🐰 Down The Rabbit Hole 🕳️

“Creativity and nonconformity are fundamental values in the technological society; indeed, for its progress, this society requires not passiveness but an enthusiastic approval of change. It is technology that demands an assault on the old values, on morals and traditional ethics.”

~ Jacques Ellul, The Technological System

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Greetings!

The next great thinker in our series is the French philosopher, sociologist, and Reformed theologian, Jacques Ellul. Ellul was born in Bordeaux, France, in 1912. He was professor of history and the sociology of institutions at the University of Bordeaux. Among the many topics he discusses in his more than 60 books and 600 articles are the impact of technology on society, propaganda, and the relationship between politics and religion. In his analysis of technology, one of his convictions is that technology has become an autonomous force that shapes society rather than simply serving human needs. Today, we will look briefly at a few of his seminal works.

The Technological Society (1954)

In his most famous work, The Technological Society, Ellul notes how technology impacts every aspect of life. Technology increasingly affects culture, relationships, as well as our capacity for freedom by dictating social structures and values. Our culture’s obsession with efficiency and control erodes human freedom and spiritual life. This erosion happens as humans cede more and more aspects of life to the technological sphere. Throughout his works, Ellul develops the concept of "technique," which he understands to mean a systematized method that prioritizes efficiency and control above all other criteria; one of Ellul’s chief concerns is to offer reflections on how society can resist being dominated by technology.

Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes (1962)

In his book Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes, Ellul considers the powerful role that propaganda plays in shaping public opinion and behavior. He argues that propaganda is not simply a tool for political manipulation, but actually a “necessary” aspect of modern society, integral to the maintenance of social order.

Ellul identifies and explains different types of propaganda each with distinct characteristics and purposes. When people think of propaganda, they tend to think of political propaganda, which aims at influencing political attitudes and behaviors by using emotionally charged messages, symbols, etc. to create a unified political identity.

There are a variety of other types of propaganda, however. For example, more subtle than political propaganda is sociological propaganda, which operates through cultural means to shape behavior and beliefs in line with societal expectations.

Ellul's work highlights how propaganda permeates society, influencing not only political landscapes but also cultural and social dynamics. In helping to identify propaganda, he empowers the individual to mitigate its effects.

The Technological System (1977)

In The Technological System, Ellul expands on his ideas in The Technological Society, and delves deeper into the systematic nature of technological progress. He notes how technological advancement creates a self-perpetuating cycle that society must adapt to continuously, which erodes traditional cultural values and ethical considerations.

Jacques Ellul was an influential figure and his works provide a great deal of insight into the nature and consequences of technology. We will look more deeply at some of his key ideas in the coming weeks, and will continue to revisit his thought in this newsletter.

That’s it for today! We will be revisiting Ellul in the weeks to come, so stay tuned…I will see you again soon!

Warmly,

Herman

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