Günther Anders: Media criticism in the digital age re-examined!

Günther Anders: Media criticism in the digital age re-examined!

Digital transformation now permeates all areas of life, from the way we shop to the challenges posed by climate change. This comprehensive transformation is the central theme of the Günther Anders Research Center at the University of Freiburg, which is led by Dr. Christian Dries is directed. With a focus on the ethical dimensions of digitalization, the research center not only deals with technological developments, but also with the social implications and the necessary critical reflection in the digital age. University of Freiburg reports that...

Dr. Dries, who earned his doctorate in various disciplines, examines, among other things, the ideas of the philosopher Günther Anders, who warned in the 1950s of the dangers of a world dominated by mass media. Anders' essay “The World as Phantom and Matrix” is considered one of the first philosophical texts about television and addresses our lives in a “post-literary” age characterized by images. These images are not neutral; they influence our understanding of reality and construct truths in image form. Dr. Dries is particularly interested in the digitalization of society and the challenges posed by social media and its ethical issues.

Digital ethics and social media

A central aspect of the research center's work is digital ethics, which for Dr. Dries plays a crucial role. The research addresses questions about truth and falsity in social media as well as the material requirements of the digital economy, such as the exploitation of workers and the ecological consequences. In addition, Dr. Dries the use of platforms such as YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) with regard to their ethical implications. Anders’ warnings about “apocalypse blindness” in the context of the nuclear threat and the climate crisis are always present in this discussion. The research center, which was founded on August 1, 2023, has set itself the goal of researching current social questions based on Anders' thinking.

In a different context, the name Günther Anders has attracted renewed attention in recent weeks. An interview took place at the Gorki Theater in Berlin between a Canadian journalist and a person named “Günther”. The topic of the conversation was film costumes that the journalist would like to donate from a film by her husband, a renowned director. The film deals with the Armenian genocide in 1915. This project, which has Günther Anders' diaries as a central source of inspiration, is part of a performance series entitled "Donation. Performing Memory II".

Media criticism in the digital age

At the same time, media criticism plays a crucial role in our engagement with digitality. A relevant contribution is the anthology “Media Criticism in the Digital Age”, edited by Horst Niesyto and Heinz Moser. This volume, which is part of the “Interdisciplinary Media Education” series, illuminates the theoretical and conceptual foundations of media criticism in a time in which personal data is being commercially exploited and new power structures are emerging in the context of “Big Data”. JFF documents that...

The editors and contributions to the volume address the need for critical reflection on the media, the challenges posed by digitalization and the role of media education in this process. Alternative courses of action and approaches such as “digital citizenship” are discussed, which ask to promote a reflective use of media. The ongoing changes in the digital space require an examination of topics such as personal responsibility and critical reflection on technology, which is of utmost importance for the education and media landscape.