The term “accelerationism” is no doubt among the most disorienting and polarising concepts in current political and internet society.
First coined with the words of certain philosophers, in roughly 2008, the word became a catch-all that many groups were using in politics, technology and on the internet.
Accelerationism originally generally applied to difficult and abstract philosophical theories, tied to the ideas of thinkers who argued that modern systems like capitalism and technology needed to be pushed to their extremes in order to induce radical social change. But in the 2010s, the term exploded across internet forums, political debate and tech communities, where it took on a range of different meanings.
Today, accelerationism is open to many alternative definitions based on who uses it. It embodies that perception of the future that speed and progress of technology, along with capitalism, will finally deliver a better society. Others connect it with revolutionary political ideas in association with communism or anti-capitalist movements.
However, extremist nationalist groups of various sorts in more extreme and dangerous situations have also used the term mistakenly to describe violent endeavours for accelerating social collapse and political instability as though it were some abstract and impersonal doctrine.
Such divergent meanings mean the term “accelerationism” has been hard to pin down. And without the right context, the term could leave someone using it to sound like they are supporting completely different ideological figures, such as Karl Marx or extreme figures like Charles Manson.
The word has also made its way into popular technology culture in recent years. Technology investors of great importance, including Marc Andreessen, co-founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, have adopted the phrase “accelerationism” in a hopeful sense.
In the tech universe, it frequently describes the notion that innovation, artificial intelligence and rapid technological progress must happen as fast as possible, and that they, in turn, can improve human life and economic development. Perhaps one of the most central thinkers associated with accelerationism is Nick Land.
His writings examined how capitalism, technology and artificial intelligence could unfold beyond human control. Land’s books would have a massive impact on online intellectual communities and would influence later debates about new paradigms of social progress underpinned by technology.
But his ideas feel a bit too complex, controversial and esoteric. Accelerationism, the new buzzword, mirrors the ongoing conversations around the future of society, technology and politics. Advocates say rapid innovation can address major global issues and make a new world a better place.
Opponents claim that untrammelled acceleration of technology or of politics can be a driver of inequality, of social unrest and of extremism. With the word still in development, it's becoming more crucial than ever to know the context for ‘accelerationism’. Discussed in philosophy, politics or Silicon Valley, the concept is among the most disputed and misunderstood ideas of the digital age.
