How tech can co-opt our physical selves, and how art can save us

Shane Denson, an associate professor of film and media studies at the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences, delves into our data-rich world and the technologies that fuel it. In his book, “Post-Cinematic Bodies” (Meson Press, 2023), Denson explores the encroachment of “metabolic capitalism” on the human body. He highlights the dangers of how age, beauty, gender, and race norms alter our perception of ourselves and proposes art as a means of resistance and change.

In his latest book, “Post-Cinematic Bodies” (Meson Press, 2023), Denson outlines the impact of predictive algorithms, smart devices, robots, and other contemporary media technologies on our bodies and our relationship with the environment. By tracking our movements and measuring our metabolic data, these devices contribute to a system of “metabolic capitalism” where our physical habits are commodified for corporate gain. Denson emphasizes the political implications of this transformation and suggests that media art can offer resistance to co-optation.

What is Denson’s central argument?

Denson argues that the contemporary media landscape subtly transforms our bodies and the way we perceive them. With the prevalence of smart devices, our every movement and calorie intake are turned into data, which is then sold and used to shape our behaviors. This process of “metabolic capitalism” disconnects us from our own bodies and enlists them in the production of profit.

Why is this a political issue?

Denson’s book aims to shed light on the integration and anticipation of our bodies by these systems, often without our knowledge. He emphasizes the importance of media art in resisting this co-optation. The normalization of bodily norms through facial recognition, augmented and virtual reality, and generative AI has significant political implications for gender, ability, disability, race, and other societal matters.

Is human existence at risk?

Denson doesn’t believe that human existence is immediately threatened by the new algorithmic media. However, he highlights the insidious nature of these technologies, which bypass our consciousness and shape our bodily processes through predictive algorithms. The standardization of perception and action poses a threat to human diversity and decision-making agencies.

Denson gives the example of Snapchat filters, where algorithms based on normative schemas of age, weight, race, and beauty become the filter through which we recognize ourselves. These interventions by algorithms between self and perception perpetuate ableist, racist, and gender-essentialist biases.

Is there hope for change?

While acknowledging the cynicism and consolidation of power within these systems, Denson presents opportunities for redirecting technology and building a more positive future. He finds hope in artists who transform these invisible algorithms into sensory experiences. By challenging and reengineering bodily norms, artists contribute to a rearrangement of the user-infrastructure-experience relationship, pushing back against underlying power structures.