Psychopolitics!

and the art of self-exploitation.

Very often we believe that liberation or liberty, once attained, is something permanent, is forever or for good. Many experts tell us — freedom is best “felt” in the passing from one way of life to another (a better one). They insist that liberty is not an interlude, but rather a final destination. Such oversimplification allows us all to reinvent, remodel and refashion ourselves again and again, in the quest of higher ground (liberty). Indeed, one of the highest attributes of modernity and of technological society, is individual freedom, the “promise” of a life without constrains or coercion. We seldom comprehend, especially in our day to day reality and behavior, that what we practice as freedom, most often gives way to “renewed subjugation”.

A range of abstractions as well as “Psychopolitical” techniques that are invisible, often guide our thoughts, fears, desires, convictions and forthcoming actions. The following story is an attempt to unravel a paradox, that we find ourselves within, transforming into beings that we never really wanted to be and far less imagined — as creatures of self-exploitation!

“The most personalized mental health treatment center in Europe” claims Ibiza Calm. “Experience award-winning luxury wellness in the Himalayas.. Address chronic health concerns, participate in wellness and rejuvenation, heal emotional blockages…” says Ananda, In The Himalaya. According South Korean philosopher and cultural theorist Byung-Chul Han, we are living in the age of “compulsive achievement and optimization”. The transition from Michael Foucault’s disciplinary world (20th century) into the current reality of “I can” and “I will” — symbolized by smart beings using smart gadgets and smart self-fulfilling technologies and “techniques of achievement”. Yet does the psychology of “I Can” really defeat the coercive and disciplinarian systems of the past, the world of “I Should” — the old world which issued commandments, protocols, prohibitions and limits? The dominant ideologies of “Can” will cast off all such critique and insist on removing limits, overcoming past barriers and forms of negative indoctrination. Indeed “Should” was about limits, and in contrast, “Can” is symbolic of “no limits”.

As norms of the 21st century, human beings have abandoned “limits” and “thresholds” and that can be best understood in our behavior, consumption, output and desire to attain “higher grounds for personal freedom, to think and act freely, maximizing our inner potential.” (Deepak Chopra, Author, The Awakening). Regardless of such bogus affirmations, the paradox of freedom appears when we distinguish, as Eric Fromm articulated in the difference between “Freedom To” and “Freedom From”. Liberal ideologies framed within technological society make us believe in a world without constrains. One that offers a range of highly efficient, intelligent systems, aimed at exploiting freedom itself. And why not? “Technically, freedom means the opposite of coercion and compulsion. Being free means being free from constraint. But now freedom itself, which is supposed to be the opposite of constraint, is producing coercion.” (Psychopolitics : Neoliberalism and New Technologies of Power).

Byung-Chul Han’s “techniques of achievement” is addressing the paradox of freedom, and it’s contingent relationship to maintaining power. A range of technologies dedicated to power, that are trying to project an entirely false horizon, of freedom as a final destination for all who embrace and comply. Stay logged in! Everything that was symbolic to “forms of liberty” such as emotion, play, chance, risk and inter-communication, can also be exploited. Byung-Chul Han takes the question of ‘discipline and control’ (Michael Foucault) way beyond it’s previous framework, as “it is inefficient to exploit people against their will. Allo-exploitation yields scant returns. Only when freedom is exploited are returns maximized.”

An App for your smart-home? An App to help you sleep? Some App to monitor your vital health signs and another App to revise your diet? An App to follow the latest stock trends? An App to only read the latest headlines? An App to find a new lover or travel destination? An App to order fast-food or groceries? An App to rate your fitness routines? An App to learn a new language? Apps for meditation and medications? An App to organize your day better? Apps for students and for teachers? Oh so many Apps for social media! Apps to declutter your brain as well as your device? The list is endless and limitless is the proliferation of “self-exploitation”. Why not call it individual freedom? Personal achievement? Indeed, but one cannot negate the “automatic subjectivity” that is symbolic with individual freedom also spurs it to reproduce actively. The reproduction of such psychological technologies and their corresponding techniques is all pervasive, regardless of nation or class, gender or identity, age or real necessity.

The gospel of “progress” is universal and there can be no argument about it, or the need to constantly improve, especially within a neoliberal market, or a world full of shocking events or ever deleterious conditions. But in order to improve, we must adopt the techniques of the day. Better understood as, once I have set a goal, I’m committed to CANI! (Constant, Never- Ending Improvement). Thousands of camps and institutions, dedicated to “personal improvement plans” (PIPs) that repeat the above gospel, as “self-directed strategy designed to enhance an individual's performance, skills and overall well-being” (The Lakes, Addiction Treatment Centers). How and why such universal “designs” and “strategies” came about is a matter of “higher expertise”.

The impact of neoliberal institutions and “Psychopolitics” have a tremendous impact on children, and especially those who are identified as suffering from conditions such as ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorders, PTSD, Neurodivergence, etc. The care and concern behind such interventions, all very well meaning, the techniques willy nilly follow the gospel of “self-improvement” aligned with an “achievement society” — one that is always facing the possibility of burn-out. They tell us “people whose brains develop or work differently for some reason.” but never as to why and what external conditions? what unstable habitats? that actually prompt most mental disorders in children and teenagers. Indeed all such interventions are better than shock therapy!

Within neoliberal society, the ideology of self-optimization often takes on religious or fanatical traits. It entails “a new form of subjectivity with the self” — endlessly working at self-improvement, resembles a type of self-examination that can be equated to religious gospels and councils, seen earlier with Protestants, Jain and Buddhists. But in our current age instead of searching out sins, one hunts down negative thoughts, habits, speech and action. “The ego grapples with itself as an enemy” (Byung-Chul Han). Is why many times, new-age preachers, popular scientists, celebrities, futurists, fitness pros, doctors, media pundits and even politicians, all end up acting more like ‘managers and motivational trainers’? Within such a totalitarian (yet neoliberal) psyche, the imperative of self-optimization, is first to promote and then hope to actualize as “a being who is perfectly functioning within the system”.

The “perfectly functioning” part comes together even more clearly online. Millions of people talking, ranting, raving, broadcasting, pouring out every possible emotion into their channels and platforms. The discourse could be about anything, yet the common psyche is invested into the same media-system and economic rules, that provide an illusion of “free voice” yet with zero impact in terms of emerging reality. They all obey the “logic of the market” above all else. Psychopolitics has achieved the given objective, especially with the deployment of self-anointed social justice warriors, regardless of their agenda and expertise. Be it about war, geopolitics, breaking events, conspiracy theories, sports, gaming, police violence, climate change, identity politics, pets, fitness, social reform, community building, philosophy, etc, etc. All playing into the same framework of neoliberalism — self-actualization backed by the quest for some “better world” using the magic weapon called “freedom of speech”.

“Without negativity, life degrades into ‘something dead’…” (Friedrich Nietzsche). At the heart of the matter, based on the prospects and promises of a limitless world of self-improvement and achievement — we should pause and ask ‘actually what good is it?’ What does a life of no negativity actually entail? Why must weakness, pain, mistakes and doubt be eliminated? Therapeutically or magically eliminated, in order to enhance efficiency and performance? Because our personal happiness and pain must also be subjected to the logic of the market. “Life that consists wholly of positive emotions and the sensation of ‘flow’ is not human at all.” (Psychopolitics : Neoliberalism and New Technologies of Power).

Makes all the rational sense, to find it impossible or absurd, the desire for a world with no negativity, no pain and no place for sorrow. There can be no doubt about the fact, that a neoliberal society viz-a-viz techno-industrial civilization is plagued by a thousand crises, and no wellspring of techniques, of positivity or euphoria can overcome the material conditions that we have manifested for ourselves and for future generations. If violence is destructive and negative, so is the “violence of positivity” — a destructive gospel, better framed as “Neoliberal Psychopolitics”. Is backed by a “consciousness industry” which revives and percolates into mass culture — Hollywood, online series, streaming services, corporate affairs, activism, social media, news, military training, spiritual therapy, etc etc.

Economizing and appropriating the Indigenous in terms of their knowledge, practices and myths is one success story of the “consciousness industry”. Neoliberal assimilation of the Indigenous with the Urban, comes together in many ways — nature based therapies and experiences inside Indigenous reserves, for adults and for children. “Holistic approaches and reciprocal relationships” that tie up with the business of summer vacations, nature walks, tree-hugging, knowledge sharing, basic earth science, conservation etc. Even if such reformation arouses our interest in Nature, it never goes beyond the business model of the involved people. It cannot address the complexities of ownership, private property, the invasive power of capitalism over land, water, resources and the lives of corresponding communities. But what counts is the “experience” that is supposed to be positive, regenerative and getting us closer to “mother Earth”.

Would it be fair then, to say that the “consciousness industry” along with neoliberalism and capitalism, is destroying the human soul, which is anything but “a machine of positivity” (Positivmaschine, German Idealism and Neo-Positivism). Is important to highlight the “consciousness industry” and it’s relationship with negative and shocking content, that often manages to score the highest views. Its not even funny then, how people love to rant about or against the same!

Things get worse, in terms of ability and coercion — neoliberalism and Psychopolitics can direct and steer almost any popular cause and movement, to serve diametrically opposite values. Things like militarism, aggression and the overall interests of power collude with the seemingly libertarian ‘Gay Parades’ and ‘Gay Solidarity’ and ‘Gay Soldiers’ of the Israeli army. Is how a genocidal settler colonial project (Israel) can appropriate and attract hundreds of thousands of consumers (trans) and at the same time slaughter, demonize, rape and burn Palestinians. The “Neoliberal Rainbow” of Israel. Pride and Genocide? Tel Aviv’s Gay Pride parties, all the gigs, dancing, drinking and all the “conspicuous consumption” actually takes place upon a massive graveyard of Palestinians, their habitat, history and lives that were once thriving.

The past decade, people have gotten increasingly aware of the “Orwellian surveillance state”. The darker side of limitless cyberspace and cybertime, the internet and the emergence of an all-pervasive digital “Big Brother”. Every major nation has it’s own “Big Brother”. That is not enough however, to understand the “self-imposed route” that we as individuals have undertaken. The neoliberal techniques of power do not prohibit or repress: instead they find prospects, they permit us to expose ourselves and also project whatever we may wish. Consumption and projection is not held in check, but maximized. Everyone wishes for higher and higher bandwidth and connectivity. The illusion of limitless freedom and communication predominates our lives and it hardly matters then as to what we are dedicated to or looking for, inside such a neoliberal universe. Too harsh it sounds, when Byung-Chul Han tells us that “the inhabitants of today’s digital panopticon never really feel that they are being watched or threatened. Consequently, ‘surveillance state’ is a misleading name for describing the digital panopticon. Here, everyone feels free and is willing to show and share it all...” (Achievement Society, Burnout Society).

Back in 1996, Microsoft’s new mantra was ‘where do you want to go today?’ – the type of computational power, that was suggestive of unlimited freedom and mobility on the web. As it turned out, such euphoria was an illusion. The proliferation of the internet and all corresponding technologies now manifest in devious unforeseen ways. Systems, platforms and services that offer people unlimited plans and offers, can also censor, shadow-ban, infiltrate, worse target and eliminate people. Driven for profit, for crushing resistance or for pure experimentation. The evidence of the above tyranny, can be found in Microsoft’s role in profiting from the current genocide in Gaza as well as becoming synonymous with the military technology of the U.S. empire and all it’s corresponding violence. (Economy Of Occupation : Economy Of Genocide, Francesca Albanese, U.N. Special Rapporteur). ‘Who will Microsoft kill today?’ is the dark irony of a mega-corporation that champions the happy, progressive and productive life — but in reality is a true “Co-pilot” of the current genocide.

“There is so much left to build! Palantirians deliver mission-critical outcomes for the West's most important institutions.” (Alex Karp, CEO Palantir). “Build the future with happy intelligent technologies” Palatir’s branding tells us, while in reality the Neo-conservative, messianic visions of Alex Karp align with the foreign policies of the American empire. A predicament that yet again mirrors the dualism of many techno-messianic figures of our age. “Palantir & Starlink complicit in war crimes amid Israel’s genocide in Gaza” (Economy Of Occupation : Economy Of Genocide, Francesca Albanese, U.N. Special Rapporteur). “Billionaire, man of mystery” says the NYT about Alex Karp, while totally omitting the economic tie-up of ‘Big Data, Surveillance and Genocide’. Nothing obscure here, because Karp himself has openly declared, in front of Silicon valley investors, CEOs and leading techies, that “we have given them enough free Apps and computational power… it is time to dedicate our technologies and resources to protect the West”. The same mythical “West” that is steadily collapsing in reality? Or that “West” symbolic of endless genocide and ecocide (Cannibal Capitalism)? Either way, Alex Karp and the likes, symbolize the vicious logic of capitalism, masked by messianic techno-visions — totally divorced from the values or characteristics that make us human.

What Milton Friedman dreamed of as “depatterning societies” and returning people to a state of pure capitalism, has carried over into the 21st century via techno-messianic visions — of Alex Karp, Peter Thiel, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Klaus Schwab, Eric Schmidt, Ray Kurzweil, Sam Altman, Lex Freidman etc. All champions of self-exploitation and unlimited personal power, iconic figures of an economy that Nancy Fraser outlines in her book, as “Cannibal Capitalism”.

An almost complete picture of our lives, exists on the internet. But it does not ‘exist’ as something alive. Our “digital habitus” (Byung-Chul Han) and the corresponding webs that we navigate, together provide an “extremely precise likeness of our persons” – the system and all it’s Neoliberal Psychopolitics can literally become a “mirror of our very souls”. Objects (trackers, bots, links, clicks, shares, likes, uploads, downloads, etc etc) themselves are starting to transmit information. What is worse, if we pause to think, that perhaps it (our digital habitus) is better? As fuller and more accurate version, than the images we otherwise make of ourselves. Is surely a scary thought, if not “the norm” within the “neoliberality of everything”.

Even if we abandon the internet and all it’s corresponding lure, benefits and threats, forfeit all the labor we have invested in it, we will not free ourselves of Neoliberalism and it’s Psychopolitics. Obviously the average human being is not becoming any more sentient, nor smarter, regardless of the many self-exploitative skills that we may obtain. Worse unable to comprehend the complexity, as individuals we dwell within “subjective, isolated and unstable realities”. Neoliberal Psychopolitics is a technology of domination, and some prefer to call it a technique. A tentacular force, which stabilizes and perpetuates the prevailing system, by means of “psychological programming and steering”. And common people, like you and me are as invested in it, as those who are actually profiting from it.

The art of self-exploitation as mode of living is totally against the praxis of freedom. And what is freedom again within Neoliberalism, best encapsulated as “Protect me from what I want” Jenny Holzer (Art Of Self Sabotage). To disarm Psychopolitics, is to also challenge submission. Debase the “consciousness industry”. Sounds too risky? Or too vague? Or is it technically impossible? Albeit, a radical mode of existence that is yet nameless, for an unwritten future — for us who can reject the gospels of eternal progress — reject liberation that leads to renewed subjugation!

🦀🧒🏻🌏👧🏽📶🐭🧒🏾🌀

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