One-dimensional man by Herbert Marcuse[Reading report] by Fabien Hildwein
The author was part of the “Alternative Management” third year program in HEC in 2010. He now prepares a PhD.
In One-dimensional Man, Herbert Marcuse shows how the modern democratic society hinders any social evolution by assimilating opposing social forces and by controlling individuals' needs. Thus it assures the stability of its logic of productivity by and for domination. It develops from an economic point of view (controlling needs through medias and working activities), from a political point of view (diminishing the social differences), from a cultural point of view (making aesthetic inefficient) and from an ideological point of view (forcing to operational thinking). The power of the one-dimensional society comes from the fact that individuals sincerely think themselves free and enjoy a great comfort despite the oppressing institutions which prevent them from fulfilling themselves.
Quote article « One-dimensional man by Herbert Marcuse », 23 july 2010, Alternative Management Observatory (AMO), [Reading report]
http://appli6.hec.fr/amo/Articles/Entry/Item/135.sls
In the same section
Ardelaine: the adventure of a textile cooperative serving the local development of the Ardèche - by Béatrice Barras
[Proceedings]
Beatrice Barras relates the story of Ardelaine, which is a workers’ cooperative that she contributed to create. One of the main objectives of Ardelaine is to foster the development of a rural territory through the exploitation of a local textile industry. Indeed, it seems that, in spite of...
>>Read moreSlow Food, collected thoughts on taste, tradition and the honest pleasures of food - by Carlo Petrini
[Reading report]
In this book, Carlo Petrini presents the beginnings of Slow Food. As founder of the movement, he describes all the actions and successes of the organization for twenty years in terms of « eco-gastronomy ». The organization operates in three areas: protecting local identities, changing education...
>>Read moreThe Atlas of Migrations - by Le Monde & La Vie
[Reading report]
The Atlas of Migrations is a corpus of analysis and case studies of human migrations. The group of experts that contributed to the volume presents an analysis of migrations throughout time and space: the reader gains an insight into the processes of the past, present and future - across the globe....
>>Read moreProtecting the public interest in a technological society
[Research paper]
Technology is overwhelming. It’s everywhere in our lives but we paradoxically often have a very limited understanding of it. We have been delegating to those we call experts the management and knowledge in these areas. We yet talk about areas for whom we should have a great deal of interest;...
>>Read moreAuroville
[Essay]
Auroville was founded in 1968 by “The Mother”, Sri Aurobindo’s spiritual companion. This international city is the experience of a utopia that aims at the improvement of humanity, respecting the environment and brotherhood. With both wanderings and achievements, the project still grops its...
>>Read more