Contradictions of Progress

The fact that the digital transformation of culture and society will influence the way people learn in the future has become a truism in education policy and society. The question of whether digital media belong in a contemporary pedagogical practice is undisputed – after all, digital media have long since become an integral part of the lives of children, young people and adults. In regard to digital ubiquity in our world, the aim of this article is to develop a critical position towards the capitalist tendencies of the digital. This perspective will be developed by the way of analysis of the inherent contradictions of individual and collective media practices.[1] [1] The following considerations are a thematically adapted translation of my article "Widersprüche des Fortschritts. Perspektiven einer medienpädagogischen Kapitalismuskritik" (cf. Leineweber, 2024a). I am grateful to guest editors Valentin Dander, Nina Grünberger, Theo Hug, Lilli Riettiens, and Rachel Shanks for the opportunity to publish my thoughts in English. I used the DeepL program for the translation. I thank Anna-Lena Brown for the final proofreading.