Online Vernissage: Fragmented Society – Alienation in the Anthropocene

Frag•men•ted So•ci•e•ty
Alienation in the Anthropocene

We spend most of our days in human-made constructions, nestled in this false sense of control that regulates our private and social life. We believe to be above nature, in charge of its forces. The Anthropocene – meaning the current geological age in which the human’s will to prevail on other species has been the major cause of the planets change – has led to many forms of passive nihilism. The subjective desperation with the world as a whole leads to individuals withdrawing from the greater concept of humanity and, instead, focusing on their realm of control, which is outside of the overwhelming reality. As for example, the eminent ecological crisis that we’re facing is one of the catalyzing forces of alienation between humankind and nature. The latter has brought forward a kind of fragmentation in our western society. This being more of a psychological fragmentation than a spatial one. But, because humans naturally have the instinct to group, new forms of tribalism are emerging. The three sub-narratives look into different forms of alienation and the communities resulting from them.

Alienation in the context of a performance-driven society

There is a cognitive dissonance between our image of an ideal life and the reality of it. Thus, we often find ourselves trying to temporarily escape this mental discomfort. This can manifest itself through various acts of distraction with various degrees of sustainability. Ironically the very same industry that promises a relief from societal pressures, also feeds back into the systems that make an escape necessary in the first place.

On Escapism – An inquiry into how the Swiss escape their daily lives:

Alienation in the context of societal class

The Bürgenstock resort, which is situated on a scenic hill overlooking Lake Lucerne, is nowadays owned by the Qatari ruling family and has undergone large-scale expansion in the recent years. The seemingly serene oasis has thus become a place where two very different groups of individuals collide. One of them being the farmers that have cultivated their fields there for generations, the other being the ultra-rich who come to Switzerland to find relaxation in a luxurious environment.

The Noble Mountain (Der Noble Berg):

Alienation in the context of communication

With the Anthropocene new forms of communication have evolved, live-streaming and online chats being some of the most recent ones. Twitch has been among the pioneers and is to this day the biggest live-streaming platform. Live chats have brought forward an ongoing shift in semiotics. New communities have emerged from this platform with their own sets of vocabulary and values, which from an outside perspective seem foreign and overwhelming at times.

¿What Is the Meaning of Chat? – On communication and interaction in Twitch:

Project website