Surveillance capitalism exploits the human hunger for recognition

Evidence

The machine invasion of human depth is prosecuted under the banner of “personalization,” a slogan that betrays the zest and cynicism brought to the grimy challenge of exploiting second-modernity needs and insecurities for outsize gain. From the point of view of the prediction imperative, personalization is a means of “individualizing” supply operations in order to secure a continuous flow of behavioral surplus from the depths. This process can be accomplished successfully only in the presence of our unrelenting hunger for recognition, appreciation, and most of all, support. — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 797

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Horkheimer repeatedly traded scholarly nonconformity for social recognition — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 1973; Social caching grants corporate power privileged legibility over human life — Nick Couldry & Ulises A. Mejias, The Costs of Connection: How Data Is…, 419; Users author a public-facing text while surveillance capitalism captures a hidden second text — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 584 (+10 more)

Broader Connections

• Surveillance capitalism aims to author people rather than destroy them #complicates (0.75) — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 1062
• Surveillance capitalism threatens human sovereignty over life and authorship of experience #expands (0.75) — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 1650