Fredric Jameson in Vancouver, or, Why we can't have World Politics

On Thursday night I was able to attend a lecture by renown literary and cultural theorist Fredric Jameson This was more exciting due to the fact I am in the process of reading his latest book; Valences of the Dialectic. I found the talk very enjoyable; it was clear, concise, and provided a good introduction of Jameson's views on postmodernism (or post-modernity as he would prefer).

To Jameson, post-modernity is a product of the current stage of capitalist development. Post-modern society is a symptom of changes in the mode of production, particularly, the move from industrial/production capitalism to finance capitalism. Also, and I believe very important to an understanding of Jameson's argument, is while these ideas are products of late-capitalism this does not provide us an excuse to dismiss them outright. Rather we need to engage with them dialectically.

Throughout the talk, Jameson gave numerous examples of how post-modernity is represented, in art, politics, and economics, as well as a brief outline of some the key features of post-modernity. One particular idea that he focused on was that of the "singularity." Particularly as it is represented in financial derivatives.

A financial derivative is a combination of financial instruments designed primarily to mitigate risk. (An instrument of instruments!) In this sense derivatives are a singularity. They represent a coming together of financial instruments, at one time, and for one specific purpose. Consequently, they remain next to impossible to regulate as each one is a unique set of relationships designed for a specific purpose. Another example of singularities referenced by Jameson were art installations, which have a similar uniqueness in regards to their position, within time, space, & human understanding.

While the term singularity may be an apt description of Financial derivatives and the kind of relationships currently produced under finance capitalism. It is ultimately unsatisfactory politically. Towards the end of the talk, Jameson discussed the current difficulty we have conceptualising contemporary society in any meaningful way. His evidence of this fact was that we do not properly have a world politics. In a world of globalization, complex one-time only financial instruments, and the immense power of finance capitalism our current conceptual frameworks do not allow us to organize in any meaningful way. In short, we are stuck with the political tools of modernism while trying to effect change in a thoroughly post-modern world.

How then does an awareness of these "singularities" help us in this regard. I would argue that it doesn't. It may provide us with a description of what is going on, but does nothing to assist us in conceptualizing and understanding financial capitalism. I am curious as to whether Jameson believes this task is possible, or even desirable, with his clear distrust of concepts, grand-narratives, and his denial of both universals and particulars.

Hopefully, reading his most recent book will shed some additional light on these matters. However, if Jameson is right, this leaves us with two options. Either contemporary capitalism has become so complicated that we will never be able to conceptualize it in a way that can provoke meaningful change, or, we haven't done it yet and are too busy chasing our tails to proceed on this task in any meaningful way.

Sooooooo....in conclusion, don't chase your tail as you may get bit.

Federal Budget Time

I had planned on doing a rant about the recently proposed federal budget, but as my good friend Andrew has already done it here. I've decided to be more positive.

While, this years federal budget is predictably dour, each year the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives presents an alternative budget which is of late has been a much better read. I like the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, although far from challenging capitalist discourse, they are one of the few mainstream organizations in Canada that offer concrete tangible policy alternatives to the standard neo-liberal line spouted by seemingly everyone. (A surprising fact given their name).

Here are a couple factoids, concerning this years federal budget strait from the CCPA. Remember these the next time Steven Harper says that there is no money to pay for essential social programs:

• Canada is one of the top 15 military spending nations in the world, and our current spending is higher than Cold War levels


• The current budget includes at least $5 billion in corporate tax cuts, even while Canada has some of the lowest corporate tax rates in the OECD.

If you want to read more here is the link to the CCPA's annual "alternative budget. " After reading something like this its amazing to see the lengths that the government goes to not do useful/helpful things and instead focus on reducing the size of government, cutting corporate taxes, and facilitating private profit to maintain its bone headed, ideological, and patently false agenda.

http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/reports/docs/AFB%202010%20Budget%20in%20Brief.pdf

Also, in a hopelessly bureaucratic vein, I am appalled at the budget documentation provided by the federal government. At the very least they should provide a year over year comparison, as well as a detailed list of expenditures by department/object. This information exists and should be provided to the public. I will hope that it is on its way as I have far to much sympathy for the work involved in preparing this kind of documentation.

Why is Capitalism So Hard to see?

The current state of global capitalism is remarkably strong. To loosely reference Slavoj Zizek, perhaps the best example of this can be seen in the retreat of the term itself from common usage. Capitalism is no longer seen as an economic system, one among many possible methods of organizing society, it is instead taken as a complete given. It is the white of the page rather than the text itself.

The Olympics provided a wonderful example of this op ache nature of capitalist relations. Even as they have been a time of civic celebration at no time has the City of Vancouver been less "public" and more private/capitalist than it was during the Olympics.

VANOC and the IOC managed to exerted near complete control of the public space. Through an immense police presence and strong armed legal tactics they managed to turn Vancouver into one large advertisement for Olympic sponsors . Even the air space has been privatized, as VANOC has managed to fine people for projecting unwanted advertising through air that they "own." Additionally, how much was the security presence necessary to protect us from terrorist threats, or was it designed to keep "undesirable" people out of what was once public space.

However, during the event itself it was remarkably easy to forget these facts. Glossed over by so much nationalist fervor and good time spirit the last thought on any ones mind was the capitalist accumulation and the reinforcement of capital social relations taking place all around them.

We have a long way to go if we hope to enact positive social change in this world. However, step one remains recognizing the world for what it is, and the capitalism system for just that a system; created by people, temporal, and subject to change. The world we live in was created by human beings and can only by changed by human beings. Every day our daily ritual works to reinforce capitalist social relations and until a larger group of people realise this we have no hope of changing it.

One Year of The Concrete Rainforest!

Hey everyone, in celebration of the one year anniversary of this blog. I have decided to republish the first post. It consistent of my rant about a miserable little article by Vancouver City Councilor Geoff Meggs about his perceived impotence in the face of social housing changes.

I hope you enjoy my vitriol and I'd like to thank Mr. Meggs for his continued insipid fo-leftism which has managed to inspire in me enough anger to start this blog which I have been enjoying more and more as the weeks go by.

So here it is a blast from the past.

Hey all my first blog post and that article that inspired me, here is an interesting article from Vancouver City Councilor Geoff Meggs about the upcoming demolition of some of the last affordable housing in Vancouver (89 units at 4500 Fraser)

http://www.geoffmeggs.ca/2009/02/26/frustration-despair-about-affordable-housing/

I am currently shedding a single tear for poor old Geoff and crew who just couldn't do anything to help the people living in these homes and I sincerely hope their upcoming round-table discussion on affordable housing goes great!

Their feigned impotence and glad handing of Vancouver City Council on this matter is vomit inducing. Saying they say they don’t have legal authority to deny the permit when they set the bounds of that legal authority is ridiculous. Similar permits are denied because people don’t have the right number of fancy rocks near their stream beds and salmon wading pools.

The City of Vancouver’s authority in these matters is quite explicitly spelled out in the Vancouver Charter/Local Government Act, so they need not worry about legal authority. Additionally they certainly could of delayed the demolition as Geoff himself pointed out, but alas the “developer would loose to much money”. Which I will leave to speak for itself. Anyway, thanks for listening to my rant, I’ve been reading ever more news about Civic Politics in Vancouver and getting increasingly angry so hopefully there will be more.

Thanks again for reading, and heres hoping for a few more years!

Garbage Changes

Big changes are on the way to how the City of Vancouver deals with its Garbage. In short, if this report gets passed, starting in 2011 garbage collection will only be once every two weeks. Food waste and yard trimmings will be picked up once a week and composted in Richmond. This is part of a larger regional plan to get foodwaste out of the landfill.

As always this will only effect the single family resitential homes. Apartments and the Industrial/Commercial sector remain subject to the ravages of the market at least for now.

http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20100304/documents/csbu2.pdf

Alas, I won't say too much about this as various pieces of paper I signed loosly prevent me from doing so, however, I must say personally I think its a good idea. Although it would be smarter to focus on the commercial/industrial sector as they are the bigger offenders. Hrmmmm........

We've Only Just Begun (Or no more Lacan)

Oh the joys of Friday afternoon blogging. I was once again hoping to prepare another political tirade, but it is amazing how fast simple things can pull me into a world of self-distraction, delusion, and worry.

This has prevented me from pulling together enough rational thoughts/analysis on a given topic to prep a good blog entry. The shield of rationality and intellect remain thin ever eager to be replaced by the banal repetition of the passions.

With this said, I'll leave you all with this great quote from the movie Synecdoche. While this quote may seem depressing, I find it quite inspiring. We are all in this(life) together, even if we remain forever trapped in our own heads.

"Everything is more complicated than you think. You only see a tenth of what is true. There are a million little strings attached to every choice you make; you can destroy your life every time you choose. But maybe you won't know for twenty years. And you may never ever trace it to its source. And you only get one chance to play it out. Just try and figure out your own divorce. And they say there is no fate, but there is: it's what you create. And even though the world goes on for eons and eons, you are only here for a fraction of a fraction of a second. Most of your time is spent being dead or not yet born. But while alive, you wait in vain, wasting years, for a phone call or a letter or a look from someone or something to make it all right. And it never comes or it seems to but it doesn't really. And so you spend your time in vague regret or vaguer hope that something good will come along. Something to make you feel connected, something to make you feel whole, something to make you feel loved. And the truth is I feel so angry, and the truth is I feel so fucking sad, and the truth is I've felt so fucking hurt for so fucking long and for just as long I've been pretending I'm OK, just to get along, just for, I don't know why, maybe because no one wants to hear about my misery, because they have their own."

Back to analysis and/or humour next week ! Feeling better already

What would Quachi do?

On Friday I attended the Anti-Olympic rally at BC place. Although I got their late and missed a good portion of it I enjoyed myself and thought it was a worth while. It is good to know that not everyone in the city is excited about the Olympics. Even if it is a minority position.

Now that the protests have turned violent I am torn, part of me feels that a violent system must be met with violence, and that property destruction is not a big deal . However, I also feel this delegitimates the other protests. In a city filled with "Olympic Fever", reckless violence only further marginalizes an already marginal position. In short, where does informed political action end and smashing stuff because you mad at your parents begin.

There are definite problems with the way the protests have been organized and a complete lack of any firm message/goals. Hopefully this will improve as the weeks go on, but I remain skeptical.

As for the Olympics themselves, it is truly remarkable to see their effect on the City. Everything is light up, busy, and I can't leave the house without providing directions to some happy Russian tourist. I understand the excitement that the Olympics brings and the fun in getting swept up in an event of this magnitude. I like sports and parties and will likely watch a number of Hockey games(on TV of course), attend the free concerts, and enjoy a city full of happy people.

I compare the experience to eating at McDonald's. One can disagree with McDonald's believing they have horrible labour practices, corporate policies, and promote unhealthy food/lifestyles, but the food still tastes good, at least until the digestion process takes over.

This is a big part of the problem. In the same way, that McDonald's uses human evolutionary cues (fat & sugar taste good) in order to sell unhealthy food at a profit, the Olympics takes great human qualities (athletic prowess, desire for community, social interaction etc) and turns them into tools for capitalist accumulation and corporate greed.

I'd like to leave on the following thought; spending 6 billion dollars on a party in a world filled with social need is unconscionable. The economic benefits that the games provides serve the needs of the rich at the direct expense of regular working class people. When the provincial budget is passed next month, how many people will loose their jobs and how many important programs will be further decimated, primarily to service debt incurred on behalf of the Olympics. And this is just a tiny, easy to idenitify, fraction of the negative impacts the Olympics will have on this city and the (nonrich) people in it.

Unfortunately digesting those chicken mcnuggets is never as good as that first bite.