Polobs seminar “Speaking above the din of machines. Degradation of democracy, privatization of information and political struggle”

It will take place on June 1, at 4 pm, in the Sala de Atos of the ICS, the PolObs seminar dedicated to the theme “Talking above the noise of the machines. Degradation of democracy, privatization of information and political struggle”.

The guest for this session is Sylvia Moretzsohn, PolObs researcher and retired professor from the Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF).

Speaking above the noise of machines is a way of expressing the need to combat alienation. It is based on this metaphor, formulated by a Brazilian journalist from the final scene of The Working Class Goes to Paradise, that this seminar proposes to advance the discussion on the difficulties of confronting disinformation, in the current context of the resurgence of fascism, consistent with the movement of capital, which apparently no longer needs democracy. The search for ways out, fundamental for the recovery of the democratic project and, in particular, for the exercise of journalism and the efforts of media education, needs to consider two fundamental issues: the current epistemic crisis, which makes the distinction between truth and lies irrelevant, and the deepening of the process of privatization of information, with algorithmic control that blocks or greatly hinders access to diverse sources and perspectives.

Sylvia Moretzsohn is a journalist, a retired professor from Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), with a Master’s in Social Communication and a PhD in Social Work, a researcher at Objethos (UFSC) and PolObs.

[Posted: 26-05-2023]