The New Media World Hermeneutically: From Linguistic Text to the New Media

This article presents different conceptions of media and connects them with hermeneutical theory. Linguistic text media is analyzed by showing how its conception has changed from making transparent the intentions of an author in 19th century to the autonomy of the text in ontological hermeneutics in 20th century. The article reveals how human worldview has changed in the web of the new media, which became the extension of man. Nihilistic hermeneutical vocation is highlighted. A new interpretative type of hermeneutics is shown in the web of the contemporary new media, which is illustrated with interpretations of art, historical memory, and social reality. Paradoxical lightness of being is analyzed as mixed with anxiety and sophisticated coercion of a moment, optimistic tyranny, coercion to be happy, etc. It is noticed that interpretations interwoven with power do provoke a new version of suspicious hermeneutics, which promotes to be watchful neither to trust the Other too much, nor yourself.