Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism in Japan

Cazdyn, Eric M.
The South Atlantic Quarterly, Volume 99, Number 4, Fall 2000, pp.
903-927 (Article)
Published by Duke University Press
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Eric Cazdyn
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global
Capitalism in Japan
To oxanino tho cultuial noanings and oocts
ol tho Jaanoso ocononic iocossion is tho task
at hand. Yot lotwoon tho nonont oui woiksho
was concoivod (lall oo~) and tho nonont it
was hold (lall ooo) a iocovoiy was invokod.
1
Moioovoi, givon tho nanic ouality ol glolal cai-
talisn tho chanco ol a sulsoouont downtuin ly
tho tino this voluno is ullishod is not ontiioly
unlikoly. This sooning uniodictalility ol tho
glolal ocononic syston night suggost that any
attont to thooiizo tho iolation lotwoon aosthot-
ics and olitical oconony (lotwoon cultuio and
caital) is dostinod to lail, dostinod to iotuin to
tho diawing loaid altoi ovoiy ocononic udato.
Foi sono this naiks tho nal cono-lion-lohind
victoiy ol an autononous cultuial analysis, thoso
closo toxtual ioadings that ioluso to considoi tho
way tho sociohistoiical contoxt night usot tho
nachinoiy ol tho ciitics olaloiato nousotia.
But il thoio has ovoi loon a nonont to ush
aosthotics and olitical oconony into tho sano
idoato ut lack on tho tallo tho iolation lo-
twoon loins ol cultuial ioduction and loins ol
caitalist ioductionit is now. Foi loth ioalns
havo iocontly cono togothoi ovoi ono ol tho
Tho South Atlantic Quarterly oo:, Fall zooo.
Coyiight zoo ly Duko Univoisity Pioss.
904 Eric Cazdyn
nost signicant iollons ol oui contonoiaiy nonont: tho iollon ol
representation.
Roiosontation is considoiod hoio in loth its olitical-ocononic and
aosthotic-soniotic dinonsions. Thoio is tho olitical-ocononic catogoiy in
which local and national ioiosontativos nodiato tho iolations lotwoon tho
individual and tho stato (in which oloctod ioiosontativos ooctivoly stand
in loi othoi citizons) oi whon nonoy nodiatos tho iolation lotwoon laloi
and connoditios. Thon thoio is tho aosthotic catogoiy in which toxtual olo-
nonts nodiato tho iolations lotwoon tho aitwoik and tho woild (in which
things stand in loi othoi things). At tho iosont nonont loth catogoiios aio
lacing iadical challongos.
Fiist thoio is tho lioakdown in national ioiosontation (such as ailia-
nontaiy donociacios and national ocononios) as tho woild syston iocon-
guios and glolalizing iocossos stiongthon. On this scoio tho sunnoi ol
oo~ was nost tolling. At that tino, at tho hoight ol tho Jaanoso iocossion,
Piino Ministoi Hashinoto Ryutaio, contiito and lowing dooly, lacod tho
nation and took iosonsilility loi tho cuiiont ocononic ciisis. It was duo to
his own inconotonco, ho oxlainod, and to a coitain idontity ciisis ho lolt
as a olitician and Jaanoso at tho closo ol tho nillonniun. As with nost
utoian gostuios tho countiy soonod to ioll its oyos colloctivoly as il to say,
Piino Ministoi Hashinoto, dont ovoiostinato youisoll. Dosito tho lact
that tho iino ninistoi hoioically llanod hinsoll, nost olsoivois iocog-
nizod that Hashinotos lailuios woio loss alout his conotonco and noio
alout tho ovoi-docioasing owoi ol national and local ioiosontativos. Tho
owoi ol tho national ioiosontativo now soons to alo in conaiison with
tho tiansnational ioiosontativo: thus no nattoi what olicy Hashinoto
would havo choson, no nattoi how nuch haidoi ho night havo woikod,
thoio aio now loinal linitations to his owoi in shaing loth tho Jaanoso
and glolal nancial systons.
2
What aio tho Noith Anoiican Fioo Tiado Agioonont, Asia Pacic Eco-
nonic Coooiation, Intoinational Monotaiy Fund (IMF), Woild Bank, and
Woild Tiado Oiganization il not iosonsos to tho now donands ol caital-
isn, donands that cannot lo nanagod ly national oliticians who nust
toloiato, howovoi logiudgingly, tho noods ol local constituoncios, not to
nontion tho wollaio stato? This do lacto woild govoinnont is sinly noio
ooctivo at nanaging tho woild oconony. Whon tho IMF giants loans to
Moxico, Indonosia, oi Russia, tho ocononists ol tho lunds cono o as
hoioos. How lai away is Jaan oi ovon tho Unitod Statos lion tho nonont
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 905
whon local citizons will ontiust, indood oagoily hoo loi and solicit, a ioio-
sontativo lion a tiansnational institution to woik loi thoii aiticulai intoi-
osts? I viow this olitical and ocononic ciisis in national ioiosontation as
ono ol tho gioat social issuos ol tho now nillonniun.
As loi tho aosthotic ioaln, this lioakdown in ioiosontation is lost ox-
iossod in tho iocont iiso in what I will call ioality cultuioioal-tino
iooitago, ouiz shows, co shows, coitain tyos ol oinogiahy, anatoui
vidoos, snu lns, suivoillanco, docudianas, livo wol-cans, and so loith.
Roality cultuio is a loin in which an ovont is not iust loing iocoidod lut
sinultanoously ioducod in oidoi to soivico (and constiuct) a giowing nai-
kot ol viowois who dosiio to oxoiionco thoso so-callod ioal ovonts. Roality
cultuio olovatos to a now dinonsion a voiy old logic, that an ovont oxists
not as sonothing discioto lut as sonothing that oxcoods itsoll, sonothing
that is ioducod ly tho voiy dynanic lotwoon ioiosontoi, ioiosontod, and
soctatoi. Roality cultuio naiks a hoightonod challongo to tiuth clains, a
iiso in lakoiy, a susicion ol ovoi iooily catching and ioiosonting ioality,
a now iolationshi to (and concotion ol ) tho ioal, and nost socically, a
iodigious loa in ioiosontational tochnologios. Liko tho Haonings ol
tho ooos, tho alluio ol ioality cultuio is that ovonts occui uniodictally. But
unliko tho Haonings, ioality cultuio attonts to connodily and ioio-
duco thoso sooningly unioioducillo ovonts. Tho dangoi hoio, ol couiso, is
that onco a iovon naikot loi such ioal ovonts onoigos, tho ovonts nust
thon lo ioducod at all costs. It is not too dicult to inagino tho dysto-
ian dinonsion to all ol this, such as tho ioduction (howovoi indiioctly)
ol ciino and nuidoi. At tho sano tino ioality cultuio oois a utoian di-
nonsion, it naiks a dosiio loi oonnoss, loi a sontanoous oiution ol tho
unoxoctod, tho accidont, tho uniodictallo, tho nossianic, tho aocaly-
tic, and tho Houdini act that oiloins tho inossillo oscao no nattoi how
utoian oi dystoian this night lo. I viow tho cuiiont loon in ioality cul-
tuio (in loth ioduction and consuntion) as oxiossing loth tho social
dioans and nightnaios ol tho cuiiont ost-Miiaclo nonont in Jaan and
tho woild. Oi to ut this in tho loinol a ouostion: Might tho dosiio to watch
two houis ol a lank suivoillanco tao with tho hoo ol ossilly catching
tho slit-socond nonont ol tho lank iolloiy lo syntonatic ol olitical
lantasios and loais?
Innodiatoly lollowing tho ionioi ol his ln [Focus] at tho ooo Tokyo
Intoinational Filn Fostival, diioctoi Isaka Satoshi was askod ouostions that
shoot stiaight to tho hoait ol this onoiging honononon. [Focus] is alout
906 Eric Cazdyn
tho oagoinoss and lad laith ol a tolovision diioctoi who is naking a docu-
nontaiy alout a twonty-sonothing otaku olsossod with audio suivoillanco
tochnologios. Although tho swoot and lunlling otaku (layod liilliantly ly
iising stai Asano Tadanolu) only likos to oavosdio on coll hono convoisa-
tions and tho giil acioss tho way, tho tolovision diioctoi wants to incoioiato
tho ovoihoaid inloination into his ioco, osocially altoi ovoihoaiing two
yakuza oxchanging inloinationalout a guntiansloi. Tho nishodtolovision
docunontaiy will doultloss aoai to havo uniodictally oncountoiod tho
solllinding and violont ovonts that lollow(nuidoi, high-sood chaso, iao,
and doath ol tho young oavosdiooi), whilo all along it has loon tho di-
ioctoi (togothoi with an all-too-agiooallo canoianan and nildly susicious
ioduction assistant) who has diioctly iovokod tho ovonts.
Isakas ln conos on tho hools ol tho Tokyo Bioadcasting Systons (TBS)
scandal in which tolovision oxocutivos allowod Aun Shiniiky highoi-us
to viow lootago ol an intoiviow with anti-Aun lawyoi Sakanoto Tsutsuni.
3
TBS iocoivod gioatoi accoss to Aun(including an intoiviowwith loadoi Asa-
haia Shoko in Goinany), Auniocoivod assuiancos that tho intoiviowwould
not lo aiiod, and Sakanoto (and his wilo and tho coulos ono-yoai-old son)
iocoivod an oaily doath at tho hands ol tho Aunnuidoiois. Quostions alout
nows gathoiing and iouinalistic othics ciiculatod wildly, in aiticulai tho
conlicit natuio ol iouinalists with tho voiy ovonts thoy aio ioiosonting.
Tho TBS dolaclo conlinod with tho not-so-ladod nonoiy ol tho ooz lakod
NHK docunontaiy alout a noai-doath oxoiionco in tho Hinalayas was at
tho contoi ol tho ost-sciooning discussion.
4
Isaka was askod how ho can
iotond that his own ln is noially suoiioi to such tolovision iogians.
In othoi woids, in oidoi to attiact us to his ln, is Isaka not onloying tho
sano stiatogios as tho voiy tolovision iogians ho is condonning? Sinilai
ouostions lollowod: Can Isakas ciitiouo ol tho tolovision industiy lo lodgod
against his own ln, and il so, doos this dologitinato tho ciitiouo? Is [Focus]
a nattoi ol an olsossod TVdiioctoi on a canaign to nako it in tho industiy
at all costs, oi a nattoi ol an olsossod industiy that loavos no ioon loi indi-
vidual agoncy and iigoi? Howdo wo ciiticizo anything whon tho olononts ol
ciiticisn (nanoly, ioiosontation) havo loon callod into such iadical ouos-
tion? Isaka duckod and aiiiod: ho doultloss oxoctod noio synathy. Hosi-
tant siloncos iovailod.
This ovont dononstiatos that tho ouostions alout cultuial ioiosonta-
tion aio not sinly alout iockloss tolovision iogians (and a lad gonio
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 907
callod ioality cultuio) lut alout all cultuial ioduction. I want, thoioloio,
to ongago ioality cultuio hoio syntonatically, as a catogoiy to hol us
think thiough tho cuiiont ciisis ol ioiosontation in Jaan. What is tho io-
lation lotwoon Hashinotos aology and Isakas silonco? What is tho iola-
tion lotwoon tho onoigonco ol ioality cultuio and tho Jaanoso iocossion?
How doos ioality cultuio iolato to tho iocossos ol glolalization? Aio ino-
tont olitical loadois and schoning iouinalists anything now: is not histoiy
liaught with such guios? In othoi woids, is tho cuiiont lioakdown oi
ciisis in ioiosontation tiuly uniouo to tho contonoiaiy nonont oi ait
ol a noio gonoial logic ol caitalist and aosthotic ioduction that can lo
locatod at oailioi nononts in Jaanoso nodoinity?
To ioviow tho answois to thoso last two ouostions, I want to ioly yos
and no. No, tho olitical-ocononic and cultuial ciisos in ioiosontation aio
not now. To iocognizo this continuity wo only havo to look as lai lack as
tho ooos in Jaan at tho laigo social novononts and thoii stiugglos that
tuinod iocisoly on tho iollon ol ioiosontation, such as tho Saniizuka
lainois novonont that oosod tho luilding ol tho now iunway at Naiita
Aiioit. At tho hoait ol that stiugglo was an attack on tho doninant loins
ol olitical ioiosontation that tho lainois viowod as lailod. Cultuially, wo
night lo ionindod ol Ogawa Shinsuko and tho sovon lns ho nado ovoi
nino yoais ol tho aiioit lattlo, hinsoll stiuggling to nd a nodo ol ioio-
sontation othoi than tho doninant (and to Ogawas nind sovoioly linitod)
nothods onloyod ly tolovision and docunontaiy. Ho was lacod with tho
gioat aosthotic iollon ol how to ioiosont oolo who aio litoially dying
to ioiosont thonsolvos.
5
No, a lioakdown in ioiosontation as wo aio wit-
nossing at tho iosont nonont is nothing now. But at tho sano tino, yos,
thoio aio ciucial dioioncos that conguio tho cuiiont ciisos ouito dioi-
ontly and waiiant a histoiicizod oxanination ol tho contonoiaiy nonont.
In aiticulai, tho iocont tiansloinations lion a nation-stato-lasod caital-
ist systonto ono nuch noio glolalizod, togothoi with tho onoigonco ol all
now ioiosontational tochnologios naiks a discontinuity that nust lo io-
soctod whon ioading tho cultuial and olitical oocts ol Jaans iocossion.
To highlight thoso continuitios and discontinuitios I wish to luild a liiol
contoxt, locusing on naioi tiansloinations in tho Jaanoso olitical ocon-
ony. Following Woild Wai II and tho docolonization ol Asian countiios
908 Eric Cazdyn
lionManchuiia to Indonosia, tho U.S. Occuation, tho KoioanWai loon
(that gonoiatod a iogian ol wai-iolatod iocuiononts indisonsallo to
ocononic giowth), tho ViotnanWai, and tho studont and laloi novononts
ol tho ooos and oaily o~os, tho ostwai Jaanoso oconony hit its oak
ol coioiato[stato iigidity ly tho nid-o~os. At this nonont Tokyo lo-
cano ono ol tho loading industiial caitals ol tho woild. Tho oil ciisos ol tho
o~os sovoioly inuoncod tho inoitationol iawnatoiials usod to nako tho
hoavy ioducoi goods, honco cioating a iodoullod ooit lack into consunoi
goods, such as autonolilos and oloctionics. This was tho nonont ol tho so-
callod Jaanoso Miiaclo. Hoio tho ciiclo ol high ioduction and low wagos
was souaiod (loi tho tino loing) ly iolianco onhoalthy oxoit naikots, nan-
agod laloi unions, and a laigo ool ol iuial lainois who (unallo to covoi
thoii own laining costs) woio loicod to noonlight ly solling thoii laloi on
a tonoiaiy lasis to ins that did not nood to woiiy alout iooi woikoi
cononsation oi wollaio. Ol couiso, indisonsallo to this iaid giowth was
a glolal onviionnont wiaod in a Cold Wai logic, a logic that onhasizod
nilitaiy-industiial national olicios, such as thoso ioducod ly tho Ponta-
gon and tho Kionlin, as oosod to (oi that ioducod tho ossilility loi)
connoicial-industiial national olicios, such as tho ono gonoiatod ly tho
Ministiy ol Intoinational Tiado and Industiy in Jaan.
Tho sovoio iovaluing ol tho yon(whichioso lionzoto yonagainst tho
dollai within a yoai) at tho Plaza Accoid in o8, howovoi, cut into Jaans ox-
oit naikots and thon oxiossod tho oionnially loaiod ciisis at hono. This
nally ut an ond to tho oia ol uniocodontod high iatos ol giowth in which
tho avoiago lovol ol ioal Gioss National Pioduct ioso iust ovoi o oicont
ovoiy yoai liono to o~o. Tho oil ciisis iocossion also aliutly ondod tho
uwaid tiond in ioal wagos naikod ly tho doloat ol oiganizod lalois o~
siing oonsivo that callod loi nodost wago incioasos. Tiado disutos and
tho hoating u ol U.S.-Jaanoso iolations sovoioly stiainod loth tho oxisting
oxoit naikots and tho innatuio donostic naikot, which was thon lui-
thoi aggiavatod ly loioign conanios ciying loul at thoii oxclusion. Out ol
this national and glolal situation tho Jaanoso oconony anglod into tho noxt
stago ol caitalist dovolonont. This tiansnational stago is synlolizod ly
() tho oxillo accunulation ol caital (loi oxanlo, tho keiretsu syston is
oxoitod alioad so that now non-Jaanoso conanios aio giadually loing
intogiatod into tho notwoiks): (z) cyloinotic tochnologios (saco iactically
disaoais as a laiiioi as connunications advanco and oloctionic cuiioncy
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 909
naikots and soculation thiivo): () a glolal division ol laloi (ioduction
is shiltod in gioatoi dogioos to tho thiid woild): () diioct loioign invost-
nont ly Jaanoso coioiations (with tho intontion ol sido-stoing national
iotoctionist olicios, which aio loconing loss and loss noaninglul and
onloicoallo): and () tho woakoning ol tho nation-statos docision-naking
owoi (as coioiations login to divoico thonsolvos lion tho inoiativos ol
tho nation (inliastiuctuio, onviionnontal concoins, and ouality ol lilo) and
wod thonsolvos noio tightly to tiansnational olioctivos).
6
This liings us to tho nost iocont ocononic ciisis that ist aoaiod in
Thailand (oo~), thon Indonosia and Malaysia until iiing thiough South
Koioa and shaking Jaan. Whothoi oi not this is an Asian u, a ioduct ol
ciony caitalisn, oi a synton ol tho stiuctuial noods ol tho glolal ocon-
ony soons loss inoitant thanhowtho vaiious lailouts and austoiity lans,
not to nontion stoady diots ol national doiogulation and tiansnational iogu-
lation (in South Koioa and Indonosia, loi oxanlo) soivo to luithoi consoli-
dato tho woild syston, thus ioconguiing tho noanings and ooctstho
autonony and docision-naking owoiol tho nation-stato.
Ol couiso, thoso chaiactoiistics ol tiansnational caitalisn, oi glolaliza-
tion, as olsoivois in tho nass nodia, olitics, and acadonia havo iocontly
agiood to call it, aio ouito conlox, with oach dosoiving locusod attontion.
Hoio, I will linit ny locus to tiansloinations in soculation and tho cui-
ioncy naikots. Sinco o8~ tho anount ol nonoy that ciossos tho wiio con-
nocting tho woilds naioi lanks has doullod, ioaching a total ol s.z tiillion
a day (o8 tiillion yon).
7
Foioign oxchango tiansactions havo lalloonod ovoi
sovonty tinos sinco o~~.
8
Tho cuiioncy naikots, noioovoi, tuinod ovoi al-
nost s. tiillion as ol Januaiy zoo, an anount oxcooding woild ioduct
in alout a nonth and noio than tho total anount ol loioign cuiioncy io-
soivos aiound tho woild.
9
What all this nonoy doos is soculato onoxchango
iatos so as to incioaso its initial invostnont. Soculation is lasically tho io-
coss ly which sonoono luys a nancial assot in tho hoo ol solling it at a
doaioi iico in tho lutuio. This soculation is a syntonol tho nowioouiio-
nonts ol tho glolal oconony. Tho oldoi loins ol valuo ioduction, invost-
ing in donostic ioduction oi in ioduction lacilitios alioad, aio no longoi
tho doninant loins loi attonding to tho caitalist logic ol oxansion and
iot. Soculation, goadod ly ovoi-incioasing nancial innovations (such
as high-yiold londs, loioign cuiioncy lutuios and otions, cuiioncy swas,
nonontun tiading, doiivativos, and dozons noio invontod ovoiy nonth),
910 Eric Cazdyn
is tho onoiging loin ol choico loi nanaging this now situation. High-iisk
invostnonts that onallo laigo tiansactions with a snalloi anount ol cai-
tal not only thioaton to lust coioiations and lanks lut now wholo nations
and govoinnonts.
Ono glaiing oxanlo ol this occuiiod in July oo~ whon tho Thai govoin-
nont alandonod its ooits to iotain a xod oxchango iato loi tho laht. Tho
Thai cuiioncy innodiatoly lost zo oicont ol its valuo, and tho cuiioncy
ciisis ouickly sioad to Malaysia, Indonosia, tho Philiinos, and Jaan. Paul
Kiugnan wiitos, What loicod Thailand to dovaluo its cuiioncy was nas-
sivo soculation against tho laht, soculation that ovoi a low nonths had
consunod nost ol what initially soonod an awosonoly laigo waichost ol
loioign oxchango. And why woio soculatois lotting against Thailand? Bo-
causo thoy oxoctod tho laht to lo dovaluod, ol couiso.
10
This soll-lullling
logic, in which soculatoi concoins as to whothoi oi not tho Thai govoin-
nont would doato its cuiioncy in oidoi to ioinato its oconony, lod on
itsoll to tho oxtont that it ioducod tho ciisis that was tho voiy nattoi ol con-
coin in tho ist laco. Ol couiso, this sychological dinonsion has always
loon a ait ol ocononics, and tho likolihood ol iuns and tho signicanco ol
invostoi condonco is nothing now. But tho iocont skyiockoting ol socu-
lation in tho glolal oconony doos soon to havo ushod tho noanings and
oocts ol nonoy to a oualitativoly dioiont lovol. Moioovoi, with tho giowth
ol cyloinotic tochnologios that allow ioal-tino ocononics and tho instanta-
noous novonont ol caital all ovoi tho glolo (which ol couiso includos tho
all now cyloisacos), tonoial and satial loundaiios havo loon iocong-
uiod so that tho noaning ol tho shoit toin and noighloiing countiios,
not to nontion tho nation-stato and tho tho iogion aio iadically tians-
loinod.
This nowconguiationol tho woild systoninwhich tho lalanco ol owoi
is shilting away lion tho nation-stato dianatically aocts tho ooiations
ol ioiosontational donociacy. Tiansnational institutions (such as coioia-
tions, iogulating loaids, and lanks) as woll as tho onoiging tiansnational
caitalist class (conosod ol high-lovol luioauciats, oxocutivos, oliticians,
and acadonics) aioiiato tho iolo ol tho nation-stato whilo iosoiving tho
lattois idoological usolulnoss.
11
In othoi woids, at tho iociso nonont whon
tho docision-naking owoi ol tho nation-stato is doclining, nationalist ido-
ologios and idontitios aio as stiong as ovoi. In Jaan, wo only havo to look
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 911
as lai as tho ioonoigizod ag and anthon novononts. Thoio aio two in-
nodiato oxlanations loi this. Fiist, thoio has yot to onoigo a iooi glolal
idoology to woik alongsido tho glolal olitical ocononic ioalitios.
12
Socond,
tiansnational coioiatisn can noio succosslully and sociotly consolidato
its owoi ly hiding lohind tho laco ol tho nation-stato. In shoit, national
naiiativos and idontitios aio sono ol tho nost iotallo connoditios tians-
national coioiations soll.
This contiadiction lotwoon tho national and tho tiansnational (Jaan and
tho Woild) has ioducod a ost-Miiaclo nalaiso in Jaan that, dosito sono
inoitant inioads that havo loonnado towaidsocial chango ly vaiious local
gious, soons to lo at an all-tino high.
13
In tho laco ol hugo govoinnont
scandals as woll as tho uniavoling ol tho Jaanoso nancial syston, olitical
ionouncononts ol ioloin and othoi tinkoiings aiound tho institutional
odgos aio shiuggod o ly nost ol tho oulaco as iust so nany oxodiont
dolonsos ol a thoioughly awod syston. At tho sano tino, ointing to tho
Econonic Miiaclo as a way to dologitinato ciiticisn (tho suioio stiatogy
liontho ostwai oiiod until tho luisting ol tho lulllo in tho oaily ooos)
no longoi soons to woik loi thoso who soon as woaiy ol a U.S.-stylo glolal
caitalisn as thoy aio ol thoii own noonational llowhaids. Along with this
skoticisnand iolativo stasis cono sono voiy dicult ouostions. Howdoos
ono idontily with tho nation and oloy all ol its codos whon tho iocoss ol
glolalization soons to call nany ol thoso codos into ouostion? How doos
ono livo in a woild in which national tioos aio loing aoalod to ovoiy day
on tho lovol ol idoology, whilo on tho lovols ol ioduction, consuntion,
and distiilution tho docision-naking owoi ol tho nation-stato is ouickly
doclining? How aio national idoologios and idontitios ioguiod within tho
onoiging saco ol tiansnationalisn? How doos ono iosist coitain glolaliz-
ing tionds without inadvoitontly onliacing a Jaanoso oxcotionalisn? At
tho iosont nonont thoio soon to lo no availallo answois to thoso ouos-
tions, and this, I think, oois ono liano thiough which to oxanino ioality
cultuio. Hoio wo night ask in what way ioality cultuio guios a dosiio to
answoi thoso inossillo ouostions, to lioak thiough this stasis? In what
way night ioality cultuio ooi an inaginaiy way out ol this doullo lind lo-
twoon tho national and tho tiansnational? In what way night ioality cultuio
allogoiizo olitical and social lantasios that night lo llockod at tho iosont
nonont as tho woild syston ioconguios?
912 Eric Cazdyn
Ol couiso, ioality cultuio is a dicult catogoiy to dono and nako sonso ol,
osocially sinco it is cuiiontly looning in vaiious countiios thioughout tho
woild. In Euioo thoio aio tolovision shows with nanos such as Big Brother
(twonty-loui houi suivoillanco ol oidinaiy oolo), Desert Island (contos-
tants sond lty days on an island with tho last ionaining oison iocoiving
a s nillion iizo), and House (contostants nust livo with ninotoonth-
contuiy tochnologios). In tho Unitod Statos, daytino talk shows dolving into
ioal-lilo situations alound as do nillion-dollai ouiz shows staiiing tho
guy noxt dooi answoiing uniodictallo ouostions loi which ioaiation is
alnost inossillo. Ol couiso hono-vidoo iogians aio iod-hot, such as
Worlds Dumbest Criminals, which iovoals tho onlaiiassod I-givo-u ox-
iossions ol ciininals altoi thoy lotch ciinos. In Jaan thoso tyos ol shows
aio no loss oulai. Ono, Ikebukuro: Nij yojikan |Ikolukuio: z houis|, lol-
lows tho Tokyo olico aiound as thoy atiol thoii local loat, tiacking down
a stolon vohiclo oi ouostioning studonts loi loing tiuant.
At tho hoait ol ioality cultuio is tho ossilility that tho unoxoctod can
occui and hiiack tho show lion its usual couiso (which, ol couiso, is alout
anticiating tho hiiack in tho ist laco.) Foi oxanlo, in Ikebukuro cos will
lo walking down tho stioot and suddonly sot adolosconts luying anhot-
aninos. Thon tho chaso logins. Tho canoianan and connontatoi lollow
closo lohind. Ol couiso, tho viowoi is thoio as woll. No doult tho viowoi
ioalizos that tho show is not livo, lut loing livo is not tho oint: iathoi, tho
oint is to oon u tho ossilility to catch sonothing ioal and accidontal.
Although sinilai to a tiaditional nows lioadcast, tho dioionco lios in this
suosod catching ol a sontanoous act. Foi tho iogulai nows, ist thoio is
tho soctaclo and thon tho notwoik sonds out a ciowto conduct tho lanal iol
ol iocoiding it. Foi this tyo ol ioality cultuio, ist tho ciowis out iocoiding
tho lanality ol ovoiyday lilo and thon tho soctaclo intoiiuts it. Oi, at loast,
this is tho way loth loins soll thonsolvos.
Anothoi oxanlo ol this can lo soon in sono iocont ouiz iogians. In tho
Kansai iogion ono show tuins on tho classic thono ol oiloining a coitain
task in a linitod tino liano. In ono oisodo a loui-yoai-old child stands on a
stago in liont ol a ciowdod studio audionco. Bohind tho child is a laigo clock
that ticks downthiity soconds. Tho nothoi ol tho child is sottod intho audi-
onco. A oison diossod as a ninia thon aoais and iotonds to attack tho
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 913
childs nothoi. Tho challongo is to soo whothoi tho child will login to ciy
loloio tho thiity-socond tino linit oxiios. In lact, tho notwoik lound itsoll
ovoiwholnod with conlaints and soon cut this aiticulai sognont lion
tho iogian. Foi nany, this gano wont ovoi tho to and thus sawnod a
liiol dolato on child sychology and tiauna. Tho owoi ol tho show is that
tho viowoi is onthiallod ly what night haon. Wo hold oui lioath waiting
to soo whothoi tho child tuins to hystoiics. It is solllinding, and tho no-
nont ol tiuth is also tho nonont ol a coitain utoia, howovoi ciuol. This
is locauso it conos o as tiuly uniodictallo: it is an ovont that iosonts to
tho viowoi a tonoiaiy intoiiution ol ovoiyday lilos sooning iogiossion:
lion iosont which loconos lutuio, lion ast which was iosont. Tho in-
stant ol uniodictalility is a nix ol ast-iosont-lutuio: it contains all thioo
nononts in a singlo instant.
Tho lact that ioality cultuio has onoigod invaiious countiios and is ono ol
tho hottost attiactions ol tho glolal satollito notwoiks says sonothing alout
tho sinilaiitios anong national situations and tho owoi ol tho glolal cul-
tuio industiy at tho iosont nonont. At tho sano tino, oach national situa-
tion has a dioiont cultuial histoiy lionwhich ioality cultuio has onoigod.
To login to contoxtualizo ioality cultuio in Jaan, thoioloio, I will tuin to
Haia Kazuos o8~ ln The Emperors Naked Army Marches On |Yukiyukite
Shingun|, an inoitant naikoi ol this onoiging honononon. Foi a iadi-
cal lnnakoi such as Haia, ioality cultuios nonont ol chanco, ol oon
ossilility, ol a lioaking oint, is iocisoly what ho has oxloitod in his ox-
oiinontal docunontaiios. Naked Army naiiatos Okuzaki Konzs iolont-
loss and violont soaich to nd and ullicizo tho tiuth alout a nuidoi that
occuiiod in Now Guinoa on August z, o. Okuzaki, an onlistod nan in
tho Jaanoso inoiial ainys Thiity-Sixth Roginont, was ono ol tho lowsui-
vivois ol tho tioo to iotuin hono. At stako loi Okuzaki, so nany yoais
altoi tho wai, is tho cannilalization ol two onlistod non who woio ocially
lalolod dosoitois. Although it is widoly known that acts ol cannilalisn oc-
cuiiod duiing Woild Wai II, Okuzaki wants to ullicizo tho lact that Jaa-
noso tioos ato not only onony soldiois lut Jaanoso soldiois as woll. Altoi
iotuining lion tho wai, Okuzaki was involvod with oiganizod ciino and
thon sont a total ol thiitoon yoais and nino nonths in iison loi nuidoi-
ing a ioal ostato liokoi (oo), loi distiiluting oinogiahic loaots on-
llazonod with ictuios ol onoioi Hiiohito (o~o), and loi tho notoiious
incidont that nado Okuzaki a housohold nano in Jaan: with a hononado
914 Eric Cazdyn
slingshot ho iod loui pachinko ollots at tho onoioi (ooo). In iison
Okuzaki oxoiioncod a tyo ol siiitual iovolation and locano oicoly do-
toininod to oxoso tho coiiution that occuiiod and still occuis in Jaan.
I ioontod loi ny ciinos, I took iosonsilility, why doosnt tho onoioi
ioont loi his? Okuzaki chants with tho laith and lioouoncy ol a nantia.
Haia lollows Okuzaki aiound as ho attonts to locato who gavo tho oidois
to cannilalizo tho two soldiois. Thoio aio visits to ocois honos, to a hos-
ital whoio a loinoi ocoi is iocovoiing lionsuigoiy, to tho iostauiant ol a
loinoi nodic, to tho giavo ol ono ol tho cannilalizod soldiois, to tho iison
whoio Okuzaki soivod tino, and to tho iolativos ol tho victins. Okuzaki
wants conlossions, aologios, and ionoiso lion thoso ho intoiiogatos, and
il ho doos not got thon, thon thoio will lo violonco. It doos not nattoi il tho
othoi oison is sick oi il his wilo and giandchildion aio in tho ioon: Oku-
zaki will loa u and login to wiostlo with thoso with whon ho nds lault.
As tho naiiativo iogiossos, Okuzaki and Haias toan go to Now Guinoa
to continuo tho soaich loi dotails. Wo loain, howovoi, that Indonosian gov-
oinnont ocials conscatod ovoi loity-nino iolls ol lootago shot in Now
Guinoa.
Rotuining to Jaan, Okuzaki concontiatos his nission. Altoi tho sound ol
a suddon gunshot and thon a llack liano, wo loain that ho has attontod to
nuidoi tho son ol ono ol tho loinoi ocois with whon ho (wo) not oailioi
in tho ln. Wo do not soo tho nuidoi attont itsoll lut only ioad alout it
in vaiious nowsaoi cliings that ll tho scioon. Ciininal at Laigo loi
Wounding His Suoiioi Ocois Son, ioads ono ol tho hoadlinos. Anothoi
ouotos Okuzaki as stating, His sonwill do. Noxt, wo aio outsido Hiioshina
iison as Okuzakis wilo aioachos tho canoia. Shizuni oxlains that hoi
husland is no and that ho oats lottoi now than whon ho was living at
hono. Hos satisod, sho adds. Tho ln onds ly noting tho doath ol Shi-
zuni and that Okuzaki Konz will lo soiving twolvo yoais ol haid laloi in
tho Hiioshina iison.
14
Ono ol tho nost stiiking sconos in tho ln is whon Okuzaki attacks
loinoi Soigoant Yanada loi iolusing to aologizo loi his actions duiing and
lollowing tho wai. Okuzaki llanos Yanadas illnoss and his iocont nood loi
lono naiiow suigoiy on his iolusal to ioont loi tho ciinos ho connittod
duiing tho wai: It is divino iovonanco (tenbatsu) that you should lo ill,
Okuzaki iolukos Yanada with a coitain anount ol satislaction. Pathotically
woak, withdios ol nucous iunning downhis noso and withllankots covoi-
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 915
ing his liail lody, Yanada iolusos to say tho iight things. Suddonly Okuzaki
iuns hin, ins hinto tho giound, and loats hinwith his laio st. This is
tho scono loi which Haia has iocoivod tho nost ciiticisn ol his own iolo as
iovocatoui, and ly ouostioning it, I intond to locus tho discussion ol ioality
cultuio and its iolation to tho tiansloinations in tho nation-stato.
In tho colloction ol ossays Gunron Yukiyukite Shingun |Tho onoiois
nakod ainy naichos on: Oinions|, sovoial contiilutois connont on tho
inlications ol this scono.
15
Foi oxanlo, litoiaiy ciitic Kuioko Kazuo is so
takon ly Okuzakis owoi and alility to guido tho ln that ho asks, I an
thoioughly conlusod as to who is naking this ln, is it Okuzaki Konzo oi
is it Haia Kazuo?
16
Naked Armys anliguous nothod ol diawing attontion
to who is soaking and in contiol conlounds Kuioko to tho oint that ho
logins (howovoi naivoly) to wondoi il tho ln is a docunontaiy oi, in his
woids, a diana. Latoi in tho sano ioco, altoi connonting on Okuzakis
constant awaionoss ol his osition as tho nain chaiactoi, Kuioko wondois il
Okuzaki, ovonduiing tho ght scono withYanada, is not always inconloto
contiol ol tho lns aosthotic choicos. Ho wiitos, I an not allo to satislac-
toiily sonso tho diioctois sulioctivity: instoad, lion loginning to ond I an
ovoiwholnod ly Okuzakis oiloinanco and contiol.
17
In Haias own aiticlo in tho colloction ho also locusos on this contiovoi-
sial scono. Haia logins ly oxlaining that innodiatoly lollowing a iivato
sciooning ol Naked Army, a liiond ol his inouiiod into tho tochniouo ol oi-
loining tho iolos ol loth canoia ooiatoi and diioctoi: Didnt this nothod
linit tho way you could doal with tho ght scono |lotwoon Okuzaki and
Yanada|, sinco on tho ono hand you wantod to lot tho canoia continuo ioll-
ing, whilo on tho othoi hand you wantod to sto tho violonco?
18
Thinking
alout this ouostion, Haia iotuins to ono ol his oailioi lns, Goku Shiteki
Erosurenka |Voiy iivato oios: Lovosong o~|. This is a ln in which
Haialohind his canoialollows his loinoi lovoi to Okinawa in oidoi to
cono to toins with his own ioalousy iogaiding hoi dosiio to lo soaiatod
lion hin. Altoi iotuining to Tokyo, Haia lns hoi in a cianod Tokyo
aaitnont giving liithly hoisollto a laly sho intontionally concoivod
with a U.S. nilitaiy soiviconan. Haia oxlains that tho natuio ol this ln
loicod hin to diaw attontion to tho aaiatus ol tho canoia and stiuctuiod
his osition vis--vis his loinoi lovoi. Tho act ol lning and tho act ol loing
lnod (toru watakushi to, torareru watakushi to) cannot lo soaiatod loi Haia.
Tho canoia is liko a doullo odgod swoid (moroha no tsurugi) and whon
916 Eric Cazdyn
holding it I an sinultanoously shooting (oi cutting) tho oison in liont ol
it as woll as nysoll, Haia wiitos.
19
Ho goos on to oxlain that thoio was no
othoi choico lut to tako on tho iolos ol loth canoia ooiatoi and diioctoi.
Givon tho natuio ol his lns, in which ho is ouito awaio ol his own iolo as a
chaiactoi, such as loinoi lovoi in Eros oi as iovocatoui in Naked Army, to
tako tho iisk ol loing on tho othoi sido ol tho canoia is tho only way to tako
iosonsilility loi what changos naiiation night causo. Haia is awaio that
tho iocoss ol naking a lnchangos tho lnitsoll. Ho is also acutoly awaio
ol how tho soctatoiial dosiio to soo what ho is lning (a nuidoi in Naked
Army, a livo soll-liithing in Eros, a nan with coiolial alsy intoiiogating
onlookois on a ciowdod Tokyo stioot in Sayonara CP, a nans doath in Zen-
shin Shsetsuka) insiios tho lnnaking iocoss, whichthontiansloins tho
voiy ovont itsoll.
Thus Naked Army loiogiounds tho iolo ol ln as loing not only intoi-
iotivo lut also tiansloinativo, a lunction I call tiansloinativo naiiation.
Wo could say that Naked Army iovoals how soctaclo is ioducod duiing a
tiansnational nonont. Tho soctaclo is tho nonont whon tho connodity
has attainod tho total occuation ol social lilo. Not only is tho iolation to tho
connodity visillo lut it is all ono soos: tho woild ono soos is its woild,
wiitos Guy Doloid. Liko nonoy, tho soctaclo in lato caitalisn loconos
tho gonoial oouivalont loi what tho ontiio socioty can lo and can do.
20
Haia conlionts hoad-on tho iollon ol how to ioduco anything within
this now situation: how to ioiosont tho soctaclo ol Okuzaki vis--vis tho
soctaclo ol lnnaking: how to oscao tho soctaclo ly noans ol tho soc-
taclo. Liko all connoditios, in oidoi to oisist, lnand tolovision nust not
only lo continually nding and iocoiding now naikots (oi soctaclos), lut
thoy nust activoly ioduco thoso naikots, thoso soctaclos. This is not to
say that ln and vidoo ioducois cioato wais in oidoi to ln thon, lut
this should not iovont us lion iocognizing that thoio is noio than a noio
ono-dinonsional novonont lion tho ovont to tho ioiosontation.
Just as a connodity not only noots noods lut aiticiatos in tho cioation
ol such noods, so too do ln and tolovision aiticiato in tho cioation ol
thoii olioct ol study. This nonlinoai tonoiality ol tho ovont and tho io-
iosontation in which tho two nononts dynanically iolato so that ono doos
not nocossaiily cono loloio tho othoi is always at woik. But I do want to
histoiicizo this catogoiy ol tiansloinativo naiiation and suggost that thoio
oxists a oualitativo dioionco in tho way it ooiatos and lunctions in tho ago
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 917
ol tiansnational caitalisn. Haias nonction ln loin and ovoit gostuios
to tiansloinativo naiiation is oxactly whoio nany oailioi lns ol tho ooos
and o~os, such as Inanuia Shohois The Pornographers (which I will dis-
cuss lolow) woio hoading. But only altoi tho socioocononic situation shilts:
only altoi tho onsot ol inloination and toloconnunication tochnologios
(so that tho countiyand woildcould lo wiiod with ioal-tino vidoo in
schools, lanks, and city stioots, with livo loods liontho noso ol nissilos and
tho sloovos ol soldiois, not to nontion tho countloss cancoidois lockod on
iocoid nodo and othoi suivoillanco tochnologios): only altoi tho ossilility
oxists loi a tyo ol glolal accidont (as Paul Viiilio calls it) in which an ovont
occuis sinultanoously in dioiont lacos (a cyloiviius, YzK): only altoi this
loconos thinkallo as dystoia loi sono (oi utoia loi othois) could a loin
such as ioality cultuio thiivo.
21
Foi Haia Kazuo this nonont ol chanco is iocisoly what ho wants to ox-
loit in his oxoiinontal docunontaiios. It is a novo lion susonso to sui-
iiso.
22
His ln is doullo-sidod, ioal and viitual at tho sano tino.
23
What
it night locono and what it is aio not coidonod o lion oach othoi lut
ontanglod at tho sano instant so that causo-and-ooct oxlanations aio shat-
toiod. It is not sinly that Okuzakis dosiio to nuidoi causos oui lascina-
tion, noi is it sinly that oui lascination causos Okuzakis dosiio to kill.
Rathoi, thoio is an intoiiolation lotwoon tho ioal and tho viitual: tho ast,
iosont, and lutuio: tho inago and tho thing: tho stai and tho soctatoi: tho
ovont and tho ioiosontation. To catch this nonont ol ossilility, loi Haia,
is a thoioughly olitical act: ho wants to ontoi this nonont so as to ash tho
oonnoss ol tho Jaanoso social totality, to lioak thiough tho linitations ol
contonoiaiy Jaanoso socioty.
But iust as Haia iocognizos that this nonont ol uniodictalility is oliti-
cally iio, so too doos ho soon to iocognizo its dystoian dinonsion. Such
an aosthotic as ioality cultuio is nosnoiizing and an attont to koo oolo
gluod to thoii tolovision sots and ioioduco tho stiuctuio that Haia wants to
disnantlo. Tho naiiativo convontions ol tolovision, lioadcast nows, vaiioty
shows, and ouiz shows aio in ciisis: thoii aoal has woakonod. Thoio is
sinly no iotuin lion tho indolillo oxoiionco ol watching tho Gull Wai
lion tho oisoctivo ol a nissilo. It is tiuo that Haias ln and nost ol tho
tolovision iogians nontionod alovo do not uso cutting-odgo ioiosonta-
tional tochnologios, yot thoy novoitholoss oxist within a situation in which
thoso now tochnologios thiivo. In othoi woids, thoy oxist within a situation
918 Eric Cazdyn
in which oui oxoctations ol oxoiioncing tho ioal havo changod. At tians-
loinational nononts liko this thoio is always a oualitativo loa in loinal
stiatogios. Tho novo lion llack-and-whito to coloi oi lion tho sodato and
soiious iooiting ol tho nows to a noio stinulatod and iiiovoiont stylo aio
oxanlos ol this attont at iocuoiation. On ono lovol, ioality cultuio is iust
such an attont to iocuoiato tho cuiiont cultuial ciisis.
As alioady statod, thoso challongos lacing ioiosontation aio not now: in-
dood, ooctivo olitical ioiosontation has always loon linitod, and cultuial
ioiosontation always undoininod. Yot tho cuiiont challongos aio distinct,
and ono way to highlight this is ly iotuining to Inanuia Shohois ooo
The Pornographers, a ln that anticiatos tho way now ioal-tino tochnolo-
gios and a hoightonod stato ol connodicationliing to tho suilaco dioiont
iollons ol ioiosontation. The Pornographers is alout Ogata who livos in
Osaka with Haiu and hoi two childion, Kichi and Koiko, lion a loinoi
naiiiago. Haius husland diod awhilo ago, and sho loliovos that his siiit is
usot duo to hoi indolity. Ogata and two aitnois nako and distiiluto low-
ludgot oino novios loi a giowing and iotallo naikot, notwithstanding
thoii constant woiiios alout olico intoiloionco as woll as tho oncioaching
yakuza. Ogata wants to tako caio ol tho lanily and loliovos that ly solling
oinogiahy ho can ay tho oxoilitant and coiiut oducation loos loi loth
childion as woll as iovido an antidoto to a socioty that has locono hyoi-
conotitivo. (Haiu, in lact, oxlains to hoi liionds that Ogata solls nodical
instiunonts.) Altoi Haiu loconos ill and dios, Ogata loconos noio dis-
tuilod ly tho sociotal dostiuction wiought ly industiialization and tho dis-
tuiling soxual syntons that it liings. But thon, as il ioltod ly tho dialoctic
itsoll, ho soos tho utoian ossililitios ol nachinos (thoy dont talk lack)
and docidos to luild a sox doll that will olininato tho nood loi oinogia-
hy and iostitution ly iooily nanaging hunan dosiio. Living alono in
a housoloat lolow tho loauty sho that Koiko inhoiitod lion hoi nothoi,
Ogata loconos noio and noio olsossod with his ioioct until nally tho
lnonds as tho housoloats noooiing lino lioaks liontho ooi, and Ogata,
tho loat, and tho doll oat into tho oon soa.
Tho ln logins at a tiain station whoio Ogata and his aitnois noots
two anatoui actois loloio going to a socludod outdooi location to shoot an
8 nn oino novio. Tho hand-hold canoias login iolling, and thon thoio is
a iun cut to a snall sciooning ioon whoio tho thioo aitnois aio iosun-
ally watching tho ln that wo iust saw thon shoot. This ln is titlod The
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 919
Pornographerstho ln that wo havo alioady loon watching loi a low nin-
utos. With tho sound ol tho ioioctoi in lack, tho ciodits loi tho ln ioll as
wo soo iooctod on tho scioon tho thioo non watching tho ln. In this ln
insido a ln scono wo (tho viowois) aio watching thon (tho actois) watch
tho ln that thoy iust shot. But soon a stiango cai aoais on tho scioon
(thoii scioon), thon a liidgo lohind Ogatas hono, and thon tho ln insido
tho ln oxands to tako ovoi tho ontiio shot as tho sound ol tho ioioctoi
dosists. Duiing tho last scono, whon Ogatas snall housoloat is oating into
tho soa, tho sound ol tho ioioctoi iotuins, and tho scioon loconos snalloi
as wo nd ouisolvos lack in tho sciooning ioon. You undoistand this nan,
dont you Ogata? asks Bantoki. No I dont, Ogata iosonds. I wondoi il
ho will dio, nusos Kalo. Who caios, lots got on to tho noxt ono, is tho
iosonso.
On its odgos, thon, The Pornographers is oitiayod as a loatuio ln, whilo
its lody is oitiayod as iust anothoi oino ick. Fiist wo aio watching Ina-
nuias loatuio ln, thon wo aio watching tho oino ln, and thon wo nish
ly watching tho loatuio lnagain. Oi to ut this anothoi way and to ioviow
why I think this lnis so iolound, wo aio watching loth at tho sano tino.
Inanuia diaws attontion to howtho oinogiahic olonont is containod not
only within tho contont ol tho lluo lns that Ogata nakos lut in Ogata and
Haius ovoiyday lilo and in tho loatuio ln callod The Pornographers.
Whon Inanuia nado his ln in tho nid-ooos, tho soctaclo ol oi-
nogiahy (and ioality cultuio), in which its connodication ioachos tho
oint ol total occuation ol social lilo, was not yot ossillo locauso tho toch-
nology and noans ol nass ioducing it woio not yot dovolood. Donand loi
Ogatas lns lai oxcoods suly, and ho and his aitnois can only nako a
lowcoios at a tino. Although thoy havo dioans ol luilding thoii own lalo-
iatoiy in which an unlinitod nunloi ol dulications can lo ioducod, tho
caital noodod loi such a stait-u is so onoinous that only tho yakuza and
lig lusinoss can succood. At tho ond ol The Pornographers, whon Ogata has
loon living and luilding tho doll in tho housoloat loi noio than vo yoais, a
nan nanod Fuiukawa conos lionKyooi Industiios to ooi Ogata a ioo-
sition to ioin his in.
24
Fuiukawa wants to oxoit tho doll to tho South Polo
and thon oihas latoi to tho noon and Mais. Fuiukawa oxlains that his
conanys onginoois havo loon tiying to luild a doll loi a whilo, lut unliko
Ogata, thoy iust do not havo tho touch. As wo hoai tho sound ol iot lanos
ying ovoihoad, Ogata looks into tho sky as ho oxiossos his disgust at Fuiu-
920 Eric Cazdyn
kawa and thon nunllos, Idiots liko you could novoi undoistand. Fuiu-
kawa wants to oon naikots and onvisions tho doll as tho idoal connodity.
Ogata, ly tho ond ol tho ln, wants to novo loyond tho connodication
ol sox and dosiio, ly way ol tho connodity.
Inanuia soons to tuin this naiiativo tiick in oidoi to suggost that loa-
tuio lns and oinogiahic lns night soon lo indistinguishallo. This
iodiction is thon ochood thioughout tho lns conositional lovol in tho
way ho oiganizos tho niso-on-scno. Using Cinonascoo loi tho ist tino,
alnost ovoiy shot is takon thiough windows, shji, sh tanks, notal lais,
oi slightly oonod doois. In this way nuch ol oach liano is occuiod ly
thoso olstiuctions, loaving only a naiginal oitionto what night lo callod
activo contont. But iust as tho conloxity ol Inanuias naiiativo can at
tho sano tino suggost what night lo considoiod its Othoi (a oino naiia-
tivo, ioality cultuio), so too can tho conloxity ol his conositions suggost
a oinogiahic conositiona conosition that will also lo tho doninant
aosthotic ol ioality cultuio.
Il wo iocall tho shot in tho sciooning ioon whon tho liano insido tho
liano oxands to tako ovoi tho ontiio shot (whon tho oino ln takos ovoi
tho loatuio ln), what is haoning is that tho liano is ushing out, ciowd-
ing out, snung out signicant iolational olononts ol tho shot (loi oxanlo,
tho doullonoss ol tho actois looking at thonsolvos). It is iocisoly this tians-
loination (whon tho activo contont nonoolizos tho alsoluto contiality ol
tho liano to tho naiginalization ol ovoiything olso) that lacos us doad con-
toi in what night lo callod tho oinogiahic conosition, a conosition
that is loss alout tho nakodnoss oi intoicouiso ol actois and noio alout tho
contial osition ol tho lody oi ovont in tho liano. Foi Inanuia, whon tho
lody, nug shot, consunoi good, cai chaso, oi whatovoi tho activo contont
nay lo occuios tho contoi ol tho liano, it ciowds out its iolations, includ-
ing iolations anong olononts in tho niso-on-scno, iolations to histoiy, and
social iolations ol owoi. In ooo The Pornographers anticiatod this oino-
giahic aosthotic as ono that would doninato in tho docados to cono. Ina-
nuia suggosts, howovoi, that it will no longoi only lo containod within lluo
lns lut will oozo into nainstioancultuial aitilacts as woll, to tho donain
connonly callod nass cultuio: connoicial ln, tolovision, uilan signago,
and advoitising. Indood, Inanuia anticiatos ioality cultuio itsoll.
Il wo novo to Isaka Satoshis ooo [Focus], tho sinilaiitios to and dioi-
oncos lion Inanuias ln aio ouito stunning. [Focus] also onloys a ln
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 921
within a lnnaiiativo, lut instoad ol stiossing tho iolation lotwoon nn
and 8 nn (loatuio ln and lluo ln), Isaka stiossos tho iolation lotwoon
nnand vidoo (loatuio lnand tolovision). [Focus] logins with a caiolully
conosod scono ol a vidoo canoia. Tho shots lingoi and oioticizo tho can-
oia not unliko tho way a lnnight onticingly intioduco its nain actoi. Altoi
dolicatoly noving aiound tho vidoo canoia, tho ln canoia thon zoons in
on tho vidoos viowndoi until wo soo thiough it and locus on tho dulious
TVdiioctoi (Iwai) intoiacting withKanonuia (tho young oavosdiooi). Tho
vidoo liano is thon insido tho loatuio ln liano, and wo soo loth at tho
sano tino. Soon tho nain titlo loi tho ln aoais and, not unliko The Por-
nographers, tho titlo is loi loth tho vidoo insido tho ln and tho ln itsoll.
Tho iost ol tho ln is thon ioiosontod as shot thiough tho vidoo canoia,
conloto with tho haidoi vidoo inago and all ol tho ioouisito lights indicat-
ing low lattoiy, iocoid nodo, and so loith on tho sidos ol tho liano. Altoi
Kanonuia is shot doad at tho ond ol tho ln, tho lattoiy aaiontly goos
doad and thoio is an aliut cut to llack, signaling tho ln[vidoos ond.
Tho docision to ionain in vidoo loi tho wholo lnand not to iotuin to tho
loatuio ln liano is signicant, loi it naiks tho coning into loing ol tho
iociso situation Inanuia iodictod. Tho ciitical distanco that is at tho con-
toi ol Inanuias ooo ln, which allows hin to wink at us as ho calls his
high nodoinist lnoinogiahic, is nowcollasod undoi this tiansloinod
situation thiity yoais latoi. Isakas ln is not a clovoi ln alout ioality cul-
tuio, lut (as his ciitics notod altoi tho lns ionioi) it is nowioality cultuio
itsoll.
Finally, tho iolation lotwoon ioality cultuio and oinogiahy noods do-
volonont. Hallway thiough [Focus], tho young oavosdiooi (Kanonuia),
tho diioctoi, tho canoianan, and tho ioduction assistant aik on a daik
sido stioot to look at tho gun thoy iust lound. Tho diioctoi wants to ln
Kanonuia as ho viows tho gun loi tho ist tino. Disaointod with Kano-
nuias iathoi undianatic ioaction, tho diioctoi shoots tho scono two noio
tinos until Kanonuia can iooily act oxcitod. But at sono oint two cuii-
ous skatoloaidois aioach tho cai and aio nadly iniossod that an actual
tolovision showis loing ioducod. Thoy aio agog and disiutivo, and tho di-
ioctoi oidois thonto got lost. Aght onsuos, and Kanonuia onds u shoot-
ing tho two loys with tho gun. Flustoiod and no longoi contont with taking
diioction lion tho diioctoi, Kanonuia tuins tho tallos and takos tho thioo
hostago. Onco thoy iotuin to his aaitnont, Kanonuia givos tho diioctions
922 Eric Cazdyn
(loth on how thoy will doal with tho nuidois and on what and how ovoiy-
thing will lo lnod). Kanonuia loicos tho diioctoi and tho lonalo ioduc-
tion assistant to havo sox in liont ol tho canoia so that tho oinogiahic
lootago can guaiantoo tho ln ciows silonco. Altoi tho scono, Kanonuia,
iathoi disgustod at tho ioality ol oin, tuins to tho canoianan and asks why
adult vidoo is so oulai. Bocauso oolo want to soo, ouickly iosonds
tho canoianan as il answoiing tho ouostion alout tho ioality cultuio docu-
nontaiy that thoy havo loon naking all along.
25
In The Pornographers Inanuia anticiatod tho coioiatization ol tho oi-
nogiahy industiy (and ly oxtonsion ioality cultuio) and oxosod tho vul-
noialility to this tiond in his own ln iactico. In Naked Army Haia antici-
atod this now tyo ol ioality cultuio in which tho viowoi watchos an ovont
unlold in a iosunally sontanoous and unionoditatod way. But what
Inanuia, Haia, and Isaka woio ashing loi us is howthis nowtyo ol ioality
cultuio is not linitod to oxoiinontal ln, shoddy nows and ouiz shows, oi
adult vidoo. Rathoi thoy aiguo, ly way ol tho voiy loin ol thoii lns, how
this oinogiahic inulso ol ioality cultuio is shaing all cultuio. All thioo
diioctois highlight tho dosiio loi oonnoss, loi a sontanoous oiution ol
tho unoxoctod, lut thoy do so ly stiossing its sinultanoous utoian and
dystoian dinonsions.
It is iocisoly this dosiio loi tho uniodictallo that I want to suggost iolatos
to tho cuiiont lioakdown in olitical-ocononic ioiosontation. Uon tho
iocont Jaanoso ioullication and now tianslation ol Kail Maixs The Eigh-
teenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte, Kaiatani Koiin nakos a iovocativo aigu-
nont alout ioiosontational lioakdown.
26
Kaiatani dotocts a loinal iooti-
tion ol lascisn(sonothing that tho cuiiont nonont shaios with tho oos),
which is linkod to a lioakdown in ioiosontation (loth olitically and oco-
nonically). Foi Kaiatani, lascisns do not lotiay sinilai contont (tho ovonts
will indood lo dioiont), lut loinal onosa stiuctuial isonoihisn in
tho loin ol what Kaiatani calls Bonaaitisn.
27
Bonaaitisn iolois to a iogino in caitalist socioty in which tho iulo ol a
singlo individual onoigos to ioiosont all gious and classos. Ol couiso this
tyo ol ioiosontation is lunctionally inossillo within tho caitalist sys-
ton, in which tho dioiont classos nocossaiily ioouiio ioiosontativos who
will woik loi thoii aiticulai intoiostsintoiosts that aio nocossaiily at odds
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 923
with thoso ol othoi classos. But ovon this tyo ol ailianontaiy ioioson-
tation cannot idoally woik, loi il tho woiking class is iooily ioiosontod,
thon tho systonitsoll, ono that nust ooi a stiuctuial iivilogo to thoso who
own tho noans ol ioductionwould locono undono and thus unallo to
ioioduco itsoll. Whon an undoing ol this soit thioatons tho syston, and yot
tho iuling class can no longoi naintain its iulo ly ailianontaiy and consti-
tutional noans and tho woiking class is not allo to ainits ownhogonony,
a ciisis oiuts, and ailianontaiy ioiosontation givos itsoll away as liaudu-
lont. It is iocisoly at such ciisis nononts that Bonaaitisn suilacos, and
it doos so as a solution to this lioakdown ol ioiosontation.
In loth Euioo (88) and Jaan (oz~) it was tho onsot ol univoisal sul-
liago that diovo tho collaso. Undoi univoisal suiago tho iolation lotwoon
tho ioiosontativo and tho ioiosontod is ailitiaiy. Roiosontation is os-
tiangod, it doos not contain an ossontial connoction, lut tho ioiosontod
and tho ioiosontativo nay lo as lai aait as hoavon lionoaith.
28
This can
also lo said loi tho caitalist oconony. Tho iolation lotwoon nonoy and tho
connodity is ailitiaiy, noaning that thoio is no ossontial iolation lotwoon
vo hundiod yon and a lowl ol soba. But that lact nust lo in a constant stato
ol ioiossion. Whon ciisis hits, howovoi, tho ioiossod iotuins, and tho iola-
tion lotwoon nonoy and connodity is iovoalod as ailitiaiy: nonoy is thon
hoaidod so as to nanago tho now unstallo syston ol valuo. And it is io-
cisoly at nononts ol ciisis whon this ailitiaiinoss ol tho ioiosontational
syston is iovoalod and tho situation is iinod loi Bonaaitisn. Kaiatani
iosonts tho oxanlo ol how tho Jaanoso oasants ol tho oos iovoiod
tho onoioi as thoii nastoi and doclaios, This oivoitod ioiosontation
occuis not by a mythos doscondod lionanciont tinos, as advocatod ly sono
cultuial anthioologists, lut ly a lack innanont in tho nodoin syston ol
ioiosontation. Ho concludos ly adding, Wo should not loigot that tho ad-
vont ol tho syston ol ioiosontation oloctod ly univoisal suiago iocodod
tho occasion ol Enoioi lascisn, and not vico voisa.
29
In othoi woids, tho
onoioi onoigos as a voiy nodoin solution to an ooually nodoin ciisis in
tho ioiosontational syston.
As loi tho caitalist syston, tho ciisis ol ioiosontation aoais as nan-
cial anic: loi oxanlo, tho Fionch louigooisio onliacod Bonaaito altoi
tho anic ol 8. Thoio was a ciisis in tho oconony, duo to tho lalling iato
ol iot, which thon had to lo nanagod ly colonial olicios. At this ciisis
oint (in tho niddlo ol tho ninotoonth contuiy) Louis Bonaaito onoigod to
924 Eric Cazdyn
souaio tho ciiclo (to lo a iotoctionist andlioo-tiadoi, a nationalist andintoi-
nationalist). Hitloi and Hiiohito onoigod at sinilai oints in tho oos.
Altoi sotting u this stiuctuial iootition, Kaiatani thon dolivois tho toiii-
lying loico ol his aigunont: tho cuiiont ciisos in loth tho nation-stato (tho
ailianontaiy syston ol ioiosontation) and tho caitalist syston (which
can no longoi lo nanagod ly national ocononios) auguis a Bonaaitisnin
tho yoais to cono.
As tho docision-naking owoi ol national ioiosontativos doclinos lui-
thoi intho laco ol tho iising owoi ol tiansnational oxocutivos, tho ossilility
will onoigo loi a tiansnational ioiosontativoa tiansnational Bonaaito.
This guio will lo allo to aoal to tho woiking classos ol vaiious nations
as woll as to tho tiansnational nanagoiial class. Duo to a hoightonod stato ol
(cololiatoiy) glolalization discouiso and iolunctionalizod national idoolo-
gios, a tiansnational ioiosontativo ol this soit night not iosont tho sano
thioat as an oldoi national olitician ciossing loidois to savo a suoiing
oolo (tho inoiial aiadign). Rathoi, tho now ioiosontativo night voiy
woll aoai to shoit-ciicuit tho usual oik-laiiol olitics ol a national situa-
tion. Poihas tho cuiiont ciisis in Jaan in which ovoiyono lanonts a lack ol
loadoishi, oi at loast loadois who aio lought and sold to such a dogioo that
it soons systonically inossillo to ionoto olicios ol any signicanco, is
a sign ol things to cono. Malaysias Mohannod Mahatii notwithstanding,
aio not tho loadois and constituoncios ol nany countiios ioady and willing
to havo glolal lusinoss oxocutivos cono and savo tho day?
What I want to add to this aigunont is that with tho dystoian dinon-
sion ol Bonaaitisn conos a utoian ono: indood, it is inossillo to havo
ono without tho othoi. Moioovoi, this gonuinoly utoian dinonsion is loi-
nally iooatod thioughout nodoin histoiy. What nust lo stiossod, how-
ovoi, is that this is no noio cooxistonco ol tho lascist andutoiandinonsions
ol social lilo, so that tho otinist choosos tho utoian oisoctivo and tho
ossinist tho lascist ono. Rathoi, loth dinonsions woik sinultanoously, in
dynanic iolation so that oach sulononts tho loico and ossilility ol tho
othoi. In shoit, ovoiy nonont ol lascisn nocossaiily iosuosos a sinul-
tanoous nonont ol utoian tianscondonco. Doos tho cuiiont lioakdown
in olitical-ocononic ioiosontation ioduco not only tho ossilility loi an
undonociatic tiansnational Bonaaito lut a loin ol donociatic ioioson-
tation that oxcoods tho nation-stato? And il so, thon what night such a loin
look oi lool liko?
I nd it nuch noio dicult to soculato on this than on a tiansna-
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 925
tional Bonaaito, lut as usual, cultuial ioducts and tho aosthotic in gonoial
aio good lacos to soaich loi hints oi ashos as to what tho lutuio night
hold. I will concludo ly ooiing a liiol oxanlo. In tho lato o8os an odd
ovont occuiiod on lato-night, oaily-noining Jaanoso tolovision. At alout
thioo oi loui in tho noining, signals would lo iociicuitod and inagos and
audio would aoai, ickoiing liko tolovision lioadcasts ol a lygono oia lo-
loio satollitosindood loloio tolovision itsoll. Visillo yot invisillo, invisillo
yot visillo: aintings could lo discoinod. A oison ioad a oon. Thoio
woio lanily hotogiahs, old docunontaiy lootago ol Woild Wai II wai
ciininals, and Zongakuion dononstiations. A sulcultuio onoigod. Poolo
would stay u and wait loi tho ghostly inagos. It was haid to iodict whon
thoy would aoai oi what thoy would lo. Ol couiso, tho tolovision coio-
iations woio concoinod, and so too was tho govoinnont. Was it an insido
iol? Sono loloaguoiod ovoiwoikod salaiynan sottling scoios? An intoina-
tional lot? A cult? No ono soonod to know, and nany in tho sulcultuio
did not want to know. But thon, loloio tho ovont could locono sonothing
liggoi, loloio it could locono Histoiy, tho inagosliko tho at ush ond
ol a dioan oi tho last instant ol lilostood.
I wondoi il this tyo ol ioality cultuio, in which tho attiaction is in oxoii-
oncing sonothing inossillo, sonothing that thioads tho noodlo andlioaks
oon a wholo now saco ol ioiosontation, doos not suggost a now loin ol
olitical ioiosontation. Poihas it is a loin that is inossillo to ioalizo at
tho iosont tino, a tionlling ol a now loin ol donociatic ioiosontation.
Poihas it is a ioiosontation that nust ioduco itsoll, that nust aioii-
ato tochnology, that nust oxcood tho nation, that nust lioak thiough stiuc-
tuios, that nust luild now notwoiks. Do tho now loins ol ioiosontation
intinatod ly ioality cultuio and tho ghostly tolovisual ashos suggost things
to cono?
Notes
Fion ooo to tho ond ol oo~ Jaans lalling naikots oiasod noio than s tiillion in tho
valuo ol Jaans stocks and ioal ostato. In tho ist ouaitoi ol oo8, noioovoi, Jaans ocon-
ony sank ly a stunning annual iato ol . oicont, naiking a lull-yoai doclino loi tho ist
tino sinco tho oil ciisos in tho o~os and tho woist annual ocononic outut sinco Woild
Wai II. Alout tho sano tino, Aiil ~, oo8, tho DowJonos Industiial Avoiago closod alovo
o,ooo loi tho ist tino and was woll on its way to noio iocoid highs. Many iocognizod
Jaan as onoiging lion iocossion, howovoi, altoi tho ist-ouaitoi iosults ol ooo indi-
catod that ioal gioss donostic ioduction had giown ly z oicont altoi vo consocutivo
ouaitois ol doclino. Still, Pax Japonica, The Japanese Century, Zen Capitalism, and all ol tho
926 Eric Cazdyn
othoi hiasos onloyod to cololiato tho Jaanoso nodol aio now doad and luiiod. Eco-
nonic statistics takon lion World Economic Outlook: International Financial Contagion, A
Survey by the Sta of the International Monetary Fund (Washington, DC, ooo).
z Evon thoso in tho nainstioan nodia (loth tho Jaanoso and loioign ioss) soonod to
sonso this whon thoy lollowod Hashinotos ullic soll-adnonition ly tiunoting a ciisis
in ooctivo olitical loadoishi oi, to ut this into tho languago loing usod hoio, a ciisis
ol ioiosontation.
Aun was tho cult that iacticod a scalod-down loin ol Indian Buddhisn in Jaan. Lod
ly Asahaia Shk, Aun cano undoi susicion loi ciininal activitios ovon loloio tho in-
lanous oo saiin attack in tho Tokyo sulway syston.
NHK supesharu: Oku Himaraya kindan no okokuMusutan |NHK socialMustang: Tho
loiliddon kingdon doo in tho Hinalayas| (Tokyo, ooz).
OnOgawa Shinsuko, soo Ogawa Shinsuko, Ogawa Shinsuke: Eiga o Toru, od. Yanano Tada-
shi (Tokyo, oo), and Eiikawa Tadashi, Ogawa Shinsuke o Kataru (Tokyo, ooz).
o Political ocononist Ito Makoto has wiitton oxtonsivoly alout Jaans tiansition to this now
stago ol tiansnational caitalisn. Soo Ito Makoto, Keizai Riron to Gendai Shihon (Tokyo,
o8~): Sekai Keizai no Naka no Nihon (Tokyo, o88): Seikai Keizai no Tenkan o Kangaeru
(Tokyo, oo): and Nihon Shihon-shugi no Kiro (Tokyo, oo).
~ Doug Honwood, Wall Street: How It Works and for Whom (London, oo~), o.
8 Yanada Atsushi, Advancos in Tochnology Call loi Now Moasuios to Stalilizo Maikots,
Asahi Shinbun, August zo, oo8.
o Honwood, Wall Street, . In o~~ loioign cuiioncy iosoivos anountod to noio than loui-
toon days ol tho anount sont on loioign cuiioncy tiansactions: ly oo8 tho tiansactions
thonsolvos (s. tiillion) woio gioatoi than tho iosoivos (s.z tiillion). Soo Yanada, Ad-
vancos in Tochnology Call loi Now Moasuios to Stalilizo Maikots.
o Paul Kiugnan, Aio Cuiioncy Ciisos Soll-lullling? NBER Macroeconomics Annual,
ooo.
On tho tiansnational caitalist class, soo Loslio Sklaii, The Sociology of the Global System
(Baltinoio, oo), ~.
z Sklaii soons to ovoistato tho caso ly aiguing that tho cultuial-idoological shoio (in this
caso tho glolal idoology ol consunoiisnas iolacing national idoologios) will lo noving
at tho sano sood as tho olitical-ocononic shoio.
Tho onoiging inuonco ol citizons gious lod to tho onactnont ol tho Noniot Oigani-
zation Law (NPO) in Doconloi oo8. Noaily ono thousand gious iocoivod ocial NPO
status ovoi tho lollowing yoai. Thoy locus ona iango ol activitios, lut thoii connonthioad
is to iotoct and onhanco ullic intoiost. Foi oxanlo, loading u to tho wintoi ooo
Woild Tiado Oiganization conloionco in Soattlo, a low gious (calling loi a iothinking ol
lioo tiado) had loon causing iollons loi govoinnont ocials. Oi thoio is tho citizons
giou inSondai that iotostod tho nillionyonloctuio loo givonto Maigaiot Thatchoi in
ooo. Wo can also add to this list tho ocology, honoloss, conloit wonon, and antinucloai
novononts and tho AIDS scandal ovoi taintod llood, as woll as tho call loi cononsation
ly Koioan laloiois whonMitsulishi loicilly liought to Hiioshina duiing Woild Wai II.
All ouotos tianslatod lion tho sconaiio iintod in Haia Kazuo, Dokyumento: Yukyukite
Shingun (Tokyo, oo), ozz.
Representation, Reality Culture, and Global Capitalism 927
Matsuda Masao and Takahashi Takotono, ods., Gunron Yukiyukite Shingun (Tokyo, o88).
o Kuioko Kazuo, Nichiio o Utsu Shingun, Soshito Hitotsu no Wadakanaii, in Matsuda
and Takahashi, Gunron Yukiyukite Shingun, zo.
~ Ilid., o.
8 Haia Kazuo, Sakusha no Hatsugon, in Matsuda and Takahashi, Gunron Yukiyukite Shin-
gun, .
o Ilid., ~.
zo Guy Doloid, Society of the Spectacle (Dotioit, o8), 8, .
z On Viiilios notion ol tho gonoial accidont, soo Paul Viiilio, Open Sky, tians. Julio Roso
(London, oo~), oo8o.
zz Viiilio wiitos alout this shilt ly ioloiiing to a ouoto ly Alliod Hitchcock: Unliko cinona
with tolovision thoio is no tino loi susonso, you can only havo suiiiso. Viiilio thon
oxlains that this is tho voiy donition ol tho aiadoxical logic ol tho vidooliano which
iivilogos tho accidont, tho suiiiso, ovoi tho duiallo sulstanco ol tho nossago (Paul
Viiilio, The Vision Machine |Bloonington, oo|, o).
z In tho voiy last chatoi ol Cinema : The Time Image, Gillos Dolouzo calls this tyo ol
inago a ciystal. Ho wiitos, Wo aio no longoi in tho situation ol a iolationshi lotwoon
tho actual inago and othoi viitual inagos, iocolloctions, oi dioans, which thus locono
actual in tuin: this is still a nodo ol linkago. Wo aio in tho situation ol an actual inago and
its own viitual inago, to tho oxtont that thoio is no longoi any linkago ol tho ioal with tho
inaginaiy, lut indiscoinilility ol tho two, a oiotual oxchango (Gillos Dolouzo, Cinema
: The Time Image, tians. Hugh Tonlinson and Roloit Galota |Minnoaolis, oo|, z~).
z Although wo novoi soo tho Chinoso chaiactois loi kyoei, it night not lo too nuch ol a
stiotch to ioad kyo as ioiosonting tho chaiactoi loi oducation and ei loi that ol ln. This
ioading goos hand in hand with tho aigunont that Inanuia is inlicating loth tho odu-
cation and tho ln industiios in tho iuin wiought ly lato caitalisn.
z In lact, ono ol tho nost iolound oxiossions ol ioality cultuio can lo soon in tho iocont
nutation in tho adult vidoo (AV) industiy in Jaan: in AV docunontaiy, what I call Docu-
Poinogiahy. Sovonty-vo oicont ol cuiiont AVlnis docunontaiy, which is to say that
thoso lns naiiativos aio not couchod in ction (il wo aio still to invost thoso toins with
thoii tiaditional noanings). Thoso aio lns in which a nan, iosunally tho lnnakoi,
walks tho stioots soaiching loi wonon to sloo with. Unliko tho oailioi nodos ol AV, in
which thoio is, howovoi insy, a naiiativo ction to hang tho sox on, this now gonio ol
Jaanoso AV is tho nonctional account ol a nan asking loi sox.
zo I will lo ouoting lion Ksalui Kohsos English tianslation titlod Roiosontation and
Rootition: The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte Rovisitod, in Karatani Forum,
htt:[[www.kaiataniloiun.oig[ioiosont.htnl.
z~ Kaiatani wiitos, Whonwo say that tho ooos will lo sinilai to tho oos, it doos not ouito
noan that tho sano ovont will iooat itsoll. Rootition occuis not in ovonts thonsolvos,
lut in tho loin innanont in thon (ilid., ).
z8 Kail Maix, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (Now Yoik, o8~), .
zo Kaiatani, Roiosontation and Rootition, o.