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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... disappearance of the two parties on the battlefield , some- thing that had never been seen before . The voluntary war of attrition was both the first war of disappearance and the first of con- sumption : disappearance of men , material ...
... disappearance of its productive proletariat . In China , from 1964 onward , the revolutionary slogan was " Take the army as your model ” ; and the entire population was forced to wear a similar uniform , a kind of ambiguous , asexual ...
... disappearance of matter in nuclear disintegration and the disappearance of places in vehicular extermination . Nonetheless , we should note that the disintegration of mat- ter is constantly deferred in the deterrent equilibrium of ...
Contents
THE DROMOCRATIC REVOLUTION | 27 |
From Highway Right to State Right | 49 |
Practical War | 73 |
Copyright | |
4 other sections not shown