Undead class struggle (for Evan)

'They want to kill us, but we're already dead'.

According to TC the 'spirit' of the struggles of the 1980s, in which the violence of struggle never led to a formalisation or demand for autonomy; strikes without demands in the extinction of the affirmation of the liberation of labour, and in which class definition only results from capital as antagonist and not 'in itself'.

From the failed zombie re-training of Day of the Dead (casting an ironic light on The Full Monty) to the post-Fordist breakout of the remake of Dawn of the Dead, the reserve army of (un)dead labour figures real subsumption the age of coming devalorisation. Not alive, not dead, not-value; the 'fructifying vitality' (Marx) of living labour recoded as death drive.

Verso debates

As already noted by IT, Verso have a new website. I'd be interested to follow the reponses to this debate:

Against his friend and comrade Alain Badiou, Slavoj Zizek has been arguing strongly for the need for a return to Marx's critique of political economy—as borne out by his engagement with value theory and Moishe Postone's work in Living in the End Times. But what are we to make of Zizek's own understanding of value theory, when he claims that, strictly speaking from a Marxist perpective, Chavez's Venezuela is “exploiting” the US through oil rents?

Sad Economy Pig

This image is part of the cover of this free ebook from L&W on Britain's Broken Economy. I feel sorry for the poor pig - is this supposed to be the broken economy (metaphorically , of course), or a representation of greed? Leave the pig alone I say, why always blame the animals?

Of course the book might be great, I don't know...

Arrived!

The book is here, thank god (or whatever). Very pleased. Obviously in expensive hardback, but anyone who is interested in reviewing let me know, or who doesn't receive a review copy soon who has already agreed.

Available to review for HM

Fall out from accelerationism

The shards of a debate that just didn't happen fortunately continue, although it would have been so good if it had taken place at the time (see below), with another interesting post on accelerationism, I particularly like this amusing characterisation of yours truly:

Noys at the conference presented a curious figure, a man who had come to speak but primarily to savage any favourable reading or support of Accelerationism. Land was wrong, quite frankly, and Noys argued repeatedly that all Accelerationism was a capitalist fallacy, with a dangerous nostalgia for the very recent past (1990s cyberpunk, Nick Land, Jungle music etc), for a kind of Sino-Capitalism with full biopower and “no Judeo-Christian hang-ups”.

Thanks also for the kind comments on my Bataille book. The description of the audience reaction was a little depressing, although chimed with my sense that a conversation that could have taken place didn't. I doubt people will or should have much sympathy, but it's not that enjoyable being 'on stage' so to speak in such a situation. Perhaps the 'decelerationist' cold I've now acquired is true testament to the whole experience...

Btw (a), (b) (40/41), and (d) (only now, not in origin) apply to myself.

Classless

I've just ordered it, via amazon uk, but I'd suggest purchasing in any fashion you choose

Big Society Exhibition - Your Chance to Exhibit

For all you artistic / creative types [I wish I could contribute something good, the moment I see these invitations I have the feeling 'I could do that', followed immediately by the draining of my already limited mental powers - perhaps some concrete poetry referring to vampire squid...or a photomontage somehow based on the image of Wilhelm Ropke:

Looks harmless doesn't he?]



Open invitation, please forward widely:

There is still time for you to send submissions for Big Society A window exhibition, viewed from the street4/08/10 – 28/10/10

Closing Event Friday 29th October 6.30-8.30

FINAL DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS Wednesday 27 October

The earlier you send us something the longer it will be displayed for. The window is being re-hung each week. Contributors selected so far include: Julian Stallabrass, Mark Pawson, Robin Smart, Cathie Pilkington, Rosalie Schweiker, Mike Chavez-Dawson, Ann Robinson, Andrew Cooper, Andy Bowman, Arnaud Desjardin, Brendan McIntyre, Cathy Wade, D Rosier, Daniel Manning, Danielle Drainey, Dominic Thackray, Eli-Rose Sanford, Emma MacKinnon, Martin Hand, Niall McCullough, Patrick Galway, Rosalie Woods, Sara Willett, Sophie Eade, Stephen Hodgkins.

Space Station Sixty-Five invites you to respond to the notion of Big Society.

What is the 'big society' if not arts for everyone? Tiny grants already stretch far into communities, making music, dancing and art, engaging with history and heritage, drawing people together in shared emotions and experiences. Civic pride, quality of life, pleasure and endeavour (and art for arts sake) is cheap for its rich returns, but it's not free.

Polly Toynbee, Arts for everyone is cheap considering its rich returns, The Guardian, Wednesday 28th July 2010

Your contributions may be selected to make an evolving window exhibition at Space Station Sixty-Five.

To take part please email us a Word, RTF or Pages document or a jpeg with an image at 300dpi.

You may also post contributions, no larger that A4, to Space Station Sixty-Five, 65 North Cross Road, London SE22 9ET

We are sorry, original artwork will not be returned, copies are preferred. If selected, your work will be attached to the inside of the Space Station Sixty-Five window and viewed from the street. We look forward to receiving your emails and postal contributions; the exhibition will develop as they arrive.Space Station Sixty-Five65 North Cross Road, London SE22 9ET020 8299 5036

Buses: 40, 176, 185, 37, 12, P13, 484.

Rail: East Dulwich (from London Bridge) (check for engineering works at weekends)

Tube: Elephant & Castle or Oval (then bus)

SPACE STATION SIXTY-FIVE MAP HERE.