Synthetica: Synthesis on Design

Stiegler Interview: Technics, Proletarianization, and the Battle for the Mind


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This text is an interview with French philosopher Bernard Stiegler, conducted by Pieter Lemmens. Stiegler discusses the relationship between humans and technology, arguing that they are inseparable. He critiques contemporary capitalist society for causing a "generalized proletarianization," where individuals lose knowledge and "know-how" (savoir-faire) and are reduced to consumers. Stiegler suggests that this exploitation of human cognition through technology leads to a destruction of desire and the joy of life. Despite this bleak outlook, Stiegler expresses hope that digital networks can foster a new "society of contribution" based on open-source and peer-to-peer models, offering a path toward "de-proletarianization." He sees a "battle for the mind" where philosophy must engage with technology to cultivate new forms of consciousness and resist the degradation of human existence.

Please note that the podcast covers key points from the source with synthetic voices, which may have glitches. It’s a reflective, not comprehensive, interpretation.

Lemmens, Pieter. “‘This System Does Not Produce Pleasure Anymore’ an Interview with Bernard Stiegler.” Krisis: Journal for Contemporary Philosophy, no. 1 (2011): 33–37.



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Synthetica: Synthesis on DesignBy Synthetic Synthesis