I've always seen Karl Marx as more student of capitalism than enemy, teacher, or sage. The question is, what is the value of any revolutionary theory today? The medium is still the message in an age where you, you, you, and I can all choose to be editors and publishers of our lives, for better or worse reasons, regardless of content and the intentions of the gatekeepers; increasingly you and I. This film (shout to vonSchadow) provides an adequate answer to this question. Theory that today must be considered revolutionary at its best promotes contemplation, empowering through access to perspective, inspiring over fear the use of judgement. In a society dominated by it, the spectacle in effect renders us totally paralyzed -- often subconsciously -- if we are not engaged in the negation of it from a point outside of it, which is increasingly difficult. Now, if the philosopher were the actual creator, theory would resemble instruction. It's frightening that this is claimed and accepted as true at times, but the notion of the separate actor is still necessary because this is not true. The obvious message here is that life, if it's to be made and kept good for us, is to be lived ever more considerately. We should read all instruction manuals with seriousness and care and where there are none, soak up perspective, consider, and prepare to make the road and instructions by walking. It's testimony to the power of the serious and active student of non-
Synopsis: The Society of the Spectacle (La Société du spectacle) is a work of philosophy and critical theory by Guy Debord; covering ideas such as the Degradation of human life, Mass media and commodity fetishism, and Comparison between religion and marketing. The [original] work is a series of two hundred and twenty-one short theses (about a paragraph each), divided into nine chapters. The black and white film released in 1973 was Debord's first feature-length film. It uses found footage and detournement in a radical criticism of mass marketing and its role in the alienation of modern society. (wiki)
The Society of the Spectacle (watch)
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4 comments:
timely. i've had this book sitting on my shelf for the last two years. at some point, i conceded i simply lacked the motivation to read it even as i was sufficienly intrigued to purchase it. the film is definitely a time-efficient upgrade!
timely. i've had this book sitting on my shelf for the last two years. at some point, i conceded i simply lacked the motivation to read it even as i was sufficienly intrigued to purchase it. the film is definitely a time-efficient upgrade!
After reading the post and watching the film, I wonder how and when the spectacle became a phenomenon of which this "modern" and globalized world is consumed? If the spectacle is a parcel of power imagining and projecting itself, then I would assume that for as long as power dynamics have centered on the practice of oppression, the "spectacle" has served predominant in the shaping of our desires.
As for the point of "read[ing] all instruction manuals with seriousness and care..." I couldn't agree more. It seems that even in the history of Urban America (via Charles Nelson Glaab), the theories and philosophies of those who took on the task of constructing the USA did so without being challenged by the "students of real todays, yesterdays and tomorrows." Instead their theories of production, capitalism, industrialization, slavery, trade...were all enough to build what we now live and breathe today...without question.
Though I have no interest in being involved in the architectural/ governmental decision makings of this country, as a self proclaimed student of real todays, yesterdays and tomorrows, I have sought the understandings of these philosophies as urgent to my citizenship of this world/universe.
@rekh: The homie put me on to the book, but I don't think I'd have gotten around to it either. Excited that you find it timely.
@kissingtherain: I think it's interesting to consider that some of these materialist philosophers are perhaps not extremely intentional as far as material contribution to building what we live and breathe and consume today. For some, their fascination is just in figuring out where the materialist phenomena are going. Because they tend to be pretty good specialists on that question, "everyone" reads Marx, right?: communists, socialists, capitalists, black nationalists, etc. I'm happy someone is fascinated with leading that field, because it can be useful, or at least good to know. About the process and timeline of the spectacle coming to be solidified over society, "The Century of the Self" is a pretty solid philosophical and historical supplement to this film
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