Mapping the Vampire Castle: An Analysis of Rhetoric and Concepts (Fisher's Ghosts, 5)

Analyzing this piece is difficult for me: “Exiting the Vampire Castle” was my introduction to Mark Fisher. It seemed brilliant and insightful at the time. Now, it does not for a variety of reasons. I love Fisher’s longer works, but this essay is riddled with problems. The purpose of this piece is not to defend Fisher’s assertions (though I will be doing a bit of that, more due to rhetorical issues with the critiques than anything else,) but to try to recuperate some of what is valuable in the piece itself.

So, now that everyone involved is alienated, let’s get started!

New Decade, New Chances: A Manifesto for the Moment

As of the time you read this, we have slightly less than 87,500 hours to fix climate change. If you’re in the United States of America, you have slightly less than 7,344 hours until the polls open and you can cast a vote for the next president. I, personally, have about 300 hours from the time you read this to plan my class for this coming semester, because I’m going back to that 5AM grind I was so happy to escape from.

Cancer with the Stars: On the Space Western, the Alien Series, and Gothic Marxism

The Space Western I described above is a fantasy for libertarians; Alien is a nightmare for socialists. The horror here is that Late Capitalism slipped the surly bonds of Earth and is spreading throughout space, consuming everything it touches.

To Breathe the Sacred and Terrible Air: On Disco Elysium by ZA/UM

This game is, of all things, a police procedural RPG with a surprising depth of thought, as well as deep political and philosophical consideration; it pulls no punches, and layers a naturalistic and emotionally effecting story over the top of a thoroughly-drawn and not-entirely-realistic setting. That’s the thing: when someone can pull of Naturalistic Un-Realism, I sit up and take notice — and I think everyone should, too.

“You Can’t Automate Enlightenment”: On Humanism and Machinic Art

Sunday morning, Edgar sent me an article entitled “Grimes Responds To Zola Jesus Calling Her 'The Voice Of Silicon Fascist Privilege'” from Stereogum (a website I’ve never read anything off of, to tell the truth.) They sent me this article, because they know that I can’t resist reading something that I know will make me angry, especially in the morning because coffee is losing its edge and sometimes you need a shot of fight-or-flight to feel like a real human.