‘This is not about pigeons’ (2021) is about life and algorithms in the digital platform economy.
Hades was a powerful god in classical Greek mythology. His ‘Helmet of Darkness’ enabled him and the other gods to be invisible during their sometimes-ambiguous quests. Therefore, the helmet became proverbial for those who conceal their true nature...
The book examines how digital platforms such as Amazon, Tinder, Uber, and Airbnb, with their inscrutable algorithms, have drastically altered social structures and human behaviour – and not always for the better. Completely new meaning has been given to concepts such as work, employment, dating, and tourism, while the invasive nature of the algorithms is said to be derived from the extremely addictive mechanisms employed by the gaming industry. It recalls the behavioural experiments on pigeons by American psychologist B. F. Skinner, who drew parallels with humans. Jansen’s book offers a critical-artistic view of the digital platform economy’s downsides.
Publisher: The Eriskay Connection | 168 × 226 mm | 80 pages | EN | spiral bound | ISBN: 978-94-92051-63-9 | Design: Rob van Hoesel | € 30.00 | The publication of this book was supported by Mondriaan Fonds.
From the press:
'The comparison (between the pigeon experiments and the way the Uber algorithms work) is humorous as well as depressing, illustrated by images of the pigeon experiments, maps and mobility data.' (Arno Haijtema in Dutch daily De Volkskrant.
'The comparison (between the pigeon experiments and the way the Uber algorithms work) is humorous as well as depressing, illustrated by images of the pigeon experiments, maps and mobility data.' (Arno Haijtema in Dutch daily De Volkskrant.
In October 2021, 'This is not about pigeons', was selected by 'Panoramic', festival for film and photography in Barcelona and exhibited at 'Open Circle, Lived Relation'.
