Modernities and Technologies in dialogue: Benjamin's reproducible art and Giddens's global reflexivity

Abstract

This article explores Walter Benjamin and Anthony Giddens' conceptions of modernity and technology, highlighting their convergences and divergences. Benjamin, in "Modernity and the Moderns", criticizes technical reproduction and its impact on art, arguing that the democratization of art through technology compromises its authenticity and "aura". He sees modernity as a battlefield between forces of innovation and destruction, resulting in cultural alienation. In contrast, Giddens, in "Modernity and Identity," adopts an optimistic and adaptive view, emphasizing institutional reflexivity and the opportunities for self-identity and self-expression afforded by technology and globalization. Arguing that modernity offers new possibilities for the reformulation of identities and social structures. The analysis shows that, while Benjamin focuses on negative cultural and aesthetic implications, Giddens sees technology as a potentially emancipatory force in social transformations. These perspectives offer a rich, multifaceted understanding of modernity that is essential for addressing contemporary challenges.