<nettime> art and corporate control

Hi Molly,

i am me too always amazed at the way work redistribution (division du travail, see Plato Republic or Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith for inst.) entices some people to create little devicery, tools (called concepts) while others are set to create devicery that are handled , or supposed by the conceptualizers to be handled (and their purpose seem indeed to make « their devices » to work « well », smoothly, even if unresponsible to the plans the others might have for the first devices (the one objects of reflexion of the conceptualizers). in the case of this discussion between Brian and Molly on the potential of art to bring new possibles, in the face of control society by corporation and state agents. In my view both corporate and state agents are though hiding under the gize of their own tools (for inst. premptive war, media debunking, non scientific or non experience based science « Expert Commitees » etc) these agents of both corporate militaro industrial conglomerate and state organization are i contend the organizers of the societies of control which Burroughs and Deleuze talked about. The interesting question the conceptualizers are setting to the minds of the lower layers (those who are supposed to be unable to think in advance because we need each other in this division of intellectual labour (cfr Negri?) the artists in this interrogation: will artists be able to develop tools working in cunjuction with the perceived necessities of our times (ie. Control societies, privacy etc). I just want to express my experience as an artist now: this pressure is always either unproductive (like when you have something to say BUT the teacher in art school puts an agenda on your thoughts-work-unconscious intuitive-aesthetical personal agenda that makes it impossible for you to accomplish your own blossoming in it) either destructive: the young artist is actually not an artist (because he does not think by himself) and will just adapt to societies other players (among which « theorists » intellectuals or media).

This is the true Tragedy of our time.

Because it IS true: the lower layers are the true answer to unblock the misery of the present (and future!!) control society. not only the artists, but the any workers who produce the tools to production that are free work and self liberation. the assemblage of tools which theorists and conceptualizer « reflect » upon only in a general view, which is smooth and large in scope and aesthetic in its own assemblage intensities (for the subjectivities) but which has the problem to depotentialise the free work synergy: indeed: reflexion (even when elaborating on art potential for freedom from control societies parameters) blocks and captures, attracts new problems, new knots to stifen into more control: why? because thinking, by your self, is so important in this decodage of control societies, and the theorist absorbs any capacity (captures) of thinking by your self of the other lower layers (lower because reflexion is general and superior in smoothness).

The importance thus for theory in this fight can only be in destruction: destruction of this capacity of some others to captures the « lower » layers capacity to think.

Thats what the 1968 theorist understood: how the intellectuals had been overflown by the situationists and new discovered molecularity of people in the streets of Paris or Bologna to think by themselves, instead than to listen to old school Matxists or Adam Smiths theorists and Experts in becoming or instituted in world forums, internet and media platforms built to please Condoleza Rice and the likes of them.

Thought should not reflect but create, always build new emotions to share with others, new visions, new ideas, in synergies: never dry concept without building some sensual flesh IN YOU as someone given by the Infinite Growing Substance with this wonder: to resist other people meta-verse cancer and think by yourself.

Sincerely, un saludo a todo aquí

Sylvia Jenepi

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Message: 1
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2022 16:02:20 -0800
From: Molly Hankwitz <mollyhankwitz@gmail.com>
To: Sean Cubitt <sean.cubitt@unimelb.edu.au>
Cc: "nettime-l@mail.kein.org" <nettime-l@mail.kein.org>
Subject: Re: <nettime> The Meaning of Boris Johnson
Message-ID:
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hello thread,

I have had a moment to reflect upon these recent comments on 'boris'
thread...(he seems to ape a kind of 'american model' of the 'family man'
and that's all i have to say)

thank you, sean cubitt, for your hope and lighter note and sense that art
might turn recuperative and bring on fantastic responses, even if not able
to solve all the global problems, at least maybe artists are capable of
taking off in some fantastic directions while we wait to see what's going
to happen...
(sean writes)

<so it is heartening to remember that the equivalent period after WW1 and
the Spanish influenza a hundred years ago gave us the Duino Elegies and
Ulysses. Audiovisual media have been maturing for about the same time as
the novel had been in 1922: perhaps this pandemic year we'll see similar
aesthetico-political breakthrough>

and to Brian's thoughts, along with those with whom he shares them...

(Brian writes)

<From the get-go this is a corporate state that develops social functions
for the needs of enterprise. But as a socially transformative force the
state "comes back in" (as the poly sci people say) whenever there is a
collective issue such as war, drought, systemic economic crisis that cannot
...[pretend to].... be resolved through market relations. It's the only way
the state can retain legitimacy>

civil society unfortunately eroded as it is...didn't jurgen habermas
predict this problem in some analysis about corporations becoming larger
than the state? platforms being what they are and FB losing 29 million in a
day...maybe there is some kind of collective action of disgust

(Brian writes)

<under the pressures of global inequality and climate

change, we are going experience many excruciating versions of this return

of collective agency.>

sequels smile

(and more from Brian)

<However, like Patrice and Joe too, I have serious doubts whether the
corporate state can fulfill its democratic promises. It was amazing to see
plans for transformative state investment come together along with the
vaccines during the early phases of the pandemic, then reach

the US legislative process in 2021. What next occurred was a breakdown of
that legislative process in the face of identitarian right-wing political

agitation, to the point where a US administration trying to fight

inequality and climate change through a comprehensive economic program
designed primarily by Bernie Sanders....>

infrastructure bills to build back better bridges and roads which are in
terrible condition...crumbling...which would bring in jobs are not even
impressing those who seem to want democratic state...along with the voter
suppression...its corporate controlled right wing lawmakers who are behind
this - read ALEC - making "model laws" which can be easily copied
state-to-state and passed by willing members in state legislatures...they
are bent on eroding federal government. federal government in the US is the
only democratic state we have.

i think there is just not enough action-filled action to Biden's style -
for the likes of the social media-brained population weaned on linear
immediacy (my term for how we get our kix on social media, liking) - Biden
is quiet, semi-diligent, a bit elderly, and wants to be liked for
federalizing legal marijuana...not a bleach blonde or tanning bed
flamboyant...admin made up of quiet non-media seeking people like Deb
Hallend...it is our fad-seeking population that may not know what democracy
(in terms of legislation and action looks-like any more and unfortunately,
young people are too pissed about policing to consider even the most
rudimentary democrat worthwhile...even if the media pics of the state
become more multicultural...democratic civil society has eroded! answer:
return to "civics" in public schools. in california, we have a big problem
of start up companies breaking state laws to operate business as a fad and
gaining tons of profit...then some public peon or child gets hurt and
suddenly...the disrupting 'no rules' philosophy becomes complete amnesia
and ...whatever happened to that state law...when in fact they are doing
"green" work for the benefit of "society"...

<is now courting war with Russia as a

desperate attempt to hang onto power.>

yes, its concerning that the only model Joe Biden and his admin seem to be
able to conjure up for a democratic state trying to deal with the climate
crisis is the Cold War and potential environmental devastation (Ukraine,
what's that?) from a battle...

Brian writes:

< Instead the question is whether you

can engage with the most far-thinking scientists, indigenous leaders and

environmental justice activists to turn the corporate state into an

ecostate.>

it is the only way to go one vegetable at a time. I think we should
collectively move the Organic Consumers Association (which is run by
indigenous leaders and organic farmers and consumers) into the white house
and let them tell us what to do with mother earth

<What's missing, particularly in the cultural and intellectual

fields, is...>

maybe no longer missing....

< a fully fledged and broadly sharable vision of exactly what that

last word could mean in your own life - and in your own body.>

mollyxx

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