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The latter often feel as if society and politics have given them the cold shoulder, whereas, in truth, there is an urgent need for their participation. In all fairness, however, one must point out that some of the popular technical reading material now flooding the market is not exactly suited to allaying people's fears. In a well meant effort to inform readers about the undreamt - of potential of existing and future communication and information services, a downright terrifying barrage of technical terms have been let loose: viewdata, compact disc, personal computer, CAD-, CAM-, CAE-, CNC-, controlled machines, narrow and broad band transmission media, copper co-axial and glass fibre cables, satellite broadcasting, sensory technique rain down on the public and produce at first a feeling of helplessness, and put people on the defensive.

In the process, the individual, as such, has been pushed more and more into the background. A person's economic status', his social environment, all the alleged and concrete external inffuences at work, are seen as the decisive factors in determining an individual's personal state of mind. On the other hand, personal ethics, creativity, and the internalization of religious values have been ignored or at any event held to be so insignificant that the overwhelming force of one's environment is considered as easily outweighing their importance.

It is generally assumed that this process will involve more-than just getting used to a few new methods of operation. What exactly the social and cultural consequences will be, however, remains unclear because of the traditional negative attitude of the social sciences in Germany towards technology. They are only just now beginning to discover the problem, and some organizations are still clinging to the status quo in an effort to protect their own internal interests. 19 The social scientists, as well as the politicians and established parties, though, will have to try and come up with some answers to the problem.