With 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.
With 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.
Paul Virilio was born in 1932 and has published a wide range of
books, essays, and interviews grappling with the question of speed
and technology, including Speed and Politics, The Aesthetics of
Disappearance, and The Accident of Art, all published by
Semiotext(e).
Benjamin H. Bratton is a theorist whose work spans philosophy,
computer science, and design. He is Associate Professor of Visual
Arts and Director of the Center for Design and Geopolitics at the
University of California, San Diego. He is also Visiting Professor
of Critical Studies at SCI-Arc (the Southern California Institute
of Architecture) and Professor of Digital Design at the European
Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.
Mark Polizzotti has translated more than fifty books, including
works by Patrick Modiano, Gustave Flaubert, Raymond Roussel,
Marguerite Duras, and Paul Virilio. Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he is also the author of
Revolution of the Mind- The Life of Andre Breton and other books.
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