Cunningtechnologieshypnotizingchickens,horsewhisperingandthesorceryofsocial

subjectivities.

DrMattLee,IndependentScholar/FreeUniversityofBrightonhttp://about.me/philosophermattlee

...weproposethattheproblemsbesettingourplanetandourspeciesobligeustorefurbish
masteryinanewlycomplexguise#Accelerate,Section3,Paragraph#21

1.Accelerationismisanattempttothinkawaybeyondthecurrentcapitalistconstructionofsocial
production,derivedfromthethoughtthatimmanenttothecapitalistmodeofsocialproductionthereisan
underminingconditionthathasthepotentialtocrackopenthepresentandallowanalienfutureto
emerge.ThroughsuchacracktheCommunisthorizoncanbecomemorethanaPlatonicidealand
operateasanorganisingandtransformingrealitythatembodiescollectiveselfmastery.Speakingstrictly
intermsoftheAntiOedipus,thisunderminingconditionisthegreatmutantflowofpure
deterritorialisation1thatisbothconstantlyreterritorialisedoncapitalistaxiomatics(crudely,theruleof
makingaliving)andconstantlyescapingonallsidescausingsomeoftheircurrentstopassthrough
themeshoftheaxiomatic,underneaththerecodingsandreterritorialisations2.Foraccelerationismthe
materialityofthemutantflowisexpressed,fundamentally,inthePrometheanismoftechnology.Assuch
anystrategyaimedtowardsescapefromcapitalismneedsmustfocusonthecapacitiesthatcanbe
unleashedinthecomplexformationoftechnicsthatliesattheheartofthecurrentspeciesnamedthe
human.

ThePrometheanismofthetechnologicalforcesofproduction,mobilisedbycapitalismforprofit,mightstill
offerameansofliberationratherthansubsumption.Thisliberationisambivalent,however,sinceit
vacillatesbetweenanindividualisticandcommunisticmode.Theindividualisticmodeembracesthe
technologicalfuturismofthetranshumanistdesireforthemergingofmanandmachinewhereasthe
communisticmodecelebratesthepossibilitiesforactionopenedupbytechnicsofhealthcare,
educationalopportunityandcollectiveorganisation.Thedifficultyoftheaccelerationistidealiesinthe

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thoughtthatitsembraceofatechnologicalPrometheanismthatintendscommunisticgoalsofcollective
liberation(fromdisease,ignoranceorstateoppression,forexample)inevitablycollapsesintocapitalist
reconstructionsofconsumptionstrategiesdeployedbyindividuals.Whilstitisnottechnologythatwill
saveus,isitthroughtechnologythatwemustgoorawayfromit?Cantechofferusanescapevector
fromcapital?

IntermsoftheAntiOedipusbothanddynamic,itispossibletosimplydenytheescapemoment.On
thisbasiswemight,perhaps,needtoholdtosomethinglikearadicalnegativityinthefaceofthemutant
flow.Evenifthebasicaccountofantioedipusandschizoanalysiswereaccepted,however,thereisstill
thepossibilitythattheescapemomentisovervalued,amountingtolittlemorethanareneweddeath
drive(theonlyescapeisdeath!).Attheheartofthisproblemthereistheclaimthatthattheescape
momentinthemutantflowcanneverberecodedontostrategiesthatcouldactualisethecommunist
moment.Thequestionaddressedinwhatfollowsiswhetherthereareanygroundforassessingthe
possibilitiesofrecodingsinawaythatoffersstrategicmeansbywhichtodopreciselythat,toactualise
thecommunistmoment.Whilstanalmostunlimitedsetofsuchstrategiesofrecodingmightbeassessed,
thefocusherewillbeonsorcerousstrategies,modesofrecodingsthataredeployedbysorcerers,
magiciansandthosewhoengageinthepracticesofcunning.

Whysorcery?Whycunning?OneofthemoretroublingclaimswithinAntiOedipusisthatthe
revolutionarybreakcannotbeachievedexceptatthecostof,andbymeansofarupturewith,
causality3.Onthefaceofitthisclaimisatbestbizarre,atworstdisempowering.Ifsupposedlythefirst
horrificmistakeofDeleuzeandGuattariistovalidateanescapestrategythatislittlemorethana
reconfigureddeathdrive,thesecondissurelytoyieldtothehorrorofspontaneismandthequietismthat
follows.Forwesorcerers,however,therupturewithcausalityislessshocking,ascunningpractice
presupposessomethingakintotheirruptionofdesirethatbreakswithcausesandaims4andis
deployedpreciselyinordertoincreasethecapacitytomastersuchirruptions,whilstneversubsuming
them.

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2.ThemagicianJamesWassermanmakesthestatementthatthemagicianswimsinthesamewatersin
whichthepsychoticdrowns5.Wesorcerersrecognisesuchaclaimasanaccuratedescriptionbut
recognise,atthesametime,thatthereisahubristosuchaclaimthatmightappeartomanyasreckless
orridiculous.Thehubrisinthissituationismadeevenmorestarkifwebrieflyexpandonexactlywhatis
meantbythemagician,whichisbestlookedatintermsofwhatkindofthingstheydo.Thisstatement,
forexample,comesaspartofadescriptionofinvocation,theprocesswherebyamagicianconnects
directlytowhatWassermancallsanarchetype.ThearchetypeshementionsinhisdiscussionarePan
andTahuti(Thoth)andwhetherwewanttocallthesearchetypesorsimplygodsisadiscussionfor
anothertime.Intheprocessofinvocation,thatcanorientitselftogods,goddessesoramultiplicityof
otherentities,themagiciandeliberatelyattemptstoreplaceoratleastconjointheiregoorselfwith
thatoftheentityinvoked.Itisthiscrossover,betweenmagicianandentity,thatiscentraltotheprocess
ofinvocation,inthecourseofwhichthemagiciandoesmorethanmerelycommunicatewiththegods,
rathertheybecome,foratime,thosegods,ormorepreciselytheyenterintoabecominggodsince
categoriesofidentityfailtoevenremotelycapturetheprocessatwork.

Wassermannotesatonepointthatthereisadifferencebetweentwowaysofdescribingthisprocess,
onebeingabringingdownoftheentityintothemagician,theotheraraisingupofthemagician.He
saysthatduringtheprocessofinvocationyouretryingtoidentifywithahigherforceandbringthatforce
downintoyourself,Iwouldbeinclinedtosayraisemyselftothatforce6.Thislast,crucial,inflection(I
wouldbeinclinedtosayraisemyselftothatforce)pointstohowtheundoubtedhubristhatsorcery
involvesmustbeconstitutedwithaparticularinflectionforittooperate.Onewayofthinkingofthis
inflectionofhubrisisbyconsideringcunning.Boththemagicianandthesorcererdeploycunning,but
withaslightdifferencewhichexplains,tosomedegree,whatthedifferenceisbetweenmagicand
sorcery.Veryroughly,themagicianorientstotheworldasamultiplicityofpersonsofgreaterorlesser
power,althoughbypowerwhatisoftenmeantisapowerto,somethinglikeacapacity,ratherthana
powerover,inthesenseofanauthority.Thesorcerer,ontheotherhand,orientstotheworldmorein
termsofamultiplicityofmachinesortechnologies,toageneralisednonanthropomorphicor
anthropocentrictechnics.Wemightevenwanttosaythatthesorcerertakestheworldtobeamultiplicity

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ofassemblages,someofwhicharealreadymoving,othersofwhichcanperhapsbemadetomove.Both
sorcererandmagicianmightbethoughttobepanentheistictosomedegree,althoughneitherneed
necessarilybetheisticatall,sothatdefinitionisquiteproblematic.Bothundoubtedlypopulaterealitywith
manymorelivingthings,mindsandconsciousnesses,whatevertheymaybe,thanispartofanystandard
naturalism.Bothhavesomesenseofpotentialitiesatworkwithinreality,bothhavesomesenseof
determinationorfateornecessity.Perhapsthemagiciannotesaroleforgracethatismoreexplicitthan
thesorcerer,althoughthelatterknowswhattheyaretalkingabout.Mostnotably,perhaps,themagician
hasasenseofpurposeifnotagoal.Thesorcererisusuallyalittlemorenihilistic.Forboth,however,
thecunningtheydeployisnotasimpleanimalcunningandthatswhatmakesitinterestingifwewantto
understandthehubrisofthemagicalact,anoperationdeployedbybothmagicianandsorcereralike.

Cunningisacuriousthing,bothanimalandhumanandneithernor.TheGreekconceptofmetisspeaks
toakindofpracticalknowledge,somethinglocalandunabletobetransmitteduniversallyandoften
translatedascunning7.Therelationshipbetweenknowledgeandcunningisonethatintimatelyconnects
withquestionsofethicsandmostofthediscussionaroundthisconceptfocusesonthekindsof
understandingthatmightbegainedbypositioningcunningindifferentdeterminaterelationshipsto
knowledge,sometimessupportiveandnecessary,othertimesvergingonunderminingtheverypurpose
ofknowledgeitself.Theepistemologicalproblemofcunningisthatitappearsentirelyinstrumental,
functionalandinsomesenseoutsideknowledge.Cunningisanoccultationatitsveryheartandsothe
transparencyassumptionthatunderpinsmostnaiveepistemologies,thatis,thatifsomethingcanbe
knownitcanbeknownclearlyenoughtobecommunicatedwithclarity,shortcircuitswhenitencounters
cunning.Whilsttheplaceorsituationinwhichcunningappearscanbedescribed,cunningitselfsitslike
somesortofdarkweighttoonesideoftrueknowledge.Thisdark,occultedaspectofcunningoften
speakstoitsanimalside,toitsinstinctivenatureandtosomethingatavisticinthehuman.

Initselfcunningsuggestssomethingmissinginanymodelthatneedsreasonorknowledgetobebound
togetherwithsomethinglikeuniversallytransmissiblediscourse.Atthesametimeitcrossesoverwith
themastersofsuspicioninthatcunningisbothsomethingthatmightbedeployedbyanagentaswellas

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somethingthatconstitutesanagency.Tobemoreexact,cunningissomethingthatseemsnecessary,
althoughnotsufficient,foragencytoappear.Thiscanbestbeunderstoodthroughananalogywithlying.
Tohavegraspedanadequateuseoflanguageaspeakermustknownotonlywhatalieisbutalsohowto
lie.Theymightberatherpoorintheirexecutionofthelyingoperation(youreaterribleliar,Ialways
knowwhenyourelying)buttheymuststillknowthatlyingisamatterofcontext,expectations,body
languageandvariousothercomplexassemblagesofinteraction,aswellasthesimpledissemblingof
explicitmeaning.Withoutthisknowledgeofhowtolietheagentwillnotonlybeunabletoactuallylie
eventhoughtheyunderstandtheconcept,theywillalsofailatahugerangeofotherfundamentalsocial
relationshipssuchastact,compassion,politenessandgeneralsociabilitytechniquessuchassmalltalk.
Tobeabletospeakisconstitutedbybeingabletolie,asanecessarybutnotsufficientconditionof
speaking.Analogously,tobeabletocon(tobecunning),isanecessarybutnotsufficientconditionfor
consciousagency.Itisinconceivablethatanagentcould,inprinciple,notbecunning.Tobea
consciousagentistobeconceivedascapableofcunning.

Thereinliestherubbecauseifthisisthecaseitisnotbecausecunningisdependentonconscious
agency,aswitnessedbythecunninganimalwhomaybesentientbutisnotsapient.Thecunningactsof
ananimalimplysomethinglikesapience,yettheypushustoanthropomorphiseananimalmorethan
almostanyotherbehaviour.Sapience,however,doesnotnecessarilyimplycunning.Sapienceisalso
notenoughforagency,itisanothernecessarybutnotsufficientcondition.Thesapientindividualwithout
cunningisthenaiveandwhenthatnaiveteextendsfarenoughitbecomessociallypathological,inthat
theindividuallackingcunningbutwithsapienceispreyforanyindividualwithbothandis,ineffect,no
longercapableofagencyinthefaceofsuchacombination8.

Cunningthusappearsasaforceoutsidethehumanbutboundintoitsdreamsanddesires.Cunning
appearsinthenegotiationofforcesandbringsinsightthroughdeception.Itorientsthecunningonetoan
alternativefutureandopenstheeyesoftheothertobeseenthrough,albeitonlythroughinference.Itis
thisopeningofinferenceintherealmofthepracticalthatliesattheheartofcunningandwhichistheroot
ofitsintimateconnectiontoconsciousagency.Inferencesintherealmofthepracticaltaketheformnot

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offormallogicalconnectionbutareinsteadacombinationofmaterialinferencesanddispositionstomake
suchinferences.ThematerialinferencethatifBristolistotheEastofBrighton,thenBrightonistothe
WestofBristol,orifItake100microgramsofLSDthenperceptualjudgementsoverthecourseofthe
next8hourswillbeunstable,arespecificandcontextdependent.Technicallyspeakingtheyarenon
monotonicinferences.Thismeansthatthecontentoftheinferences,notjusttheform,iswhatgives
themtheirlogicalstructure.

Tobecunningistobeabletoexperimentwiththeinferencesoftheother,beitthepreyorthepartner.
ThecunningoneneedsthoseinferencesfrombehaviourAtoeffectBtobeinplaceinorderto
experimentwiththeconnectionsandpushthedynamicsthatdrivebehaviourinonedirectionratherthan
another.(IknowthatifImakealoudnoisetheherdofdeerwillrunaway,soifIplaceatrapandthen
shoutsoastopushthemintothetrapIdeployacunningthatisgroundedinunderstandingand
experimentingwiththebehaviouralinferencesatplay.)Atthispointastrictcausalityissubsumedin
somethingfarclosertoaconceptofproductionandcunningisastrategythatengageswiththe
productionofproduction.

Tobecunning,then,istobeabletoexperimentwithbehaviouralinferences,including(forthemagician
andsorcerer)thebeliefsthatsurroundhumanbehaviours.Oneofthebasicrulesofoperationfor
practicaloccultistsisthatbehaviourandbeliefarereciprocallyinvolvedineachotherinaprocessof
negotiationsuchthatneithercancompletelydeterminetheother.Magicalritualpracticeisthe
experimentationwithbehavioursandbeliefscombined,oftenthroughthemediatinglayerofsymbolic
connotation,withtradition,historyandpurposes.Itisimpossibletoestablishasimplecreedordoctrine
formagiciansandsorcerersbecausetheirritualpracticeisnotgroundedinaxiomatisationbutin
experimentation.Themagicianwhosimplyfollowsasetofpreviouslyestablishedritualsandnever
createstheirownortestsandmodifiesexistingpracticesisalmostacontradictioninterms.Thehubris
ofthemagicianandsorcerercomesinatpreciselythismoment,becauseunderpinningthe
experimentationmodelisaradicallydifferentunderstandingofauthorityandknowledgefromthatfoundin
eitherreligionsofthebookorsciencesofnumberandmeasurement.Toexperimentistotakethe

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experimenterasauthorityratherthantraditionortranscendence.Thehubrisofthemagicianandsorcerer
iswellfoundedinthattheytakethemselvesasthehighestauthorityintheiractionsandresponsibilities.
Onlyagodshouldbesoarrogant.

3.Thecunningoneisusuallyahuman,butnotalways.CunningisanimatedbybothFantasticMrFox
andWile.E.Coyote,althoughwiththelatterthespeedofRoadRunneralwaysovercomesthetraps.Still,
evenherethecunningoneisananimal,albeitafictionalone.Yetthereisnoobviousontologicalexcuse
torestrictcunningtoanimals.Mostnotably,Hegelextendscunningintotherealmoftheabsolute,slipsit
intotheworld,onthebackonreason,asameansofactualisation.Takenassuchitisviabletoassume,
ifonlyforidlespeculationssake,abouttheroleofcunningintheactualisationoftechnology.Ifthereisa
cunningofreason,istherealso,perhaps,acunningofthemachine?

InanarticleintheNewYorkTimesin2014thesubjectwastheroleofPowerPointwithintheUSmilitary,
inparticularitsroleinbriefings.Generalsarereportedbemoaningtheapplicationsincreasingly
ubiquitousrolewithinstrategicdiscussions,withonebeingquoteddirectlyassayingpowerpointmakes
usstupid9.Thearticlegoesontonotethattherearemilitarycommanderswhohaveseriousconcerns
thattheprogramstiflesdiscussion,criticalthinkingandthoughtfuldecisionmaking.BrigadierGeneral
H.R.McMasterisquotedassayingthatPowerpointisdangerousbecauseitcancreatetheillusionof
understandingandtheillusionofcontrol.Inadditionthereisanumbingeffectgiventhenamedeath
byPowerpointwhichisdeliberatelyusedbythemilitarypropagandaefforts.Seniorofficerssaythe
programdoescomeinhandywhenthegoalisnotimpartinginformation,asinbriefingsforreporters.The
newsmediasessionsoftenlast25minutes,with5minutesleftattheendforquestionsfromanyonestill
awake.ThosetypesofPowerpointpresentations,DrHammessaid,areknownashypnotizing
chickens.

Thetechnologyisrecognisedashavingnegativeeffects,evenifitmightbepossibletodeploythose
effectstoachieveparticulargoals,asinthecaseofthejournalists(chickens)hypnotizedbythe
presentations.Curiously,however,despitethenegativeeffectsontheinternalcultureofbriefings,the

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ideathatitcouldberemovedandthattheycouldgobacktotheoldwaystheydidthingsisabsentfrom
thepicture.Thetechnologyishavingeffectswhichconsciousagentsacknowledgetobeproblematicbut
whichtheyappearpowerlessinthefaceof.Thesituationpresentsalmostaspartofthefamiliartropeof
technologiescomingaliveandturningontheirsupposedmasters.Yettheseproblemsmightbeargued
toresidewithinlimitationsofhumanintentionallife,notinthetechitself.Psychologistsandneuro
scientistsmight,quitereasonably,pointtovariousfacetsofhumancognitivelifeasthesourceof
explainingthecuriousbehaviourofcontinuingtousetoolswhicharerecognisedtobeharmful.Thereal
problem,wemightthink,cannotliewithinerttech,lumpsofmaterialsandcode,becausethesethings
donthaveintentionorgoalorpurpose.Onthislineofthinkingitisobviouslyacategorymistakeofsome
kindtoascribeanythinglikecunningtoaninert,purposelesspieceoftech.

Itisclearthattheprocessofhypnotizingchickens(journalists)viaprolongedPowerpointexposureaims
atpreventingproblematicquestionsandoverlykeenscrutinyontheoperationsofthemilitary.Thisis
undoubtedlyakindofcunning,apracticaluseoftechtoprevent,blockordirectdiscussioninorderto
maintainmilitarycontrolovermilitaryoperations.Yetatthesametimethereissomethingforgottenifthe
focusisonlyontheaimofthosegivingthebriefingstothejournalists.Thescenarioisnotbest
understoodbybeginningfromthoseaimsorgoalsbutinsteadneedstobeconceivedasasynthesisof
techandgeneralisedpotentials.Therewasalmostcertainlynooriginalintentiontodeceivewhichthen
deployedPowerpointasitsmeans.Insteadthemorelikelyscenarioisthatthosegivingthebriefings
haveagenericintentionthatissomethinglikeprovideinformationasfreelyaspossiblewithout
jeapordisingoperationalsecurityandautonomy.Thebriefingofficerdoesnthavetobeintendingto
deceive,simplytomaintaintheirautonomyandpreventunwantedincursionsintotheiroperational
activity.Withinthisgeneralframeworkofthemaintenanceofautonomy,whichhasitsownspecific
dynamicswithinthemilitarypublicrelation,Powerpointarrives.Thesynthesisofthegenericframework
withthespecificpropertiesofanextendedPowerpointpresentationsdeathbyPowerpointproduces
theassemblageofbehaviours,techandtechniquesthatconstitutesthesituationofthehypnotized
chickens.Itisthisassemblagethatenablesthecunningtoemerge.Thetechnologyisnotamere
meanstoanendthatliesoutsideitbutopensupspecific,concreteoptionsandsideeffectsanditisonly

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oncethosespecificsexistthatcunningstrategiescanbedeployedtomanipulatethem.Cunningisnot
simplyanintentionaloperationbutonedependentonthepossibilitieswithinaconcrete,actualsituation.
Inparticularitcanarisefromthepracticalstrategiesandpatternsofactivitythatareembeddedwithin
setsofgeneral,aswellasspecific,frameworksofpotentials10.Thesegeneralframeworksofpotentials
oftenincludebackgroundbeliefstructures,partsofageneralconceptualschemethatcanoperate
underneathconsciousawareness..Aspartofthebackgroundstructures,thegeneralframeworkscan
producesomethingakintounconsciouscunningthroughthedevelopmentofskillfulpractice.Such
unconsciouscunningisonewayofunderstandingtheprocessofthereterritorialisationofproductionas
theunconsciousaxiomaticsofpowerdragproductionintoitsoppressiveform.

Incontrastwiththestrategyofhypnotizingchickenstherecanbeadeterritorialisingeffectproducedby
thegeneralframeworksofpotentials,whichmightbeillustratedbyconsideringanemployee,perhapsin
theITdepartmentofalargeorganization,utilisingstrategiesofconfusingtransparency,strategiesthatwe
mightencounterunderthecolloquialphraseofblindingwithscience.Therearevariousstrategies
employeesusetomaintainorgainsomedegreeofpowerwithintheirworkingenvironment,includingthe
useofjargon,acronymsanddomainspecificconceptsaswellastheassumptionoftheroleofexpertise.
ThisobfuscationhasbecomealmostarchetypicalofthewholeconceptofInformationTechnology
Supportbutisnotlimitedtothisparticularfield.Ingeneral,whereverartisanalskillisrequiredtobe
deployedwithingeneralareasofoperationthereisatendencyfortheworkertoconverttheiractivityinto
anoccultedpractice,toonedegreeoranother.Indoingsothedynamicisoneofresistingtheaxiomatics
ofpowerandcapital,addingfrictiontotheprocessofsubsumptiontothegravitywellofoppression.The
occultationofskillisatechniqueofresistancetopowerbecauseitreliesupontheconcrete
natureoflabour.Themoretheworkerisindispensablethatis,thelesstheirlabourissubstitutable
thegreaterthestrengthoftheirposition.Ofcoursethisisalwaysanegotiationsincethesubstitutabilityof
theworkerisoneofthegroundsfortheoperationofabstractlabour,andwithintheaxiomaticof
capitalismitisonlyeverpossibletoincreaseordecreasethepotentialsubstitutabilityoflabour,never
removeitaltogether.Inthisconcretestruggle,however,techniquesofoccultationareameansof

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cunningandrelyonthetechnologyitselfallowingsuchoccultationprocessestobeinstantiatedinactual
practice.

4.Acuriousexampleofthestrategyofresistancetotheaxiomaticsofcapitalthatintertwinesthe
concretelabourfoundinthepracticeoftheworkerandtheexplicitdeploymentofoccultsymbolismand
frameworksistobefoundintheSocietyoftheHorsemansWordandGrip11.Thisorganisationoperated
asacrossbetweenasecretoccultsocietyandatradeunion.Predominantly,thoughnotexclusively,
foundinScotland,itexistedfromperhapsthelate18thcenturyupuntilthegreathorsemassacre
followingtheSecondWorldWar12whenBritaintransitionedfromthepowerofthehorsetothehorse
poweroftheinternalcombustionengine.AttheheartoftheSocietylaythesecretwordofpowerthat
constitutedthegiftofhorsewhispering.

ThecaricatureofsuchwordsofpowerintheDisneyworldofabracadabraisonlyeveranamusingfoil
foranypractisingoccultist,forwhomtheroleofthesecretisfarmoreinteresting.Whilstthereareindeed
somestraightforwardsecretswithinoccultorganisations,forthemostpartthesecretisnotsomething
subjecttoidentificationandthusdisseminationbutisinsteadanorganisingforceofpractice.Thesecret
isnotthatthereisnosecretbutthatthesecretisonlycapableofbeingencounteredthroughpracticeand
morespecificallythroughthepracticeofpractices.Itisinthissenseastrategyforengaginginthe
productionofproduction,acunningstrategythatopensareciprocaldynamicbetweenthespecific
intentionsofthepractitionerandthegeneralframeworkofpotentialsorganisedintotheparticulartradition
ofpracticesthataretobepractised.Itisacunningstrategybecauseitenableswithoutprovidingthe
actualisationofagencyitforcesindividuationtoariseasthepractitionerbecomessorcerer.

IntheSocietyoftheHorsemansGripandWord,forexample,thelabouroftheworkerismadeconcrete
astheybecomehorseman13.Totheextentthattheybecomesuchathingtheyattainpowerinthe
straightforwardsenseofmasterybothofthetechnologyandthetechnics,thatis,theoverallassemblage
ofrelations,potentialsandmeansinwhichthehorsemanisactualised.Todosothehorsemanmustbe
abletomanipulatethehorsebutinsuchawaythattheirtechnologiescannotbeabstractedintoa

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knowledgeeconomywheresuchtechnologiesbecomesimplysubjecttoexternalpowerrelations.The
horsemanneedsmusthidewhatitistheyaredoingsothattheybecomeindispensabletothedoingofit
Theyneedtoreachthepositionwherethefarmercannotsimplysackthematwill.

Toholdtheirpowertheymustoccultit,quiteliterally.Sowefindthetrappingsofoccultsymbolismand
actions,suchastheinvitationtojointhatcannotberequestedbutmustbeoffered,theinitiationintoand
submissiontotheSocietyinordertogainthepower,thecentralityoforalteachingandtheforbiddingof
writingdownorotherwisemakingactualtheword.TheassemblagethatisformedastheSocietydeploys
mythologyandstorytogenerateenoughconsistencyfortransmissiontooccuroutsideofthebookform
oftransmissionandwefindaseriesofcharacterssuchasCainandthedevildeployedtoensurethese
storiesoperateintensionwiththeexternalculturalpracticewithinwhichthepoweristoocculted.Ifyou
areinitiatedintoaSocietybykissingthedevilandknowthetechniquesthroughlessonsascribedtoevil
figuressuchasCain,thenatureofthesepersonaeissuchastoguidemosttonotmentiontheminthe
widerfieldofpublicdiscourse.Thispracticepushesthemembertokeepsilent,whichinturnthen
developsaborderlineorfrontierbetweenwhoareandthosewhoarenotintheknow.

Onceintheknow,ofcourse,thepowerofthesecretactualisesotheraspectsofthegeneralframework
ofpotentials.Forexamplepartofthegeneralframeworkofpotentialsthatmightbethoughttoresidein
theideaofclassconsciousness,theideathattheworkeristheproducerofvaluewhichisthen
expropriatedfromthem,becomesactualisedasthepracticeofpowershowsthepractitionerrelationsthat
werethemselvespreviouslyobscure.TaketheversefromoneofthesongsintheSociety:
Successtheploughmenswagescrown
Letploughmenswagesneercomedown,
AndplentyinScotlandayeabound,
Bythelabourotheploughmen.
FortheveryKingthatwearsthecrown,
andthebrethrenothesacredgown,
AndDukesandLordsofhighrenown,

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Dependupontheploughmen14.
Thetransitionherefrommereeconomicconcernswherethelevelofwagesisthemeasureofsuccessin
beingahorsemantooneofawarenessofstructuresofpoliticalpoweriscappedwithanunderstanding
notonlyoftheexistenceofsuchstructuralpowerrelationsbutalsoofthelocationofthepowerinthe
handsofthehorsemannotthecrown.Suchanunderstandingofthedependenceofpoweronthelabour
oftheploughmensuggeststhattheindividuationofthehorsemanthroughtheoccultedpowersofthe
Societyandthewordproducesmorethansimplyanunconsciousactualisingofthepowerasa
horseman.Intheprocessofassemblingthehorsemanasanindividuatedanddistinctpositionwithinthe
social,andinsodoingresistingalthoughnotovercomingtheaxiomaticofcapitalism,thecommunist
horizonappears.Fromfictioncomesfrictionandthentheglimmerofaspark.

5.Thequestionwaswhetherthereareanygroundsforassessingthepossibilitiesofrecodingthemutant
flowofcapitalinawaythatoffersstrategicmeansbywhichtoactualisethecommunistmoment.Ifdeath
byPowerPointillustrateshownewtechnologies(albeitverysimpleones)canberecodedintocontrol
mechanisms,theroleofconcretelaboursuggeststhatthereareinherentpointsoffrictionwithinany
specialisedpractice,frictionthattheabstractionoflabourattemptstogrindaway.Increasingfriction
throughcombiningitwithfictions,asinthecaseofthehorseman,mightbethoughttoprolongthe
durabilityofsuchresistancebuteventhenaradicalshiftinthetechnologycan,almostatonefellswoop,
obliteratesuchresistance.

Yetthisobliterationalsopointstothepossibilityoftechnologymoreprecisely,tothepossibilitiesin
technicsassitesofresistance,ifwecombinethefictionandfrictionmoments.Thefrictionmomenthere
takesonacuriousforminthatitisnowlessaboutaformofskillorspecialisationwithinlabourasitisthe
skillofconcretenetworkedsociality.Thehigherthedegreeofskillwithinnetworkedsocialitythegreater
thefrictionproducedintheprocessofcontrolbythestateapparatusandtothatextentthegreaterthe
frictiontorecodingonacapitalistaxiomatic.

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Forexample,theenormouscrisisthatcurrentlyexistsaroundcontrolofprivacyonlinearisesbecauseof
theswarminggeneralframeworkofpotentialsopenedupbynetworkedsociality.Whilstthepotentials
wererapidlycolonisedbyvectorsofprofitthislednottoasubsumptionofsuchpotentials,onlytotheir
increase.Attheheartofthis,thosewhobecomeskilledinexploringandexperimentingwithsuch
potentialsofferwideranddeepermomentsoffriction,fromthedarknetthroughtowikileaksortheuseof
theBlackberrymessagingsysteminthe2011UKriots.Infacttheprivacyproblemonlyservesto
exacerbatethelikelyincreaseofsuchmomentsoffrictionastheneedtooccultactivitybecomesno
longersomethingstrangeoridiosyncraticbutratherconnectedtodynamicsofbourgeoisindividualist
culturalframeworksitbecomesnormalisedtoencrypt.Theassumptionthatcontrolisbeingimposed,
combinedwiththeideologicalbackgroundofindividualism,producesalogicofencryption.Thelogicof
encryptionandtheskillwithwhichtouseitslipsoutsideofthestateandintotheforegroundofthe
generalframeworkofpotentials.Skilledstateoperatorsrealisethatthecontrolsocietyisnolonger
viableandhavealreadybeguntoexperimentwiththeconfusedsociety,wheretheuseofproliferating
fictionsaimstoproducepoliticalparalysis.

Eachtime,itmightbeargued,thesepossiblemomentsoffictionandfrictionwithinthemutantflowof
capitalaresubjecttoattemptstorecodethemontothecapitalistaxiomaticandthecontrolstructuresof
thestate.Thisisindisputablebuttrivial.Thatispartofthedynamicofthecapitalistsystem.The
question,however,iswhetherthegeneralframeworkofpotentialsisproliferatingoptionsofescapeor
constrictingthem.Itseemsindisputablethatsuchaproliferationisoccurring.Herewecanreturnto
AntiOedipusandtheproblemofquietismandstrategy.
Ifsomeoneretortsthatweareclaimingthefamousrightstolaziness,tononproductivity,to
dreamandfantasyproduction,onceagainwearequitepleased,sincewehaventstoppedsaying
theopposite,andthatdesiringproductionproducesthereal,andthatdesirehaslittletodowith
fantasyanddream15.
Atthismomentintheproliferationoftechnologiesofnetworkedsocialitythedreamsofcommunismmust
bereconfiguredbythedirectengagementinthedesiringproductionsofthesocial.Communisthorizons
needtostopappearingindreamsasthrowbackmomentsto1917.Communistsneedtostoplivinginthe

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past,likesenileoldfoolsinacarehome.Strategicallytherevolutionaryactivistshouldbeturning
towardscode,towardstechniquessuchasBayesianhierarchicalmodelsandMonteCarloMarkovchain
algorithms.Thetaskisdirectexperimentationwithinthegeneralizedframeworkofpotentialsof
networkedsociality.Communist,takeupyourcodeandbuildthetoolsofrevolutionarysocialself
mastery!

Whatsortoftoolsneedtobebuilt?Herethestrategyofcunning,offindingthemomentsoffictionand
frictionwithinthegeneralisedframeworkofpotentialsoffersitselfasaspaceofexperimentation.Whilst
wildlyoverestimatedintheiractualcapacities,organisationssuchasThePirateBayandAnonymous
needtobeunderstoodaspreciselythekindofexperimentthatneedstobelearntfromandbuilton.
Theseideologicallyambiguousandcuriousexperimentsofferclearexamplesofexploitingthecunning
potentialitiesofnetworkedsociality.

6.Beforebeingaccusedofsimplydescendingintoapaentothenetwork,letmereturntothecorepoint,
whichisnotthattheparticulartechnologieswecurrentlylivewitharewonderfulorinthemselves
themselvesliberatory,theyarenot.Theyaresimplythedominantfeatureoftheframeworkof
generalisedpotentials.Thepointisnotthatanyparticularframeworkisitselfbetterthananyother,rather
thatthepotentialsoffermomentsofcunning,vectorsoffriction.Yetthesevectorscanonlybeactivated
byexperimentationandpracticeandsuchpracticeneedstobedrivennotbyafantasyofapastthat
needstobereclaimedbutratherbythepracticaltasksoftheeveryday.Suchexperimentationand
practiceisdrivennotbypreestablishedgoalsbutfundamentallythroughplay,practiceandapplication.
Itisinsuchplayandpracticalapplication,inthefindingoutofwhatcanbedone,inthedeliberate
provocationofeffectsinordertoseewhatmightoccur,itisintheexperimentalpraxisoftechnics,thatour
futuremightbeglimpsedagain.

Inevitablythefuturehasalreadybeenlostformanybutthedeadweightoftherevolutionarydesiresofthe
pastnowlaysitsgriparoundthethroatoftherevolutionarydesireforthefuture.Neoliberalismsignalled
amomentofclassvictory,onethatisperhapsnowencounteringtheproblemsofitsmaturity.Ofthe

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threetaskssuggestedintheAccelerationistManifestoanewintellectualinfrastructurethatcancreatea
newvisionofthegoodsociety,widescalemediareformandthereconstitutionofformsofclasspower16
itisnodoubtthelatterthatismostdifficulttoperceive.Hereonefurtheraspectneedstobeaddedtothe
notionofarenewedpraxisoftechniswithinthecontemporarygeneralframeworkofpotentialsembodied
innetworkedsociality,theaspectofclasswar.Ifthereisastrategicdynamicthatmustbeintroducedinto
theplayandexperimentationwithtechnicsitliesinrebuildingthesenseofclasswar,releasingitfromthe
gripofthepastandproducingweaponsandmeanswithwhichsuchawarmightbefought.These
weaponswillprovidemeansofsurvivalinthefaceofstatebureaucracies,waysofavoidanceof
surveillance,capacitiestomanipulatemanagers,legalsystems,governments.Strategiesofcunning
deceitneedtoprovidemeansofcheatingthesystem,propagatewaysofknowingandactingthatoffer
thepossibilityofcontinualguerillawaragainsttherecodingsofcapital.Iftherevolutionaryforcesof
desirearetoprovidegunsforthewar,theseweaponswillonlyoccasionallybeAK47s.Atthemoment
thetoolsofencryptionareinsteadperhapsoneoftheclearestexamplesofsuchweaponsasareneeded
anditisthepursuitofsuchweaponsofwarthatshouldstrategicallyorientatetheforcesofrevolutionary
desire.

Thequestionofpoliticsthatliesattheheartofaccelerationismandthatintersectswithrevolutionary
desireisbadlyformulatedifunderstoodintermsofideas.Itisaboutpractice,aboveeverything.The
momentofpracticesubvertsthecentralproblematicofideas,whichisthattheideaoccultsitsowndesire,
actualisingonlyasasymptomofacurrentmomentandassuchcaughtwithinthismoment.Itisthis
failureoftransparencyintheideathatnowpreventsthefuturefromappearing,evenonthehorizon.
Suchahorizoncanonlyariseagainastheskillsforsurvivalandforresistancedevelopacapacityto
embodynewpotentials.Tofreesuchpotentialsisthetaskofalltheforcesofrevolutionarydesire,thatis
thestrategicmoment,butitcanbedoneonlyonthebasisoftheactualpracticeofskillsandtechniques
thatthemselvesprovidetheconditionforanewtechnicsandwithitanewsocialorderofproduction.

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Notes
1. GillesDeleuzeandFelixGuattari,AntiOedipus(1972)trans.RobertHurley,MarkSeemand
HelenR.Lane(London:Continuum2003),409.
2. DeleuzeandGuattari,AntiOedipus,410.
3. DeleuzeandGuattari,AntiOedipus,412.
4. ibid.
5. CitedfromtheshortfilmInthecenterofthefire:invocation,availableonlineat
http://youtu.be/yAwdFvfQYNA,accessed21Nov2014.
6. ibid.
7. OneofthecentraltextsinthelongstandinginterestinmetisisMarcelDetienneandJeanPierre
Vernant,CunningIntelligenceinGreekCultureandSociety(1974),trans.JanetLloyd
(Chicago:1991).AfascinatingcomparativeanalysisofGreekandChinesecognateconceptual
arrangementsofmetisandknowledgeisofferedbyLisaRaphals,KnowingWordswisdomand
cunningintheclassicaltraditionsofChinaandGreece(Cornell:1992).Metisisalsoimportant,
albeitnegatively,inthediscussionoftragedy,moralluckandexcellenceinMarthaNussbaum,
Thefragilityofgoodness(Cambridge:1986).
8. AsimilarpointismadebyDanielDennettwherehesaysthatTheorganismthathasnopoker
face,thatcommunicatesstatesdirectlytoallhearers,isasittingduck,andwillsoonbeextinct.
DanielDennett,TheevolutionofwhyinReadingBrandom:onMakingitExplicit,Ed.Bernhard
WeissandJeremyWanderer(Routledge:2010),57.WhilstDennettspointrestsonanimplicit
modelofinterandintraspeciescompetitiondrivingevolution,andwhilstthepointmadeabove
aboutcunning,lyingandagencyinvolvesafundamentallysocialconstraint,ratherthanasimple
evolutionaryone,theseparationbetweenthetworealmsisneitheracceptednorassumedinthe
argumentofferedhere.
9. ElizabethBumiller,WehavemettheenemyandheispowerpointNewYorkTimes,April26
2010

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10. Thenotionofageneralframeworkofpotentialsisonethatplays,inthisessay,somethingofa
placeholderroleforamoredetailedaccountofaconceptthatfulfillsthefunctionsdescribedby
intentionswithoutbeingdependentonconsciousagency.Relying,asitdoes,onthestillvague
senseofpotentialsthisconceptwillideallybereplacedinfuturewithsomethingmorerigorous
andlesspronetoreanthropomorphisationoridealisation
11. ForanaccountofthisorganisationseeTheSocietyoftheHorsemansGripandWord,William
RennieandBenFernee(Caduceus:2009).
12. KeithChivers,Theshirehorse:ahistoryofthebreed,thesocietyandthemen(Allenand
Co:1976),estimatesthatsome100,000horseswereslaughteredin1947andthesamenumber
in1948.
13. ItisworthnotingthattheSocietyformedabrotherhoodandexplicitlyexcludedwomen.
14. CitedinRennieandFernee,TheSocietyoftheHorsemansGripandWord.
15. DeleuzeandGuattari,AntiOedipus,416.
16. #Acceleratemanifestoforanaccelerationistpolitics,Section3,paragraphs16,17,18.

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