overview
"War always finds a way (Brecht). If there is a relationship between production and destruction, between the development of productive and destructive forces, then the atom bomb is the ultimate weapon of the post-industrial age. Greatest tonnage, highest mortality, maximum devastation. But what comes next, what are the weapons of the post-industrial age ? Post-industrial products are characterised by a declining proportion of material components, meaning that they depreciate more slowly. In order to prevent them clogging the market they have to be artificially aged, or as Marx put it, morally depreciated. The same is true for monopolists : only through constant innovation can products age and lose value ; competition is no longer needed. Until now it was competition that gave rise to enmity. Now, the competition is internal and an external enemy is no longer to be found. The enemy is amongst us and within us. Weapons are needed that can hit one person amongst a thousand. The economics demand wars with maximum precision targeting. Such as : wars fought on humanitarian grounds." (Harun Farocki)