A Polemic Contra—Hedonism: A System of the Refusal to Move Beyond Post-Capitalism
Firstly, let us dispel the established nihilism against all grand narratives of morality. It is true, Mark Fisher proclaims, that we are merely in a high-definition 20th Century. However, this is so not because of grand narratives refusing to advance and adapt to our technological sophistication of communication and social relations, but rather, the Spectacle’s indifference to the human experience. Guy Debord wrote in The Society of the Spectacle that society is hyperfocused upon imagery to stabilize the social relations between the class that proclaims to not exist, the Post-Capitalist, and the class that is dematerializing over automation, the proletariat. The former as much as the latter become consumers of images whether their nature is inherently political, pornographic, graphic, or soothing.
Hence, the increased consumption of images (and videos) perpetuates a hedonism never before seen in the history of mankind. A hedonism that no longer depends on the struggle to act itself out with established opposition, since, the Western world hyper-focuses on the “free” aspect of sexual deviancy and sexual perverse actions no longer tied or bound by the social norms of monogamy, heterosexuality/homosexuality, and commitment. The grand narrative of true love collapses. Then arises hypersexualization of individuals. The goal of men and women no longer, primarily, is to interact to find “the one”, but rather, to find a sufficient partner to satisfy sexual desire, monetary desire, and the narcissistic desire for assurance of beauty.
Coca-Cola Adverts, Pepsi Adverts, Burger King Adverts, McDonalds Adverts, and whatnot advertise themselves with models meant to capture the attention of men. This has been going on long before Marlyn Monroe. Why is this so? This is so by this systemic truth– Capital exists as dead labor (Karl Marx) to perpetuate itself. In the modern day, it perpetuates by its consumption. Consumption gives validity to capital. Capital now infiltrates human experience (sexual desire: pornography or sex machines– the longing for de-solitude: hologram wives in Japan– excitement: action movies or thrillers). Since capital now infiltrates human experience as much as commodities turn men into mirrors, capital now assumes a social role with social goals. Hence, not only do we view the hypersexualization of commodities and ourselves with Grindr and Tinder, we find social goals for the widespread celebration of the triumphs of Spectacle Capital.
Capital is hedonistic, divorced from the traditions of mankind, and dead labor exploiting living labor. The Post-Capitalists, declaring themselves physically the present material reality which itself proves Fordian Capitalists to be obsolete, have become a class of collective individuals no longer confronted with the problem of scarcity, but are now confronted with the validity of the capitalist system in the dawn of rising social discontent. So, the distribution of non-scarce necessities is satisfied as was the goal of socialism. Now, the ultimate aim of capital is to fulfill the immediate satisfaction of the masses. Maximize pleasure with little pain. This is undialectical and a rejection of, what I believe to be, the human principle of a struggle toward the future as examined by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. As an anti-capitalist too, hedonism serves to illustrate the social goal of haunted capital today. Without struggle, there is no result. Men do not discipline and throw themselves into periods of pain to not expect the long-term goal of a healthy and muscular body. Automation, both as liberation from unnecessary labor, becomes a prudent force against the Hegelian human spirit to advance forward into new cosmos to synthesize with.
