Nihilism and Technology

Nihilism and Technology

This book brings together the philosophies of technology and nihilism to investigate how we use technologies, from Netflix and Fitbit to Twitter and Google. It diagnoses how technologies are nihilistic and how our nihilism has become technological. “[Nolen Gertz] is remarkably adept at translating Nietzsche’s analysis of nihilistic living ― which looks at how we develop strategies for coping with a way of life that undermines our very humanity ― into instantly recognizable terms stretching from “Netflix and chill” to smugshrugs and emoji to the gamification of health and well beyond.” ― The New Atlantis “[T]his book is an interesting application of Nietzsche to the digital world. ... While Gertz's attempt to break from the pack of contemporary philosophy of technology is too quick and unconvincing, his critique of key modern technologies that impact the daily lives of billions is much more interesting. It is this that recommends the book.” ― Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews “In this short but hugely engaging book, Nolen Gertz […] manages to both provide a compelling and rich introduction to Friedrich Nietzsche and nihilism as well as avoid the all-too common reductionism of popular discourse around technology. Rather than boil down the question of technology to the simple binary choice of ‘is this thing good or bad?’, Nihilism and Technology presents a far more intriguing and challenging set of questions. […] The book is a lively and convincing read, which thanks to its wide appeal and accessible and often dryly funny prose, deserves to find a wide audience far outside the often narrow confines of academic philosophical discourse.” ― LSE Review of Books “At times uncanny, yet thoroughly unsettling, Nolan Gertz’s Nihilism and Technology is an unquestionable synthesis of Nietzschean philosophy of nihilism brought to bear on our often overlooked uses and co-construction of technologies. Nihilism and Technology is, more often than not, a forceful analysis of how the human-technosocial world is becoming ever more nihilistic. Gertz eschews the overdone and clichéd positions of techno-optimism and techno-pessimism in favour of a reimagining of Nietzsche’s evaluation of nihilism with an analysis of human-technology relations. What results is a graceful marriage of traditionally convinced Nietzschean concepts and postphenomenology; something that has yet to be achieved with modern technology. … At its core, the book is less of a dry, academic text and more of a satire on technology and our relations with it. Gertz writes with a prose that is often tongue in cheek and at some points outright funny. It shifts the reader outside the consciousness of binary value judgements of technology. Good and bad become secondary as Gertz moves beyond the concepts to a meta-evaluation of how we live in the world with our technologies, or separated from them. Nihilism and Technology is a timely and original text that should be given exposure beyond the walls of the academy. Its philosophical rigour and treatment of human–technology relations makes it widely readable. It comes highly recommended.” ― Prometheus “[…] a provocative and unsettling philosophical inquiry into our increasingly compulsive technological practices, revealing how our nihilism and our technologies have been raveled in a twist. [...] Gertz asks us whose meaning is being conveyed by emojis, what is the true currency of the sharing economy, why do we troll or shame others online, who is obeying the Fitbit’s command to “Move!”” ― Hong Kong Review of Books “Nolen Gertz’s Nihilism and Technology is a provocative and unsettling call to reconceive the entire social media ecosystem―and our increasingly compulsive participation in it―as a seduction to nihilism: an open invitation to seek ever-new escapes from ourselves, from the burdens of our choices, and from our own missed opportunities to make meaning in our lives and our world.” ―Shannon Vallor, The University of Edinburgh “An extremely important and thought-provoking study that is refreshingly original. By examining current technologies through the eyes of nihilism, Gertz provides new insights and ways of looking at how humans interact with these technologies. It is highly readable and should become part of any course in the philosophy and ethics of technology.” ―John Weckert, Professor of Computer Ethics, Charles Sturt University “By discussing technology through the lens of the Nietzschean question regarding nihilism, Nolen Gertz offers an interesting palette of philosophical inquiries that is highly relevant for thinking about the roles technology plays in our lives and existence. It speaks to many normative and existential concerns we should have today: does technology help us to remain complacent with the status quo and to avoid making important decisions about our lives? Do we exercise power over others by using seemingly innocent technologies such as social media? Is our dependency on Google pro