Living In A Technocratic Economy

The study of economics includes a discussion of what are known as economic systems: the way a society chooses to make economic choices. Every society does this in one way or another. When teaching economic systems, I normally teach about command economies (government run), free market economies (individual and business run), and traditional/household economies (run by patriarchs). This year I added a fourth type, the one I believe we are living in currently: the technocratic economy. 

A technocratic economy is one managed by a combination of the civil government, big businesses, and media/technology companies, e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. It is hard for some to imagine how media/tech companies work with businesses to manage the economy, but that's exactly what happens. 

As we've recently seen, when your opinion contradicts the big tech powers that be, you can simply be de-platformed (stripped of your online presence). As the biggest businesses grow in technological presence, luring people into more and tech reliance, the will to resist shrinks. As one former pastor recently said, "What will we do when everyone is has self-driving cars and the operating system no longer allows the vehicle to take us to unacceptable places, i.e. churches?" How will people respond when big business and big tech give us something like China's social credit system?  

As I was teaching this concept, I saw it in action. Many of my students had just been looking at their phones before class started; some continued to discreetly after class started (at least discreet in their minds). Until I start class, I don't often hear from many of my students because they are glued to their phones. I reminded them of this, and the response was, "You're just saying we need to all get rid of our phones." Consider how much of reality is mediated through screens: purchases, relationships, grades, jobs, they are all mediated. If, as Augustine says, freedom is having one's loves rightly ordered, and having self-control, I witness little to no freedom in technocratic society. 

What then is the alternative? To begin (my student's fears to the contrary), we can't all get rid of our phones and become Amish. That is neither possible or sustainable for most. But we can pursue wisdom in how we use technology. For example:

• Vary your technological presence among more than one or two forms. Don't just rely on Youtube or Facebook. Spread it out a bit.
• Be wise in what you post. There are many situations that are simply not our business and nothing will change if we say something or say nothing, so say nothing (Prov. 26:17). Don't put yourself at useless risk. 
• Pursue business platforms that appreciate your convictions. You should already know the major social media platforms and banks hate your convictions; while this may not matter as long as you don't rely on them too much for income, the bigger you get, the more it will hurt if they come after you. Therefore begin with someone who can meet your needs but won't throw you under the bus because of what you believe. 

Once you understand that we are not living in the economic system of your parents or grandparents, you are ahead of the game. The sooner we take steps to prepare ourselves for the ride, the better off we will be.