Freedom of communication and performance in stimulating behavior in the information age

Abstract

In the context of the positive information society, domination is revealed as a freedom of communication, where neoliberal power techniques are assimilated. It does not matter if the influencer works in the world of fitness, beauty, travel or politics; the incessant evocation of freedom, creativity and authenticity is always present. Advertisements, which intertwine with their performances, do not convey a sense of monotony. In Brazil, we have witnessed politicians who metamorphose into influencers, being venerated as true icons; politics is reduced to large-scale media performances. In televised debates, the focus is not on arguments, but on performance. Discourse becomes a spectacle and propaganda, with information that engages more than the most robust arguments prevailing. The purpose of this text is to reflect on how digital media is configured as a stage where subjects interact with opinion robots, while individuals allow themselves to be influenced by them, whose intentions remain hidden. For this analysis, we will use the works of the South Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han.