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LarryHanley
SFSU
[email protected]
2015LAWCHA/WCSA
CognitarianLiterature:DigitalLaborinContemporaryFiction
Networks[]oscillatebetweentworelatedbutincompatibleformalstructures,writesthemedia
scholar,AlexGalloway.Ontheoneside,thechainoftriumphontheotherthewebofruin
(281)Further,henotes,therelationbetweenthesetwostructures,oneofcontroland
communicationandtheotherofriskanddissolution,suggestnewscenesofpoliticalinterest
(292).Inlookingatahandfulofcontemporarynovelstoday,thisisthescenethatIwantto
explore.Morespecifically,asselfconsciouseffortstoexplorethenetworksthatcirculatethe
information,bodies,andlaborsocentraltocontemporarycapitalism,howdothesenovelspoint
tosimilarscenesofpoliticalinterest?
Ofallofthecontemporarynovelsthatexploretheinformationrevolution,DaveEggerssatirical
novel,TheCircle,takesitsrevolutionaryclaimsmostliterally.Eggersdystopianvisionofsocial
networkingcentersonamonolithicGooglemeetsFacebooktheCirclethatowns90
percentofthesearchmarket...[e]ightyeightpercentofthefreemailmarket,92percentofthe
textservicing(173.).Inthiscivillibertariannightmare,CircleappslikeTruYou,YouthRank,
ChildTrack,SoulSearch,,PastPerfect,NeighborWatch,andCHAD(CompleteHealth
Data)collecteveryusersmouseclicks,likes,selfies,andmovingoffline,ultimately,every
action.Nothingisdeleted.ALLTHATHAPPENSMUSTBEKNOWN(67)declaresoneofthe
companysmanymotivationalposters,andoneofitsmostexcitingprojects,atleasttothe
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Circlers,isanefforttocountthesandsoftheSahara(237).Eggerssatirereachesitsmost
gleefulandterrifyingOrwelliandepthswhentheCircleunveilsitslatestcorporateslogans:
SECRETSARELIESandPRIVACYISTHEFT(303).
EggersnovelhasrelativelylittletosayabouttheultimaterationaleofplatformslikeFacebook
orGoogle:toharvestandcommodifyuserdata.Instead,TheCirclefocusesitsSwiftian
energiesontheimmensesocialityalltheclicks,likes,shares,comments,tweetsandother
actsofconnectiontheseplatformsmustcultivatetofunctionasdatafactories(Dijk).The
Circleplexdressesitsradicalagendainthedreamofhumanperfectibilitycomplete
informationaltransparency,opinesoneofthecompanysfounders,wouldfinally[]compel[]us
tobeourbestselves(290),butthenovelrelentlesslyrehearsesabasiccontradictionofthe
networkedself(Papacharissi):moreinformationgeneratesmoreanxietyandmoreprecarious
selves.[Summarize:Forinstance,asMaeHolland,theCarrieMeeberesqueprotagonistof
TheCircle,accruesanonlineaudiencewhotrackhereveryZingandselfie,shealsoacquiresa
moretheatricalself,adoubleconsciousnesswithinwhichshemeasuresherwordstoemulate
thequietdignity[and]practicedcomposure(461)ofauthorityfigures.Iftransparencybreeds,
paradoxically,newkindsofinauthenticity,theecstasyofcommunicationalsomakesusmore
sensitiveandvolatile.Mae,forinstance,experiencesakindofnervousbreakdownwhenshe
discoversthat97%ofCirclersendorseherawesomeness:shecouldonlythinkofthe3
percentwhodidnotfindherawesome...Threehundredandsixtyeightpeopleloathedher.
Shewasdevastated....Shefeltfullofholes,asifeveryoneofthemhadshother,from
behind,cowardsfillingherwithholes.Shecouldbarelystand(4056).Maesmentor,Annie,
latertriestocommitsuicideafterPerfectPastrevealsancestorswhowereSouthern
slaveholders.]Theecstasyofcommunication(tocoinaphrase)(Baudrillard),generatesmore
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volatileselves.Ratherthaneliminatinguncertainty(125),theCirclesnetworked
selfsurveillanceintroducesnewprecaritiesintosocialrelationsandidentities.And,the
precarityeffectsofthenetworkextendtotheworkplace,wherethecomputermonitorsthat
surroundMaesworkspaceproliferatefromtwotofourandfinallytonine,constantlyupdating
herCustomerExperiencescore,herParticipationRank(100),andherConversionRate
andRetailRaw(250).Here,Eggersobviouslysatirizesthealgorithmicmachineryofworker
accountabilityandperformancemeasures,buthisdeepertargetmaybethewaysinwhich
socialityhasbecomeintegraltotheworkplace,thewaysinwhichdistinctionsbetweenworkand
nonworkhavebeenabsorbedintoanewregimeofbiopoliticalproduction.[B]eingsocial,and
beingapresenceonyourprofilethisispartofwhyyourehere,oneofMaessupervisors
explainstoher.Weconsideryouronlinepresencetobeintegraltoyouworkhere.Itsall
connected(95).Producingyourselfviathethefreelabor(Terranova)ofsocialnetworking
thatwecontributetositeslikeFacebookissubsumedbytheCircle,(notwhatyoumightcalla
clockin,clockouttypeofcompany(176)asanothercharacternotes,)intoamoregeneralized
productionofselfanddatathattransformsearlier,Fordistdistinctionsbetweenworkandlifeinto
porousandprecariousborders.
InTheCircle,laborcirculatesthroughoutthesocialfactoryofdataproduction.ThoughHari
Kunzrutitleshisnovelofsweatedinformationallabor,Transmission,hemightalsohavecalledit
circulationfor,likeEgger,hetooisinterestedinthecirculation,ataglobalscale,of
information,commodities,labor,andbodies.InTransmission,asthetwinnednarrativesof
ArjunMehta,acoderexportedfromIndiatoRedmond,Washington,asamemberoftheglobal
reservearmyofknowledgeworkers(Huws43)andGuySwift,aLondonbasedadvertising
exec,demonstrate,thiscirculationisdeterminedbyclass.Ashewalksthroughapostindustrial
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wastelandtotheapartmentheshareswithhisfellowDatabodiesInc.contractworkers,Arjun
reflectsonthesublimemobilityofthosewhotravelwithoutevertouchingtheground.[And,]
theothermobility,theforcedmotionoftheshoppingcartpushers,thecollectorsofcardboard
boxes(45).Guy,whojetsbetweenLondon,Dubai,NewYorkCityandBrussels,livesina
glasscladdedapartmentbuildingcalledInVitro,designedtocreateaneffect...ofabsolute
calm,aheavenlysenseoffloatingfreeofthecaresoftheworld(110).Hethinksoflifeasjust
astringoftaxis.Hopintooneandintoanother,likeasequencefromaBeatlesmovie(209).
AsZygmaunBaumandescribesoureraoflightasopposedtoheavycapitalism:Thegame
ofdominationintheeraofliquidmodernityisnotplayedbetweenthe'bigger'andthe'smaller,'
butbetweenthequickerandtheslower"(188).Speed,weightlessness,portability,andweak
tiesthehallmarksofnomadiccapitalhavetrumpedtheprinciplesofterritorialityand
settlement(13).ThesetwoworldscanoftenshareaspaceliketheCibachromeprintsof
blownupurbandetailing,manholesandroughsleepersand..acrossprocessedshotofan
industrialestateinDalston(113)thatlineGuysofficewalls,orhisexhortationstocolleaguesto
get[]oneshandsdirtyatthebrandface(115),orevenlikeArjunspresenceintheofficesof
Virugenix,anantivirussoftwarefirmbuttheyrarelyinteract.Arjunfindsworkingclass
Americanssotallandheavy,someaty(41),buthequicklydiscoversthattrappedbya
slavevisa(62)hetooisanobjecttobecirculatedratherthanasubjectwhocirculates.
TransparencyinTheCircle,theworkofbecomingtotallyvisible,erasesbordersand
boundaries,forinstancebetweenplaces,people,work,andnonwork.InTransmission,onthe
otherhand,networkedsurveillancereinforcesboundariesthenetworkedself,renderedvisible
andknowablethroughBigData,becomessubjecttomoredirectformsofcontroland
regulation.Thequestionoftheborderisaquestionofinformation,arepresentativeofPEBA,
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thePanEuropeanBorderAgency,tellsGuyasGuypitcheshimarebrandingproposalover
dinnerinarestaurantcalledSeraphim.Theinformaticdimensioniscentraltothewhole
harmonizationprocess(234).ThoughbothKunzruandEggersshareacriticalperspectiveon
databodies,Kunzruoffersusamoredialecticalpossibility.Forifthenetworkenables
surveillance,inTransmissionitalsoopensthesystemtoglitchesandfailures.Citingthe
interferenceanddistortionthatplagueallcommunication,thenovelsnarratorexplains:Inthe
realworld...thereisalwaysnoise....Informationtransmission,itemerges,isaboutdoingthe
bestyoucan(254).ThusitisthatArjun,inadesperatebidtomakeworkforhimselfandavoid
deportation,launchestheLeelavirus,apieceofmalwarethatsignalsitsintrusionwithaclipof
LeelaZahir,aBollywoodstarlet,dancingmerrilyacrossyourcomputermonitor.Withindaysof
itsrelease,Leela01anditsvariantsLeela02,03,04,produceafurringoftheglobalarteries
(184)whichquicklyprecipitatesaninformationaldisaster(254)labeledGrayday.Carriedby
theinformaticdimenstionthattransmitssurveillancedata,Leela01createsheavytraffic
acrosstheborderbetweentheknownandtheunknown(256)and,asthenarratortellsus,All
thatcanbesaidwithhonestyafterwardisthattherewereabsencesandgapsthathavenever
beenfilled(254).Amongtheseabsences:thedisppearanceofArjunMehta,ontherunfrom
FBIcybercops,andLeelaZahir,inflightfromasetinScotlandandcinematicpeonage,andGuy
SwiftwhothankstomisplacedwalletandphoneismistakenforanAlbanianpyramid
fraudster(263)andrapidlydeportedtoTirana.OnlyGuyreappears,afterGrayday,castdown
toBritishearthasageopathicpotter,selfexiledtoaremoteNorthumbriancottage.
AccordingtoTransmission,networkedinformationrepresentsbothasolutionandproblemfor
lightcapitalism,butCoryDoctorowsnovel,Makers,rearrangestheseterms:capitalismposes
problemsfornetworkedsociety.Asitstitleimplies,Doctorowsnoveldipsdeeplyintothe
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makermovement:adiverseassociationoftinkerersandinventorsheadquarteredinthousands
ofgarages,forwhomthedecentralizednetworksoftheweblowerdesignandproductioncosts,
enablesharingandcooperation,andopenupnewroutestomanufactureanddistribution.For
manymakers,thispunk,DIYmodeofproductionrepresentsthewebsultimatemigrationfrom
bitstoatomsthetwoprotagonistsofMakers,LesterandPerry,forinstance,describetheir
greatestcreationasagiganticphysicalwiki(137).WhentheirNewWorkmovementof
workshops,makers,and3Dprinters,fundedbytheEconomy1.0remnantsofKodakand
DuracellisdefeatedbyfallingKodacellsharepricesandvariousWallStreetsshenanigans,
LesterandPerryrespondbypushingthelogicofnetworkedproductionfurther:theycreatean
amusementparkridethatisconstantlyreprogrammedbyitsuserstotellTheStory,apersonal
representationofhistorysharedandshapedbyotherusers.ToavoidthefateofNewWork,
LesterandPerrytrytocreateanewcoolsocialinstitution(137)thatroute[s]around..
.parasitesandbulliesandmiddlemen(286,285).TheStory,Lesterexplains,isaprotocol
weallagreeon,notabusinessarrangement(141).
AsinTransmission,thenetworkpromisesevasionandescape.Yet,asMarioTrontiremindsus
inhisformulationoftheautonomistthesis:Capitalistpower,whetherofthelightorheavy
variety,perpetuallyseekstousetheworkers'antagonisticwilltostruggleasamotorofitsown
development(TheStrategyofRefusal).Likeitspredecessor,TheStorygrindstoahalt
amidstlawsuitsandcorporatesabotage,yetthesuccessofitsnetworked,participatorystructure
spursitsmostpowerfulrival,DisneyParks,todevelopitsownwildlysuccessful,distributed,3D
printedexperience,calledDisneyinaBox(308).ThecollapseofNewWorkandTheStory
pointstoamajorflawinargumentsforthenewindustrialrevolution(Anderson)ofthemaker
movement.When,aswithLesterandPerrysphysicalwiki,thecooperationandsubjectivity
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oflaborhavefoundapointofcontactoutsideofthemachinationsofcapital,AntonioNegri
writesofworkerselfvalorization,Capitalbecomesmerelyanapparatusofcapture,a
phantasm,anidol(Negri282).Yet,despiteNegrismerely,thisdancebetweenautonomy
andcontrolmayactuallyconstitutethecentraldynamicofcontemporarycognitivecapitalism.
Forcedtomutatetosurvive(36),accordingtoYannMoulierBoutang,todayscapitalism
recognizesthatthedigitalanditsappropriationbythelargestpossiblenumberofpeopleisa
necessarypreconditionforbeingabletorecuperatetheworkofcollectiveintelligence(108).
Thecaptureofthisinventionpower...definesthespecificformofexploitationandsurplus
valueextractedbycognitivecapitalism(54).InMakers,capitalismbecomesafetteronthe
makermeansofproduction,andarevolutionthatcantimaginelifebeyondthevampiric
strategiesofcapitalismisdoomedtofailure.UnabletoanswerthequestionofWhycouldntwe
makestuffanddostuff?Whydiditalwayshavetoturnintoaplanforworlddomination?(249),
however,LesteradmitsdefeatandjoinsDisneysskunkworks,partingwayswithPerrywho,true
tohismakerroots,becomesanitinerantcoder.
PerhapsitsbesttoendourshorttimetogetherwithThomasPynchonslatestnovel,Bleeding
Edge.Pynchonhasalways,ofcourse,beenasupremegenealogistoflatecapitalism,
decipheringthecontinuitiesandruptureswithinhistoryandcompulsivelyminingtheseams
betweenhistoricalperiods,wheretheedgeofoneeraseemstobleedineffablyintoanother.
Reality,however,seemstohavefinallycaughtupwithPynchoninBleedingEdge:network
society,withitsincessantcirculationofsigns,information,money,andidentitiesrepresentsthe
perfectmediumfortheplotswithinplots,proliferatingcharacters,sinisterserendipities(of
languageandaction),shadowyorganizations,anddarkconspiraciesthatdefinePynchons
entireoeuvre.Setinpreandpost911NewYorkCity,BleedingEdgechroniclesthedetective
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workofMaxineTarnow,aliterarysisterofPynchonsearlierOedipaMaas,asshestrugglesto
deciphertheconnectionsbetweenventurecapitalistGabrielIce,asuspiciousstartupcalled
hashslingrz,thehawalanetworkofinformalmoneytransfer,nefariousCIAoperative,Nicholas
Windust,exSpetznazturnedmafioso,IgorDashkov,abevyofothercharacters,andashady
fibrebrokeragecalledDarklinearSolutions.Intheend,allofthismaybeconnectedtoagroup
ofmenrehearsingaStingermissileattackfromatopanearbyapartmentbuilding.Or,itallmay
beconnectedtotheMontaukProject,aLongIslandversionofArea51.Neitherthereadernor
Maxineeverdiscoversthetruth.Inthis,thenovelremainsfaithfultobothPynchonsoeuvre
anditsdot.commiliueu:despitethetemptationsofparaonia,withinthewilddissemination
nurturedbynetworklogic,centersalwaysdissolveintoedgesandviceversa.Yet,Bleeding
Edgealsoconnectsourcontemporarymomenttoalongerhistory,perhapsthesecretsubjectof
Pynchonsentirecareer.[T]hecolonizersarecoming,anavatarinDeepArchersaysofthe
opensourcedonlineworldcreatedbytwoCaliforniahackers,Linkbylink,theyllbringitall
undercontrol,safeandrespectable(241).Whatevermigratoryvisitorsaredownthere[in
DeepArcher],Maxinenotestoherself.Theyllalltoosoonberudelysurprisedbythe
whisperingdescentofcorporateWebcrawlersitchingtoindexandcorruptanotherpatchof
sanctuaryfortheirownfarfromselflessends(167).AsweknowfromMarxandhisanalysisof
primitiveaccumulation,thestrugglebetweenenclosureandthecommonsbirthedcapitalism
(Bonefeld).Todaystechrevolution,asPynchonnarratesit,doesntbreakwiththishistory,it
merelyrepeatsit.
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