4/17/12 Benjamin Kunkel reviews Valences of the Dialectic by Fredric Jam

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IntotheBigTent
BenjaminKunkel
ValencesoftheDialecticbyFredricJameson Verso,625pp,29.99,October2009,ISBN9781859848777

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FredricJamesonspreeminence,overthelastgeneration,amongcriticswritinginEnglish wouldbehardtodispute.Partofthetributehasbeenexactedbyhismajesticstyle,one distinctivefeatureofwhichisthewaythattheconvoyoflongsentencesfreightedand balancedwithsubordinateclauseswilldockhereandtheretounloadapithyslogan.Always historicise!isoneofthese,andJamesonhasalsoinsisted,underthebannerofOnecannot notperiodise,ontherelatednecessity(aswellasthesemiarbitrariness)ofdividinghistory intoperiods.Withthatinmind,itstemptingtoproposeaperiod,coincidentwithJamesons careerasthemaintheoristofpostmodernism,stretchingfromabout1983(whenThatcher, havingwonawar,andReagan,havingsurvivedarecession,consolidatedtheirpopularity)to 2008(whentheneoliberalprogrammelaunchedbyReaganandThatcherwassetbackby theworsteconomiccrisissincetheDepression).Duringthisperiodofneoliberalascendancy aneraofderegulation,financialisation,industrialdecline,demoralisationoftheworking class,thecollapseofCommunismandsoonitoftenseemedeasiertospotthe contradictionsofMarxismthanthemorefamouscontradictionsofcapitalism,andnofigure seemedtoembodymorethanFredricJamesonthepeculiarconditionofaneconomictheory thathadturnedouttoflourishaboveallasamodeofculturalanalysis,amassmovement thathadbecometheprovinceofanacademicelite,andanintellectualtraditionthathad arrivedatsomesortofculminationrightatthepointofapparentextinction. Overthelastquartercentury,Jamesonhasbeenatoncethetimeliestandmostuntimelyof Americancriticsandwriters.Notonlydidhedevelopinterestsinfilm,sciencefiction,orthe workofWalterBenjamin,say,earlierthanmostofhiscolleaguesinthehumanities,hewas alsoapioneerofthatenlargementofliterarycriticism(JamesonreceivedaPhDinFrench literaturefromYalein1959)intoallpurposetheorywhichmadethediscussionofallthese thingsinthesamebreathestablishedacademicpractice.Morethanthis,hesucceededbetter thananyoneelseatdefiningtheterm,postmodernism,thatsoughttocatchthehistorical

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specificityofthepresentage. Thiswasamatter,first,ofcataloguingpostmodernismssuperficialtextures:theerosionof thedistinctionbetweenhighandpopculturethereignofstylisticpasticheandmiscellany thedominanceofthevisualimageandcorrespondingeclipseofthewrittenwordanew depthlessnesssurrealismwithouttheunconsciousinthedreamlikejumbleofimages andthestrangeallianceofapervasiveculturalnostalgia(asinthecostumedramaor historicalnovel)withaculturalamnesiaservingtofragmenttimeintoaseriesofperpetual presents.Ifallthatnowsoundsfamiliar,thisowessomethingtothedurabilityofJamesons accountofpostmodernism,firstdeliveredasalecturein1982andexpandedtwoyearslater intoanessayforNewLeftReview:a40pagesketchthatcaughtthefeaturesofthefidgety sittermoreaccuratelythanmanylongerstudiesbeforeandsince. Jamesonsdescriptionofthemoodandtextureofpostmodernlifehad,initsalmosttactile authority,fewrivalsoutsidetheworkofDeLillo,Pynchonand(moretohisowntaste) WilliamGibson.And,asintheirnovels,localobservationinJamesonwascomplementedby animplacableawarenessofwhathecalledtheunrepresentableexteriorenclosingallthe slickandstreamingphenomenainview.Inthenovelists,however,allusiontothegreat enspheringsystemoftentooktheformofparanoia.AsaMarxist,Jamesonwascalmerand moreforthright:hesimplycalledthesystemlatecapitalism,afterthebookbyErnestMandel, theBelgianTrotskyist,whichprovidedthebase,asitwere,tohisownculturalsuperstructure. MandelsLateCapitalism(1972)hadofferedamagnificentlyconfidentandpugnacious argumentaboutthenatureofpostwarcapitalism,butheregrettednotbeingabletopropose abettertermforthishistoricalerathanlatecapitalism.InMandelsusage,latesimply meantrecent,butthetermnaturallyalsosuggestsobsolescence.Thisimplicationofan utterlymisplacedMarxisttriumphalismprobablyhadconsequencesforthereceptionof Jamesonstheory(andMandels).Whocouldbelievein1991,whenJamesonpublished Postmodernism,or,theCulturalLogicofLateCapitalism,thatcapitalismwasonitslast legs? Infact,Jamesondidntthinkitwaseither.Hisactualclaimwasmoreliketheopposite:with thepostwareliminationofprecapitalistagricultureintheThirdWorldandthelastresidue offeudalsocialrelationsinEurope,withthefullcommodificationofculture(nomoreRilke andYeatsandtheirnoblepatrons)andtheinfiltrationoftheoldfamilyhaunted unconsciousbymassdisseminatedimages,humankindhadonlynowembarked,forthefirst time,onauniversallycapitalisthistory.Latecapitalismwasthedawn,notthedusk,ofa thoroughgoingcapitalism.Itconstitutedaprocessinwhichthelastsurvivinginternaland externalzonesofprecapitalismarenowultimatelypenetratedandcolonisedintheirturn. ThisthesiscanonlyhavebeenreinforcedbytheadventofChinaastheworkshopofthe worldandthechannellingofsomuchofintimatelifebytheinternet.Myshoesaresewn underthesupervisionoftheCCP,andGmailfillsthemarginsofmyprivatecorrespondence withads. AndyetifJamesonowedtoMarxismthespecialfreshnessofhisinsights,itwasthesame

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Marxismthatmadehisworksountimely.HeseemstohaveachievednotorietyasAmericas bestknownMarxistintheyearsoftheSovietUnionsdeaththroes,whenMarxismofany kindwasheldtobeempiricallydisprovedandindeliblytaintedwithmassmurder.Moreover, hisparticularcommitmentswentconsiderablybeyondanaxiomaticmaterialisminwhich economicconditionsnecessarilycarveoutwhateverroomformanoeuvreartistsandwriters enjoythatmuchMarxismanyliberalcitizenmighthaveacceptedoreven,under postmodernism,foundimpossibletodeny.Farmoresuspect,duringaperiodwhenUtopia hasbeenconsideredaeuphemismfortheGulag,Jamesonhasalsoinsistedtimeandagain onthe(usuallyunconscious)utopianelementinallcultureandpolitics,nomatterhow commercialtheartefactornoxiousthemovement.ThelastwordsofValencesoftheDialectic maintainthatUtopiaexistsandthatothersystems,otherspaces,arestillpossible. Jamesonsdefenceoftheprocedurehelikestocalltotalisationhasbeeninasimilarvein. Totalisationmightbedefinedastheintellectualefforttorecovertherelationshipbetweena givenobjectanovel,afilm,anewbuildingorabodyofphilosophicalworkandthetotal historicalsituationunderneathandaroundit.Tocontemporaryears,theterminevitablycalls upassociationswithtotalitarianism,andthereisnodenyingthatthemethodderives explicitlyfromtheworkoftheCommunistLukcsandthefellowtravellerSartre,whom Jamesonalsofailedtodisown.Anathematoconservatives,therecoursetototalitywasno moreendearingtoaculturalleftwhoseslogansincludeddifference,heterotopia,nomadism etc.ThisleftseemstohavefadedfromtheAmericansceneinrecentyears,butorthodoxanti Marxismlooksunbudging.Outsideofafewuniversitycomparativeliteraturedepartments, AnneApplebaumwroterecentlyintheNewYorkReviewofBooks,SovietstyleMarxism itselfisnotalivingpoliticalideaanywhereintheWest.(ItsinSovietstylethatthereal malicelies.)Afewweekslater,aprominentsciencewriterdeclaredinalettertotheNew YorkTimesthatMarxsphilosophy,putintopractice,killed30millionpeoplethroughstate sponsoredfaminesalone.TheUSremainsasocietyinwhichMarxismcanbeadvocatedonly alittlemorerespectablythanpederasty,andlatelyaccusationsofsocialismeruptfromthe RepublicanPartymorefrequentlythansinceMcCarthysheyday. InLateMarxism(1990),hisbookonAdorno,JamesonwroteofDialecticofEnlightenment thatthequestionaboutpoetryafterAuschwitzhasbeenreplacedwiththatofwhetheryou couldbeartoreadAdornoandHorkheimernexttothepool.WithJamesonthequestionhas beenwhetheryoucouldavoidreadinghimonauniversitycampus,orcontinuereadinghim outsideone.InJonathanFranzensTheCorrections(2001),ChipLambert,aformer associateprofessorofliteratureinhisthirties,decidestopurgehislibraryofMarxistcultural criticsinordertoraisesomefundswithwhichtoindulgetheyuppietastesofhisnew girlfriend,Julia.Eachofthesebooks,Chiprecalls,hadoncecalledouttohimwitha promiseofaradicalcritiqueoflatecapitalistsociety.Andyet:TheodorAdornodidnthave Juliasgrapysmelloflecherouspliability,FredJamesondidnthaveJuliasartfultongue. UnburdenedofhisMarxisttextsandtheirreproachfulspines,ChipproceedstobuyJuliaa filletofwildNorwegiansalmon,linecaughtfor$78.40atanupmarketgrocerystore FranzencallstheNightmareofConsumption,anametosuggestthatfacedwiththe

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brazennessofyuppiedom(asbythe1990sitwasnolongerevencalleditwasjusttheway thatalmostanyonewhocouldaffordtobe,was)allsatireorculturalcriticismmetdefeat. JamesonsPostmodernismhadconcludedwithacalltonamethesystem.Tenyearslater, thesystemseemedtoreplycheerfullytoanyuglynameyoumightcallit.Hi,Imthe NightmareofConsumption.Nicetomeetyou! TheCorrections,aswellasbeingafarbetternovelthanJamesonsstrictureonanexhausted realismwouldsuggestitcouldbe,isacentralinstanceoftheliterarypopulismthatwecan nowrecogniseasoneofthemaintrendsoftheAmericannoveloverthepastdecadeorso. FranzenhadnowishtobeanobscureordifficultartistinthewaythatAdornomighthave approved,andwasntlikelytomentionJamesonwithoutbeingabletotrustthatagood numberofhisreaderswouldhavesomeideaofwhoFredwas.Similarly,inSamLipsytes newnovel,TheAsk,thefortysomethingnarratorrecallsthatincollegehelearnedaboutlate capitalism.Andhowtosnortheroin.Interestingly,Lipsytedealswiththemediocreuniversity wherehisnarratorworksinthesamespiritofharassedliteralismanddefeatedsatirewecan seeinFranzensNightmareofConsumption:hecallstheinstitutiontheMediocreUniversity. (Yearsago,Jamesonnoticedasimilarcynicism,operatingfromtheotherside,inthemottoof Forbesmagazine:TheCapitalistTool.) InbothFranzenandLipsytetheinvocationoflatecapitalismatermmostpeople encounteredinJameson,notMandelisamarkofimmaturity,anoutworncollegecreed. Thethingitselfmaygrowoldwithus,butthetermcantbeusedbymiddleagedgrownups participatingintherealworld(thatistosay,thesurfaceoftheearth,minuscollege campuses).Thesamemaygoforpostmodernism,awordwhichbynowprovokesthe wearinessitonceservedinparttodescribe.What,then,ofthewriterwhoseownnameis indissolublylinkedtotheseterms?Jamesonslatestbookisaboutthedialectic,theunwieldy andnowperhapsantiquephilosophicalinstrumentinventedbyHegelandhandledbackto frontasocialisttoolbyMarx.Abasicfeatureofdialecticalthinkingistheliabilityof subjectandobjecttoturnintoeachother,forthewayathingislookedattobecomepartof thelookofthething.CertainlythathasbeenthecasewithJamesonhimselfand postmodernism:hebecamealandmarkintheterritoryhehaddonesomuchtosurvey.The statusoflandmarksisambiguous.Doesastatueconfirmthelivinginfluenceofaman,or onlythathebelongstothepast? ItmaynotbetoodialecticalacharacterisationofthedialecticiantosaythatJamesons almostimpossiblysophisticatedvarietyofMarxistculturalcriticismalwaysworethedouble aspectofaretreatandanadvance.Ontheonehand,itappearedonlytoconfirmtheroutof theleftthatAmericasmostfamousMarxistwasnotamilitant,aunionbossoraneconomist, butaprofessorofliteratureandtheauthoroflearnedandanfractuousprosewhoseessays containeduntranslatedblocksofFrenchandbristlingsemioticdiagramsknownasGreimas rectangles.WhatdidanyonehavetofearfromMarxismifwhathadoncebeenaunityof theoryandpracticewasnowchieflyareconditespeciesofbookandmoviecriticism?Asylum intheliteraturedepartmentwassurelyjustapreludetoanoverdueextinction.

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Ontheotherhand,theMarxisttraditionreceivedinJamesonsworkaboutasprofounda vindicationofitsinterpretativemissionascouldbeimagined.Itwasonethingforhimto insistfirstinThePoliticalUnconscious(1981)thatMarxismwasthehermeneuticcode thatsubsumedallothers,thatonlyinlightofMarxsconceptofthesuccessivemodesof production(huntingandgathering,earlyagriculture,feudalismandsoondowntolate capitalism)couldthesignificanceofanyculturalorintellectualartefactbefully apprehended.ButJamesonbackedupthemethodologicalboastintwoways. First,withreservesofsynthesisingenergythatsimplyoutstrippedanyoneelses,hewasable tohousewithinhisowncapaciousandflexiblescheme,likeoneofthoseskyscrapersthatcan bendinthewind,aremarkablenumberofnewlyimportantbodiesofthought,including structuralistsemiotics,longuedurehistoryoftheAnnalesvariety,FrankfurtSchool KulturkritikandtheMarxianinvestigationsoffinancecapitalcarriedoutbyGiovanniArrighi andDavidHarvey.OnetraitofpostmodernismunmentionedbyJamesonwasthespecial difficultycriticsandthinkersofrecentgenerationshaveexperiencedinconveyingtheir thoughtsexceptthroughthemediumofsomeoneelsesintellectualstodaytendtooffertheir commentaryontheworldbywayofcommentsonanotherscommentary.Jamesonhasbeen unique,however,inhisextremesofinclusionorventriloquism.Heseemstohavedetected someaspectofthetruthinvirtuallyanybodyofworkhesdiscussed,andsotohaverecruited more,andmorevarious,thinkersintothemarchofhisownthoughtsthananyrivaltheorist. (Whichmeans,amongotherthings,thatwhenhespeculatesaboutthefortunesofthegreat synthesiserHegelintheyearstocome,itsequallythesurvivalofhisownwayofthinking thatsatissue.) Second,startingintheearly1980s,Jamesonproducedwhatremainsthemostimposing accountofthecultureweallstillinhabit.Postmodernism,heargued,didnotspelltheendof metanarratives,asLyotardhadclaimed.Itwasbetterunderstoodastherecruitmentofthe entireworldintothesamebigstory,namelythedevelopmentofglobalcapitalism.(This markedaslightshiftfromhisearlierclaimthathumanhistorywasalreadyunifiedbythe successivemodesofproduction.)Asfortheselfreferentialqualityofsomuchpostmodern culturelanguageaboutlanguage,imagesofimagesthisconfirmedratherthan contradictedtheintimaterelationshipofculturetotheheavymachineryofmaterial production.Theselfreflectiveidiomofpostmodernismmerelyshowedthatspecialisationand thedivisionoflabourhadseizedtheartsjustasmuchasanythingelseifcultureincreasingly talkedaboutitself,thiswasbecauseittalkedincreasinglytoitself.Insomeways,thiswasMax Webersoldinsight,laterelaboratedasalogicofdifferentiationbytheGermansystems theoristNiklasLuhmann,anotherwriteroftencitedbyJameson:theapparentautonomyof variousculturalactivitiesorvaluespheresinrealityreflectedanincreasinglyunifiedand interconnectedworld.ForWeberandLuhmann,modernitywasthedriverofthis rationalisationanddifferentiation.ForJameson,modernity,likepostmodernity,wasjust anothernameforanevolvingcapitalism.(MarxhimselfhadofcourseobservedinCapital howdivisionoflabourseizesupon,notonlytheeconomic,buteveryothersphereofsociety.) Sodideveryweightlesspostmodernartefactinfacttestifytothespecificgravityofthefully

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capitalistplanetitonlyappearedtofloatfreeof. Thewrinkleinthislogicofdifferentiationwasthat,underpostmodernism,therewasalsoa lotofdedifferentiationgoingon,aswitnessthemergerofhighandlowculture,themixing ofstyleswithinagivenwork,andeventhetendencyofbaseandsuperstructuretoblurinto oneanother.Onthislastpoint,Jamesonhassometimessuggestedthat,giventhepatent fancifulnessofthefinancialisedeconomysomuchfictitiouscapital(asMarxcalledit)as disconnectedfromthereferentofrealityasthemostdeliriousproductsofpostmodernism andtheobvioussubordinationofcontemporaryculturetothebottomline,theeconomic couldbeobservedtohavebecomecultural(justastheculturecouldbeobservedtobecome economicandcommodified).Theoryaswevecometoknowitclearlyoffersanothercaseof dedifferentiation,inthebreakdownofdisciplinaryboundariesbetweenliterarycriticism, history,philosophy,anthropologyandsoon.Withthisinmind,Jamesonhasproposedasort ofhomeopathicrolefortheory:intellectualdedifferentiationcounteringthe cultural/economicvariety.Atanyrate,itshouldntbetoosurprisingtofindsomuch differentiationanddedifferentiationtakingplacesidebyside.Youmightdrawananalogy withbusinesspractices,whichshiftbetweenverticalintegration,ordoingeverythingwithin onecompany,andsubcontracting,inwhichtasksarefarmedout. Alltogether,thesophisticationofJamesonsworkandthebreadthofhisreferenceshada dualeffect.HewrotestirringlyofthevocationofdialecticalphilosophyandMarxismto breakoutofthespecialisedcompartmentsofthe(bourgeois)disciplinesandtomake connectionsamongtheseeminglydisparatephenomenaofsociallifegenerally,andclearly hisownworkbelongedtoandevencrownedthisWesternMarxistlineage.Behindhisproject laytheunderstandingthatsociallifeisaseamlessweb,asingleinconceivableand transindividualprocess,inwhichthereisnoneedtoinventwaysoflinkinglanguageevents andsocialupheavalsoreconomiccontradictionsbecauseonthatleveltheywerenever separatefromoneanother.AndyetforJamesontoshepherdsomanyothertheoriesandso muchofcontemporarycultureintothebigtentofhisowntheorycouldonlybethetaskofa rareintelligencesingularlydevotedtotheproject.Suchdedifferentiation,inotherwords, wasthefruitofaprofounddifferentiationallthistotalisinghadtobepurchasedatthe expenseofwhatMarxcalledthatallengrossingsystemofspecialisingandsortingmen,that developmentinamanofonesinglefacultyattheexpenseofallothers.Intellectually, Jamesonwascentral.Socially,suchafigurecanhardlyhavebeenmoremarginalandelite, somethingthathasbecometruerwitheachpassingdecade. ForJamesonhasbeenaprofessormostlyatDuke,toniestofsoutherncolleges.Andyoucould saythatAmericanhighereducationitselfsufferedadialecticalreversalsomewherearound 1980todate,thehighwatermarkofclassmobilityintheUSastheuniversitieswent frombeingamongthemainvehiclesofegalitarianismtobeingtheprimarymeansof reproducingclassprivilege.Everyonetalks,withgoodreason,abouttherunawaycostsof healthcareintheUS,butifhealthcareinflationsince1980hasexceeded400percent,the priceofauniversityeducationhasrisen,onarecentcalculation,byanincredible827per

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cent.JamesonsMarxismmighthavebeenrareenoughinanycircumstances,butforces beyondhiscontrolalsohadtheeffectofmakingitseemoutrageouslyexpensive.Jameson recognisedtheproblem:Whatissociallyoffensiveabouttheoreticaltextslikemyown,he saidinaninterview,isnottheirinherentdifficulty,butratherthesignalsofhigher education,thatis,ofclassprivilege,whichtheyemit.Butofcoursehecouldntsolveit. Thedialectic,Jamesonexplainsinthenewbook,hasamongitsmaintaskstherecoveryofthe commonsituationbindingtogetherthoughtsorrealitiesthatseemonthefaceofittohave nothingincommonjusttheoperationthathehasoftendefendedunderthenameof totalisation.HeillustratestheideawithafamousexamplefromHegel:Thus,theSlaveisnot theoppositeoftheMaster,butrather,alongwithhim,anequallyintegralcomponentofthe largersystemcalledslaveryordomination.Thisisasimpleinstance,sincenospecial ingenuityisrequiredtoseethatyoucanthaveslaveswithoutmastersorviceversa.Its perhapsnotmuchhardertograsptheideaofFredricJamesonandsomeonelikeSarahPalin astwofacesofthesamecoin,figurestrulyasabsurdastheiropponentsmakethemouttobe, butonlybecausethesystemitselfisutterlycracked.Sointellectualdebilitybecomesabadge ofpopulism,andsocialistlearningahobbyofrichpeopleschildren. Common,probably,tomostfavourableandunfavourableimpressionsofJamesonhasbeen theimageofhimasanauthorofforbiddingtreatises,massivesaltlicksoftheory. Undeniably,manyofthebooksarethick,includingValencesoftheDialectic,adoorstopof some600pages.AswithJamesonspreviousbook,TheIdeologiesofTheory,thetitlealone brandishestwowordsthat,intheUSatleast,canhardlybeusedinpolitewhichistosay, antiintellectualcompany.ReadingValencesoftheDialecticonthesubwayIfeltmore sheepishthanIhadsincebringingGregorvonRezzoris(ironicallytitled!)Memoirsofan AntiSemiteonboard. TheimpressionofJamesonseruditionwasneverwrong,northesensethathecouldbea difficultwriter.Butitwasamistaketoperceivehimasthearchitectofcolossaltomes.The longestofhisbooksareinrealitysheavesofessayshisoriginalpagesonpostmodernism, thoughtheywouldlaterbeinsertedintoagreatsilverbluevolumetentimesaslong,showa pamphleteersprovisionalandexuberantspirit.Butthepostmodernagehasntbeena pamphleteeringone,andtheleftwingjournalsinwhichJamesonsarticleshavemostly appearedaddressanevennarroweraudiencethantheculturalstudiessectionofan independentbookstore.Still,itsmoreaccuratetoseeJamesonasawriteroflongessaysthan oflongbooks.Andtheessaysthemselvesregaintheirpolemicalsharpnessanddefinition whenconsideredinisolationandnotasthechaptersofsomanybooks. Twonewessays,freshlycomposedfortheoccasion,bookendValencesoftheDialecticin betweenaremainlyreprintsofpiecesmanyofwhichdontconcernorexhibitdialectical thinkingmuchmore(oranyless)thantherestofJamesonsworkintheyearssincehe publishedTowardaDialecticalCriticism(inMarxismandForm)in1971.Ofthebookends, thefirstoffersaprovisionalintroductiontothedialectic.Thatneitheritnorthevolumeasa wholeismeanttostandasdefinitiveismadeclearbyaslightlycomicfootnoteinwhich

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Jameson,regrettingthelackofthecentralchapteronMarxandhisdialecticwhichwasto havebeenexpected,promisestwofuturevolumes,onHegelandMarxrespectively,to completetheproject.Meanwhile(afavouriteJamesoniantransition,asifeverythingwas presentinhismindallatonce,anditwasonlytheunfortunatelysequentialnatureof languagethatforcedhimtospelloutsentencebysentenceandessaybyessayan apprehensionofthecontemporaryworldthatwassimultaneousandtotal),itmayfurther correcttheideaofhimasatomemongertopointoutthatsuchamoodofprovisionalityor hesitationrunsthroughouthiswork.Foralltheconsistencyofhiscommitments,hehasnot producedworkedoutargumentsandscholarlyfindingssomuchasatissueofhints, hypotheses,recommendationsandimpressions.Itwouldbeeasytofindmanysentencesin Jamesonstartinglikethisone:Nowwemaybegintohazardtheguessthatsomethinglike thedialecticwillalwaysbegintoappearwhenthinkingapproachesthedilemmaof incommensurabilitySuchaccumulatedqualificationsandyetalways.Theeffecthere mayapproachselfparody,butthatisahazardnotrulydistinctivestylistavoids.Notoftenin AmericanwritingsinceHenryJamescantherehavebeenaminddisplayingatoncesuch tentativenessandforce. Jamesonspreferenceforaconditionaloveradeclarativemoodisatokenofthenecessarily speculativequalityofwhathedoes.Itsfareasiertobesurethatcultureisindeedmediating theeconomythantoestablishinanygivencasehowsuchmediationworks.InValencesof theDialectic,atanyrate,oneofthemoststrikingsuggestionsmadeintheintroductoryessay isthatHegel,whoarticulatedhisomnivorousphilosophicallogicatatimewhenindustrial capitalismwashardlymorethanalocalEnglishaffair,mayhavebeenseizedbyan intimationoftheultimatelygloballogicofcapitalism:capitalismtooisforeverenlarging itself,andbringingunderonerulethemostdisparatepeopleandplaces.Sodoescreative destructionontheeconomicplaneresemblethedialecticsrefusaltofreezeorreifyits conceptsandstandpat.Dialecticalthought,then,wouldbeatoncethemirrorofcapitalism and(inMarxisthands)itsrival:thetotalisingimperativethatisthedialecticconfrontingthe totalitythatiscapitalism.Fromthisitfollowsthatthedialectic,despitethemustyairofthe word,maybesettocomeintoitsownonlytoday,withtheuniversalinstallationofcapitalism. Thethoughtmaybelessoutrageousthanitappears.Afterall,itwasanexplicitlyHegelian formulationtheendofhistorythatcapturedforthepublicimaginationthemeaningof thecollapseofCommunisminEurope.JamesonsreiteratedMarxistreplyissimplythatthe disappearanceoftheSecondWorldandtheeliminationofprecapitalistarrangementsinthe Thirdmarksinfactthebeginningofauniversalhistory:History,whichwasoncemultiple,is nowmorethaneverunifiedintoasingleHistory.IncharacteristicJamesonianfashion,the strayhintsandspeculationsgatherthemselves,towardstheendofValences,intoastarkand audaciousproposition:Theworldwidetriumphofcapitalismsecuresthepriorityof Marxismastheultimatehorizonofthoughtinourtime.Howsthatfordialectical? TheparticulardilemmaofincommensurabilitypreoccupyingJamesoninthelong concludingessayofValencesconcernsthedisjunctionofbiologicalorexistentialtime(ones threescoreandten)withthedifferentlyexperiencedtimeofHistory.ByHistory,Jameson

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meansthesuccessionofthehappyorunhappydestiniesofwholepeoplesandclasseswithin thesinglevastunfinishedplotasheputitalmost30yearsagoinThePolitical Unconsciousofhumankindsexistence.Ofcourseindividualexperienceandcollectivefate consistinthesamelivingsubstance,butthesensationoftheiridentity,arecognitionofour ultimateBeingasHistory,isarareandfleetingglimpseintothedemographicsublimeall thosesufferingpersonsdead,livingandstillunborntoodizzyingandappallingtobe sustained. Jamesonhasarguedforyearsthattheintersectionofexistentialandhistoricaltimehas becomeparticularlyrareinpostmoderntimes.Inspiteoftheobvioushistoricalnoveltyofour presentwayoflife,thepasttendstofallrapidlyawayintooblivionorelsetobetakenupby mediarepresentationsthatserveastheveryagentsandmechanismsforourhistorical amnesia.Theresult,asheputitinhisgreatessayTheAntinomiesofPostmodernityinThe SeedsofTime(1994),wasthatforustimeconsistsinaneternalpresentand,muchfurther away,aninevitablecatastrophe,thesetwomomentsshowingupdistinctlyontheregistering apparatuswithoutoverlappingortraditionalstates. Noone,itseemstome,hasbetterconveyedtheoddlybecalmedqualityofrecentdecades,the senseofalockedsocialgeologysomassivethatnovisionsofmodificationseempossible(at leasttothoseephemeralbiologicalsubjectsthatweare).Itwasinthelightofthefeelingofa windlesspostmodernstasisthatJamesonwantedtostickupforutopianism,especiallyin ArchaeologiesoftheFuture(2005),hisappreciationofUtopiaasasubgenreofscience fictionandanimmortalhumandesire:TheverypoliticalweaknessofUtopiainprevious generationsnamelythatitfurnishednothinglikeanaccountofagency,nordidithavea coherenthistoricalandpracticalpoliticalpictureoftransitionnowbecomesastrengthina situationinwhichneitheroftheseproblemsseemscurrentlytooffercandidatesfora solution.Thedialectic,Adornosaid,wouldrenounceitselfifitrenouncedtheideaof potentiality,anditwasjustthisdimensionthatJamesonmeanttopreserveamidthedeadly consensusastotheunsurpassablevirtuesofliberalcapitalism. InTheValencesofHistory,theconcludingessayofthenewbook,Jamesonarguesthat whenthefitfulapprehensionofhistorydoesenterthelivesofindividualsitisoftenthrough thefeelingofbelongingtoaparticulargeneration:Theexperienceofgenerationalityisa specificcollectiveexperienceofthepresent:itmarkstheenlargementofmyexistential presentintoacollectiveandhistoricalone.Ageneration,headds,isnotforgedbypassive enduranceofevents,butbyhazardingacollectiveproject.Thatthistooisuncommonenough canbededucedfromJamesonsexampleoftheprocess:Avantgardesaresotospeakthe voluntaristicaffirmationofthegenerationbysheerwillpower,theallegoriesofagenerational missionthatmaynevercomeintobeing.Sothesmallsectcrystallisesthewouldbeuniversal anironicandpossiblydialecticalcontradiction,andafittingsuggestionforaMarxist professortomakeamidanearunchallengedglobalcapitalism. ThethemeofgenerationsrecursfromtimetotimeinJameson,whoseworkinanycase proceedslessbystraightforwardargumentationthanbyakaleidoscopicrotationacrossa

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consistentsetofproblems.InPeriodisingthe60s(1984),henotedthattheclassificationby generationshasbecomeasmeaningfulforusasitwasfortheRussiansofthelate19th century,whosortedcharactertypesoutwithreferencetospecificdecades,andinthatessay andelsewherethisrigorouslynonconfessionalwriterhashintedatthedecisiveimportanceof the1960sinhisownformation.JamesonsfellowMarxistcriticsPerryAndersonandTerry Eagleton(withsomecosmicdesignevidentlyatworkinthesimilarityofallthreenames)have alreadytestifiedtohiseminenceinsuchawayastogivesomesenseofhisimportancetotheir owngeneration.Itisagenerationinwhichayoungerpersonnotices,thoughnotespecially amongtheMarxists,awidespreadandnotinfrequentlypathetictendencytowardserial intellectualandculturalfaddism,whichmakesitthemoreimpressiveandeveninspiringto Jamesonspeersaswell,itmaybethathehasstayedsotruetotheutopianstirringsofthe 1960swhileremainingopentosomuchofwhatscomesince. Jamesononcelikenedthegoofyeclecticismofcertainpostmodernarchitecturetotherecipes inspiredbylatenightreefermunchies,anditmaybeanobservationtobridgethegap betweenhisgeneration,steepedinthe1960s,andmyowntosaythatreadingJameson himselfhasalwaysremindedmeabitofbeingondrugs.Thelessexceptionalessayswerelike beingstoned:itallseemedveryprofoundatthetime,butthenextdayyoucouldbarely rememberathing.IndeedtheresnootherauthorIvefrequentedoradmiredtoanythinglike thesamedegreesomanyofwhosepagesproducedabsolutelynoimpressiononme.Andyet thebestofJamesonsworkhasfeltmindblowinginthewayofLSDormushrooms:here beforeyouistheworldyoudalwaysknownyouwerelivingin,butapprehendedasifforthe firsttimeinthefreshnessofitsbeautyandhorror.Oneofthetrippieraswellasmore affectingpassagesinValencesoftheDialecticisasortofariaontheconditionofliving, throughglobalcapitalism,inatotallymanmadeworld,oneinwhicheventheweather patternsandthegeologicalage(theAnthropocene,itwasrecentlydeclared)arehuman productions: Wehaveindeedsecretedahumanageoutofourselvesasspiderssecretetheir webs:animmense,allencompassingceilingwhichshutsdownvisibilityonall sidesevenasitabsorbsalltheformerlynaturalelementsinitshabitat, transmutingthemintoitsownmanmadesubstance.Yetwithinthishorizonof immanencewewanderasalienastribalpeople,orasvisitorsfromouterspace, admiringitsunimaginablycomplexandfragilefiligreeandrecoilingfromits bottomlesspotholes,loungingagainstarainwallofexoticandartificialplantsor elseagonisingamongpoisonouscoloursandlethalstemswewerenottaughtto avoid.Theworldofthehumanageisanaestheticpretextforgrindingterroror pathologicalecstasy,andinitscosmos,allofitdrawnfromtheveryfibresofour ownbeingandatonewitheverypostnaturalcellmorealientousthannature itself,wecontinuemurmuringKantsoldquestionsWhatcanIknow?What shouldIdo?WhatmayIhope?underastarryheavennomoreresponsivethan amirrororaspaceship,notunderstandingthattheyrequiretheadjunctofan

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uglyandbureaucraticrepresentationalqualification:whatcanIknowinthis system?WhatshouldIdointhisworldcompletelyinventedbyme?WhatcanI hopeforaloneinanaltogetherhumanage? Insuchapassageitspossibletoseeafewthings.Oneisasmuchevidenceasafewlines couldofferforplacingJamesonamongtheimportantAmericanwritersoftheagetoutcourt. Anotherishisspecialwayofbeingoneofthose(tovarywhatHenryJamessaid)bywhom nothingisabandoned:theapprehensionofthealiennessoftheworldisthesignature experienceinSartresNausea,whoseauthorwasthesubjectofJamesonsPhDthesisand firstbookthehumanagealludestothetrilogyofnovelsbyWyndhamLewis,subjectof anotherbooklengthstudybyJamesonandthesituationdescribedhere,ofhumanity confrontingitsownhandiworkassomethingalienandexterior,isverymuchthatofMarxs alienatedlabour,inwhichtheworkerisdominatedbytheproductofhisownhands,his estrangedspeciesbeingrangedagainsthimintheformofsomeoneelsescapital.Butthe readersimpressionoftremendousintellectualpowerisaccompaniedbyoneofpolitical paralysis.WhoisthiscollectivehumanI,inaworldcompletelyinventedbyme?Nobodyat all,ofcourse.Again,theanalogywithdrugs:perceptualjourneysacrosstheuniverse, confinedtothecouch. Myimpressionisthatitsthiscombinationofhypertrophiedtheoryandatrophiedpraxisin Jamesonthatcauseshisnametoprovokeasmanysmirksassighsofadmiration.Butfrom thepointofviewthathehassoimposinglyestablishedanddefendeditwouldbeabit moralising,individualisticandcertainlyundialecticaltojudgewhetheritwasgoodorbad thatMarxismhastakentheformitdoesinhiswork.ThemostintelligibleMarxistaccountof individualgreatnessinawriterorartististhatitbelongstothefigurewhoopenshimself unreservedlytothesociohistoricalforcesinplay.Theinterveningindividualsubject,Adorno wroteinAestheticTheory(1970),isscarcelymorethanalimitingvalue,somethingminimal requiredbytheartworkforitscrystallisation.Jamesonstremendousculturalandintellectual receptivitywouldaloneseemenoughtocertifyhisachievement.Inwhatrivalbodyofworkis theremoreofthecontemporaryworldtosee?Andhowcanhebetaxedwithfailingto formulateapoliticalprogrammenotonofferanywhereelse?Itisalreadyasubstantialfeatto havepreservedandextendedthelegacyofMarxismforagenerationofintellectualsinwhich itmightotherwisehavenearlyexpired. Whatnow?Thenearconsensusthatobtainedforaquartercenturyonpoliticsand economics,leavingcultureastherealterrainofbattle,seemstohavefalteredoverthepast fewyears.WhatdoesthisdotoJamesonswork?Onethreattohislegacyisthatitshardto imagineanyofhisinheritorsexcellinghiminsophistication.PerryAndersonhashailed JamesonastheculminationofWesternMarxism.Inliteraryhistory,culminationsof,say, thepsychologicalnovelinProust,orRomanticisminYeats,oracertainmodernisminBeckett oftenlooklikedeadends.Andwhywouldgoingfurtherbenecessary?Jamesonhimselfhas suggestedthatinlightoftheobviousinstabilityandinjusticeofglobalcapitalism,aperfectly vulgarMarxismmightnowdojustaswell.

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AndyettherelativeneglectofstrictlyeconomicquestionsinJameson(andinWestern Marxismgenerally)maynowlooklikealiability.Afterall,therecentimplosionofthe markets,andefficientmarkettheorywiththem,hasntinducedastampedeinthedirectionof Marxism.ThecrisisrevivedinterestinKeynesandMinsky,butitwillapparentlytakeuntilthe nextconvulsion,orlonger,forthesametohappentoMarxtheeconomist,andthewriters fromHilferdingtoHarveywhoworkedoutaMarxiantheoryoffinance. OfcourseitwouldcontradictJamesonsaccountofhowcultureworksifhisownwriting didntreproducesomeoftheblindspotshedetectsintheworldatlarge,wherematerial productionseemssomehowtobehiddenfromviewandwheresocialtransformationlooks likeadeadletter.Still,theweakpoint,itseemstome,inJamesonsstronglyMarxistaccount ofrecentculturehasbeenhisrelativelythindescriptionoftheeconomy,themodeof production.Itistooeasytoreadmuchofhisworkandconcludethatagivenfilm,say,could indeedbereadasablindallegoryoflatecapitalism,withoutlatecapitalismmeaning anythingmuchmoredistinctthantheeconomyorthesystem.Insuchcasesithasbeenfar easiertoaccepthisMarxisminanaxiomaticsenseaproductoflatecapitalismwill necessarilybeaboutlatecapitalismtoothantoseehowtheaxiomcouldbeembodiedin persuasivelocalanalysesofthisorthatculturalartefactortendency. AndyetitisntasifJamesoncantdothattoo.Someofhisstrongestessays,forinstanceThe BrickandtheBalloon(1998)orTheEndofTemporality(2003)about,respectively, postmodernarchitectureandthewaningcontemporarysenseofpastandfutureanalyse thesephenomenathemoreconvincinglyandilluminatinglyfordoingsointhecontextofthe bodilessandinstantaneoustransactionsoffinancecapital.Itwouldonlyhaveenriched Jamesonsworkifhehaddirectedhisattentiontotheculturalfalloutofothernovelfeatures ofthelateststageofcapitalism:Mandelmentionednotonlycomputerisationandtheriseof theserviceindustries,themesJamesonhasoccasionallytakenup,butalsoaccelerated turnovertimeforfixedcapital(i.e.ashorterperiodinwhichtorecouponesinvestment),and thereplacementofthegoldstandardbyfloatingcurrencies.Itsnothardtoimaginethese transformationsofthebasepercolatingupthroughthesuperstructure.Themass introductionofwomenintothepaidworkforce,theexpansionofadvertisablespace,the displacementofcashbycreditcardsanddigitaltransactions:theseareafewoftheother economicchangesinrecentdecadesthatcometomindashavingsuffusedthesuperstructure too.PerhapstheoutstandingvirtueofDavidHarveysConditionofPostmodernity(1989)was hiscorrelationofspedupculturalchangewithageneralspacetimecompressionoperating incontemporarycapitalismacrosssuchdisparatefeaturesasacasualisedlabourmarket, expandedinternationaltrade,shorterterminvestmentandsoonthoughitshouldbe addedthatHarveysworkalongtheselinesfollowedJamesonsandmightnothavebeen possiblewithoutit. Jamesonhasoftenwrittenofagivenstageofcapitalismsettingtheconditionsofpossibility withinwhichawriterorartisthastowork.Itmightequallybesaidofhisownworkasacritic thatitestablishedtheconditionsofpossibilityforaMarxistculturalcriticismatleastasoften

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asitofferedanexampleofsuchathing.Here,then,isanotherofJamesonscontradictions: sighingwithculturalbelatedness,hisessayshavealsoseemedlikepreludes,prolegomena,to workyettobedone.Whetherthisworkwillusethewordpostmodernismdoesntseemvery important.InfactitsprobablyworthrememberingJamesonstherapeuticrecommendation, attheendofASingularModernity(2002),thatcapitalismmightbesubstitutedfor modernityinallthecontextsinwhichthelatterappears,andextendingthesuggestionto postmodernitytoo.Thatwouldplaceussquarelyinthemidstofacapitalistor(toperiodisea bitmore)neoliberalculture,waitingtoseewhatcomesnext.Itwouldalsoplaceusin Jamesonsdebt.
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Vol.32No.822April2010BenjaminKunkelIntotheBigTent(printversion) pages1216|6963words

Letters
Vol.32No.913May2010 FromMartinSanderson BenjaminKunkelsmagisterialorshouldthatbediscipularsurveyoftheworkof FredricJamesonincludesonepuzzlingsentence:Sodideveryweightlesspostmodern artefactinfacttestifytothespecificgravityofthefullycapitalistplanetitonly appearedtofloatfreeof(LRB,22April).Specificgravityisa(slightlyoldfashioned) wayofsayingrelativedensity:thatis,thedensityofonesubstanceasaratioofthe densityofanother,standardsubstance.Measuringthespecificgravityofabarrelof fermentingbeer,forexample,willtellyouhowmuchlessdenseitisthanwater,which willinturntellyouhowmuchalcoholthereisinit.Butwhatcanthetermmeanin Kunkelssentence?Whatisthereferencestandardthatwillgiveustherelativedensity ofthefullycapitalistplanet?Andhowisthatrelativedensitytestifiedtobyonly apparentlyweightlesspostmodernartefacts?Ihopethesequestionshaveanswers,and itisntdisappointinglythecasethatKunkelsimplymeansgravityor,ifyouwantthe extrasyllables,gravitationalpull. Meanwhile,ontheletterspageofthesameissue,KunkelsaysthattheIncas controlledanempirespanning32degreesoflatitude,aterritorylargerthanthe OttomanEmpireatitsheight.Furtherfromendtoendisntthesameaslargerthan: theOttomanEmpireinthelate17thcenturycoveredanareaofmorethantwomillion squaremiles,roughlythreetimesthatgovernedbytheIncas. MartinSanderson Ipswich
ISSN 02609592 Copyright LRB Ltd., 19972012 ^ Top

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