Accelerationism is just Capitalism — and “e/acc” is a Dangerous Delusion
Accelerationism — for those who are blissfully unaware — is the idea that the best way to achieve a better future is by accelerating technological progress and societal change, even if it leads to temporary instability or upheaval.
That might not sound so bad, but unfortunately the more you know about accelerationism the more horrifically dystopian it gets. I’ve put off writing this article for some time because it’s been difficult to know where to start.
There are not actually any new ideas in accelerationism — a more accurate description would be “free-market capitalism, but with zero safeguards.”
Given this fact, “e/acc” is a particularly perverse abbreviation of “Effective Accelerationism”, seemingly stylized in the manner of the “Effective Altruism” movement — except far less altruistic.
Accelerationists of course, claim to believe that their own grift or delusion is in fact the most altruistic! Regulations are “decelerationist”, or “decel”.
What this means is that those who might advocate for some kind of checks and balances on amoral or flatly…
