The Death Of Charisma

What role does charisma play in this modern world in which we now live? The term, stripped of it’s value and it’s weight, became synonymous with the personal dimension of technoscience. Innovation had a face, replaced today by a logo. Bill Gates, the stereotypical nerd. Steve Jobs, the ruthless countercultural hippy. Now the function of charisma, the way we see the daring individual or the eccentric super — scientist, has been transferred over to the institution. The result? The process is favoured over person, the work of the many in favour of the work of the few, the system, not the creator. This is not to say we don’t have experts. They present themsevles to us, business cards at the ready, sleep deprived, over — caffeinated and heavily institutionalised. Their personal names are not of importance, but, where was it they said they worked? These ‘experts’, constantly looking backwards for approval, are far too frightened to venture out alone. The individual is dead. Modernity stands above, blood soaked, faceless, begging for admission.