Between rationality and narration: reflections on infocracy

Human beings, throughout history, have always sought to make sense of their existence through narration, rationality, and the pursuit of truth. But what happens when these tools are emptied of their meaning or transformed into mere mechanisms of control?

We live in an era that Heidegger might have defined as Gestell, where human beings are reduced to technological resources, and their relationship with the world is mediated by information. How can we navigate this complexity and recover a humanistic perspective?

Through the reflections offered by Byung-Chul Han (Infocracy and The Crisis of Narration) and Steven Pinker (Rationality), we will explore the philosophical implications of these transformations.

Byung-Chul Han, in Infocracy: How Our Lives Are Manipulated by the Network, denounces the transformation of human beings into data mines, surveilled and manipulated entities.

Seemingly free, we are immersed in an informational regime that erodes our ability to act, reflect, and build shared truths.

The era of infocracy echoes Lyotard’s “weak truth,” where grand narratives capable of orienting individuals no longer exist. Truth becomes fragmented, fluid, a consumable object.

Recalling Arendt, public action loses its meaning; the sphere of action is reduced to a cycle of clicks, likes, and shares.

In a world where information is infinite, but truth is relative, is it still possible to conceive of authentic freedom?

In Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, Steven Pinker confronts another emergency: the loss of rational thought, replaced by cognitive biases, conspiracy theories, and fake news. Pinker advocates for a pragmatic rationality, rooted in critical thinking and the tools of science.

Pinker’s rationality can be seen as an heir to the Enlightenment, but it raises questions about the relationship between instrumental reason (Adorno and Horkheimer) and critical reason. Is technical rationality enough to tackle the moral challenges of our time?

Kant defined rationality as the foundation of universal ethics. How can this vision be reconciled with the cultural fragmentation of the contemporary era?

Can rationality serve as a universal compass in an increasingly pluralistic world, or does it risk being reduced to mere technicalities?

In The Crisis of Narration, Han explores the decline of storytelling as the connective tissue of communities. Narration, once capable of offering cohesion and meaning, has been transformed into a consumable commodity, fragmented and devoid of depth.

Ricoeur described “narrative time” as essential for making sense of human experience. Without shared narratives, humans lose their ability to project themselves into the future.

Baudrillard’s perspective allows us to analyze how storytelling has been emptied of meaning, reduced to commercialized narratives that fragment time and isolate individuals in an eternal present.

If living is narrating, as Han argues, what stories can we still tell to give meaning to our existence?

These works are not contradictory but complement each other. Rationality and narration, despite their different approaches, can be synergistic tools to address the disorientation of our time.

Ricoeur argued that narration constructs meaning, while rationality provides the tools to analyze it. This balance is crucial to avoid both nihilism and technicism.

Recalling Levinas, we can see narration as an act of responsibility toward others and rationality as a means to translate this responsibility into action.

The future requires a rethinking of our practices of narration and rationality to integrate technical knowledge with humanistic understanding.

Infocracy, the crisis of narration, and the fragmentation of rationality are not merely technological challenges but profoundly philosophical issues. How can we recover a unified vision of existence?

Perhaps the answer lies in returning to being animal narrans (humans as “narrative beings,” according to Walter Fisher’s narrative paradigm) and animal rationale (humans as “rational beings,” as defined by Aristotle), capable of intertwining stories and reasoning to build a more just and meaningful world.

Annotated Bibliography

1. Byung-Chul Han, Infocracy: How Our Lives Are Manipulated by the Network, Einaudi, 2023.

This work critically explores the transformation of human beings into data-producing entities within the “infocracy,” a regime where freedom is reduced to participation in digital platforms. Han delves into the philosophical implications of surveillance, manipulation, and the erosion of public discourse in the digital age.

2. Byung-Chul Han, The Crisis of Narration: Information, Politics, and Everyday Life, Einaudi, 2024.

Han examines the decline of storytelling as a cohesive force in modern society, arguing that narration has been commodified and stripped of its transformative power. This book emphasizes the consequences of fragmented narratives on collective meaning and individual identity.

3. Steven Pinker, Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, Mondadori, 2021.

Pinker defends rationality as a vital tool for navigating an era plagued by cognitive biases, misinformation, and conspiracy theories. He offers a comprehensive guide to critical thinking, probability, and statistical reasoning as antidotes to irrationality and societal fragmentation.

4. Jean-Fran?ois Lyotard, The Postmodern Condition, Feltrinelli, 1979.

Lyotard’s seminal work introduces the concept of “incredulity toward metanarratives,” which frames the challenges of constructing shared truths in a postmodern context. His ideas are foundational for understanding the fragmentation of meaning in the age of infocracy.

5. Paul Ricoeur, Time and Narrative, Jaca Book, 1986.

Ricoeur articulates the role of narrative in shaping human experience, linking storytelling to temporality and identity. This work provides a crucial theoretical framework for analyzing the crisis of narration in modern society.

6. Martin Heidegger, The Question Concerning Technology, Adelphi, 1954.

Heidegger critiques the reduction of humanity to a resource within technological frameworks, introducing the concept of Gestell(enframing). His ideas resonate with Han’s critique of the digital era and its impact on human agency.

7. Theodor W. Adorno and Max Horkheimer, Dialectic of Enlightenment, Einaudi, 1947.

This influential text critiques the Enlightenment’s descent into instrumental reason, which prioritizes control and efficiency over critical thought. Their analysis complements Pinker’s exploration of the tensions between rationality and morality.

8. Emmanuel Levinas, Totality and Infinity, Jaca Book, 1961.

Levinas emphasizes the ethical dimension of human relationships, viewing responsibility toward the other as central to existence. His perspective enriches the discussion on narration as a moral act of connecting with others.

9. Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition, Bompiani, 1958.

Arendt examines the nature of action, labor, and thought, highlighting the erosion of public spaces for meaningful discourse. Her analysis is pivotal for understanding the societal consequences of the loss of public action in the infocracy.

10. Jean Baudrillard, Symbolic Exchange and Death, Feltrinelli, 1976.

Baudrillard critiques the commodification of culture and meaning, arguing that contemporary society is dominated by simulations and hyperreality. His insights align with Han’s observations on the commodification of storytelling.

I am a passionate and curious reader of books of all kinds, with a preference for those on archeoastronomy, epistemology, and, for professional reasons, project management. If you would like a review, a reader’s perspective, or feedback on your book, I would be delighted to read it.