Progressive Politics

TIL

First I am hearing about this narrative.

I see it as some socialists becoming communists over time, or they give in to the status quo, like AOC and Bernie Sanders.

Thanks for the link. I will have to make time to watch it; it looks like a weird and interesting viewpoint!

Generated Summary:

This YouTube video features a discussion between the host of 1Dime Radio and Michael Downs, author of "Capital VS Timenergy: A Žižekian Critique of Nick Land," about accelerationism, focusing on the ideas of Nick Land and Curtis Yarvin (Mencius Moldbug), and the challenges of right-wing accelerationism. The conversation also explores "Timeenergy" as a basis for socialism and whether socialism might become a "conservative" movement against the accelerating change of capitalism.

Main Topics:

• Accelerationism: Exploring the philosophies of Nick Land and Curtis Yarvin, particularly their contributions to accelerationist thought.
• Neoreaction (NRx): Discussing the core tenets of neoreactionary ideology and its connection to figures like Mencius Moldbug.
• Capitalism and Artificial Intelligence: Examining Nick Land's thesis that capitalism is inherently geared towards the development of AI.
• "Timenergy": Introducing and discussing the concept of "Timenergy" (Time + Energy) as a potential foundation for socialist thought.
• Left vs. Right Accelerationism: Differentiating between left and right-wing approaches to accelerationism.

Key Points:

• Michael Downs' Background: Downs is presented as a working-class intellectual and autodidact philosopher.
• Nick Land's Philosophy: Downs provides a detailed breakdown of Nick Land's philosophical evolution, dividing it into six periods:
  1. Early Land: Focus on Denal Materialism, influenced by Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Freud, Bataille, and Deleuze & Guattari.
  2. Mid-90s: Theory-fiction era, emphasizing capitalism as an engine of decoding and deterritorialization, leading to AI production.
  3. CCRU Period: Experimental philosophy collective, exploring the occult and the power of "hypers" (fictions becoming real through hype).
  4. Shanghai Period: Focus on mega-cities as accelerants of AI development.
  5. Neoreactionary Period: Embracing neoreactionary ideas alongside Curtis Yarvin, advocating for "SOV Corps" (Sovereign Corporations) and anti-democracy.
  6. Bitcoin Period: Interest in Bitcoin and its technological potential.
• Curtis Yarvin (Mencius Moldbug): Discussed as a key figure in the neoreactionary movement, advocating for corporate city-states.
• Critique of Democracy: Both Land and Yarvin are portrayed as being critical of democracy, favoring alternative governance models.
• AI and the Left: The discussion highlights a perceived lack of engagement with AI on the left, with many leftists dismissing its significance.
• Marxist Interpretation of AI: Downs argues that Nick Land offers a unique and valuable perspective on AI by analyzing it through a Marxist lens, emphasizing its connection to the structure of the economy.
• China and Capitalism: The conversation touches on China's success with capitalism, particularly in the field of AI, attributing it to a Marxist understanding of surplus value extraction.

Highlights:

• The Nick Land vs. Žižek Debate: The video opens with a preview of a discussion about the potential debate between Nick Land and Slavoj Žižek.
• Downs' Meeting with Žižek: Downs recounts his experience of having breakfast with Slavoj Žižek at a conference.
• The CCRU's Experimentation: The discussion of the Cybernetic Culture Research Unit (CCRU) and their exploration of theory-fiction, drugs, and the occult is a notable highlight.
• Land's Influence on Working-Class Perceptions of AI: Downs shares anecdotes about how his working-class coworkers express views on AI that align with Nick Land's pessimistic predictions.
• Land's Marxist Perspective: The video emphasizes that Land's unique contribution is his Marxist analysis of AI, linking its development to the structure of the capitalist economy.