Speed and Politics, new editionWith this book Paul Virilio inaugurated the new science whose object of study is the "dromocratic" revolution. Speed and Politics (first published in France in 1977) is the matrix of Virilio's entire work. Building on the works of Morand, Marinetti, and McLuhan, Virilio presents a vision more radically political than that of any of his French contemporaries: speed as the engine of destruction. Speed and Politics presents a topological account of the entire history of humanity, honing in on the technological advances made possible through the militarization of society. Paralleling Heidegger's account of technology, Virilio's vision sees speed—not class or wealth—as the primary force shaping civilization. In this "technical vitalism," multiple projectiles—inert fortresses and bunkers, the "metabolic bodies" of soldiers, transport vessels, and now information and computer technology—are launched in a permanent assault on the world and on human nature. Written at a lightning-fast pace, Virilio's landmark book is a split-second, overwhelming look at how humanity's motivity has shaped the way we function today, and what might come of it. |
From inside the book
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... allows it to prolong the social combat indefinitely . The communal bourgeoisie gives rise to a new phenomenon , like a prolonged and patient war that has all the earmarks of the inertia of peace , and nothing more of the bloody ...
... allows us to gain fractions of seconds , which gain is indispensable to any freedom of action . As General Fuller wrote , " When the combatants threw javelins at each other , the weapon's initial speed was such that one could see it on ...
... allows us to understand better the structural axis of contemporary military - political events , as H. Wheeler specifies : " Technologically possible , centralization has become politically necessary . " This shortcut recalls that of ...
Contents
THE DROMOCRATIC REVOLUTION | 27 |
From Highway Right to State Right | 49 |
Practical War | 73 |
Copyright | |
4 other sections not shown