"Syndrom wyczerpanego ja" : o rzeczywistej potrzebie higieny informacyjnej w społeczeństwie wysokiego ryzyka

Abstract

Pointing out the radical changes that have taken place in interpersonal communication since the so-called digital breakthrough, the author of the article assumes that the information society is inevitably becoming a society of multiple risks. Moreover, he proves that the communication risk is constantly reinforced by the influence of information activism (hyperactivity of multimedia users), which nowadays is most often manifested by the 'state of continuous connection between man and machine' and multi-tasking. As a result, Homo Interneticus becomes a kind of 'neurotic personality', which suffers from the 'ego depletion' syndrome (term coined by Roy Baumeister). According to this researcher, lowering the level of risk associated with the widespread promotion of the imperative 'the more the better', both in the life of individuals and in social life, requires the development of communication skills, which he calls 'information hygiene', based primarily on the axiologization of the information society and limiting the freedom of its members to create, process, collect, store and use information. In order for new technologies to become a source of innovation that changes people’s lives for the better and not for the worse, it is necessary to make mature use of communication freedom, that is, self-restraint.