Are we living through an information overload? Constantly bombarded by images, facts, and opinions emanating from screens of varied shapes and sizes, one may begin to wonder what purpose staying up to date ultimately serves. In the words of ARTE President Bruno Patino, is it only natural to ask, “s’informer, à quoi bon?” Yet Patino insists upon the social imperative of remaining informed, providing a compelling case for knowledge as a public good. Patino will discuss new essay “S’informer, à quoi bon”, as well as his celebrated works on the attention economy and the failures of internet utopianism. Join him to learn how we can rework digital society to reclaim our relationship to our devices and re-enter the shared human world.

About the speaker:

Bruno Patino is an author and journalist. He has published five works on digital media with Grasset, including La civilisation du poisson rouge (2019) and its sequel, Tempête dans le bocal : la nouvelle civilisation du poisson rouge (2022). “S’informer, à quoi bon?” was published in 2023. Patino has been CEO of the French-German TV channel ARTE since 2021, after previously serving as Editorial Director of Arte France. He is Associate Professor at Sciences Po and an analyst of digital society.

Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (Patino will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.

Please note the Daylight Savings gap between the US and France. This event will take place at 19h30 CET / 14h30 EDT

This event requires advance registration.

Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.