[iDC] Response to Patricia Clough's Vimeo Video http://vimeo.com/6797762

[Andrew Herman]

First, let me say a hearty hello to Patricia. It seems fitting that we would reconnect digitally about digital labor after all these years.

Second, I wondering if Patricia can clarify her statement about the difference between capital/capitalism/and capitalist "governance". What does your understanding of "governance" have in common with the Focauldian concept of governmentality? You mention "biopower" fleetingly in your ruminations on digital labor but, suprisingly, you don;t mention it again when you speak of measurement and control of affect and "lifiness".

It seems to me that governance is rather different than governmentality but I would be curious to hear what you think before holding forth.

Second, I am also curious about Patricia's stated obsession with measurement. How is possible to measure surplus value or exploitation when one moves from material to immaterial labor? Was it ever possible in the first place? If you recall, Marxist political economy kind of ran off the rails in the 70's trying to find the holy grail of measuring surplus value (i.e. Pierio Sraffa, etc). Why bother? 


Andrew Herman 

P.S. BTW, the bathroom scene was perfect.

Andrew Herman, Ph. D.
Associate Professor and Chairperson
Department of Communication Studies
Graduate Program in Cultural Analysis and Social Theory
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5
CANADA
519 884-1970 x3693

"I am not a benevolent God."
Chuck Klosterman