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ARTICLES

WANDERING ABSTRACTION
ByRayBrassier ,13February2014
Politics/Communism/Theory/Continental/Posthumanist

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Image:AlbrechtDurer,MelencoliaI,1514

DevelopingapresentationgivenattheAccelerationismsymposiuminBerlinDecember2013,RayBrassier
drawsuponthedivergenttheoriesof'accelerationism'and'communisation'whosemutualillumination
exposestheproblemsofarticulatingcognitiveabstractionandsocialpractice

Accelerationismexcitespassionatecondemnationandequallyferventaffirmation.1Perhapsthisisbecausewhat
isatstakeinthisMarxistheresyisourrelationtothefuture:iscommunism,understoodastherealmovement
whichabolishesthepresentstateofthings.2IstheconsummationofEnlightenmentunderstoodashumanitys
emancipationfromitsselfincurredtutelage?3OriscommunismrathertherepudiationofanEnlightenment
modernitythatisnothingbutanalibiforthedespotismofcapital?Theversionofaccelerationismrecentlyproposed
byNickSrnicekandAlexWilliamsaffirmstheformerbyreassertingtheEnlightenmentandclassicalMarxist
compactbetweenemancipationandrationality.4Thisnew,rationalistaccelerationismisintendedasacorrectiveto
thevitalistproclivitiesofitspoststructuralistpredecessors,bestepitomisedbyDeleuze&Guattari'sAntiOedipus,
inwhichpoliticalagencywashitchedtoanAeolianprocessesofdeterritorialisationandemancipationwaspropelled
bythemetaphysicsofdesiringproduction.5SrnicekandWilliamsattempttodecoupleaccelerationismfromvitalist
metaphysicsrequiresdistinguishingbetweenepistemicandpoliticalaccelerationasindexesofconceptualand
socialabstractionrespectively.Itistheconjunctionofthelatterpairingthattheirproposalseekstoarticulate.Thus
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theissueofabstraction,andofitsepistemic,social,andpoliticalvalences,turnsouttobecentraltotheir
reformulation.Ofcourse,SrnicekandWilliamssuggestionthatthefeedbackbetweensocialandconceptual
abstractionmightplayapositiveemancipatoryroleiscontroversial.Sohowarewetounderstandtherelation
betweenthesetworegistersofabstraction?

FromaMarxistperspective,understandingthelinkbetweenthem,orbetweenknowledgeandpolitics,requiresa
theoryofsocialabstraction.Moreprecisely,theMarxistaccountofrealabstractionwouldprovidethekeyrequired
forthestrategicarticulationofcognitiveabstractionwithsocialabstraction.Butif,asAlfredSohnRethelmaintained,
thelatterasymmetricallydeterminestheformerthenthereassertionoftheirsymmetrywillbesummarilydismissed
asidealistdelusion.6Bythesametoken,thevarietiesofrepresentationalmodelingthat,onSrnicekandWilliams
account,aresupposedtoyieldcognitivetractionontheabstractdynamicsofcapitalwillbedisqualifiedinadvance
bytheclaimthatsuchrepresentationiscongenitallyblindtoitsownsocialdetermination.Thisdemotionof
representationfollowsfromthebaldclaimthatcapitalsrealsubsumptionofintellectuallabourreducesallscientific
representationtocalculation,apingtheabstractionsofthevalueform.Butthisinturninvitesperplexityastowhat
exactlydistinguishesgood,i.e.cognitivelyvirtuousandpoliticallyemancipatoryabstraction,frombad,i.e.
cognitivelydeficientandpoliticallyreactionaryabstraction.7HowdotheabstractcategoriesoftheMarxistdialectic
capital,labour,valueform,commodity,circulation,production,etc.succeedorfailtomapcontemporarysocial
realitywhendeployedincompeting(andoftenpoliticallyantagonistic)explanations?Whattheoryisfittorecognise
therealmovementabolishingthepresentstateofthingsinconditionsofrealsubsumption?

Iwanttobroachthisquestionbycontrastingaccelerationismsattemptattrackingtherealmovementwiththatof
JacquesCamatte,whosetextTheWanderingofHumanityisnotonlycontemporaneouswiththoseofclassical
accelerationismbutsharestheircentralpremiselabourscompleteintegrationintocapitalwhiledrawinga
radicallydifferentconclusion.8CapitalsdomesticationofhumanityistobecounterednotthroughtheNietzschean
overcomingofthealltoohuman(theunleashingofdesiringproduction,etc.)butthroughthehumancommunitys
completeexitfromthecommunityofcapitalenforcedunderrealsubsumption.9Camattesanalysesinmanyways
prefigurethoseofcontemporaryproponentsofcommunisation.ThegroupEndnotesdefinecommunisationasthe
directdestructionoftheselfreproducingrelationinwhichworkersasworkersandcapitalasselfvalorisingvalue
areandcometobe.10Butasweshallsee,EndnotesrejectCamattesaccountofthelogicofsubsumptionas
wellashisclaimthathumancommunitiescanwithdrawfromcapitalsselfreproducingrelation.Theyargue(rightly,
inmyview)thattherecanbenoexitfromthecapitalrelationbecauseitconstitutesus:Whatweareis,atthe
deepestlevel,constitutedbythisrelation,anditisarupturewiththereproductionofwhatwearethatwill
necessarilyformthehorizonofourstruggles.11Thustherecanbenosecessionfromthecapitalrelation,onlyits
abolition.Communisationisthenameforthisabolitioninprocess.Thisisalucidandcompellingthesis.Butitisthe
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exactsenseinwhichweareconstitutedbythecapitalrelation,aswellasthelinkbetweenthecognitiveand
practicalconditionsforitsabolition,thatIwouldliketoexaminebelow.Therationalefordoingsoisthefollowing:
althoughradicallyantagonistic,communisationandaccelerationismcanbeusefullycontrastedinsuchawaythat
eachilluminatestheothersblindspotinthearticulationofcognitiveandsocialabstraction.

MaterialisingAbstraction

Firstapreliminaryclarificationisnecessary.Theoppositionbetweentheabstractandtheconcreteisclosely
connectedtotheoppositionbetweentheuniversalandtheparticular.12Thesepairsofoppositesformalogicalgrid
whichallowsoffourbasicpermutations:concreteparticularandconcreteuniversal,abstractparticularandabstract
universal.Onlytheconjunctionsofabstractconcreteanduniversalparticularareruledoutascontradictory.But
eventhisiscontroversialsinceMarxspeaksofconcreteabstractions,whileAlainBadiouhaspopularisedthe
notionofauniversalsingularity.Moreover,manyphilosophersfollowHegelindefiningtheconcreteasthatwhich
isrelationallyembedded,incontradistinctiontotheabstract,whichisisolatedoronesided.Inwhatfollows,the
termsconcreteandabstractdonotdesignatetypesofentity,suchastheperceptibleandtheimperceptibleorthe
materialandimmaterial.Theyareusedtocharacterisethewaysinwhichthinkingrelatestoentities.AsHegel
showed,whatseemsmostconcrete,particularityorsensibleimmediacy,ispreciselywhatismostabstract,and
whatseemsmostabstract,universalityorconceptualmediation,turnsouttobemostconcrete.13

Amaterialismcommittedtotherealityofabstraction,asMarxismis,mustbeabletoaccountforthis
interpenetrationoftheabstractandtheconcretewithoutlapsingintoidealism,forwhichsuchinterpenetrationispre
ordainedbecauserealityisultimatelyendowedwithconceptualstructure.Thechallengeformaterialismisto
acknowledgetherealityofabstractionwithoutconcedingtoidealismthatrealitypossessesirreducibleconceptual
form.Thusmaterialismmustbeabletoexplainwhatconstitutestherealityofconceptuallyformedabstraction
withouthypostatisingthatform.Thekeytothedereificationofabstractionisanaccountofconceptualformas
generatedbysocialpractices.Thisrequiresdistinguishingbetweenpracticeandlabour:alllabourinvolvespractice,
butnoteverypracticecountsaslabour.ThisdistinctionwillturnouttobesignificantwhenweconsiderEndnotes
accountoftherelationbetweenlabourandcapital.

CamattesExitThesis

CamattewasacloseassociateofAmadeoBordiga(cofounderoftheItalianCommunistParty)andamemberof
theInternationalCommunistParty.Intheearly1970s,disenchantedwithcommunistprogrammatism,hesetoutan
internalcritiqueofMarxsproductivism.Marxism,arguesCamatte,istheauthenticconsciousnessofthecapitalist
modeofproduction.14ButtheonsetofrealsubsumptionreducesMarxsworktohistoricalmaterialism,whichis
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[T]heglorificationofthewanderinginwhichhumanityhasbeenengagedformorethanacentury:[the]
growthofproductiveforcesasconditionsinequanonforliberation.Butbydefinitionallquantitativegrowth
takesplaceinthesphereoftheindefinite,thefalseinfinite.Whowillmeasurethesizeoftheproductive
forcestodeterminewhetherornotthegreatdayhascome?ForMarxtherewasadoubleandcontradictory
movement:growthofproductiveforcesandimmiserationofproletariansthiswastoleadtoarevolutionary
collision.Putdifferently,therewasacontradictionbetweenthesocializationofproductionandprivate
appropriation.15

Thetroubleisthatthecontradictorymovementhasfailedtoissueinthelongedforrevolutionarycrisis:themoment
ofcollisionbetweencapitalandlabourappearstohavebeenindefinitelypostponed.Whathasavertedthecrisisis
capitalsrunaway:thefactthatithasabsorbedthecrisesandithassuccessfullyprovidedasocialreservefor
proletarians.16Capitalsrunawaydevelopmentissecuredbytheonsetofitsrealsubsumptionoflabour.Whatis
realsubsumption?Marxdefinesformalsubsumptionastheprocessinwhichcapitalintegratesanexistinglabour
process:techniques,markets,meansofproduction,workers,etc.Butthedevelopmentofcapitalinexorably
transformssocialrelationsandmodesoflabourinaccordancewithitsownrequirements.Therealsubsumptionof
thelabourprocessoccursonceeveryaspectofthelatterhasbeensubordinatedtocapitalistproduction,whoseend
issimplytheselfvalorisationofvalue.ForCamatteasformanyotherMarxists,thisisthesituationwefind
ourselvesin.Writingintheearly1970s,CamattetracesitsinceptiontotheendoftheSecondWorldWar(wewill
considerbelowEndnotescritiqueofCamattesuseofsubsumptionasatoolofperiodisation).Oncecapitalhas
whollysubsumedlabour,Camattewrites

Developmentinthecontextofwanderingisdevelopmentinthecontextofmystification.Marxconsidered
mystificationtheresultofareversedrelation:capital,theproductofworkersactivity,appearstobethe
creator.[But]themystificationisrootedinrealeventsitisrealityinprocessthatmystifies.Somethingis
mystifiedeventhroughastruggleoftheproletariatagainstcapitalthegeneralizedmystificationisthe
triumphofcapital.Butif,asaconsequenceofitsanthropomorphization,thisrealityproducedbymystification
isnowthesolereality,thenthequestionhastobeputdifferently.1)Sincethemystificationisstableandreal,
thereisnopointinwaitingforademystificationwhichwouldonlyexposethetruthoftheprevioussituation
[i.e.theconditionofformalsubsumption].2)Becauseofcapitalsrunaway,themystificationappearsas
reality,andthusthemystificationisengulfedandrenderedinoperative.Wehavethedespotismofcapital.17

Theprocessofvalorisationsubordinatesworkersactivitytotheactivityofcapital.Thedespotismofreal
subsumptionrendersideologycritiqueredundant(hereCamattearrivesviaadifferentrouteatthesameconclusion
ashisaccelerationistcontemporaries,Deleuze&Guattari,Lyotard,andBaudrillard).Hecontinues:

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Theassertionthatthemystificationisstilloperativewouldmeanthathumanbeingsareabletoengagein
realrelationsandarecontinuallymystified.Infact,themystificationwasoperativeonceandbecamereality.
Itreferstoahistoricalstagecompletedinthepast[]Boththemystifyingmystifiedrealityandaswellasthe
previouslymystifiedrealityhavetobedestroyed.Themystificationisonlyvisibleifonebreaks(without
illusionsaboutthelimitationsofthisbreak)withtherepresentationsofcapital.18

Havinginstalledmystificationinplaceofreality,capitalismnowconstitutesitselfasamaterialcommunityby
becomingitsownrepresentation.Camattesreasoningisfrustratinglyallusiveherebutitcanbetentatively
reconstructed.Underrealsubsumption,everythingproducedbyhumanbeings,whethermanuallyorintellectually,is
mediatedbythevalueformandhencerepresentedasabstractlyequivalenttoeverythingelse.Valueasgeneral
equivalentreduceseverythingtothevalueitrepresentsandconvertseverythingintoarepresentationofvalue.In
sodoingcapitalrepresentsitselfastherelationthroughwhicheachthing(i.e.commodity)isrepresentedinits
relationtoeveryotherthing.Alllabourisreducedtocapitalsownabstractselfvalorisation:

Capitalismbecomesrepresentationthroughthefollowinghistoricalmovement:exchangevaluebecomes
autonomous,humanbeingsareexpropriated,humanactivityisreducedtolabour,andlabourisreducedto
abstractlabour[]Capitalreconstructsthehumanbeingasafunctionofitsprocess.[Thus]allhuman
activityeternalizescapital.19

Camattethenenvisagesthreepossibleoutcomesforthecapitalistmodeofproduction:

[1][The]completeautonomyofcapital:amechanisticutopiawherehumanbeingsbecomesimple
accessoriesofanautomatedsystem,thoughstillretaininganexecutiverole
[2][The]mutationofthehumanbeing,orrather,achangeofthespecies:[the]productionofaperfectly
programmablebeingwhichhaslostallthecharacteristicsofthespecieshomosapiens[thesecharacteristics
being,inCamattesaccount,thecapacitiesofcreators,producers,usersratherthanmerelabourers]
[3]Generalizedlunacy:intheplaceofhumanbeings,andonthebasisoftheirpresentlimitations,capital
realizeseverythingtheydesire(normalorabnormal),buthumanbeingscannotfindthemselvesand
enjoymentcontinuallyliesinthefuture.Thehumanbeingiscarriedoffintherunawayofcapital,andkeeps
itgoing.

TheupshotofthisdiagnosisistheclaimthattheclassicalMarxistprojectofunfetteringtheforcesofproduction
fromcapitalistrelationsofproductionisnothingbuttheselfconsciousness(i.e.themystificatoryselfrepresentation)
ofthecapitalistmodeofproduction.Becauseitfailedtoforeseetherunawayofcapital,Marxismremainscomplicit
incapitalsownselfvalorisation:itlacksthecriticalresourcesrequiredtoeffectadefinitivebreakwithcapitalism
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andallitsworks.ThusCamatterejectstheprimacyofproductionandtheconcomitantdefinitionofcommunismas
thefreeassociationofproducers:

Communismisnotanewmodeofproductionitistheaffirmationofanewcommunity[Gemeinwesen].Itisa
questionofbeing,oflife,ifonlybecausethereisafundamentaldisplacement:fromgeneratedactivitytothe
livingbeingwhoproducedit.Untilnowmenandwomenhavebeenalienatedbythisproduction.Theywillnot
gainmasteryoverproduction,butwillcreatenewrelationsamongthemselveswhichwilldeterminean
entirelydifferentactivity.20

Whilesocietysubordinatesgeneratinglifetogeneratedactivity,communityreestablishestheprimacyofgenerating
overgenerated.Shornofthemystificationsofproductivism,revolutionissimplytheoverturningofthisinverted
hierarchy.Throughthisoverturning,communismsrealmovementconstitutesanewformoflife.Itisinaugurated
byanewhumancommunitythatbreakswithexistingsocialstructures,therebyfacilitatingdifferent,ifnot
unprecedented,modesofexpressiveactivity.

ThereisastraightforwardrejoindertoCamattesaccount:hisappealtoahumancommunitywhosebasic
expressivemodalitiesremainconstantacrossmillenniaofsocialandhistoricaltransformationisanabstractionin
themostproblematicsense.Camattehypostatisesasetofhumanexpressivecapacitiesthatpersistnotonly
independentlyofcapitalismbutofeveryformofsocialorganisation:creating,producing,andusingare
postulatedasinvariantsofhumanlifeassuch.Butattributingthesecapacitiestoliferendersthemindeterminate:
theyarenolongersociohistoricalorevenbiologicalcategoriesbutpostulatesofaspeculativeanthropology.
Moreover,theaffirmationofcommunityoversocietyunwittinglyechoesafamiliarreactionarytrope:while
communityensuresthatsocialroles,values,andbeliefsremainfirmlyrootedininterpersonalrelations,society
jeopardisesthesebyinstitutingimpersonalroles,formalvalues,andobjectivebeliefsonthebasisofindirect
interactions.HereCamattesdenunciationofthedespotismofcapitalshadesintoarepudiationofmodernity,which
becomesacipherforhumanityswanderingawayfromitsauthenticcommunality.

However,onaplanetofsevenbillionpeople,themediationoftheinterpersonalbytheimpersonalisnotjust
unavoidablebutindispensable.Tetheringcollectivitytocommunityobstructstheneedforamaximallyexpansive
humansolidarity.Theinclusivenessofthewerequiressomemeasureofdepersonalisation.Impersonality,
impartiality,andobjectivityarenotnecessarilypathologiesofsocialalienationtheycanbe(andhavebeen)positive
resourcesforexpandingthehorizonsofsocialisationbeyondparochialcommunitarianlimits.Itispreciselygeneric
identificationwithwhatMarxcalledspeciesbeing,understoodnotasabiologicalcategorybutasthecapacityfor
collectiveselftransformation(beyondselfreproduction),thatstavesoffthedivisiveidentificationsofindividuality,
ethnicity,nationality,etc.21CommunisminMarxssenseisthematerialisationofwhatwouldotherwiseremainan
abstractidealofhumanity.Becauseitisnotanchoredinanyhistoricalmodeofproduction,thecommunityinvoked
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byCamattebecomesanArchimedeanpointfromwhichhumanityhassupposedlybeenwandering.ForCamatte,
theonsetofrealsubsumptionseemstomarktheterminalphaseofhumanitysfatefulselfestrangement.Butthere
isreasontodoubtwhetherthedistinctionbetweenformalandrealsubsumptioncanbeusedtocharacterisedistinct
successivephasesofcapitalismshistoricaldevelopment.Viewedanalyticallyratherthanhistorically,itseemsthat
formalandrealsubsumptionaresimultaneous,intertwinedaspectsofthecapitalrelation.Moreover,Camattes
insistencethatcapitalhasnowachievedcompletedominion,notjustoverthesphereofproduction,butoverevery
aspectofsocialexistence,isequallycontentious.ThisisapointforcefullymadebyEndnotes:

Thelabourprocessinbothrealandformalsubsumptionistheimmediateproductionprocessofcapital.
Nothingcomparablecanbesaidofanythingbeyondtheproductionprocess,foritisonlyproductionwhich
capitaldirectlyclaimsasitsown.Whileitistruethatthevalorisationprocessofcapitalinitsentiretyisthe
unityoftheprocessesofproductionandcirculation,andwhilstcapitalbringsabouttransformationstothe
worldbeyonditsimmediateproductionprocess,thesetransformationsbydefinitioncannotbegraspedinthe
sametermsasthosewhichoccurwithinthatprocessunderrealsubsumption.Nothingexternaltothe
immediateproductionprocessactuallybecomescapitalnor,strictlyspeaking,issubsumedundercapital.22

ThuswhilegivingcredittoCamatteforhavinggraspedtheontologicalinversion,thepossessionofmateriallifeby
thespiritofcapital,23Endnotesseeinhisaccountoftotalsubsumptionthelogicwhichwouldpropel[him]towards
apoliticsinvolvinglittlemorethantheabstractassertionofsometruehumancommunityagainstamonolithic
capitalisttotality,andoftheneedtoleavethisworld.24YetalthoughconcurringwithCamattethatvalueand
capitalconstituteaforceful,totalisingformofsocialisationthatshapeseveryaspectoflifeandacknowledgingthat
overcoming[valueandcapital]demandsaradicaltransformationofeverysphereoflife25,Endnotesalso
recognisethatCamattesundomesticatedhumanityexistingoutsidethecapitalistsocialrelationisthecorollaryof
anidealratherthanthemotorofarealmovement.Thequestionthenis:giventheontologicalinversionthrough
whichmateriallifeitselfisnowanimatedbycapital,whoorwhataretheagentsofcommunisation?

TheParadoxofSelfAbolition

Endnotesfirmlyrepudiatethenotionthatcommunisationconsistsinanimmediatesecessionfromthecapital
relation.Theyformulatewhatisperhapsthemostcogentobjectiontotheexitthesis.Itisaddressednotonlyto
CamattebuttogroupslikeTiqqunandTheInvisibleCommittee:

Insteadoftheoreticalreckoningwiththeconcretetotalitythatmustbeovercomeinallitsdeterminations,ora
reconstructionoftherealhorizonoftheclassrelation,wegetasunderingofthetotalityintotwobasic
abstractions[i.e.capitalistsocietyandthehumancommunity],andasimplesetofexhortationsandpractical
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prescriptionswhoserealtheoreticalfunctionistobringtheseabstractionsintorelationoncemore.26

Itistheveryabstractnessofhumanitysnotionalexitfromcapitalthatunwittinglyguaranteesitscontinuing
subsumptionbycapital.Thisisthefundamentalproblem.ForEndnotes,thefactthatthedialecticalantagonism
betweencapitalandlabourhasfailedtoissueintherevolutionaryoverthrowofcapitalistrelationsofproductionis
notjustanunfortunatecontingency,theresultofmissedopportunities.Itisaninevitableconsequenceofthelogicof
capitalaccumulation:

Asitaccumulates,capitalbothexploitstendentiallyfewerworkers,expellinglabourpowerfromproduction
(bothrelativelyandultimatelyabsolutely)anditattemptstoraisetherateofexploitationamongtherelatively
diminishedworkforce.27

Thuscapitalsaccumulationofanevergrowingsurplusvalueisaccompaniedbyanevergrowingsurplus
populationexcludedfromtheprocessofproduction.Theproletariatbecomesthatwhichisproducedbycapital
withoutproducingcapital.28Theresultisthedisintegrationoftheproletariatsselfidentificationasproducersof
capital.Itbecomesimpossiblefortheworkingclasstoaffirmitselfassuchinitsantagonismwithcapital.29Thisis
whycommunisationcannolongerbeconceivedastheendresultoftheworkersrevolutionaryseizureofthe
meansofproduction.Itmustbereconceivedasanintransitiveprocess,animmanentmovementwhichconsistsin
destroyingtherelationthroughwhichcapitalreproduceslabourwhilelabourreproducescapital.30

ThusEndnotesdefinecommunisationasanattempttorespondtothefollowingquestion:

Howwilltheovercomingofthecapitalistclassrelationtakeplacegiventhatitisimpossiblefortheproletariat
toaffirmitselfasaclassyetwearestillfacedwiththeproblemofthisrelation?31

Theiranswertothisquestionsetsoutwhatisperhapsthemostsophisticatedformulationofthecommunisation
thesisanddeservesquotingatlength:

Communizationisamovementattheleveloftotality,throughwhichthattotalityisabolished.Thelogicofthe
movementthatabolishesthistotalitynecessarilydiffersfromthatwhichappliesattheleveloftheconcrete
individualorgroup:itshouldgowithoutsayingthatnoindividualorgroupcanovercomethereproductionof
thecapitalistclassrelationthroughtheirownactions.Thedeterminationofanindividualactascommunizing
flowsonlyfromtheoverallmovementofwhichitispart,notfromtheactitself,anditwouldthereforebe
wrongtothinkoftherevolutionintermsofthesumofalreadycommunizingacts,asifallthatwasneeded
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wasacertainaccumulationofsuchactstoacriticalpoint[]Communizationoccursonlyatthelimitofa
struggle,intheriftthatopensasthisstrugglemeetsitslimitandispushedbeyondit[][I]nanyactual
supersessionofthecapitalistclassrelationweourselvesmustbeovercomewehavenopositionapart
fromthecapitalistclassrelation.Whatweareis,atthedeepestlevel,constitutedbythisrelation,anditisa
rupturewiththereproductionofwhatwearethatwillnecessarilyformthehorizonofourstruggles[]Inthis
period,theweofrevolutiondoesnotaffirmitself,doesnotidentifyitselfpositively,becauseitcannotit
cannotassertitselfagainstthetheyofcapitalwithoutbeingconfrontedbytheproblemofitsownexistence
anexistencewhichitwillbethenatureoftherevolutiontoovercome.Thereisnothingtoaffirminthe
capitalistclassrelationnoautonomy,noalternative,nooutside,nosecession.32

Thisisaremarkablepassage.Sincetheweisconstitutedbytheclassrelation,theselfovercomingoftheweis
theovercomingoftherelationthatconstitutesit.Thisiscertainlytheoreticallyuncompromising(andadmirable
becauseofit).Butitisalsoparadoxical,anditsparadoxicalcharacterexacerbatesitsstatusasaclaimthat
articulatesconceptualandsocialabstractionatanontologicallevel.Theparadoxisthefollowing:ifweare
constitutedbytheclassrelationthatwehavetosupersede,thenthesupersessionofthisrelationisalsothe
overcomingoftheagentofthesupersession,andthereforethecancellingofthesupersessionandthere
instatementofthewe.Sincewehavenopositionapartfromtheclassrelation,wearenothingoutsideofit.But
thenthemomentoftheabolitionofthisrelationisalsothatoftheabolitionofitsabolition.Canrevolutionaryagency
whichissupposedtotracktherealmovementabolishingthepresentstateofthingsreallybeconstructedon
thebasisofsuchanapparentlydisablingparadox?Iftheanswerisaffirmative,weneedtoclarifytheprecisesense
inwhichEndnotesarticulationofconceptualandsocialabstractionhasanontologicalpurchase.33

Thearticulationisontologicalbecausetheabstractionsofcapitalismarereal:insubsuminglabour,thevalueform
logicisesthesocialpracticesthroughwhichhumanbeingsreproducethemselvesandcapital:

Thatwhichononelevelismerelycontingentrelativetothelogicofcapitalaccumulationthematerialand
spiritualinteractionsbetweenshumansandbetweenhumansandnatureisitselflogicisedi.e.brought
underthelogicofthecapitalformofvalueasaresultofthesubsumptionoflabourundercapital,andof
theselfreproductionoftherelationofreciprocalimplicationbetweencapitalandproletariat.34

Thislogicisationofsocialrealityexplainswhytherecanbeacontradictionbetweenwhathumanbeingsthinkand
doinrelatingtothemselves,orwhattheythinkanddoinreproducingcapital.Butthislogicisationbythevalueform
isnotabsolute:itappliestohumanactivitiesandpracticesonlyinsofarastheyconstitutelabour.Theseactivities
andpracticespersistwithinthecapitalrelationasphenomenathatithasincorporatedbutnotwhollyabsorbed.
Theyarenotwhollyabsorbedbecausetheyconstitutetheprocessthroughwhichcapitalabsorbslabour.Capitals
selfreproductionisconstitutedbyphenomenathatitcannotreproduce,evenasitreproducesthelabourwhichin
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turnreproducesit.Thuscapitalslogicisationofrealityisitselfconditionedbythatrealitythisisthebulwarkagainst
absoluteidealism,whichwouldhypostatisecapitalasawhollyautonomous,selfmovingsubject(acausasuior
selfcausingbeing)floatingfreeofmaterialrealityaltogether:

Withouthumanrelationsandpracticeswhichsubsistinthemodeofbeingdeniedthroughtheperverted,
fetishisticformofeconomiccategories,therecouldbenoeconomiccategories:novalue,nocommodities,
moneyorcapital.Thisdoesnotmean,however,thatlabourshouldbeunderstoodassomehowconstitutive
oftheentireprocessnorshoulditbeunderstoodasprimary.Thefetishformsofcapitalareproperly
understoodandcriticisedasselfmoving,pervertedformsofsocialpractice.35

Thuscapitalisnothingotherthanapervertedformofhumansocialrelations.36Butitishumanrelationsand
practices,ratherthanlabour,whichgeneratetherealabstractionsofcapital.Fromtheperspectiveofthesystematic
dialecticespousedbyEndnotes,labourisalwaysalreadyinscribedwithinthevalueformasitsposited
presupposition.37Whilecapitalpositsthelabourthatprovidesitssubstance(i.e.itspresupposition),thispositing
itselfisultimatelyconstitutedthroughtheextraordinarilycomplexsetofhumanpracticeswithoutwhichcapitalsself
valorisationcouldnotbe.Valuessubsumptionoflabouraspositedpresuppositionalsopresupposessomething
thatitdoesnotposit:spontaneoushumanactivity.AsEndnotesthemselvesmakeclear,thespontaneityinvoked
hereshouldbeunderstoodintheKantiansense,asthedeterminationofsensationexercisedbythehumanmindin
theactofthinking.Kantattributedthisspontaneitytowhathecalledpureapperception:

Intheeighteenthcentury,whenKantdescribedthetranscendentalunityofapperceptionthefactthatIam
awareofmyselfashavingmyownexperienceshecalledthisaspontaneousact.Kantmeanttheopposite
ofsomethingnatural.Aspontaneousactisonethatisfreelyundertaken.Infact,thewordspontaneous
derivesfromtheLatinsponte,meaningofonesownaccord,freely,willingly.Inthissense,spontaneityis
notaboutactingcompulsivelyorautomatically.Itisamatterofactingwithoutexternalconstraint.38

SpontaneityinKantstranscendental,asopposedtoempiricalsense,istheultimatesourceofhumanfreedom.It
seemsplausibletosuggestthatEndnotesneedrecoursetofreedominthistranscendentalsenseinordertostave
offtheparadoxofselfabolitionbygroundingthepossibilityofhumanagencyinasourcethatisindependentofthe
classrelation.Astheultimatewellspringofhumanactivity,thistranscendental(asopposedtoempirical)
spontaneitymaybeconstruedaswhatconstitutestheclassrelationindependentlyoftheclassrelations
constitutionofthewe.Theparadoxisthendefusedbecausetheagentoftheabolitionisdistinctfromthe
abolishedagent.Butinopposingspontaneitytocompulsion,Endnotesriskresuscitatingatranscendental
voluntarism,inwhichthehumanwillfunctionsasamysterious,nottosaysupernatural,unmovedmover,
impervioustoexternaldetermination.ThisisthefamiliarandmuchpilloriedcaricatureofKant.Thereisabetter,
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moredialecticalreadingofhim,whichunderstandsthefreedomexercisedinthespontaneityofapperceptionas
resultingfromthewillsembraceofanintersubjectivelyinstitutedrule,ratherthanawhollyundeterminederuption
exnihilo.Freedominthissenseisnotsimplytheabsenceofexternaldeterminationbuttheagentsrationalself
determinationinandthroughitsespousalofauniversallyapplicablerule.39

Inthisregard,nominalismcanbedeployedasaweaponofmaterialistanalysisthatdemystifiestheidealist
hypostatisationofabstraction.InWilfridSellarsmetalinguisticversionofnominalism,whichisperhapsthemost
sophisticatedelaborationofthethesisyetdevised,referencetoabstractentitiesisexplainedasmaterialmode
metalinguisticdiscourseaboutlinguisticfunctioning,whilethisfunctioningisinturnidentifiedwithpatternsof
linguistictokenings.40WhatisespeciallyvaluableaboutSellarsanalysisfromamaterialistviewpointisthatittreats
abstractentitiesashypostatisedlinguisticfunctions.Itshowshowconceptualformisanchoredinlinguisticfunction
andgroundslinguisticfunctioninsocialpractice.Ofcourse,Sellarsaccountstopsshortofexplainingthenatureof
thelinkagebetweenlinguisticfunctionandsocialpractice.Hehasnotheoryofthelatter.Buthisworkhasthesignal
meritoftellinguswhatabstractentitiesreallyare.Thisisanimportantsteptowardsexplaininghowcapitals
apparentlyselfmovingabstractionsareinfactmotoredbytheactivitiesandpracticesofhumanbeings.

TheImpossibleRelation

Butwhileitisonethingtorevealthattherealityofabstractionisrootedinhumanpractice,itisanotherthingto
explainhowandwhichpracticecanbedeployedtoreleaseusfromthegripoftheabstractionstowhichithas
subjectedus.Evenifonegrantsthattheabstractionsofcapitalaregeneratedthroughhumanpractices,howare
thesepracticessupposedtoconstituteacommunisingagency?Endnotesproposeananswerofsortsinanother
remarkablepassagethatdelvesdeeperstillinitsattempttodefinetherelationbetweencommunisttheoryand
capitalistreality:

Communisttheorysetsoutnotfromthefalsepositionofsomevoluntaristsubject,butfromtheposited
supersessionofthetotalityofformswhichareimplicatedinthereproductionofthissubject.Asmerely
posited,thissupersessionisnecessarilyabstract,butitisonlythroughthisbasicabstractionthattheory
takesasitscontentthedeterminateformswhicharetobesupersededformswhichstandoutintheir
determinacypreciselybecausetheirdissolutionhasbeenposited.41

Thesedeterminateformsaretherealabstractionsofcapitalism:thecommodityform,themoneyform,thevalue
form,thelabourform,theproductionform,etc.Thepassagecontinues:

Thispositingisnotonlyamatterofmethodology,orsomekindofnecessarypostulateofreason,forthe
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supersessionofthecapitalistclassrelationisnotameretheoreticalconstruct.

Itisnotameretheoreticalconstructbutnorisitsomeobjectiveorgivendatum,foritissomethingtowardswhich
theoryorientsitself,ratherthansomethingitstaticallycontemplates.Thusthispositedsupersessionissomething
that

[R]unsaheadofthought,beingpositedincessantlybythis[capitalistclass]relationitselfitisitsveryhorizon
asanantagonism,therealnegativepresencewhichit[communisttheory]bears.Communisttheoryis
producedbyandnecessarilythinkswithinthisantagonisticrelationitisthoughtoftheclassrelation,and
itgraspsitselfassuch.Itattemptstoconceptuallyreconstructthetotalitywhichisitsground,inthelightof
thealreadypositedsupersessionofthistotality,andtodrawoutthesupersessionasitpresentsitselfhere.
Sinceitisarelationwhichhasnoidealhomeostaticstate,butonewhichisalwaysbeyonditself,withcapital
facingtheproblemoflabourateveryturneveninitsvictoriestheadequatethoughtofthisrelationisnot
ofsomeequilibriumstate,orsomesmoothlyselfpositingtotalityitisofafundamentallyimpossiblerelation,
somethingthatisonlyinsofarasitisceasingtobeaninternallyunstable,antagonisticrelation.Communist
theorythushasnoneedofanexternal,Archimedeanpointfromwhichtotakethemeasureofitsobject,and
communizationhasnoneedofatranscendentstandpointofwithdrawalorsecessionfromwhichtolaunch
itsattack.42

Endnotesvariouswritingscertainlyprovideaneminentlyplausibleconceptualreconstructionofthetotalitywhichis
thegroundoftheclassrelation,andhenceofcommunisttheorising.Anditisclearfromtheiranalysesofcapitals
movingcontradictionhowthisrelationisselfundermining:therelationofexploitationcorrodesitsownfoundation,
asthatwhichisexploitedlabourpoweristendentiallyexpelledfromtheproductionprocesswiththe
developmentoftheproductivityofsociallabour.43Thusthethoughtthatisadequatetotheclassrelation(i.e.the
relationofexploitation)isthethoughtofafundamentallyimpossiblerelation,whichisonlyinsofarasitisceasing
tobe.

Thatonlythethoughtofanimpossiblerelationcanrendertheoryadequatetoitsobjectistheindexofthetorsion
thatissupposedtobindtheoreticalabstractiontotherealityofsocialabstractionindependentlyofthe
representationalrecoursetoanobjectivecorrespondencerelation(whichwouldrequireanexternal,Archimedean
pointfromwhichtotakethemeasureofitsobject).Nodoubt,thisimpossiblerelationissupposedtomark
communisttheorysimmanencetorevolutionarypractice:anysubordinationofpracticetotheory(orviceversa)
wouldthreatentoreintroducethetranscendenceofanexternal,Archimedeanpoint,whichistosay,a
representation.Butitseemsthatwhatpreventscommunisttheorysadequationtotheclassrelationfromfissioning
intoarelationtothisimpossiblerelation,whichistosay,atheoreticalrepresentationofreality,andultimately,a
program,isitsimmediateconsummationasselfproclaimedrevolutionaryactivity:anactivitythatguaranteesits
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owntractionuponthecapitalistclassrelationsimplybyengaginginthestruggletodestroyit.Thereisalaudable
consistencyhere.Bytakingthepositedsupersessionofthecapitalisttotalityasitsstartingpoint,communist
theorisingsecuresitstractionupontheantagonismconstitutiveofsocialreality.Butthedangerremainsthatthis
positedsupersessionoftotalitywillsubstituteforitsactualsupersessionnotinspiteofbutpreciselybecauseit
refusesitstheoreticalconstruction.

RepurposingandSocialForm

Byabjuringsuchconstructionasarepresentationalintrusioncompromisingthoughtsadequationtotheclass
relation,communisttheorysecuresitsgripontherealmovementwhichcommunismis,butattheriskofeliding
realmovementwiththemovementofideas.Thus,asEndnotesthemselvesmakeclear:

Communization[]haslittlepositiveadvicetogiveusaboutparticular,immediatepracticeinthehereand
now[]Whatadviceitcangiveisprimarilynegative:thesocialformsimplicatedinthereproductionofthe
capitalistclassrelationwillnotbeinstrumentsoftherevolution,sincetheyarepartofthatwhichistobe
abolished.44

Thequestionthenis:howarewetoidentifythosesocialformsthatarenotimplicatedinthereproductionofthe
classrelation?Thedistinctionbetweencompulsivelabourandspontaneouspracticeisrequirednotonlytostaveoff
theparadoxofselfcancellation,butalsotodistinguishbetweenthoseactivitiesprogrammedtoreproducetheclass
relationandthosecapableofinterruptingthisreproduction.Butthespontaneitywhoseexerciseistheprerequisite
forthedestructionoftheclassrelationwillalsogeneratenewabstractionstogetherwithnewformsofmediation.
Whatisrequiredisanunderstandingofsocialpracticesthatwouldallowustobegindistinguishingbetween
oppressiveandemancipatoryformsofmediation.

Thisiswhatwecurrentlylack.Inthemeantime,mustweabjureeveryexistinginstrument,technique,ormethod
envelopedbycapitalistsocialforms?Nodoubt,itisrelativelyeasytoidentifythosemodesofcontemporary
informationtechnologywhosestupefying,antisocialconsequencesrenderworthyofabolition.Butthereareother
technologiesthatareperhapsnotsoeasilyabolished.Considerantivirals.Everyaspectoftheirdevelopmentis
implicatedincapitalistinstitutionsandenvelopedbyitssocialforms.Doesthismeanantiviralsareintrinsically
capitalistandhenceoughttoplaynoroleinapostcapitalistsociety?Anegativeresponserecommendsitselfhere:
whiletechnologicalfunctionissociallymediatedandenvelopedbythevalueform,thisneednotbeasaturated
mediation:itneednotexhaustthefunctionalpotentialitiesofthetechnologyinquestion.Somemightretortthattalk
ofrepurposingisadistractionatbest,analibiforreformismatworst,becausethedevelopmentofantivirals(like
everyothercontemporarytechnology)isnecessarilylinkedtothatofcapitalistsocialrelations,theproliferationof
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lethalvirusesbeingadirectconsequenceofindustrialisedlivestockproductionandglobalisation.45Wereitnotfor
thesetwofactors,theobjectiongoes,wewouldnotbesosusceptibletoincreasingvarietiesofpathogensand
humanwelfarewouldnotbemortgagedtothedevelopmentofantivirals.Thedismantlingofcapitalism,accordingto
thislineofargument,wouldradicallydiminishifnotwhollyeliminateourincreasingdependenceonantiviralsaswell
asothertechnologicalartefacts.

Now,itisundoubtedlytruethatthereisadirectcorrelationbetweentheproliferationoflifethreateningvirusesand
theconditionsofglobalisedcapitalistsociety.Itmayalsobetruethatdismantlingthelatteristhesurestmeansof
eradicatingtheformer.Andthereisnodoubtthattheredistributionofantiviralsonthebasisofneedratherthan
wealthisamorepressingpoliticalconcernthanspeculatingontheirroleinpostcapitalistsociety.Nevertheless,the
urgencyoftheformerdoesnotobviatetheimportanceofthelatter.Theabsoluteorindeterminatenegationof
capitalistsocietyandallitsworkswoulderadicatethepathologiesgeneratedbycapitalismonlyatthecostof
cancellingtheemancipatorypotentialslatentintechnologieswhosefunctioningiscurrentlysubordinatedtocapital.
Theabstractnegationoffunctionalcontextisalsothenegationofemancipatorypossibilitieswhoserelease
dependsupontherecontextualisationoffunction.Suchabstractionindeterminesinsteadofdeterminingthefusion
ofcognitiveandpracticalorientationrequiredfortherealisationofcommunism.Itabolishesthecapitalistpresentat
thecostofcancellingthepostcapitalistfuturelockedupwithinit.Foreclosingthefuture,blinkerednegationcannot
butwishtoreinstatethepast.Itbecomesthelongingforapreviousstateofthings:Ifonlywehadntdomesticated
animalsandstarteddowntheroadtoindustrialisedagricultureifonlywedidntliveinamassivelyinterconnected
globalsocietyAndultimately:Ifonlycapitalismhadnthappened.

ButMarxsstartingpointistheacknowledgementthatcapitalismhashappened,andgiventhispremise,his
fundamentalquestionis:howcanwemovebeyondcapitalismwithoutregressingtoprecapitalistsocialformations,
suchasagrarianfeudalism?Theproblemofrepurposingcannotbecircumventedbywishingcapitalismhadnever
happened.Historysuggeststhattherearethingsworsethanthevalueform.Asuitablyabstractconceptionof
functionwillallowforitstransplantation,andwherenecessary,repurposing,acrosssocialcontexts.Itgoeswithout
sayingthatthisshouldonlybeenvisagedasaconsequenceofovercomingthecapitalrelation,notasubstitutefor
thisovercoming.Moregenerally,determinationisnotconstitution.Wehavetofindawaytoarticulatetheoretical
andsocialabstractionthatdoesnotinvolvethecompleteorindiscriminaterelinquishmentoftheachievementsof
capitalistmodernityenbloc.

Conclusion

Theissueoftherealisationoffunctioniscrucialforclarifyingtherelationbetweenconceptualandrealabstraction.
Communisationshortcircuitsconceptualabstractionandsocialabstractioninaninsurrectionarypraxiswhose
fixationontotalitypreventsitfromformulatingcriteriafordistinguishingbetweenprogressiveandregressivesocial
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forms.PerhapstherealimportoftheaccelerationismdefendedbySrnicekandWilliamsisasaninterventioninto
thepoliticsofabstraction.46Theyarguethattherepresentationofabstractionisnotonlyunavoidablebut
necessaryinordertomountanepistemicandpoliticalchallengetocapitalism.Butthefactthatsuchrepresentation
isnecessarydoesnotguaranteethatitispossibletoalignepistemicandpoliticalacceleration,ormorebasically,
thatitwillbepossibletoaligntheoreticalexplanationwithemancipatoryactivity.Doingsorequiresthesocial
realisationofcognition,whichiswhatcommunisationsfocusontotalityacknowledgesevenifitarguablypreventsit
fromachievingit.Withoutatheoryofthetotalitythatarticulatesexplanatoryrationalitywithemancipatorycausality,
itbecomesdifficulttounderstandtheconditionsunderwhichepistemicpracticesmightberealised.Thisisarguably
accelerationismschieflacuna.Whatisrequiredisanaccountofthelinkbetweentheconceptualandthesocialat
thelevelofpractice,whichistosay,anaccountofthewayinwhichcognitivefunctionsupervenesonsocial
practices.Thisiswhatneitheraccelerationismnorcommunisationcurrentlyprovide.

Note

ThistextwasdevelopedfromapresentationgivenatAccelerationism:Asymposiumontendenciesincapitalism,
Berlin,14December2013,www.xlrt.org.TheauthorwouldliketothankAnthonyIlesforhisvaluablecritical
feedbackonanearlierdraftofthisessay.

RayBrassierteachesphilosophyattheAmericanUniversityofBeirut.Recentpublicationsinclude:That
WhichisNot:PhilosophyasEntwinementofTruthandNegativityinStasis,No.1,2013.'Nominalism,
Naturalism,andMaterialism:SellarsCriticalOntologyinContemporaryPhilosophicalNaturalismandits
Implications,B.BashourandH.Muller(eds.),LondonandNewYork:Routledge,2013.TheRealityof
AbstractioninLaruelleandNonPhilosophy,J.MullarkeyandA.P.Smith(eds.),EdinburghUniversityPress,
2012.LivedExperienceandtheMythoftheGiven,FilozofskiVestnik,Vol.XXXII,No.3,2011

Footnotes

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1ThetermaccelerationismwascoinedbyBenjaminNoysinhisbookThePersistenceoftheNegative(Edinburgh
UniversityPress2010).Seeespeciallypp.58.

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2MarxandEngels,TheGermanIdeologyinTheMarxEngelsReader,2ndEdition,Ed.RobertC.Tucker,W.W.
NortonandCompany,p.162.

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3ThisisKantsformulationinWhatisEnlightenment(1784)andonewhichIbelieveisconcretisedratherthan
jettisonedbyMarxthroughHegel.Humanitysemancipationfromsuperhumanauthority,whethernaturalordivine,
istheconditionofhumanfreedom,whichKantalsocallsautonomy.Autonomyshouldnottobeconfusedwith
independence:onecanbeautonomousyetstilldependent.Thehumanityaffirmedhereischaracterisedbyits
capacityforselftransformation,notitsbiologicalattributes.Rationalityunderstoodasasocialpracticeiscentralto
thiscapacityforselftransformation.Tosaythatrationalbeingsshouldnotrecogniseanynonrationalauthority
(becausethelatterwouldbeaforce,notanauthority)doesnotmeanthatrationalbeingsshouldignoreordisregard
everythingnonrational.Rationalanimalsignoretheiranimalityattheirperil.

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4SeeNickSrnicekandAlexWilliams#Accelerate:ManifestoforanAccelerationistPolitics,
http://syntheticedifice.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/acceleratemanifestoforanaccelerationistpolitics/.Iamalso
drawingontwoasyetunpublishedtexts:NickSrnicek,Accelerationism:Epistemic,Economic,Political(2013)and
AlexWilliams,ThePoliticsofAbstraction(2013).

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5AntiOedipuscontainsthelocusclassicusofaccelerationism:Butwhichistherevolutionarypath?Isthereone?
Towithdrawfromtheworldmarket,asSamirAminadvisesThirdWorldCountriestodo,inacuriousrevivalofthe
fascisteconomicsolution?Ormightitbetogointheoppositedirection?Togofurtherstill,thatis,inthe
movementofthemarket,ofdecodinganddeterritorialisation?Forperhapstheflowsarenotyetdeterritorialised
enough,notdecodedenough,fromtheviewpointofatheoryandpracticeofahighlyschizophreniccharacter.Not
towithdrawfromtheprocess,buttogofurther,toacceleratetheprocess,asNietzscheputit:inthismatter,the
truthisthatwehaventseenanythingyet.GillesDeleuzeandFlixGuattari,AntiOedipus,London:Athlone,
pp.23940.

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6AlfredSohnRethel,IntellectualandManualLabour:aCritiqueofEpistemology,AtlanticHighlands,NewJersey:
HumanitiesPress,1977).ForanilluminatingdiscussionofSohnRethelscontemporaryrelevance,seeAlberto
ToscanoTheCultureofAbstractioninTheory,CultureandSociety,25(4)2008,pp.5775,andTheOpenSecretof
RealAbstractioninRethinkingMarxism,20(2)2008,pp.273287.

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7Unlessofcourseoneinsiststhatabstractionperseisbad:amovewhosedebilitatingconsequencesforthought
hardlyneedspellingout.

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8GillesDeleuzeandFlixGuattari,LantiOedipe,Paris:Minuit,1972JeanFranoisLyotardDesdispositifs
pulsionels,Paris:UnionGnraleDditions1973andconomielibidinale,Paris:Minuit,1974,JeanBaudrillardLe
mirroirdelaproduction,Tournai:Casterman,1973,Lchangesymboliqueetlamort(Paris:Gallimard1976).The
EnglisheditionofCamattesTheWanderingofHumanity,Detroit:Black&Red,1975,comprisestwotextsoriginally
published(inFrench)inthejournalInvariancein1973.

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9CamatteusestheGermanwordGemeinwesen,whichcanbetranslatedascommunityorcommonwealth,and
seemstointendacontrastbetween(human)communityand(capitalist)societyorGesellschaft.Thisdistinction
originatesintheworkoftheGermansociologistFerdinandTnnies(18551936).SeehisGemeinschaftund
Gesellschaft(Leipzig:Fues'sVerlag1887),translatedbyCharlesPriceLoomisasCommunityandSociety(East
Lansing:MichiganStateUniversityPress1957).ThedistinctionwasalsotakenupbyMaxWeberinEconomyand
Society(1921),translatedandeditedbyGuenterRothandClausWittich,UniversityofCaliforniaPress1978.

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10Endnotes,CrisisintheClassRelationinEndnotesII:MiseryandtheValueForm,
http://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotescrisisinthec...

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11Endnotes,WhatAreWetoDo?inCommunizationanditsDiscontents,editedbyBenjaminNoys,NewYork:
MinorCompositions,2011,p.31

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12Traditionally,particularsareultimatesubjectsofpredication,uninstantiable,andspatiotemporal,whereas
universalsarepredicated,multiplyinstantiable,andhencenonspatiotemporal.

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13IelaborateonthispointinLivedExperienceandtheMythoftheGivenFilozofskiVestnik,Vol.XXXII,No.3,
2011.

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14Camatte,op.cit.,1975,p.22

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15Ibid.,p.23.

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16Ibid.,p.23.

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17Ibid.,p.24.

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18Ibid.,p.24.

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19Ibid.,pp.67.

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20Ibid.,p.36.

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21ForadiscussionofthecontemporaryrelevanceoftheideaofgenerichumanityseeNinaPowerBadiouand
Feuerbach:WhatisGenericHumanity?SubjectMatters:AJournalofCommunicationandtheSelf,Vol.2,no.1,
2005.

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22EndnotesTheHistoryofSubsumptioninEndnotesII:MiseryandtheValueForm,
http://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotesthehistoryof...

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23EndnotesCommunisationandValueFormTheoryinEndnotesII:MiseryandtheValueForm,
http://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotescommunisationa...

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24Ibid.ThisisareferencetoCamattesThisWorldWeMustLeaveandOtherEssays,ed.AlexTrotter(Brooklyn:
Autonomedia,1995).

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25Endnotes,ibid.

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26Endnotes,WhatAreWetoDo?inCommunizationanditsDiscontents,op.cit.,p.33.

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27EndnotesTheMovingContradictioninEndnotesII:MiseryandtheValueForm,
http://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotesthemovingcont...

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28EndnotesCrisisintheClassRelationinEndnotesII:MiseryandtheValueForm,
http://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotescrisisinthec...

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29Asthatpartoftheglobalpopulationdiminisheswhosereproductionismediatedthroughtheexchangeof
productivelabourforthewage,thewageformasthekeymediationinsocialreproductionmayappearincreasingly
tenuous.Withtheseshiftingconditions,thehorizonoftheclassrelation,andthestrugglesinwhichthishorizon
presentsitself,mustinevitablychange.Inthiscontext,theoldprojectsofaprogrammaticworkersmovement
becomeobsolete:theirworldwasoneofanexpandingindustrialworkforceinwhichthewageappearedasthe
fundamentallinkinthechainofsocialreproduction,atthecentreofthedoublemoulinetwherecapitaland
proletariatmeet,andinwhichacertainmutualityofwagedemandsanifyouwantthisofme,Idemandthisof
youcoulddominatethehorizonofclassstruggle.Butwiththegrowthofsurpluspopulations,thisverymutualityis
putintoquestion,andthewageformistherebydecentredasalocusofcontestation.Tendentially,theproletariat
doesnotconfrontcapitalatthecentreofthedoublemoulinet,butrelatestoitasanincreasinglyexternalforce,
whilstcapitalrunsintoitsownproblemsofvalorisation.EndnotesCrisisintheClassRelationinEndnotesII:
MiseryandtheValueForm,http://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotescrisisinthec...

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30Foracriticaldiscussionoftheintransitivityofcommunisation,seeAlbertoToscanoNowandNeverin
CommunizationanditsDiscontents,op.cit.,pp.85101.

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31Endnotes,WhatAreWetoDo?inCommunizationanditsDiscontents,op.cit.,2011,p.29.

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32Ibid.,p.31.

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33Theclaimthatcontradictionisobviouslyanontologicalcategory,andthatwehaveknownthissinceHegel,is
problematicbecauseitassumesthatHegelisametaphysicianwhobelievesinrealcontradictionsaclaimthat
muchrecentHegelscholarshiphasbeenatpainstochallenge.Itispropositions(orjudgements)thatcontradictone
another,notthings.Sincecontradictionisanintraconceptualrelation,thethesisofrealcontradictionsseemsto
commitonetothesortofmetaphysicalidealismwhichinsiststhatrealityhaspropositionalform.Thisisan
assumptionmaterialistsshouldnotbepreparedtoaccept.ThemoreplausiblematerialistconstrualofHegelsclaim
isthatcontradictionsaretrue,notthattheyareconstitutiveofreality,whateverthatmightmean.Thisisanongoing
controversy,buttheseminaltextisRobertPippinsHegelsIdealism,Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,
1989.Pippinsreadinghasbeenvigorouslycontested,butithasundeniablyreinvigoratedHegelscholarshipby
challengingtraditionalmetaphysicalinterpretationsofabsoluteidealism.RobertBrandomsinterpretationofHegel
alsorebutsthemetaphysicalreading:seeASpiritofTrust:ASemanticReadingofHegelsPhenomenology,
availableathttp://www.pitt.edu/~brandom/spirit_of_trust.html

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34EndnotesTheMovingContradictioninEndnotesII:MiseryandtheValueForm,
http://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotesthemovingcont...

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35Ibid.

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36Ibid.

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37Ibid.SeealsoEndnotesCommunisationandValueFormTheoryinEndnotesII:MiseryandtheValueForm,
http://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotescommunisationa...

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38Endnotes,Spontaneity,Mediation,RuptureinEndnotesIII:Gender,Race,ClassandOtherMisfortunes,
http://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotesspontaneitymed...
39Thusratherthanopposingspontaneitytocompulsionandfreedomtonecessity,itisdialecticallypreferableto
understandspontaneityasthewillscompulsioninandbyarule,ratherthanastherefusalofcompulsionbyan
obscurelysovereign,undeterminablewill.Transcendentalspontaneityisrationalselfdeterminationasthe
internalisationofconceptualconstraint.Inthissense,spontaneityisthinkinganditisthinkingasakindofdoing,
ratherthanascontemplationwhichisthesourceofthehumanactivitiesandpracticesthatconstitutethe
abstractionsofcapital.

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40IgiveamoredetailedaccountoftheontologicalconsequencesofSellarsmetalinguisticnominalismin
Nominalism,Naturalism,andMaterialism:SellarsCriticalOntologyinContemporaryPhilosophicalNaturalismand
itsImplications,editedbyBanaBashourandHansMuller,LondonandNewYork:Routledge,2013.

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41Ibid.,p.34

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42Ibid.,p.34

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43Endnotes.TheMovingContradictioninEndnotesII:MiseryandtheValueForm,
http://endnotes.org.uk/en/endnotesthemovingcont...

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44Ibid.,p.28.

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45IowethisobjectiontoBenjaminNoys.

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46AswellasbeingthetitleofanunpublishedpaperbyAlexWilliams,thisisalsothetitleofapaperbyMatteo
Pasquinelli(http://www.onlineopen.org/columns/thepoliticsof...),andofAlbertoToscanoscontributiontoTheIdea
ofCommunismvolume(Verso2010).

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Jointhediscussion
MichaelRectenwald 2yearsago

Brilliant.Thanksmuchforthisessay.I'dliketotalktoyouaboutit,ifpossible.Iamparticularlyinterestedinre
purposingandthinkthatanynotionthatthetechnologiesdevelopedundercapitalismarecapitalist"allthewaydown"
involvesanessentialistmetaphysics.
6

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Guest>MichaelRectenwald 2yearsago

It'sremarkablethatpeoplecontinuetoinsistonmishearingtheargumentthatEndnotesandtheauthorsthey
publishhavemadewithregardtotechnology.Hasanyonesaidthat"technologiesdevelopedundercapitalism
arecapitalist'allthewaydown'"?Hasanyonewrittensuggestedthatwemust"abjureeveryexisting
instrument,technique,ormethodenvelopedbycapitalistsocialforms?"No.Clearlythereissomedesperate
needtoconstructstrawmentoavoidactuallyarguingthepointsinquestion.Let'shopetheEndnotes
responsetoKrulputsthiskindofstufftorest.
2

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MichaelRectenwald>Guest 2yearsago

WhosaidanythingaboutEndnotes,otherthantheauthorofthearticle.ButIwouldsubmitthatindeed
it'smadeclearbyespeciallyJasperBernesthatthetechnologiesof"logistics"cannotbetakenover
assuch,becausetheveryfiberofthetechnologiesiscapitalistassuch.Howelsetointerpretthis
passage:
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"Mostworkerstodaycannotsay,asworkersofoldcould(andoftendid):Itiswewhobuiltthisworld!It
iswetowhomthisworldbelongs!Therestructuringofthemodeofproductionandthesubordinationof
productiontotheconditionsofcirculationthereforeforeclosestheclassicalhorizonofproletarian
antagonism:seizureofthemeansofproductionforthepurposesofaworkermanagedsociety.One
cannot
imagineseizingthatwhichonecannotvisualise,andinsideofwhichonesplaceremainsuncertain."
Hethengoesontoargueagainstthereconfigurationthesisofrepurposing,explicitlyrejectingthere
purposingoftechnologiesforsocialism.Perhaps,inyourhastetobedismissiveandsuperior,you
mightturntothetextyou'reclaimingothersaremisreading.Youseemtobemissingsomething.
There'snomentionofsocialreproduction(Goldner)inEndnotes.

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Guest>MichaelRectenwald 2yearsago

I'vereadit.JasperBernes'argumentisaboutaveryspecificsetofcapitalisttechnologies,and
arguesthat,becauseofahistoricalconjuncture,theycan'tberepurposed.Hewrites:"The
fixedcapitalofthecontemporaryproductionregimeisdesignedforextractionofmaximum
surplusvalueeachcomponentpartisengineeredforinsertionintothisglobalsystem
therefore,thepresenceofcommunistpotentialsasunintendedfeaturesaffordances,as
theyaresometimescalledofcontemporarytechnologyneedstobearguedfor,notassumed
asamatterofcourse."It'squiteclearthathe'ssayingtherearesometechnologiesthatcanbe
turnedtootheruses,andsomethatcan't.Mostcriticsofthispiece,andothers,wantto
misconstruetheargumentasarejectionofalltechnology,probablybecauseit'seasierto
dismissthatway.Otherwise,they'dhavetoactuallyconsiderthereasonshelaysoutfora
rejectionoftheusefulnessoflogistics.Thatsentencealsohasafootnote(quotedinthe
EndnotesresponsetoKrul:"Marxisttheoriesoftechnologyoftendivergealongtwopaths,each
ofwhichcanbetracedtotheworksofMarx.Thedominantviewholdsthatcapitalist
technologiesarefundamentallyprogressive,firstbecausetheyreducenecessarylabourtime
andtherebypotentiallyfreehumansfromthenecessityoflabouring,andsecondbecause
industrialisationeffectsafundamentalsocialisationofproduction,obliteratingthehierarchies
thatoncepertainedtoparticularcrafts(e.g.e.g.Marx,Grundrisse[MECW29],9092[Nicolaus
trans.]).InthisOrthodoxaccount,communismislatentwithinthesocialised,cooperative
seemore
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seemore

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MichaelRectenwald>Guest 2yearsago

IdidnotsuggestthateitherBernesorEndnotesmorebroadlyrejectalltechnology.Ireferred
specificallytothetechnologyof"logisitcs"which,however,heseemstosuggesthas
metastasizedthroughouttherealmofproduction.Idon'tseethissortofparsingoftechnologies
andevaluationofeachonthebasisoftheiraffordances.Bernesisnotnearlyascogentasyou
seemtosuggestthatheishere.

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Guest>MichaelRectenwald 2yearsago

Yousaid"anyconceptionthattechnologiesdevelopedundercapitalismarecapitalist'allthe
waydown'isessentialistmetaphysics."Butclearly,asyoucansee,noonesaysthis...
1

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MichaelRectenwald>Guest 2yearsago

Ididn'tascribethatviewtoEndnotes!

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silverfox ayearago

alwaysthesamefiftyorso"hotwords"usedbyghostdancersofadeadsocialistnarrative.Dazedbythefogofbll
shit,accelerationistsmerelybumbintoeachotheratanincreasinglyfasterrate.Admit....youguysactuallyhatethe
humanbodyandit'spropensityto"consume"asameansofsurvival.Fkinghilarious.

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