The Digital Analogy to Hierarchy: Why Even Postmodernists Use Folders

Abstract

The argument that hierarchies and categorizations are purely social constructs designed to maintain existing power dynamics has become an influential perspective in postmodern thought. While the critique of oppressive structures is valid, the blanket dismissal of all categorizations and hierarchies as inherently malign is fraught with contradictions. This paper employs the analogy of files and folders in a computer system to argue that some forms of hierarchy and categorization are not only inevitable but also functional and necessary for the organization of complex systems. References are drawn from philosophy, biology, computer science, and literature to provide a multifaceted exploration of this debate.

Introduction

The postmodern narrative, influenced by thinkers like Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida, often argues that categories and hierarchies are social constructs designed to perpetuate inequality (Foucault, 1977; Derrida, 1967). However, a complete rejection of these organizing principles appears to be at odds with the way complex systems — including those used by postmodernists themselves — are managed. The organization of files and folders in a computer system serves as a suitable analogy to explore this apparent contradiction.