Communicative Capitalism-Jodi Dean

The chapter exudes an unconventional perspective of the internet and usefulness. I found the chapter to be extremely insightful, as it gave me a chance to view the internet as I had never done before.

The internet is a great facility to enhance democracy and individual participation in politics, only if the thoughts and voices of different people are posed properly, with organization and clarity, through a website that is recognized by the state and government, a website that has legitimacy. Jodi Dean hits the nail on the head when stating " it is (the internet) depoliticizing because the form of our involvement ultimately empowers those it is supposed to resist". It is understandable to rave about the internet, as it is a revolutionary tool that has made the world a smaller and more proximate, and made communication much faster and efficient. But coming back to politics, it is true that our little contributions that we think have added something to our cause, whatever it maybe, is inconsequential in the grander scheme of things. This is because your input in whatever form maybe, is not acknowledged and stacked in a folder which comprises of all views similar to yours, and is not then presented to the powers that be so your views have an impact as one, your view is just another of the trillions circulating on the internet, being as futile as can be. It must be conceded, that our inputs in the internet are like fish in a fish bowl, going round and round but not achieving anything. The only thing which can be attributed that whirlpool of data is that it is a spectrum of perpectives that are there, just there.

Also, another vital point of the chapter is of the 'commodification of the internet'. The websites encouraging participation, or so we think, are superficial and present such an image, but in actuality are engaged in " financially mediated and professionalized practices, centered on advertising, public relatios ,and the means of mass communication". Thus, instead of empowering the people, this leads to depolitcization and giving the people a false sense of power and hope.

Finally, the amalgamation of ideas is hindered by communicative capitalism. The idea of 'post politics' explains well as how each individual's view remains as an 'independent and individual' view, and thus "matters are not represented-they don't stand for something beyond themselves".

I personally learned immensely from the chapter, and found it difficult to disagree with much.