“In the end, technology is not the problem. The problem is us." As Loretta Napoleoni, economist and journalist, summarizes the central thesis of his latest book "Techno-capitalism", not yet published in Italy but already available in English. In an era where technological innovation seems to have outpaced society's ability to control it, Napoleoni argues that the answer to techno-capitalism lies not in technology itself, but in the political choices we make.
And from the nationalization of communications systems to space exploration as a new frontier, his proposals are as provocative as they are stimulating.
The present future and the anxiety of innovation
Loretta Napoleoni begins her analysis by describing what she calls the "future present", an era characterized by a pace of change so rapid and disconcerting as to generate a real "pandemic of anxiety" (with media and social networks, I add, which they don't help to mitigate things).
The difference compared to other eras of rapid innovation, he argues, is that technology today is transforming every aspect of our lives, including the private sphere.
It's as if we too are becoming part of an app system that requires constant updating. I think it is very difficult, indeed, unnatural for a human being to move so quickly.
Loretta Napoleoni
The new “robber barons” and the failure of the rules
The current environment has allowed a few forward-thinking entrepreneurs to gain a unique advantage, accumulating unprecedented wealth and power. Napoleon calls them the “new robber barons,” a reference to the industrial-era tycoons who built economic empires by exploiting the absence of regulations.
The problem, he argues, is not technology itself, nor capitalism as a system, but the failure of society and the state to manage the control exercised by these “titans of technology”. “We have been incapable of directing technological innovation towards the common good,” she writes.
I think he's right. The pervasiveness of large technology companies threatens to become increasingly stratified. Until a dystopian but possible future made of "techno governments” which transcend the current state organizations, and constitute a real “neo feudalism private". How can we avoid it? Loretta Napoleoni has some ideas.
The challenge of regulation in the digital age
One of the main obstacles, according to the economist, is that technology is evolving so rapidly that it has outpaced governments' ability to sensibly regulate it. The problem, however, is not just the speed of change. He is upstream, in his intentions: "I don't think all governments really want to keep up", he says. "That is the question".
Loretta Napoleoni cites the example of the European Union, which has already tried to regulate some aspects (AI, facial recognition, privacy) while the United States is more reluctant. But even when there are attempts at regulation, tech giants often prove “more powerful than political leaders.”
Technology as a common good: one of Loretta Napoleoni's radical proposals
Faced with this situation, a radical proposal is needed: technology should be considered a common good, like water or air.
We are at a stage where our life cannot function without technology. Imagine an oligopolistic society where a few companies control the air you breathe and you have to pay for it. It's absolutely the same thing.
Loretta Napoleoni
The solution, he argues, lies not in measures such as wealth taxes or antitrust fines, but in a true nationalization of some key aspects of technology, such as communications systems. A proposal that, she admits, "no one wants to pronounce".
Space as a new frontier
But Loretta Napoleoni also projects beyond terrestrial borders. In a chapter titled “Cosmic Migrations,” she suggests that space exploration could offer a way out of the dilemmas posed by uncontrolled technological innovation.
Why shouldn't we look at the cosmos as our early ancestors looked at the lands across the ocean?
It is not a question of what today are only illusions (like the colonization of Mars), specifies, but to exploit the opportunities offered by low Earth orbit, where there is still some gravity and the human body can adapt.
“Techno-capitalism” is Loretta Napoleoni's call to both debate and action
“Techno-capitalism” offers no easy answers or definitive solutions. Its strength lies rather in its ability to ask uncomfortable questions and invite debate on issues crucial to our future. From the implications of artificial intelligence to the impact of social media, from the concentration of economic power to the need for global regulation, Napoleoni challenges us to reflect on the choices we are making as a society and the consequences they will have for future generations.
Loretta Napoleoni reminds us that ultimately we decide in which direction our future will go. The choices we make today, as individuals and as a society, will shape the world of tomorrow. It is up to us to decide whether it will be a world where technology serves the common good or a world where a few “robber barons” dictate the rules of the game.
Small, necessary disclaimer: this is a spontaneous review, it was not reported by authors or publishing houses, the book was purchased by me and Futuro Prossimo does not earn anything from it, not even royalties from the link to the book (that I put you here). Not that there would have been anything bad, but it must be said for the sake of fairness: it is not a paid thing.
