A vida em jogo na sociedade do desempenho: uma análise crítica à gamificação da cultura

Abstract

This thesis investigates gamification as a mechanism of control and exploitation in contemporary culture, impacting subjectivity, social relations, and human experience. The research is situated within the field of Media Studies and employs Depth Hermeneutics as a methodology to analyze symbolic exchanges and the production of meaning in the gamified culture. The methodology for this thesis uses an extension of the required steps: boundary, procedures, and data analysis, combining bibliographic and documental research. Drawing upon Byung-Chul Han's critique of the performance society, the study argues that gamification intensifies the logic of competition, self-exploitation, and control, threatening individual freedom and well-being. The research maps the presence of gamification in various social domains, such as education, work, and consumption, and warns about the risks of manipulation and control. It concludes that gamification, while presenting potentialities, needs to be used critically and consciously to avoid the instrumentalization of playfulness and the loss of autonomy. The thesis is structured into seven sections, encompassing the review of the research trajectory, final reflections, and a proposition for a "Game of Life" based on Hanian perspective. The results indicate that gamification, while capable of enhancing engagement and learning, reinforces dynamics of surveillance, control, and cultural colonization, exacerbating the logic of performance.