful choice and "take-back tech". I suppose a regular one-minute-hate of screaming insults at Mark Zuckerberg makes a good safety valve to distract from the real FaceBoot.
- upsidesinclude 4y ago
  >I've hardly heard the word "techlash" I'd hardly call that a wonder considering the avenues. That would be technofascists at work. Don't be surprised to find a vast number of people have either no clue or no concern about what controls are in place for them.
alexvoda 4y ago
I think ads are a major component of this but not the only one. (See a recent top HN post about chumboxes. It is hard to not become cynical.) You also have: - growing complexity beyond the comprehension of a person resulting in fear of unknown - plain old disinformation and conspiracy theorising - an abundance of brain dead behaviour on the part of technology creators (see the recent article about the glovebox you can only open from the touchscreen) - plenty of bad behaviour on the part of corporations I do not think the techlash is unjustified yet I think technology is an inseparable aspect of humanity. I think the main cause is a crisis of misaligned incentives which on the surface are coherent. The corporate social structure is no longer capable of functioning as an engine for betterment of humanity.

kkfx 4y ago

I'm a sysadmin, so hardly an (IT) tech Luddite. I LOVE IT (yes, even after year of ****) BUT I love IT, NOT "commercial IT", so I'm extremely against craphones and craporcals third party services, modern cars full of connected crapware and so on. My own personal "techlash" is simply that: I foresee where we are heading and I know it's very dangerous and obscene so I'm against not "the gun" but a certain use of certain guns by some who own them. Others who do not have technical knowledge might feel the future in instinctive terms and react reactionary against it. Other instead might feel a sense of magic and react enthusiastically but while most people repel ANY real change for mere fear the repel of tech is mostly due not about fear but ignorance and abuses.