Perverse attraction: Idolatry, pornography, and the making of infrastructure Journal Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The making of novel infrastructure often involves some kind of faith. This article considers a pair of experiments in the context of blockchain infrastructure led by entrepreneur Ameen Soleimani: MolochDAO and SpankChain, a grant fund and a sex-worker payments network, respectively. These enact a strategy we describe as “perverse attraction,” or the inversion of dominant moral hierarchies as a means of cultivating faithful practice around a still-incomplete infrastructural project. Although the technology at play is new, the strategy for advancing it reiterates the development of past infrastructures, from print cultures to the early internet. These precursors and the present case suggest that the strategy of perverse attraction, while occurring under the guise of empowerment, risks reinforcing the marginalization of its human participants.

publication date

  • April 2, 2024

has restriction

  • hybrid

Date in CU Experts

  • April 2, 2024 11:40 AM

Full Author List

  • Dana C; Schneider N; Schneider N

author count

  • 3

Other Profiles

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0591-2385

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1467-9744

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 0

issue

  • 0