We live in an age of heterogenous anarchism. Contingency is king. Fluidity and flux win over solidity and stasis. Becoming has replaced being. Rhizomes are better than trees. To be political today, one must laud horizontality. Anti-essentialism and anti-foundationalism are the order of the day. Call it “vulgar '68-ism.” The principles of social upheaval, so associated with the new social movements in and around 1968, have succeed in becoming the very bedrock of society at the new millennium.

But there's a flaw in this narrative, or at least a part of the story that strategically remains untold. The “reticular fallacy” can be broken down into two key assumptions. The first is an assumption about the nature of sovereignty and power. The second is an assumption about history and historical change. Consider them both in turn. Continue reading →

Now that blogging is dead, seems like a good time to start a blog! I've given myself a few ground rules..

Mini-essays -- Longer-form writing will be the focus here. Aside from the occasional acts of shameless self-promotion, this space will be primarily devoted to mini essays and other kinds of ideas and prose sketches.

No comments -- Short-form discussion is great. But this blog will be for slightly longer pieces. If you want to respond in your own venue, please do!

No flame wars -- I'm not one to shy away from spirited debate, but flame wars are stupid. I'll try to keep the arguments substantive, while ignoring trolls and flamebaiters.

Sunset clause -- Don't you hate it when things go on too long? This blog will be summarily deleted after a certain amount of time. Six months, a year, who knows.