Crime fiction allows for an exploration of cities at night and serves as a genre to deconstruct societal norms.
Technology's impact on cities and social dynamics resonates with the exploration of machinic forces in literature and philosophy.
Storytelling serves as a methodology to incorporate philosophy into crime fiction and elaborate on societal problems.
Deep dives
The intersection of philosophy, literature, and crime fiction
The podcast episode explores the intersection of philosophy, literature, and crime fiction. The guest, Nicholas Blinko, shares his experience as a novelist and screenwriter and how storytelling is integral to his approach. He discusses how crime fiction allows him to describe cities, particularly at night, and how it serves as a genre through which he can deconstruct societal norms. Additionally, he highlights the connection between his writing and his PhD thesis on the relationship between politics and economics, delving into the ways in which crime fiction aids in exploring the materiality of desire and economic forces within cities.
The impact of William Gibson and techno-cultural acceleration
The discussion touches on the influence of author William Gibson and his portrayal of accelerating technological and cultural changes in society. The emergence of technology, such as the availability of personal computers and email accounts, reflected the world depicted in Gibson's novels. These developments resonated with the guest and his peers, as they felt they were experiencing a world similar to Gibson's. This aligns with the exploration of machinic forces and how they shape cities and social dynamics in both literature and philosophy, as discussed in the podcast episode.
The role of storytelling in philosophy and investigating societal problems
The podcast episode explores the role of storytelling in philosophy and investigating societal problems. The guest emphasizes his affinity for storytelling and views himself as a storyteller rather than a philosopher. He highlights how storytelling serves as a methodology for doing philosophy and narrativizing theory. By using narrative frameworks, he aims to sneak philosophy into his work in a deft and engaging way. This approach allows him to explore and elaborate on societal problems and create connections to broader philosophical concepts, such as the materiality of desire and the relationship between economics and politics.
The intersection of crime fiction and the underworld of cities
The podcast episode delves into the intersection of crime fiction and the underworld of cities. The guest describes how crime fiction provides a lens for examining cities during periods of upheaval, particularly focusing on the violent and changing aspects of urban life during the night. Through crime fiction, he explores how the underworld becomes an engine of change within society and the complex relationship between economic forces and city dynamics. This discussion underscores the guest's interest in the materiality of economic desires and their impact on urban environments, further intertwining philosophy and literature.
The Darker Side of Acceleration
The podcast episode explores the concept of accelerationism and its implications in a rapidly changing world. It discusses how the acceleration of technology, communication, and capitalism has led to a sense of disconnection and uncertainty. The episode highlights the tension between embracing acceleration as a force for progress and the fear of losing control and facing potential disaster. It also touches on the potential dangers of unchecked acceleration, such as environmental destruction and social collapse.
The Rejection of Ideology and Emphasis on Desire
The podcast episode delves into the rejection of traditional ideologies and the emphasis on desire in the philosophical works of Deleuze and Guattari. It discusses how Deleuze and Guattari challenge the concept of ideology as an explanatory category, instead focusing on the play of desire and desiring machines in the social realm. The episode explores how this perspective avoids the pitfalls of ideological thinking and opens up new possibilities for liberation and social change. It also highlights the cautionary approach taken by Deleuze and Guattari, recognizing the potential dangers of unrestrained deterritorialization and the importance of balancing desire with caution.
Author, hip-hop artist, and holder of a PhD from Warwick University, Nicholas Blincoe joins Coop and Taylor for a look at Nick Land's Making it With Death: Remarks on Thanatos and Desiring-Production. Land was Nicholas's phd advisor at Warwick, and Nicholas was friends with Iian Hamilton Grant, so he shares a little about his experiences from this period.
Nicholas's Links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Blincoe
https://youtu.be/14ADgVsHeeA
https://twitter.com/nicholasblincoe
Support us on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/muhh
Twitter: @unconscioushh
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