Cognitive capitalism/ tietokyky-kapitalismi

For this session we had Jussi Vähämäki deliver a lecture on a topic he can be admitted to be the top expert in Finland, the stage of capitalism where general human abilities and human (social) life in its totality becomes the main productive force and subject of capitalist control and governance mechanisms.

Jussi has promised a resume of his talk, which I will then update here.

On the side there are already listed some possible reading. Books by Jussi on the topic:

Itsen alistus, Like 2009

Kuhnurien kerho, Tutkijaliitto 2003

There is also a blog Itsen alistus , where you can listen programs based on chapters and discussions about the book of the same title.

And a link to Multitudes, online journal (in French), where came the opening quotation in Jussi's lecture: "Nous sommes la crise du capital et nous en sommes fiers. Assez de dire que les capitalistes sont responsables de la crise ! Cette seule pensée est non seulement absurde, mais dangereuse. Elle nous constitue en victimes. Le capital désigne une relation de domination. La crise du Capital est une crise de la domination. Les dominants ne sont pas capables de dominer avec efficacité. Et nous descendons dans les rues pour le leur reprocher ! Que ce que nous exprimons par là, sinon qu’ils devraient nous dominer plus efficacement ?! Il semble plus simple d’admettre que la relation de domination est en crise, parce que les dominants ne se soumettent pas" - 

"We are the crisis of the capital, and proud of it. Stop saying the capitalists are responsible for the crisis! This thought is not merely absurd, but dangerous. It makes us appear as victims. Capital marks a relation of control. The crisis of capital is a crisis of control. Controllers are not able to control efficiently. And we take to the streets to blame them! What would we mean by that, if not to ask them to control more efficiently?! Much more simple to admit, that the relation of control is in crisis because the controlled ones are not taking it any more."