Daniel Gustav Anderson, “Accumulation,” and Jason W. Moore, “Crisis,” in Imre Szeman, Jennifer Wenzel, and Patricia Yaeger (eds.), Fueling Culture- 101 Words for Energy and Environment 2

Fueling Culture

  • Title: Fueling Culture 101 Words for Energy and Environment

  • Editors: Imre Szeman, Jennifer Wenzel, Patricia Yaeger

  • Publisher: Fordham University Press

  • Year: 2017

Accumulation

Energy as a Necessity

  • Life as a totality of lived relations relies on energy for survival.

  • Energy also facilitates the capacity to create and collaborate with others.

  • The current terms of collaboration for energy are rooted in capitalism.

Capitalist Accumulation

  • Karl Marx defines the capitalist production process as a process of accumulation.

  • Questions to consider include:

    • Accumulation of what?

    • By whom?

    • What are the consequences?

  • Culture is shaped by practical knowledge developed by social groups over time through collaboration for energy and survival.

Cultural Knowledge and Conflict

  • The need for energy and calories historically exploits the social struggle between different groups.

  • Giambattista Vico’s ideas indicate that myth and narrative are constructed to maintain power dynamics in society.

  • This obscures the realities faced by those who labor to satisfy their energy needs versus those who benefit from that labor (capitalists versus workers).

Conditions of Capital Accumulation

  • Modern capitalism reproduces itself with scant regard for future crises, showcasing:

    • Greenhouse gas accumulation

    • Resource depletion

    • Diminished survival conditions

  • The neoliberal moment presents a global struggle, where policies further benefit the privileged while neglecting ecological realities.

Environmental and Social Friction

  • Carl von Clausewitz describes friction as the unpredictability in engagements and the chaotic nature of capitalism’s consequences.

  • The extraction of natural resources becomes more challenging, as easy-access resources deplete.

  • Marx’s perspective acknowledges the connection between energy, production, and the social and ecological dynamics of capital.

Crisis in Capital

The Second Contradiction

  • James O’Connor notes capital’s overproduction leads to ecological crises, affecting labor’s ability to sustain itself amid environmental degradation.

  • The combination of pollution and resource extraction threatens the foundational elements of capitalism.

Neoliberal Policies

  • The crises resulting from capital accumulation require violent policy measures (neoliberalism) to uphold class divisions and social inequalities.

  • These conditions highlight the need for alternatives to the current accumulation-based regime.

Strategies for Change

  • Recognizing the reality of capitalist dynamics allows for exploring strategies against capital and carbon accumulation.

  • Understanding cultural tactics may lead to critical strategies for societal change.

The Role of Conscious Tactics

  • Opposing the current order requires withdrawing from or transforming harmful social relations to achieve sustainable living conditions.

  • Accumulated cultural practices (collectively termed culture) become a means of contestation within capitalist structures.