I’m posting this table, as I think it fairly elegantly summarizes what I called “proletarianization” in the previous User Condition posts. The step forward I made here is to connect the level of user gestures to that of the algorithm. The table as image can be found here.
| Feature | Platform | Factory |
|---|---|---|
| repetitive, semi-automatic, “mindless” gestures | infinite scroll, swipe | assembly |
| movement without relocation | feed (the user doesn’t leave the page) | conveyor belt (the worker doesn’t leave their position) |
| externalized, opaque, inaccessible knowledge (savoir) | algorithm (arranging data into lists) | industrial know-how (arranging parts into objects) |
