[Nettime-bold] Re: <nettime> Re: Public Electricity Production

[Nmherman@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/31/2001 9:58:48 AM Central Daylight Time, 
106271.223@compuserve.com writes:

> The computer
>  sits, or rather spins, at the heart of a production process giving rise to
>  the kinds of symbolic goods that flatter the post-68 emphasis on culture
>  and volatile fashion.

I like the idea that PC's spin.  I often do the geometry that way myself.  

I'm trying to figure out who's on what side of the the new divide or 
decision, not so new actually but one in which I seriously know we all 
currently reside.  Thomas Frank is right that cool is sold but rots the 
teeth.  There's a painting in Oberlin Ohio which is a picture of a nickel 
across which is written "charisma is the perfume of your gods."  I think it's 
early eighties or even seventies.

Frank seems upset about "shoddy culture" et cetera.  Beaudrillard calls such 
disdain for smoking weed and hearing the Doors "vulgar" in his "Countdown" 
essay.  I like Genius 2000 over the "Countdown" thinking any day.  Frank 
seems only to lack an entertaining alternative to the sold coolness, or 
"volatile fashion."  I don't like the idea of volatile fashion accomplishing 
anything, saving anyone, or making the world less warlike and unthinking.  
Volatile fashion is cutesy bullshit for urban attention-seekers and sleazy 
new media artists.  And for admen, in the highest.

Electricity-wise, I think that genius is a neurochemical cycle that occurs in 
all healthy, normally functioning human brains.  It's like language or sleep. 
 Fear, stress, obedience, coercion, deception, are all ancient means of 
stopping people from having this normal cyclical neuroelectric process go on 
in their brains.  Because when people have it, know they're having it, and 
know lots of other people are having it, they don't take any more bullshit.  
They speak out and fight and usually win.  

But realizing this and acknowledging it as the only human attribute by which 
we can shape our planet is very controversial.  In fact, many prefer the 
monotheistic idea of preserving the atomic "soul" to fostering living genius. 
 Demystifying genius is, in historical context, akin to acknowledging the 
universal human faculty of say reason in the 18th century, but it is more 
sweeping in its effects.  It will turn our systems of reward and value upside 
down.  Many sleazy art critics and op-ed writers will lose their credibility 
and be mocked, derided.  On the downside parents, colleges, churches, and 
traditions will suffer renewed skepticism.  Big economic sectors will go 
belly up.  New sectors will burgeon.

Agree or disagree?  Think fast.  

Just kidding,

Max Herman
http://www.geocities.com/genius-2000


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