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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... parties are fighting about the " trans- portation time " of the workers . Here again , it's a question of “ time saved , ” and we return to the origins of social “ metamorphosis . " We are here at the level of the “ revolution of three ...
... parties , anes- thetized by a long period of coexistence and full employment , by the euphoria of continued growth , are proving in Europe that “ one can do anything with a bayonet except sit on it . " The proletarian revolution now ...
... parties before the threat of pure and simple disappear- ance that weighs on them from both within and without . While in France they try to keep the masses tied to outmoded strategic and social convictions , the army is already ...
Contents
THE DROMOCRATIC REVOLUTION | 27 |
From Highway Right to State Right | 49 |
Practical War | 73 |
Copyright | |
4 other sections not shown