Dominic Pettman on Eros, Ecology, and the Future of Attention

In an interview with Artribune's 'Futuro Antico' series, Anglo-Australian academic Dominic Pettman discusses his interdisciplinary work on culture, technology, and the human body. Pettman, director of the Culture & Media program at Eugene Lang College and professor at the New School for Social Research, has recently had his book 'Ecologia erotica. Sesso, libido e collasso del desiderio' translated into Italian. He cites inspiration from the collective 'The Order of the Third Bird,' which practices sustained collective attention to artworks, and from speculative designers Dunne & Raby. Pettman is working on an unofficial trilogy on 'libidinal ecology' comprising 'Creaturely Love,' 'Sonic Intimacy,' and 'Peak Libido.' He argues that desires have become distorted in the age of hypermedia and climate catastrophe, and that the capacity for genuine care is collapsing. He critiques Silicon Valley's narrow vision of the future and warns against the dangers of 'innovation' and 'disruption.' Pettman advocates for 'degrowth,' 'deceleration,' and 'delight' as guiding principles. He advises young intellectuals against pursuing PhDs as secure career paths, noting the disappearance of full-time academic positions. The interview was conducted by Marco Bassan of Spazio Taverna.