The crisis of freedom is that power exploits rather than negates it

Evidence

Friendly power proves more powerful, as it were, than purely repressive power. It manages not to be seen at all. Today’s crisis of freedom stems from the fact that the operative technology of power does not negate or repress freedom so much as exploit it. Free choice (Wahl) is eliminated to make way for a free selection (Auswahl) from among the items on offer. — Byung-Chul Han, Psychopolitics, 47

Categorization

• DEFINE: Distinguishes Wahl (free choice) from Auswahl (selection among offered items) — a key terminological pivot.
• XREF: Builds on ch3’s claim that behavioral prediction closes the open future freedom requires, since Auswahl pre-scripts every option. — connects to: Economized liberty recasts political power as the enemy of freedom — Wendy Brown, Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism’s…, 71; Unconstrained coercive power makes its holders devalue those they dominate; Power-holders must restrain themselves or power’s potential is squandered — Niklas Luhmann, Trust and Power, 625 (+1 more)
• recurring: this claim recurs 2 times within its source

Related

• Unlimited freedom to achieve generates more coercion than external prohibition (similarity 0.79)
• Economized liberty recasts political power as the enemy of freedom (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Economized liberty recasts political power as the enemy of freedom #expands (0.72) — Wendy Brown, Undoing the Demos, 71
• Unconstrained coercive power makes its holders devalue those they dominate #expands (0.72)
• Power-holders must restrain themselves or power’s potential is squandered #expands (0.72) — Niklas Luhmann, Trust and Power, 625