I am drawn to critiques of capitalism. Creativity has been co-opted by capitalism (Kanellopoulos, 2014) because of its connection with innovation. As a creativity advocate and educator, I have found this deeply troubling. Many of the specific ideas offered by Selwyn (2021) oppose neoliberal ideals and call for the reorientation of educational technology on account of environmental sustainability concerns. Some of these ideas include “media abstention and resistance, digital disconnection and restrained modes of digital engagement” (Conclusions section, para. 3). Selwyn (2021) asserted that people have grown disenchanted with big tech. I have seen this from parents choosing low-tech options to protect their children, recognizing the perils of unfettered access to technology on their children’s growth and development. Degrowth and voluntary simplicity are examples from Selwyn (2021) that could realistically gain traction from our disillusioned society. This potential reckoning of the harm caused by big tech on our most vulnerable may serve as the catalyst for people to question the fundamental systems at play in our society. Might this even lead to the eventual rejection of these deeply entrenched systems? I predict that people will be more apt to question tech heavy lifestyles after witnessing the detrimental impact that these lifestyles had on an entire generation of children. Loosening tech’s grip on this population may be a double win; our children can develop in healthy ways, and we could tread a little lighter on our environment.
References:
Kanellopoulos, P. A. (2019). Countering reverse détournement: Subversive vs. subsumptive creativity. Philosophy of Music Education Review, 30(2), 123–145. https://doi.org/10.2979/philmusieducrevi.30.2.05
Selwyn, N. (2021). Ed-tech within limits: Anticipating educational technology in times of environmental crisis. E-Learning and Digital Media, 18(5). https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530211022951
