The point. Mediology, built by Régis Debray (who signs the invigorating preface of this volume), is this discipline that studies mediations and cultural objects. Several mediaspheres are distinguished: the logosphere (oral transmission), the graphosphere (writing), the videosphere (photo, cinema). Today, it is the hypersphere, or digital sphere, characterized by immediacy and the quest for profitability, which interests the mediologists gathered in this work.
From its pressing and threatening news and its usually worrying perspectives, we draw views of our near future (within a quarter of a century). And the reader happily finds often innovative developments on the smartphone, #MeToo, the crumbling of authority and truth, the affirmation of algorithms and conspiracy theories.
When TikTok replaces kiosks (to borrow the title of a contribution), it is good to worry about the world to come.
The interest. No sophisticated numerical projections or methodically contrasted scenarios in the 25 essays of this volume. This multi-thematic, literate and documented prospective has the merits of originality. Where we realize that approaching the future is also grasping the present time.
The Factory of the Future
essay
under the direction of Pierre-Marc de Biasi. CNRS Editions, 432 pages, 26 euros.
