[NetBehaviour] Accelerationism

[John Hopkins]

> learning to listen, listening, is necessary. The fundamental problem I
>>think is that we're blind when it comes to ecosystems, energy, micro-
>>biomes, and so forth. The fundamentals of mycology are being rewritten as
>>we discuss, and what's emerging are whole universes of ignorance.
>>Meanwhile we plow ahead, destroying the planet. It seems to me that
>>accelerationism is so fundamentally human-based (perhaps man-based for all
>>that), that it really overlooks collateral damage. And what do we do, for

Acceleration, in mechanical physics, is the result of the application of 
directed (vector) energy to a body. It is a quantity -- 
meters-per-second-per-second (how fast am I going faster!) -- that results in 
ever-increasing velocity -- meters-per-second (how fast am I going?). 
Acceleration cannot occur without an ever-increasing energy input to the system. 
Velocity can be maintained with a steady-state energy input. Stasis, death, 
requires no energy input.

In a system with finite energy, acceleration has a limit, as does velocity.

We are not destroying the planet, we are temporarily altering the local energy 
balance. We are merely another expression of Life on the planet. Doing its 
thing. Pulsing, expanding temporarily.

Acceleration occurs in the presence of locally excessive eneergy. This is 
demonstrated at many scales in living systems where there is an energy excess. 
When that energy is entropically dispersed through a combination of 
expansion/growth, it slows down...

Pulsing (temporal, spatial) is a regular feature in bio-systems.

When we fixate on particular material manifestations of Life (as in a particular 
species), we miss the fact that Life is a continuous feature of the planet, and 
will continue long after we are gone *no matter what we do*. In my mind, the 
fixation on the material is what brings us to the hubris of the Anthropocene. 
Which, okay, plutonium makes a fine geo-marker. But what about the traces of 
Life from the Late Carboniferous? Talk about geo-marker, and Life leaving 
traces! The huge Applachian coal beds are the remains of Life at that time -- 
accelerated based on temperate climates (Appalachia was at the Equator), and 
abundant energy sources. And it altered the chemistry of the planet...

So it goes.

jh

PS -- as for all the preparatory conceptualizing on the word 'accelerationism' 
-- it seems mostly to be a symbolic discussion that has little to do with the 
real world except as simply another 'ism' to be discussed ad infinitum. if it 
cannot be connected to the real world, what's the point? Maybe we need to 
calculate how much carbon is emitted from 'The Cloud' each time we email the word.

PPS -- I heartily support the concept of listening in any and all contexts. It 
has the effect of healing many problems!
-- 
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Dr. John Hopkins, BSc, MFA, PhD
grounded on a granite batholith
twitter: @neoscenes
http://tech-no-mad.net/blog/
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