WOP Psychology in Cyberculture

1

• WOP Psychology in Cyberculture
• Module 1 Modernity and Industrialism
• Prof. Leonel Tractenberg
• E-mai leoneltractenberg_at_gmail.com
• EBAPE/FGV / LTC/NUTES/UFRJRio de Janeiro,
  Brasil
• Visiting Scholar Universidad de Barcelona
  Universidade de Coimbra
• March, 2008

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Introduction

• What are the main characteristics of
• Medieval society?
• Modern society?

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Introduction

• What are the main characteristics of contemporary
  society?
• Is it reasonable to speak in terms of (one)
  contemporary society?
• No ?
• Yes ?

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No

• Some experts argue that we should not speak in
  terms of a one single society because
• of the multiplicity and diversity of existing
  societies.
• if we speak in terms of our contemporary
  society we tend to hide these differences and
  reinforce one hegemonic / dominant world view.
• Some critics argue that we are not living in a
  new society or a new economy. The foundations
  of capitalist societies did not change.

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Yes

• Other authors say that, indeed, that society is
  changing rapidly in so many different and
  fundamental aspects, that we can speak in terms
  of crisis o paradigms, ruptures etc.
• They argue that it is necessary to recognize
  these broad global changes, otherwise we can
  underestimate its effects.
• This does not mean that these changes affect
  every society the same way or that there is no
  importance in recognizing local characteristics /
  issues / differences.

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Yes

• When we speak about a contemporary society we
  use to refer to sociological visions or
  perspectives that try to identify major common
  trends
• which affect or characterize mainly, developed /
  richer countries,
• but that have worldwide repercussions also in
  developing and underdeveloped / poor countries.
• Those trends can be described in terms of
• Economic, political changes
• Work, labor, production systems changes
• Technological changes
• Organizational changes
• Cultural changes
• Etc.

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Some perspectives on contemporary society

1. Post-modern society
2. Post-industrialism / Post-fordism
3. Information (Knowledge) society
4. Globalization

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Modernity

• What is post-modernity?
• What is modernity?

Image Dalís watch and the Big Ben
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Modernity ? Modernism

• Modernus new, recent
• Modernity
• umbrella expression that refers to a complex
  set of philosophical, ideological, social,
  institutional, political, cultural, economic,
  technological intertwined characteristics
  commonly shared by western countries (mainly
  Europe and US) from the 17th century till the
  20th century.
• Modernism
• artistic and cultural movement from the end of
  the 19th century
• sometimes a reaction to modernity

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Examples of modernism
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Ancient, Medieval and Modern

• The idea of modernity is an invention of the
  Christian Middle Ages
• The ancient world was pagan, naturalistic,
  cyclic, shrouded in darkness.
• The modern world, Christian. With a new time
  (Christian calendar), a new meaning for living
  preparation and waiting for a new (better) life.
• Christianity recharged the notion of time and
  history (narrative of past-present and future).
• Earthly time is a mere passage compared to the
  eternity.
• There is no point in an earthly progression, but
  in preparation for eternal life.

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Ancient, Medieval and Modern

• This change in the subjective perception of
  history, time, purpose in life was important to
  shape society
• To provide meaning for daily activities. To
  determine what is important and what is not.
• But the idea of modernity was also depreciated
• novelty was perceived as triviality. The
  important thing was the divine order.
• There was a valorization of the enduring time of
  the Scriptures and a veneration of great thinkers
  of antiquity Plato, Aristotle.

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Ancient, Medieval and Modern

• The division of Ancient, Medieval and Modern was
  disseminated during the Renaissance period (14th
  and 15th centuries)
• There is a confrontation between Christian values
  and humanistic values.
• The power and disseminated beliefs of church are
  questioned Giordano Bruno, Galileu, Copernico
  and others.
• There is an even greater valorization of the
  ancient world and of the ancient thinkers.
  Modernity is still an age of darkness.
• But there is a future, not heveantly, not sacred,
  but in the progress of humanity.
• Valorization of reasoning and technology as base
  for progressing.

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Modernity has born

• 16th and 17th centuries and the modern ideas
• Protestantism (16th century) critical view of
  the Christian church, valorization of work
  practicing good works attests to one's faith by
  works a man is justified, and not by faith only
  (James 224) earthly progress becomes
  positively valued as a collective project.
• Modern thinkers Montaigne, Bacon, Descartes,
  Hobbes, Voltaire, Rousseau etc.
• Devaluation of the ancient Greeks (Bacon y
  Descartes). Valorization of the modern, the new
  we are closer to the truth with our methods
  (Bacon y Hobbes).
• Radical separation between Nature and Society.
• Clear defined project for humanity reconstruct
  knowledge and life based on rational grounds,
  science and technology (PHILOSOPHICAL
  UNDERPININGS. IDEA OF PROGRESS)

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Modernity has born

• 18th and 19th centuries and the consolidation of
  modernity
• IDEOLOGICAL, POLITICAL UNDERPININGS
  proliferation of idealistic discourses based on
  rational analysis socialisms, anarchism,
  liberalism etc.
• The idea or progress opens the way to the idea of
  revolution based on rational ideals (eg. French
  revolution). To reform society through
  revolution.
• Many internal and external conflicts ancient x
  modern forces.
• Scientific, technological and economic progresses
  foster social developments (eg. re-urbanization
  plans, health and educational improvements).
• Modernity and modernization seen as a good
  thing.

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Some driving forces
Ideological / philosophical / political changes
Social and Cultural changes
Developments in Science and technology
Developments of capitalism and proliferation of a
bourgeoisie
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Modernity and industrialism

• Mercantilism ? pushed by new discoveries and
  technologies (mainly for transportation)
• Comercial capitalism ? pushed by industrialism,
  technological developments (transportation,
  energy, mecanization).
• 19th and 20th century most industrialized
  countries ? global power (England, France, US
  etc.)
• Modernization industrialization western
  culture

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Some important characteristics of the industrial
society (De Masi, 2000)

• Proliferation of representative democracies, of
  socialist states, and of totalitarian regimes.
  Growing governmental interventionism on the
  economy.
• Economic power, stability, and continuous growth
  based on gross national product, and determined
  by the ownership of raw materials and ways of
  production. Industrial sector pushing national
  economy.
• Growing distance between producers and consumers
  compared to the pre-industrial society.
• Improvements in health, nutrition, and quality of
  life help to reduce mortality rates and to
  increase life expectancy, and lead to an
  accelerated population growth.
• Workers of the industrial sector surpasses other
  sectors of economy. Number of blue collars
  predominates over white collars, and male workers
  over female workers.
• Rationalization of organizational processes.
  Disseminated belief in one best efficient way
  to achieve organisational goals.
  Taylorist-Fordist paradigm.

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Some important characteristics of the industrial
society (De Masi, 2000)

• Social division of labour creates two main
  distinct classes with conflicting interests,
  ideologies, and life styles. On the one side,
  white collars are responsible for intellectual
  tasks, and owners of information, decision power,
  and means of production. On the other side, blue
  collars are the executors of partitioned
  manual/mechanical tasks.
• Continuous economic growth brings a relative
  stability and continuity to jobs and careers. Job
  roles and career paths are rigidly determined.
  Most tasks are routinized, bureaucratised, and
  impersonalised.
• Progressively, industrial society expands the set
  of social roles, educational paths, and
  occupational options, opening the possibilities
  for a larger number of individuals to choose new
  career paths, and, therefore, increases the
  opportunities for social mobility.
• Schooling of the masses, as part of a wider
  social reform, contributes to reduce illiteracy.
  Increasing consumerism is promoted by mass media.

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Some important characteristics of the industrial
society (De Masi, 2000)

• Progressive urbanisation, rationalisation and
  fragmentation of living spaces growth and
  verticalisation of the cities the industrial
  zone for work and production the city suburbs
  for domestic life, education and reproduction
  the commercial zones for trade and consumption
  the bureaucratic zone for administrative and
  public affairs and zones for leisure and
  mass-entertainment (parks, stadiums, shopping
  centers, etc.).
• New technologies favour geographical mobility,
  communications. Progressive spatial integration
  and shortening of distances.
• Increasing rationalisation, fragmentation,
  standardisation and control of living rhythms.
  Time for domestic life, education, work, and
  leisure become compartmentalised vertically
  (along daytime) and horizontally (along
  lifetime).
• Society as a synchronised global assembly line
  that demands everybody working, studying,
  resting, celebrating etc. at the same time, in
  the same optimal places. Clock as the major
  symbol of the industrial era.

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Modernity and the big narratives

• Modern times are times of big (RATIONAL,
  SECULAR) narratives that provide meaning for the
  collectives in terms of a project of common
  future national independence, liberty, progress
  and development, welfare, social equality,
  abundance etc.
• Big narratives in Science. eg. Positivism.
• Big narratives about the economic and labour
  systems capitalism, socialism etc.
• Big narratives about cultural issues, family
  roles, gender roles etc.
• These big narratives try to be universal in
  the sense they try to expand and encompass all
  societies.

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Problems with modernity

• War and killing in an industrial scale.
• Totalitarism, dictatorships, oppression and
  submission of the masses.
• Social inequalities and exploitation.
• Environmental problems of industrialization.
• Economic instabilities and crisis.
• Polarization and conflicts between nations,
  social classes.
• Fragmentation of individuals (ration x emotion,
  body x mind, private x public sphere, work x
  leisure).
• Depersonalization and burocratization of work
  environments.
• Emancipatory reason (driven by ideals of liberty,
  progress etc.) progressively substituted by
  instrumental reason (driven by markets and
  national projects).

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Readings

• BASIC
• KUMAR, Krishan. (2005) From post-industrial to
  post-modern society. 2nd. Ed. Oxford, UK
  Blackwell Publishing.
• COMPLEMENTARY
• CASTELLS, M. (2003) Internet y la Sociedad Red.
  In APARICI, R. (coord.) Comunicación educativa
  en la sociedad de la información. Madrid UNED.
  p.319-342. Available at http//tecnologiaedu.us.e
  s/nweb/htm/pdf/106.pdf
• THOMPSON, G.F. (acceso en 2007) Fordism,
  Post-Fordism, and the Flexible System of
  Production. Center for Digital Discourse and
  Culture, Virginia Tech. Available at
  http//www2.cddc.vt.edu/digitalfordism/fordism_mat
  erials/thompson.htm
• Weblink http//carbon.cudenver.edu/mryder/itc_da
  ta/postmodern.html