A new Anthropocene aesthetics: Mediating Harman, Morton, and Boysen

Abstract Practitioners of Object‐Oriented Ontology (OOO) have critiqued the metaphysical assumptions of contemporary poetry, and particularly the position of the lyric speaker. Scholars such as Graham Harman and Timothy Morton have positioned themselves as critics of these lyric sensibilities. In recent years, concerns have risen around their critiques and presuppositions, particularly around epistemology. “A new Anthropocene aesthetics” joins with accumulating scholarly concerns around the efficacy of an object‐oriented aesthetics. Investigating the claims of these practitioners, it asks what a responsible poetics of the Anthropocene entails and what aesthetic commitments mean for ontological systems. Some scholars, such as Benjamin Boysen, have dismissed OOO entirely, claiming its inconsistencies disqualify its critiques. However, these readings have commonly misunderstood the nuances of the relevant arguments. Utilizing the work of dg nanouk okpik, the present essay argues that poetics has a path forward that takes seriously the critiques of Harman and Morton, while also recognizing the shortcomings of their work. Using okpik's work as a model, it seeks to determine how a responsible concept of the poetic subject position might be constructed for a new geologic age.