Beyond the myths of digitalization: labor, space, and ecology in the digital age

This article stresses the political dimensions embedded in the myths fueling digital capitalism. Based on an interdisciplinary literature on technological innovation processes, the paper questions the idea of a dematerialized, automated, and sustainable economy that underlies the digital revolution. We suggest that such processes are “myths” that offer a partial view of reality and play a crucial role in affecting the social, economic, and political dynamics of society. We claim that on one hand digitalization may be an opportunity for SMEs to innovate products and processes in a more socially and environmentally sustainable way. On the other hand, digitalization is a challenge because it reproduces and reinforces asymmetries. Therefore, we finally suggest it is necessary to question the opposition between virtual and material in order to highlight the risks related to the infrastructuralization of platforms and to create the necessary cultural prerequisites for a fair and sustainable use of technology.