Wednesday 13 August 2008

god, writer's block is a bitch.

But at this stage of the game, i'm just going to have to work through it.

I sent out a detailed outline to my supervisor yesterday, so I thought I'd post it up here.

Introduction
  • Introduce the idea of the project. Brief overview of Benjamin, Nihilism and Nietzsche
  • Benjamin's Relationship to Nihilism and Nietzsche
  • Said Relationship in the Secondary sources
  • Overview/Outline for the project
Eternal Recurrence
  • What does eternal recurrence mean for Baudelaire, Blanqui, and Nietzche? (Sub-question: is it as different/is there as much antagonism between their theories as Benjamin thinks?)
  • Why does it become an issue of "mass production" for Benjamin?
  • What is the status of Origin (ursrpung) within Eternal Recurrence?
  • Explanation of why Recurrence is essential to Benjamin's non-teleological/non-progressive worldview.
Aesthetics/Authenticity
  • What would a nihilistic reading of WofA mean?
  • Call for revaluation/transvalution.
  • The crisis of meaning.
  • Becoming-Political of Aesthetics.
History and Dialectics
  • Political View of the Past
  • The Image: Dialectical Image vs. Dialectics
  • The role of affirmation within history and the DI
Conclusion
  • Reconciliation of Nihilism/Nietzscheanism with Marxism within Benjamin.
  • What is the status of a constantly deferred redemption/revolution?
  • What are consequences of an affirmative/active nihilistic political aesthetics?

I'm starting writing on the eternal recurrence chapter today, and I should have something finished by the end of the week.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

word

Anonymous said...

I think you're so good on Nietzsche and particularly brilliant understanding of eternal recurrence (I wouldn't even dare go near that question for RB) that you're gonna nail this dude.
Do. It. To. It.

Anonymous said...

i want to read this. i really want to read this.

damn.