Abstracts
Abstract
In this paper I use concepts of Georg Simmel’s social aesthetics to investigate and describe several relational and communicative dynamics that occur in the digital public sphere—where the aesthetic dimension has now assumed great importance. Specifically, Simmel’s work proves to be more suited than Habermas’s for understanding the mechanisms of “typification” and “gamification” found in online interactions between individuals. I further argue that, on the Web, these mechanisms in particular are responsible for blocking the exchange of opinions and meanings on subjects of public interest, thereby betraying the universal, societal outcomes of Simmel’s social aesthetics.
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Appendices
Biographical note
Luca Serafini, PhD in Philosophy, is Adjunct Professor in Sociology of Media and Communication at the Lumsa University of Rome. His publications include Etica dell’estetica. Narcisismo dell’io e apertura agli altri nel pensiero postmoderno (Quodlibet, 2017). He also edited the Italian edition of Sinan Aral’s book The Hype Machine: How Social Media Disrupts Our Elections, Our Economy, and Our Health – and How We Must Adapt for Edizioni Guerini (2021).
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