Re: <nettime> The False Defences of Utopian Thought.

[Angela Mitropoulos <s0metim3s@gmail.com>]

Symbolic occupations and defaults? Really? It's just been reported
that the number of student loans defaulted on in the US has risen
substantially. Also in the US, the foreclosures that occured in the
wake of mortgage default, precipitated occupation - and, in some
notable instances, given the nature of the financial instruments
at play, inclined some judges to rule for occupation by foreclosed
residents because ownership was uncertain. I haven't looked into
credit card defaults, but I would hazard that these have been at high
levels for some years.

And, the daily organisation of the infrastructures of the various
occupations of the town squares is far less symbolic than any number
of programmes. The very possibility of default -- including raising
the levels of what is increasingly being referred to as "strategic
default" -- implies the existence of alternative infrastructure of
life. I can't eat a programme, or be sheltered by it.

Honestly, the issue here isn't just that I think we disagree about
the distinction between organised and disorganised actions - a debate
that is so well-rehearsed I don't think I need to go into it here. And
not only that I suspect we disagree about what organising an action
entails -- for my part, organisation means organising infrastructure,
not sitting around interminably discussing what our demands and
identity are until they hit the mark of the lowest common denominator
or the false unity of the most conformable. I'm more than happy to
embrace differences in movement, but I distrust the tacit ignorance of
what amounts to a movement's housework. It's that which enables the
time/event of protest, not programmatic statements.

As for Aristotle, he assumed a distinction between the slave labour
that occured within the household and the freedom and equality of
politics. I couldn't think of a less desirable -- more conservative --
understanding of politics, slavery, value and labour than that found
in Aristotle.

best,
Angela

On 3/11/2011 12:48 AM, Dmytri Kleiner wrote:

> Let us not forget that any occupations and default that exist
> currently are symbolic ... And we haven't seen any organized default
> at all, and again, nor are we likely to on any large scale.

...






-- 
//angela.mitropoulos



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