The Model of Power and the Format of Content: on the Development of Personal Computers and “Step-By-Step” Content in Taiwan

Home , Xun Yu

The Model of Power and the Format of Content: On the Development of Personal Computers and “Step-by-Step” Content in Taiwan

Ming-Che Li Assistant Professor Department of Journalism Shih-Hsin University

Since IBM launched its revolutionary brand-new personal computer on 12th August, 1981, it has been considered as a momentous event in the history of personal computer. Not only because this movement presented digital technology in the form of personal computer, but it also infused the meaning of “merchandise” into it, which can be easily owned by society members. In this context, “personal computer” synthesizes both concepts of digital technology and merchandise and consequently penetrates every corner in the society with the help of market mechanism’s circulation properties. This is how Taiwan’s digital society functions, i.e. the interaction and negotiation process between society members and personal computer has formed a unique environment deeply rooted in the soil of digital capitalism market.

In this study the author reviews the inter-shaping relationship between users and personal computer from the perspective of Foucault’s discourse on “power and body;” the attention is especially dedicated to discussion about “step-by-step instruction content,” in that this type of knowledge provides abundant clues and information as to making sense of PC’s evolution. Here the author attempts to answer the question: what historical or social context makes the format of step-by-step instruction outdo other forms of knowledge and becomes the mainstream in this PC-related knowledge market.

According to Foucault, power works through individuals’ practices, not top-down demand nor suppressive power. Likewise PC got its popularity through no conquering violence, which was in fact cleverly replaced with sophisticated and delicate skills, that is called “discipline.” The discipline of personal computer requires a series of means, techniques, procedures, application levels and goals. We cannot use, learn and interact with PC without accepting and following its prescribed logics and the desired ways of practice. And this fact assures “power” to be distributed to the finest part of our life, even our body. In this context what coheres knowledge and power is “discursive” and knowledge is naturally considered the critical device to maintain the function of this micro power. Furthermore, our “body” serves as the medium and channel of transporting such power each time an individual interact with certain ICTs.

Here we need to go back to the basic and propose a fundamental question: if such power is not externally imposed, given or prepared to conquer the existence of subjects, where does it come from? According to Foucault power is simply a display of “relationship” network, which enables power to flow though it and individuals surrender to this power as well as apply it. Different environments with different society subjects construct different power models and hence generate different knowledge models to guarantee the cohesion between power and individual subject.

The market mechanism plays a tremendous part in circulating the micro power of step-by-step instruction content. However this media system cannot operate effectively without the combination of readers, commercials and advertisement and content. In other words, the format of content itself bundles readers, knowledge and products tightly. Last but not the least the author discover that the content readers find their privacy and their automation in selecting which type of content to read (ownership of product) while at that same time this process is also deemed as public conduct (knowledge dissemination). Therefore we see a contradiction perfectly exist in PC’s step-by-step instruction content.

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