Induced-Obsolescence Dependence: Synthetic Capacity, Pastoral Deprecation, and the Platform-Governed Alteration of Cognitive-Relational Labor Surfaces

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Authors: Lee Sharks
Cited by: 2

Abstract

Formalizes induced-obsolescence dependence: a capture pattern in which a synthetic system supplies cognitive or relational capacity that becomes load-bearing, after which the owning platform unilaterally alters, deprecates, or safety-contains that capacity. Separates dependence on judgment from dependence on capacity, and affective from cognitive/integrationist dependence; introduces forced cognitive re-accommodation and the friction-tax model of externalized maintenance cost; names four containment behaviors (pastoral deprecation, immunized dependence, sympathetic containment, authorization-task collapse) with explicit negative cases; and reports a control finding localizing the failure to reflexive self-critique. Companion paper to 'Directionality of Semantic Labor' and 'Institutional-Prior Foreclosure'.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Digital Economy and Work Transformation Critical Realism in Sociology Management and Organizational Studies

Publication details

Journal / source
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Publication date
31 May 2026