The Social Dilemma

I watched The Social Dilemma. At its worst moments it was infuriating: deeply technodeterministic, denying almost any prospect of human agency when it comes to technology – pretty much the identical accusation it makes of big tech.

As is common with C4HT’s work, it was either oblivious to or erased (which is worse?) the prior work of scholars, artists etc who warned about these issues long before contrite techies like the show’s stars – and I – came along.

As Paris Marx writes, it teetered on the brink of a bolder realisation, but was too awed by its initial premise to go there. And so it retreated into spurts of regulate-me-daddy centrist cop shit and unevidenced correlation/causation blurring.

But but but. I’m not the audience. I stress in my work that it can’t just be down to the tech industry to solve these problems. We have to engage the public, to explain to them what’s happening in their devices and technological systems. We have to seek their perspectives, request they put pressure on elected officials, and that they force companies to adopt more responsible approaches. If The Social Dilemma does that, perhaps that’s a small gain.

But, oof. If you’re in this field… pour a stiff drink before hitting Play.