[NetBehaviour] Accelerationism
Alan Sondheim
sondheim at panix.com
Sun Apr 24 20:38:49 CEST 2016
Hi Pall,
Here's the crux of the problem:
" whilst we cannot predict the precise result of our actions, we can
determine probabilistically likely ranges of outcomes. What must be
coupled to such complex systems analysis is a new form of action:
improvisatory and capable of executing a design through a practice which
works with the contingencies it discovers only in the course of its
acting, in a politics of geosocial artistry and cunning rationality. A
form of abductive experimentation that seeks the best means to act in a
complex world."
-- but "precise" is what is needed. Note: with fungi, almost all of them
are still unknown, unclassified - yet the 'woodnet' of forests which
relies on them for carbon etc. transport - is absolutely critical. the
instrumentality described here won't do, either will "cunning rationality"
- what's absolutely necessary is a form of declerationism if you will,
again, one that _listens_ environmentally. as you know, even deforestation
is increasing rapidly, 'bushmeat' has critically endangerd almost every
primate on the planet except ourselves (so far); something slow is
necessary to understand and combat these things. when I read acc. texts -
and this is surely my own shortcoming here - I don't find listening; I
find rhetorical responses.
How do you deal with "geosocial artistry" without understand ocean
currents and the carbon cycle? This is the problem. The world is speaking
to us, in a sense (sorry for the poetics), and we're just speaking _back._
- Alan
On Sun, 24 Apr 2016, Pall Thayer wrote:
> From Manifesto for an Accelerationist Politics(http://criticallegalthinking.com/2013/05/14/accelerate-manifesto-for-an-ac
> celerationist-politics/):
> "21. We declare that only a Promethean politics of maximal mastery over
> society and its environment is capable of either dealing with global
> problems or achieving victory over capital. This mastery must be
> distinguished from that beloved of thinkers of the original Enlightenment.
> The clockwork universe of Laplace, so easily mastered given sufficient
> information, is long gone from the agenda of serious scientific
> understanding. But this is not to align ourselves with the tired residue of
> postmodernity, decrying mastery as proto-fascistic or authority as innately
> illegitimate. Instead we propose that the problems besetting our planet and
> our species oblige us to refurbish mastery in a newly complex guise; whilst
> we cannot predict the precise result of our actions, we can determine
> probabilistically likely ranges of outcomes. What must be coupled to such
> complex systems analysis is a new form of action: improvisatory and capable
> of executing a design through a practice which works with the contingencies
> it discovers only in the course of its acting, in a politics of geosocial
> artistry and cunning rationality. A form of abductive experimentation that
> seeks the best means to act in a complex world."
>
> On Sun, Apr 24, 2016 at 1:22 PM Alan Sondheim <sondheim at panix.com> wrote:
>
>
> Can you say more?
>
> On Sun, 24 Apr 2016, Pall Thayer wrote:
>
> > Alan: But isn't that the whole idea behind left-acceleration?
> >
> > On Sun, Apr 24, 2016 at 9:46 AM Alan Sondheim
> <sondheim at panix.com> wrote:
> >
> > I agree and the problem precisely is acceleration; the
> biosphere
> > doesn't
> > adapt well to accelerated change, as the plights of
> sealions,
> > walrus,
> > migrant birds, ocean lives, indicate. If anything, a
> form of
> > holding-back,
> > 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
> > example, with the increasingly violent drought in the
> Mid-East
> > which is
> > exacerbating warfares and genocides? This needs slow,
> dirty work
> > to deal
> > with it, culture theory which listens, not only to
> humans, but
> > to life and
> > lives everywhere -
> >
> > Alan
> >
> >
> > On Sun, 24 Apr 2016, ruth catlow wrote:
> >
> > > Yes Michael, and this is profoundly poetic.
> > >
> > > All human traditions, values and communities are
> dissolved in
> > an acid bath
> > > of everlasting agitation and uncertainty.
> > >
> > > What this passage does not describe though is a
> situation
> > where the wider
> > > ecologies of non-human planetary life, upon which we
> depend,
> > are also
> > > fatally eroded.
> > > We need to sense and engage not just the real
> relations with
> > "our kind"
> > > (expanded to engage people and perspectives of all
> kinds (YES
> > Gretta!)), but
> > > beyond, with other species, and materials.
> > >
> > > This must include a correction to systems of dominance
> - to
> > which Simon
> > > points with his example of improper use of
> neuro-science to
> > validate the
> > > 'use' of humans.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On 23/04/16 16:38, Michael Szpakowski wrote:
> > > Marx & Engels on accelerationism in 1848:
> > >
> > > "The bourgeoisie cannot exist without constantly
> > revolutionising
> > > the instruments of production, and thereby the
> relations
> > of
> > > production, and with them the whole relations of
> > society.
> > > Conservation of the old modes of production in
> unaltered
> > form,
> > > was, on the contrary, the first condition of
> existence
> > for all
> > > earlier industrial classes. Constant
> revolutionising of
> > > production, uninterrupted disturbance of all
> social
> > conditions,
> > > everlasting uncertainty and agitation
> distinguish the
> > bourgeois
> > > epoch from all earlier ones. All fixed,
> fast-frozen
> > relations,
> > > with their train of ancient and venerable
> prejudices and
> > > opinions, are swept away, all new-formed ones
> become
> > antiquated
> > > before they can ossify. All that is solid melts
> into
> > air, all
> > > that is holy is profaned, and man is at last
> compelled
> > to face
> > > with sober senses his real conditions of life,
> and his
> > relations
> > > with his kind."
> > >
> > > This does the *descriptive* job as well as
> anything
> > written
> > > since and it still stands perfectly well...
> > > Sent from my iPhone
> > >
> > >
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> ==
> email archive http://sondheim.rupamsunyata.org/
> web http://www.alansondheim.org / cell 718-813-3285
> music: http://www.espdisk.com/alansondheim/
> current text http://www.alansondheim.org/tx.txt
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> P Thayer, Artist
> http://pallthayer.dyndns.org
>
>
==
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web http://www.alansondheim.org / cell 718-813-3285
music: http://www.espdisk.com/alansondheim/
current text http://www.alansondheim.org/tx.txt
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