This talk explores the fast-evolving relationship between art and politics in the 21st century, using the 2026 ICE occupation in Minneapolis as a prism. It argues that 20th century Western style history—based in the teleological pursuit of formal novelty—has not simply been exhausted; it has now reached a state of saturation. This saturation is evidenced by data showing a marked decline in new musical genres since 2000, as digital platforms transition into what Cory Doctorow calls an "enshittified" political economy of stagnant monopolies and AI-generated content. Drawing on Georges Bataille’s theory of expenditure, the talk posits that the power of art is shifting away from formal innovation toward reenchanted forms of social practice. By linking Jacques Attali’s concepts of noise and sacrifice to the metaphysical impact of witnessing state terror, it argues that music today may be disclosing its truths through instances of purposeless, non-economic expenditure.

Sponsored by The Evelyn Herold Colloquium Series in Humanities and the Film and Media Studies program. Free and open to the public.