Circle of the Snake, The - Nostalgia and Utopia in the Age of Big Tech

The West is experiencing nostalgia due to 9/11, the Great Recession, digital anxiety, and ecological collapse. Grafton Tanner argues that this nostalgia is partly a result of the attention economy and Big Tech's predictive algorithms, which lock us into nostalgic feedback loops and create a precarious society with its gaze fixed on the good old days. The Circle of the Snake is a reckoning with the myth of digital utopia and an analysis of nostalgia as a weapon to spread fascism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 11 December 2020
Publisher: John Hunt Publishing

Shocked by the events of 9/11, the Great Recession, digital anxiety, and ecological collapse, the West is grappling with a powerful wave of nostalgia. People across the globe yearn for a utopian version of the past that never existed, desperately seeking relief from the present. Some are willing to go to extreme lengths to escape the confines of the present, driven by an insatiable desire for change. In his groundbreaking new book, Grafton Tanner, author of Babbling Corpse: Vaporwave and the Commodification of Ghosts, argues that our nostalgia today is partly a result of the attention economy. At a time when historical literacy is paramount and old prejudices are resurfacing, Big Tech's predictive algorithms are trapping us in nostalgic feedback loops. This creates a precarious society, where our gaze is fixed on the good old days, blinded to the challenges and complexities of the present.

Spanning from the ancient Sophists to the modern-day phenomenon of Black Mirror, "The Circle of the Snake" is a profound exploration of the myth of digital utopia and a razor-sharp analysis of nostalgia as a tool used to spread fascism. Tanner delves into the ways in which nostalgia is manipulated and exploited by those in power, using it to reinforce existing hierarchies and suppress dissent. He also sheds light on the ways in which nostalgia can be used as a means of control, shaping public opinion and influencing political outcomes.

Through his insightful and thought-provoking writing, Tanner challenges us to confront our own nostalgia and the ways in which it shapes our understanding of the world. He encourages us to be critical of the past and present, to recognize the dangers of nostalgia, and to work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable future. "The Circle of the Snake" is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, politics, and culture, and in the ways in which our memories and experiences shape our understanding of the world.

Weight: 180g
Dimension: 141 x 215 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789040227