Ethical Reflection on the “Subject of Desire” under the Short Video Platform

Abstract

Short videos have become the most typical form of commodity consumption. When people watch short videos, they always mistakenly think they are the “master of enjoyment”, but in fact they are only passively consumed under the arrangement of algorithmic recommendation. The algorithm captures the “subject of desire” precisely, and the “chain of energy” of desire extends continuously. The subject’s “surplus desire”, or infinitely multiplying desire, is being exploited by a new way of capital accumulation. This brings about a new, universal crisis of the subject. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the real ethical dilemma faced by the subject and the reasons for its formation, and to find an effective value direction to help the subject escape from the dilemma.