“The recurring obsession throughout the twentieth century was that of ‘’’social control.’’’ Once society had become a sovereign entity, free from all restrictions, it could control and shape its own matter. The various totalitarian forms were each an attempt in this direction. But the states were operational in appearance only. Installed within each state was a smaller structure attached to each state, but which could also maneuver it. This is what happened with the KGB in the USSR and the SS in Germany. They were sectarian bodies that held unlimited powers. They had many methods of control, traceable to two main rules that Orwell observed in Oceania: ‘Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.’ “
“…But this would not be the final method of control. When the digital empire was established at the beginning of the new millennium it became clear that ‘’’control’’’ meant firstly ‘’’control of data.’’’ And the situation was reversed. Data was no longer extracted by force from above, but was spontaneously offered from below, by countless individuals. And it was the very material over which to exercise control. The question then arose; what would be the controlling power? The first suspect as always were the nation states. But a startling novelty was introduced. States were not the only one who could act. Starting with them there is a sequence that includes, above all, the businesses where data is constantly flowing and extends as far as IT gangs, and the anonymous lone hacker, who could just be playing with his power. Anonymity is the point.”
Roberto Calasso