Starr, M. (2016) “It’s the end of the World. It’s rather important really”: Accelerationist aesthetics of the Whedonverses. Paper presented to: 7th Biennial Slayage Conference on the Whedonverses (Euroslayage), Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, 07-10 July 2016.
| Item Type: | Conference or Workshop Item (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Abstract: | Amongst science fiction’s most enduring tropes is the apocalyptic portrayal of the end of civilization; in keeping with this teleology, since the inaugural episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Whedonverses have consistently positioned depictions of the end of the world as a backdrop for their speculative drama. For example, Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, The Cabin in the Woods and The Avengers have all utilised the threat of (technological, ecological, Malthusianism or demonic) armageddons as metaphors with which to reflect upon and critique Western culture (Vinci 225.) Indeed, various Whedon scholars (such as King and Wilcox) have explicitly identified Whedonverse representations of the end of the world as explosive negations of capitalism, in which the apocalypse carries with it all manner of fundamentally utopian fantasies of bringing about a radically different world (King 5.) The proposed paper draws upon, expands and problematizes such prior readings via the contemporary notion of philosophical Accelerationism. As defined by philosopher Benjamin Noys (who first coined the term), Accelerationism is the bastard offspring of a furtive liaison between Marxism and science fiction, occurring at the intersection of Marxist, postmodernism and techno-capitalist ideologies (Shaviro 2). Its basic premise is that the only way out is the way through: to get beyond capitalism, we need to push its technologies to the point where they explode. In other words, rather than abandoning technological modernity for illusory homeostatic Eden (a position identified by the aforementioned readings of Whedonverse apocalypses), we should instead exploit and ramp up its incendiary potential. Noys points out that this may be dubious as a political strategy, but claims that it works as a powerful artistic program. Drawing from the aforementioned Whedonverse texts, with primary emphasis upon Dollhouse and The Avengers , this paper will therefor argue that, in their position on the cutting edge of speculative popular culture, Whedonverse texts can be viewed as cyphers as to the transhumanist or posthumanist transformations espoused by the Accelerationist telos, wherein “the future must be cracked open once again, unfastening our horizons towards the universal possibilities of the Outside” (Williams & Srnicek 23-34). |
| Subjects: |
P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN3427 Special kinds of fiction. Fiction genres > PN3433.5 Science fiction P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN1992 Television broadcasts > PN1992.8.F35 Fantasy TV programs |
| Creators: | Starr, Mike |
| Faculties, Divisions and Institutes: |
University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Faculty of Education & Humanities > English and Creative Writing University Faculties, Divisions and Research Centres - OLD > Research Centre > Centre for Critical and Creative Writing Faculties > Faculty of Education & Humanities > English and Creative Writing Faculties > Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology > Journalism, Media & Performance Research Centres > Centre for Critical and Creative Writing |
| Date: | 9 July 2016 |
| Date Type: | Publication |
| Event Title: | 7th Biennial Slayage Conference on the Whedonverses (Euroslayage) |
| Event Dates: | 07-10 July 2016 |
| Event Location: | Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames |
| Event Type: | Conference |
| Language: | English |
| Status: | Published / Disseminated |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/eprint/9494 |
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