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Commentary :: Urban Development

History is in a Backwards Arc.

This has nothing to do with Francis Fukuyama...more to do with decay in virtual systems.
It was reported today that two fund managers, from two different companies are betting the ranch that things will never return to 2006-2007 levels in America. They predict "subsistence economies" similar to North Africa's. The article is at:

www.counterpunch.org/lindorff02062009.html

This signals what Baudrillard said about the historical discourses of progress, that we're actually moving backward socially, historically, toward the dark ages. His notion comes in contrast to the counter-revolutionaries who always complain that revolutionaries want to go back to the primitive times. Its actually the times that are decaying; that imperial hubris stretched too far; that modernity lost itself along the way; that the management classes exposed themselves as socially incompetent. Baudrillard's famous "implosion".

It is always worried, that people will side with the Law and Order, (fascist) police and army in order to avoid the discomfort of a leadership vacuum. Its impossible that Barak can even begin to deliver on a social-democracy, even with all its political ills. There are interesting parallels of contemporary times with the sci-fi of William Gibson, especially his later books: Virtual Light, Idoru and All Tomorrow's Parties...dystopias where the only really cool things happening are (mostly young)people's projects and excursions...to me, that is true today. What're you workin' on?

For those of us with an itch for tinkering, now's the time. I bet people can invent whole realities for themselves, as I witnessed in chicago's anarchist collectives in the summer of 2008...the experience is forever etched into my brain...when people need food, it has to be procured...same for medicine, shelter and clothing...clean water...there was no especial love for landlords and bankers...

If there was ever a time to consider one's self radical, I think the time is here...did we ever really need the miracle mile? Did we ever even go there? Even if they cut the electricity, anarchists will have portable solar, like at Gleneagles...I once made a video called life in wartime about living within the labor war of ann arbor, MI...temporary autonomous zones are key to joyful life...wolfi landstreicher's refusal of the Logic of Submission should help us...

All best,

fj
 
 

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