Living in a “community of emotions”
Here is a quote from Paul Virilio discussing the impact of media on society in a recent French TV show:
There is a phenomena of globalization of affects, a sort of “community of emotions” replacing the community of interests. The community of interests is an economical community, social classes, rich and poor. The community of emotions is something completely new and that can not be mastered by political power.
This is one of the topics that intrigues me the most these days. How we tend to forget our long term interests because of emotions, served in daily and easy to consume capsules by mainstream and social media, all fighting for a bit of attention in the chaos we now have learned to live with.
Like the example I was giving in an earlier post: why is it acceptable to have thousands of policemen run after illegal immigrants when they only cost a fraction of what a trader can lose in a few seconds? Because until this particular crisis came up, immigrants were generating more emotions than bankers. Exactly what Virilio is talking about.
A community of emotions means a society built on patches, constantly trying to deal with the short term without considering the big picture. A community of emotions means a society less and less able to make solutions and problems match.
Maybe people will notice this phenomena, understand it, and become more hermetical to information. Or newsrooms might reinvent themselves, and start wondering if it makes sense to put on the front page of the local paper those sordid “fait-divers”. If a grandma has been attacked in a particularly cruel way somewhere on the planet, should all the senior citizens of the world be freaking out tonight? What exactly do we gain as a community from that news being spread all over?
Information comes with responsibilities. The web might have contributed - directly and indirectly - to make us forget this old adage. Are the side effects just around the corner?
June 12th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Yes, I agree whole-heartedly. My teens are so fragmented in their attention between radio, i-pod, computer, texting…the side effects are right here already in the younger generation.
It is hard for them to see even the sky, the earth beneath their feet, the living and inanimate world around them that needs actual, physical care and appreciation today, here and now. (Their grandmother (speaking of grandmothers), paying attention to the younger children, preparing food, & taking care of things…they still matter, very much so!)
And, as you mention, sometimes a more holistic vision for the future quickly falls by the wayside.
Wonderful blog! I just discovered it today. :)