Technology and capitalism debates focus on surveillance and automation

Academic and social debates are intensifying regarding the impact of technology on labor and the structure of modern capitalism. Discussions center on the concept of “surveillance capitalism,” a term popularized by Shoshana Zuboff to describe how large technology platforms extract value from human experience to exert control, potentially undermining the social contract and traditional market dynamics.

Complementing this critique, Cornell University professor Aaron Benanav is addressing the relationship between automation and employment. In his work, “Automation and the Future of Work,” Benanav challenges dominant narratives that blame rising technology for job crises. Instead, he argues that the issues stem from the structural contradictions of modern capitalism, such as economic stagnation and deindustrialization, rather than technology alone.