Week 4 - Review on Information Society Report by Pekka Himanen (2004)

Perspectives of an Information Society in 2004 vs Now

Pekka Himanen wrote the report in 2004, where the United States was still the Global Hegemon and Cultural power. He envisioned a future where globalization led to a more enlightened world where information access would alleviate the complex pressures of social inequality and global trade.

While Pekka had a realistic view of the challenges faced with tax heavens and aging societies he had perhaps underestimated that technology perhaps IT has accelerated the problems rather than alleviate them.

The rise of Social media has turned information access into a privatized filter bubble where vested political and business interests have turned the common man against one another. We see this phenomenon in the divide of the "Right vs the Left" and polarized youtube comments. The fundamental issue of this problem is the lack of reforms in the political structure in social democracies which has allowed authoritarian governments to rise.

 The dark money of these Authoritarian states have infiltrated politics and businesses through soft power means such acquisitions of media and strategic industries thus hindering any form of social progress.

Moreover, the local business and political elites have continued to lobby for lax business and taxation laws to further monopolize the basic rights of freedom of speech and housing.

Growing up in the perverse 24/7 media, many of my generation have grown to become cynical and depressed over how powerless we feel against the problems of climate change, unaffordable housing and inflation.

The election of Donald Trump was a symptom of the deep issues facing the US which have signaled that we have  entered a multi-polar world dominated by regional powers.

 On a brighter side, the world has perhaps woken up to the folly and made some incremental reforms in having a global tax rate and limiting the extent of tax havens. The EU has been a driving force behind this and has started legislation which could tax the monopolizing nature of Big Tech companies.

While Pekka was optimistic about the creative/cultural "class" , social media has turned this potential to a cesspool of "influencers" and privileged elite selling the fake dream of entrepreneurship. 

And rather than investing and reforming the outdated education systems, the pension and sovereign wealth funds of many countries still invest in short term gains and "disruptive startups" such as Uber rather than more transit and people orientated public transport.

We have also seen the trend of "Digital nomads" with questionable skills who take advantage of tax avoidance and social infrastructure while contributing nothing substantial to society.

 While we can take the negative and self defeating view that society needs to hit the lowest point before any revolution or reform, one promising aspect of social media is the rise of the Subreddits r/antiwork, r/workreform which is mobilizing workers and people to unionize and demand more rights in which Capital should not triumph over Labour.

All in all, Pekka's  optimistic view was reflection of his generation where people could just hop onboard on the train and they will get to the destination. My generation, Our generation can no longer engage in "civilities" of forming committees to advice the rotten political class. The train tracks are gone and we're on ATVs finding our own path while demanding change NOW.