MICHAEL LYNCH

Immaterial LabourBiopolitical Powerand the Web 2.0

UNDER THE INSTRUCTION OF DR. BRIAN BROWN, THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO

MICHAELYNCH.COM

Hear the call of independ-ence: “waged labour anddirect subjugation (toorganization) no longerconstitute the principalform of contractual rela-tionship between capi-talist and worker. A poly-morphous self-employedautonomous work hasemerged as a dominantform...”(Lazarrato 138)

PREFACE

“...part of our role as theorists is as inventors of concepts adequate to our times... we need ‘words to talk about what is happening to us’” (Brophy 620)

The emergence of immaterial labour has revealed the continuous presenceof capitalism resonating from the post-Fordist industry, however, the system thatimmaterial labour is founded on, the communication network made possible bythe Web 2.0 is there for the taking. Now and in the coming years there will be ashift in power among the worker-employer relationship either allowing capital-ists to subsume the individuality of the immaterial labourer under the productionprocess, or the immaterial labourer will realize their independence and branchout from the neo-classical capitalist system, recomposing themselves and creat-ing a new, revolutionary economic system. The conict I am describing is veryreal and has already begun to have it’s aect. The problems I will be referring toare of my own, my colleagues and of all future labourers. I very much wish to em-phasize the importance of this recognition and inspire the socialized worker totake appropriate action in securing their own individuality.INTRODUCTIONUnlike the mass worker, where “the mass worker had been conceptualizedand had become a reality just when it’s period of existence was in fact aboutto end,” (Negri 75) the socialized worker has acknowledged their presence andpotential in the midst of evolution: “We have gone beyond Marx, and the social-ized worker has become a reality... we... experience the actuality of the concept”(Negri 84). Rather than wait for capital to further impose it’s force on the Web2.0, socialized workers must rise to the occasion, and use their collective force tore-appropriate power, diminish the control of capitalism and better the qualityof life. I have witnessed capitalist tradition in the lives of my parents and grand-