The Technological Society — When Technology Becomes the System

This is NOT an online meeting but an in-person meeting.
Meeting in English.
Reading the book is not required.

During the book discussion the leader of the discussion presents the most interesting parts of the book. The great emphasis is placed on discussion.

Opis Książki
Is technology simply a collection of tools that humans control, or has it become a system that increasingly shapes how society itself operates?

In The Technological Society, French philosopher Jacques Ellul argues that modern society is increasingly organized around the pursuit of technical efficiency. Technology, in his broader sense of "technique," is not limited to machines or computers — it includes methods, organizational systems, procedures, and ways of optimizing human activity.

Ellul argues that once efficiency becomes the dominant criterion, techniques tend to spread regardless of whether they ultimately serve human needs. Problems are increasingly approached as technical problems requiring technical solutions, while social, ethical, and human considerations can become secondary.

Written in 1954, the book offers a striking perspective on many contemporary issues, from bureaucracy and mass media to automation, artificial intelligence, and the growing role of algorithms in everyday life.
At this event, we'll use the book as a starting point for a broader discussion about technology, efficiency, freedom, and the direction of modern society.

Discussion Topics

• Is technological progress actually under human control?
• Why does greater efficiency not necessarily lead to a better society?
• Does technology solve problems, or does it also create new ones?
• What happens when efficiency becomes more important than other social values?
• Can technological systems be deliberately redirected toward human goals?
• Has Ellul's critique become more relevant in the age of algorithms and artificial intelligence?
• Are there areas of human life that should remain deliberately inefficient?