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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... proletarian masses ' exploitation , furthermore , illustrate perfectly the definition that Geoffroy Saint Hilaire gives of domestication : " To domesticate an animal is to accustom it to living and breeding in or near men's dwellings ...
... proletarian soldier , of the obligation to serve the war machine , to carry out a repeated and invariable number of coordinated maneuvers ( in the eighteenth century , for example , each shot fired from a cannon required about ten move ...
Paul Virilio. The End of the Proletariat You can have a proletarian insurrection on the condition that the others hold their fire . If they dump two tank battalions on you , the proletarian revolution is as good as nothing . Andre ...
Contents
THE DROMOCRATIC REVOLUTION | 27 |
From Highway Right to State Right | 49 |
Practical War | 73 |
Copyright | |
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