Speed and Politics (Semiotext(e) / Foreign Agents)

Speed and Politics (first published in France in 1977) is the matrix of Virilio''s entire work. Building on the works of Morand, Marinetti, and McLuhan, Virilio presents a vision more radically political than that of any of his French contemporaries: speed as the engine of destruction. Speed and Politics presents a topological account of the entire history of humanity, honing in on the technological advances made possible through the militarization of society. Paralleling Heidegger''s account of technology, Virilio''s vision sees speed—not class or wealth—as the primary force shaping civilization. In this \"technical vitalism