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By virtue of the way it has organized its technological base, contemporary industrial society tends to be totalitarian. For "totalitarian" is not only a terroristic political coordination of society, but also a non-terroristic economic-technical coordination which operates through the manipulation of needs by vested interests.
Herbert Marcuse
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote discusses how modern society's technological structure can lead to totalitarian control, both politically and economically.

Herbert Marcuse's quote emphasizes the dual nature of totalitarianism in contemporary industrial society, where control is not only achieved through political terror but also through economic and technical means that manipulate the needs and desires of individuals. This manipulation by vested interests shapes society in a way that limits true freedom and autonomy, suggesting that the structure of technology and industry can lead to a form of subtle oppression.

Themes

TechnologyTotalitarianismManipulationSocietyIndustrial

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion on the influence of technology on society, this quote could illustrate how our needs are manipulated by those in power.

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