Naslov
REVIEW OF: NETWORKS WITHOUT A CAUSE: A CRITIQUE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Autori
Ružić, Boris

Izvornik
Computational culture (2047-2390) 1 (2012), 1;

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, prikaz, stručni

Ključne riječi
internet; data; virtual; new media; cultural studies

Sažetak
Lovink’s new book at times looks like an archaeology of the internet– and the multiplicities it embodies, an archaeology of many histories, presents and futures at the same time. It is not easy to write a review of a book that is trying to break with the tradition of overviews, paraphrasing and postmodern terminology. Although he’s rather vehement in critique of academic (new) media studies and their partially failed rhetoric of description of today’s media discourse – in a way, Lovink’s critique is, above all, directed towards the growing mass of popular literature that ignores the specificities and intricacies of technological and software developments. If the “social” became a feature, recent developments in the digital realm must be re-examined. Namely, ourselves, the driving force behind the veil of corporate “social networks”. In so doing Lovink gives us a challenging assignment – the termination of the aesthetics of astonishment before “new” technology. We are challenged not to partake in the tautological pleasures of naming and implying just by uttering the magical words of “digital media” (for they seldom are analogue today, anyway). It is a harder task then it may seem. Upon casting out redundant terminology and presumptions, there is, unfortunately, not much left. Lovink’s book presents a masterful effort in dealing with this situation.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Informacijske i komunikacijske znanosti, Filozofija

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