Botch: Blog

I've been spending a lot of time reading the collected critical writings of the founder of Italian futurism F.T. Marinetti.  By most accounts the man was a psychopath, war-mongerer, misogynist, and bad poet.  He was also a major catalyst in the whole idea of an artistic avant-garde.  Above all he glorified technology.  Again and again he writes about how machines, speed, and war will purify the human spirit from a murky romantic past and hurl us headlong into a weightless, well lit, and glorious future.  As far as I can tell this general faith in technology as the bringer of speed, power, and all-over-brightness is still going strong - just look at the Apple ad campaigns.  I'd like dig out some of the violence which no doubt festers under the surface of our present day seemingly serene techno-complacency.