The Information Crisis and Silence in Philosophical-Cultural Perspective

Abstract

Among various forms of contemporary socio-cultural crises, one of the most challenging is the information crisis, which arises as a consequence of the dominance of postmodern information civilization. Often viewed through a pessimistic lens, the information crisis is understood as the excessive production of textual, visual, and auditory information in both public sphere and high culture. This surplus of information leads to its devaluation and has unforeseen and significant consequences. From this catastrophic perspective, there seems to be no escape from this overwhelming abundance of information. However, this article aims to provide a broader and more realistic understanding of the information crisis. To achieve this comprehensive perspective, the article draws upon research findings from various fields within the humanities and social sciences, such as cognitive psychology, psychology of human development, psychology of crisis and crisis intervention, and sociology of culture. By incorporating these interdisciplinary insights, the article culminates in a philosophical and cultural synthesis. Additionally, the article explores remedial strategies proposed by Tomasz Szlendak (a cultural sociologist) to counter the negative effects of information overload, with particular emphasis the value of silence.