#With the internal center/periphery dynamics

[rotzaprachim]

realisation that lenú and lila l’amica geniale are the equal and opposite reaction to tenoch and Julio y tu mamá también

[mariacallous]

In the 2020s, love triangles are all the rage—at least in American literature. The last five years have seen a proliferation of novels about non-traditional triads. Raven Leilani arguably ignited the trend with Luster, followed by Torrey Peters’s Detransition, Baby, Julia May Jonas’s Vladimir, and Jen Beagin’s Big Swiss, among others. Each novel featured a female protagonist armed with a sardonic voice, and each used a love triangle to probe social issues related to sex, power, race, gender, and class.

Mostly, these novels have been about American lust. But a new addition to the list, The Lady Waiting by Polish novelist and filmmaker Magdalena Zyzak, offers an international spin on the genre. This mischievously delightful caper centers on the love triangle between a wealthy American couple and their Polish assistant, who conspire to steal a Vermeer.

Although Zyzak, like her predecessors, is interested in the dynamics of sex and power, she throws a new element into the mix: globalization. The Lady Waiting is, beneath the sex, a story of the global economy, where workers from countries on the periphery do most of the labor for a tiny slice of the pie, while investors from the core economies feast.

The Lady Waiting is the second novel by Zyzak, who was born in Poland but has lived in the United States since she was an undergraduate in the early 2000s. Zyzak writes in caffeinated English: On the spectrum of foreign-born writers who switched to English, she is far closer to Vladimir Nabokov than Joseph Conrad—she never passes up a chance at puns, chiasmus, or word play.

The novel opens when a 23-year-old Polish immigrant, Viva, spots a posh woman in a green cocktail dress standing on an island of Los Angeles’s 101 freeway. Viva stops to offer a ride to the woman, who turns out to be a rich Polish-American named Bobby. Soon, Bobby and her husband, Sleeper, a retired U.S. film director, offer Viva a job. They want her to be their live-in help. “Sleeper says our household needs a wife,” Bobby explains.

Viva has been in the United States for a year and is floundering, going unhired because of her faltering English and her failure to absorb American social norms. (When an interviewer asks what her greatest weakness is, Viva answers, “manipulating”; she doesn’t get the job.) Viva never wanted to come to the country in the first place. But a boyfriend convinced her to enter the green card lottery; when she won, everyone told her she’d be crazy not to cash in the ticket. In Poland, she has a “teaching degree, though nothing to teach”; in America, the only job she can get is as a home aid for an older woman who soon dies.

Viva’s reasons for being in the United States crystallize when she meets Bobby, who strikes her as the kind of woman you see on Los Angeles billboards. Bobby is rich and comfortable being rich. She charms Viva at an expensive lunch in Beverly Hills. The waiter brings out rosé and sharing plates, and Bobby says, in characteristically gleeful free association, “People hate rosé but I love it … Doesn’t give you as much of a headache, as long as it’s a quickie, not an affair. Never date a socialist unless he’s the champagne kind. Oh, hey, socialism! We’re going to share all the plates!”

Viva is intoxicated not just by Bobby’s money but also her command of English. When Viva speaks, she is hobbled by her adopted tongue; in Viva’s narration, though, her internal monologue sounds kind of like Bobby’s dialogue. Explaining her origins, Viva narrates: “The man who had impregnated my mother in a rapeseed field—not a metaphor, a major Polish crop—had ridden a motorcycle.”

After lunch, Bobby takes Viva to an expensive boutique, where she steals a $9,000 dress for her. Viva is distraught—she could lose her green card if she’s an accomplice to a crime.

“Why did you steal it?” Viva asks.

“Because I could afford it,” Bobby says with a shrug.

The dress turns out to be a harbinger. Bobby convinces Viva to steal—or fake-steal, in a move that she claims is “neutral legally”—a Vermeer that went missing from a museum nine years earlier, from her ex-husband, a Russian mobster. The fictional Vermeer, “The Lady Waiting,” is a small portrait of a woman seated in front of a window, gazing at her hands. The ex-husband recently acquired it as repayment for a debt, and he’s looking to return it to a German museum that’s offering a 10 million euro reward.

Her ex is outsourcing the job because it would be difficult for a Russian on the Magnitsky list to claim the reward. If they succeed, the Russian ex will get the majority of the 10 million, paying out a million each to his German lawyer as well as the Americans—Bobby and Sleeper. In a mirroring of globalization, Viva, the laborer brought in to do the actual work and assume the actual risk, will get only 1 percent. But 100,000 euros is a life-changing amount for Viva. It might buy her a ticket on the elusive route from immigrant to expat.

As for the love triangle, Viva sleeps first with Bobby, who excites her in context if not action. (“It was not the technique but the situation—that she was my boss—that aroused me.”) Sleeper excites her in a much more straightforward way: “It was remarkable that other men had never made me come, because the whole thing had taken less than two minutes.” It’s Bobby who pushes her to Sleeper—each of them knows of Viva’s involvement with the other—and every time Viva sleeps with Sleeper, it seems to bring him closer to Bobby. She begins to fall for Sleeper, but also for Bobby, in a confusing way: “Sometimes I like you so much I want to be you,” she tells the latter.

Sleeper and Bobby are idle rich. They live like “nineteenth-century aristocrats,” working little and drinking often, in constant pursuit of drollness. Viva is paid $1,000 a week for an unwritten and varying set of tasks that includes making breakfast, bringing ice to cocktail hour in the hot tub, breaking in Bobby’s shoes, and, implicitly, sex. She is alternately ignored, fawned over, spoiled, and humiliated. “Was their behavior an abuse of power if that power was the very thing that turned me on?” she wonders.

Through Bobby, she gets a taste of American opulence. When she tries on Bobby’s expensive boots, she feels a “desire to own them that was akin to lust or hunger.”

“Poor girls from Poland, Russia, Ukraine in my generation had little to no inoculation against luxury products, communism having wiped out most hereditary wealth,” Viva says. “We’d kill for a pair of designer shoes.” When Viva later climaxes with Sleeper, she fantasizes that she is Bobby, surrounded by designer shoes.

The plot to retrieve the painting goes smoothly, but—spoilers ahead—after Viva brings it back, it is stolen from Bobby’s closet. Viva, Bobby, and Sleeper travel to Venice to hunt down the Vermeer, all the while being tailed by a Russian mafia thug. Abroad, their affair turns more overt, and Viva begins sleeping with the couple together. At one point, she catches Bobby watching her have sex with Sleeper. Viva later tells Bobby that she wants to be the one spectating. Bobby replies, “do you really think I care to know what’s in your bird brain? This is my fantasy. Mine, not yours.”

This is when Viva begins to realize, if she hadn’t already, that she is on the lowest rung of this ladder, and if she wants money, power, or choice, she’ll have to break out of the system. She tracks the now thrice-stolen Vermeer to a mining town in Poland, where she buys it from an old lady storing it in her car for a little more than $1,000. The woman lives in a communist housing bloc where, “in an apathetic nod to individualism, each cube was painted a different, faded underwear color: gray-white, dull red, brown-pink, lint blue.” When Viva talks to the woman, she notices in her mouth “a gap from a missing canine, a tiny black door to the mean world I’d escaped, a world where you’re reduced, one indignation at a time, by cheap dentists, expensive priests, needy parents, treacherous children.”

Viva’s emigration isn’t easy for the Americans in the novel to understand. She didn’t leave Poland to pursue a dream: “Where I’m from, fantasies tend to be about revenge, not aspiration.” Nor is she, as a friend of Bobby’s assumes, fleeing “some hellhole where men raped sheep and women gave birth in ditches.” Poland, which acceded to the European Union in 2004, is something of a development success story, and it’s often seen by its neighbors to the east as a land of prosperity and opportunity. But opportunity is relative.

In Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 2013 novel Americanah, a Nigerian émigré says of the white people in his adopted country:

they would not understand the need to escape from the oppressive lethargy of choicelessness. They would not understand why people like him, who were raised well fed and watered but mired in dissatisfaction, conditioned from birth to look towards somewhere else, eternally convinced that real lives happened in that somewhere else, were now resolved to do dangerous things, illegal things, so as to leave, none of them starving, or raped, or from burned villages, but merely hungry for choice.

Viva ambivalently left the “shabby comfort” of home for opportunity. But once she’s walked in the shoes of her U.S. employers’ blend of boundless optimism and reckless shortsightedness, she can’t go back. She swipes the painting, cuts off contact with Bobby and Sleeper, travels to Berlin, gets her own German lawyer, and claims the reward. The consequence of her actions quickly becomes clear when she sees that Interpol has declared Bobby and Sleeper missing, last seen in Russia.

In the real world, it would likely be the worker who bore the consequence of a scheme gone sideways. But Zyzak’s world is more just than ours, in a sense, while still adhering to the hierarchy. Here it’s the wealthy American investors who must answer for their actions and Viva who claims their spot as the aspirational rich.

Toward the end of the story, Viva’s German lawyer recommends that she give up her green card and settle in a tax haven such as the Cayman Islands to keep more of her reward money.

“I think I want to keep my green card,” she says.

“May I ask why?” the lawyer asks.

“Because,” Viva says, “I won it in the lottery.”

Viva may be a millionaire now. But more importantly, she’s an American.

[thegirlwiththeaxe]

Omggg. I messaged you a while back praising your works and inquiring about any future projects. I must admit that when you mentioned wanting to write something in George’s pov I had no idea what that would look like since I had never read anything that centered around his perspective. I tend to enjoy the more hyperactive/hypersensitive povs of (fanon/arguably canon) “perfectionist Paul” and “impulsive John.” However, Periphery is… so good. I’m now obsessed with the world through with George’s eyes! His introverted nature makes it seem as though someone has widened the lens of the movie that’s playing my mind as I read. I suppose it’s because he’s more concerned with perceiving than actively participating, so there’s a lot more to take in. Now on to my question. Were there any other works that you might’ve read that both centered on George’s pov and sparked your interest in telling a story mostly about George? Or were you purely inspired by the quotes/testimonies you provided in the first chapter’s author’s notes?

P.S. Because of how well you interpreted Paul’s absolute terror of getting caught in the act with John, I was feeling some secondhand embarrassed that quickly morphed into actual terror when John’s boogeyman ass turned the corner. I too felt like I was on that grimy ass street about to get a hammer to the head for walking in on some Guys Just Being Dudes™️ Fabulous writing!

hello!! thank you so much, super happy to hear people are enjoying periphery bc i was worried it was a bit more… niche? or at least not super interesting plot wise so hearing someone is actually enjoying the Mess i’m writing is v reassuring to hear :,)

to answer your question: the main inspiration behind periphery was wanting to write from george’s pov and get into his head (george is my favourite beatle and i also think he processed/felt things internally vs the other three who i’d argue are all way more extroverted) and then coming back across the quotes about jürgen/ george, hamburg seemed like a really interesting and pivotal place to do that! what you said in your ask about him perceiving versus participating has merit imo (though maybe not through his own choice) and i think his more introverted nature vs the others probably did make him feel more of an «outsider» than them, to use the term broadly (i’m also super fascinated by the beatles mbtis bc… yeah i could talk about that forever)

for george-centred works: i havent read loads of george povs, but the ones i come back to often are:

my hometown in tornado by clarinetta (everything this author writes is fantastic, this one particular focuses with so much love on the beatles dynamic from Geo’s pov and is done so so well)

no i in threesome by with_eyes_closed (again recommend everything by this author but this fic in particular is so good to set your teeth into with J/P/G and a really well done Geo pov. through your window also has an excellent George and is also written with such love and attention to detail)

there’s definitely more george povs out there (and probably more i’ve read ages ago i’m forgetting) but those two are my personal favs! thank you again for such a lovely message:))

[fatehbaz]

Montreal is a city animated by a lingering cosmopolitan phantasmagoria, especially its two ‘man-made’ islands, Île Sainte-Hélène and Île Notre-Dame. Built to host Expo 67, a colossal World’s fair resting on dredged soil and urban debris, they became the experimental landscape and socio-technical matrix of the future megacity Montreal dreamt of being. This event crystallized the city’s image as the avant-garde “capital of the megastructure,” a concept which redefined (urban) spaces as dynamic relationships between people, technology, and dwellings, “coded [...] by notions of process” akin to those of the organism (Riar 2020, 200). Thirteen years later, the Floralies Internationales de Montreal was held in the wake of “Man and his World,” the fair’s permanent exhibition on Île Notre-Dame. The 8th International Horticultural Exhibition invited citizens to admire “the world’s most beautiful botanical garden” representing the cultures of twelve nations, including Canada. [...] The organizers viewed the gardens as “soft technologies,” designed to beautify the city while benefiting its economic and cultural sectors. [...]

[Gardens] offer “profound insights [...].” They are “sites where people explicitly stage [...] their relationships with nature” [...]. Gardens not only inform what [...] dwellers find valuable and good, they organize the political and economic relations urban centers cultivate - or not - with their peripheral others -- rural lands, ‘nonhuman’ life and ‘nonlife’. Botanical gardens, such as the Floralies [...] are not merely displays of state power and scientific knowledge, but technologies [...] that operate by transplanting alien ecological - so-called rural - habitats into the hybrid spaces of a metropolis.

And while we could frame this dynamic within urban/rural or center/periphery binaries, I contend that what made the Canadian garden a garden in 1980 was precisely its relationship to what lies far beyond the theoretical scope of such binaries - that which eludes rigid biological and geographical inscriptions: wetlands. What follows is a meditation about murky and precarious dwellings. And about binaries, and the relentless oscillations that govern places of belonging. It is an invitation to consider urban and rural geographies and all that lies beneath and beyond their preference for the living.

And it is the story of a northern peat bog that was “transplanted” to Île Notre-Dame in 1979.

“A little bit of James Bay in Montreal”

It took a fleet of trucks fifty 36-hour trips to haul half an acre of James Bay to Montreal. That “little bit” of Northern Quebec was more precisely 1300 frozen blocks of peat taken from the Hélène Lake bog, near the construction site of the LG2 hydroelectric project. [...] The blocks [...] were then reassembled [in Montreal] [...]. To ensure that the Notre-Dame peat bog bloomed in time for the Floralies, a year later, gardeners carefully monitored water and acidity levels [...]. The garden's “spongy consistency,” created by a combination of sphagnum mosses, tamarack, black spruce, hairy honeysuckle, round-leaved sundew, and Labrador tea, amongst 50 northern species, could be admired for the first time in Montreal’s temperate climate, a stark contrast to the hydrogeoclimatic conditions of James bay, 1500 km away [...]. In 1980, thirteen years after Expo 67, the bog was fully integrated as yet another dynamic process in the city’s “organic” megastructure.

Why did the chief horticulturist of the Montreal Botanical Garden choose to represent the “nation” with a northern peat bog?

Because Canada was, and still is, home to a quarter of the world's wetlands, which had already been massively drained for agriculture and urban sprawl. The garden's purpose was to bring the ecological benefits of these threatened ecosystems to an emerging environmental awareness.

Montreal, which used to be completely surrounded by “swamps and boggy places” [...] considered unsanitary in the 19th century, destroyed much of the riparian wetlands in the St. Lawrence Lowlands, eliminating 80% of its marshes [...]. The stinging irony is that manufacturing the islands for Expo 67 “was one of the single most damaging projects” for the surrounding wetlands (ibid.). So how could they be celebrated as part of a national heritage? [...]

“Canada is the wetlands settler country par excellence”  (Giblett 2014, 11), as, much like Montreal, most of its early settlements were built alongside marshes. Its colonial literature has long portrayed these places as murky, monstrous, and ominous.

In the dominant cultural paradigm, marshes were seen as wastelands, which licensed industries to dump toxic waste in their waters or to drain them (35). Seen as dead and inauspicious lands, swamps, marshes, and bogs posed a threat to colonial powers, while being particularly difficult to map, as water and land were inextricably linked. Peat bogs especially are dense and viscous worlds where mosses thrive on top of their own decaying shroud, a process reaching back into the Carboniferous era “when swamps ruled the earth” (203).

---

This story of a garden made of moss not only reveals how Montreal discredited the way the Cree community valued and used wetlands, but offers insight into the colonial governance of Canada and Quebec. [...]

Ultimately, representing peat bogs as “barren lands” speaks to the political figuration of all that is not urban, or, in Giorgio Agamben’s words, as bare life, which, in Western politics, “has the peculiar privilege of being that whose exclusion founds the city of men,” ordered by the “good life” (Agamben 1998, 7). To be preserved, the elusive and ominous peat bog had to be transplanted to the city, where it could be a tamed vehicle [...].

Rethinking geographies beyond anthropocentric [...] views of what defines urbanities and ruralities, might allow us to better understand the constitutive exclusions that created this binary in the first place. In Canada, both urban centers and rural regions have been constituted through the destruction of wetlands. This was repeated in the 1980s, when, just two years after the Floralies championed the city’s green turn, the Notre-Dame peat bog was abandoned. Today, if you were to go there, you would find a dried-out pond, where meridional species have reclaimed their rights.

But perhaps its disappearance from the city's landscape is a sign that wetlands remain unsettled and unsettling.

---

Text by: Isabelle Boucher. “Urban Mires: What Happened to the Garden of Moss?” Heliotrope, Environmental Media Lab at the University of Calgary. 19 April 2023. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Images and captions are shown as published with Boucher’s text in the same article.]

[berniesrevolution]

Spectre Journal

As the late Samir Amin wrote in 2006, “the challenges with which the construction of a real multipolar world is confronted are more serious than many ‘alterglobalists’ think.” Sixteen years later, Amin’s call for nations to “delink” from the Western-led economic order appears more ignored by state elites in the global South now than ever before. Earlier this year in a speech at Davos, Xi Jinping reaffirmed that “China will continue to let the market play a decisive role in resource allocation,” while “uphold[ing] the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its center.” And Russia’s assaults on Syria and Ukraine, financially supported by its plunders in regions like Sudan, serve as a reminder that the rise of national powers supposedly challenging US hegemony provides no guarantee that conditions will be more favorable to the international left. Thus, as Aziz Rana recently noted, the left needs an internationalist framework that “universally and effectively joins anti-imperial and anti-authoritarian ethics,” and refuses both “an old, broken Pax Americana” and “a new multipolar order dictated by competing capitalist authoritarianisms.”

But praxis can only emerge from a precise theoretical understanding of the objective conditions of imperialism today. What characterizes this new multipolar order and the nature of inter-capitalist competition? As a whole, this emerging multipolar world of bourgeois states does not create better conditions to challenge global imperialism, but merely preserves and even heightens these capitalist dynamics. Martín Arboleda cautions against “fetishizing” the role of the state in facilitating imperialism today at the expense of accounting for the role of international actors, and so conversely, we must also not overstate the capacity of the state—even developmentalist ones—in resisting imperialism.1 The decline of US imperial power and the rise of multiple “poles” on the global stage only reshuffles which states are mediating the existing global relations of production, without reorganizing the latter differently, and without fundamentally empowering independent movements in each region. Identifying the most effective strategy for the global left to build power requires understanding how this new expression of imperialism works. Rather than seeing multipolarity as opening up space for revolutionary struggles against imperialism, I contend that contemporary multipolarity functions as a new stage of the global imperialist system, a departure from unipolar US hegemony without neatly falling back into the traditional mode of inter-imperialist rivalry as described by Vladimir Lenin and Nikolai Bukharin commenting on the last century.

Today’s multipolar imperialism represents an intensification of the world-system sketched out by Bukharin, which sees the internationalization of finance capital and the development of national capitalist groups as two aspects of the same process. While national economic blocs have been increasingly sidelined in favor of multinational institutions by neoliberal globalization, nonetheless we see the strengthening of the power of nation-states to help facilitate financial capital in further containing the working class. A Marxist theory of imperialism today must thus not overstate the dynamic of inter-imperialist rivalry without endorsing a perspective that capitalist states are now entering a stage of peaceful co-existence enabled by financial interdependence, or what Karl Kautsky called “ultra-imperialism.” This deeper intertwining of state and capital enables new and more complex dynamics between ruling elites. Even as value transfer from peripheries to core remains intact, we can now witness multiple geographies of inter-imperial relations, with different cycles and layers of collaboration and competition between different sectors of the ruling class. Now joined by an often invisible class of institutional investors, state elites draw from more sophisticated technologies of repression and control across geopolitical blocs, leading to an uneven development of global authoritarianisms to counter independent and popular movements. This widespread erosion of political democracy, as it takes diverse forms, is thus a central policy of imperialism today.

(Continue Reading)

[nasluxury]

Top Emerging Neighborhoods in Abu Dhabi for First-Time Investors

For first-time investors looking to enter the dynamic and fast-evolving real estate scene, Abu Dhabi offers an array of emerging neighborhoods that present exceptional potential for growth, attractive yields, and long-term value, making the capital city a standout choice for property investment in UAE. While traditionally known for its established areas like Saadiyat Island and Al Reem Island, a wave of development is currently transforming lesser-known districts into investment hotspots, drawing attention from both local and international buyers seeking affordable entry points with high appreciation prospects.

One such area rapidly gaining traction is Al Shamkha, located just outside the city center and near major highways like Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, offering excellent connectivity, newly developed infrastructure, and government-led urban planning that positions it as a future residential hub. Similarly, Masdar City is quickly emerging as a sought-after location, especially among eco-conscious buyers, due to its emphasis on sustainability, smart technology, and energy-efficient design, making it ideal for modern investors who want their portfolios to reflect the global shift toward green living. Al Ghadeer, positioned at the border of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, is also climbing the ranks of promising areas, catering to those who desire a peaceful, suburban lifestyle while staying accessible to both emirates—an increasingly valuable feature for commuters and families alike. What sets these neighborhoods apart is the sheer volume of infrastructure investment, government support, and residential demand, which indicates that now is the time for first-timers to consider entering the market. Partnering with expert real estate brokerages is essential for navigating these emerging locations effectively, as these professionals provide crucial insights on off-plan project reliability, rental yield expectations, and developer track records that are vital when venturing into less-established zones. Another rising area is Khalifa City, which has become popular due to its mix of villas and apartments, proximity to top schools, and appeal to young professionals and families. Property prices here are still more accessible compared to central locations, offering room for capital appreciation as demand surges.

For investors eyeing waterfront living without paying the premium of Saadiyat or Al Raha, developments along Al Jubail Island are increasingly attractive, combining natural beauty with luxury offerings and future commercial hubs that will enhance livability and investment return. As the UAE government continues to support foreign direct investment and implement initiatives like the Golden Visa, neighborhoods positioned for growth are becoming magnets for professionals seeking residency and stable returns, reinforcing the long-term value of early entry. Moreover, the landscape of property investment in UAE is being shaped by post-pandemic lifestyle shifts, where buyers prioritize space, amenities, community, and green surroundings—features that these emerging neighborhoods are being master-planned to offer in abundance. Working closely with established real estate brokerages allows investors to access early information on project launches, secure units with favorable payment plans, and make informed comparisons between similar offerings. Another area to watch is Yas Island’s periphery, where expansion into adjacent zones is underway, and with the entertainment and tourism appeal of the island, rental demand is naturally high. These upcoming communities often attract tenants quickly due to newer facilities, better energy efficiency, and family-centric design, offering buy-to-let investors a promising avenue. For those interested in the cultural and academic appeal of Abu Dhabi, the outskirts of Saadiyat Cultural District are also seeing planned extensions that will cater to art enthusiasts and education-focused families alike. As property prices in central zones continue to appreciate, budget-conscious investors are increasingly looking outward to where infrastructure is just catching up—providing a sweet spot for value buying.

Not only do these areas offer affordability, but they also offer strong potential for capital growth, particularly as population inflows and business developments continue to push outward from the city core. With smart city features, upcoming malls, business parks, and healthcare facilities being integrated into master plans, these neighborhoods are positioned to become self-sustaining communities, increasing their appeal for both renters and buyers. For first-time investors, one of the key challenges is identifying which of these emerging locations are credible and which might fall short of expectations, which is why guidance from top-tier real estate brokerages is so vital. They not only offer market intelligence and comparative analysis but also negotiate better deals and ensure legal and procedural compliance that first-time buyers might overlook. In the broader picture, the UAE continues to prove its resilience and innovation in urban planning, and Abu Dhabi is no exception, with ambitious initiatives aiming to position the capital as a hub of culture, sustainability, and economic opportunity. For first-time investors seeking the right balance between risk and reward, emerging neighborhoods in Abu Dhabi represent an exciting entry into property investment in UAE, provided they are guided by the expertise of seasoned professionals who understand the nuances of location, timing, and developer credibility.

[periodicresetofcivilizations]

🔥 "You Are the CENTER of the Universe (Break Free Now)" 🔥

Title: Reclaiming the Divine Self: A Path to Liberation

Tags: #Evola #Traditionalism #SpiritualDevelopment #SelfRealization #Esotericism

Reject the Illusory Self: The first step on the Way is to discard the limited, habitual self-image. True self-awareness transcends space, time, and power, aligning with the inner imagination of the "I."

Reclaim Inner Reality: Modern man diminishes himself, trapped in self-imposed limitations. He must awaken to his true nature, shedding the chains of thought and action that confine him to a lesser existence.

Transcend the Medusan Gaze: Man petrifies the world around him, reducing nature to laws and hypotheses. He must break free from this reductive view and restore the living, dynamic essence of the universe.

Man as Cosmic Center: The human being is the axis of the universe. A shift in his consciousness holds more weight than the material cosmos. His body’s limits are illusory; his essence extends into the cosmic expanse.

Liberate the Petrified World: Man must free his surroundings from their frozen state, recognizing the conscious energies within earth, water, air, and fire. These forces are extensions of his own divine substance.

Embrace the Mystery: Beyond beauty, man must intuit the hidden reality of things. The unknown must be affirmed and felt, for it is the source of true power and creativity.

Rhythmic Contemplation: Spiritual development requires a rhythmic, periodic engagement with esoteric concepts. These must be felt, not just understood, to penetrate the subconscious and transform the self.

Cultivate Greatness and Power: Contemplation of one’s being and the world generates a sense of grandeur. This feeling must be retained and internalized, becoming a force that liberates and elevates.

Integration of Vision: The new vision of reality must flow into the subconscious, gradually becoming a lived experience. What begins as a concept evolves into a palpable force, marking the dawn of liberation.

Break the Shell of Limitation: Daily life forms a restrictive shell around the individual. To progress, this barrier must be shattered, allowing the new, liberated self to emerge and build a life aligned with the divine.

The first step for a man seeking the Way is to reject the habitual image he holds of himself. He can only begin to say "I" when this word aligns with the inner vision of self-awareness, free from the constraints of space, time, or power.

Man must reclaim the sense of his true reality. Currently, he diminishes himself, feeling smaller and more limited than he truly is. Every thought and action adds another bar to his prison, another veil over his vision, and another denial of his power. He confines himself to the limits of his body and binds himself to the earth, like an eagle choosing to crawl as a snake, ignoring its wings.

Man not only ignores and distorts himself but also reenacts the myth of Medusa, turning everything around him into stone. He measures nature with weights and rules, reducing life to petty laws and explaining mysteries with trivial hypotheses. He freezes the universe into a static unity, placing himself timidly at its periphery, as if he were an insignificant accident, devoid of power or hope.

Yet, man is the center of the universe. The vast material masses of the cosmos pale in significance compared to the slightest shift in his consciousness. The limits of his body are an illusion; he does not merely rest on the earth but extends through it into cosmic space. When he moves his thoughts or actions, the world moves with him; countless forces converge in a creative gesture, and his daily acts are but faint echoes of the divine energy flowing toward him.

Thus, he must free his surroundings from their petrification. Before understanding, he must imagine conscious energies in the earth, water, air, and fire, recognizing that natural forces are extensions of his own substance. It is not the earth that gives life to the plant, but the forces within the plant that draw life from the earth. Beyond the beauty of things, he must sense their mystery—an obscure yet intuited reality. The unknown must be boldly affirmed and felt in its full power.

A special attitude is essential for this perspective, as with any esoteric path. What matters is to initiate a rhythm: presenting a concept periodically and rhythmically to consciousness, so it is grasped not just as a thought but as a feeling. Contemplating one’s being and the world in this way generates a sense of greatness and power, which must be retained and deeply internalized.

Through this, a relationship of realization with this new vision will form, first flowing into the subconscious and then gradually integrating into feeling. A new condition will emerge: what was once a mere concept will become the presence of a force, leading to a state of liberation upon which a new life can be built.

All inner development exercises will fail unless one breaks the shell of limitation formed by daily life, which persists in the subconscious even after a shift in perspective.

Metaphysical part:

According to the alchemical Taoism, the condition for immortality is the actual construction of a subtle form to replace the gross body, achieved through a process of sublimation that returns the body to its "ethereal" state, the source from which all things emanate. This involves extracting and concentrating the immortal and nonhuman elements that form the foundation of ordinary life. In this tradition, as in Western Hermeticism, which similarly opposes mystical tendencies, immortality is tied to the concept of "condensation" or "coagulation." It is not a matter of simply turning a light on or off but rather a return of the self to a state of individualization.

It is worth emphasizing the positive aspect of physical regeneration in these traditions. A modern Hindu alchemist, Narayāna-Swami, articulates this clearly, noting that the same teachings often underlie the symbols of ancient Western Hermetic literature. He describes the life force that, phase by phase, evolves the physical and psychic organization of man, much like a plant growing from a seed. This power, once fully developed, underlies every function and pattern of the organism. The goal of Hindu alchemy is to infuse consciousness into this vital force, integrating it fully, and then to retrace and reawaken all phases of development, achieving a creative connection with the completed form of one’s body. This regenerated state allows the individual to directly engage with the innermost source of corporeal life—the force behind the heartbeat, breath, and higher physiological functions.

When this transmutation is complete, it signifies a shift from mere physical transformation to a change in functional essence. The regenerated individual’s relationship with their body is fundamentally altered, marking a new existential condition. As Jacob Boehme suggests, when the ego is merely attached to the body, it is as if the body generates and shapes the ego, which then rises and falls with the organism. However, when the center of the body is rooted in the life force—the generative and sustaining power behind the body—the dynamic changes entirely. This life force transcends the body it animates, capable of moving from one form to another like a flame jumping between logs. Those dominated by this force, which exists beyond ordinary consciousness, remain largely unaffected by bodily dissolution or death. Death does not touch them, just as the capacity for speech is not lost when words are left unspoken or interrupted, remaining ever-present and ready to be expressed.

[hannahfortune]

Analytical Application #6: Race and Representation

Cultural Hegemony

This term, as described by Stuart Hall, refers to the dominance of one cultural group over others, where the dominant culture's values, beliefs, and norms are accepted as the societal norm, shaping perspectives, behaviors, and institutions. Hall describes that cultural hegemony is about “shifting the balance of power in the relations of culture; it is always about changing the dispositions and the configurations of cultural power…” (1).

In the song “I Wan'na Be Like You" from The Jungle Book (1967), the character King Louie expresses his desire to emulate human behavior and gain access to their power and privileges. The lyrics reflect a longing to adopt the dominant culture's traits and characteristics, symbolized by the "man's red fire," which represents human technology and sophistication.

King Louie's aspiration to "be like you" (i.e., humans) can be equated to the allure and influence of the dominant culture over marginalized groups in our modern society. The song underscores the idea that the dominant culture's values and norms are not only accepted but desired by those on the margins. It reflects the power dynamics at play, where the dominant culture's traits are idealized and seen as a pathway to empowerment and inclusion.

Moreover, King Louie's character, voiced by a white actor (Louis Prima), singing a jazz-inspired song further highlights the appropriation of African American culture by mainstream entertainment. This appropriation perpetuates cultural hegemony by reinforcing stereotypes and erasing the contributions of marginalized groups while simultaneously elevating the dominant culture's influence.

The song's portrayal of King Louie's pursuit of human-like qualities mirrors the broader societal phenomenon described by Stuart Hall as the "shifting balance of power" in cultural relations. It illustrates how cultural hegemony operates not only through overt forms of control but also through the internalization and emulation of the dominant culture's values and behaviors by subordinate groups.

In essence, "I Wan'na Be Like You" serves as a poignant commentary on cultural hegemony, demonstrating how the dominant culture's influence permeates even the realms of fantasy and animation, shaping perspectives, behaviors, and aspirations.

Eurocentrism

Eurocentrism, as discussed by Shohat and Stam, is a worldview centering European experiences as superior (2), while marginalizing non-Western cultures. It prioritizes European perspectives, often distorting or erasing the histories, identities, and contributions of other cultures (3). This perpetuates a hierarchy favoring Euro-American traditions, while exoticizing or relegating non-European cultures to the periphery.

"Everybody Wants to be a Cat" from Disney's original Aristocats (1970) embodies Eurocentrism and cultural appropriation through its portrayal of cats as the epitome of high class and sophistication. The song celebrates the lifestyle and demeanor of the feline characters, who are dubbed as "aristocats," implying a connection between their elegance and European aristocracy.

The song's lyrics and animated scenes depict the cats engaging in leisurely activities such as playing music, dancing, and indulging in lavish feasts. These behaviors align with Eurocentric ideals of refinement and luxury, reinforcing the notion that European experiences are superior and aspirational. However, this song manages to highlight this eurocentric perspective while still appropriating Black culture, using rhythms and chord progressions pioneered by Black communities during blues/jazz movements like the Harlem Renaissance. This notion reinforces the everpresent cycle of the high class adoption of lower class activities making it “cool.”

Furthermore, the characterization of the cats as aristocrats reflects Eurocentric hierarchies, where social status and privilege are closely associated with European cultural norms. By idealizing the cats' lifestyle, the film marginalizes non-European cultures and reinforces the Eurocentric worldview that prioritizes European perspectives while erasing or exoticizing the contributions of other cultures.

The desire expressed in the song's title, "Everybody Wants to be a Cat," underscores the pervasive influence of Eurocentrism, as even non-feline characters aspire to embody the perceived sophistication and status associated with European ideals. This desire to emulate European culture further perpetuates the hierarchy that favors Euro-American traditions, while relegating non-European cultures to the periphery.

In essence, "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" shows how the celebration of European aesthetics and values can reinforce cultural hegemony and marginalize non-Western cultures.

The Orient

As explored by Edward Said, "the Orient" refers to a constructed and exoticized idea of the East, particularly in Western imagination (4). It encompasses a range of diverse cultures and societies from Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, but is often portrayed through Western lenses of stereotypes, prejudices, and fantasies (5).

The Siamese cat scene from Lady and the Tramp (1955) provides a poignant illustration of the Orientalist lens through which non-Western cultures, in this case, Asian cultures, are often portrayed in Western media. The Siamese cats, Si and Am, are depicted as mischievous, conniving, and inherently villainous characters, embodying a host of stereotypes associated with the Orient.

The scene reinforces Edward Said's concept of the Orient as a constructed and exoticized idea in Western imagination. Si and Am are portrayed with exaggerated features and mannerisms that align with Western stereotypes of Asian people, such as slanted eyes, exaggerated accents, and manipulative or conniving behavior. Their song, "We are Siamese," further perpetuates these stereotypes by employing Orientalist imagery and language, depicting the cats as inscrutable and deceitful, even using a racist voice to depict the characters as well.

Additionally, this scene/song reflects the Western tendency to homogenize and simplify diverse non-Western cultures under a single, monolithic category, as described in Said’s work. Despite the vast cultural diversity within Asia, Si and Am are portrayed as representative of all Asian cultures, reinforcing the Orientalist notion of the East as a homogeneous and exotic "other" to be feared or laughed at.

Furthermore, the scene exemplifies the power dynamics inherent in Orientalist representations, where Western perspectives and fantasies about the Orient are privileged over authentic depictions of non-Western cultures. By reducing Si and Am to caricatures and perpetuating harmful stereotypes, the scene serves to exoticize and marginalize Asian cultures while reinforcing Western cultural hegemony.

This scene exemplifies the Orientalist tendencies present in many representations of Asian cultures in Western media, where non-Western cultures are exoticized, stereotyped, and marginalized through a lens of Western superiority and fantasy.

Popular Culture

Drawing from various perspectives including Stuart Hall's work, popular culture encompasses cultural artifacts, practices, and expressions that emerge from and resonate with the general populace, often shaped by mass media, consumerism, and technology. Hall’s work specifically finds ties between Black culture and popular culture within the US related to tradition, music, and American interests and influence (6).

The song "When I See an Elephant Fly" from Dumbo (1941) encapsulates the essence of popular culture as a reflection of societal values, traditions, and entertainment preferences. The song, performed by a group of crows, embodies the intersection of popular culture with elements of African American traditions and music, echoing Stuart Hall's exploration of the ties between Black culture and mainstream popular culture.

The style of music used in the scene represents a significant aspect of popular culture at this time, infusing the film with elements of jazz and soulful singing which were integral to African American musical traditions. Moreover, the scene highlights the democratizing nature of popular culture, as it is accessible and relatable to a wide audience. The crows' banter, coupled with the catchy melody, appeal to both children and adults, demonstrating how popular culture and representation of this nature can have a lasting effect on viewers, conforming their understanding of different groups.

Additionally, the scene reflects the role of popular culture in falling under social norms and aligning with various stereotypes. These characters being depicted as crows was certainly no accident. In historical context, Dumbo’s release occurred during times of segregation in the US, specifically regarding Jim Crow laws. The stereotypical depiction of Black culture coupled with the caricature-like representation likely had detrimental effects on the overall depiction and understanding of Black people in the US and beyond.

Overall, "When I See an Elephant Fly" exemplifies how popular culture serves as a dynamic reflection of society, incorporating diverse cultural influences in an entertaining way while also often conforming to the symbolic order perpetuated by the ruling class.

Stereotype

As discussed by Ella Shohat and Robert Stam in their chapter about the very topic, a stereotype is essentially a simplified and often exaggerated representation or image of a particular group, based on fixed and oversimplified ideas or assumptions (7). Stereotypes can be pervasive in media, literature, and everyday discourse, shaping perceptions and attitudes towards individuals or communities. They often serve to reinforce existing power dynamics, perpetuate prejudice, and limit nuanced understandings of diverse identities and experiences (8).

"What Makes the Red Man Red" from Peter Pan (1953) exemplifies the harmful effects of stereotypes on Indigenous peoples through its simplistic and caricatured portrayal of Native American culture. The song perpetuates stereotypes by reducing Native Americans to one-dimensional characters defined by exaggerated physical features, primitive language, and simplistic behaviors.

The lyrics of the song, with lines like "What made the red man red?" and "Why does he ask you 'How'?", reinforce the stereotype of Native Americans as inherently primitive and mysterious, reinforcing the idea of them as the "other" in contrast to the presumed superiority of Western culture. These portrayals not only simplify and exoticize Indigenous cultures but also perpetuate harmful myths and misconceptions about their traditions and way of life.

Moreover, the song's characterization of Native Americans as comical and childlike further reinforces existing power dynamics, where Indigenous peoples are depicted as subordinate and inferior to Western society. By reducing them to caricatures for comedic effect, the song diminishes the complexity and diversity of Indigenous cultures, reinforcing stereotypes that have been used to justify discrimination and oppression throughout history.

Additionally, the song's portrayal of Native Americans as perpetually stuck in the past, with references to "big chief" and "how," ignores the contemporary realities and contributions of Indigenous peoples, further marginalizing their voices and experiences in mainstream media.

In conclusion, this scene serves as an example of how stereotypes perpetuate harmful misconceptions and prejudices about marginalized communities, reinforcing power imbalances and limiting opportunities for authentic representation and understanding.

(1) Hall, Stuart. "What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?" in Critical Dialogues in Cultural Studies, edited by David Morley and Kuan-Hsing Chen, London: Routledge, 1996, 471. (2) Shohat, Ella and Stam, Robert. "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation" in Unthinking Eurocentrism, London: Routledge, 1994, 194. (3) Shohat and Stam, "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation," 200. (4) Said, Edward W.. "The Scope of Orientalism" in Orientalism, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1978, 9. (5) Said, Orientalism, 34. (6) Hall, "Black Popular Culture", 469-472. (7) Shohat and Stam, "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation," 197, 210. (8) Shohat and Stam, "Stereotype, Realism, and the Struggle Over Representation," 183.

[govindhtech]

4th Gen Intel Xeon: Turbocharge Broadband Performance

Intel Xeon Performance and power savings for broadband are increased by 4th Gen Intel Xeon processors

According to the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, the networking sector is often one of its busiest during the first quarter of the year.  There, Intel had a significant presence and demonstrated how our most recent 4th Gen Xeon Scalable processors carry on a long legacy of innovation and have become the industry’s first option to power network components like the 5G core and virtualized RAN.

Not to be outdone, the last three months of the year focus more on the wireline and broadband sectors of the network business.  The SCTE Cable Tec Expo, taking place in Denver, Colorado from October 16 to 19, offers a chance to see the outstanding development taking place at the network’s edge.  At the edge, users on wired and wireless networks, including those of us who often work from home, rely on the service to provide the bandwidth, low latency, and security we need for both work and play.

In this post, he will go into detail about how Intel and our ecosystem are setting the standard in the cable and convergent access sectors, allowing service providers to benefit from the same features seen in our most recent CPUs that we unveiled at MWC. 

These advantages were first felt in the data center, then moved to the core, and are now reaching the periphery. Here, service providers are utilizing our most recent 4th Gen Xeon Scalable processors‘ numerous new features and cloud native architecture to deliver the necessary performance while also processing data in a more power-efficient manner with fewer servers, ultimately resulting in a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

Cable

Let’s start by examining the cable business, where we are now at a turning point. The majority of the multi-service operators (MSOs) in this sector are starting to implement and reap the rewards of virtualizing the Cable Modem Termination System (vCMTS).  Cable MSOs have moved to enhance their network infrastructure to satisfy customer demand as the need for video, broadband access, work-from-home consumer behavior, and data services continues to rise. 

MSOs have opted for a general-purpose server-based virtualized CMTS that offers notable performance throughput, scalability, and service agility while also using less power and taking up less space (rack space).

By utilizing the open-source software DPDK and integrated accelerators to meet DOCSIS privacy and security standards, such as Intel QAT, Intel AVX-512, and AES encryption engines, our 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors offer a new microarchitecture designed to address the most dynamic and demanding wireline and wireless workloads.  Without our ecosystem, we are unable to provide the MSOs these advantages.  Our partners demonstrated our ongoing cooperation earlier this year, including:

In a whitepaper, Harmonic, our Emmy-winning partner, describes how their CableOS vCMTS software grows quickly to provide high-speed data services everywhere.  This vCMTS platform’s use of 4th Gen Xeons also results in reduced infrastructure costs as well as decreased power, cooling, and cabling needs.

In their whitepaper, Casa Systems showcases their Axyom vCCAP, which boosts performance by 65% and supports DOCSIS 4.0 with the newest 4th Gen Intel Xeon CPU.  This enhancement was made possible by new DPDK API capabilities, integrated QAT for DOCSIS encryption, and CRC offload and acceleration.

 At CableLabs in August, CommScope showcased their vCore vCMTS compatibility with DOCSIS 4.0 cable modems before launching their vCore solution on 4th Gen Xeon CPUs.

Fiber Internet

Let’s move on to the next section, where we’ll look at how service providers are using cloud native architecture to enhance performance, efficiency, agility, and scalability.  The BNG at the central office edge location serves as the major network component in this scenario.  Access to the internet is made possible by the BNG, which collects data flow from various residences and places of business. 

The advantages of using a cloud-native based architecture and 4th Gen Xeon Scalable processors to deliver the speed and power savings provided during packet processing, authorisation, and authentication are being investigated by Communication Service Providers (CoSPs), much like the cable MSOs.

In this area, too, our partners have been working assiduously, and they keep showcasing how the characteristics of our CPUs combined with their software are setting the standard for the sector.  You may learn more about the following highlights by reading the whitepapers:

Axyom vBNG, a CUPS-based cloud native vBNG with performance throughput of 540 Gbps and scalability to 1 Tbps utilizing a single socket 4th Gen Xeon server, was featured by Casa Systems.

Using just 2U of rack space and a 4th Gen Xeon, netElastic increased vBNG performance throughput by 46% (generation over generation) and is scalable to 1 Tbps.

[maddalenafragnito]

DIGITAL CARE CHAINS. CLEANING DATA IN THE PLATFORM ECONOMY Working paper at Global perspectives on Platforms, Labour and Social Reproduction

Global Perspectives on Platforms, Labor & Social Reproduction. A hybrid international conference convened at the University of Amsterdam, co-organized by the Platform Labor project & the Global Digital Cultures initiative.

Conference Dates: 27 & 28 June, 2023

Keynote Conversations Julie Chen, Rahul Mukherjee, Dalia Gebrial, Julian Posada, Cheryll Soriano, Andrea Pollio, Payal Arora, Rafael Grohmann, Ngai Pun

Organizing Committee Niels van Doorn, Thomas Poell, Aleksandra Piletić, Jelke Bosma, Eva Mos, Rivke Jaffe, Natalie Kerby, Anunaya Rajhans, Oriana Hine

Concept Note Much of the published scholarship on platforms and their impacts on labor and social reproduction is confined to the North American and European contexts. While this literature is rich and diverse, research in and on other parts of the world does not always get the attention it deserves. In an effort to counter this dynamic, this conference aims to epistemically and geographically recalibrate platform (labor) research. We seek to accomplish this by spotlighting scholars whose work examines communities, practices, and locales that are too often overlooked or considered “peripheral” in contemporary debates on the platformization of labor and social reproduction. Moreover, researchers working in North American and European contexts are encouraged to reflect on how forms of differentiation such as race, gender, and citizenship inform their work, particularly in light of how these have been shaped by global hierarchies and colonial histories. The conference thus provides a space for questioning the theories, methodologies and cartographies that currently dominate the field, while supporting the exchange of intersectional and geographically variegated perspectives on platforms, labor and social reproduction.

We aim to stimulate critical discussions on the complex ways in which processes of (de)valuation, (mis)classification, (de)monetization, and extraction unfold across geographies of platform labor. Pursuing this objective, we ask:

How do specific trajectories of platformization reflect, reproduce and transform the social orders, hierarchies and inequalities that characterize different localities?

How are platforms nevertheless also generating new spaces for the cultivation of livelihoods, resistance, and solidarity?

Along with complicating the dis/empowerment binary, the conference seeks to problematize other analytical dichotomies, such as ‘developed-developing’, ‘core-periphery’, ‘North-South’, and ‘global-local’, to foster a more nuanced and multifaceted understanding of the relation between platforms, labor, and social reproduction. We welcome contributions that think the ‘South’ in the ‘North’ (and vice versa), map the overlaps between ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ work, question the distinctions between public and private interests, and trace the transversal lines connecting the so-called ‘centers’ and ‘margins’ of unevenly developing platform economies.

In the context of the abovementioned aims, we are especially interested in papers that shed new light on one or more of the following themes and topics, which will be organized along six session tracks, I am part of the 4th one:

Track 1: Researching Platform Labor

Track 2: Dynamics of (In)Formalization and Professionalization

Track 3: Platform Governance/Governing Platforms

Track 4: Platforms and Social Reproduction: 

This track features research on the manifold ways in which platforms intersect with the efforts of households, communities, and institutions to sustain themselves over time. We welcome contributions on the relation between platforms/platformization and the unevenly manifesting ‘crisis of care’, including the role of platforms in restructuring ‘global care chains’ and volunteer-based social services. We are especially interested in papers that highlight hitherto under-researched areas, practices and dynamics of platform-mediated social reproduction. Moreover, we wonder how ‘new’ ideas about the social value or potential of platforms complement or reconfigure ‘established’ notions of community, care, and sustainability?

Track 5: Platformization and Capital Accumulation

Track 6: New Conflicts and Coalitions

[doomarchives]

David Annandale’s The Harrowing Of Doom: An In-Depth Review

So, I was kindly offered an advance reviewer’s copy of The Harrowing of Doom by David Annandale for the Marvel Untold series, a new prose line revolving around Marvel’s villains. Although I’m not personally familiar, the author’s prior written work and academic scholarship indicated a strong background in fantasy, science fiction, as well as horror film and literature - all essential elements of Doom himself honestly, whether in his character, design, or formative influences. A promising start from the outset! 

To no one’s surprise, I was especially excited for this one. Doctor Doom is both my favorite Marvel character and area of nerdy comics expertise, and Annandale sounded like the perfect candidate to tackle him. 

The Harrowing of Doom centers around a conflict familiar to those who know the character. Taking place fifteen years after his ascension to the throne, Victor von Doom is still hellbent on rescuing the soul of his mother, Cynthia, trapped in hell by the demon Mephisto. His yearly attempts to save her have been fruitless thus far, but he believes he can really do it this time, enlisting the help of a new character, Maria von Helm, and some of his lesser known subjects (also new characters) to accomplish the task, by building a machine called The Harrower. The noble scheme is further complicated by the reappearance of Prince Rudolfo Fortunov, son of the monarch deposed and murdered by Doom years prior, who is equally determined to take back what he believes is his birthright by any means necessary. The novel is a relatively dense and detailed one, and as a true blue Doom enthusiast, I have a dense and detailed review to match.

The first thing that I personally take note of in any material involving Doom is the author’s perspective on the truth of Latveria’s “benevolent dictatorship.” It immediately speaks volumes about a writer’s perception of Doom’s accountability and sense of morality; it kind of ends up coloring his entire characterization. That being said, I was really pleased by the evenhandedness with which Annandale treats Doom’s Latveria and his influence upon his subjects. It slots in neatly with some of the greats, Lee & Kirby, Jonathan Hickman, Roger Stern, etc with the acknowledgement that Doom is indeed a despot with an iron fist and a will absolute, but one who cares for the wellbeing of his country. Through dialogue from his subjects like the skittish Father Grigori Zargo and diehard loyal Captain Kariana Verlak, the reader gets the sense that Doom’s rule may be the best leadership Latveria has ever known. (A brief aside: another great strength of The Harrowing of Doom that has to be mentioned is the fleshing out of these different original characters. Maria von Helm was a particularly welcome addition, as a close friend of Doom’s mother and a far more empathetic magic user compared to him.)

Verlak is openly married to Dr. Elsa Orloff, a trans woman and neurosurgeon of international renown. Both of them had experienced the Fortunov rule that predated Doom’s, with Orloff even having fled Fortunov’s Latveria when she first come out as transgender, in fear of his tyrannical rule and the dangerously transphobic legislature he enforced called “The Laws of the Person.” It is apparent that Doom exists in obvious juxtaposition to the prior ruler’s bigotry. Beyond the total erasure of all previous discrimination and state-enforced bigotry, he has Verlak appointed in a role of great prominence, gave Orloff the tools she needed to succeed in her field, and even shares an exchange with her where he remarks that he knows her from her publications in the Lancet Neurology and that he appreciates them for their “speculative” approach. In an excellent exchange between Father Zargo and the rebel Prince Fortunov, the priest, who is by far Doom’s number one fan, explains Doom’s mesmerizing hold on the populace and the benefits they reap from his rule, despite it being a despotic one:

“I’ll be explicit, all the same,” said Zargo. “Doom is a sun king, even more fully than Louis XIV ever was. Latveria is a world power. How? Because of Doom and only because of Doom. Latveria’s strength and its wealth come from his inventions. And the beams of his sun touch every citizen. Universal basic income, free healthcare, free schooling, free universities, free training to the highest level of your calling - all of these things flow from Doom.”

“Free?” Fortunov snarled.

“The price is obedience, yes,” said Zargo, “And yes, Doom is feared.” Zargo stopped himself from saying Vladimir was feared and hated. [...] “Even though Doom is feared, he also is Latveria in every sense that matters.”

What I really appreciated was the author’s ability to walk the tightrope of acknowledging how beneficial Doom is for the country and his protectiveness over his domain, whilst also acknowledging Doom’s intense paternalism that ultimately favors his own goals. Doom, as well-read comic fans would know, is heralded as one of Marvel’s master manipulators. It’s a great strength of this novel to see him exerting his willpower and the strength of his personality to manipulate and sometimes, fully overpower that of his subjects. Father Zargo is definitely the most profound victim of this, a man with ties to both the church and the occult. Through the novel, Doom insistently pushes him towards the latter, his priorities made clear in one sentence: “The work was what mattered. Zargo’s soul was not Doom’s concern.” An especially interesting scene occurs later in the novel. Without too much elaboration, Doom performs an experiment where he uses the old Latverian nobility as guinea pigs.  This was something I immensely liked, corroborating one of my own personal perceptions of Doom. It’s always made sense to me that Doom would continue to hold a certain amount of disdain for Latverian high society, even after he went from low class Romani boy to monarch himself. 

(“The Fantastic Origin of Doctor Doom,” Fantastic Four Annual #2.)

Afterwards his partner, Maria von Helm, muses aloud that she always wondered why Doom let vestiges of the old regime remain, to which Doom responds: “Now you know. The aristocracy has its uses, and the advantages of being disposable.” It’s maybe my favorite example in the book of the exceptions to Doom’s purported benevolence. He does want the country to flourish and for his subjects to prosper, but this intent can be superseded by his innately ambitious nature and his own personal biases. It’s clear at several points in the book that Annandale is obviously well-read on Doom himself, but it was especially in the capturing of this nuance that it really stuck out to me in a big way. (As well as the fun reference to Doom’s brief jaunt in the French Riviera in Supervillain Team-Up!)

Outside of this core aspect of his characterization, I really enjoyed how the novel not only built up Doom’s cult of personality, but emphasized the sheer magnetism of Doom himself, in person. Constantly, characters find themselves buffeted by strength of his will, craving his approval or cowering and scrambling to avoid his displeasure. It’s a great true-to-character depiction of interactions between Doom and Latverian citizens, dynamics that were only touched upon briefly in the periphery of most comics involving Doom. I think, ironically, this is also perhaps the source of one of the novel’s few weaknesses. By keeping the book very Latveria-focused, Annandale does an excellent job of adding world-building on every level, from expounding on Latverian national holidays to the layouts of Doomstadt to the country’s storied history with witches predating Doom and his mother. But the fact that Doom mostly interacts with those beneath him or those who work for him gives the reader a bit of a myopic, overtly flattering perspective of him as almost too certain, too powerful, too unfeeling. I suppose it serves the scope of the novel for Doom to be more an obelisk of a man than fully well-rounded, but I contest that one of the best things about his character is that his indomitable exterior hides a deep well of pain and uncertainty. 

(“In The Clutches of Doctor Doom,” Fantastic Four #17.)

(“Oath of Fealty,” Doctor Doom #7.)

The novel obviously perceives Doom as Byronic, there’s even excerpts from Manfred interspersed between chapters that I greatly enjoyed, but I did find the heart of the Byronic character a little lacking here. Where Manfred bares his soul alone in monologue or to others, Doom, for the most part, does not. There are definitely brief allusions to the trials he’s faced, but he seems rarely prone to doubt or vulnerability until the very end. (For example, the central task is the attempt to rescue Cynthia von Doom’s soul, but little time is spent dwelling on this very human connection between mother and son.) Or even self-admitted imperfection! Interestingly, I only ever caught one mention of his scars in the entire novel. 

The Harrowing of Doom seems to prescribe to the line of thought that the mask is the only true face of Doom’s that matters, but I think with that philosophy, it stays firmly within the character’s own comfort zone. And his psyche never feels truly challenged, because there’s no worthy challenger. Doom knows without a doubt that he is Fortunov’s superior, so there’s no real interpersonal friction there. It left me keenly interested in seeing how the author would write Doom in the presence of someone like Reed Richards, an opponent who has historically brought out Doom’s baser instincts and invoked his self-doubt, drawing out his flaws and humanity in the process. Hopefully Marvel approves a sequel!

Doubtlessly, it’s still a strong entry into Marvel’s Doom canon and an excellent read for anyone who enjoys the character and is familiar with his history. The novel gives a sprawling, detailed look at Latveria and fleshes out both country and countrymen with aplomb. I took real delight at the indirect peeks at Doom’s personality through other characters’s observations or simple exposition. Some notable examples include Doom’s occult librarian wondering if he had been appointed out of spite of his witch-hunter ancestry, Zargo noting the west wing of Werner Academy was dedicated to clinical research in a nod to Werner von Doom’s work as a healer, and my favorite: the paintings within Castle Doom being impressionistic depictions of Doom’s ancestors, “people long buried, long forgotten, and in their lifetimes ignored or worse.”  

The conflict also moves at an engaging, brisk pace and smartly takes advantage of the widely known fact that Doom is preoccupied every Midsummer Night and turns that into an opening to be exploited by Fortunov, who also is well characterized throughout the novel and even experiences his own personal growth.

(“Though Some Call It Magic!”, Astonishing Tales #8)

Essentially, the product is a great novel about Doctor Doom influenced by strong comic lore knowledge, Gothic and Romance literature, horror cinema (According to the author, Doom’s lab is modeled after the lab from The Bride of Frankenstein!), and fantasy. If that sounds like something up your alley, definitely check it out. It gets a wholehearted recommendation from me. 

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

For more information visit marvel.com. © 2020 MARVEL

[themyra0-blog]

Myra Condo

Myra Developer

Myra is gladly evolved by the prestigious engineer – SDB (Selangor Dredging Berhad). It was fused by Mr Teh Kien Toh in 1962 and in 1964, it was recorded on the principle leading group of Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.

The organization began its organizations in tin mining. So as to have a progressively expanded portfolio, in 1980s the center has been changed from mining to property improvement and the executives. In 2004, the organization completely center around property business.

SDB has likewise gotten various overall perceived honors, for example, Asia Pacific Property Awards, FIABCI World Prix d'Excellence and some more. SDB is notable for its imaginative plans and its specialty extravagance improvements It is meaning to set new benchmarks to be the best land designer in Asia inside present moment.

SDB's demonstrated track records incorporate JIA at Mount Sophia, JUI Residences, OKIO at Balestier, Gildstead Two, One Draycott, Hijauan on Cavenagh, Village at Pasir Panjang, and numerous others more.

Myra Condo will be the most recent freehold extravagance improvement in Prime District 13 close to Potong Pasir MRT. Myra apartment suite offers restrictive 85 Units of 1 to 3 room unit types to fit all necessities of the two property holders and speculators.

Myra Condo purchasers can expect Fine Quality homes from Selangor Dredging Berhad (SDB)

Myra @ Potong Pasir will be appealingly valued for all enlisted prompt riser purchasers. The engineers will report when the showroom is prepared for review. Do enlist right on time as designer's VVIP visitor for first hand data, for example, Myra Floor Plan, Myra E-pamphlet and Myra Pricing. VVIP Guest will be welcomed for the first day Preview Launch with direct designer costs and appealing engineer limits.

Myra Location

Myra Condo has incredible key area close to Potong Pasir MRT (NE10). This freehold apartment suite is found in the core of District 13, you can feel absorbed the flourishing of the midtown. Myra Condominium appreciates wonderful availability as far as transportation. It takes you around 3-minutes stroll to the Potong Pasir MRT (NE10) and 1-MRT Station away to Woodleigh MRT (NE11). On the off chance that you are driving, you can take Kallang Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE), Pan Island Expressway (PIE) and Central Expressway (CTE) to go to the City in around six minutes. Myra Condo area is arranged along Meyappa Chettiar Road and Woodsville Close. On the off chance that you are taking open vehicle, you can take MRT from Potong Pasir MRT (NE10), It is 2 MRT stations away to Serangoon MRT (NE12), 4 MRT Stations to Dhoby Ghaut (NE6/NS24/CC1) ) where you can make an exchange to North-South Line and Circle Line. .

For guardians who are looking to for school enlistment, there are a lot of legitimate schools in the region. For grade schools, you have Cedar Primary School and St. Andrew's Junior School. With respect to optional schools and global schools, you have Maris Stella Secondary School, Cedar Girls' Secondary School, Australian International School and Stamford American International School. Myra

As far as courtesies, you can undoubtedly discover strip malls close by, for example, NEX, The Poiz Center, Woodleigh Shopping Center and Venue Shoppes. NTUC Fairprice, Sheng Siong and Giant stores are closeness to Myra Condo. Other recreational offices, for example, Safra and arena are only a short drive away.

You can find a greater amount of the encompassing enhancements with Myra apartment suite area map.

Myra Showflat

To book a Myra Showflat arrangement booking, simply register by means of this official site or just dial +65 6100 9266 before going down your approach to see Myra Condo Showroom.

Because of guideline of group control, Myra showroom won't be available to people in general however by means of APPOINTMENT as it were. Along these lines it is firmly fitting to make sure about an arrangement online before heading down

For the individuals who had enrolled on the web, you will be ensured of getting the Direct Developer Price and Discounts with NO BUYER COMMISSION payable by you.

On the off chance that you had enrolled an online meeting with us, kindly don't enlist again to keep away from duplication. It would be ideal if you be guaranteed that we will get in touch with you in 1-hour time to affirm your arrangement. An email will likewise be sent to you once enrolled with us.

We are at present in the main period of enlistment - Registration of Interest for our VVIP Preview. Register your Interest ahead of schedule to be the first to see our wonderful Myra Showflat once its prepared for survey.

We will refresh Myra Balance Units Chart and Myra Pricing in this official site once the undertaking is propelled.

Kindly note that all equalization units available to be purchased at Myra Condo depend on first start things out serve premise. For any booking of units, it is liable to the board's endorsement and not over 2 hours.

Kindly don't miss this uncommon freehold city periphery apartment suite dispatch close MRT. Just 85 select units are accessible. Register now for Myra VVIP Preview.

All costs expressed in this official site are liable to changes moving forward without any more notification.

About Myra

Myra Condo @ Potong Pasir is gladly present to you by Selangor Dredging Berhad (SDB). SDB had  purchased a freehold land at Potong Pasir in July 2018. SDB had gained this 17,949.15 square feet Freehold land by means of Tiara Land Pte Ltd who is half related organization of SDB International Sdn Bhd. They got it at S$60.2625 mil. It comprises of 17 bundles of land from each landed house proprietors, with a plot proportion of 2.8.

Situated at Potong Pasir in District 13, Meyappa Chettiar Road and Woodsville Close. It will furnish purchasers with a low-thickness and extravagance freehold lofts. This 12-Story freehold advancement offers different units sorts of 1 room, 2 rooms and 3 rooms, with a restrictiveness of 85 units.

In Myra townhouse Singapore you will get the chance to appreciate a wide scope of offices, for example, the sky garden, pool and jacuzzi, BBQ structures, rec center, kids play area, bike park and cellar carpark.

Being midway situated at the city periphery and in the core of Potong Pasir, you can feel the glow of the close by private network with bunches of dynamic quality. It is near the city with only a couple of train stations away. Myra apartment suite is additionally under 200-meter stroll to Potong Pasir MRT (NE10). On the off chance that you are driving, you can without much of a stretch access our 3 significant freeway, to be specific Kallang Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE), Pan Island Expressway (PIE) and Central Expressway (CTE)

As referenced before, there are numerous trustworthy schools inside 2km range of Myra Condo. Because of its closeness to MRT and International Schools, for example, Australian International School and Stamford American International School, there will be conceivably popularity in rental units

.On the off chance that you are searching for a City Fringe freehold home with MRT @ doorstep, high network and energetic ways of life conveniences, Myra Condo will be your first concern for thought.

Every single intrigued purchaser can peruse and download our FREE Myra E-Brochure and Myra Floor Plan here (Coming Soon).

[andrawsandro-blog]

Daintree residence

It is in every case great to have transport administrations for suburbanites to arrive at their ideal goal all the more correctly. Fortunately Daintree Residence condominium is all around served by in excess of 10 transport administrations, Occupants can gain admittance to these transports effectively either along Jalan Jurong Kechil or Toh Tuck Road and travel to spots of intrigue, for example, Orchard Road, Holland Village, Jurong East, Bukit Batok, Marina narrows sands and even to Eunos region. daintree residence showflat

 Just somewhat further, there territory likewise a bunch of incorporated schools, Tertiary instructive organizations and International Schools, for example, Keming Primary school, Methodist Girls' School(Primary) and Methodist Girls' School(Secondary), German European School Singapore(Primary School Campus), German European School Singapore(Secondary School Campus). Tertiary instruction inside nearness to Daintree Residences Toh Tuck are Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Nanyang Technological University Singapore(NTU), Singapore Institute of Management(SIM) and National University of Singapore(NUS). It will never be a worry for guardians in look for a school here!

 Daintree Residences is one of those uncommon advancement that offers comfort and nature with the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve simply round the corner. The 1.64 square kilometer nature hold is sited on the incline of Singapore's tallest slope, Bukit Timah Hill. Remaining at 163.63 meters, it includes one of the most exhaustive biological framework being home to about 40% of Singapore's widely varied vegetation.Daintree Residences Bukit Timah Nature Reserve was set up quite a while prior at 1883, one of the first in our country.

 Daintree Residences will highlight a broad exhibit of offices for inhabitant to loosen up and relish in with their families. There will be a gatekeeper house to maintain the protection of the compound, BBQ pits and capacity rooms that birthday celebrations, family get-togethers, house warmings and numerous different festivals. Youngsters and guardians can likewise plunge down into the 50 meters pool and kids' swimming pool for a fun and cooling time in the water. There is likewise an undeniable recreation center that accompanies cycling machines, treadmills and lifting stations for inhabitants of Daintree Residences Beauty World MRT to keep up a solid way of life. All these are encircled by delightful scenes with lavish greeneries that is satisfying to the eye and makes a peaceful climate to the compound.

 SP Setia is an International engineer that is somewhat notable for their pragmatic format being introduced to purchasers. Daintree Residences floor plan is foreseen to highlight 1 room to 4 rooms unit blend that are completely redesigned with specially worked in closets and cupboards. Fitting pleasantly into each space splendidly, the finishings are intended to limit wastage and expand space for purchasers to live serenely and not feel claustrophobic inside the unit.

 From their tremendous limit and involvement with Malaysia and globally, SP Setia chose to wander into the ever dynamic Singapore property showcase in 2012 and awaited their lady plot of land in Potong Pasir. Situated along Woodsville Close, the prime plot of land is of Freehold residency and is perched on a city periphery area. Strolling separation to Potong Pasir MRT station serving the North-East Line, Woodsville 18 has 101 sumptuous Skysuites, Sky Gardens and Duplexes that one can call home.

[ill-will-editions]

FULL METAL YELLOW JACKET - Alèssi Dell’Umbria (2019)

This article first appeared in lundimatin #175, January 22, 2019. 

Translated by The Vitalist International and Ill Will Editions. For more of Dell’Umbria’s work in English see “Being in the Zone” 

***

“Oh, shit!”

– Louis XVI, 21 January 1793.

Let's make the most of a good thing! The Zeitgeist reveals itself in revolt, each time in new forms. With the movement against the Labor Law in spring 2016, there was the cortège de tête; in Spring 2018, it was the defense of the communized rural territory of the ZAD; most recently, in Autumn 2018, the Yellow Vests movement erupted into uncontrolled blockades and demonstrations, which are still ongoing.

An unknown but familiar territory has begun to take on a political existence. The yellow vests have situated themselves in a peripheral space made up of non-places: roundabouts, motorway tolls, shopping center parking lots – the same circulatory axes along which the atomized functions to which neo-urbanites are consigned are organized and distributed. This daily environment of millions of people stuck in early morning and late afternoon traffic jams seemed to have neutralized any possibility of an event. Statistics suggest that half of the French population lives in this periphery. All of these people had been desperately invisible...in order to exist, they had to put on a yellow vest, just as others had needed a balaclava or a black North Face jacket... The fact that the Adama Traoré committee was so quick to call for people to join the yellow vest rallies in Paris is a case in point: Beaumont-sur-Oise, the border point between the Parisian suburbs and what was once the Parisian countryside, embodies precisely this periphery of the metropolis that has taken on a political existence (in this case since the murder of Adama Traoré) and does not intend to give it up.

To use a term that is far from innocent, it could be said that this movement is an essentially provincial one, and in a way that is entirely unprecedented. Demonstrations and riots are erupting in small towns where nothing usually happens - the same places where the state has been busy shuttering train stations, post offices, schools, maternity wards—why spend public money on country bumpkins [parpagnàs] [*1]? Yellow Vests are cropping up everywhere. A riot in Nantes, St Nazaire, Caen, Rouen is plausible enough, but in Beauvais, Bar-le-Duc, Narbonne, Le Puy, Angers? Surprise! It’s a known fact that the vast majority of the rioters who looted the beautiful Parisian districts on December 1 and 8 came from these same provinces. Their wandering through Paris was more like hooligans on a stroll through enemy territory than a traditional trade union demonstration. Contempt for small provincial people, so typical of the Parisian national elites, finally receives a reply. A decade ago, it was already being said that Paris had become so thoroughly pacified and gentrified that nothing is left to do but loot and vandalize it. Never before has this claim been transformed into action in such exemplary fashion.

The province is a typical French construct. In the common parlance, which expresses the hierarchical organization of the nation, we go ‘up’ to Paris and ‘back down’ to the provinces. The capital, whose lights illuminate the entire hexagon, is enthroned at the top of the pyramid. More generally, in the current configuration of capitalism the relationship between the periphery and the center is arranged in a networked, rather than concentric fashion. However, in nation-states as centralized and centralist as France, traffic networks must be superimposed over this concentric organization of the territory, which still remains decisive. By heading ‘up’ to Paris to terrorize the bourgeois of the 8th Arrondissement, the Yellow Vests overturned the pyramid.

The ‘peripheral’ nature of the movement is not only geographical and political. The longstanding centrality of the factory as the axis around which movements revolve here finds itself called into question. It is no longer the company that serves as the initial point of aggregation. The people who are finding each other at blockades generally do not know each other beforehand, which means that their complicities come into being through voluntary acts that can only be described as political. Hence the dismay of the unions, most of whom had already signed a nonaggression pact with Macron’s party at the beginning of December (only Solidaires and a handful of local chapters of the CGT union [*2] refused this explicit gesture of collaboration). All of this indicates well-enough the exhaustion of the trade union movement, already clearly visible in spring 2016.

The Marxian analysis postulates that the genesis of exchange value is to be found in production, a value which the circulation of commodities merely serves to realize. In this dynamic, which literally is capitalism, all moments are dependent on one another and have their reality only in relation to the totality they constitute thereby. Not only does circulation add value to products and itself generate profits (indeed, an entire industry has developed to ensure this fact, including banking, insurance, marketing, transport, storage, mass distribution, as well as their related activities), but it is increasingly difficult to even separate these two moments from each other in the first place [1]. This is blatantly obvious when we consider commodities such as energy. The production of a nuclear power plant is inconceivable without the high-voltage lines that distribute the electricity, as is true of the supply lines and service stations linked to every oil refinery. By the same token, textiles made in China can only be produced there thanks to the giant container ships that will transport the precious T-shirts to Western ports—and no one can claim that maritime transport does not create value. At the furthest extreme, the Internet embodies the pure circulation of value, rendered almost totally independent of the exploitation of living labor – except, of course, for the electronic and computer components that make all of this possible, which must still be produced in factories... It has become difficult to single out a single segment of activity that could be called “production” from the totality of the other kinds of work and exchange that make up what we call society. In the 70’s, the Italian comrades were already talking about the ‘social factory’ – a deliberate oxymoron, given that a factory is not a society but a system. Today it is perhaps more correct to speak of a ‘global factory’, since we live in a moment in which the capitalist enterprise attempts to seize upon and reconfigure all that exists in accordance with the model of the factory or the plant. ‘Hubs’, – whether for land, sea or air traffic – shopping areas, and even highways are only so many cogs in the global factory. The distinction between the private and public spheres that defined the relationship between civil society and the state following the French Revolution has disappeared under the influence of apparatuses that today constitute the real force organizing the circulation of individuals. In the global factory, society has been hollowed out, and the State becomes little more than a service provider.

The great cycles of workers' struggles ended with the crisis of the Fordist system. Since the second half of the 1970’s, most of the struggles in Western Europe have been focused on opposing the closure of companies and the atomization of the workers, and all of them ended in cruel defeats. Steel, mines, shipyards, then other major sectors of industry—all the strongholds of the working class went down the same way. We can date the precise historical moment when everything changed irreparably: it begins with the defeat of FIAT workers in Turin in the autumn of 1980, continues in France with the defeat of the unskilled immigrant Talbot workers in 1983, and ends with the defeat of the British miners in the spring of 1985. The same cycle that has been completed in Western Europe is now resurfacing in India and China…

This eclipse of the factory’s centrality in struggle leads us to hypothesize that the next wave of insurrections will be forced to seize upon businesses from the outside, and not the other way around (formulated in Marxian terms, they will depart from the sphere of circulation, in order to take over production). In other words, they will resemble the Yellow Vests movement, whose movement toward the center departs from the periphery. This will no longer take place within the purview of ‘self-management’, in which workers seize control of their factories, but rather in reverse: through an organized rupture with the logic of the global factory, forces arriving from outside would take over the factory and dismantle it according to their own needs. We are obviously not there yet. Still, the multiplication of revolts in the periphery, from the riots in the suburbs in 2005 to the current Yellow Vests movement, indicates that a new cycle is beginning, very different from those preceding it, and which continues to surprise us.

Among the Yellow Vests, everything is situated in the sphere of circulation, not only the initial demands, but also the non-places in which they have been expressed. The demand to rescind the fuel tax may well have been the first time that a movement of such magnitude has emerged from this sphere. Of course, the green “bike path” bourgeoisie made sure to ridicule their ‘retrograde’ demand. However, in a world based on forced mobility, fuel prices are anything but innocent, unless you live and work in the city center (and we know who now occupies the French city centers...). Suburban workers are literally trapped by this apparatus, which forces them to work to buy cars that they can’t do without...if they want to get to work! As a result, their action is centered on roundabouts, toll-booths, car park entrances, all the elements of this apparatus. Two centuries ago, the plebs revolted against increases in the price of bread; today, they are in revolt against the increase in the price of gasoline [2].

That the question of fuel is an eminently strategic one is something our governments have understood for a long time. At the height of the general strike of May 1968, they organized a fuel shortage (although large stocks were still available), so they could suddenly replenish the service stations just before the Pentecost long weekend...and millions of relieved French people, who were following the "events" as spectators, rushed out onto the roads. A machination of this kind probably did more against the movement than half a million pro-De Gaulle demonstrators on the Champs-Elysées [3].

Unlike the mass worker of the Fordist era, today's atomized workers no longer have any room to maneuver on the wage, which consequently stagnates even as everything else gets more expensive. They therefore find themselves struggling against taxes on their incomes. On the left, some suggest that in doing so they are taking up a classic theme of liberal ideology, that of lowering taxes. This is true of some Yellow Vests, small bosses and traders. But the majority are well aware that in this case, if there has been a tax cut, it was applied exclusively to very high incomes, in particular through the abolition of the wealth tax [*3]. Moreover, while the question of wages begins with the company, that of taxes begins with the State, which ensures that it automatically picks up a political resonance (especially given the extent to which fuel taxes feed the State budget) [4]. From this point of view, the fact that toll booths are destroyed and radars sabotaged shows that this racket is increasingly perceived as a system of parasitism worthy of the Ancien Régime. Except that this time it is not the fermiers généraux [*4] who are feeding off people, but the State and companies like Vinci who manage the freeways... Moreover, it cannot escape anyone that, in recent weeks, many Yellow Vests have moved towards demands that are more social than fiscal (increasing the minimum wage in particular) even if the return of the wealth tax still figures at the top of their list.

Under the Ancien Régime, anti-fiscal revolts broke out incessantly, especially in the 17th century, which saw the consolidation of the absolute monarchy [5]. With the French Revolution, a complete reversal took place: paying taxes became a civic act, as did enlisting in the army (whereas previously people fled when the recruiting sergeant turned up). This is the bourgeoisie's historical tour de force, and there is nothing to suggest that it has exhausted all its effects. Since then, refusing to pay tax has been treated as an Ancien Régime gesture. The left, whose only horizon is that of republican institutions, can no longer raise this issue. Within the political binary of right and left, it was customary for this anti-fiscal dimension to be the prerogative of the liberal right, while the Keynesian left advocated redistribution through state mechanisms financed by tax levies. Now that the political left and right hold the same positions, the old tradition of anti-fiscal revolt can reappear... What is paradoxical is that this is taking place explicitly in reference to the French Revolution - tricolor flags, “The Marseillaise”, demonstrators in Phrygian caps...

In a little over a month and a half, the Yellow Vests have achieved what the unions have been unable to do over the past two decades. Since they do not organize within a union framework, the Yellow Vests are not limited by its institutionalized modes of action nor deceived by its subsidized bureaucrats. This has made for some beautiful riots in Paris, to which provincial proletarians flocked (and even if some of the Yellow Vests do not accept this vandalism, their mere presence made it possible, and there were no union marshals around to crush the enthusiasm). The classical demonstration is replaced by a wandering. Whereas the cortège de tête [head of the march, *5] was still dependent on the trade union demonstration, and reached its limits on May 1st, 2018 (where there was a cortège de tête as large as the entire trade union procession, with a huge black bloc in the middle of it, and all this for an insignificant result); once it is freed from any notion of a cortège, the crowd begins to drift! Union parades are disciplined and disciplinary, and keep to the avenues of the city centers, places of representation par excellence. Meanwhile the stampedes of Yellow Vests  in Paris in November and December 2018 were marked above all by their diffuse character and freedom of movement.

However, things appear to be taking a turn for the worse. Since mid-December, people in Paris have been declaring march routes to the police in advance, and on January 12 we saw the reappearance of trade union-style protest marshals, although it is unclear who appointed them [*6]. It is no coincidence that these forces reappear precisely at the moment representatives begin to retake control. In provincial cities, however, Yellow Vests have continued their joyfully uncontrolled wandering; as we said above, the heart of the movement is playing out in the provinces. In Marseille on January 12, the Yellow Vests’ wandering drove the people responsible for repressing them completely insane, and their unpredictable zig-zags through the streets (and even a highway tunnel) left the robocops gasping for breath.

The blockades have often taken the form of camps evoking the ZAD. This raises a question: could we not see in them the premises of an "insurrectionary urbanism" to come? What is one to do with all these sites whose only interest is tactical, namely, to be located on traffic routes? Not since the 2005 suburban revolt has the critique of urban planning been so present in practice. Warding off the event [conjurer l’événement]—this was always what this relentless extension of the global factory was about. The tightly-regulated flow of goods that organizes space must above all prevent anything from happening, whether it be an accident, an earthquake, a blockade, or a riot. For the time being, it is extremely vulnerable, just as a Fordist assembly line lay at the mercy of simple sabotage. It is not by chance that in several places the Yellow Vests have blocked access to Amazon warehouses, an emblematic company if ever there was one [6]....

The camps are the elementary form of communication, from Occupy Oakland to Taksim Square, from the saplings on the Oaxaca zocalo (central square) to the Lakota and Standing Rock anti-pipeline camps, from the ZAD to the No-TAV presidio in the Susa Valley. The construction of space comes primarily as a political affirmation. Whereas demonstrations remain indifferent to the space through which they pass, occupations lead to the production of something common that re-configures its place. In this respect, the blockades of the Yellow Vests are the opposite of the assemblies that defined Nuit debout: whereas the latter took place exclusively in central squares, in accordance with the hierarchical injunction that orders urban and suburban space, and gave primacy to speech therein, the Yellow Vest blockades almost always occur in peripheral areas or on major traffic routes. In this case, a primacy is given to the very action of the blockade itself and the relationships it establishes between the participants. This is the great innovation of this movement. Moreover, whereas the organizers of Nuit Debout negotiated with the prefecture to be allowed to remain in their place, the majority of the current blockades are imposed without anyone demanding anything.

There is one demand on which all the Yellow Vests unanimously agree: "Macron démission" [Macron resign!]. The country that guillotined its king is still, two centuries later, the most monarchical in Europe. This explains the typically sans-culotte furor that animates Yellow Vests [7]. But the monarch is no longer accorded the sacred characteristics that he possessed under the Ancien Régime: the French elect one, then hate him after a few months. The fact is that the monarch is a product, obsolete like everything that is produced nowadays. After the coke-head Sarkozy and the manic-depressive Holland, we have the arrogant golden boy who swoops in to bring the bipartisan regime of the Fifth Republic to its spectacular finale. The fact that he had never been elected before made him the perfect person for the job: whereas the political class, composed of mayors, presidents of general and regional councils, deputies and senators, was still mired in relationships of dependence, Macron [*7] freed the government from such a burden. Henceforth, the State coldly declares itself nothing more than a service provider for capital. There will be no more negotiated arrangements, only a pure injunction. In this respect, Macronian governance consecrates the replacement of civil society by the global factory. The presidential arrogance that today goes as far openly spewing insults (‘those ungrateful parasites!’) in fact only reproduces methods employed in the contemporary business world, which were themselves inspired by the training techniques developed by the army’s special forces.

In the Yellow Vests movement, ‘the people’ has thus come to occupy the place of civil society so dear to the citoyennistes [*7]. But this signifier only exists for lack of better term—prior to the French Revolution, one would have spoken of the ‘vile multitude’ or the ‘plebs’. The people only ever comes into being through a game of mirrors with the State, a supposedly-homogeneous entity that faces the monarch (the famous 99%...). This double reflection is today exacerbated by the monarchical character of Macron’s presidency. Yet the people refers to the Nation and therefore to the republican state, both products of the French Revolution. To postulate a truth inherent to this subject, and which a referendum is supposed to reveal—this where demagoguery begins, whether that of the Front National or La France Insoumise [*8]. "Left-wing populism should direct these affects towards democratic objectives," says Chantal Mouffe, who adds that, "the people are always a collective subject, built in a discursive way.” That this construction necessarily implies the exclusion of immigrants, social welfare recipients, and others never seems to bother the supporters of this sub-gramscism. Furthermore, the politicians who try to claim the term ‘the people’ wind up promulgating the same themes as their symmetrical opponents: the demagogue Ruffin praises the confusionist Chouard, while Mélenchon declares his fascination with Eric Drouet... Populism consists in pandering to the affects produced by this world and maintaining them as something positive, whereas a revolutionary attitude places its trust in a future that gives birth to new forms of political sensitivity throughout the course of the struggle. Let’s never lose sight of the fact that the negative is the driving force behind any movement. In fact, in all these rebel camps that are multiplying throughout the world, the transcendent figure of the people gives way to the immanence of the common. [8]

The social classes, clearly identifiable until the end of Fordism, have since been liquefied, a fact which is reflected in the blanket term middle class, which is significant precisely in that it identifies nothing. In rich countries like France, the ‘middle class’ presumably consists of almost everyone apart from the bourgeoisie at the top, and immigrant workers and the unemployed at the bottom! One could say that a Marseilles dock worker, for example, is part of the old working class through his work, and part of the new middle class through his way of life and aspirations (building a house, taking out loans, ensuring that his children go to school and vacationing at  dream destinations). The Yellow Vests identify themselves first of all as workers (even if they are retired, and plenty of them in this movement are), but what is paradoxical is the fact that they do so outside the sphere of the workplace, properly speaking. Their recurring complaint is, "we work and we don't get by" (or for retirees, "we've worked all our lives and we barely have enough to eat"). All these people have been led to believe that a life of hard work will sooner or later be rewarded with a certain level of comfort; but they are forced to realize that this perspective is never more than an endless ladder that they will continue to climb all their lives [9].

One of the most interesting texts published on this movement refers to a "middle class tragedy" located in the relationship to money [10]. "The concern for money becomes permanent, particularly at the point where we finally gain access to it. We are middle class once we earn enough money that, whether we directly and consciously thematize it or not, it’s all we think about. (...) We might be in the best social position to know the value of money.” To this, we may add: if the most penniless people experience money only as a necessity, while for the rich it serves as the very expression of freedom, for the majority of workers the relationship to money is constantly torn between these two extremes. It is in this sense there can exist an effectively ‘middle’ class! It belongs to the very principle of the spectacle to constantly dangle such freedoms before us, such as that of being able to drive around in one's own car, for example. That this spectacular freedom should have as its condition an everyday slavery is something we all intimately experience, without always being able to express it. It makes people sick, literally. And we must never overlook the fact that the therapeutic aspect of revolt is also what makes it so politically powerful.

As long as the state occupies the horizon of waiting for popular uprisings, they inevitably prepare the bed for all manner of nationalist demagogues. It is therefore by no means an innocent move for Macron to pull out his wild card now with the proposal for the ‘citizens referendum initiative’ (RIC). As the Yellow Vests move toward social demands (an increase in minimum wages and pensions in particular), an attempt to stifle these developments is being made by presenting the 'RIC' as a miracle solution that would constitute a way out of this incredibly unpopular regime. At the same time, however, the 'RIC' also offers a way for the movement to turn down the heat. That this would lead us into a void by no means prevents the idea of the referendum from functioning as a meta-demand that draws together all the various elements of this extremely heterogeneous dynamic. The people who have drawn their strength only through the assemblies are enthusiastic about this proposal, even though this pseudo-consultation would effectively shove everyone back upon their initial isolation as voters, trapped by binary decisions about trick questions that the sovereign deems appropriate to present to the rabble. The referendum is the highest form of political spectacle [11].

Macron is ready to open up the field of representation so long as this means not having to give up anything concrete. He is therefore quite happy to throw a bone to all those under the sway of Chouard's hare-brained ideas. As Rafik Chekat says: "The problem of the referendum (RIC) is that it maintains the tyranny of the majority. Why should the majority always be right? Even without being too sensitive, belonging to a minority makes you suspicious of the majority, because you know very well that sometimes the majority looks more like a lynch mob. Can you imagine a #RIC right after #CharlieHebdo? It's no coincidence that the demand for the RIC comes from "whites”. But even beyond the question of racism, what does majority-building mean in a consumer society at the time of #BFMTV, #TF1, [both private TV stations] and #Hanouna [a sexist and homophobic TV clown]? Fundamentally, the problem of the 'RIC' is that of voting, a mechanism that arranges our powerlessness into regular intervals. We could try to shorten the intervals and vote more often, but that wouldn’t lead to any change in the matter. If it is necessary to speak in terms of subjectivization, the voting apparatus creates a certain type of individual with a damaged relationship to existence, and particularly as concerns politics and public affairs.” Moreover, it is hard to imagine the government calling a referendum on property taxes (according to surveys, 2/3 of the French are in favor).

The regime has had so much trouble finding interlocutors that it had to go fishing on Facebook. The majority of the self-proclaimed leaders, almost instantly cast off by the Yellow Vests, are carefully staged on television shows, and the media systematically co-opts anyone with dubious affinities – providing ample incentives to self-righteous leftists to begin condemning the movement. Never before have the media been so obviously what they are, namely, the second pillar on which the regime stands (after the police). Their aim is to adjust everyone to the idea that beyond this regime there lies nothing but the extreme right—and in any case, we all know how popular the latter are among the police. Macron already won the presidential elections on this lie, and now the stronghold-against-the-Front-National-president has a new trick, the "Grand débat", and you’ll never guess what the first issue will be...immigration!

The importance of so-called social networks in this case is far from anecdotal. In the periphery, the network socializes. But all these people who found themselves in a yellow vest after heeding a Facebook call had an experience that is not virtual. The question now is whether the Yellow Vests have rejected the political class in order to inaugurate a kind of internet democracy where likes would replace ballot papers, or whether, as the Yellow Vests of Commercy explicitly invite them to do, they will organize themselves into a new type of assembly. Because the network only socializes in a closed circuit that generates its own bubble [générant l’entre-soi] and where the charisma of certain "whistleblowers" has full latitude to capture intensities. A form of media manipulation more fragmented than the mainstream media could indeed function as a technique of governance. A Tunisian friend who participated in the 2011 insurrection mentioned the ability of the insurgents to mobilize quickly via social networks in the first few days, but also the fact that the police very quickly understood these benefits and did not hesitate to intervene by spreading fake news and misinformation. The quantity of false debates circulating on such networks in France is undoubtedly of the same order.

After two months of unrest, the question of the articulation between the roundabouts and the general assemblies now asserts itself. On the one hand, the links of proximity and complicity established on the ground [sur zone] which make it possible to take action without having to deliberate—and we know how demoralizing deliberations in assemblies can be when it comes to direct action!—but which can only be exercised at the local level; on the other hand, assemblies directly linked to each other which could act as a forum for strategic reflection and tactical coordination.

In contrast to this perspective, Yellow Vests could indeed give birth to a demagogic movement like the 5 Stars in Italy. A fraction of the movement will probably be tempted to follow this path, even if it means cutting itself off from the rest of the movement. It should be remembered, however, that the 5 Star movement was produced in an entirely artificial manner - even if it rode the brief wave of the Forconi movement [It: Pitchfork protests]. As things stand at present, the Yellow Vests lack the type of media buffoonery necessary to attract the attention of the crowds, provided in the 5 Stars case by the figure of Beppe Grillo, a public entertainer dressed up for the job by some businessmen who saw that the Berlusconian interlude had spun out and a new trinket urgently needed to be launched. Italy has gone from several decades of secret government (P2, Andreotti, the strategy of tension and alliances with the mafia) to TV show government (Mani Pulite, Berlusconi and Beppe Grillo). The problem with this mode of government is that one has to reshuffle the key characters just as frequently as show-biz does with its star system.

In a time when post-Fordist capitalism owes its survival to the rise of fictitious capital and now operates openly, the denunciation of the excesses of finance—which ignores what is essential, namely the criticism of value, money and commodification—encourages all manner of miraculous solutions and demagoguery. We remember the tired joke of the Tobin tax, for example, or the Dutch candidate who declared, "my enemy is finance" (it was a good joke!). When almost all workers work to pay off their debt (especially on their cars...), it is normal that banks become privileged targets, both in words and in vandalism (shout-out to the Yellow Vests in Toulouse who looted several banks last Saturday!). But there is reason to be wary when the references to Rothschild Bank are so insistent by contrast with those to BNP-Paribas or Société Générale (whose 2008 bailout by the State ended up costing taxpayers 30 billion Euros…). The fact that Macron began his career precisely at this bank obviously excites this anti-capitalism of fools who obsessively point the finger at "Jewish finance" on social networks.

It may be that this regime really is at its end. Protected by its soldiers, it can endlessly multiply its effronteries – the scandalous measures it announced against the unemployed at the end of December, for instance. The headlong rush into repressive escalation has only worsened since spring 2016. The attack on the occupations at the ZAD in Notre-dame-des-landes in April-May provided the occasion for major operations. Serious injuries and mutilations by the dozens, collective and individual humiliations, beatings, police intimidation going hand-in-hand with media exaggeration (the outraged reaction of the entire media caste to the solidarity that followed Christophe Dettinger's beautiful act speaks volumes about the disgusting cynicism of these minions of power, especially when they conveniently fail to mention demonstrators methodically mutilated by the police). Orders are given from on high to inflict severe injuries, as even some police commissioners have admitted. People are learning, and we see more and more demonstrators coming equipped with gas masks, ski goggles, scarves, gloves, etc. to protect themselves. But nowhere does the movement have a sufficient degree of organization to defeat the police, and it is here that the demobilizing nature of pacifist speech can be seen. Which is related to the limited effectiveness of the blockades: the police have so far had no difficulty in restoring access to strategic sites such as oil refineries. At this level, little has changed since the spring of 2016. In addition, self-appointed demonstration marshals have been appearing in the Saturday marches for some time now, whether they be comprised of ex-soldiers or defecting CGT marshals. Even if their ability to control the crowds is limited, this practice cannot be allowed to establish itself....

Since it does not obey any vertical and centralized direction, the current movement has allowed local initiatives to multiply. But these can diverge completely from one place to another. After two months of unrest, the time for a decision is approaching. A party, in the historical sense of the term, proves itself to be the winning party by splitting itself into two parties: it thus shows that it contains within itself the principle it has previously opposed in an external way, and thereby sheds the one-sidedness from which it arose. The opposing elements that coexist within the movement have so far been held together by a common hostility to the current regime. Those in favour of an institutional outcome—which would obviously be authoritarian and xenophobic in nature—will find themselves opposed by those seeking to spread the movement to all the aspects of the global factory, within a revolutionary perspective. In fact, workplace struggles are multiplying, and yellow vests join chasubles rouges [red jackets of the unions during strikes] on picket lines. It is not impossible to imagine that the movement can provide enough momentum that workers decide to begin blocking their companies from within with concrete demands. National trade union leaders would watch themselves be tossed into the dustbin of history, and a new historical sequence could finally open to which everyone would have to become party, and take sides [prenne parti].

The latest news is that in Landes, the Yellow Vests are blocking a Monsanto factory, a keystone in the global factory…

-Alèssi Dell’Umbria, January 21st, 2019.

Author’s footnotes

[1] The circulation of goods is not only about the transport and distribution of products: for example, goods have already begun to circulate in commodity exchanges, even though they have not yet physically moved. Conversely, raw materials sold to an industrial company for processing are thus valued, because they have been purchased, and they will be included in the determination of the value of the finished product: here circulation is preliminary to production. [2] Small business owners who refused to tax diesel fuel, which would increase their overhead costs, did not fail to disassociate themselves from the beggars who intended to sue. A yellow vest from Ales thus denounced the betrayal of certain people on December 20 of last year: "Shame on the ‘apolitical' people pretending to lead the Yellow Vests of the Cévennes by raising the specter of the "anarchist" which the intelligence services have whispered into their ears... (...) Today, I no longer wish to choose my words wisely. But it is with great serenity that I accuse these so-called "coordinators" of being sell-outs and traitors of the worst kind. Because the naked truth is that a fraction of entrepreneurs promised everything to the poor seniors, the unemployed, those surviving off of minimum wage and the precarious in order to get them to join their ranks. Once the tax cancellations were achieved, these people purported to structure the movement so that it would take a new direction, all with the aim of stopping this historical movement in order to stuff themselves with money during the Christmas and New Year holidays.(...) As for you, neighbours and colleagues who have been mobilized for weeks; you who have not given up anything in the wind, cold or rain; you who have rediscovered solidarity and dignity on the roadblocks; you, the anonymous base with no other ambitions than to live properly, I greet you and send you the warm greetings of the Yellow Jackets in Alsace, Franche-Comté, on the A7 and in Bollène!” [3] It was Michel Jobert, then Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Georges Pompidou, who organized this operation - he bragged about it publicly twenty years later.

[4] In Mexico, for example, the increase in gasoline prices in January 2016 caused a wave of massive demonstrations, often turning into riots and looting, which certainly did not owe anything to neoliberal ideology!

[5] Taxation and military conscription were the main reasons for sedition. For an illuminating analysis of this phenomena, see Boris Porchnev's book, Les soulèvements populaires en France de 1623 à 1648, Paris 1963.

[6] Nevertheless, the impact of blockades must be put into perspective... while trade in city centres may have been affected by the riots, which affected their turnover, the effectiveness of blockades is far from obvious. Supplies continued to be made, gas stations were never short of fuel, supermarket shelves continued to be filled and Christmas squandering was left to run its course as in previous years.

[7] The Constitution of the Fifth Republic grants the President powers that he had never had under previous parliamentary regimes, in particular the power to legislate by presidential decree without the National Assembly. We know that De Gaulle, who was of monarchist sensitivity, thought about establishing a constitutional monarchy in 1958. Which he did, in a way: a monarch, but who would now be elected.

[8] In the great era of anti-monarchical revolts in Occitan countries, revolts identified themselves as “lo comun” [the common], much more than “lo pòble” [the people]. The common is precisely the political concept that corresponds to a revolutionary future for struggles.

[9] The notion of "moral economy" which some have used to refer to the Yellow Vests does not seem relevant to us in this case – not only because E. P. Thompson made this formulation in reference to the English working class that has since disappeared, not to mention the "common decency" so dear to George Orwell. Certainly a work ethic is still widespread in working class circles where, if not enriching oneself by working for the masses, one hopes at least to achieve a certain security, a relative ease and, at the very least, a vague feeling of personal dignity. In this respect, Sarkozy's "Working more to earn more" could find an echo among these people. But now they see that none of this is actually guaranteed—not even a well-deserved retirement after a hard-working life. Macronism is a managerial mindset applied to the whole of society, without any political mediation. Capitalism in its innermost brutality.

[10] “Gilets jaunes : la classe moyenne peut-elle être révolutionnaire?” Lundi matin, December 7, 2018.

[11] We saw in the case of Notre-Dame-des-Landes what this little institutional trick of the referendum was for - and Macron was a minister in the government that had tried this slick trick... Now we see what the confusionnisme [*9] of demagogues like Etienne Chouard is for.

Translator’s Footnotes

[*1] Dell’Umbria uses the term parpagnàs, which suggests something like country hick, as well as those who are part of the surplus economy, undesirables.

[*2] The CGT is the largest labor union in France.

[*3] The solidarity tax on wealth was implemented by the Socialist Party in 1981 as a way to tax the rich. This tax was abolished in September 2017.

[*4] The fermiers généraux were the main tax collectors in a highly unpopular tax farming system in France during the ancien régime.

[*5] Demonstrations in France are traditionally led with labor unions at the front of the march. During the Loi Travail movement, the cortège de tête appeared as an antagonistic block that lead the demonstrations.

[*6] It turns out it was the fascists who organized this, and they were outed online.

[*7] Le citoyennisme refers to a neo-republican discourse centering on the citoyen [citizen] as political actor. It can be broadly characterised as a moderate and reformist tendency, often aiming to use participatory democracy as a means of ‘repairing’ or ‘correcting’ the immoral tendencies of capitalist society.

[*8] Mélenchon’s left-wing populist party, translated as ‘France Unbowed’.

[*9] The term confusionnisme refers to a policy of spreading confusion in people's minds. http://www.confusionnisme.info/

[whittlebaggett8]

Modi 2.0 Confronts a Challenging Foreign Policy Landscape

Right after celebrating his win, Modi demands to prepare for much get the job done in advance on the international policy entrance.

As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi turns his interest to governance right after his large electoral victory, he will discover that a number of problems beckon him on the foreign coverage entrance. From handling India’s periphery to partaking key world wide powers, worries abound which will desire all the diplomatic and leadership techniques Modi and his staff can muster.

Modi has been a international coverage key minister in his first time period. He relished world engagements and never gave an perception that his deficiency of experience on the international policy front was a handicap. In reality, he built it his strength as he inspired bigger involvement of Indian states in diplomacy. He led from the front in diplomatic engagements and managed to carve out own equations with entire world leaders which has paid out dividends. Modi also has been successful in providing Brand India abroad and in leveraging the extensive Indian diaspora to national causes. He took hazards in his overseas policy and a lot more of than not succeeded in changing them into substantive gains for India.

For all his successes so far, Modi will obtain that there is barely any time to rest on his laurels. World-wide and regional realities are evolving at a speed which common diplomacy is discovering tricky to comprehend. At the world-wide level, the produced world continues with its navel gazing, the form which would have been unthinkable just a few years back again. The Trump administration is complicated the fundamentals of financial globalization and its trade and technology conflict with China is escalating. The outcomes for a world wide financial state, already struggling with negative headwinds from several directions, can only be deleterious. For India, this is a major problem for a steady global financial purchase is sine qua non for its worldwide increase.

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India-U.S. tensions with trade are effervescent less than the floor and Modi will have to function out a way to solve these tensions with a Trump Administration which may perhaps get even more intransigent as it enters the election section. Wherever India-U.S. strategic partnership is probably to continue on becoming much better, the economic dimension of the partnership wants major get the job done. The purpose of Iran and Russia in the Indo-U.S. bilateral matrix will also want addressing.

Meanwhile, China’s increasing world wide footprint is constraining India’s selections drastically. Globally, as India tries to make a scenario about its personal role and spot in the international order, China proceeds to thrust back and stays reluctant to acknowledge India’s global increase. In spite of Modi’s China outreach in Wuhan, bilateral disputes keep on being significantly from fixed. And this is also acquiring an impact on India’s engagement in its quick periphery in South Asia and the Indian Ocean location. India’s neighbors proceed to glance to China as a electric power with far more abilities and increasingly really serious intent whilst India’s incapability to provide and economically integrate the region tends to make New Delhi regional outreach challenging.

The Pakistan problem is unlikely to go away whenever soon and Modi will have to go on to discover distinct means of running the problem. Developing Sino-Pak axis provides a further dimension to this problem. One particular of the most quick worries in the community for India will be to discover a location for itself in the unfolding peace course of action in Afghanistan. Though there is rarely any clarity on the pace and course of this process, there is a thrust to see it by means of to some sort of conclusion. Modi will have to remake the circumstance of India’s relevance in the unfolding dynamic in Afghanistan.

A selection of other challenges would demand from customers Modi’s speedy notice. Mounting tensions in the Center East involving Iran and the U.S. will examination India. Comfy assumptions of the earlier about balancing the trifecta of Iran, Arab Gulf states and Israel will no more time suffice. India’s electrical power protection necessitates a stable Middle East and New Delhi will have to elevate its profile in the area with all the attendant outcomes.

A additional coherent reaction to China’s formidable Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will be required as many infrastructure initiatives are rising. India’s place in this community remains as of yet undefined. Participating with like-minded powers in the Indo-Pacific will continue to be a precedence and the Quadrilateral grouping’s agenda way too requires serious recalibration. Eventually, re-defining the parameters of Indo-Russia ties will have to be a priority as Moscow receives closer to Beijing and ceases to act as a bulwark for preserving Indian interests.

In his initial term, Modi had succeeded in articulating a international position for India as a main player in the international program, just one which shapes world principles and is not merely a rule-taker. In his next term, he should really be focusing much more on how to operationalise this thought into concrete policy outcomes. This will include making an institutional framework which can interact in long-expression strategic pondering a lot more proficiently than in the earlier as nicely as strengthening the economic and military making blocks of India’s comprehensive nationwide energy.

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[myfeeds]

Astrophysics: Scientists observe high-speed star formation

al standards. The results of the study ‘Ionized carbon as a tracer for the assembly of interstellar clouds’ will appear in the next issue of Nature Astronomy. The observations were carried out in an international project led by Dr Nicola Schneider at the University of Cologne and Prof Alexander Tielens at the University of Maryland as part of the FEEDBACK programme on board the flying observatory SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy). The new findings modify previous perceptions that this specific process of star formation is quasi-static and quite slow. The dynamic formation process now observed would also explain the formation of particularly massive stars. By comparing the distribution of ionized carbon, molecular carbon monoxide and atomic hydrogen, the team found that the shells of interstellar gas clouds are made of hydrogen and collide with each other at speeds of up to twenty kilometres per second. “This high speed compresses the gas into denser molecular regions where new, mainly massive stars form. We needed the CII observations to detect this otherwise ‘dark’ gas,” said Dr Schneider. The observations show for the first time the faint CII radiation from the periphery of the clouds, which could not be observed before. Only SOFIA and its sensitive instruments were capable of detecting this radiation. SOFIA was operated by NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) until September 2022. The observatory consisted of a converted Boeing 747 with a built-in 2.7-metre telescope. It was coordinated by the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA). SOFIA observed the sky from the stratosphere (above 13 kilometres) and covered the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, just beyond what humans can see. The Boeing thus flew above most of the water vapour in the Earth’s atmosphere, which otherwise blocks out infrared light. This allowed the scientists to observe a wavelength range that is not accessible from Earth. For the current results, the team used the upGREAT receiver installed on SOFIA in 2015 by the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn and the University of Cologne. Even though SOFIA is no longer in operation, the data collected so far are essential for basic astronomical research because there is no longer an instrument that extensively maps the sky in this wavelength range (typically 60 to 200 micrometres). The now active James Webb Space Telescope observes in the infrared at shorter wavelengths and focuses on spatially small areas. Therefore, the analysis of the data collected by SOFIA is ongoing and continues to provide important insights – also regarding other star-forming regions: “In the list of FEEDBACK sources, there are other gas clouds in different stages of evolution, where we are now looking for the weak CII radiation at the peripheries of the clouds to detect similar interactions as in the Cygnus X region,” Schneider concluded.