Toffy’s Divide Themes: 2 — ‘Corpo-nialisim’, Corporate Colonization, and Government Control

What does the world look like when colonization is done by corporations and not governments?

The growing power of technology companies can no longer be taken for granted.

After the 2016 US elections it became clear that Facebook was not just a thing used by millennials to share viral videos and validate their clout.

It was a serious tool (some will say a weapon) used by the political class to gain influence.

This is not new

Media as a means to communicate to the masses has always been a strong tool to wield influence and power. Nations have been built and destroyed based on the person or “persons” that own the narrative.

Whether it’s democratic or a dictatorship, newspapers, radios, tv spots, music, and films have always been used to control, sway, and sometimes dominate people.

TV and radio stations are usually the first locations to be controlled after a coup de etat, announcing a shift in power

The power of media technology in terms of control and governorship can not be underestimated.

For instance during Stalin’s reign in the Soviet Union between 1922 and 1953, the control of media was a huge tool used for government control. Stalin believed terror and propaganda were two of those chief ways to controls ideas.

Stalin mounted a huge propaganda campaign in posters, films, radios ,books and newspapers, all of which was the control, to push the governments views.

The arts were controlled. Writers were censored — their books and articles had to be sent to the committee before they were published.

New tech = New means

Fast forward to the 21st century and the forms of media have morphed.

Now we have the latest form of communication technology — the non-stop content of the internet and we, the people, are the creators, distributors, and consumers.

It’s a participatory effort now. The question of what’s credible and what’s not is now always in the air.

We use these media to stay connected. On the other hand, we us it remain validated, feeding the machine behind what gets the highest engagement — in terms of clicks, likes, and comments.

The real winners are the companies that have built the infrastructure for the narrative. The ones that have built the virtual highway that allow the trucks and carriages of content to glide from point to point effortlessly.

The tech companies.

The companies that monetize our attention and the businesses they sell our data to.

Politicians and businesses, with pools of capital can use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok to influence our decision-making.

Pigeon-holing us further into siloed echo-chambers that reinforces our philosophy and way of thinking as the right and only way.

Breaking up the dialogue with the other side of the community.

Consolidating their control.

Now with more screening, monitoring, and tracking, the question about privacy is on the forefront.

How much of ourselves are we giving these companies?

Are we, the users of these technologies, accountable enough for our actions too?

If you are getting this utility, that a company has spent so much to build, for free — we have to be clear that we are the PRODUCT.

Not the interface that we interact with. NO! You and your personal data are the product that’s sold to advertisers.

Corporate Colonization = ‘Corpo-niliasm’

What happens when the government and those that want to stay in power, start collaborating with the tech companies?

This is already happening.

For instance, Nebraska authorities used Facebook data to prosecute an abortion case. DMs between a 17-year-old and her mother were obtained via a search warrant and presented as evidence.

Only recently, did governments become aware of the power of technology companies. Recent regulations over the last few years have brought the influence of these companies to the forefront.

Something that was initially supposed to be a thing that bored colleges students used, now has the power to influence elections in one of the most powerful countries in the world. It is also being used as the evidence to prosecute cases.

‘Corponialism’ in Toffy’s Divide

Now imagine a world where the world is run by technology companies. Not with the government working with them, but the government working FOR them.

Imagine these strong technology companies consolidated into one company.

A world run, monitored, and regulated by one technology company.

That’s what’s happening in 2049 J City. Run by megacorporation J Enterprise.

The entire ethos of the city and the citizen’s existence is to feed the primary goal of that company — more money and more influence to boost the owner’s ego.

A city where conformism to the order is the only way to survive.

A city where the corporation is stronger than the government and the people.

What will that world look like?

Would you want to live in a world colonized by the corporations? If it’s already happening, can we do something about it?

is there hope?

We can take a participatory role in influencing how the technology that is built around us is used to boost human flourishing.

We can own the awareness that the technology is supposed to work for us and not the other way around.

We can embrace our role in governing ourselves. We have the agency to build a system where we are monitoring those that monitor us.

Equality, yeah?

Self awareness of our behavior and how much we put into and give these companies.

We can be empowered to make decisions to pay for certain things because, unlike what these tech companies provide for their employees, there’s nothing like a free lunch.

If it’s free, then you are most likely — the Product — and we should be aware of that.

These are the hopes we have for the Toffy’s Domes NFT Project

Get your own Toffy’s Domes Token here!