Post-Contemporary

Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik, eds

5 107

The Speculative What is at Stake Time Complex in the Future? —Armen Avanessian —Alex Williams and Suhail Malik and Nick Srnicek illustrations by 115 Andreas Töpfer Fractured Mediations 57 —Victoria Ivanova

On Speculative Design 135 —Benjamin H. Bratton The Construction of 89 Unpredictability —Elena Esposito Strategies for Future We’s 145 —Laboria Cuboniks in conversation Situating Global Forms —Aihwa Ong in conversation

159

Letters from the Ocean Terminus —David Roden Armen Avanessian frequently teaches at art academies in Europe and the US. He is founder of the bilingual research platform [www.spekulative-poetik.de] and editor in chief at Merve Verlag Berlin. Recent English publications include Speculative Drawing (together with Andreas Töpfer, 2014), as co-editor #Accelerate: The Accelerationist Reader (2014) and Genealogies of Speculation (2016). Avanessian’s Overwrite – Ethics of Knowledge. Poetics of Existence is forthcoming with Sternberg Press.

Suhail Malik is Co-Director of the MFA Fine Art, Goldsmiths, London, where he holds a Readership in Critical Studies, and was 2012-15 Visiting Faculty at CCS Bard, New York. Recent and forthcoming publications include, as author, On the Necessity of Art’s Exit From Contemporary Art (2016) and “The Ontology of Finance” in Collapse 8: Casino Real (2015), and, as co-editor, Realism Materialism Art (2015), and Genealogies of Speculation (2016). Post-Contemporary

Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik, eds The Speculative Speculative The Andreas Töpfer Andreas by illustrations and SuhailMalik Avanessian —Armen Time Complex

5 Fractured Mediations Victoria Ivanova the movement of the past and the future on the the on future the and past the of movement the explain to necessary longer no is it later,that is to return to need will straightaway, but mention can we present the of deprioritization the of call atime-complex. could we what of favor in priority its loses also be), to presumed is it what (or, least, at is time what of and time of understanding the both for basis the been has least—which at sentience biological its experience—in human of category primary the as present the Correspondingly, it. on based politics and semantics the do as primacy, its loses experience human agents, human individual than rather networks and infrastructures systems, are societies complex of conditions leading the today. If organization social of scale and complexity the is time of reorganization speculative the for reason main the Yes,and or withinaspeculative temporality. time speculative a such in living to used getting have—problems all we have—or they that think, I is, reason the be,then to used it as isn’t it or anymore, sense make doesn’t time that or joint, of out is time that impression the have people If future. the from arrives time present, the before happens future the way around: other the rather It’s future. the then and present the by followed being past the of sense the in time, linear a have longer We no changed. time—has of direction itself—the time but time, accelerated or time new a in living just not We are changing. is time that is post-contemporary of thesis basic The Armen Avanessian Avanessian Armen Suhail Malik Malik Suhail ¹ One theoretical ramification ramification theoretical One

7 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 8 determination—are those in which the past, the the past, the which in those determination—are phenomenological surpass that organization sociotechnical of scales at societies than-human time. of configuration leading the as present the overshadows this and system the of organization the in important equally are future the and past The future. the in obtained be can what to view a with and historically constructed formations complex to—more subordinated even of—or part a only is experience human where situation a in instead We are present. the of basis ¹ The Hyperindustrial Hyperindustrial The (Oxford: Polity, (Oxford: 2008) and Symbolic Symbolic and 2008) Disorientation 2: CA: Stanford Stanford CA: Stiegler. See for for See Stiegler. University Press, Press, University Barnaby Norman Norman Barnaby trans. Epoch, 1: Volume Misery (Stanford, Barker and Time Volume Volume Time and example individuation of trans. Stephen Stephen trans. psychic and technical structures of of structures integrated socio- integrated the to specific is proposed by Bernard Bernard by proposed systems mnemic The time-complex time-complex The Complex societies—which means more- means societies—which Complex Technics Technics , (ii) the speculative speculative the (ii) 2104). But the the But 2104). configurations. complexifying constituted of constitution distinct is complex experience of of experience aesthetically- an rescuing to appeal Stiegler’s against speculative a time-complex time-complex and temporalization, than rather time comprises it (i) that in thesis Stiegler’s to sociotechnical sociotechnical speculative time- individuation despite despite individuation a here is memory and human human and memory ffi rmed rmed distinct to it— to distinct also is but time-complex the of conditions the to attached certainly is project That experience. human beyond is what of knowledge of thought conceptual within conditions the establishing by knowledge of forms more-than-human finding of task the as speculation of notion the reset to trying been recently has too philosophy Realism, Speculative of heading the under Equally, societies. complex of organization technical and social the to human the of subordination the with dealing practically been have processes social and economy political time long a for course: new, of absolutely not is This time. of aspect structuring lead the as present the replaces future the where or primary, is modes these of none maybe where economy an into enter future the and present,

9 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 10 I don’t think that all this is necessarily bad, but but bad, necessarily is this all that think don’t I need. will you something be will it that likely is it because back” it send “I’ll that advance in say to sense make doesn’t It yourself. them awareof become you before even needs your know they service. commercial a from for asked explicitly haven’t you that want might you what about information or package certain a get you how is personalization or personality preemptive called been has What Could you outlinethesephenomena? personality— preemptive the policing, preemptive strikes, preemptive like ”, “pre- prefix the with start usually that phenomena are These news. daily from or experience everyday from know we that time-complex speculative the of examples concrete some to And ² “Preemptive “Preemptive The New Enquiry (September 11, 2014), 2014), 11, (September accessed on [http:// on accessed thenewinquiry.com/ personalization/]. blogs/marginal- personalization,” utility/preemptive- Rob Horning, Horning, Rob AA AA SM AA ² We know a version of this from Amazon: Amazon: from this of version a We know

know your desires; desires; your know algorithms company’s The want. actually you that product a get you ahead: step one is personality preemptive the but one’schoices actual with associated books for recommendations us give procedures algorithmic its

speculative temporality discussed a lot nowadays lot a discussed temporality speculative media. the in premediation towards tendency a called been has what to linked also is this course of and future, the of preemption a on based is present the in happens Rather, what prevention. or threats of balance the of logic century twentieth the enemy strikes. It’s alsovery di expected. you enemy the find will you afterwards then and somewhere bomb you produce: they truth recursive of kind the about written have others and Massumi Brian century. 21st the of phenomenon new a also is which strikes, preemptive of manner. pro-active more or productive a in it with deal to how learn to have do we “Potential Politics Politics “Potential ³ & Event 10:2, (2007). 10:2, Event & Preemption,” Theory Theory Preemption,” and the Primacy of of Primacy the and Brian Massumi, Massumi, Brian Another everyday example of this new new this of example everyday Another politics the is criticized, often thing, Another ³ You produce a situation situation a You produce a deterrence before before deterrence a something, avoid to order in made not is strike the reiterate, to and, recursive is here logic The speculation. a initially was that ff erent to the the to erent

11 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 12 is preemptive policing. You have it in science science in You it have policing. preemptive is While the “pre-” indexes a kind of anticipatory anticipatory of kind a indexes “pre-” the While conditions.… given historically to disconnected also is but to relation some has now happening is what of understanding our that indexes which else, something “post-” be to seems now Everything post-contemporary. the of contention the with to added maybe is which now,at and are we where characterizes which of ubiquity current the “post”, the of condition a also is complex time- the by what’s advanced “pre-”, with Along insurance. and medicine to regards with especially population, the of regulation this in factor biopolitical important hugely a course of is There activities? their from value extract to how and observed be they can How produce. they value the with space, social the inside people with deals that one than people of exclusion the to directed surveillance a less is This paranoia? future- a creates power, which more promises future-position the if do—as will they what with something, do they before even people apprehend to needed is policing of kind what lines: the along more be to seems terms, chronological in it puts one today, if question The mechanisms. exclusion reinforce to done, have they what documenting or doing are people what watching of idea older an of more is CCTV example, for strategies; surveillance current other from distinguished be to has This today. policing in more and more adopted are this of Versions it). on based film Spielberg the Dick’s K. Philip of detection precog and “PreCrime” the with notably fiction, SM SM Minority Report Minority (and (and

13 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 14 can no longerprimarily bededuced from the necessarily determined by the past.Thepresent the present, the shapingof thepresent isnot That’s theimportant thing,that thechangeof “post-”). (the us to o past the that conventions the or stability the or bearings the have quite don’t we propose, issue this to contributors many As exceeding. already are we that past the of future a also but “pre-”) (the future speculative the of realization and theterms of thepast. conditions the surpassed has that future a in are We past. the to relationship in speculative be to itself present the recognize we which way in a is “post-” the future, the to relationship the for name a is speculative the If exceeded. already have we that past a to relationship speculative a is itself way, present a So,in the anymore. work quite don’t semantics historically-given because is post-everything—it now are we if post-whatever— or post-internet, postmodern, present. the of deprioritization the of mark a also is “post-” The else. something of future the Welonger. are no is but happened has what to relationship in is now what’s how happening is marks “post-” the future—what the by organized be to understood is but category primary the isn’t present the how indicating now, again the within working already is future that present—so the in acting is that future the of deduction AA AA the just not is present the Combined, post- or post-contemporary, are we If

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15 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 16 shows, with derivatives the uncertainties of the the of uncertainties the derivatives with shows, clearly Esposito Elena As price. present a against profits draw to therein involved risks the and asset an of price future unknown the use they that in “speculative” are they and finance, speculative to key now are derivatives course, Of derivatives. is complex time speculative operationalized the of manifestation instructive One realism. speculative of demands conceptual the than rather operations technical and business current to closer much us brings This thought. of exteriority an or experience to exteriority an than rather futurity, like speculation, time-historical a as primarily taken “speculation” with thought, be can complex time- the case, any in But, thought. of outside also is that if point this at know don’t I itself. of outside from present the operationalize and understand to is post-contemporary the of interest The thought. of experience the and thought of outside the of think to is which speculation, of notion conceptual or intra-philosophical an for argued mostly has realism speculative nonetheless from, come both we that philosophy of models century twentieth late- or poststructuralist the away move from the shared and realism, speculative waysto di in indebted each are we as much Yes,as SM SM SM Speculative Time-Complex Operationalizing the the Operationalizing

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and unactualized. unactualized. and unknown is that future a of reiterate, to basis, the profits—on extract to operationalized is that unknown is which eventuality future this is it and anticipated, is happen to yet is which future the in price a hand, other the on model, derivative the With happened. already have must that sequence a of completion the is product the of exchange The market. the on exchanged subsequently and past the in happened has that production from accrued are profits the that means which of All made. profits and costs, the than price higher a at sold then grown, or made product a price, certain a at used are materials paid, and employed are workers built, is factory a which in accumulation, of models industrial traditional to belong These wages. or labor like capital variable from nor investment, of history the upon depend which of all construction, and plant equipment, like capital fixed from or production of basis the on extracted not are profits how of example clear a is derivative The past-present-future. of structure time standard the scrambles this and present the in prices construct to used are future

17 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 18 not. It’s rather that your act— price setting in in setting price act— your that It’s rather not. may also which happened—but have might what prevent to order in enemy possible a eliminate you strike, preemptive a of example the taking also di it But information. consumer through algorithms of use the and data, big through anticipated also are which on, so and personality emptive pre- strikes, pre-emptive policing, pre-emptive through described have others and you that configuration this of version There’s ”. one “post- the is, also it that past a into present the puts “pre-”—actively present—the constituted speculatively a of construction very The with. started you that one the isn’t present the is: present the what changes present the in future the of mining this but present, the in future the from extraction an future-mining, of kind specific a Derivatives are, in Natalia Zuluaga’s Natalia phrase, are,in Derivatives ff ers from the logic of preemption where, preemption of logic the from ers

the present to the future. the to present the of openness very the also but scrambled, is that time of schematic linear the only not is it argues, Esposito As happened. has present the before even present the transform to now acting is future The made. be then should that act the of condition a as account into future proximate very this take you because modified itself generalizable—is is construction the but derivatives, of case the ⁴ der-reihe/english. de/programmatik- spekulative-poetik.de/ spekulative-poetik. reihe/english.html] programmatik-der- htmlhttp://www. See [http://www. See linguistic analysis? and literary formal to relation in more it be project, Poetics Speculative your in with dealing also were Henning Anke and you what conditions But aren’t these these aren’t But ⁴

19 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 20 Most continental philosophies of language or or language of philosophies continental Most sense. relativist a in not experience—though that structures it because time of experience the than fundamental more even time, of construction and understanding our to important really is system tense The system. tense a regard: this in feature key and unique one has Language time-complex. the of medium manipulable and plastic cognitive, time-complex. of kind a as language within structures grammar philosophy of thelastdecades. the in dimension speculative a vindicate to looks which Speculation, of Genealogies in collected essays the with opposition that rework to sought also I You and poststructuralism. and realism speculative between tension oversimplified and easy very the as such assumptions, initial certain problematize to wanted I and Anke Bloomsbury, 2015). Poetic Tense. A Present Hennig, Anke and ⁶ Bloomsbury, 2016). Speculation of Genealogies Malik, Suhail and ⁵ Armen Avanessian Avanessian Armen Avanessian Armen AA AA AA (London: (London: (London: (London: ⁶ Language for you seems to be a be to seems you for Language here, is to introduce introduce to is here, emphasize to important really is Tense,which Present in do Anke and you things the of One temporality. speculative of idea the up took philosophy speculative current the of prehistory a how explored I and Anke SM SM ⁵ But, in particular, particular, in But,

21 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 22 That’s what I was going to say: what’s say: very to going was That’sI what well— as present every on: so And past”— a be will “every future and future” a was “every like past formulations that be to seems point core later. Yes,The maybe into— go not better had I that here issues technical important some are There grammar. of analysis an via tackled be paradoxes—can structural apparent paradoxes—or structural basic These past.” a be will “every future and future” a was “every like past sentences about lot a think Guillaume Gustave and McTaggart John example, For linguistics. non-Saussurean and philosophy analytic been has traditions those than instructive more is What philosophies. post-structuralist and deconstructivist of lot a with as well as phenomenology with It’s problem grammar. a the on focus really don’t they because system this to specific is what with deal don’t actually time SM SM AA SM

speculative realism, as we mainly have it, doesn’t doesn’t it, have mainly we as realism, speculative the At a tense-philosophy. rather but time-philosophy a not develop to and material— something as understood language language— of structures grammatical the of basis the on time understanding meant me,this and ForAnke temporality. materialist and speculative a call would I what of understanding better a was philosophy speculative of kind any or realism speculative for necessary as me struck what And structure. tense the of condition structuring a as present the of non-necessity the formulating that, for allows language of structure tense The basis. their as present the require don’t that established be can time of determinations So out. drops present the which in structuring time a articulate they that is contemporary, post- the calling here are we time-complex speculative the of identification the to particular in formulations, two those about relevant SM SM AA same time, you make the criticism that that criticism the make you time,

23 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 24 representation of the direction of time or of what what of or time of direction the of representation e only are time chronological like something of construction the and time of “experience” that rather is point The mentioned? we structures derivative the through example for languages, human of outside happen tense of operationalization same the Does narrative. through especially language, within relations time construct also They descriptive. just not are present the eclipsing and future the was past di time structure to order in operationalized be can tense that mean you do “constructive,” By experience. of primacy the against also point, earlier your to return to and, philosophy; modern in [perception] aisthesis on focus general the and aesthetics against polemic a implies also work our Because poetics? speculative it call you did why And self-misunderstanding. that’s Yes,their but itself. leaves never that experience meaning, e correlationism— to it consigns it because enough seriously language literary or ordinary take ff erently? The sentences formulating that the the that formulating sentences The erently? AA AA SM AA SM AA ff ectively, the dimension of human human of dimension the ectively, ff ects of grammar, not a not grammar, of ects

sentience “feeling.” This time does indeed “feel” “feel” indeed does time This “feeling.” sentience of mode this call would Whitehead A.N. Maybe time. of somatics speculative a to readers subject novels present-tense vangardisms, century 20th of result the As joint. of out time forcing really in narrative traditional than dangerous more far are novels present-tense precisely, more and, today’s of fiction Some Absolutely. future. and present past, equalizes present the of primacy the and ordering linear the of dismantling The past. the from disconnected coming is present the and reckoning current the within included know,gets don’t we future the includes which future, the that is time-complex speculative the with have we What surpasses? time-complex speculative the what ordering consecutive of limitation this Isn’t biography. a having of illusion the as time this live we and us, for time chronological of ontology an create that language in tenses It’s the is. really time AA AA SM

25 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 26 actively operationalize this splitting. It is laden laden is It splitting. this operationalize actively can structures tense that and itself, in split is but experienceable fully not is present the That Asynchrony? asynchrony. produces tense present the that understand doesn’t literature of understanding aesthetic the all how is in interested were we phenomenon temporal far…. The very goes this But metanoia. a initiates speculated have you future the with par a on Becoming life. your change you makes feeling speculative this case radical most the In future. the from coming time’s power feels one short, In issue. this to contribution his in shows Roden David as horrific, hyperstitious, urging, haunting, hallucinogenic, AA AA SM with innumerable past-presents. It presents presents It past-presents. innumerable with or foundations of the political economy of of economy political the of foundations or columns key which in neofeudalism, financial call can one something toward move a is neoliberalism others, and Forme stage. this past going already are we that think to tend I elites. autocratic increasingly consolidates and requires power, which and capital of concentration the to directed nexus state-business a as define you which neoliberalism, of state current the on disagreement slight a have we think I present. the of politics the direct to horizon active an provides which future,” better “a be to identify they issue, this to contribution their in what, of determination specific their with countermand to look they which and identified, have Williams Alex and Srnicek Nick that leftism contemporary of limitation fundamental the is That societies. complex of capitalism the under futurity of loss the of claim leftist-critical the with is, often it And it. from distinct radically future a without present the of extension an as taken be could This present. the of part becomes itself future the that earlier: saying were we what to back comes This time. desynchronizes it and phenomena post-X as phenomena actual AA AA SM Contemporaneity Left and Right Right and Left

27 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 28 a speculative time. speculative a to change the against resistance of condition or site a as present the on instead but security semantic of place a as past the not is here focus The art. contemporary in one prevalent the also is which one, critical or left the is structure time speculative the to response standard other The neofeudalism. financial neoliberal of mistakes and disadvantages frustrations, the feels: and observes everyone that aspects negative the against balance counter- of kind a as past the toward looking countermanding, reactionary or right-wing a is there side, one the On transformation. this to responses two basically been have There structure. time new, a speculative in live we since, period the in novel tense present the of consolidation and emergence the with literature in and art contemporary in embodied also are which and mentioned, already we’ve that 70s and 1960s the since transformations political and technological, social, the given proposing: jointly are we hypothesis basic the on here focus let’s instead capitalism, in stage another just or feudalism financial new a at inequality. of depth increasing with crisis, social and financial fundamental a in now are we and disappear, to started etc.—have oligopolies or monopolies of instead competition greater to leading profits higher or jobs more to leading growth or recovery economic like assumptions economic basic other or itself, regulating market a and population governed a nation-state, safe a capitalism—like But instead of debating whether we are are we whether debating of instead But

criticality, presentness and so on. so and presentness criticality, experience, aesthetic experience: of celebration constant its with futurelessness, that of surrogate and symptom a both is art Contemporary name. its of worthy future a like something have to and something, change to present, the in traction gain to able being not of feeling the have people is akindof su there too, reactions left-critical However, with formation. political economic, social, new the enabled that structures power reinforce rather but way disrupt no in which tendencies, reactionary right-wing the with obvious more It’sperhaps feudalism. financial or capitalism, neoliberal of di in playing just are both time-complex, speculative the of mobilization neoliberal the of emergence the to responses right-reactionary and critical ff erent ways into the hands of this new formation formation new this of hands the ways into erent Yet, for all the contentions between left- between contentions the all Yet, for ff ocation, to the extent that most most that extent the to ocation,

29 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 30 autocracy that goes along with the neoliberal neoliberal the with along goes that autocracy increasing the capture to serves nonetheless it now, capitalism in happening is what describe to neofeudalism” “financial phrase the of adequacy the with disagree I though even basis: this on condition. new a but modern the longer no is against reacting is it what that recognizing necessarily without done always has it what doing on way carry a in can right the capitalism, neoliberal of complex And faced withoperationalized speculative time- formations. historical reactive or conservative e disruptive its stabilizes but modernization against necessarily not is right the clear: To be modernization. for mechanism stabilization a as invoked is conditions past of authority The on. so and meaning aesthetics, organizations, social actions, for basis the as new the of emergence the against defense a is right the characterized has now, what the in happens new the which in paradigm a is modernity if modernity: in this done always has right The tradition. of basis the on moment dominant the as present the on it recenter to and complex, a as it reduce to it, simplify to is does right the what time-complex, speculative the to relationship a up setting or understanding ways of many are there Though future. the and past the both to relationship in institutes it that bearings of loss the with complex time- speculative the of emergence the around moves defensive typical and reactions, right and left typical of formulation instructive an is That ff ects by calling on what are then necessarily necessarily then are what on calling by ects SM SM The Rightism of neoliberalism makes sense sense makes neoliberalism of Rightism The

31 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 32 exemplified by its revolutionary ideals and clichés. clichés. and ideals revolutionary its by exemplified left, progressive the for change for fetish the is place takes new the which in now The modernism. to attached been has forms progressive its in left the because evident more contemporary” “the of problem the makes way, a In leftism abreaction? left-critical the And conditions. established newly the semantics—in only perhaps and semantics— stabilizes that formation elite or historical recognized a of authority the is essentially, endorse, they what because here just useful very is right The legitimized. be to is power of kind post-democratic autocratic, that how is then question political The restructuring. SM SM AA

The left’s abreaction to the speculative time- speculative the to left’s abreaction The twenty-first century. twenty-first the of conditions and tasks the to adequate not di several from contribution their in remark Cuboniks Laboria as And, modernist. vestigially still contemporaneity—is of present— the of openness or emptiness the or event the of thinking left-critical the That’s why past. the of absence the and future the of uncertainties the by No,it’s constructed present. speculative this in present the from interruption critical no is There past. the be will future the and future, the was past The earlier. discussed we structures tense demonstrating phrases the in out—as drop it makes even maybe and it deprioritizes certainly way that a in present, the into folds which past the and future the of entrenchment the melancholy, leftist this to contrast by is, it identifying notably). revolution, and cancelouttheradically di indefinitely out extend to taken instead is present the present, the of condition as future the seeing of Instead too. reorganization semantic and organization, time and social of reconstitution the confronting and about thinking for site the or venue the as present the retrench to is complex AA SM AA are we as present speculative the But ff erent angles, it’s angles, erent ff erent future (the (the future erent

33 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 34 an-other occasion. an-other in it put you as tomorrow, is today now. That future the is with involved actually is it what that see doesn’t it issue, this to contribution her in remarks Esposito as And, future. a as future the destroys supposedly which future, the into and past the both into extends present the that holds it phantasm), left’s self-reinforcing the of outside questionable is (which right the than modernity to open more is left the that it’s if accepted Even solutions). market failed in interest an maintains now wing social-democratic its while semantics, historical a restoring in interested largely seem does wing revolutionary its (though past a restore to it’strying not because right the than complex time- the to attentive more is leftism that if even present, speculative the on traction have condition. metastable a future, the and past the both saturates that form time a is contemporary The extended. indefinitely as present the of determination a is contemporaneity on emphasis the with happens what And tense. primary the as present the on premised still is It contemporary.” “the on insistence is This experience. or aesthetics action, of presentness the on insistence emphatic an with maintained are relationships anticipatory futural, Historical, past. the of disestablishment the or future the of forcing the by out thinning its than rather present the of extension an is time of complexification speculative the in sees left the What A leftism still attached to modernism won’t won’t modernism to attached still leftism A SM

⁷ or from the directions of pastand present at once. unidirectional flux,butaspeculative construction in between apastand future that isnot a The new ishappening instead inatransition vienna/concept/ viennabusines concept/]. curated-by-vi creative-industries/ curated-by-vienna/ enna/about-cu about-curated-by- ative-industries/ sagency.at/cre rated-by-vienna/ https://viennab usinessagency.at/ see [https:// see - - - - -

as itwas inmodernism. the basisfor thenew, decisions are made or the timeinwhich present now isnot contemporary. The formation, orpost- present isinapre-post how thespeculative Exactly. That titleindexes Today.” “Tomorrow was It SM SM AA ⁷

35 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 36 dissimilate, colonize all of time in its own own its in time of all colonize dissimilate, accommodate, then can contemporary the that is left-criticality for advantage The present. the of modifications as taken are future the and past The present. the premise: received its preserve to cancels it that future a for melancholia of kind a has left modernist the contemporary the of guise the Under direction. that from present the approach and future the of and with comrades Zukunftsgenossenschaft (die future the from a rather but past, the of Vergangenheitsgenossenschaft nor present, the of comradeship instead isneither needed is What think. way to wrong the simply is It task. the to adequate longer no is that and it, to closer getting by present the in traction having of idea the indicates Zeitgenossenschaft of contemporaneity The present. the on insistence an with completely present the change to wish the signifies often too far it because problematic time”—is of “comrade literally, Zeitgenossenschaft called is German in what of idea whole The SM SM AA Everything: Contemporary Art Art Contemporary Everything: An Aesthetics of of Aesthetics An Contra Futurity Contra Gegenwartsgenossenschaft Zukunft —the contemporary, more more contemporary, —the Zeitgenossenschaft . We need to become become to We need . ), a kind of of kind a ), — comradeship comradeship —

— as the main benefit of that reorganization. It takes takes It reorganization. that of benefit main the as experience individuated before, said we as also, and action, for condition as past the or present the of dominance the stressed has it Specifically, angle. left-critical a from levels all on logic its implementing by reorganization that of matrix the build helped really has but neoliberalism, of reordering political and economic recent the of victim a just been not has it because also example good a is art Contemporary accomplishment. art’s contemporary demonstrating mechanisms capture- course of are which accomplishments, critical own its of sake the for general in future the not if futurity own its even cancels It art. in word last of kind a becomes which art, contemporary in evident really is This terms. AA AA

37 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 38 maintaining a certain stability— certain a maintaining while change promoting by aestheticization, by experiment of enrichment an good, personal a like looks it development: capitalist neoliberal of present speculative the of complexity the of part is This revision. and change promotes waythat a in thereabouts, those and beneficiaries, elite its for experience of enrichment neoliberalism’s into integrated is art contemporary stasis: of “endhistory.” of so-called the after particulars and universality between relation the constructs that ordering global in counterpart kind-of a as regime rights human the to it linking issue, this to contribution her in logic operational this to attention draws Ivanova Victoria understanding. systemic of cost the at particulars and specifics to attention draws also art contemporary encounter, aesthetic an through experience of enrichment continued the Via poetics. a or poiesis of task the be would which reconstruction, its of expense the at life everyday of experience aesthetic the of and presentness of fetishization the to back goes this of All event. biennial continual kind-of a into turned itself city smart the precisely, is, habitat “natural” whose prosumer, the with consumption and production of conflation the entrepreneurialism; “disruptive” and creativity of spaces as cities and environment etc.; originality creativity, personal/individual levels: all at aestheticization general a in lead the Let’s be clear that this is not a condition condition a not is this that Let’sclear be SM of experiences. That is certainly the injunction of of injunction the certainly is That experiences. of and is what of singularities the only instead are to restricted be to obliged are we What totalitarian. because wrong-headed just or impossible reworked, or apprehended be to complex too be to held are latter The determinations. systemic making condition—against background of kind a as made, repudiation—indirectly a is appreciation aesthetic/ethical an Such A depoliticization because it’s ade-systematization. De-politicization… superliberal— di of appreciation the too: ethics of generalization a also is That aesthetic. an as experience or experience, of aestheticization Yes,the everything. of but art, of just not experience aesthetic An ff erences without political demand, a kind of of kind a demand, political without erences SM SM AA SM AA

39 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 40 contemporary art, operating via each artwork and and artwork each via operating art, contemporary But now thequestion is:how to di time-complex. speculative post-contemporary a within act and think to have we that Weagree meaning.” establishing of afraid be not are.“Weshould claims content its what do,or to pretends it do,what to claims it what matter no condition, this consolidating but anything doing of incapable also then is which art contemporary in combined are both said, we’ve As doing. of incapable utterly are approaches aesthetic or left-critical and strategies conservative wing right- both what is that And present. speculative the in traction gain theories—to means that and praxes— and strategies have to is reactions such present. speculative the of detemporalizations reactive as complex, time speculative the simplifying or out flattening in interests common have to seen be can two the power, and capital concentrated increasingly of interests rightist the with claims art’scritical contemporary in anarcho-leftism of varieties of conflation the of level the at remaining just than rather that is here emphasized be to needs what But basis. this on sense coherent makes convergence this domination, of model that against claims content art’s critical of many despite neoliberalism, in power big for plaything a remarks. Ivanova as sociality, neoliberal a for model paradigmatic but minor a is it extent that to And norms. social its AA other and these against necessary is What becomes art contemporary which way in The ff er from from er

41 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 42 e a necessarily ongoingprocess of the ideologyor to someextent. Butwith hisdeconstruction, it’s It’s not theworst thing to berepeating Derrida the criticallineage that needsto besurpassed? in figure key a is he though even again, Derrida doing just we way, a So,in aren’t presentification. present, historical social extended an less no is contemporaneity that that contending We are on. so and space, time, in presence—ontologically, deconstruct to is task the Forhim, reconstituted. and dismantled be to needs itself to adequate be to held present the that proposes Derrida And formations. language and political social, prevailing correlative also but tradition Western the in doctrines philosophical main the just not circumscribing metaphysics, western of category primary the is presence ForDerrida, presence? of metaphysics the of Derrida’s criticism Jacques just not contemporaneity past get to wish our di the understand us help might point theoretical further One sure. for question, political fundamental the is That di a introducing of sense the in time-complex, the accelerating of capable politics speculative a be would What domination? of form that characterize might we else however neoliberalism, by formation exploitative its a di introduce theory speculative a does How it? of version financial-feudalistic or capitalist the ff ect of presentness establishing itselfand also ff AA SM erence into the speculative present from from present speculative the into erence ffi culties here. Namely, why is is why Namely, here. culties ff erence to it? to erence something positive. lineage of critique hebelongsto isnot necessarily and subtracting itendorsedby Derridaand the anyway, andtheconstant procedure of changing present mustadmit that meaningisalways there such attempts, thereworking of thespeculative also thelogicof thecontemporary. Contrary to all that’s avery modernist,twentieth century logic, and as are emptiness andnon-readability. AndIthink thing, andsubtraction, whichisthegoodthing, between meaning orcontent, traditionally thebad or of a“di fetishes of Frankfurt School,of thenon-identical, aesthetic of thenegative, not so far away from the this goesdown alltoo well withatedious modernist time, so it’s anunending procedure. Unfortunately, deconstructed anditdeconstructs itselfallthe being deconstructed: Metaphysics needsto be ff érance” that plays withthe opposition

43 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 44 established meaning. meaning. established against rails He vulnerability. of experience irreconcilable and singular always an of emphasis its with ethics, an also is it But aesthetics. an in up ends Derrida say to right You are present. possibility of understanding timethanviathe an ontology of time, aslongitgives usanother logic of interruption. Idon’thave aproblem with speculative time-complex we are nolongerinthat of someof Badiou’s tedious disciples).Butwiththe interruption, of emptying out,andsoon(justthink that isanongoingcelebration of thegesture of its other merits are, you endupinanaesthetics of lastcentury’s aesthetic philosophy, whatever SM SM So, withdeconstruction andmostother strands Contemporaneity here includes all the procedures procedures the all includes here Contemporaneity time-complex. speculative the by deconstruction its against presence of retrenchment the is enforces contemporary” “the what light, this In Derrida. than better it did they and business nexus e involved. are that ontology and locality, space, of displacements the and teletechnologies of discussion his in somewhat this to speaks Derrida complex. time- speculative the of because presence of a Derrida way that the in meaning and presence of deconstruction the precisely is societies complex time- in occasioned are operations instrumental or semantics way that the is, That presence. of deconstruction the of economic—operation and technical mainly societal—meaning the is time-complex speculative the of construction the it’s that but response, your with compatible is observation additional my if know don’t I Certainly. contrary. the On meaning. establishing of afraid be not Weshould ⁸ ffi (Cambridge: Polity, (Cambridge: 2002). Filmed Interviews Interviews Filmed Echographies of Television: Television: of Stiegler, Bernard and Jacques Derrida Derrida Jacques rmed. We are then no longer in a metaphysics metaphysics a in longer no then We are rmed. AA AA SM SM ff ⁸ Butthepoliticallydi ectuated that deconstruction, deconstruction, that ectuated “they” of the state- the of “they” The capitalization. of processes though place taking actually are on so and meaning time, of deconstruction sought-after the that is discussions these in point evaded mostly ffi cult and and cult

45 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 46 has so successfully done. That capitalized capitalized That done. successfully so has neoliberalism as basis, revised this on exploitation exacerbating and profits drawing about just not is that time-complex the with engage to way a is needed is what elsewhere, and art in contemporaneity is that present speculative the to reactions left and right of complex sorry the to contrast in question: your to Toreturn deconstruction. semantic including others many as well as mention, you non-identity and delay subtraction, interruption, of SM SM Speculative Present Speculative Grammar of the the of Grammar

formation of the time-complex is a kind of limited limited of kind a is time-complex the of formation in the 1990s on other terms. other on 1990s the in diagnosed societies” “risk of notion the in involved others and Beck Ulrich what is That contingency. semantic and societal more up opens it that is precisely problem the think I disagree. No,I present. the as well as future the of contingency or openness the repudiates it because complex time- the of dimension speculative the reduces also formation neoliberal the But logic. speculative this with accordance in functioning institutions established has it as part in temporality, speculative the within acts it because advantage an has neoliberalism of formation economic and political technological, social, the that admit to has one that is problem The capitalism. neoliberal of short-termism the per as now accumulated be to have profits the because presentification to reverts complexity its of all for that one present; speculative the of organization restricted and 1992). SAGE, (London: a New Modernity Towards Society: ⁹ UlrichBeck, SM SM AA Risk Risk

a quasi-order). a accurately, (more order societal a for condition the as future the up opens complex the speculative time- how of present the in acknowledgement the ⁹ What they call risk is is risk call they What

47 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 48 it, and it shapes our temporality. Are there there Are temporality. our shapes it and it, practices it it, understands It present. speculative the within works post-contemporary The time? change to is contemporaneity against post-contemporary the of task the So separable. not are which time, of materiality the and language of materiality the of level the on really but meaning, semantic just of level the on not arguing am I And time-complex. speculative the of form reduced the maintain that meanings or decorative—objects di produces mostly art critical e capitalist the sees just It present. the to it reduces and time speculative of possibilities the see doesn’t it wrong, not is art (left) contemporary the of typical criticism of kind the While future. automatized an produces it for, because allows hardly system economic di it’s this And clock. the of functionality the to one. recursive a but movement, circular a ahead—not deviation A fast. too was clock a when days, old the in like, something means really latter The and up, speeding a as acceleration between distinction for allows German The time. of movement di a introduce doesn’t di and innovations of production constant a is contemporary No,no.The ff erence that the neoliberal or neofeudal neofeudal or neoliberal the that erence AA AA SM AA Akzeleration introduced a kind of di of kind a introduced Beschleunigung ff erence to the recursive recursive the to erence ff ects of it. Contemporary Contemporary it. of ects ff erent—essentially, erent—essentially, ff erences, but it it but erences, Akzeleration , which is is which , ff erence erence . philosophy—but also politically—it’s important important politically—it’s also philosophy—but language In go.”). could (“I conjunctive the and goes.”), (“She indicative the (“Go!”), imperative the grammar: in modes three are There What doyou meanby “indicative”? future. indicative of kind a as just not way and open an in future the understand we do how is issue the example, another take to poetics, speculative With technoscience). (entrepreneurial future and (culture) past between or universals, and local between opposition simple any scrambling meaning, of formations historical-culture specific by Asia in supported are and support entrepreneurialism scientific to intrinsic abstractions and universalisms the how outlines She science.” “cosmopolitan calls she what of anthropology her in constructions these of some highlights Ong Aihwa contribution, her In it? of readings di there are present; asynchronous or speculative the of actualizations alternative AA AA SM ff erent erent

49 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 50 to understand that all tenses are modal. The The modal. are tenses all that understand to and just a set of potentials that must never be be never must that potentials of set a just and only is future The future. a construct to present speculative the mobilizing or anything doing actually without potentials, with options up setting to only limited emphatically are contemporaneity and art contemporary in Claims present. the by domination the to time-complex speculative the of limitation the again, also, today, and left critical the across everywhere “potentiality” unrealized. is which potentiality, a with left is sentence the of subject the where sense a is this And didn’t. they but go,” could or would “they happen: not did but happened, have could actions that sense a is up sets it What contemporaneity? of form the conjunctive the Is tense. past a into subsequently and tense present a into transformed is tense future a how is mode that is point main the but here, for technical that’s too Maybe going. yet not are you present the in tense future the or mode conjunctive the using are you whether so going, actually are you before constructed is conjunctive the analysis, technical the into more bit a get may I if But, gone”). have will (“I present the to time speculative of closure the by misunderstood often is and logic contemporary the of logic the by reduced is that contingency this is It possibility. of grammar the deploy both they that in close pretty are mode conjunctive the and tense future the But indicative. as way—primarily modal a in understood be to have present the and past That makes sense of the celebration of of celebration the of sense makes That SM

51 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 52 di di organized (imperative). “Go!” command hidden the is indicative) tense (future go” “I and conjunctive) tense (present go” could “I between In imperative. an way of by happens which realized, successfully is conjunctive a if only present the in happens future A mode. indicative the to exclusively it subjecting of instead openness, its in time speculative understanding way of a is grammar me for That’s tense. why present a into tense future a transforming for means earlier—are it in—a live we temporality speculative the to adequate praxis and thinking a for instead needed is what Yes,and a-modal? is contemporary The time. of understanding a-modal an of rid get to We havetime. represent don’t tenses as just “is,” an just not is present the But indicative. the via only understood are here present the or future the terms, grammatical in real; becomes that present future possible only the but contingent be to future the understand not does contemporaneity to time-complex the of reduction The present. the from distinct radically future a present any in realizing self-destructively, and paradoxically and, instrumentalization of fear for actualized ff erent future and the possibility to do and and do to possibility the and future erent For me, it’s exactly this grammatically grammatically Forme,it’sthis exactly AA SM AA ff Zukunftsgenossenschaft erence that opens up not just a just not up opens that erence as I called called I as

line against its received and modernist logics logics modernist and received its against line time- the of scrambling a identifies Esposito societies. integrated large-scale in present speculative the of systemics and infrastructures broad the of made are about talking are we conditions The grammar. its and language beyond time-complex the of construction the generalize to need also we demonstrate, issue this to contributions the all nearly as but OK, via grammatical analyses. tackled be can complexes These level. conceptual or linguistic a on just not level, ontological and material a on time—and and meaning changes language that understand to have we generally, More derivatives. or policing it’spreemptive by whether future, automatized an to subjected di act SM SM ff erently in the present instead of being being of instead present the in erently

53 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 54 practical manifestations of where and how identity identity how and where of manifestations practical the transforming Asia, in terms ethno-cultural in sense makes that enterprise scientific a of fabrication the of case specific the in issues operational and jurisdictional the up takes also Ong time-lines; longer along simultaneously, and, scenarios specific more to Design” “Speculative of rubric the under possibilities these extends Bratton Benjamin activity. human of rendering capitalist the of fundament the transform to automation and robotics of advance techno-social systemic the to look Williams and Srnicek while universals, and particulars between relations the of restagings unstable via constructed is quasi-order juridico-political global new a how for case the makes Ivanova otherwise. mobilized be can but accumulation capital of kind new relatively a of advantage the to is which future, the to openness new a suggests that formation takes place. Laboria Cuboniks wrestle wrestle Cuboniks Laboria place. takes formation formats than the kind of repressive mechanisms mechanisms repressive of kind the than formats other in time-complex speculative the reordering way of a actors linguistic human as us gives it present you as poetics while So, organization. large-scale for necessary mediation and structuring economic technological, social, systemic, the of condition fundamental a That’scourse of ordering. their and language and a structures the into tied too be to me to seems still it general, in production for name a as poetics taking even first, that, is divergence My one. aesthetic an of instead theory language by informed me,is for which, understanding” “poetic a call I what need we case any in but sure, for theory, language a than more Weneed condition. semiotic and material broad the meet to mechanism a as enough wide not but complex integrated this of part only is languages human some) only (presumably of constructions the present, speculative the apprehending for basis a as experience of order. every and any at coding of space the change completely Intelligence General Artificial by inaugurated intelligence of kinds the which to according Thesis” “Disconnection a of a body, scrambles Roden and selfhood; of concepts and identities, bodies, of reorganization technoscientific and futural such just given feminism of legacies the with SM SM AA In general,andsimilarlyto theinsu ff ordances of more or less ordinary human human ordinary less or more of ordances ff ect, language in light light in language ect, ffi ciency ciency

55 The Speculative Time Complex Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik 56 Berlin, 29 January 2016. 2016. January 29 Berlin, in held conversation a of transcript Revised formation. widest its in time-complex the of infrastructure expansive the to adequate grammar a however,need we generally, more Even scale. planetary a at interconnected is that computation of conditions infrastructural and material the to according power sovereign rearranges which Stack,” “The of identification his with least not time-lines, and situations specific with ways and concrete in forward puts issue this in Design Speculative of Bratton’sproposal what is This languages. human of those than other terms in structured more are that infrastructures its in complex linguistic terms. We have to openupthetime- non- in also operationalized are restructuring the that necessary it’s also indicative, the as identify you what and contemporaneity of

On Speculative Design —Benjamin H.Bratton

57 What is at Stake in the Future? Alex Williams and Nick Srnicek Speculative Design (SD) understands itself as a as itself understands (SD) Design Speculative Modern impulses that were dry-docked by dry-docked were that impulses Modern other to alternative an as (and culture Design century’s end, not only designing things—widgets, things—widgets, designing only not century’send, encounters, obligations, accounting protocols, protocols, accounting obligations, encounters, frustrated other re-launch and re-claim to be also alternatives aswell). formal forms, etc.—but also designing the the designing also etc.—but forms, formal withdrawn objects, manifest subjectivities, subjectivities, manifest objects, withdrawn signal-niche-population dynamics, andsoon. relations between them: systems, supply-chains, supply-chains, systems, them: between relations mainstream to perspective alternative progressive ¹ 2016 at “Alternative “Alternative at 2016 California, San Diego, San California, Speculative Design Design Speculative Design” Speculative Fiona Raby. Fiona mark to Jolla, La Present, Past, The Modernities: of Visual Arts. They They Arts. Visual of of University the at of Future and 10, February on of version edited the launch of the the of launch the symposium, held held symposium, in the Department Department the in keynote address by address keynote the proceeded delivered remarks undergraduate major major undergraduate The following is is following The 1 It knows that “Design” is is “Design” that knows It “understanding the the “understanding (much of) the Design Design the of) (much 21st century is to undo undo to is century 21st customer” or “getting or customer” of 20th. But may But 20th. of Some it. for worse are by means the also is Design similar. or table,” the at seat a (involving thinking of the job of Design in the the in Design of job the which pathological pathological which stick-up notes, big big notes, stick-up may even conclude that that conclude even may we and delightful, more e more made are culture material to relationships trust,” “building by better things makes just that beanbags) colored and pens, way magical some not ffi cient and and cient

59 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 60 The prevalence and proliferation of models models of proliferation and prevalence The of concluding that the future (and futurism per per futurism (and future the that concluding of Instead not. does It alternatives? fundamental of future. long-term or near the of models speculative by functions economy global the forecasting, weather or reinsurance enterprise testing, A/B automated futures, equities and a not is speculation that underscores outcomes plotted- and options, ideal patterns, risk of this disqualify the speculative from the figuring figuring the from speculative the disqualify this commodities for whether bolts: and nuts than fairy se) is lost, we should commandeer modeling modeling commandeer should we lost, is se) airy- less is It process. marginal or supplemental infrastructures for better and more vibrant vibrant more and better for infrastructures ² In this, a traditional traditional a this, In common technique technique common established goals. goals. established ads both or one to used is data carefully is each with engagement which in advertising for an ad both go go both ad an for options creative two so as to optimize optimize to as so in relation to to relation in performance its web example, for in, make changes in in changes make That measured. live and actual user user actual and live A/B testing is a is testing A/B Speculation is not ephemeral or disengaged. disengaged. or ephemeral not is Speculation variable may be be may variable advance, but which which but advance, What variables. of the intuit to expertise the Design team in in team Design the automated an to should alter their their alter should was that something testing and scanning version best single is subordinated subordinated is henceforth. henceforth. the of models mental by considered never important most the be to proves creative of role user’s mental models models user’smental ² But if so, does so,does if But That is where Design becomes designation. becomes Design where is That conceive.) governmentality, universality, neutrality, etc. neutrality, universality, governmentality, but descriptive, be to need they because adaptive otherwise would us of any what beyond especially to than outcomes) given of simulation advance them we track di Between normative. become to need they because prescriptive are models speculation, for what predict to less another: to purpose one from search the space of actual possibility (even and and (even possibility actual of space the search imminence, simulation, navigation, resistance, resistance, navigation, simulation, imminence, from value (deriving happen to likely most is purposes. For this, speculative models are rotated rotated are models speculative Forthis, purposes. ³ Attention to Peter Peter to Attention (but not others) others) not (but Cornwall, 3rd 3rd Cornwall, September 2008. 2008. September Falmouth, Society. Networks Sloterdijk)” Design (with Special Special (with Design Toward FewSteps A Prometheus? of the Design History History Design the of meeting Design, of of Philosophy a “A Cautious address tracks designation from Bruno Latour’s Bruno from to decoration from with some points points some with This rotation rotation This ³ That is, predictive models are are models predictive is, That ff erent uses for contingency, contingency, for uses erent ⁴ only toward the actual actual the toward only that Design, of the In actual. the and fictional and the the and fictional to “speculative” the of connotations the which I’m speaking speaking I’m which material governance. governance. material embedded normative, a toward also but not is metamorphosis context particular real the to potential the of movement hyperstition—the of behalf on made claims some parallels In these regards, regards, these In ⁵ ⁴

61 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 62 fields of graphical user-interfaces are slightly slightly are user-interfaces graphical of fields actual ideas are supposed to go. to supposed are ideas actual baked marketing plans usurp the place where where place the usurp plans marketing baked half- where sink rhetorical a is it elysian; more ⁶ ⁵ “future,” see also also see “future,” Talk About TED” The The TED” TalkAbout Joseph Conrad, Jack Jack Conrad, Joseph (Cambridge, MA: MA: (Cambridge,

Guardian, December December Guardian, problematic the On Inquiry Into the the Into Inquiry 30, 2015. 2015. 30, Ma, Herbie Hancock, Hancock, Herbie Ma, Based 2013). Press, University Harvard Existence: of Modes Latour, An Bruno cohort as diverse as as diverse as cohort in villain collective of futurism and and futurism of qualifications Diderot. Denis and descriptions, his on Moderns the of Anthropology an they may include a include may they natalism. natalism. heteronormative psychoanalytic Edelman’s Lee both largely unnamed unnamed largely See my “We Need to to “WeNeed my See “The Moderns” are are Moderns” “The “the future” is a way of a is future” “the Futures, or prototypes prototypes or Futures, it reasons Forobvious culture speaking about about speaking culture explicitly as critical critical as explicitly future” “the address especially alignments, general more the and SD between overlap future” is that place place that is future” often too things—but present—critical, the that projects SD for clear are there Sometimes tomorrow. of worlds the from an be must there that where skateboards skateboards where simply unspeakable unspeakable simply about things saying I matter. As subject it is an alibi for saying saying for alibi an is it presumed commonly is hover and ambient ambient and hover all. at nothing and/or pragmatic our in elsewhere, it put Design of pursuit utopian, projective, projective, utopian, Futurism, Scale Futurism, ⁶ “The “The Others lament that facts on the ground are out- are ground the on facts that lament Others very long-term durations (now, later, much durations long-term very condition. Some might insist that it focus focus it that insist might Some condition. a city, or a geologic trace). We may presume presume We may trace). geologic a or city, a transcontinental a or urbanism an architecture, large a object, single (a scales spatial extra-large history. psychological and social of parameters dialectic the to back forces global of hint They history. social fragmented with of-sync “There ensue. that aesthetics survivalist soft or deal to and reference, temporal and spatial of site or concept key a as eliminate—futurity even resist—or to SD rigorous politically and that large scales and long durations are natural natural are durations long and scales large that not only not is scales temporal and spatial familiar of malaise the to answer the perspective, this “cognitive sociological times recent until that interventionism. emergency this for rationale the we know, can adhere to small, medium, large or or large medium, small, to adhere know, can we hard the through largely conditions coming with system). It can also be trained on very short- or or short- very on trained be also can It system). is no time, and there is only this place” may be be may place” this only is there and time, no is frames at-hand immediate most the on instead matches, but there is no reason to hold fast to to fast hold to reason no is there but matches, of lifecycle cycle,the launch next the response, as Design, imaginary. Design calibrated properly any for precondition a be may but pathological, of derangement detected any that and responses, tempo and scale the re-glue to is culture network For solid. felt ground common their least at but historical systemic and hand, one the on maps,” unfolding, on the other, may have been in conflict conflict in been have other, may the on unfolding, later, afterwards) suited to instantaneous user user instantaneous to suited later,afterwards) Given this, we may expect a more intellectually intellectually more a expect may we this, Given I argue that these are both insu both are these that argue I ffi cient cient

63 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 64 versus there and then. and there versus conditions that are not-yet-existing here and now, and here not-yet-existing are that conditions analysis and intervention. It is not here and now now and here not is It intervention. and analysis combinatory a imagine can we so and durations, of anatomically-embedded spatial navigation and and navigation spatial anatomically-embedded of scales intuitive phenomenology’s human exceed the entertain fully to naiveté anthropocentric of may forms futural these of each which by order species. apex any of rhythms and ripples with future, geologic a and more are some and future” “the of version own friend and enemy, capture and memorialization; memorialization; and capture enemy, and friend of undulations trans-generational with future, historical a evolution; mechanic and turnover SKU product of cycles its with future, technical a place; of memory communal or cycles fashion in measured duration attendant an with future, very with projects spatial small-scale Very this. the temporalities of organism life span. span. life organism of temporalities the coherency genomic the than longer far span than sync with technological future, etc.) is surely surely is etc.) future, technological with sync idea that making all design “human scale” would would scale” “human design all making that idea kind special a takes it words, other In illusion. in future historical future, social with sync in social a is There others. than SD to interesting probably most worth designing are those that that those are designing worth most probably problems. pedestrian most the but anything to solution long-term a be solipsistic broken a but state organic an not future (geologic harmony special in be to felt be design for scales temporal and spatial of matrix large-scale spatial projects with instantaneous instantaneous with projects spatial large-scale very as likely as are ramifications duration long It is important to mobilize SD on behalf of of behalf on SD mobilize to important is It its has scale temporal each matrix, a such In ⁷ Any a ⁸ The futures that are are that futures The ff ective sense of of sense ective Design: the actual matter of Materialism. of matter actual the Design: our attention to one point of origin for modern modern for origin of point one to attention our returning by possible only is It contrary. the quite social local shed further must we that for and take leave of the concrete materiality of Design, Design, of materiality concrete the of leave take history’s mooring privilege. That shift does not not does shift That privilege. mooring history’s ⁷ “a distinct type of of type distinct “a (stock keeping keeping (stock When a business business a When could include, but but include, could description, description, limited not are associated attributes all and service, or store’s a catalog, to, manufacturer, attributes these product, Fora types. distinguish that warranty terms. terms. warranty type item the with such as a product product a as such it from other item item other from it within sale, for item packaging, and and packaging, color, size, material, unit) is defined as as defined is unit) Product SKU SKU Product “species” of iPhone iPhone of “species” Stock_keeping_unit]. Stock_keeping_unit]. and retired is SKU case, this In SKU.” counts the quantity quantity the counts org/wiki/ en.wikipedia. its takes another throw or detergent dishwashing or one for evolution addressing the as takes an inventory, it it inventory, an takes the next: as one one as next: the we see the SKU SKU the see we its descendent, its its descendent, its each of has it place. See [https:// See place. way to gives pillow to version product of pace the marks that mechanism

65 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 66 The contemporary project of Design (inclusive (inclusive Design of project contemporary The Design of what Reyner Banham called “the first first “the called Banham Reyner what of Design designs to a mass society: new matter provided provided matter new society: mass a to designs material and materials new by situated is SD) of for a new Materialism. Chemistry as much as as much as Chemistry Materialism. new a for standardized of distribution inexpensive the Design “modern” of emergence The forms. was concurrent with the emergence of the the of emergence the with concurrent was shipping, replicating, stacking, etc. For the etc.For the stacking, replicating, shipping, machine age,” industrial materials allowed for for allowed materials industrial age,” machine stamping, printing, modeling, molding, metals, plastics, distribution: and production mass of technologies and processes materials, ⁸ “Artificial intelligence intelligence “Artificial Carr argues so so argues Carr convincingly in this this in convincingly nicely is challenge art of thinking. It is is It thinking. of art and gracefully isn’t reason—it a by demonstrated time to invent a world world a invent to time quote: following the would point my that important, insightful insightful important, people to regain the the regain to people for time is it book, Nicholas As human. isn’t it natural, for name that has The common sense sense common The Matter, Materialism Things, director of of director Things, Make that Things California San Diego Diego San California Us Smart and and Smart Us Design Lab Lab Design Everyday of Design of author Norman, the University of of University the where machines are are machines where subservient to the the to subservient humanity.” —Donald —Donald humanity.” of wishes and needs (and Design education) would coalesce around around coalesce would education) Design (and corresponding expertise in graphic design, design, graphic in expertise corresponding design andso on. Design modern etc.), transportation, apparatus, shelter, image, and (type implementation of levels certain at fixed became forms designed and thought of schools became techniques as turn, In form. of conjugation and substance of others, and Mendeleev by innovated elements, the of table periodic The era’sculture. tangible this of anthropology the drive would day) the of end the at divisible so not (probably economics would provide an alphabet for the composition composition the for alphabet an provide would industrial design, interaction design, architectural architectural design, interaction design, industrial ⁹ and Autodesk’s and to.In next sat or which identify and that illustration illustration that around carried they school Design a to which program program which go could one when students, automotive automotive students, film students, consider to strange be may it suites, application standard in are students proximity to Adobe Adobe to proximity equipment the by ago, long so not There was a time, a was There ⁹ just a particular particular a just closely to expertise expertise to closely of scale certain design students, students, design of equipment, not not equipment, of Expertise another. recently quite all students architecture for their application. application. their for more much tied one from tools and students fashion with a particular set set particular a with situated techniques techniques situated in designing for a for designing in material form was form material learned very different different very learned

67 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 68 Promethean demystification and refashioning refashioning and demystification Promethean does not. The flowering of their potential for for potential their of flowering The not. does matter, of registers new these of articulation an master to only not is SD for project ecologic that is potentially just as transformative. From From transformative. as just potentially is that futuristic thinking — even when it actually actually it when even — thinking futuristic the appliance, everyday to wondertech from occupies now also these of each As world. that demystify and disenchant they that extent the world at scales previously unthinkable, turning turning unthinkable, previously scales at world some spot on the curve of various hype cycles, cycles, hype various of curve the on spot some within species our and world our about something and social The intelligence. practical of sorts incantation of their names supposedly signifies signifies supposedly names their of incantation new with landscapes and machines inorganic additive networked to robotics and intelligence but also conceive a (real) new Materialism new (real) a conceive also but the of recomposition the for provides palette material this replication, and manufacturing artificial to things of internet the to biotechnology living tissue into a plastic medium and imbuing imbuing and medium plastic a into tissue living ¹⁰ New Materialism. Materialism. New centric materialism materialism centric disenchanted matter- disenchanted the differentiate tropes of much of of much of tropes mystical the from here describe I that programmatic, too what is recognized as as recognized is what clearly still can we Without being being Without Today we confront another gamut of materials materials of gamut another Todayconfront we organization of society society of organization granular level, and and level, granular allow they that extent the to interest of are that would ratify the the ratify would that for Design theory to to theory Design for more a at world that of remaking the for systems material these still largely-unmapped largely-unmapped still in the image of their their of image the in potentials. For Design practice, practice, ForDesign ¹⁰

•HAII (Human Artificial Intelligence Interaction Interaction Intelligence Artificial (Human •HAII At the same time, the translation of new materials materials new of translation the time, same the At Wes Andersons, these emerging technologies technologies emerging these WesAndersons, yet-to-come). empathy, intelligence and identity, and not just in in just not and identity, and intelligence empathy, of forms unexpected illuminate may design) probe to SD of work the is below,it discussed and imagination. rationality, abstraction, of feats outward-facing overly sometimes the direct also may organization contexts. geoeconomic and geopolitical active the image of human vanity. How will we midwife midwife we will vanity.How human of image the range: that of contours the the define will that those are technologies these of any of applications initial the future for (and unprogressive not is futurism biochemical and populism technological with this contemporary material palette by putting putting by palette material contemporary this with its formulate should anywhere) but teach, I where authentique gizmo pastoral a thematize will speciate and incorporate with existing animal animal existing with incorporate and speciate new toward Humanities and Arts self-referential is not automatic; it must be designated. Still, Still, designated. be must it automatic; not is into a new program for social and ecological ecological and social for program new a into and experiments critical other with contact in it conjoined a that saying without go should it bodies? they as embodiment synthetic and robotics expertise pedagogic and theoretical professional, Diego San UC at just (not initiatives related ultimate range of functions, and indeed, as as indeed, and functions, of range ultimate Toward that we should not presume that that presume not should Toward we that and SD of development longer-term The

69 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 70 •Machine vision is to artificial intelligence what what intelligence artificial to is vision •Machine nanobioelectronics and sensors •Epidermal variants, DIY its especially biology, •Synthetic algorithmic links computation •Ubiquitous Will biology become more computational before before computational more become biology Will cilia are to protozoa: a cartographic sensory sensory cartographic a protozoa: to are cilia and sensation natural weave and combine biological? more becomes computation scale landscape to molecular from calculation assemblages may flow into our lines of sight, sight, of lines our into flow may assemblages computational continental and Urban encounter. of scale human normal a above or below at, objects between communication seeds and asked elsewhere, is the real uncanny valley one one valley uncanny real the is elsewhere, asked ways? other in world the to us disclose molecular a toward sensations: designable and giving thus tools, programing purpose general as them without sensory augmentation. How do their their do How augmentation. sensory without them faculty for incipient machinic abstraction. As I’ve I’ve As abstraction. machinic incipient for faculty which is which, and hint at skin-based media media skin-based at hint and which, is which suggests plots for organic building-blocks re-cast re-cast building-blocks organic for plots suggests perceive to unable be may we or touch and sound membranes that communicate, that know, that that communicate, that membranes tell can’t we that thoroughly so sensing machine phase. garageband overdue its biotechnology new maps become new territories, and vice versa? ¹¹ (December 2015). 2015). (December Volume 46: Shelter Shelter 46: Volume Matter of/with Skin,” Skin,” of/with Matter See my “The “The my See What would we do with with do we would What interface of sort What our skin to provide? provide? to skin our wish we may outside gastro-tactility. between inside and and inside between ¹¹

“industrial design”? •Additive manufacturing, digital fabrication, 4D 4D fabrication, digital manufacturing, •Additive allows sensing and scanning •High-resolution composability of matter for Design. As it scales scales it As Design. for matter of composability engage a wholesale remapping of supply-chains, supply-chains, of remapping wholesale a engage synthetic to media, epidermal above—from the of a aesthetics physical microscoping and How moot. instantly ontology and objects about inconceivable, otherwise precision and scale a but programmed, have may we “other”that AI an to truly global networked fabrication, Design may Design fabrication, networked global truly to ways in which algorithms re-inaugurate the the re-inaugurate algorithms which waysin telescoping on predicated culture textile a would motivated or aesthetics our share not does which in which we see ourselves through the eyes of of eyes the through ourselves see we which in interpretations? printing, etc. are then only the most apparent apparent most the only then etc.are printing, merely call to used we what to robotics, to biology, arguments metaphysical of kinds some making us to perceive properties of physical matter at matter physical of properties perceive to us ¹² Vision: Benjamin Benjamin Vision: Magazine [http:// Magazine DIS Jordan,” Marvin and Pepi Mike in Bratton conversation with with conversation discussion/73272/ dismagazine.com/ machine-vision/ machine-vision/ benjamin-bratton- See “Machine “Machine See ¹² •More at-hand at-hand •More (literally): with more more with (literally): cloud tether? cloud obscura/ camera device/ homing control/ evolve in relation to the the to relation in evolve that smart slab/ remote remote slab/ smart that future foreseeable the for how toilets, to than phone cell a to will the human hand hand human the will modular a access having humans ff ordances of of ordances ff ect all all ect

71 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 72 “expression of emotion in man(sic) and animals.” animals.” and man(sic) in emotion of “expression They identify some of the basic media for Art and and Art for media basic the of some identify They traditions autochthonous of churn sluggish The demand) (and possible make These And soon. (thousands) of graduates testing what the the what testing graduates of (thousands) financial idealisms, etc.) may be folded back on on back folded be may etc.) idealisms, financial Finally —hopefully— the cognitive crises of of crises cognitive the —hopefully— Finally Design for the next decade, and in order to find find to order in and decade, next the for Design align examples these together but Theory, Design quality and scope of political sovereignty is put put is sovereignty political of scope and quality The decisions. enforce and designate design, generally. more culture material of relations social planetary-scale the them with and out what they are good for, we need hundreds hundreds for, need we good are they what out or discipline or project or program one any of emerge. might “civilization” name the of nativisms, (fundamentalisms, globalization(s) We index Station). Space International the of and/or gender of polyphony the and activated, the contexts in which Speculative Design projects projects Design Speculative which in contexts the worthy more something that such themselves leverage and oil, peak to blooms plankton from life-as-we-know-it, of cannibalism geologic the sexual biotechnologies give wider range to the the to range wider give biotechnologies sexual we how of conventions) temporal and spatial it toward post-Natural food infrastructures. infrastructures. food post-Natural toward it are borders jurisdictional drawn play, newly into project themselves into the foreseeable future. foreseeable the into themselves project those as rational as least (at extensible more made are urbanism everyday of platforms modular pace; increase to forced be may (and institutions and media the of reformulations All that is (deep breath… exhale) not the job job the not exhale) breath… (deep is that All

The work of Design takes shape in the formulation formulation the in shape takes Design of work The SD—versus a mode of Design that would optimize optimize would that Design of mode a SD—versus can make with it, but in how it allows/forces us to to us allows/forces it how in but it, with make can or activate the claims of a project. What may give give may What project. a of claims the activate or and platform, rhetorical unique a project, the of the of value ultimate the Again, way forward. and why underscore should which present, already through the model, which may describe, idealize idealize describe, may which model, the through enforceable making of out themselves talk that Design Critical of forms or quo, status the we are, what we are, where we are, when we are: are: we are,when we are,where we are,what we how we are. we how who about questions fundamental re-adjudicate we things the in (only) not is palette material new way out feasible most the claims—is normative new materials canteach us. ¹³ San Diego. In the the Diego. In San University of California, California, of University Design program at program Design expertise in the Modern Modern the in expertise research public a of Speculative the of opportunity and formulation of a design design a of formulation scale industrial the practice around an an around practice university such as as such university This is the challenge challenge the is This The Project, The Model The Project, The

¹³ (interaction design, design, (interaction 3 and prosper” prosper” and 3 versus the other, the versus choosing one one choosing and/or new material material new and/or example). example). for robotics, and synthetic biology, synthetic is it that students but rather to “pick “pick to rather but of matter a not counsel I palettes, The problems are are problems The

73 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 74 That is, the project will argue that its breadth of of breadth its that argue will project the is, That and this, do can ways it few a than more are There Graphical user interfaces are an example of this this of example an are interfaces user Graphical SD some special traction is how it constructs constructs it how is traction special some SD I outlinesomebelow. a designer or user, also directly a directly user, also or designer a by manipulated when which but relations, and events those model only not that diagrams instrumental have may we Or status. their of instead may we models, retroactive those of and events complex summarize that diagrams intervention. eventual its of terms temporal or spatial the frame will project the how determine already may simulation prescriptive or descriptive proposed of model a in result also may and simulation) analytical an as (such situation the of the built form). Exactly how a model serves as a as serves model a how Exactly form). built the ambivalent deliberative) (and deliberate the technologies allow for new kinds of models about about models of kinds new for allow technologies new which in one but made, be to forms new for instead Or hope. we patterns, relevant most the intervenes. it which in that of breadth the sort of model. Indeed, the history of Design is is Design of history the Indeed, model. of sort temporal and spatial certain a by defined situation intervention corresponds in some precise way to precise some in corresponds intervention of model architect’s an as (such intervention not only one in which new technologies allow allow technologies new which in one only not dashboard indexical an provide that processes and events those of simulations realtime have foregrounding images, synthetic into relations model a on draws project The range. a into intervention potential a of projection project. the and model the between provisionality A project is, as the word suggests, a suggests, word the as is, project A We may have descriptive models, such as as such models, descriptive have We may ff ect them. them. ect

Joe and Josephine, millions of use-case personas personas use-case of millions Josephine, and Joe Among the epistemological and methodological methodological and epistemological the Among 1. The Prototype and the Prefigurative: Bruce Bruce Prefigurative: the and Prototype The 1. Sterling’s working definition of “Design Fiction” Fiction” “Design of definition working Sterling’s reconstructs research Design Science-influenced Beyond ergonomic requirements, Cognitive Cognitive requirements, ergonomic Beyond concept-driven Speculative models, though the the though models, Speculative concept-driven easily how is models Design of complexities as “the deliberate use of diegetic prototypes prototypes diegetic of use deliberate “the as hopefully will remarks my of remainder the so and especially SD, and within project the of agency introduce. shifts those that ambiguities into transposed be can normative) diagnostic, diagrammatic, (descriptive, model of kind one systems. designed complex with interact and of models live automating for means algorithmic to suspend disbelief about change” remains remains change” about disbelief suspend to for is it than models Economic data-driven for instrumental, (projective, another of purposes the understand users which with models mental the Dreyfuss’s Henry to Man Vitruvian ancestral the what a project can possibly project. These include include These project. possibly can project a what within SD education, deserves careful attention, attention, careful deserves education, SD within standardized specification of design solutions. solutions. design of specification standardized provide some useful points for further debate. further for points useful some provide the models), those of models our of (and models true less no is This aspirational). managerial, the in publics consumer larger for in stood have for also but systems understanding for only not deduce. otherwise not could we patterns understanding the users of those systems. From From systems. those of users the understanding latter may have a more resilient tolerance for the the for tolerance resilient more a have may latter The modern era of Design innovated models models innovated Design of era modern The In relation to such complexities of Design Design of complexities such to relation In ¹⁴

75 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 76 2. Prometheus is Late for an Appointment with with Appointment an for Late is Prometheus 2. an open and winding path—not a straight line. straight a path—not winding and open an ends. its of enforcement the delays the Killer Apes: The material palette/ emerging emerging palette/ material The Apes: Killer the the between correspondence the keeping to strategies, as disenchantment or enchantment to which the purification of means pre-occupies and and pre-occupies means of purification the which idealizations of some community-to-come, and for for and community-to-come, some of idealizations prototype and the outcome, the cause and e and cause the outcome, the and prototype allegiance an is there spectrum the across but and real,” “the to relations diverse have practices ¹⁴ (like Art) cultivates cultivates Art) (like San Diego, made made Diego, San Design seek to to seek Design tolerance a is Design and even an ethics. ethics. an even and a as ambiguity ambiguity eliminate He ambiguity. of appreciation and of modes other and from a process or or process a from difference of fulcrum the perhaps that me to point the speculative design design speculative of modes some is right. Whereas Whereas right. is method, an outcome outcome an method, speculative between UC at colleague my user experience, experience, user Scott Klemmer, Scott certain the link the the link the certain the after comes at the same time, we time, same the at of disenchantment It change? the and What assignment. does not lapse into the the into lapse not does that Design in this vein vein this in Design that commonsensical the to o to whereby its purpose is is purpose its whereby should be cautious cautious be should what and suspension, SD, for serviceable is well-advised. But But well-advised. is provoke to impetus merely “prefigurative,” “prefigurative,” merely The insight. the better less the that be may prototype the between there is homology incomplete an point) his to (true also is but ff er-up fetishistic fetishistic er-up ¹⁵ Di ff erent SD SD erent ff ect, ect, ¹⁵ To the extent that that extent Tothe Verso Press, 2015). 2015). Press, Verso (London: Work Inventing the Future: Future: the Inventing Design practices, practices, Design might we Further, and Postcapitalism in politics Leftist explicit goal, not not goal, explicit social ideal of and Art engaged” In itself. of and in end an as is position, or of observance that observe also Without World a in tendency this of of analysis detailed more a develop Williams Alex and the more difficult difficult more the an be may forms prefiguration the of ineffectuality the consequences the sometimes taken taken sometimes including a moral moral a including realization of them. them. of realization many “socially- identity of basis the as refusal and resistance means-fetishization, Nick Srnicek Srnicek Nick The Queer Art of of Art Queer The Judith See Theory. Queer in Turn” Jack Halberstam), Halberstam), Jack As the failures pile pile failures the As Press, 2011). That That 2011). Press, University Duke NC: (Durham, Failure (now Halberstam continuously do do continuously are rigorously policed policed rigorously are “Anti-Social the of the prefigurative prefigurative the performative/ to art political to independent an takes emptiness very their symbolic gestures gestures symbolic idealized spectrum, mobilizations some politics from shifts in the name their their name the in of end one at is, it as imperative, (and importance prefigurative means means prefigurative presumed eventual eventual presumed for perhaps be may political-aesthetic both becomes gesture). relational predictable the hence then “work,” not utility. Their failure is is failure Their utility. itself up,failure

77 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 78 them from fully reaching their capacities for for capacities their reaching fully from them prevents what is and possible technologies these meaningful innovation. There are clearly clearly are There viable SD that is not not is that SD viable Design and and Design point my Hopefully creative practices is is practices creative because cultivated guided by them. no see I essential. and available are that example, Queer of apparatus means-end about celebrated and recognized their of gestural end, other technologies, for for technologies, conceptual the caused be to thought social and anti-social anti-social and social of perhaps service identity- or position- or identity- proven, possible, possible, proven, Speculative between dependencies many calibrated. precisely in relationships unmaking. or making be to are means the At means. contaminated by uselessness, in the the in uselessness, ¹⁷ Accordingly, maximizing maximizing Accordingly, flows. It is also with with also is It flows. migration financialized While such anomie is is anomie such While cuisine as a diabetes diabetes a as cuisine challenges our course, and them orient can frameworks conceptual gatherer propensity propensity gatherer hunter- our how and with just not are “emerging” are above of demystification demystification of have food, about paired fructose and for glucose, sucrose sucrose glucose, for and theoretical our are than faster cited technologies thinking is what makes makes what is thinking with sentimental sentimental with supply-chain of global global of supply-chain example, sugar,for like things simple remediation. of pound a beats cup A megastructure. chemical the built ideas neo-Creationist and nanotechnology the for par probably them. by oriented be Our current current Our That said, it is also true that sometimes sometimes that true also is it said, That 3. Discovery over Optimization: As said, for for said, As Optimization: over Discovery 3. value of investments in emerging technology. technology. emerging in investments of value Design practice emerging technologies allow allow technologies emerging practice Design social the realize to necessary is Humanities contemplation and configuration of possible possible of configuration and contemplation di more correction makes course!) our species (and others) within it. That is, our our is, That it. within others) (and species our and world our about something disclose and of excluded company (present departments for the remaking of the world at a more granular granular more a at world the of remaking the for discourses/ such some in ignorance) technical should be. romantic and reactionary posturing (and general general (and posturing reactionary and romantic uses not only provides new means to do what what do to means new provides only not uses level, and, for Design theory they may demystify demystify may they theory Design for and, level, “We Need to Talk to “WeNeed ¹⁶ ¹⁷ About TED.” About No-Stop Archizoom’s Global Crossing’s Crossing’s Global becomes City Fuller’s geodesic Fuller’sgeodesic Buckminster frame Bell’sspace cabling becomes becomes cabling dome becomes becomes dome trans-Atlantic trans-Atlantic social media. populist scatological, kite becomes becomes kite Alexander Graham Graham Alexander See again, again, See

Universities take take Universities vision. Sustained and and Sustained vision. Design, Art and and Art Design, courageous, culturally- courageous, would that capacity critical and conceptual diverse investment investment diverse while minimizing minimizing while sustain implementation implementation sustain institutional investment investment institutional informed, norm-making norm-making informed, conceptually- in to is path illuminated policy. irrational an is the in investment capacity engineering in balance means and and means balance heed: thee ffi cult than it it than cult ffi cient, cient,

79 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 80 The disciplinary permissions are di are permissions disciplinary The 4. Stem Cell as Pharmakon: Any su Any Pharmakon: as Cell Stem 4. Again, it is unwise to announce that their early early their that announce to unwise is it Again, 5. Art/ Design Can do Things that Science Can’t Can’t Science that Things do Can Design Art/ 5. your metaphor, Greek or germline. Emerging Emerging germline. or Greek metaphor, your could become this or they could become that, and and that, become could they or this become could di about superstitions secular de-authorize also discovery. cannot. other the and happen can experiment one essentially be may conducts Designer or Artist an same the in Even Do: to Allowed Not is and/or the so and yet, for good are they what know don’t We simply potential. and character essential they cells; stem like are technologies emerging or positive their evangelizes that them, on commentary or them, for plan Any poisons. and technologies are Pharmakoi: they are remedies remedies are they Pharmakoi: are technologies better. the the arbitrage of leeway is a space for ideation and and ideation for space a is leeway of arbitrage the but attempt, may Scientist a what as same the balanced on above (see possible as long as for which it will be is undecided but still decidable. decidable. still but undecided is be will it which mean can That whom. with what do should who may but done, be must understand already we search space of possibilities must be kept open open kept be must possibilities of space search investment in means and conceptualization). and means in investment like, you if Or dishonest. and/or incomplete is research institution, sometimes the research that that research the sometimes institution, research their represent bad) or (good manifestations inverse the articulating without potential negative So,pick and). or: (not bad and good both powerful/ e ff erent things to di to things erent ¹⁸ ffi

cacious technology is simultaneously simultaneously is technology cacious ff erent people, and so much much so and people, erent ff ffi erent, and so so and erent, ciently ciently Oceanography here at U.C. San Diego. There are are There U.C.at Diego. here San Oceanography its and Paglen, Trevor with collaboration a Cube, Sobecka builds cloud-making and –tracking –tracking and cloud-making builds Sobecka geoengineering research by scientists, but her her but scientists, by research geoengineering Karolina prosecution. from immunity and asylum the drew midst, immediate our in packets data to interfere. Outside the gallery, the device may device the gallery, the Outside interfere. to with climate researchers at Scripps Institute of of Institute Scripps at researchers climate with invisible anonymizing Tor meta-object, this where scorn of localsecurityo installation in various Art galleries and museums, museums, and galleries Art various in installation projects are possible if conducted as “only” Art. “only”Art. as conducted if possible are projects experimental on moratoria soft and hard both now uno and informally collaborating machines, of kind a granted is sculpture precedence—the takes mimesis gallery—where the inside but intercepted, otherwise or confiscated been have Autonomy the discussing Applebaum Jacob heard “event” is put in place place in “event”put is matters” “who ¹⁸ Art and Design is is Design and Art (Groys) but also also but (Groys) or (Ranciere) contemporary contemporary and “what speaks” speaks” “what and only not that one this and what does it it does what and this want from us? us? from want what matters, what seam between between seam is matter, when is is matter, when is how the fleeting fleeting the how re-operationalizes That is, the the is, That ffi cials who were helpless helpless were who cials Authority Experiment Experiment Authority 2002 re-staging of of re-staging 2002 Glasgow’s CCA Gallery, Gallery, CCA Glasgow’s Subjects research research Subjects Milgram’s Obedience to to Obedience Milgram’s plentiful, are Bio-Art and the likelihood likelihood the and faculty. Recently, I Recently, faculty. studies follow-on Test Human any that 1990’s heyday the would approve new new approve would by the Psychology Psychology the by committee review in Dickinson Rod by the consider also but Examples from from Examples ffi cially cially

81 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 82 Think Of: For students, particularly younger younger particularly Forstudents, Of: Think Oculus Rift”) or an idealistic non-profit (“biofuel- non-profit idealistic an or Rift”) Oculus You Can Thing Best Worst Worst/ Best The 6. SD is a zone where the tactical exceptions to to exceptions tactical the where zone a is SD viewers/respondents/users of the work, that this this that work, the of viewers/respondents/users composites, etc.?) It may be known to us, the the us, to known be may It etc.?) composites, and inexperienced students, the conventions of of conventions the students, inexperienced and default idioms. pitches Unworkable project. provocative a and research original of formulation the to obstacle for TechCrunch (“It’s Tinder meets AirBnB for for AirBnB meets (“It’s Tinder TechCrunch for these prototypes functional, are those images images those are functional, prototypes these should span two balances. For the first, we are are we first, Forthe balances. two span should happen, is it really being proposed to happen, are are happen, to proposed being really it is happen, the are mindfulness”) for hackathons powered an sometimes are culture Design mainstream impunity. some with prototyped are norms new thereby, where, and granted be can norms uncertainty is deliberate and that our interpretation interpretation our that and deliberate is uncertainty it (did “real” is project the whether uncertain ¹⁹ Yes Men, and the the and YesMen, Design (as here here (as Design dick jokes. jokes. dick from defined) Speculative of the differentiate tendency to degrade degrade to tendency The example, for of, “hoaxes” the into hidden camera camera hidden into prototypical methods methods prototypical This would would This I counsel students that their projects projects their that students counsel I common sense and and sense common even are we carefully at work. at are reason emergent own designer’s the of more work the examine it thinking on depends fault-lines between between fault-lines we as if Ideally, through. work is (even less sure sure less (even is work intentions), then it is is it then intentions), possible that instructive instructive that possible less sure how “real” the the “real” how sure less ¹⁹

7. 10,000 Year Site Conditions: Among my my Among Conditions: Year Site 10,000 7. Yucca Mountain Project (YMP). Proposals were were Proposals (YMP). Project Mountain Yucca SD research program has a specific interest and and interest specific a has program research SD If we already know it would be one or the other, the or one be would it know already we If Research, and the best SD projects position position projects SD best the and Research, o Management’s Waste Radioactive Civilian of itself. of and in end an as but means a as just not ambiguity, to allegiance We know experimentation. ongoing for direction poison? or remedy this is unethical, and/or ethical Design successful of signals are ambivalence and abstraction Ambiguity, research. the from gleaned unsure more (and world the in thing worst the or realized be project this should that sure are and proposal, design the of strength the by startled are we If programmatic. and ethical but ontological, the United States Department of Energy’sO of Department States United the by written one was briefs SD well-known favorite e the for advance. in outcome the interesting an suggest not may project the then be insights serious and original are there that likely is it then project), the consider we more the ways (we are thankful for usable tools and and tools usable for thankful are ways(we clever in problems clear solve not should whole solicited for a signage system that would warn- would that system signage a for solicited interfaces that match doxic mental models and and models mental doxic match that interfaces also are but significance, dramatic have would it unearthing radioactive nuclear waste to be buried buried be to waste nuclear radioactive unearthing this is interpretations: con and pro between us thing best the be would so doing whether unsure ff curious future excavations from accidentally accidentally from excavations future curious The second balance to be pursued is not not is pursued be to balance second The This is not to say that Design practice as a as practice Design that say to not is This ff ects of scale that they provide), but the the but provide), they that scale of ects ffi ce ce

83 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 84 If we were to use 10,000 years to situate situate to years 10,000 use to were we If communication, etc.), I am confident that the the that confident am I etc.), communication, as ‘historical analogues.’” convened] [were linguists and anthropologists, or average human organism lifespan durations. lifespan organism human average or time) over into grow to us (for solutions design interspecies or biology, synthetic egalitarian human-artificial hacks, gender geographies, sovereign housing, (multigenerational domains commands what is generations) human average tethered to the very real dangers. The temporal temporal The dangers. real very the to tethered e design to archaeologists, “Engineers, desert. the in there functional than those prepared for yearly, decadal decadal yearly, for prepared those than functional important other of design successful the his/herself. outside step to agent creative the allows what is it imperative; the by enabled thus is imaginative The functional. absolutely are they would be both more imaginative and more more and imaginative more both be would super-speculative hyper-utilitarianism. It invites invites It hyper-utilitarianism. super-speculative 130 (over intervention proposed the of scale intelligence interaction, transnational urbanism, urbanism, transnational interaction, intelligence by similar briefs for other design problems. problems. design other for briefs similar by because uncanny genuinely are that proposals lasting 10,000 years … Using archeological sites sites archeological Using … years 10,000 lasting ²⁰ TaskForce, see [https://en.wikipedia. Interference_Task_ Force]. Interference Human org/wiki/Human_ On the work of The The of work the On I believe that we would be better served served better be would we that believe I ff ective warning structures capable of of capable structures warning ective and for how strongly strongly how for and open both demands the answers must be be must answers the semiotics proposed the what would be reading reading be would what speculation asto who/ it simultaneously simultaneously it how for interesting ²⁰

The brief is is brief The (but not others). not (but just be one in which the speed of information information of speed the which in one be just contemplation (per Bernard Stiegler) but rather rather but Stiegler) Bernard (per contemplation one hopes, on geological time and astrophysical astrophysical and time geological on hopes, one technology is slowed to the pace of phenomenal phenomenal of pace the to slowed is technology some of the formulas of Speculative Realism Realism Speculative of formulas the of some not to eliminate (or to claim to eliminate) human human eliminate) to claim to (or eliminate to not not would circuits” “long of pedagogy place—a accurate more a impart that pedagogies understanding of where and when we are—based, are—based, we when and where of understanding ²² ²¹ “Transindividuation,” “Transindividuation,” (March 2010). (March Realism would would Realism Stiegler Bernard credentialized by credentialized anthropocentric anthropocentric demystify and disenchant 14. journal e-flux Rogoff, Irit and fabricated, atavistic atavistic fabricated, and Spiritualism for would provide cover cover provide would see, for example, example, for see, pre-Modernisms, no. pre-Modernisms, identities political it that yes; positions, and pedagogy long circuits, circuits, long On Stiegler, On That Speculative Speculative That Thus considering our interest in developing developing in interest our considering Thus ²² The interest, to be clear, is clear,is be to interest, The To conclude: What is is What Toconclude: I’ve described it) and and it) described I’ve called “human-centered “human-centered called is composition contemplation- alignment between between alignment human the de-privilege only not is design”) (sometimes design” ecological and chemical its of duration actual the to extended technical which in one the impulses of SD (as (as SD of impulses the of points are there within their scenarios, scenarios, their within “user-centered with is quite often the the often quite is interchangeable both de-center and and de-center both they Insofar problem. it solution, the not reverberations. ²¹

85 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 86 Art world involved in an ongoing collaborative collaborative ongoing an in involved world Art conclusion was taken for granted. In short, he he short, In granted. for taken was conclusion dispassionate position. The designable designable The position. dispassionate and world the conceptualize to but dramas, abominably inhuman scope can be reformed: we reformed: be can scope inhuman abominably and hyperobjects planetary mystical opaque, are (albeit one but are we which for materialism a o itself) just of or world the (of experience human of experience transformation of our position then becomes becomes then position our of transformation that models to according it with compose to therefore the work of political Art and Design Design and Art political of work the therefore withdrawn, conspiratorial hyperprocesses, and and hyperprocesses, conspiratorial withdrawn, inverse the much how by alarmed bit a was sentience, sapience and a and sapience sentience, imperative, he said, is not only so that people can can people that so only not is said, he imperative, a at systems sprawling these re-render to is human the which for Humanism of forms in phenomenologically-intuitive human scale. human phenomenologically-intuitive malaise ethical-ecological this of causes root the that obvious, if as thesis, the me to repeated and Anthropocene’ the ‘theorizing on project accessible. more understand them in regular terms but so that their their that so but terms regular in them understand lovely) genre of sentient matter. sentient of genre lovely) deliberately more a in specificity human locate ²³ (Februray 2014). 2014). (Februray Inhuman, pt. 1,” 1,” pt. Inhuman, Labor of the the of Labor “The Negarestani, e-flux journal 52 52 journal e-flux See Reza Reza See Recently, I spoke with a colleague in the the in colleague a with spoke I Recently, ff ers more profound truths than than truths profound more ers ²³

ff Anthropocentrism— that the world is is world the that Anthropocenic the we should take from from take should we notionally here for for here notionally that is predicament us—finds justification justification us—finds ect from these rich rich these from ect That is, one lesson lesson one is, That ²⁴ The The Yucca Mountain signage in mind, we appreciate appreciate we mind, in signage Mountain Yucca vast, impersonal temporal and spatial scales of of scales spatial and temporal impersonal vast, comfort-zones. To think and design in other other in design and To think comfort-zones. by predicament Anthropocenic the “heal” can down to intuitive neurological and emotional emotional and neurological intuitive to down drawn and heel to brought are systems global the like briefs With done. be to is what of opposite norm. organic proximate graspable, a to back complexities unnatural its de-scaling that if SD can help to outline uncannily practical practical uncannily outline to help can SD if that ways and at other scales is not only theoretically theoretically only not is scales other at waysand more defensible; it is now a practical necessity. necessity. practical a now is it defensible; more because not is it Anthropocene, the of out paths ²⁴ Andamanese islanders islanders Andamanese has Anthropocene” juxtaposed with with juxtaposed cause to cryptic cryptic to cause condemnations decontextualized decontextualized has It domination. of algorithm postlapserian a as scientific “the of familiar invited also superstition with with superstition given sometimes including facile facile including pictures of of pictures (i.e. totems new worldview” materialist misapprehensions, The figure of “the “the of figure The This approach is, I argue, symmetrically symmetrically argue, I is, approach This Art are also not not also are Art What if art were were art if What [http://artreview. Morton, “Charisma “Charisma Morton, Philosophy’s causality/]. com/features/ a kind of magic?” magic?” of kind a Causality: and Certainly etc.). feature_timothy_ example, for Timothy with touch-points immune to similar similar to immune piles of lithium lithium of piles morton_charisma_ november_2015_ See mystifications. waste, mining

87 On Speculative Design Benjamin H. Bratton 88 The weaving of long circuits should head in the the in head should circuits long of weaving The digestible. the toward downsampled reality not real, the of scope the to scaled Design direction: opposite Strategies for for Strategies and SuhailMalik Avanessian Armen with Conversation in Cuboniks —Laboria We’s Future

Laboria Cuboniks (b. 2014) is a polymorphous polymorphous a is (b.2014) Cuboniks Laboria your demands? demands? your articulate to required form manifesto a was Why it. by endorsed case) your (in and manifesto that in out spelt future a hand, other the on and, constructed historically been has it as present the between relation transformative a proposes that genre a manifesto, a of form the in made was program political your of formulation initial The o in algorithms evolutionary of use the with experiments regular and writing translation, music, digital studies, sexuality techno-feminism, philosophy, archeology, architecture, design, art, of fields the navigating uncomfortably creature tetra-headed taloned, multi- a is Cuboniks implicitly. gender dismantle to seeks she anti-naturalism, vigorous and reason Espousing equality. on claims century twenty-first for necessity epistopolitical an as abstraction a an advances also Cuboniks elaborate onthistext. will that book a on working currently are and Alienation for Politics published They century. first twenty- the to adequate feminism a redefine to online collaboration in working countries, 5 across women 6 of comprised collective xenofeminist ¹ [http://www. net/]. laboriacuboniks. Laboria Cuboniks, Cuboniks, Laboria Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik Suhail and Avanessian Armen online in the spring of 2015 2015 of spring the in online ¹ mathematicians, mathematicians, French century twentieth of group Bourbaki” “Nicolas the of anagram an As ff Xenofeminism, A Xenofeminism, ffi ensive cybersecurity. rmation of of rmation

91 Strategies for Future We’s Laboria Cuboniks in conversation 92 local tactics alone is directionless. What you’re you’re What directionless. is alone tactics local with sticks that one and utopianism, just is tactics local some out sketch least at to trying without goals lofty to itself limits that politics A tactics? libertarian progressively as identified readily be could which of several platforms, xenofeminist of models its for praxes minor contemporary these to itself limit mainly manifesto the does Why envisage. you construction speculative the support to resources present as sense) DeleuzoGuattarian positive the (in practices “minor” several endorses and emphasizes manifesto XF The voices. divergent, often six, our coalesce way to a finding when mind in equally was quality formal This shared. tweeted/ easily be can and short are Paragraphs readership. online via uptake viral instigating in useful particularly is it form, manifesto the Beyond thea want.” say, “I to you wants that form a is projects—it political and a libidinized a encourages also manifesto the form, a As possible. way as a powerful and condensed as in endeavor shared our of foci key the distill to concision; with (XF) xenofeminism formulate to o form manifesto the What LC-LF LC-LF AA-SM LC-PR LC-HH ff ective engagement with theoretical and and theoretical with engagement ective ff ective a ective ff ordances endemic to to endemic ordances ff ered was a prompt prompt a was ered pointing to here seems to be the gap between our our between gap the be to seems here to pointing medical establishment away from the old, sexist sexist old, the away from establishment medical the pushed that transition gender to avenues underground and black-market of existence the that strike o organization of forms to response reactively—in it’s as acting insofar only so be to tends it but all, us for better marginally life making into coaxed and pressured be still can It patriarchy. and suprematism white capitalism, of out us carries nation-state. the to alternatives construct to try and individualism callous often an beyond go they that extent the to anarchism, and libertarianism of versions some with common in something have might we regard this in and collectivization, of forms new develop, and with, experiment rather We would basket. that in eggs our of all put to as optimistic incautiously so are us of any think don’t LC. I within tension and divergence of bit good a find can you where one still is state the of role the regarding question the said, That utopia. to shoulders its on us carries and state current our of out up us lifts somehow that agent the be to middleman, the be to exists, currently it state,as the petitioning towards that’s oriented manifesto the in there’smuch not because is this maybe manifesto. the in it put we as “mesopolitics,” of zone gap—the this bridge ways to finding is in interested really we’re what But there’sgap! a course Of preparations. small-scale or low-level towards lean to seem which suggestions, tactical preliminary, our and there, them state we as goals, counter-hegemonic The nation-state is not going to be what what be to going not is nation-state The libertarian, seem sketches preliminary our If ff without it. (On a small scale: it was it scale: small a (On it. without

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95 Strategies for Future We’s Laboria Cuboniks in conversation 96 What dissatisfactions/limitations with historical historical with dissatisfactions/limitations What reality. given our in immanent signals weak of mobilization a to akin is future the of reality into bringing the ForCouroux, here. instructive also is chronoportation, calls he what hyperstition, in time-modeling on work Couroux’s Marc risks, future of view in time-binding of reworking Esposito’s Elena and time, on research based speculative time-complex, DiannBauer’s art- ² “Anachronic “Anachronic ³ The July 16 2014 [https:// 2014 16 July Annexation]. Anachronic_ Annexation,” in (Cheltenham: (Cheltenham: Verso, 2015). Verso, Occulture Inventing the Future: Future: the Inventing Marc Couroux, Couroux, Marc Elgar,2011); Edward Financing in Money of Time The Futures: and Politics Folk edu/11262060/ Society and Williams, Alex and the Left www.academia. Nick Srnicek Srnicek Nick See Elena Esposito, Esposito, Elena See AA-SM Future of of Future (New York: (New , posted posted ,

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Which other speculative formations—or formations—or speculative other Which squashing particulardi without solidarities binds that construction a universal— non-absolute a for possibility the figuring begin to us allows move This engineered. be must but given, or “there” simply not is that global relations—a global to local their in realistically, more things address to us allowing field, the conceptualizing for capacity a in lies leaving scars?” without whole the from part a extract “Canone Châtelet’squestion: Gilles via end-game) an di and/or particularisms on focus postmodernism’s of think to regard this in me to helpful seems It template. uniform a into di subsuming without identities, between “glue” a engineering on emphasis more putting but strengths, postmodernity’s of some deploying “we’s”—in part, new constructing ways of find to need we proportion, counterhegemonic a at ⁵ Academic Publishing, Publishing, Academic (Dordrech: Kluwer Kluwer (Dordrech: 2000), 18. Robert Shore Shore Robert Physics and Mathematics Philosophy, Space: Figuring and Muriel Zagha Zagha Muriel and Gilles Châtelet, Châtelet, Gilles When attempting to think a scalable politics politics scalable a think to attempting When AA-SM , trans. trans. , ⁵ We can accordingly frame frame accordingly We can ff

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101 Strategies for Future We’s Laboria Cuboniks in conversation 102 outside of human experience. operations of time, how it exists— ordoesn’t— counterintuitive and odd very of determinations rational many for sciences the to look to has only one contrast, By “outjoint.” of slipping time of reality the of understanding an providing than ⁷ ⁶ Julian Barbour, who who Barbour, Julian (and motion) are are motion) (and York:Penguin, (New 2013) goes through through goes 2013) Future of Futures of Future equation DeWitt concludes that time time that concludes of time is real with with real is time of through the Wheeler- the through directionality the that conclusion the to back arrives He time. of disappearance the for arguments the century twentieth of history the static universe. static socio- illusions, part of a of part illusions, politically and for for and politically humans for physics, fundamental for both consequences real out laying physics, book Esposito, Lee Smolin in his his in Smolin Lee Time Reborn Time

The The .

theological realm rather rather realm theological quasi- a in remains often hyperstition is, That future. a of construction and rationality thinking, of labor the mystifies it it, see I as because, particular in hyperstition regarding reservations many However, have us. I for interesting and alluring each are hyperstition and (STC) complex” the “speculative time- earlier, mentioned As you? for instructive particularly is future— the by present the of configuration the of future—and the of mobilization formative their of What merit? having as see you do post-contemporary— the of constructions ⁶ LC-DB LC-DB But for all of the the of all for But

paradoxes to be found when looking at the reality reality the at looking when found be to paradoxes retrocausality. It is rather power, authority, and and power, authority, rather is It retrocausality. not is transformation (hyperstitional?) this algorithms), or people (by present the in made agreements the of because reality a has future projected the about statement this Though a itself) thing the of price future a determining (thereby price certain a at future the in asset an sell or buy to agreement the example, for markets, derivatives In real. presently nothing to refer e real have can that future the about statements be may now.There a into future real a from coming retrocausality no be can there time, of reality the about presents physics evidence the to return to Furthermore, design. by is future the what change to agency human of possibilities the from distraction a case any in is It time. of nature the in paradoxes counter-experiential and paradoxes real very the understanding from distraction another progeny. hybrid our by experienced as and universe the in measure of unit a as both time of understanding in jumps enable may posthuman the of development the that is hunch My perception. of outside just lurking creatures Lovecraftian with structure looping infinite as even or abstraction, as measure, of unit a as time, comprehend can systems) biological finite (as we which to extent the limits which it, of understanding our on exerts time of experience human the that prejudice substantial the also is there depth, in time of ff ects how that thing is in fact traded today. traded fact in is thing that how ects The risk of hyperstition is that it is merely merely is it that is hyperstition of risk The ff ects in the now even if they they if even now the in ects

⁷

103 Strategies for Future We’s Laboria Cuboniks in conversation 104 diagnoses and the ways in which thinking new new thinking which ways in the and diagnoses these of ramifications the through think to try rather would I artist, an as art, of impotence the change. world the seeing actually than “right” being and status their with concerned more are scholars that impression the has often one where theory politically-oriented in well—especially as world academic the within problems similar finds One it. about nothing doing whilst complicity of confession” “radical of kind a as complaints such make to fashionable equally also is it but world, the in functioning actual its qua makes it claims the between inconsistency the and cannibalism” world’s “novelty art contemporary the about despise to things many are there And on. so and crisis, refugee the seas, rising contamination, water against solution a out figuring policy, economic rewriting of sense concrete the in world” the “change will art contemporary that unlikely it’s highly course Of format? limited currently its beyond accelerated being work your in art from interest the foresee you do how fashions, art’sdiscursive contemporary of vagaries changing typically the of reach practicable and spans time the beyond well extending futurities with commitments require also and field art the beyond well extend proposals and claims your that Given e has turn in so,which be will something saying infrastructures That said, rather than once again evoking evoking again once than rather said, That LC-PR AA-SM ff ects on how things play out in time. in out play things how on ects forms of universalism, or an art-form fit for the the for fit art-form an or universalism, of forms by them. them. by instrumentalized be to desires and concepts, scalar these of service the in work to seeks the art an art: “nontrivial” a call would I what of direction the in moves use-value) instrumentalized from emancipation of vector a as non-function and irrationality of celebration postmodern the away from step a itself is (which art’sfunctionality on emphasis this Putting operate. to artist the understand we how reformulate demands those how and function, to ought it art—how on put we demands the shape to ought complexity, of age

105 Strategies for Future We’s Laboria Cuboniks in conversation What is at Stake in the Future? —Alex Williams and Nick Srnicek Every ‘future’ inscribes a demand upon the the upon demand a inscribes ‘future’ Every any other future, but because of the certainty of of certainty the of because but future, other any or this of certainty the of because not necessity (painful) a is so Yet do to reach? beyond just world new the pronounce and prophets as stand would who just address: of mode curious slightly a manifesto the renders left, political the on particular in and world, today’s political in certainty of impossibility seeming The contents. its of generative senses, some in is, form The existence. into will to hopes it that future incipient some to relation in all and demands, it declaims, it declares, it address: of mode particular a it with brings It orientation. futural this of embodiment the sense, some in is, manifesto-form The born. be tendency political new hegemonic ultimately and systematic, programmatic, a can future the of concept some from conditioning under Only politics. left revivified a for possibility of condition key a as futural the towards Future and Manifesto’ Accelerationist unattainable. ultimately perhaps, and, suggestive libidinal, speculative, are Futures vanquished. desires and past dreams of wreckage the actuality, into come never could which presents the present, the within absent the map Moreover, futures contingencies. and theories projects, tendencies, trajectories, crystallizing times, own our of contents implicit the explicit make Futures realization. their towards reach to necessary action aesthetic or political of sphere the within or imagination, human of level the at whether so is This present. In our work to date, and in particular ‘The ‘The particular in date,and to work our In , we have positioned a particular orientation orientation particular a positioned have we , Inventing the the Inventing

109 What is at Stake in the Future? Alex Williams and Nick Srnicek 110 taskification of labor, for example, is now widely widely now is example, labor,for of taskification and automation of problem The promoted. allegedly are they which for profitability and innovation the generate to societies neoliberal of inability seeming the and populations, surplus of generation increasing the of context a against and work, of precarity and taskification, automation, the towards tendencies: material existing beyond bootstraps and anticipates way it the of because precisely feasible is It coherent. decidedly and feasible eminently both it think we because world, post-work a entail, they future the and demands particular these present to chosen have we hand, other the On politics. leftist of horizons the transform functionally would demands, these realize fully to not it were even which, emerge might orientation future a demands, these posing In left. political the of tranches and silos various the amongst wisdoms received and shibboleths prejudices, existing down break to ability their than relevant less is feasibility) (or value truth relative their sense, this In ‘hyperstition’). a as described is elsewhere (what fiction heuristic a as function can they hand, one the On role. double a on ethic—take work the of destruction wholesale the and week, working the in reduction a income, basic universal automation, full for demands in out set we which today. of trajectories the of permanence the risk or gauche, however present, the to alternatives imagine to begin must we simply: More prospective. the of register the into and reactive the beyond move to attempts of absence the in alternative neoliberal the of persistence the In this context, the programmatic demands demands programmatic the context, this In Inventing the Futur the Inventing e — noted and expected to utterly transform the the transform utterly to expected and noted capacity to determine (or influence) the course of of course the influence) (or determine to capacity left’s the that sense realist more however,the is Second, alternatives. viable some propound and propose than rather incursions neoliberal against protect and prevent to keener always activists, and campaigns left radical of part the on reactivity widespread the in and academia, political in critique of over-valorization the to parties, democratic social European of collapse the from di of range entire an across identified be can This future. the of terrain imaginative-libidinal the relinquished have lefts) (or left the Here prospects. and programs, plans, of level the at is this First, future. the of territory the of evacuation and left’sabandonment the of consequences however, the towards, are point certainly can we What 2000s. the to 1980s the from shape took that forces leftist of range the with dissatisfactions of range full the elaborate to space the today. We of lack left political the of limitations the beyond move to are we if necessary uncertainty. and transformation of time a in future coherent and feasible a of construction the concept—enabling navigational a is towards point we future the sense, this In possible. more become will others the and demands these of one on progress other.Make the re-inforce and in lock can week) working the shortening for demands in (as past or automation) in (as present whether tendency, a how to relates each that sense the in coherent, also are demands The decades. two next the over economies developing and advanced both in work of world Such a navigational notion of a future is is future a of notion navigational a Such ff erent left-political phenomena, phenomena, left-political erent

111 What is at Stake in the Future? Alex Williams and Nick Srnicek 112 ‘modernization,’ for example, have become almost almost become have example, for ‘modernization,’ as such signifiers Keypolitical ubiquitous. all-too become have catastrophe environmental and populations, surplus rising neoliberalization, hyper- of future a of perspectives, dystopian looming while future, better a of sense depressing more the in future the in faith is disappeared has What trajectory. picture big the and future’ ‘the in belief mass the dismiss to quickly too moves Lyotard argue, we as yet claims, these to truth some course of is There micro-events. overlapping partially fractured, of plurality summarize to impossible an into collapsed have meaning-making grand-scaled even and teleology historical wake its in and metanarrative, the of suspicious grown have we it, puts definition Lyotard’s As epochal postmodernity. of advent the with banished been have to purported was itself, future the accounts, some on indeed, and narratives, future speculative of elaboration the activity. political practical of prospects the advance in limit future the of optics the of desertion the does too so imagination, the emaciates power hegemonic in decline the as Just another. one to linked reciprocally are sides two These forces. of balance the in weakness relative its hegemony, declining its of because also but it, design to desire the lacks it because just not left the by abandoned been has future’ ‘the sense, this In reduced. drastically been have systems technical and economic, political, social, large of travel of direction the altering of capable left a of 1990s the since prospects the terms, practical In declined. also has future the Concurrent with these political development, development, political these with Concurrent entirely subsumed within a neoliberal framework. framework. neoliberal a within subsumed entirely complexly hegemonic operators—investing and and operators—investing hegemonic complexly as operate here futures perspective another From flux. broader a within trajectories coherent and fixes momentary creating transplantations, and translations, transitions, agents—motivating binding partial as operate can futures or future the perspective, a such Within universalization. partial of moments of capable yet revisable, and plural, dynamic, universalism, synthetic a Zalamea’s Fernando transmodernism: like something towards reach to us requires simultaneously it leftism, new a creating of facets essential are project modernist historical the of dimensions certain of recovery the that believe we while such, As it. present would thought of strands modernist certain than complex more ultimately and unitary, less plural, more world the is too So flourishing. human universal towards building constructive a as collapses, and swerves, reversals, see to likely as are we that demonstrated has History Marxism. Hegelian of tales fairy teleological the than politics and future the between relationship complex more a seeking to admit Yet must we abandoned. be to not certainly is future, better a determine to accomplishments human of possibility the on future, the on emphasis Modernism’s endorse. partially we which frame a is This one. modernist classically a basis a such on deemed be might action, of domain the and ideas of sphere the wages. declining and precarity rising out, contracting privatization, indicates today pursuit, or workplace, industry, an of modernization The The task of elaborating futures, both within within both futures, elaborating of task The

113 What is at Stake in the Future? Alex Williams and Nick Srnicek 114 in much grander projects than the latest biennale. latest the than projects grander much in is interest many,our to term misunderstood, often albeit inspirational, an been has ‘accelerationism’ While project. political long-standing more a build to attempt an is and ‘accelerationism’ term fashionable the away from moved consciously self- has book the such, As proposals. its by convinced feel who those all by built be to politics post-work a for call a ultimately is It political. directly less no is it but manifesto-form, the in di functions book the this, To achieve movements. di of range a across intersects e an and moment, this at possible and necessary both is world post-work a why for argument reasoned a make to attempt an project, hegemonic and universal more a into perspectives partial of series a together knit to attempt an way. is this It in understood organization. and ideology of fields pre-existing re-engineering ff erently from the a the from erently The book, Inventing the Future the Inventing ff ective mobilization involved involved mobilization ective ff ort to show how this this how show to ort ff erent existing existing erent , should be be should ,

Fractured Mediations Fractured —Victoria Ivanova —Victoria 116 Once a poster image for the great promise of of promise great the for image poster a Once lead image of universal dynamism, static and and static dynamism, universal of image lead the becoming increasingly interconnectivity interfaces. smart and mining data of language the in spoken now is work aid failures. institutional its for infamous most perhaps now is system rights human the accountability, universal ¹ The Twilight of of Twilight The the and UN The Jean Bricmont, Bricmont, Jean (Oxford: Oxford Oxford (Oxford: Hurst (London: 2014); Stephen Stephen 2014); Cornell University University Cornell Sell War University Press, Press, University Imperialism: Using Using Imperialism: Press, 2007). Press, Review Monthly to Rights Human Humanitarian 2015); Press, Rights Human of Endtime Hopgood, Rights Human Posner, A. Eric 2014); Publishers, Rights Human of Politicisation Protect: to Failing Freedman, Rosa See, for example, example, for See, ¹ And yet, its most intriguing shortcomings shortcomings intriguing most its yet, And (Ithaca, NY: (Ithaca, (New York: (New The The

, traditional humanitarian humanitarian traditional rights; human of terms in significance universal of concerns framing to resort rarely media mainstream club; their of part aren’t that agents organized of acts violent condemning when card rights human the flash to quick so aren’t politicians humanity; for triumph a as heralded longer no is law criminal International world. the framing of means a as traction their lost have rights human project. institutional juridico- defunct a as simply than rather regime mediation a as times our with cohere to failed has waysit the in found be to are ³ With complex complex With ² That is, is, That

117 Fractured Mediations Victoria Ivanova 118 function in contexts where these are either either are these where contexts in function -civic or pseudo-public a perform institutions art contemporary beneficiaries: and stakeholders diverse straddle that functions and needs of matching a for allows diplomacy soft attuned ² “mediation regime” regime” “mediation ³ (Cheltenham: (Cheltenham: (ed.), Security and and Security Nexus: Security value systems and and systems value Edward Elgar,2015). Edward Development Humanitarianism Linking Cyber- Development- Digital certain epistemo- certain on International International on Warfare,” Drone and functions. economic ecology social of (in produced are the Foucauldian Foucauldian the truths which through lenses the identify to word) at the level level the at word) sense of that that of sense in Paul Jackson Jackson Paul in institutionalizing political foundations, foundations, political normalizing/ by I use the term term the use I MarkDu Handbook Handbook ffi eld, “The “The eld,

post-structurally post-structurally art’s Contemporary community. cosmopolitan transnational the of fabric institutional socio- the into embeddedness its and size market its reach, global its of terms in strength to strength from growing been has contrast, by project, art contemporary wider. ever reality and code between gap the making conditions, environmental changing to responding of expense the at comes procedures juridical on emphasis pedantic a token, same the By anachronistic. embarrassingly feel Rights Human like reductions anthropocentric normative highly The global global The ⁵

⁴ and cosmopolitan globality. At the surface, surface, the At globality. cosmopolitan and subject liberal the mediating of function the (HR) art had e contemporary hegemony, global neoliberalism’s of advent the since that and mediation, of regimes as art contemporary and rights human between confluences under-acknowledged, and important, ⁵ ⁴ An Anthology of the the of Anthology An The and Art (London: Routledge, Routledge, (London: 2012). Okwui 2010); Concerning the the Concerning Cosmopolitan Contemporary (Surrey/ Century Intense Proximity: Proximity: Intense Imagination Editions ArtLys, ArtLys, Editions Palais Triennale, La Far, the and Near Disappearance Proximity: Enwezor,“Intense Humphries, 2014). Lund Burlington: 21st the in Market Art the of Explosion The Bucks: Big de Tokyo in Distance,” of Mersha Meskimmon, Meskimmon, Mersha Georgina Adam, Adam, Georgina ff ectively taken over from human rights rights human from over taken ectively (Paris : (Paris

eroding or have never never have or eroding that there exist exist there that argument the forward analysis. referential self- or oppression, of form persisting a concept, theoretical new a it’stechnology, whether fields, other in developments and trends current most to responses critical on predicated largely is it as insofar relevant socially as branded is art contemporary of content The portfolios. their diversifying while legitimacy public and capital cultural accrue entities corporate powerful and Individuals Worth Net High liquidity, needed much- for exchange in form); democratic socio- a (in existed I’d like to put put I’dto like

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119 Fractured Mediations Victoria Ivanova 120 concrete aims. concrete for actuality operationalize strategically to how understanding away from further and further us taking mystification—thereby and lament sentimentality, potentialities—through symbolic of consumption the for transformations enabling of act the shortchanges this turn, In fancy. and experience of realm closed-loop a into ⁷ ⁶ ⁸ “Art’sA Values: Young,”“Forever The End of History History of End The January-Fenruary, January-Fenruary, (London: Penguin, Penguin, (London: 2012). at [available 2015 [available at http:// at [available Issue II, 2015 2015 II, Issue values-a-detente-a- Plie,” in Grand a Detenge, com/article/arts- com/features/jan_ grand-plie/]. and theLastMan forever_young/]. feb_2015_feature_ www.parsejournal. in http://artreview. Francis Fukuyama, Fukuyama, Francis Suhail Malik, Malik, Suhail See Victoria Ivanova, Victoria See Art Review Art PARSE , ,

fence transformation transformation fence ecology serves to ring- infrastructural from reflection (critical) of value the of splitting The configurations. power existing of re-entrenchment the for allowing facto de thus actuality, in deliver never that futures symbolic of multitude a up open to gesture a in experience immediate subject’s the via present the of reorganization semantic perpetual a proposes (CA) art contemporary mediation, of regime 1990s. the of moment history” of end “the to central so and art contemporary in manifest now) forever the (or contemporary timeless a of notion the in evident is this ⁷

As a As

⁸ in a systematic and “orderly” fashion. “orderly” and systematic a in invaders the of terms the on expansion global guide to attempted that undertaking universal ambitious an as law international inaugurated project colonial European the Historically, contradictions. internal to immunity relative and flexibility relentless its to due status lead for contender stronger much a as itself proved ultimately liberalism) market (or neoliberalism yet market, global the of expansion the to backdrop institutional-aspirational necessary the provided have may legalism) (or liberalism legalistic primacy: for competing and other each complementing agendas liberal conflicting of story the tells vicariously “transition” The ambitions. universal and ontologies originating their of level the at systems two the between confluences defining crucial some highlight to CAo to HR from transition the art. of genre a as it seeing ⁹ (London: Verso, (London: 2013). 2013). Contemporary Art Art Contemporary Osborne, Philosophy of of Philosophy or Not at All: The The All: at Not or Peter example, In contrast to, for to,for contrast In International Law: Between Imperialism Imperialism Between Law: International Anywhere Anywhere and Emancipation ⁹ ordering rather than than rather ordering global of project larger a in imbricated is that mediation of system a CAas frame to is argument this articulating for motivations main In this sense, tracing tracing sense, this In One of the the of One ff ers an opportunity opportunity an ers ¹¹ Within Within ¹⁰

121 Fractured Mediations Victoria Ivanova 122 proponents. Western leading its for law international in sovereignty of primacy the significantly weaken to Warserved World Second the and 1930s the in Communism Soviet and Fascism of experiences The politics. internal of result a as state the within ¹⁰ Theory of the Rule Rule the of Theory Trials Justice: A Liberal Liberal A Justice: (Cambridge, MA: MA: (Cambridge, (eds), Liberty (London: 1964); T. R. S. Allan, Allan, T. S. R. 1964); Classical Tradition University Oxford Constitutional [original German German [original University Press, Press, University Press, 2009). Press, University Harvard Mirowski Philip 2005 Inc, Fund The Liberalism: Mises, von Ludwig 2004); Press, Harvard MA: Political and Morals Law, Legalism: and Dieter Plehwe Plehwe Dieter and Law of from Mount Pelerin Mount from Raico R. trans. publication 1927]); 1927]); publication Judith Shklar, Judith (Cambridge, (Cambridge, The Road Road The (Oxford: (Oxford: ¹³ These powers instead used used instead powers These ,

that may spill out from from out spill may that violence of eruption the prevent not does it but war inter-state (European) of deterrent a as function may sovereignty national that understanding the with century nineteenth late- the in emerged global governance. of form biased inherently an as status its haunted always has deterritorialization of tool a as functioned and imperialism of out born was law international resolution. conflict for resort last of mechanism the as war keep to desire the and sovereignty national of agenda Westphalian the reinforced law international states, European of circle power the The HR discourse discourse HR The ¹² That That in the history of liberalism, and a key juncture juncture key a and liberalism, of history the in milestone major a was state the with par a on unit abstract global a as subject human a domestic individual into intervention non- of principle the by governed nation-states of “community” a as world the of image earlier the ¹¹ ¹³ ¹² The New World New The (New York:Telos (New 1996). 1950]). 2008). Order: Sovereignty, Sovereignty, Order: publication: German Cambridge Sovereignty and and Sovereignty University Press, Press, University International International Imperialism, Berg Publishers, Publishers, Berg Peoples of Determination Rights Human [original 2006 Press, Nomos of theEarth Law and theSelf- trans. G. L. Ulmen Ulmen L. G. trans. of Making the Antony Anghie, Anghie, Antony Mortimer Sellers, Sellers, Mortimer CarlSchmitt, The (Cambridge: (Cambridge: de jure de (Oxford: (Oxford: inauguration of the universal universal the of inauguration The The , international law as a as law international a radical departure from from departure radical a marked nation-state the with par a on subject human the of leveling legal the with together a internal the into treaties rights human the of However,reach the precedent. law international existing of out straight came instruments legal these through compliance monitor to bodies transnational instituting of possibility the and treaties multilateral international of ratification national of system The subject. human universal the stakeholder: legal new a of emergence the saw which regime, rights human international the instituting for channel ff airs of nation-states nation-states of airs ff airs. airs.

123 Fractured Mediations Victoria Ivanova 124 environmental conditions. environmental changing with apace keep to able been have which of values—none politico-ethical proclaimed its and markets, national deregulating at aimed policies liberal with packaged dynamics power top-down its history, imperial its reconcile to rigid too was system its achievements, legalism’s of pinnacle the became regime HR the of institution the while extent, To that 70s). and 60s 1950s, the in decolonized that states example, (for state-building their in meddling colonial of reason the for states weaker and States) United the (notably, interest national their breaching of “Four Human Rights Rights Human “Four ¹⁴ The Rise of Disaster Disaster of Rise The (Cambridge MA: MA: (Cambridge (Cheltenham: Old Problems, Problems, Old Capitalism Samuel Moyn, The The Moyn, Samuel Doctrine: Shock Press, 2012). Press, University Harvard History in Rights Human Utopia: Last 2008); Penguin, Naomi Klein, Elgar,2013); Edward New Possibilities Rights: Human (eds), al. et Kinley David in Myths,” Susan Marks, Marks, Susan (London: (London: The The

¹⁵ states for the reason reason the for states powerful by thwarted struggle, upward an been have work system HR international the make to attempts the agency. individual of legitimation juridico-institutional regime’s HR the of legacy the to indebted extent large a to is subject universal a position to regime’sability art contemporary one. market-driven the meets tradition legalistic the which at

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a violence of overdetermination that is in itself a itself in is that overdetermination of violence a unleashes it that is categories legal specific with subject the equating of problem the on attack of human. as them acknowledge must oppressor the rights, human from benefit to oppressed the for order in “refugee”: the of figure the to relation in Arendt Hannah by characterized accurately was that catch-22 a poses obviously This subject. legal a as human vulnerable the recognize to needs oppressor the be might that state the that means actionable claims the make to order in subject legal a with human” vulnerable “the equating of proviso additional The hand. Leviathan’s of ¹⁵ ¹⁶ Totalitarianism of Origins The York City: Random Random YorkCity: (Princeton: Princeton Princeton (Princeton: 2001). Victims Become Become Victims Genocide inRwanda University Press, Press, University House, 1973). the and Nativism, Colonialism, Killers: Mamdani, de-historicizing de-historicizing tendencies of human human of tendencies the of take-downs rights, see Mahmood Mahmood see rights, incisive most For one of the the of Forone Hannah Arendt, Arendt, Hannah ¹⁶ Meanwhile, the post-structuralist line line post-structuralist the Meanwhile, When When (New (New

su human vulnerable a be to presumed hand other the on is subject the while on), so and assembly, to right a religious speech, free live, to right the denying example, (for violations of menu established an in force oppressive exert to presumed is former The subject. the and apparatus state the between one the is managed be to needs that relationship pivotal the regime, HR Forthe ff Breaking the Mold the Breaking ering the brunt brunt the ering ffi liation, liation,

125 Fractured Mediations Victoria Ivanova 126 in terms of situating the subject as the key unit unit key the as subject the situating of terms in rights human with principles foundational of lot a market”—shares “the including importantly ecology— field’s institutional the of totality the global system. the into inclusion of benefits the reap to societies allows that heterogeneity outward of guarantor the as pitched is merger Their it. from emerges that claim ownership private concomitant the and primacy individual for grounding ethico-juridical an requires nevertheless liberalism market-driven hand, other the On norms. top-down deterministic a identifications, specific individual/culturally of freedom the emphasizing and oppression) state (including organization societal and governance di greater for allowing globalism, legalistically-minded of logic the reverses hand one the on paradigm This place. in are policies economic baseline the as ffi “Against Human Human “Against ¹⁷ July-August 2005; 2005; July-August (Abingdon: (Abingdon: Costas Douzinas, Douzinas, Costas Slavoj Zizek, Zizek, Slavoj Routledge, 2007). Routledge, Philosophy Political Rights Human 34 Review Left in Rights,” of Cosmopolitanism of The Empire: and liations and belief systems unrestrained by unrestrained systems belief and liations See, for example, example, for See, The contemporary art regime, understood as as understood regime, art contemporary The ff New New erentiation at the level of local local of level the at erentiation , . demands. All so long long so All demands. situation the however principles political ethico- importantly—its and—most allies antagonists, protagonists, its change to happy is liberalism market-driven tradition, liberal legal the of purism faltering forever resisted. be to oppression of form In contrast to the the to contrast In ¹⁷ of subjecthood. of di for allows meaning conjuring one the of stature unique the on emphasis an fore,while symbolic the to comes thus world the structuring in agency subject’s The world. the in operation of mode its on decides and meaning co-constructs art, of experience their in who subject phenomenological cognitive- the is CA’secology institutional by posited subject matter, the this on others by made been have that arguments rehearsing ¹⁸ ff J. Timmermann Timmermann J. (Cambridge: (Cambridge: (Cambridge: 1785]). 1781/1787]); [original 1999 2012 [original [original 2012 German publication: publication: German Cambridge of Groundwork publication: German Cambridge Pure of Critique University Press, Press, University Press University Immanuel Kant, Kant, Immanuel M. Gregor and and Gregor M. Reaso of Morals of W. WoodA. and the Metaphysics Metaphysics the P. trans. Guyer erence to become the defining characteristic characteristic defining the become to erence Immanuel Kant Kant Immanuel n, ed. and and ed. n, , trans. trans. , ¹⁹

of the modern global global modern the of paradigm. Without Without paradigm. art contemporary the through view into brought somehow is that subject the and art of subject-matter the as both understood be may subject the implies, phrase the of ambiguity the As solution. ended open- more much a provides CAregime the di from questions these approaching albeit world, outside the to relationship individual’s the problematize and individuation valorize to both subject—leads moral matrix—Kant’s shared order.Their ff erent perspectives. erent On the latter front, front, latter the On

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127 Fractured Mediations Victoria Ivanova 128 (power) dynamics. From this perspective, CA’s perspective, this From dynamics. (power) obfuscated reveal that premises suppressed the unpicking of means a as deconstruction towards turn the is move post-structuralist the of core CA’s the At shaping in language(s). role major a played have theory critical and structuralism post- that fact the to legitimacy their of share artworks. into constellations semantic constructed newly the funneling and own, its with along premises their reorganizing semantically large”), at (“reality fields other into delves or configurations ²¹ ²⁰ ¹⁹ Thomas Keenan Keenan Thomas Art Philosophy The All: at Not or Anywhere Annandale-on- (eds), 2013). 2013). Values: A Detenge, Detenge, A Values: Global Civility,” in in Civility,” Global a Constructing Snapshot Press/CCS, 2013). 2013). Press/CCS, Sternberg Hudson: Neutrality: of Politics of Contemporary Contemporary of Plie.” Grand a Zolghadr Tirdad and Peter Osborne, Osborne, Peter Suhail Malik, “The “The Malik, Suhail Ivanova, “Art’s Ivanova, (London: Verso, (London: The Human Human The (Berlin/ ²¹ Both approaches owe a fair fair a owe approaches Both

internal historical historical internal its with preoccupied either be to tends CA Content-wise, ecology. institutional a specificsocio- CA’s to into insertion delegated practice in is art being of status operating the that contingencies—means subjective on emphasis an by deflected criteria substantive of lack its is, liberalism—that CA’s ontological elsewhere, argued have I play.at As world the of dynamics changing ever- the reflects CA’s of subject-matter mutability infinite the At the same time, same the At ²⁰

mediation of “reality at large” is ontologically ontologically is large” at “reality of mediation conditions. Issues that burst the HR regime at its its at regime HR the burst that Issues conditions. emerging to responding (semantically) of capable it renders itself of questioning constant its di with dealing (semantically) of capable more itself proves CAregime the vein, similar a In code. stable a than rather process perpetual a as seen is justice which in approach an encourages and referents of system stable a opposes regime mediation former the as insofar HR CAthan with closely more much resonates deconstruction qua justice of fluidity tumultuous with justice. law equating formally resist to urges Derrida Law,” of “Force In situation. or subject given a of complexity and nuance the capture fully never can that norms top-down around text this in earlier voiced concerns echoes Derrida law,Jacques enactment. mimetic or critique as such elements additional by supplemented be may that operation basic a as deconstruction in rooted ²² “Force of Law: The The Law: of “Force ‘Mystical Foundations ‘Mystical Routledge, 1992). Routledge, Deconstruction (eds.), Carlson David & Rosenfeld Michel Cornell, Drucilla of Justice of Possibility the and in Authority,’” of Jacques Derrida, Derrida, Jacques Similarly, with regard to HR and codes of of codes and HR to regard with Similarly, ²² (London: (London: Acknowledging the pragmatic pragmatic the Acknowledging of law and the the and law of tractability concretizing the between Derrida’sdistinction deconstruction. of project and process the in visible rendered be only can that experience aporetic an is justice operations, law’s to calculating contrast in that argues law, Derrida for need ff erence, while while erence,

129 Fractured Mediations Victoria Ivanova 130 existing political and economic agendas, some some agendas, economic and political existing alongside subject universal stable a establish to attempted regime HR the that surprising particularly isn’t it as Just concerned. is systems mediating of prowess the as far as expectations misplaced and art’s agency of understanding idealized an from emerge to seem both they yet spectrum, the of sides opposite the on altogether. capitalism) (and neoliberalism eclipsing of task Promethean the with prescribed or project neoliberal purely a as dismissed either often most CAis neoliberalism, with contending for tool ideal an reason) very that (for or re-territorialization, and de- neoliberal of companion ideal an either as interpreted Frequently subjects. phenomenological globally-distributed addresses which and locally-constituted is that abstraction universal a as art positing in itself manifests globality This globality. shared a of presumption underlying an on) dependent partially (and with integrated is particularities contextual to CA’sattending in agility novelty. digesting by contemporaneity its reasserts that mediation of mechanism a as place its in thrive regime CA the oppression—make power/ dispersed environment, the intelligence, machine identities, non-individual figure, human the of centrality displaced the as seams—such The two responses may appear to be be to appear may responses two The From Subject to System System to Subject From

of which were predatory and some benevolent, benevolent, some and predatory were which of largely supported by the CA’s institutional network CA’snetwork the by institutional supported largely also are they and inquiries these in merit certainly is There etc.). scientists, leading preneurs, tech- politicians, financiers, as (such control jurisdictional actual with those question and from diverge that perspectives from issues various these into inroads providing are investigations curatorial and artistic that case the certainly is It achieve? mediation this does what is: question outstanding the on), so and populations, disenfranchised machines, intelligent increasingly forms, life synthetic new externalities,” “negative its and disaster environmental example, (for content its of level the at with contending already di facing ustoday? challenges the to up stand it does How concerns? future-oriented mediating for system a as function to capacity structural the have regime this does ask: to pertinent more be may it demise), its (or art from arise to solution any expecting of instead that means This times. its of challenges the to rises regime mediation particular a whether di is unsatisfactory find we that orders instituting for accountable them holding of question ethico-political the Consequently, ends. of variety a for deployed be to mediation of regimes of purpose very it’s the e In landscape. politico-economic larger a in embroiled is reformation persistent to subject di locally and nuanced a of CAregime’s vision the that fact the in controversial nothing is there ff ff erent from the myriad of issues that CA is CAis that issues of myriad the from erent itself is that world a in subject erentiated While these challenges might not be so so be not might challenges these While ff erent to the question of of question the to erent ff ect, ect,

131 Fractured Mediations Victoria Ivanova 132 regime would still be called contemporary art. art. contemporary called be still would regime a such whether and CAregime, the within happen could here proposed transition the whether is questions the of one course, Of negligible. is agency individual of impact the which in reality, a by demanded scale a on thinking for crucial so are that time and space of conceptions non-anthropocentric and abstraction with dealing way of the in stands dimension phenomenological CA’s extension, By foundation. epistemological scalable and systemic a without achieve to hard is which acumen, strategically-minded a of demands the to respond must mediation present, the of pathwayout a forge to order in meaning reconstitute to how is today emerging questions key the of one if but meaning, overdetermined mediating for strategy adequate an been have might former The realities. infrastructural existing reproducing implicitly while open-endedness, confounding reproduce to knowledge—tends organizing and synthesizing structuring, of method its in is, epistemology—that its to extends also CA’sliberalism ontological that fact The plight. similar a facing be may CAregime the that possibility a is there issues, contemporary mediating for relevance regime’s the of guarantee a been not has limitations). increasing ever its (despite is it as valuable system rights human the sees which field), professional rights human the (or UN the of that from dissimilar too not perhaps is CAfield the of consensus internal The etc.). collectors, galleries, museums, (curators, However, just as the UN’s internal consensus consensus UN’s internal the as However, just di somewhat on ever, as albeit relevant as is how?” and live to deserves “who question the where world a in further values guiding these developing for basis useful a provide still might CAregime the by transformed duly been have and regime HR the in present evidently are that emancipation and humanism of values residual the token, same the By subjecthood. phenomenological non- and epistemology, non-correlationist a departure, of unit its as human the surpassed already perhaps having formation, of process the in is regime mediation dominant globally new a So,while future. the vis-a-vis complex CA’s for stand ecological should approach similar a dominant, become had reality and subjecthood mediating for configuration fluid more a that fact the despite actors of variety a by tool political a as deployed be to continues but Earth the of face the from out wiped completely been hasn’t liberalism’s a mobilizing of capable be to and today us to available structures socio-material the with work to need pragmatic a also is there haul, long the in realistic and desirable both be may goal this While altogether. framework liberal the surpass to need ff Speculative Design.” Design.” Speculative “On volume, this to contribution Bratton’s ²³ erent terms. terms. erent There is also the much larger question of the the of question larger much the also is There See Benjamin Benjamin See ff ordances. Just as the HR regime regime HR the as Just ordances. systemic complexity, complexity, systemic mediate to capacity its to relation in it from demanded be to are that terms structural the preempting worth is it ²³

133 Fractured Mediations Victoria Ivanova The Construction of of Construction The —Elena Esposito Unpredictability

135 What is at Stake in the Future? Alex Williams and Nick Srnicek Modern society defines itself in relation to time— to relation in itself defines society Modern The wealth of the capitalist comes from a from comes capitalist the of wealth The consumed. or reproduced maintained, is which past, the in consolidated position a of result the rentier— the of wealth the not—like is capitalist the of profit The future. the to present the of sacrifice programmatic a as seen be can which capitalism— of logic the by primarily exemplified planning— and design towards future, the towards complex. and articulated more much order—becomes an called be still can it time—if of order the today, and unknowable new,hence be will future The continuity. not discontinuity, of sense the in but future, the for prepare to useful be to continues past the Knowing broken. and thisisallthat thepastcan teach us. will bedi it that know only shows—we Koselleck Reinhart which—as about future a of construction the and for search the new, of the of time the is Modernity modernity is for expression the where German, in explicitly ¹ (New York: Columbia York:Columbia (New 1979]). 2004 [original [original 2004 German publication: publication: German University Press, Press, University Historical Time, Historical On Past: Futures trans. Keith Tribe Tribe Keith trans. of Semantics the Reinhart Koselleck, Koselleck, Reinhart Modern time is characterized by this tension tension this by characterized is time Modern ff erent from the present and the past; past; the and present the from erent Neuzeit , literally meaning “new time.” time.” “new meaning literally , universe—is now now universe—is future) and present (past, the ruling order general ultimate an of assumption the in indirectly vitae”—and magistra “historia of idea the in implicit societies, traditional of future the and past the between The continuity continuity The ¹

²

137 The Construction of Unpredictability Elena Esposito 138 contemporary, what can it mean here to adopt a adopt to here mean it can what contemporary, of idea the with project our in associated produce. to promises it future the to related is present the of meaning The reinvested. be turn in will which profits, future more produce to reinvested immediately be to order in achieved be must profit therefore firm, the of development continuous the is goal The lot. a works and rectitude moral strong has he opulently, ² “rentier capitalism”, capitalism”, “rentier ³ [available at: https:// at: [available Manuscripts of 1844 of Manuscripts Economic-Political capital gains. capital to seem curiously generates interest, interest, generates money,which of org/archive/marx/ from property property from but - property from income of form the observers some to Benton Gregor trans. wealth again takes takes again wealth produced the where works/1844/epm/ www.marxists. index]. rents, dividends or or dividends rents, of form a to return Karl Marx, Marx, Karl Which according according Which If this is the temporal frame of modernity, modernity, of frame temporal the is this If , capitalist does not live live not does capitalist The consumption. conspicuous in image one’s of own care the for nor pleasure, personal for money spending enjoyed not is wealth capitalism, of model classical the In present. the it is nor past the longer no is reference the but entrepreneur, the of position moral) also Weber to according (and social the define to order in before, ever than necessary more even necessary, course of is Profit future. the of construction the to primarily addressed goods, of circulation and production of process dynamic

post-contemporary perspective? And how do the the do how And perspective? post-contemporary financial economy, as we know, is not production production not know, is we as economy, financial logic. financial to logic capitalist pure from transition the by primarily today,symbolized di contemporaneity? and modernity a capitalism of transformations ⁴ - except the time time the except - ff Your Life: Economy Economy YourLife: (Cambridge, MA: MA: (Cambridge, 1986]). The lender lender The 1986]). God, who gave it to to it gave who God, Goff, French publication: publication: French [original Press University Harvard Ranum Patricia Middle Ages, and get a profit. a get and to belongs argued) the until elapsing lending profit a gets the in Money and to use it, not to sell it it sell to not it, use to was (it time but time, without producing or or producing without is returned. The The returned. is men for free in order order in free for men money the moment anything providing money,but his lender actually sells sells actually lender See Jacques Le Le Jacques See erent attitude with respect to time is emerging emerging is time to respect with attitude erent The starting point can be the realization that a that realization the be can point starting The Your Money or or YourMoney trans. trans. enjoy the wealth they they wealth the enjoy present the in already can but return, the ensuring in future their commits money borrows who one the future: the of openness the present the in exploit to is credit with use of time. its of because precisely abomination— and sin as condemned longer no was it since least at years— of hundreds for doing was credit what it, before and, does present. the in used is that future the but future, the for sacrificed is that present the longer no is It future. the with di very a implements credit and credit, but ff erent relationship relationship erent This is what finance finance what is This ff ect the sense of of sense the ect ³ ⁴ The core of of core The Working Working

139 The Construction of Unpredictability Elena Esposito 140 of the one who places themselves “further ahead” ahead” “further themselves places who one the of perspective the intent: critical its from purified if even avant-garde, artistic the in observed be can that attitude same the basically is It expectations. own its and actions own its with built future, own future—its the incorporates present the scenarios, of projection models’ financial the In semantics. modern in implicit already as future the toward orientation the on emphasis and of development the hyper-contemporaneity, certain a about think rather could One attitude? future. the on action uncontrolled progressively and exasperated an society— our of markets financial “virtual” the in circulate that figures astonishing the generating operators, to available wealth more and more make ways,which complex more and more in bound and built is future The securitizations. like practices in again sold then and bought, and sold itself is future the of use The levels. hyperbolic to reflectivity push to models elaborate use which finance, structured of tools intransparent increasingly the with then and bonds, securities, loans, with future the of use present the stresses side. virtuous its reveals here which future, open the of circularity the unfolding it, on act didn’t I if occurred have not would which future, better a build to order in today future my constrain I revenues. other have and debt the repay to me enable will that profits get can I it, of use judicious make I if and money, the get I today but installments loan the pay to have Tomorrow, will I earn. to expect But is this already a post-contemporary post-contemporary a already this is But and multiplies but this from starts Finance of the present, in the future (or in the futures) that that futures) the in (or future the in present, the of future” (the horizon of future that we can imagine imagine can we that future of horizon (the future” it. predict to attempts our of consequence a as re-opened continuously is it because open is society risk of future the planning, avant-gardes and the “defuturized” of future the to Compared unpredictable. fundamentally with thefuture. relationship indeterminate and contingent more a assumes society,risk and risk a but society capitalist a primarily) not (or longer ago, no is glimpsed? be already can di even an denote to used be post-contemporary of label the can Or in? live we society the of logic imagine. can and anticipate they ⁶ ⁵ ff Theory (1991, Soziologie Soziologie (1991, SAGE, (London: 1993). 1993). 1992). Society: Towards Society: New York: de Gruyter, York:de New Barett Rhodes Sociological A Risk: des Risikos. Berlin- a New Modernity trans. Mark Ritter Ritter Mark trans. Niklas Luhmann, Luhmann, Niklas UlrichBeck, erent temporal attitude, the traces of which which of traces the attitude, temporal erent Our society, as Ulrich Beck said thirty years years thirty said Beck society, Ulrich Our as underlying the really finance of logic the is But , trans. trans. , ⁵ Risk Risk The future of risk is a present to present a is risk of future The , ⁷ expected, remaining remaining expected, di be will it about, comes future the when it— weplan more the and if we planthefuture— awareness eventhat the finance: in scenarios of projection the and risk of logic the between This isthedi them. from deviates it because but them, confirms it because choices—not and today’sexpectations on depends that come It is not the “present “present the not is It ff erent from what wewhat from erent ff erence erence ⁶

141 The Construction of Unpredictability Elena Esposito 142 influencing it— placing oneself ahead of it (as (as it of ahead oneself placing it— influencing in succeeds and it anticipate to tries one more the unknowable more and more is that future a of openness second-order a condition: this reflect could art) post-contemporary a about. comes actually later that future only the is models—which by led finance of future the except markets, the of courses future possible all predict can models financial finance: structured by triggered crisis the by shown as logic, its and ⁷ ⁸ “The Future Cannot Cannot Future “The (Cheltenham: (Cheltenham: 1976): 130-152. 2011). On the “blind “blind the On 2011). 2011, T CA: Intersystems Intersystems CA: Systems 43 Research Social in Structures Publications, 1981). Foerster, Elgar, Edward Financing in Money of Time The Futures. (Spring 1, Number Society”, Modern Temporal Begin: and Society and spot,” see Heinz von von Heinz see spot,” Niklas Luhmann, Luhmann, Niklas See Elena Esposito Esposito Elena See A post-contemporary attitude (and maybe maybe (and attitude post-contemporary A finance of spot blind the is circularity This he Future of of Future he (Seaside, (Seaside, Observing Observing

, anticipate it. anticipate to attempts our all and future present our with today’spresent is there which of past the in future the is It unpredictable. remains and exist yet not does present future the because constraints, its of and today of “ahead” present, future the in themselves locate can one No decisions). and today’sactions of result a as part in later, real become will but exist yet not does that present (a present” “future the but models) statistical or information available of basis the on today ⁸ the avant-gardes), or using it in the present (as (as present the in it using or avant-gardes), the is confirmed in each new unpredictable present. unpredictable new each in confirmed is that prediction surprise—a predicts only It predict. cannot and control not does it that form a future the on imposes present The space. artistic the by and experience of configuration the by imposed constraints the without produced be not could e the true: is opposite the Quite constraints. the DIAinBeacon (paradigmatically) like museums of management space the in even or performances, and installations In problem. a as not and asset an as circularity this performativity—using of elements some presents always almost forms innovative today. it expect we as happen not will di be would future the nothing, expected and nothing did we If intervention. our without about come not would and present (contemporary) the by constructed is it because precisely but expectations, our and actions our from us, from independent is it because not indeterminate and unknowable is that future a of openness the facing present a of one the be could condition post-contemporary The finance). ⁹ 1981)]. www.diaart.org/ sites/main/ beaconPublications, beaconPublications, See [http:// See Not by chance today’s art in its most most its in today’s art chance by Not ⁹ , the artwork is produced each each produced is artwork the , because it is free from from free is it because not unpredictable—but di artistic e viewer. The the with interaction every in way, new a in time ff erent and radically radically and erent ff erent—even if it it if erent—even ff ect is always is ect ff ect ect

143 The Construction of Unpredictability Elena Esposito Situating Global Forms: Forms: Global Situating and SuhailMalik Avanessian Armen with conversation in Ong —Aihwa Science Cosmopolitan of Anthropology An

145 What is at Stake in the Future? Alex Williams and Nick Srnicek neoliberal technologies and sovereign sovereign and technologies neoliberal by spaces and relationships innovative in realigned and apart taken being nationality—are entitlement,together—identity, territoriality, and fused be to used that ‘things which ways in many identity you work this Throughout diaspora. its and Asia East in particularly modernization, globally-constituted of configurations inventive and emerging specific to attention close pays research Youranthropological ² ¹ Anthropology 53 Anthropology (Durham, NC: Duke Duke NC: (Durham, 2012): 472-73. 472-73. 2012): 2006), 27. Quotes in the next next the in Quotes Global,” Art Chinese Contemporary University Press, Press, University Number 4, (August (August 4, Number the Reconfigures Forgot’: Polo Marco Mutations Exception: as Neoliberalism and Sovereignty and this source. this in Citizenship Citizenship in paragraph are from from are paragraph Aihwa Ong, Ong, Aihwa Aihwa Ong, “‘What “‘What Ong, Aihwa Armen Avanessian and Suhail Malik Malik Suhail and Avanessian Armen Current Current

, unified and coherent coherent and unified a as “history” even or humanitarianism,” ‘transnational state,” “nation- the capital,” “borderless as such modernization— of agent consistent a simpleorself- schematics too. political and critical-theoretical of reordering continual a requires also but attention, draw you which to dimensions cultural and economic technical, social, the in place takes only not re-assemblage this Furthermore, exceptions. Any appeal to to appeal Any ¹

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147 Situating Global Forms Aihwa Ong in conversation 148 organization that are independent of inherited inherited of independent are that organization and action thinking, of forms in world the enmeshing thus environments, politico-cultural of variety a in re-embedded and disembedded being of capable or “universalizable,” are practices) and institutions, technologies, knowledges, (modern forms” “Global Europe. Western in emerged originally that reasoning of modes and forms modern/ rational as universal the consider I Weber, Max Following approach? an such of features key the are What dynamics.’ transnational ‘complex to attentive approach an advocate instead you post-colonialism, of characteristic localism resistant the or modernism world.” the across governance multilateral “postsovereign of condition a in now are we that theory, political current of mainstays current the of one reject also you hand, other the On system”. world hegemonic a within subsumed encounter global of spaces new view and South and North global a of binarism the reinscribe “unwittingly approaches such speak—because subaltern the letting on or worldviews and customs local of particularity irreducible the on emphasis example, divisions—for East-West of structures binary the and thinking universalist of rigidity the to approaches postcolonial of response conventional the criticize you hand, one the On influences. and forces tangible more of knots complex of misrepresentation idealized an but is Each untenable. now narrative—is Aihwa Ong Ong Aihwa European of universalism the either of Instead

“culture.” In heterogenous contexts, situated situated contexts, heterogenous “culture.” In globalized milieus emerging out of complex complex of out emerging milieus globalized particular framing for concept assemblage” “global a propose I Collier, J. Stephen With localisms? of conglomeration a nor system” world “hegemonic a of that neither is it if you for work at is global” “the of sense What modern. be to means it what to central are that sustainability and living, life, of issues or problems, anthropological solving for milieus particular crystalize argued, have I culture, and politics technology, among interrelationships Contingent context. in problems their address to order in forms global repurpose and mediate (“culture”) ethics and politics “Global Assemblages, Assemblages, “Global ³ Technology, Politics Politics Technology, Anthropological Anthropological Assemblages: Anthropological (eds.), 2005), 3-21. MS: Blackwell, Blackwell, MS: Problem Ong A. in Problems,” and Ethics as as Ethics and Collier J. S. and Ong, Aihwa and Stephen J. Collier Collier J. Stephen AO AA-SM Global Global (Malden, (Malden, “particular”. “particular”. and “global” once at are that milieus global of constitution the explores approach My values. and institutions ethical and political existing with entangled becoming forms global by indexed is condition global forces. ethical and political situated and forms global between mediations ³ The The

149 Situating Global Forms Aihwa Ong in conversation 150 modernization but to grasp how, in each context, context, each how, in grasp to but modernization problems. “global” solving for conditions modify that regimes ethical and infrastructures political with interacting by environment particular a into themselves assimilate forms global how identifies analyst the assemblage, of lens the Through therein. problem-solving and intervention of forms situated the and milieu a constitute to together come that elements disparate the analyze should inquiry of space the words, other In investigation. of contexts particular in mediated complexly are phenomena such of aspects related how track can she that so analyst the by unpacked be to need that frameworks generic state,post-coloniality—are the modernization, categories—capitalism, Conventional elsewhere. and Asia in flows lateral by constituted being environments globalized among variations empirical capture not does frame temporal simple a because (e.g. postcolonialism) approach epoch-marking the circumvents approach My 1990s? the since West the in typical modernization of composition small-state/large-corporation the to models alternative viable present modernization Asian East of configurations current the that think you Do region? the of outside and within historicised are they how for also and states those for economies—both Asian modernizing rapidly of account the as colonialism post- rejecting of benefits the are What The point is not to come up with models of of models with up come to not is point The AO AA-SM

actual strategies of governing deploy a specific specific a deploy governing of strategies actual technologies, institutions, and material resources resources material and institutions, technologies, of correlation particular a how investigate to is goal The exercised. are practices reflexive which within possibility of conditions of crystallization the for account we site, particular a situated—in and variables—global disparate of interaction specific the identifying By change. of contexts novel of investigation our to precision reflexive and analytical brings that inquiry of space a forces. global with encounters by created circumstances situated within them resolve to seek and living, and life of problems on—target so and authoritarianism, political legitimation, ethico-religious “neoliberalism,” of logics by informed strategies—variously governing how on is focus My problem-solving. of space emerging an shapes that practices interpretive and rational of (re-)combination the illuminate I strategies, of deployment situated the studying power.” of “topology a or structures, institutional and forms, power, of material technologies of combination “Topologies of of “Topologies ⁴ ‘Governmentality’,” ‘Governmentality’,” Theory, Culture & Culture Theory, Analysis of Political Political of Analysis (2009): 78-108. Government beyond beyond Government Society Power: Foucault’s Power: Stephen J. Collier, J. Stephen The concept of “assemblage” configures configures “assemblage” of concept The , Number 6 Number , ⁴ Instead of relying on a stable or or stable a on relying of Instead For instance, by Forinstance, security. and growth, governing, of problems solving for possibility of conditions create that actors and institutions disparate between interactions dynamic the investigates approach my state,” “the of notion unified

151 Situating Global Forms Aihwa Ong in conversation 152 including ethnonational pride. ethnonational including a of number a and technoscience, ethnoregionalism, development, developmental political- state-led mix strategically Asia East in initiatives biotech that show biopower—you statist against markets neoliberal by life organic of control the of extension the as or destruction, ethical its and life biological human of dimension the into rationality instrumental of extension an as developments—typically, such denounce that theory critical received of precepts to Contrary genomics. particularly biotechnologies, of promotion regional led state- the examines work recent Yourmost distinctive. and global simultaneously is that intervention of space a constitutes ⁵ 7 The Pluripotency and and Pluripotency The 69-85. Science, Technology Technology Science, International Journal Journal International Fungibility of Life Life of Fungibility Mutations: of Milieu and Society: An An Society: and in Asia,” Aihwa Ong, “A Ong, Aihwa , Number 1 (2013): (2013): 1 Number , AA-SM East Asian Asian East Biocapitalist Nationalism Nationalism Biocapitalist Euro-American Euro-American understand we if that argue I Life, of City Asian the in Experiment Life: Fungible In factors? national science andlocal- of intertwining this of consequences ⁵ AO What are the the are What ff ects ects

should not assume in advance that biomedical biomedical that advance in assume not should one science, regulated as science cosmopolitan genomic origami is created by di by created is origami genomic A biomarkers. and risks, disease variants, genetic mapping for heuristic ethnic the deploys diseases. emerging of threat the with brimming tropics a in values fungible and fortunes genetic and hope, and anxiety between connections novel generates milieu research the passion, and science of helix double the by Shaped science. cosmopolitan of particularization the of study case a is Biopolis data, health and bodies “Asian” access to scientists international for site global a As China. South in Genomics BGI to contrast in Singapore, in hub biomedical a Biopolis, in science biomedical of constitution situated the frame elements. situated e constant this on depends science cosmopolitan universalizable, be to order In planet. the across remediation scientific of process a in destabilized is form. debased a merely is places other in science ⁶ Press, 2016). Press, University Duke NC: (Durham, Life in Experiment Life: Fungible the Asian City of of City Asian the Aihwa Ong, Ong, Aihwa The book covers how new-risk genomics genomics new-risk how covers book The to assemblage” “global of lens the deploy I ⁶ Rather, my work illuminates how, in order order how, in illuminates work Rather, my ff ort to be particular, to remediate remediate to particular, be to ort

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153 Situating Global Forms Aihwa Ong in conversation 154 (biotechnically reconstructed sovereignty). How How sovereignty). reconstructed (biotechnically futures and citizenship), and entrepreneurialism state- (globalised presents colonial), and (say, precolonial pasts cogent operatively of modalities temporal and times of admixture an index to seem would identify you capitalism biosovereign of formations aggregate The future. the in diseases infectious with dealing for and collaborations inter-Asian for preparations considers also It research. cell stem in rivalry intra-Asian and science; of globalization the in virtue of nature the platform; biomedical a making in and subjects research protecting in bioethics of role the talents; scientific of assembling the calculated: easily so not are that science. cosmopolitan of direction future the about questions raise Asia in emerging entrepreneurialism biomedical of modalities These populations. migrating and e the meeting for resources genetic of pools ethnic of cosmos a as nation the rendering for center a and company biotech global a both is institute China-based the Genomics: BGI with contrasted is Biopolis science, cosmopolitan of outpost An fungible. made thereby are Asia, in populations majority “represent” to come which databases, ethnic-stratified Singapore’s DNA. Malay and Indian, Chinese, between AA-SM uncertainty of kinds explores study the Overall, Time Knots Knots Time ff ects of ageing ageing of ects of calculability. of realm the within falls that horizon immediate the or future” “near the shape to seek actors diverse ways as multiple in up taken but actors, of hands and minds the in or space political a across stable or immutable not are norms cultural and with di playing by enabled and conditioned inescapably are projects on-going how investigates approach rather, my politics; and temporalities of geographies given typify to not is goal My geogra-phies. “post-colonial” and European between boundary-marker simple a as complexes temporal of use the avoid I temporalities, multiple of mix a always is contemporaneity ⁷ ⁸ “Prophecy and and “Prophecy - New Edition Time,” American American Time,” and Thought (2007): 409-421. 409-421. (2007): Duke NC: (Durham, 2007). 2007). Univesity Press, Press, Univesity Ethnologist 34:3 34:3 Ethnologist Punctuated and Evangelical, Macroeconomic, Difference Historical Postcolonial Europe: Provincializing the Near Future: Future: Near the Dipesh Chakrabarty, Chakrabarty, Dipesh Jane Guyer, Jane ff erent time horizons. Historical legacies legacies Historical horizons. time erent ⁸

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155 Situating Global Forms Aihwa Ong in conversation 156 working with Asian genomics also put di put also genomics Asian with working Researchers vectors. environmental of timing the and travel of itineraries to transmission, nonhuman-to-human of temporalities the to etc.) virus, flu avian (SARS, viruses of mutability deal withdi scientists pandemics, emerging for preparations engage di necessarily experiments that show I Asia, in research biomedical of studies my In future. the designing in involved are experts other than less no scientists and situations, experimental as activities problem-solving approach I condition. inevitable the is uncertainty and configurations. time-space contingent diverse in biosecurity of problems combating for possibility of conditions new (re-)making of work dynamic the of part is registers multiple in “Asia” of invoking the instance, for sustainability, but always inan“ecology of ignorance.” risks, incoming with deal systems autopoeitic technological that argues Luhmann Niklas future. near the beyond temporality unknowable or unknown an is there future, immediate an ⁹ (Stanford: Stanford Stanford (Stanford: 1998). William Whobrey Whobrey William Observations on on Observations University Press, Press, University Modernity Niklas Luhmann, Luhmann, Niklas Interventions into the human are experiments, experiments, are human the into Interventions of self-fashioning our in that implies This ff erent time registers. For instance, in in Forinstance, registers. time erent ff , trans. trans. , erent temporalities, from the the from temporalities, erent projects of growth and and growth of projects many in how explore I present. the shape to order in future anticipatory and past selective the enrol that practices science investigate di I Life, Fungible ⁹ ff ff In In erent erent erent erent temporalities into play. Stories about the ancient ancient the about play. Stories into temporalities but the uncertainty remains. uncertainty the but future, scientific shared a nourish to order in past shared a of myths mobilize geneticists projects, other in engaged scientists Like science. in future present- collective potentially and past-present Asian unified a of imaginary new a of projection a is there Here, future. near the in threats biological of anticipation in collaborations research present configure to help data genetic from gleaned past

157 Situating Global Forms Aihwa Ong in conversation Letters from the the from Letters —David Roden —David Ocean Terminus

159 What is at Stake in the Future? Alex Williams and Nick Srnicek Pavement rushing at us, lit by headlights. Beyond, Beyond, headlights. by lit us, at rushing Pavement and hideous novelties. Its industry is contrary to to contrary is industry Its novelties. hideous and monsters engenders wasteland a overlooking own. our call hopefully we machines the of inclinations furtive the from dissociable ever were own our call nervously we violet.” and carmine in shapes “complexgeometric mannequins: of bodies the and sex crashindi phrase. prescient Ballard’s in psychopathologies” own our “tapping along. went we as history up now...making territory uncharted in We were night. at highway black a like become me,has to clear so always future, The (V.O.) SARAH darkness. ² ³ ¹ Judgment Day Judgment Vintage, 1995). Vintage, Cameron, 1991). Cameron, Crash 1991). Cameron, film (USA: James James (USA: film Terminator 2: 2: Terminator J. G Ballard, Ballard, G J. Crash,122. In Ligotti’s “The Red Tower” an empty factory factory empty Tower” an Red “The Ligotti’s In Death meta-violence. this is modernity Zero (London: (London: ¹

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161 Letters from the Ocean Terminus David Roden 162 survivor in the tunnels below Chaillot dreams of of dreams Chaillot below tunnels the in survivor 2011.) in sometime it puts (2008) Chronicles Connor Sarah The Terminator: 2003. in up goes balloon the (2003) Machines the of Rise 3: Terminator In output. franchise later reflecting rescheduled, subsequently is us expunge would Skynet which with war nuclear (The future no-future The headlamps. our in e It anti-machine. the is time Terminator Paradoxically, void. and night across blooming inhuman, the to attributed be to has impulse futural the that given apt is myth this Maybe us. manage to need not does It nothing. for however. monsters It redundant, is Factory deanxietized. are we Thus spirituality. protest, activism, art, the from shambling things vital putrescent, the discover we controllers its for ourselves mistaken Having clefts. service deep and machines discern. never we schedules to according operates or finality, “The Red Tower,” Red “The ⁴ 2011, [http:// 2011, Weird Fiction Fiction Weird Review, last modified modified Review,last com/2011/12/ thomas-ligotti/]. the-red-tower-by- weirdfictionreview. Thomas Ligotti, Ligotti, Thomas Another war scrags the quotidian world. A world. quotidian the scrags war Another the to genius providential such Attributing evaporated its among wandering us picture I ffl oresces contentless contentless oresces theatrical redress: redress: theatrical purely or ironic an us allow which invoked are Exits Being. of quietude the disturbs Tower the which with items functionless grotesquely of line another are we that lower levels. its on graves birth ⁴ We recall We recall

main pier of Orly, where, as a child, he saw the the saw he child, a as where, Orly, of pier main perhaps you—might grow selfless (nemocentric). selfless grow you—might perhaps one. only the not resources. computational scarce eking of matter a neglect, of born is immediacy Their motives. our We misconstrue understand. nor recall neither we Wepassions have excluded. both are we which from melancholy, own its has say. to It nothing cinema.Your has body abandoned an in flickering highway The photographs. Marker’ssomnolent in out laid and shot is everyone and Everything changed. has nothing past, the of dream wet him). dreams who child the dreams he (while her with die to yearning his formed past the in sojourn murder. unexplained an and woman young a of face magnetic curiously ⁷ ⁶ ⁵ ⁸ (Cambridge, MA: MIT MIT MA: (Cambridge, One One, Subjectivity Of Self-Model Theory Theory Self-Model Press, 2003). Press, The One: No Being Marker, 1962). Metzinger, Metzinger, Thomas Metzinger, Metzinger, Thomas

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165 Letters from the Ocean Terminus David Roden 166 a multiplicity of seemingly incongruous incongruous seemingly of multiplicity a anthropoid. anything than contagion geologic avatar of better a seems Cthulhu retorts, Haraway Thus, relationships. its of tenuousness the acknowledges Art least At future. the on parasitic suavely are waiting and Engineering dark. the in helplessly shimmer to us allowing dermographism a response, histamine benign a is grow. Philosophy only can stumbled.” or walked “A mountain for translation no is There irresponsibly. explored be only can “our successors” as euphemistically to refer you those with concern natural Our environments. anomalous in coupling pre-emption; of logic “Weak Emergence,” Emergence,” “Weak ¹² ¹¹ ¹⁰ Trouble Anthropocene, Anthropocene, (1998): 375-399. Chthulucene: Chthulucene: Capitalocene, H.P. Of Lovecraft Fiction Complete [https://vimeo. Staying With The The With Staying Noûs 31, no. 11 no.11 31, Noûs com/97663518]. ebook, 1994. H.P. Lovecraft, The The H.P. Lovecraft, Donna Harraway, Donna Bedau, A. Mark The cephalopod occupies this duality, this occupies cephalopod The subjectivity in cracks the being, time Forthe , video, 2014, 2014, video, , , ¹²

equivalence. equivalence. Baudrillardian perfect in evaporates simulacra its and disconnection between distinction epistemological the that seems It vivo. in it running without made be cannot judgement this least at intensities: kinds of di same the generate to apt be AI+—would or AI prospective as DTentity—such a of predictor genuinely properties. similar relevantly with We adopt the the Weadopt ff ¹⁰ erences and and erences A ¹¹ through with the sub-dermals though. I think of of think I though. sub-dermals the with through came He implants. transcranial and agonists local of impact the about defensive cagily Russian, your remember I it. for you loved they turn, in and, them You exploited self-hackers. all.” after ourselves to it We do desire. of kind a with puppet the invest to easy is “It machine. the to me referred you apoptosis, speculative this me, and withsadness. told then you death,” no equally is “There smiles. asked, you a When what? for But abstraction. of vehicle a better. You you became know not did who those by depression for mistaken be could that insistence an with that were you And skin. than truer were Anomalies travel.” space of kind a already is “This carnality. inverted with shiver you felt I it, denied you if Even that. in pleasure of kind a detected I intellectually. life rejected always had you think I creature. whole the of sense make to tries one once apart falls coherence whose “Tentacles Longer Longer “Tentacles ¹³ Than Night: Horror Horror Night: Than (2015): 149,172-174. Of Philosophy,” John John Philosophy,” Of Hunt Publishing 3 Publishing Hunt Eugene Thacker, Eugene You had an extended community of seditious seditious of community extended Youan had explain to you asked I occasion, one on When, ff orded me one of your distempered distempered your of one me orded Metanoia features—tentacles and aformless “head”— “teeth,” intestinal of rows system, nervous complex a “beak,” sharp with suckers, arazor- “arms” multiple and ¹³

167 Letters from the Ocean Terminus David Roden 168 of selfhood and empathic communion with others: others: with communion empathic and selfhood of illusions his subtract to neurotechnologies same character. of way by much very or motivations him attribute escalates… only contingency operational whose parameters manipulable puppets. faceless of gnosis a in him stranding another, of might we (though cognition guerrilla of form a into us co-opts Neuropath of antagonist the nothing. in participate nothing, resemble believe now we things those Of object. an without science a propose you birds like voice a In points. crossing paradoxical or screens, masks, behind from You spoke dreams. Acousmatic not-you’s. the for future the mined and see yet not could you something become to Youhoped trachea. and larynx your in ventriloquizing others those and skin your enfilading tele-presences the “On Scott Bakker’s “OnScott ¹⁵ ¹⁴ (London: Repeater, (London: Orion, (London: 2016). 2010). Discognition in Neuropath,” Neuropath Steven Shaviro, Steven Bakker, Scott R. Neuropath leaves the reader unable to to unable reader the leaves Neuropath spirituality: personhood, pain, and Pleasure Cassidy, Neil Tower algorithm, Red the Like ¹⁵ , ebook. ebook. , The Cassidy Thing has used the the used has Thing Cassidy The . the fusiform region region fusiform the ablates He webcam. a before death to herself lacerates She damage. tissue from orgasms intense generate to star porn a of pathways pain primary the tweaks He NSA. the from divested neurotechnics with us alters he us; kill such). as it recognise not ¹⁴ He does not not does He

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169 Letters from the Ocean Terminus David Roden 170 arts are hampered (as fiction is not) by the the by not) is fiction (as hampered are arts . . . hell matter soulless some to phasing disassembles, Cassidy opens. mouth starfish lateral A awaymeat. raw strips ammonia flows. matter negentropic dark to invocation Cthulhoid a basis.” rational more a on world our and ourselves of “reengineering wholesale the enjoins it production, of sphere the “gift”outside unbidden an as nature retain would who those Against Enlightenment. radical and modernity by induced disequilibrium the embraces and politics eco/identity rejects Prometheanism real. the of substrate the into rip agencies divaricating ¹⁸ Avanessian, eds. eds. Avanessian, Accelerationist in Critics,” Its And (Falmouth: London, London, (Falmouth: 2014), 487. #Accelerate: The The #Accelerate: Mackay and Armen Armen and Mackay Reader Prometheanism Ray Brassier, “On Brassier, Ray It might seem that plastic or performance performance or plastic that seem might It The Politics of Advanced Noncompliance Acid meal. soft pink, are you Underneath, o bets state.All Tower halting Red , Robin Robin , Cthulhoid Prometheus Cthulhoid ¹⁸

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171 Letters from the Ocean Terminus David Roden 172 exchange relations or Dark Lord habitus. There There habitus. Lord Dark or relations exchange not tech-spoor, multistable infrastructure, the complexity and e vulva. aquamarine an feed: visual my in loops It peripherally). renders para-visuals (which World-0 monochromed a on superposes clip The gain: the up I headlights. of whorl blue the into unfurl Centrelines American. on. move caresses; neuralese ardent emoticons, fleet broadcast They destination. a of recollection no is there But party. fetish a at drunks like pedestrianize They night. the in galaxies Termite sensations. thick in junk data secrete Idems time-code. legacy over optima distance implement eddies, and flows luminous inscribe Nomads R’lyeh. drive-through some of buttresses like mycogoth-arterial, a City: Swarm now? we are Where ghosts. hungry immense, cities—Ballard’s season. tourist brief a for hypermodernity entropic of out us blisses Communism True Elsewhere, continua. stacked in hypermentation actualising trails, matter degenerate with core the riddles Oesophagus The storms. coronal hot above n-bots matter Smart heaven. raid troops your Inevitably, enemies. our of heads living the in decked gunships semi-automated beats, scuzzy dark with fills air The eco-Jihads. the exacerbate but couldn’t But thee me.... to clear so always future, The North gravelly in intones woman’s voice A The questione former digest non-lieux Inchoate Landmarks. elite post-mortal the of disconnection The ff ects of change route out from from out route change of ects ff aced in extensive liminality. liminality. extensive in aced ffi cacy of disseminative disseminative of cacy may be other flushes out of the zero modern modern zero the of out flushes other be may silence. We cannot name it. it. name We cannot silence. o rolls sound huge a somewhere; stumbles perfect. and warm parting, Yourface. cloaca your over plates leather overlapping of mask A robed. viscerally stone, bleeding of maze a in You sit Terminus. Ocean at itself outlives Everything smoke. to master. to hope longer no we possibilities of matrix a view, in in is end the of end the But naturally). sorts, of exit an is (Disconnection I am within you, then. Then, the mountain mountain the Then, then. you, within am I organs excess me,turning inside You are ff our our Contributors

175 What is at Stake in the Future? Alex Williams and Nick Srnicek 176 Aihwa Ong Human the of Edge the at Philosophy Life: Posthuman Assessment Philosophical and volume the to contribution a include publications state.His human the transcending of implications ethical the and posthuman the of metaphysics the addresses which posthumanism of formulation philosophical a developing currently culture, and technology between Roden David art. contemporary and finance rights, human in interest particular with ordering global of technologies and systems on focused Ivanova Victoria methodologies. design interdisciplinary and infrastructure, and media computational emerging theory, social and political of intersections the at situated is research His Switzerland. Saas-Fee, in School Graduate European The at Design Digital of Professor as well as Diego, San California, of University the at Geopolitics and Design for Center The of Director and Arts Visual of Professor Associate Benjamin H.Bratton emergence. of contexts Asian particular in citizenship and assemblages, technoscientific governing, of modes technologies, global on focus interests research Her Berkeley. California, of University the at Studies Asian Southeast and Anthropology is published by Routledge. by published is The Singularity Hypothesis: A Scientific Scientific A Hypothesis: Singularity The is Professor of Socio-Cultural Socio-Cultural of Professor is is interested in the interface interface the in interested is is a curator. Her research is is research curator. Her a is is a theorist. He is is He theorist. a is Springer Frontiers Frontiers Springer . His book book His .

177 Contributors 178 Twenty-First Century Twenty-First entitled book a on working presently is He London. University, City at researcher a is Williams politics. post-work and labour, reproductive work, care about Hester Helen with book a writing currently is and 2016), also theauthor of of Nick SrnicekandAlex Williams information. of management the for ratings and rankings of proliferation the on and algorithms of web,sociology the on forgetting of forms and possibility the on focus projects research current Her finance. in time of use the as such time of management social the to related issues on especially systems, social of theory the with works She (I). Emilia Reggio Communication at theUniversity of Modena- Elena Esposito this text. on elaborate will that book a on working currently Alienation for published They century. twenty-first the to adequate feminism a redefine to online collaboration in working countries, 5 across women 6 of comprised collective Cuboniks Laboria Inventing the Future the Inventing online in the Spring of 2015 and are are and 2015 of Spring the in online teaches Sociology of of Sociology teaches

The SmartEconomy Hegemony Now: Power in the the in Power Now: Hegemony is a polymorphous xenofeminist xenofeminist polymorphous a is . (Verso, 2015). Srnicek is is Srnicek (Verso,2015). Xenofeminism, A Politics Politics A Xenofeminism, are the authors authors the are (Polity, Post-Contemporary David Toro and Ada O’Higgins, Edwige Armen Avanessian and Baron, Maurin Dietrich, Suhail Malik, eds. Gaby Horn, and Krisztina Hunya from Managing Editor the Berlin Biennale Victoria Ivanova Tom Lamberty at Merve Spike Berlin, for Design hosting a public Federico Pérez Villoro discussion on “Postcontemporary” on [NAME] Publications 29 January 2016. Gean Moreno Natalia Zuluaga [NAME] Publications ISBN: Pending Elements of this book Library of Congress were first published in Control Number: English online by Pending DiS, April 2016, in conjunction with the namepublications.org Berlin Biennial IX, Printed in Mexico City, July - September 2016. Mexico (2016)

A German edition was This publication was published under the supported by the 9th title Der ZeitComplex: Berlin Biennale for Postcontemporary by Contemporary Art Merve, 2016.

The editors of this volume would like to thank Andreas Töpfer DiS, especially Lauren Boyle, Solomon Chase, Marco Roso,