Abstract

Following Fabio Gobbo's thought, our rapidly changing society can only be understood by adopting a multidisciplinary perspective. Evaluating the complex relationships between economical, technological and social factors raises a number of questions, mainly related to what we really mean by the concept of "value", if we consider that our society's main resources are becoming growingly immaterial. ICTs are strongly contributing to the rapid evolution of our world, both referring to the job market and to the wider perspective of social change. A widespread conceptual framework, often becoming a myth, considers digital technology as a sort of "magical tool", fostering development and wellbeing for humankind. We cannot adopt such an utopian point of view: we need to widen our perspective, questioning value and promises of digital communication. Focusing on its intrinsic relational nature, communication can offer a powerful framework for a better understanding of the "society of services".