The Blurring Lines Between Politics and Performance Art

In today’s political landscape,the lines between genuine governance and calculated performance art are becoming increasingly blurred. From performative shopping exercises involving figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin’s carefully constructed displays of power, politicians are adopting techniques once confined to the avant-garde.

Aesthetics of Affect: Provocation and Disruption as Political Tools

Cultural sociologist Ulrich Bröckling notes that the appropriation of artistic techniques by political movements, particularly radical ones, is not a new phenomenon. Historically,fascist regimes embraced the “aestheticization of politics.” Today, however, a different set of aesthetics is at play: those of interruption, disruption, provocation, and irritation – all aimed directly at manipulating emotions.

That politics, especially politics, wich radically gets, takes up techniques of art, especially avant -garde art, is nothing new.
Ulrich Bröckling, Cultural sociologist

This strategy seeks to bypass rational thought, appealing instead to raw, visceral reactions. Consider the rise of populist movements globally, which often rely on emotionally charged rhetoric and divisive narratives to galvanize support. according to a recent study by the Pew Research center, emotional appeals are significantly more effective in persuading individuals with strong partisan affiliations than fact-based arguments.

Politicians as Artists: Recycling Authoritarian Aesthetics

Media artist Hito Steyerl observes a growing trend of politicians behaving like artists, employing shock tactics and transgression to paralyze critical thinking. This echoes strategies used by historical figures like Richard Wagner, Filippo Marinetti, and Gabriele D’Annunzio, who weaponized spectacle and provocation to overwhelm their audiences.

We currently see this very clearly that politicians are trying to behave like artists…[using] shock and transgression strategies to put the audience into a kind of paralysis and shock rigid that have fully banged with a bombast to paralyze their ability to think.
Hito Steyerl, Media Artist

This “recycling” of authoritarian aesthetics manifests in various forms, from cosplay and travesty to carefully orchestrated mass spectacles, all serving the purpose of authoritarian populism. The implications are profound, raising questions about the role of critical discourse and informed decision-making in a society increasingly driven by emotional manipulation.

Art’s Response: Retreat or relevance?

Steyerl suggests that contemporary art is experiencing a “role backwards” in response to these trends,with artists turning to traditional crafts and materials. While this isn’t inherently problematic, she cautions against escapism and reactionary tendencies that may arise from losing touch with the present. The challenge for artists lies in finding ways to engage with the complexities of the modern world without succumbing to the same tactics of emotional manipulation employed by politicians.

The Overwhelm Strategy: Trump and the Politics of Impossibility

The goal, according to bröckling, is to overwhelm the audience, preventing them from engaging in critical thought. Donald Trump, in particular, has mastered the art of “outbidding” through constant provocation and the creation of impossible scenarios. This tactic, akin to Olaf Metzel’s “free staircase” that cannot be entered, establishes a sense of omnipotence, conveying the message that reality can be molded at will.

If someone can model reality at will, then they are almost almighty and this message is understood by their followers exactly as much…This is a strategy of irritation that does not aim to convince, but that aims to unsettle, overwhelm, irritate.
Ulrich Bröckling, Cultural Sociologist

Disruption as a Career Path: Creative Destruction in the Age of Tech Oligarchs

Disruption, often characterized by jerky disorder, has become a pathway to success, particularly in the realm of technology. Steyerl connects this phenomenon to the concept of “creative destruction,” coined by economist Joseph schumpeter in the 1920s. This principle suggests that destruction can be a productive force, a model that Steyerl fears is being embraced by tech oligarchs and, by extension, influencing the political sphere.

Affect Policy: Flattening Discourse Through Emotion

The reliance on affect policy, a rabid form of emotional manipulation, dominates attention and thrives on the frictional heat of social media. Bröckling argues that the affective nature of social media is spilling over into other areas of culture,leading to personalization and polarization.This dynamic fosters a “thinking without railings,” prioritizing creative vastness over reason and nuanced understanding.

The fact that the social media rely on affects and mobilize affects is also spilling on other areas of culture…Personalization would be an elementary strategy of this form of popularization. And on the other hand, it is stories that polarize.
Ulrich Bröckling, Sociologist