An analysis of contemporary authoritarianism and the medium in which it flourishes, the internet, as well as what lies at the complex intersection of authority and technology. In recent decades, a new style of authoritarian politics has taken hold throughout the liberal-democratic world. The new authority figures are characterized by obscene, transgressive behavior, reminiscent of the “crowd” leader as theorized by Freud, only far less transient. In The Emperor's New Nudity, Yuval Kremnitzer considers the fraught intersection of authority and technology—the internet being the medium that has allowed contemporary authoritarianism to thrive—asking foundational questions such as: How can we think of the network as a social phenomenon? What can social and political phenomena teach us about the nature of the new technology? And how does technology reshape the very fabric of social and political life? Technology, Kremnitzer writes, leads us toward an impersonal and hyperrational world to such an extent that it renders human subjectivity outmoded. Authority, on the other hand, anchors our subjective identifications to certain figures and seems to be hopelessly primitive and irrational. What is required, then, is a dialectics of the primal—a study of the way in which what strikes us as essential enters into the dynamics of historical change. From this perspective, authority and technology can be said to be divided by a common object—the unwritten law, and the special knowledge that pertains to it: a knowledge without knowers.

This book is for anyone with sincere doubts that their ancestor, to the 10020 degree, was a guppy. "DUDE, YOU’RE NUDE!" offers a thought-provoking and entertaining journey. Using "The Emperor's New Clothes" as a playful backdrop, this book dives into the heart of Darwinian debates with humor and incisive critique. Authored by a former aspiring marine biologist turned courtroom advocate, this narrative peels back the layers of scientific consensus to expose the unanswered questions beneath. With sharp wit, logic, and a dose of sarcasm, the author navigates from dinner table disputes to the core of scientific truths, dismantling the pillars of Darwinian evolution with clarity and simplicity. Drawing a parallel between the classic tale of The Emperor's New Clothes and the contemporary blind acceptance of Darwin's theory of evolution, the book presents a comedic yet provocative critique of the unwavering allegiance to Darwin’s theory of evolution and is a call to action challenging readers to boldly own the right to question and explore when faced with the current disturbing trend in education which shifted from encouraging inquiry to enforcing blind conformity. Whether you're a staunch believer in evolution or harboring doubts, "DUDE, YOU’RE NUDE!" promises a provocative and enlightening exploration. Embracing controversy, it dives headfirst into the tempest of scientific dogma, guided by common sense and everyday observations. Prepare for an intellectual awakening, a challenge to your convictions, and a spark to your natural curiosity. Join this audacious quest for truth, where the only thing more evident than the evidence is the stark nakedness of unchallenged scientific claims.

Based on Laurie Rosenwald's popular workshop, How to Make Mistakes On Purpose reveals an intuitive, entertaining way to come up with truly original ideas. Three generations of humans have now been molded into results-oriented workers who cannot mess up, and therefore may never innovate either. Shared software, skills, and experiences equal no surprises. Surrounded by the unwavering, reliable results made possible by a machine, we all marinate in this ubiquitous cybersauce. Behold! Thousands of shiny new apps, sites, products, and services that look, feel, and are essentially the same. Because computers don’t make mistakes. Chance is the natural foil to the digital. We combine both for originality. This makes for the kind of exciting, hopeful future we want. We embrace technology but need to slap it around a bit to get someplace new. Human error sparks connections. In a relaxed situation where one’s hypercritical demons are AWOL, the snap, crackle, pop of brainstorms happen all around us. A fresh, colorful guide to discovery, with clearly marked directions and witty prompts, this is a book about living a productive, individualistic life. Whatever your job, it gives you a way to zig while everyone around you can only zag. It will also make you laugh along the way.

Drawing on a wealth of examples, the author addresses a topic that has been largely ignored within cultural studies, despite its ability to shock, titillate or entertain. 'Nudity' is a blend of meaningful minutiae and big philosophical questions about the most unnatural state of nature in the modern West.

"A magnificent volume! It offers brand new perspectives on body politics and identity or subjectivity formation in the post-colonial world." -- Dorothy Ko, Barnard College While there is widespread interest in dress and hygiene as vehicles of cultural, moral, and political value, little scholarly attention has been paid to cross-cultural understandings of dirt and undress, despite their equally important role in the fashioning of identity and difference. The essays in this absorbing and thought-provoking collection contribute new insights into the neglected topics of bodily treatments and transgressions. In detailed ethnographic studies from around the world, the contributors recast assumptions about filth and nakedness, exploring how various forms of transgression associated with the body's surface are drawn up into relations of power and inequality. They demonstrate imaginatively how body surfaces are powerfully mobilized in the making and unmaking of moral worlds.

First ever English language book on 20th century cartooning and humour production in Catalonia Offers both broad history as well as close analysis of cartoon examples of the time Engages with academic debates on the power of humour, humour and identity and applies them to the Catalan context Offers contextualisation of the Catalan cartooning tradition within a broader socio-political context of Catalonia and Spain