In 1964, philosopher Herbert Marcuse wrote the book 'One-Dimensional Man'. He explained how our needs and desires are encapsulated and manipulated by a system that benefits from having control over them. In the one-dimensional reality he outlines, we see how humans are made instrumental, and how the system – to which we must submit – could be considered totalitarian. Much has changed since the publication of his book, yet Marcuse's description remains dauntingly contemporary. In the panel talk I organized during the exhibition 'Two Dimensional-Man' at Vrij Paleis in Amsterdam, the speakers explore alternatives to the system in place. Nilab Ahmadi is a municipal councillor in Amsterdam and works towards implementing her anti-imperialist and system-critical vision. Marian Donner is, among many other things, a thinker and writer. In 2022, she wrote the book The Great Refusal, which loosely connects to Marcuse's concept of the "Great Refusal". Jazz Exel is a philosopher primarily focused on political philosophy. Lorraine Minnaar moderates the talk.
