Progressive Politics

Well, when it comes to politics in the United States versus the world, it seems to differ a good amount, not just with conservatism.

You can have a diversity of opinions without indulging fascists.

Yes, that would be ideal, but we must not forget people do come to the same conclusions without needing to be paid or tricked into thinking or viewing the world a certain way.

Propaganda does affect everyone; we all have our preferred sources of propaganda, even if we see ourselves as being above its reach.

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.