The twentieth century produced a very clear sense of what the future was to be, but we now seem unable to imagine any sort of redemptive future. How did this happen? One reason is the replacement of what might be called poetic technologies with bureaucratic ones. Another is the terminal perturbations of capitalism, which is increasingly unable to envision any future at all.
There’s all these industries that are, basically, if they disappear it wouldn’t make any difference. Telemarketing! You know, the whole telemarketers vanished: most people would not complain. They’d be pretty happy actually. Corporate lawyers. I mean, there’s one or two big shots who think waht they do is important, but the vast majority say «Well, yes, I mean, it’s completely unnecessary. If I didn’t have this job the world would not change in any way»
