Marooned, Measured, and Mortified. The Subject in the Dystopia of Risk Society

The concept of the risk society offers a critical perspective on modernity, wherein social life, politics, and culture are organized around uncertainties implicit in modernization processes. It is an inherently dystopian outlook that shifts our attention to the future, conceived primarily in terms of threats and civilizational crises. This article aims to explore subjectivity and its transformations in the face of a crisis in scientific and technological rationality, as well as the growing awareness of risks and uncertainties associated with it. In risk society, the subject is condemned to uncertainty and alienation as traditional methods of addressing threats collapse. The turn toward digital solutions further intensifies the precarious dependence of individuals on technology, leading to the emergence of terminal subjects.