Ontopower: War, Powers, and the State of Perception

by Brian Massumi

Color coded terror alerts, invasion, drone war, rampant all manifestations of the type of new power Brian Massumi theorizes in Ontopower . Through an in-depth examination of the War on Terror and the culture of crisis, Massumi identifies the emergence of preemption, which he characterizes as the operative logic of our time. Security threats, regardless of the existence of credible intelligence, are now felt into reality. Whereas nations once waited for a clear and present danger to emerge before using force, a threat's felt reality now demands launching a preemptive strike. Power refocuses on what may emerge, as that potential presents itself to feeling. This affective logic of potential washes back from the war front to become the dominant mode of power on the home front as well. This is ontopower—the mode of power embodying the logic of preemption across the full spectrum of force, from the “hard” (military intervention) to the "soft" (surveillance). With Ontopower , Massumi provides an original theory of power that explains not only current practices of war but the culture of insecurity permeating our contemporary neoliberal condition.

 

Genres: Philosophy, Politics, Academic, War

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 12, 2015

About the author

Brian Massumi is Professor of Communication at the University of Montreal. He is the author of several books, including What Animals Teach Us about Politics and Parables for the Virtual: Movement, Affect, Sensation.

Reviews

[Virga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaip Massumi sako, šita knyga yra "dabarties istorijos pratybos", t.y. bandymas aiškintis, kaip dabar teka laikas (jeigu "teka" vis dar teisingas žodis), kas yra ateitis, kas yra dabarties įvykis, kaip gali tos ateities, dabarties, ir praeities schemos apsiversti. Ir būtent politinių konfliktų logikoj.
Visi šiuolaikiniuose karuose dalyvaujam - laukdami, kad jau-jau va-va mus užpuls, sugriaus ramybę ir t.t. Pirkdami grėsmės numatymus profesionalių apžvalgų pavidalu, leisdami demonizuoti tas valstybes, visuomenes ar religijas, iš kurių IŠ ANKSTO, ar dėl viso pikto, ar - kad būtų aiškiau, gaminami priešai. Pradėdamas nuo 9/11 šoko ir politikų komentarų po jo, Massumi rodo, kaip konfliktų logika keičiasi, kaip galimo priešo stebėjimas ("prevencinės priemonės") virsta priešo pasigaminimu per kasdienes naujienas ir komentarus. Be abejo, ta logika kažkiek jau galiojo ir iki 9/11, ir apskritai nėra čia jokia pritrenkiančiai nauja mintis. Bet labai įdomiai susaistyta su pasikeitusiomis, kaip Massumi rodo, laiko schemomis, ontologinėmis schemomis (net paprasčiausiomis loginėmis), ir - su kolektyvinės baimės temomis.

[Burc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read this a while a go but today, of all days, seems an opportune time to review it lol. I think this is better than most of Massumi's contemporary stuff. It builds on Foucault's concept of security by bringing it in conversation with American pragmatism as well as Whitehead. Still a good inspiration to think about the logic of neoconservatism to the extent that it is still a prevalent force (especially around environmental policy). Also good for showing how neoconservatism is complementary to contemporary capitalism.