Postmodern Political TheoryPostmodern Political Theory

BaudrillardBaudrillard

From the mid 70s on…From the mid 70s on…

Neo-Conservative policies (structural Neo-Conservative policies (structural adjustment, militarization)adjustment, militarization)

&&

Postmodern thinkingPostmodern thinking

ModernityModernity Challenge to Tradition and Authority, Challenge to Tradition and Authority,

by by The RenaissanceThe Renaissance The Protestant ReformationThe Protestant Reformation The Scientific Revolution (against Dogma) The Scientific Revolution (against Dogma)

(16th & 17th centuries)(16th & 17th centuries) The Industrial Revolution/sThe Industrial Revolution/s The Bourgeois RevolutionThe Bourgeois Revolution

The order of the universe is accessible The order of the universe is accessible to reason and observationto reason and observation Method Method

Faith in:Faith in: Science (to master the Universe)Science (to master the Universe) HumanityHumanity ProgressProgress

Jean FranJean Franççois Lyotardois Lyotard

..The Postmodern ConditionThe Postmodern Condition

Lyotard definedLyotard defined Postmodernity Postmodernity as as

““incredulity toward incredulity toward metanarratives,”metanarratives,” or those all-or those all-encompassing stories that encompassing stories that account for the ultimate meaning account for the ultimate meaning of the world...of the world...

Modern & Postmodern (politicalModern & Postmodern (political??) ) theorytheory

Individuals are seen Individuals are seen as independent, as independent, stable, free, and stable, free, and rational agents rational agents (agency)(agency)

Individuals have and Individuals have and manage power manage power voluntarilyvoluntarily

Individuals pursue the Individuals pursue the satisfaction of their satisfaction of their needs and interestsneeds and interests

Individuals transform Individuals transform the worldthe world

Power is an Power is an effect effect of of structuresstructures

Individuals are Individuals are effects effects of power of power that emerge from a that emerge from a changing, unstable, changing, unstable, and complex and complex environmentenvironment

(no agency)(no agency)Concern with Concern with

identitiesidentities as as defined by power defined by power relations relations (trans/post/hybrid)(trans/post/hybrid)

Modern & Postmodern (political?) Modern & Postmodern (political?) theorytheory

The meaning of the entire The meaning of the entire Universe centered on Universe centered on manman

Laws & regularitiesLaws & regularitiesProgressProgressConscious & rational Conscious & rational

political processespolitical processesFocus on relationshipsFocus on relationshipsUniversal Truth (& Universal Truth (&

universal method/s)universal method/s)Theory mirrors Theory mirrors realityrealityHobbes, LockeHobbes, Locke

Humankind is an accidentHumankind goes

nowhere/lack of meaningContingency/ChanceUnconscious processesFocus on the SelfPerspectivist (Nietzschean)

denial of (epistemological or ethical) common foundations

Theory ≈ Literature (all theories are just narratives)

IronyLyotard, Baudrillard, Derrida

(Foucault?)

(Some) Roots of (Some) Roots of PostmodernismPostmodernism

Nietzsche - HeideggerNietzsche - Heidegger Einstein’s theory of RelativityEinstein’s theory of Relativity The Holocaust/HiroshimaThe Holocaust/Hiroshima (French) Structuralism(French) Structuralism

SociologySociology LinguisticsLinguistics

The Linguistic “turn”The Linguistic “turn”

(French) Postructuralism(French) Postructuralism

Late ’60s Reject “Grand Theories” &

Science Postructuralists engage with

“specific analyses of how particular forms of power achieve particular effects within particular historical periods” (Thiele 81)

Jacques Derrida -Jacques Derrida -DeconstructionDeconstruction

Assumption: Language CREATES reality

Utilization of the rhetorical features of a text to undermine its manifest content or argument

Exposition of the self-contradictory forces present in any attempt to conceptualize categories or structures

PowerPower Is EVERYWHERE (Michel Foucault) Multiplicity of territories of power. We are all simultaneously subject

to power while exercising power on others.

Power= Spider’s Web without a spider

Power frames us a SOUL and enchains us through the soul (Domination works by telling us WHAT and WHO we are)

Rejection of Science, Rejection of Science, Humanism, and Humanism, and

Progress...Progress... Because of the secret Will to Because of the secret Will to

Power and MASTERY over the Power and MASTERY over the Universe (and Human Beings) Universe (and Human Beings) that Modernity embodiesthat Modernity embodies

Discussion of the COSTS that Discussion of the COSTS that Science, Humanism, and Science, Humanism, and Progress carry with them...Progress carry with them...

Jean BaudrillardJean Baudrillard

VirusesViruses Virtual realityVirtual reality Physics (black holes)Physics (black holes)

Jean Baudrillard: Disneyworld Jean Baudrillard: Disneyworld CompanyCompany

Real people (workers, prostitutes) transformed…Real people (workers, prostitutes) transformed…

““The idea would be simply to transform, in situ, one The idea would be simply to transform, in situ, one of the high centers of pornography into a branch of of the high centers of pornography into a branch of Disney World. Transforming the pornographers and Disney World. Transforming the pornographers and the prostitutes, like the factory workers in the prostitutes, like the factory workers in Smurfland, into extras in their own Smurfland, into extras in their own world,metamorphosed into identical figures, world,metamorphosed into identical figures, museumified, disneyfied. By the way, do you know museumified, disneyfied. By the way, do you know how General Schwarzkopf, the great Gulf War how General Schwarzkopf, the great Gulf War strategist, celebrated his victory? He had a huge strategist, celebrated his victory? He had a huge party at Disney World. These festivities in the party at Disney World. These festivities in the palace of the imaginary were a worthy conclusion palace of the imaginary were a worthy conclusion to such a virtual war.” to such a virtual war.”

Not working class, but… The Not working class, but… The massesmasses

““Successive events attain their Successive events attain their annihilation in indifference. Neutralized annihilation in indifference. Neutralized and bullet-sprayed by information, the and bullet-sprayed by information, the masses neutralise history retrospect masses neutralise history retrospect and act as a screen of absorption. They and act as a screen of absorption. They themselves have no history, no themselves have no history, no meaning, no conscience, no desire. meaning, no conscience, no desire. They are potential residues of all They are potential residues of all history, of all meaning, of all desire.”history, of all meaning, of all desire.”

Loss of MeaningLoss of Meaning ““What has been lost is the glory of the event, its aura, What has been lost is the glory of the event, its aura,

as Benjamin would say. Over the centuries, history as Benjamin would say. Over the centuries, history lived under the sign of glory, under the sign of a quite lived under the sign of glory, under the sign of a quite strong illusion that had played on the durability of time strong illusion that had played on the durability of time which one inherited from the ancestors and then which one inherited from the ancestors and then passed onto descendants. This passion today would passed onto descendants. This passion today would seem rather pathetic. What we are after is no longer seem rather pathetic. What we are after is no longer glory but identity… whereas the task once was to lose glory but identity… whereas the task once was to lose oneself in a prodigious dimension, in an "immortality" oneself in a prodigious dimension, in an "immortality" Hannah Arendt speaks about, and the transcendence of Hannah Arendt speaks about, and the transcendence of which would equal God (glory and salvation have long which would equal God (glory and salvation have long been the topic of discussion among people, like passion been the topic of discussion among people, like passion and compassion, rivals in the face of the Eternal). The and compassion, rivals in the face of the Eternal). The prodigious or phenomenal event which cannot be prodigious or phenomenal event which cannot be measured either in terms of its causes or its measured either in terms of its causes or its consequences and which creates its own scene, its own consequences and which creates its own scene, its own dramaturgy - no longer exists.”dramaturgy - no longer exists.”

History, Meaning, Progress?History, Meaning, Progress?

“… “… history, meaning, progress are no longer able to history, meaning, progress are no longer able to find their speed or tempo of liberation. They can no find their speed or tempo of liberation. They can no longer pull themselves out of this much too dense longer pull themselves out of this much too dense body which slows down their trajectory, slows down body which slows down their trajectory, slows down their time to the point from whereon perception and their time to the point from whereon perception and imagination of the future escapes us. All social, imagination of the future escapes us. All social, historical and temporal transcendence is absorbed historical and temporal transcendence is absorbed via this mass's silent immanence. Already, political via this mass's silent immanence. Already, political events no longer conduct sufficient autonomous events no longer conduct sufficient autonomous energy to rouse us and can only run their course as energy to rouse us and can only run their course as a silent movie in front of which we all sit collectively a silent movie in front of which we all sit collectively irresponsible.” irresponsible.”

““History… implodes… in current events.”History… implodes… in current events.”

Big-BangBig-Bang ““Somewhere in the course of the eighties of the twentieth century, Somewhere in the course of the eighties of the twentieth century,

history took a turn in another direction. Once it passed its apogee in history took a turn in another direction. Once it passed its apogee in time, once it reached the peak of the curve in its evolution, its solstice of time, once it reached the peak of the curve in its evolution, its solstice of history, a sliding back of events set in, an unfolding of inverted meaning. history, a sliding back of events set in, an unfolding of inverted meaning. As in the case of cosmic space, historical space-time would also have a As in the case of cosmic space, historical space-time would also have a curvature. By way of the same chaotic effect in time as in space, things curvature. By way of the same chaotic effect in time as in space, things go faster and faster as they approach their culmination, just like the flow go faster and faster as they approach their culmination, just like the flow of water speeds up mysteriously as it approaches the waterfall. In the of water speeds up mysteriously as it approaches the waterfall. In the Euclidean space of history, the fastest route from one point to another is Euclidean space of history, the fastest route from one point to another is a straight line, the one of Progress and Democracy. This however only a straight line, the one of Progress and Democracy. This however only pertains to the linear space of the Enlightenment. In our non-Euclidean pertains to the linear space of the Enlightenment. In our non-Euclidean space of the end of the century, a malevolent curvature invincibly space of the end of the century, a malevolent curvature invincibly reroutes all trajectories. The phenomenon is doubtlessly linked to the reroutes all trajectories. The phenomenon is doubtlessly linked to the sphericity of time (visible on the horizon of the end of the century just sphericity of time (visible on the horizon of the end of the century just like the earth is visible on the horizon at the end of the day) or to the like the earth is visible on the horizon at the end of the day) or to the subtle distortion of the field of gravity. (…)This is the end of linearity. subtle distortion of the field of gravity. (…)This is the end of linearity. Viewed from this perspective, the future no longer exists. And if there is Viewed from this perspective, the future no longer exists. And if there is no future, neither is there an end anymore. And yet this is not what is no future, neither is there an end anymore. And yet this is not what is meant by the end of history. What we have to deal with is a paradoxical meant by the end of history. What we have to deal with is a paradoxical process of reversion, a reversal of effect with respect to modernity process of reversion, a reversal of effect with respect to modernity which, having reached its speculative limit and extrapolated all its virtual which, having reached its speculative limit and extrapolated all its virtual developments, disintegrates into its rudimentary components through a developments, disintegrates into its rudimentary components through a catastrophic process of recurrence and turbulence.” catastrophic process of recurrence and turbulence.”

DissolutionDissolution

This self-dissolving, typical of the West as it This self-dissolving, typical of the West as it is of the East, can be seen in the degradation is of the East, can be seen in the degradation of the structures of power and representation of the structures of power and representation (in other words, the more the political sphere (in other words, the more the political sphere is intellectualized, the more it secretly is intellectualized, the more it secretly negates its will to govern or rule and this negates its will to govern or rule and this premonition about itself is the source of all premonition about itself is the source of all corruption), and also in the numerous corruption), and also in the numerous strategies aimed at the re-enchantment of strategies aimed at the re-enchantment of values, cultures, difference[s]. values, cultures, difference[s].

Apocalypse?Apocalypse?

““Messianic hope was founded on the reality Messianic hope was founded on the reality of the Apocalypse. Today, this has no more of the Apocalypse. Today, this has no more substantive reality than the original Big substantive reality than the original Big Bang. We will no longer have a right to this Bang. We will no longer have a right to this dramatic illumination. Even the idea of dramatic illumination. Even the idea of putting an end to our planet via an atomic putting an end to our planet via an atomic clash has become barren and superfluous - clash has become barren and superfluous - if this no longer holds any meaning for if this no longer holds any meaning for anybody, not even for God, what good is it anybody, not even for God, what good is it for? Our Apocalypse is not real, it is virtual.” for? Our Apocalypse is not real, it is virtual.”

““There is no final solution.”There is no final solution.” ““We cannot escape the worst, to comprehend that History We cannot escape the worst, to comprehend that History

will not have an end because all of its components - the will not have an end because all of its components - the Church, communism, democracy, ethnic groups, conflicts, Church, communism, democracy, ethnic groups, conflicts, ideologies - continue on an indefinite course of recycling. ideologies - continue on an indefinite course of recycling. What is truly incredible is that as much as we had thought What is truly incredible is that as much as we had thought to have gone beyond history, none of it has really been to have gone beyond history, none of it has really been surpassed, none of it has disappeared - they are all there surpassed, none of it has disappeared - they are all there ready to resurface, all the archaic, anachronic forms quite ready to resurface, all the archaic, anachronic forms quite intact and atemporal like the virus in the furthest recesses intact and atemporal like the virus in the furthest recesses of the body. In an attempt to rescue itself from cyclic time, of the body. In an attempt to rescue itself from cyclic time, all that history has managed to accomplish was to relapse all that history has managed to accomplish was to relapse into the order of recyclables.”into the order of recyclables.”

“…“…when one speaks of "the end of history", of "the end of when one speaks of "the end of history", of "the end of the political", of "the end of the social", of "the end of the political", of "the end of the social", of "the end of ideologies", none of this is true. The worst indeed is that ideologies", none of this is true. The worst indeed is that there is no end to anything and that everything will continue there is no end to anything and that everything will continue to take place in a slow, fastidious, recurring and all-to take place in a slow, fastidious, recurring and all-encompassing hysterical manner - like nails and hair encompassing hysterical manner - like nails and hair continue to grow after death.” continue to grow after death.”

WasteWaste “…“…defunct ideologies, completed utopias, defunct ideologies, completed utopias,

dead concepts, fossilized ideas that continue dead concepts, fossilized ideas that continue to pollute our mental space. These historical to pollute our mental space. These historical and intellectual waste products give rise to and intellectual waste products give rise to more serious concern than industrial waste. more serious concern than industrial waste. Who will do us the favour of cleaning out all Who will do us the favour of cleaning out all the sedimentation of secular idiocy?” the sedimentation of secular idiocy?”

The problem is resolved via the postmodern The problem is resolved via the postmodern invention of recycling and the incinerator. invention of recycling and the incinerator. From the ashes of the Great Incinerators of From the ashes of the Great Incinerators of history, one resurrects the Phoenix of history, one resurrects the Phoenix of postmodernity!”postmodernity!”

Nostalgia?Nostalgia?

““Nostalgia for the lost object? Not even Nostalgia for the lost object? Not even that. Nostalgia was nice in the way it that. Nostalgia was nice in the way it sustained the feeling vis-a-vis things sustained the feeling vis-a-vis things that have taken place and could also that have taken place and could also branch out to encompass those that branch out to encompass those that could come around again. It was could come around again. It was beautiful as a utopia, as an inverted beautiful as a utopia, as an inverted mirror of utopia. Beautiful in the way of mirror of utopia. Beautiful in the way of never being fully complete, like a never being fully complete, like a utopia never fulfilled.“utopia never fulfilled.“

The Procession of SimulacraThe Procession of Simulacra

““At Disney World in Orlando, they are even At Disney World in Orlando, they are even building an identical replica of the Los Angeles building an identical replica of the Los Angeles Disneyland, as a sort of historical attraction to Disneyland, as a sort of historical attraction to the second degree, a simulacrum to the the second degree, a simulacrum to the second power. It is the same thing that CNN second power. It is the same thing that CNN did with the Gulf War: a prototypical event did with the Gulf War: a prototypical event which did not take place, because it took which did not take place, because it took place in real time, in CNN's instantaneous place in real time, in CNN's instantaneous mode. Today, Disney could easily revisit the mode. Today, Disney could easily revisit the Gulf War as a worldwide show.” Gulf War as a worldwide show.”

The VirtualThe Virtual

““Disney, the precursor, the grand initiator of the Disney, the precursor, the grand initiator of the imaginary as virtual reality, is now in the process imaginary as virtual reality, is now in the process of capturing all the real world to integrate it into of capturing all the real world to integrate it into its synthetic universe, in the form of a vast its synthetic universe, in the form of a vast "reality show" where reality itself becomes a "reality show" where reality itself becomes a spectacle, where the real becomes a theme park. spectacle, where the real becomes a theme park. The transfusion of the real is like a blood The transfusion of the real is like a blood transfusion, except that here it is a transfusion of transfusion, except that here it is a transfusion of real blood into the exsanguine universe of real blood into the exsanguine universe of virtuality. After the prostitution of the imaginary, virtuality. After the prostitution of the imaginary, here is now the hallucination of the real in its here is now the hallucination of the real in its ideal and simplified version.” ideal and simplified version.”

““The virtual takes over The virtual takes over the real…” the real…”

““There is no reason why Disney would not take over the human There is no reason why Disney would not take over the human genome, which, by the way, is already being resequenced, to turn it genome, which, by the way, is already being resequenced, to turn it into a genetic show. In the end, they would cryogenize the entire into a genetic show. In the end, they would cryogenize the entire planet, just like Walt Disney himself who decided to be cryogenized in planet, just like Walt Disney himself who decided to be cryogenized in a nitrogen solution, waiting for some kind of resurrection in the real a nitrogen solution, waiting for some kind of resurrection in the real world. But there is no real world anymore, not even for Walt Disney. If world. But there is no real world anymore, not even for Walt Disney. If one day he wakes up, he'll no doubt have the biggest surprise of his one day he wakes up, he'll no doubt have the biggest surprise of his life. Meanwhile, from the bottom of his nitrogen solution he continues life. Meanwhile, from the bottom of his nitrogen solution he continues to colonize the world - both the imaginary and the real - in the to colonize the world - both the imaginary and the real - in the spectral universe of virtual reality, inside which we all have become spectral universe of virtual reality, inside which we all have become extras. The difference is that when we put on our digital suits, plug in extras. The difference is that when we put on our digital suits, plug in our sensorial captors, or press the keys of our virtual reality arcade, our sensorial captors, or press the keys of our virtual reality arcade, we enter live spectrality whereas Disney, the genial anticipator, has we enter live spectrality whereas Disney, the genial anticipator, has entered the virtual reality of deathentered the virtual reality of death.” .”

The New World Order is in a Disney mode. The New World Order is in a Disney mode.

The MatrixThe Matrix

The SpectacleThe Spectacle

“…“…reality itself, the world itself, with its reality itself, the world itself, with its frenzy of cloning has already been frenzy of cloning has already been transformed into an interactive performance, transformed into an interactive performance, some kind of Lunapark for ideologies, some kind of Lunapark for ideologies, technologies, works, knowledge, death, and technologies, works, knowledge, death, and even destruction. All this is likely to be even destruction. All this is likely to be cloned and resurrected in a juvenile museum cloned and resurrected in a juvenile museum of Imagination or a virtual museum of of Imagination or a virtual museum of Information.” Information.”

Guy Debord, Guy Debord, The Society of the SpectacleThe Society of the Spectacle

Vanishing or disappearance of Vanishing or disappearance of historyhistory

Meaning results from relations within a whole. Outside Meaning results from relations within a whole. Outside that whole, there is no meaningthat whole, there is no meaning

We have been so “liberated” (=atoms) that we no longer We have been so “liberated” (=atoms) that we no longer have either place, meaning, or History (thrown in the have either place, meaning, or History (thrown in the emptiness of the Virtual)emptiness of the Virtual)

The “referential orbit of things” is broken.The “referential orbit of things” is broken. Both individuals and events move in the voidBoth individuals and events move in the void(People get killed in mass scale, we die, but nobody cares… (People get killed in mass scale, we die, but nobody cares…

There is no tragedies anymore. We all become “mere life”) There is no tragedies anymore. We all become “mere life”) ““A certain type of slowness or deliberation (i.e. a certain A certain type of slowness or deliberation (i.e. a certain

speed, but not too much), a certain distance, yet not too speed, but not too much), a certain distance, yet not too much, a certain liberation (the energy of rupture and much, a certain liberation (the energy of rupture and change), but not too much - all these are necessary for change), but not too much - all these are necessary for this condensation, for the signifying crystallization of this condensation, for the signifying crystallization of events to take place, one that we call history - this type of events to take place, one that we call history - this type of coherent unfolding of causes and effects we call the real.” coherent unfolding of causes and effects we call the real.”

History requires History requires durationduration, but our obsession with “real , but our obsession with “real time” eliminates it…time” eliminates it…

Post-historical UtopiasPost-historical Utopias

““Disney realizes de facto such an Disney realizes de facto such an atemporal utopia by producing all the atemporal utopia by producing all the events, past or future, on simultaneous events, past or future, on simultaneous screens, and by inexorably mixing all the screens, and by inexorably mixing all the sequences as they would or will appear to sequences as they would or will appear to a different civilization than ours. But it is a different civilization than ours. But it is already ours. It is more and more difficult already ours. It is more and more difficult for us to imagine the real, History, the for us to imagine the real, History, the depth of time, or three-dimensional space, depth of time, or three-dimensional space, just as before it was difficult, from our real just as before it was difficult, from our real world perspective, to imagine a virtual world perspective, to imagine a virtual universe or the fourth dimension.”universe or the fourth dimension.”

TerrorismTerrorism

“…“…demand for a violent resolution to demand for a violent resolution to reality when this reality, in fact, reality when this reality, in fact, eludes us endlessly in a hyperreality?” eludes us endlessly in a hyperreality?”

Hyperreality leads to the “obliteration Hyperreality leads to the “obliteration of a reckoning, of a Judgement Day, of of a reckoning, of a Judgement Day, of an Apocalypse or of a Revolution” an Apocalypse or of a Revolution” (their time is gone, the Messiah (their time is gone, the Messiah arrives one day later…) arrives one day later…)

GreekGreek ChristianChristian Modern Modern PostmoderPostmodernn

-Cyclical time-Cyclical time

-Centered on -Centered on the Polis/Agorathe Polis/Agora

-Emphasis on -Emphasis on virtue and virtue and beautybeauty

-Life is -Life is meaningful if it meaningful if it is recognized is recognized by by others/transcenothers/transcendencedence

-Truth≈Puzzle -Truth≈Puzzle needs to be needs to be reconstructed reconstructed (fragments)(fragments)

-Linear -Linear History History (with an (with an end)end)

-Centered -Centered on Godon God

-Afterlife-Afterlife

-Sin-Sin

-Salvation -Salvation through through FaithFaith

-Truth is -Truth is absolute absolute and and revealed revealed (Bible)(Bible)

-Linear -Linear History History (Progress)(Progress)

-Centered on -Centered on Man/individuMan/individualal

-Material -Material realization of realization of humankind humankind (Man (Man becomes the becomes the Sun for Man)Sun for Man)

-Reason-Reason

-Truth is -Truth is discovered discovered (science/met(science/method)hod)

-History is just -History is just a a narrative/illusinarrative/illusion/effect of on/effect of power/languapower/languagege

(Post-History)(Post-History)

-Progress?-Progress?

-Reason?-Reason?

-Science?-Science?

-Self--Self-Annihilation Annihilation of Humankind of Humankind (there is (there is death around, death around, but nobody but nobody cares)cares)

-Irony-Irony