Eva Kadlec
On Being Online in Late Capitalism. Symptoms and Fantasies in Digital Subcultures.

The last decade has seen the emergence of a number of digital subcultures and sensory experiences that did not exist before. One set of subcultures is the so-called “manosphere”, consisting of groups such as the Incels, the Doomers, MRAs and other ephemeral and still transforming groups.

At the same time, one could notice the emergence of sensory experiences in cyberspace, such as poetic “imagines”, ASMR and stimming videos. What do these online phenomena mean? What cultural breeding ground have these groups and phenomena emerged from? How do these microcosms influence the macrocosm? What influence do they have on the mainstream? Are they symptoms of our society or negligible marginalised groups? If they are symptoms, how should they be interpreted? Can tendencies be read out of them for future forms of sexual life, of living together, of political action? How must art and culture be in order to react adequately to these symptoms? What effect does immersion in a cyberspace with such imaginary worlds have on the relationship to reality, to one's own self, to one's own physical existence, to living together with others?

How are these processes and imaginary worlds to be interpreted in the context of “capitalist realism”?  
The themes of anti-humanism, anti-corporeality, transhumanism, sensual stimulation, unreality, nihilism, sexuality, techno-capitalism, illusion, conspiracy theories and impotence are interwoven here in a way that must first be deciphered. By examining these connections, we also gain a better understanding of how to deal with the sensibilities and tendencies underlying these phenomena; as theorists, artists and activists. 

„The purpose of philosophy now is interpretation. The interpretation of inscribed possibilities is the main task of philosophy in our time.“ – Franco Berardi

Betreuung
Robert Pfaller

Kurzvita
Eva Kadlec is co-founder of the legendary DIY Salon for Philosophy, ‚Smoke On The Water‘, Guitarist for Viennese Underground Krautrockband ‚Wirtschaftskammer‘ and the Punkband ‚Girleater‘, and otherwise extremely online.

eva.kadlec@kunstuni-linz.at 
Onbeingonline.tumblr.com
instagram.com/evakadlec