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3.64 AVERAGE
3.64 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
There are a lot of inspirational ideas in this book, and it's nice to read something that is both leftist and not incredibly dire, even if I understand why the latter trait is so integral to societal analysis. I personally believe that modern socialist politics needs to look more to the approach of post-scarcity—which, as this book mentions, is actually already here in a number of ways. (For instance, every person could conceivably "own" every ebook or mp3 for free, forever, with no restrictions. This is because we can perfectly and infinitely replicate digital files, but copyright, a completely outmoded system, keeps this replication from being legal.)
However, with regards to the book, a lot of the actual material analysis seems either overly optimistic or disconnected from applicability. Overall, then, FALC is a great read for getting some optimistic perspective on near-future technological advances and how they could be put to use by the left, but when it starts to draw actionable conclusions and set goals, things unravel a bit.
However, with regards to the book, a lot of the actual material analysis seems either overly optimistic or disconnected from applicability. Overall, then, FALC is a great read for getting some optimistic perspective on near-future technological advances and how they could be put to use by the left, but when it starts to draw actionable conclusions and set goals, things unravel a bit.
Operating under the assumption that capitalism is not the production of goods nor the accumulation of capital, but the manufacturing of scarcity, Aaron Bastani's Fully Automated Luxury Communism delivers predictable fare. To its credit, though, Fully Automated Luxury Communism dares its reader to imagine the contours of a post-scarcity world that embraces instead of rejects the potential for technology to liberate us from scarcity itself. By confronting a "limitless, virtually free supply of anything," the "internal logic" of capitalism "starts to break down." This idea represents the comingling of the manifesto (as a form) with utopian thought. The manifesto and utopian thought, in many respects, define the strengths and weaknesses of Fully Automated Luxury Communism. At its best, Fully Automated Luxury Communism effectively communicates the notion that we are "Promethean because our technology is already making us gods." Aside from seductive, decorative overtures such as "FALC, unlike the world of actually existing neoliberalism, will not demand constant sacrifices on the altar of profit and growth," I don't understand how we get where Bastani wants us to go. Bastani gestures toward the importance of a political revolution of sorts when he writes, "Technology transformed work, and could improve people's lives, but only if it was coupled with an appropriate politics." As I read it, when Bastani references "appropriate politics," he is referencing not only Communism broadly but also a sober and rigorous understanding of scarcity as fabrication.
By seeing and rejecting the inevitability of many of mechanisms that allow capitalism to work (i.e., capitalist realism), Fully Automated Luxury Communism functions as "a map by which we escape the labyrinth of scarcity and a society built on jobs." The viability of Bastani's claims will arrive when other theorists explore them in more meticulous detail. After all, Fully Automated Luxury Communism is a manifesto; it is meant to inspire, provoke, and even antagonize, and on those grounds, it succeeds.
By seeing and rejecting the inevitability of many of mechanisms that allow capitalism to work (i.e., capitalist realism), Fully Automated Luxury Communism functions as "a map by which we escape the labyrinth of scarcity and a society built on jobs." The viability of Bastani's claims will arrive when other theorists explore them in more meticulous detail. After all, Fully Automated Luxury Communism is a manifesto; it is meant to inspire, provoke, and even antagonize, and on those grounds, it succeeds.
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Vol interessante gedachten en ideeën, maar ik moet het nog maar zien gebeuren hoor.
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
reflective
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
An odd mix of fanatical science futurism, old school socialism and utopianism.
It's figures are often just quoted from proponents of various causes such as the SNPs widely discredit misleading energy figures.
It's figures are often just quoted from proponents of various causes such as the SNPs widely discredit misleading energy figures.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced