Art Of The Motor

by Paul Virilio

Book by Virilio, Paul

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Theory

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Paul Virilio is a cultural theorist and urbanist. He is best known for his writings about technology as it has developed in relation to speed and power, with diverse references to architecture, the arts, the city and the military.

Reviews

[Eric Phetteplace · Rating 2 out of 5]

worst postmodernist work I've read in awhile. Argument lacks an alternative, there's a clear false unity of The Media and Technology which never acknowledges conflicts and the different ideologies at work (Fox News would be "an aberration" because they're conservative), the evidence is more culled from striking anecdotes and quotes than built from history or description, acting as if limit cases are much more common than they are (athletes on steroids, virtual reality, prostheses...none of these are omnipresent nor will they be at our pace), absolutely no positive values. Virilio's answer to Futurism, Stelarc, techno-humanism, etc... is merely to quote their values whilst sneering, implying that it somehow leads to a "loss of all being" that hasn't failed not to happen since Heidegger first started to spout about the influence of technology on metaphysics. Virilio will occaisonally note that something opposes this trajectory (luddite terrorism, stoicism, eugenics even) but act as if he's above that as well. It ends up being a pretty ironic read for me because I find all the theories he's opposed to more persuasive and he looks like a snide nihilist.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of his best. It’s focused. The topic area is one he’s more equipped for. The connection between the evolution of technology and modernity is an interesting one…oye, but seriously, after he writes this surprisingly readable book without all the needless namedropping you see in his other books, he ends it with no conclusion!?!? What’s up with the ending man, take 15 minutes to conclude something! This book is on the level of Open Sky and then it just ends without the respect his thoughts deserve. Poor form sir.

[Nabilla Zammali · Rating 1 out of 5]

A few hours of my life that I'll never get back. This confirms it : to me, Virilio is overrated. Some ideas are interested and way ahead of their time but the bad writing combined with little to no research is just a sauce for failure.

[Giovanni Gregory · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two essays amounting to a single stew of paranoia.