Mark Fisher (2) (1968–2017)

One wonders, on a meta-philosophical/political level, whether depressed tracts like these, where allusions and metaphors that are meant to carry great theoretical weight are sourced in mere cultural artifacts like Supernanny and Heat and The Godfather etc. etc., simply carry out the reflexive impotence and interpassivity and depressive hedonia that Fisher rallies against. Ok, so I’ve spent a couple of hours re-reading this and I feel like having a cry and then a wank and then after all of that maybe another cry - is that all the Post-left postmodern blah blah theorists have to offer? Is this praxis? Is it so tyrannical and Kafkaesque that schools in England have internal controls/Maoist-esque self-criticism so as to lessen the frequency of OFSTED inspections? In a fight against climate catastrophe, or whatever great Capital-instigated crisis you want to point at, am I just meant to rethink the concept of general will? Get rid of bureaucracy? Come come, Mr Fisher, this is weak - leftist populism, maybe a few instances of surrealism’s most essential and despicable act (look to the second manifesto, bang bang), wouldn’t that do the trick? Or must we just endorse a Žižekian quietism, think through things and stand around until we see the light at the end of the tunnel (and being perceptive intellectuals, recognise that it is a train hurtling toward us)? Little works like this seem to only really have a call to action toward paralysis in their affective impact, and are quickly sucked up, “reterritorialised” if you want to be pedantic, by the very structure of Capital itself. I’m rambling. I still like Mark. Rest in Peace Champ.… (més)

With the amount of references to Zizek, from concepts to ideas, you're left wondering why you didn't read a Zizek book instead of this, since it's seemingly the only person who the writer thinks knows what's going on. Got a good chuckle of the criticism of commodification of culture and disparaging of capitalist influence from a guy who drops media references constantly. Just like Zizek tries to justify being captured by the boobtube as if he's doing important research. The book also forgets to answer the question it poses.… (més)