Obsolescence,presentification,revolution: Sociotechnical discourse as site for in fieri futures

Abstract

Spanish

French

Technological discourse constitutes a crucial resource in the process of future making and construction of new technologies. Narratives of such a discourse are characterized by projection of hopes and horrors through binary frameworks that enforce technological determinism. Sources and actors of technological discourse are multiple (the mass media, professional communities, institutions, enterprises). The article aims to identify different conceptions of technology as well as different durations of future traceable in technological discourse. On the one hand, technology appears as an autonomous, atemporal force; on the other hand, it appears split between a short and a long time frame. Whereas the short-term future is shaped by the culture of capitalism with its fast-paced consumption focused on obsolescence and presentification, the long-term future is more influenced by the binary frames recurrent in both popular media and science fiction. This long future horizon in technological discourse is concerned with the expectation of a radical revolution. It fosters scenarios where anger and desire, horror and hope coexist and compete with each other. The article proposes obsolescence, presentification and revolution as three concurrent modes of production of the sociotechnical discourse on the future.

Keywords

Future obsolescence presentification sociotechnical discourse technological determinism

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