Why yes, there is a vast world devouring monster with its tendrils encircling all of us, and it's plainly visible once you notice it, and it's everywhere. But you come off as insane when you try to tell other people about it.

Is SCP-3125 an allegory for capitalism? Shit.

  • happybadger [he/him]
    ·
    2 years ago

    Debord is like They Live glasses. I try to put the glasses on someone else and it leads to a prolonged fight scene over the way it's written. I just want to tell them, "LOOK AT THE APHORISMS. LOOK."

    • joaomarrom [he/him, comrade/them]
      ·
      2 years ago

      Any recommendations for someone who's unfamiliar with his work and wants to learn more and ruin their own sanity a bit more?

      • Leon_Grotsky [comrade/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        His most circulated work, Society of the Spectacle, is both a book and a film by the same name. The film has alot of vivid visuals to help reinforce what's being gotten at in the written work.

        To be clear though, the film is not it's own work; it is the book as narration with scenes as visual aides. (I hope I described that adequately)

        CW for nudity and war footage though

        E: Also if I remember correctly the scenes don't quite match the narration in the English version of the film, and for a "correct" viewing you should watch French with English subtitles so that the timing is correct.

      • happybadger [he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        With Society of the Spectacle, it's so abstractly written that I like to parse it with supplemental podcasts.

        https://hyperallergic.com/313435/an-illustrated-guide-to-guy-debords-the-society-of-the-spectacle/ This guide has the main ideas illustrated.

        https://partiallyexaminedlife.com/2017/08/14/ep170-1-debord/ This philosophy podcast did a two-parter

        https://www.stitcher.com/show/dissecting-philosophy-with-dr-mcdonald This one did a five-parter (episodes 110-115)

        edit: Also, A Sick Planet is a good longform examination of spectacle: https://cominsitu.files.wordpress.com/2019/09/a-sick-planet-guy-debord.pdf

      • culpritus [any]
        ·
        2 years ago

        I usually recommend 'Ways of Seeing' series on youtube as an easier to digest alternative with many of the same concepts

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pDE4VX_9Kk

      • HiImThomasPynchon [des/pair, it/its]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Man grew up in Winnipeg, it's quite possible that the deep socialist history of the city affected him even if he didn't realize it himself.