T h e Ticklish Subject The Absent Centre o f Political Ontology
SLAVOJ
ZIZEK
V VERSO London • New York
First p u b l i s h e d bv V e r s o 1 9 9 9 © Slavoj Z i i e k 1 9 9 9 P a p e r b a c k e d i t i o n first p u b l i s h e d bv \ ' e r s o 2 0 0 0 © Slavoj Zizek 2 0 0 0 All rights r e s e r v e d T h e m o r a l rights o f t h e a u t h o r have b e e n asserted Verso UK: 0 M e a r d Street, L o n d o n WTV 3 H R US: 180 Varick Street, New York, N Y 1 0 0 1 4 - 4 6 0 6 V e r s o is t h e i m p r i n t o f N e w Left B o o k s ISBN 1 - 8 5 9 8 4 - 2 9 1 - 7 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A c a t a l o g u e r e c o r d f o r this b o o k is available from t h e British Library' Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A c a t a l o g r e c o r d f o r this b o o k is available f r o m t h e Library of C o n g r e s s T y p e s e t by SetSystems L t d , Saffron W a l d e n , Essex P r i n t e d by Biddies L t d , G u i l d f o r d a n d King's L y n n
WO ES WAR
A series f r o m V e r s o e d i t e d by Slavoj Zizek
Wo es war, soil ich werden
- Where
it was, I shall
come into
being
— is F r e u d ' s
v e r s i o n o f t h e E n l i g h t e n m e n t g o a l o f k n o w l e d g e t h a t is i n i t s e l f a n a c t o f l i b e r a t i o n . Is i t still p o s s i b l e t o p u r s u e t h i s g o a l t o d a y , i n t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f l a t e c a p i t a l i s m ? I f ' i t ' t o d a y is t h e twin r u l e o f p r a g m a t i c - r e l a t i v i s t
New
S o p h i s t s a n d N e w A g e o b s c u r a n t i s t s , w h a t ' s h a l l c o m e i n t o b e i n g ' i n its place? T h e premiss
o f t h e s e r i e s is t h a t t h e
explosive c o m b i n a t i o n
L a c a n i a n psychoanalysis a n d Marxist tradition detonates a d y n a m i c
of
free
d o m that e n a b l e s us to q u e s t i o n t h e very p r e s u p p o s i t i o n s o f t h e c i r c u i t o f Capital. In the same S l a v o j Z i z e k , The Metastases
series:
of Enjoyment:
J e r e m y B e n t h a m , The Panopticon
Six Essays
Writings.
on Woman
and
Causality
E d i t e d a n d i n t r o d u c e d by M i r a n
Bozovic S l a v o j Z i z e k , The Indivisible
Remainder:
An
Essay
on Schelling
and
Related
of the East.
Trans
Matters A l a i n G r o s r i c h a r d , The Sultan's
Court:
European
Fantasies
lated by Liz H e r o n a n d i n t r o d u c e d by M l a d e n D o l a r S l a v o j Z i z e k , The Plague R e n a t a S a l e c l , (Per)Versions
of
Fantasies of Love
and.
Hate
Forthcoming: A l e n k a Z u p a n c i c , Ethics Alain Badiou,
Ethics
of the Real:
Kant,
Lacan
Contents
I n t r o d u c t i o n : A S p e c t r e Is H a u n t i n g W e s t e r n A c a d e m i a . . .
Part I 1
1
T h e 'Night o f the World'
The Deadlock as a Reader
of Transcendental
7
Imagination,
or, Martin
Heidegger
of Kant
9
H e i d e g g e r i a n P o l i t i c a l ( D i s ) E n g a g e m e n t - W h y D i d Being
and
Time R e m a i n U n f i n i s h e d ? - T h e T r o u b l e w i t h T r a n s c e n d e n t a l Imagination - T h e Passage through Madness - T h e Violence o f I m a g i n a t i o n - T h e M o n s t r o u s - K a n t with David L y n c h Kant's Acosmism
2
The Hegelian
Ticklish
Subject
70
W h a t Is ' N e g a t i o n o f N e g a t i o n ' ? - T h e D i a l e c t i c a l A n a m o r p h o s i s - 3 , 4 , 5 - T h e Speculative
Identity o f Substance
and Subject - T h e Hegelian Forced Choice -
'Concrete
U n i v e r s a l i t y ' - ' R a t h e r t h a n w a n t n o t h i n g . . .' - ' I n c l u d e m e out!' - Towards a Materialist T h e o r y o f G r a c e
P a r t II 3
T h e Split Universality
The Politics
of Truth,
or, Alain
125 Badiou
as a Reader
of St Paul
T h e T r u t h - E v e n t . . . . . . . a n d Its U n d e c i d a b i l i t y - T r u t h
127 and
I d e o l o g y - St Paul with B a d i o u - B e t w e e n the T w o D e a t h s T h e L a c a n i a n S u b j e c t - T h e Master o r the Analyst?
4
Political
Subjectivization
and Its Vicissitudes
171
B a d i o u , B a l i b a r , R a n c i e r e - H e g e m o n y a n d Its S y m p t o m s
-
Enter the Subject - W h y Are Ruling Ideas Not the Ideas o f T h o s e W h o R u l e ? - T h e P o l i t i c a l a n d Its D i s a v o w a l s - T h e ( M i s ) U s e s o f A p p e a r a n c e - P o s t - P o l i t i c s - Is T h e r e a Progressive Eurocentrism? - T h e T h r e e Universals Multiculturalism - F o r a Leftist S u s p e n s i o n o f the Law - T h e Ambiguity o f Excremental Identification - Embracing the Act
Part III 5
F r o m S u b j e c t i o n to Subjective Destitution
Passionate
(Dis)Attachments,
or, Judith
Butler
as a Reader
245 of Freud
247
W h y P e r v e r s i o n Is N o t S u b v e r s i o n - I d e o l o g i c a l I n t e r p e l l a t i o n - F r o m Resistance to the Act - 'Traversing the Fantasy' - T h e Melancholic Double-Bind - T h e Real o f Sexual Difference M a s o c h i s t i c D e c e p t i o n - F r o m D e s i r e to Drive . . . a n d B a c k
6
Whither
Oedipus?
313
T h e T h r e e Fathers - T h e Demise o f Symbolic Efficiency - T h e R i s k S o c i e t y a n d Its E n e m i e s - T h e Unbehagen S o c i e t y - I t ' s t h e PoliticalEconomy,
in the Risk
S t u p i d ! - R e t u r n s in t h e
R e a l - T h e E m p t y L a w - F r o m Phallus to t h e A c t - B e y o n d t h e Good
Index
401
Introduction: A Spectre Is Haunting Western Academia . . .
. . . the s p e c t r e o f t h e Cartesian subject. All a c a d e m i c powers have e n t e r e d i n t o a h o l y a l l i a n c e to e x o r c i z e this s p e c t r e : t h e N e w A g e
obscurantist
( w h o wants to s u p e r s e d e t h e ' C a r t e s i a n p a r a d i g m ' towards a n e w holistic approach)
and the postmodern
s i a n s u b j e c t is a d i s c u r s i v e
deconstructionist
fiction,
(for w h o m the Carte
an effect o f d e c e n t r e d textual m e c h a n
i s m s ) ; t h e H a b e r m a s i a n t h e o r i s t o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n ( w h o insists o n a shift f r o m Cartesian m o n o l o g i c a l subjectivity to discursive intersubjectivity) a n d the Heideggerian proponent need
to
current prove
'traverse' ravaging
the
nihilism); the
empirically that
pandemonium
o f the t h o u g h t o f B e i n g ( w h o stresses the
horizon there
subjectivity c u l m i n a t i n g
in
cognitive scientist (who endeavours
of modern
to
is n o
unique
scene
o f the
Self, j u s t
a
o f c o m p e t i n g forces) and the D e e p Ecologist (who blames
Cartesian mechanicist materialism for providing the philosophical
foun
dation for the ruthless exploitation o f n a t u r e ) ; the critical (post-)Marxist ( w h o insists t h a t t h e i l l u s o r y f r e e d o m o f t h e b o u r g e o i s t h i n k i n g s u b j e c t is rooted
in
class division)
a l l e g e d l y s e x l e s s cogito
and
the
feminist
(who
emphasizes
that
the
is i n f a c t a m a l e p a t r i a r c h a l f o r m a t i o n ) . W h e r e is
t h e a c a d e m i c o r i e n t a t i o n w h i c h h a s n o t b e e n a c c u s e d b y its o p p o n e n t s o f n o t yet properly disowning hurled back the branding
the Cartesian heritage? A n d which has reproach
not
o f C a r t e s i a n s u b j e c t i v i t y a g a i n s t its
m o r e ' r a d i c a l ' c r i t i c s , as w e l l as its ' r e a c t i o n a r y ' a d v e r s a r i e s ? T w o things r e s u l t f r o m this: 1. C a r t e s i a n s u b j e c t i v i t y c o n t i n u e s t o b e a c k n o w l e d g e d b y all a c a d e m i c p o w e r s as a p o w e r f u l a n d still a c t i v e i n t e l l e c t u a l t r a d i t i o n .
•J
2 . I t is h i g h t i m e t h a t t h e p a r t i s a n s o f C a r t e s i a n s u b j e c t i v i t y s h o u l d , i n t h e f a c e o f t h e w h o l e w o r l d , p u b l i s h t h e i r views, t h e i r a i m s , t h e i r
tenden
c i e s , a n d m e e t t h i s nursery- t a l e o f t h e S p e c t r e o f C a r t e s i a n s u b j e c t i v i t y with t h e p h i l o s o p h i c a l m a n i f e s t o o f C a r t e s i a n subjectivity itself. This
book
thus
endeavours
to
reassert
the
Cartesian
r e j e c t i o n f o r m s t h e s i l e n t p a c t o f all t h e s t r u g g l i n g
subject,
parties
whose
of
today's
a c a d e m i a : a l t h o u g h all t h e s e o r i e n t a t i o n s a r e o f f i c i a l l y i n v o l v e d i n a d e a d l y battle ( H a b e r m a s i a n s versus deconstrucdonists; cognitive scientists versus N e w A g e o b s c u r a n t i s t s . . . ) , t h e y a r e all u n i t e d i n t h e i r r e j e c t i o n o f t h e C a r t e s i a n s u b j e c t . T h e p o i n t , o f c o u r s e , is n o t t o r e t u r n t o t h e cogito i n t h e guise in w h i c h
this n o t i o n
has d o m i n a t e d
modern
thought
(the
t r a n s p a r e n t t h i n k i n g s u b j e c t ) , b u t t o b r i n g t o l i g h t its f o r g o t t e n t h e e x c e s s i v e , u n a c k n o w l e d g e d k e r n e l o f t h e cogito,
self-
obverse,
w h i c h is f a r f r o m
the
pacifying i m a g e o f t h e t r a n s p a r e n t Self. T h e t h r e e parts o f t h e b o o k focus o n t o d a y ' s t h r e e m a i n f i e l d s i n w h i c h s u b j e c t i v i t y is at s t a k e : t h e of German
Idealism; post-Althusserian
structionist'
shift f r o m
positions
and
tradition
political philosophy; the
'decon-
S u b j e c t to the p r o b l e m a t i c o f multiple
subject-
subjectivizations.
1
E a c h p a r t starts with
a chapter
on
a
crucial a u t h o r whose work r e p r e s e n t s an e x e m p l a r y critique o f Cartesian subjectivity;
a second
fundamental
chapter
then
deals with
the
vicissitudes o f
the
n o t i o n that underlies the p r e c e d i n g c h a p t e r (subjectivity in
G e r m a n I d e a l i s m ; p o l i t i c a l s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n ; t h e ' O e d i p u s c o m p l e x ' as t h e psychoanalytic a c c o u n t o f the e m e r g e n c e o f the subject).P a r t I b e g i n s w i t h a d e t a i l e d confrontation traverse
the horizon
inherent
of modern
Cartesian
logic o f their philosophical
with
subjectivity.
Heidegger's
endeavour
to
again,
the
Again and
project compelled
the
authentic
p h i l o s o p h e r s o f subjectivity to articulate a certain excessive m o m e n t o f ' m a d n e s s ' i n h e r e n t t o cogito, w h i c h t h e y t h e n i m m e d i a t e l y e n d e a v o u r e d
to
'renormalizc'
in
Hegel,
etc.).
( t h e d i a b o l i c a l Evil i n K a n t , t h e And
the
problem
with
Heidegger
night o f the world' is t h a t
his
notion
of
m o d e r n subjectivity d o e s n o t a c c o u n t f o r this i n h e r e n t e x c e s s - it s i m p l y d o e s n o t ' c o v e r ' t h a t a s p e c t o f cogi.to o n a c c o u n t o f w h i c h L a c a n c l a i m s that
cogilo
is t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e
Unconscious. Heidegger's
f a t a l flaw is
clearly d i s c e r n i b l e in t h e failure o f his r e a d i n g o f K a n t : in his f o c u s o n transcendental
imagination,
Heidegger
misses
the
key
dimension
i m a g i n a t i o n : its d i s r u p t i v e , a n t i - s y n t h e t i c a s p e c t , w h i c h is a n o t h e r for
the
abyss o f f r e e d o m ;
this failure
also casts n e w light o n
q u e s t i o n o f H e i d e g g e r ' s Nazi e n g a g e m e n t . S o , after this the second chapter endeavours
of
name
the
old
confrontation,
t o e l a b o r a t e t h e s t a t u s o f s u b j e c t i v i t y in
3
I i \ l K U J L » U < - I H J . N
H e g e l , focusing on the link b e t w e e n the p h i l o s o p h i c a l n o t i o n o f reflexivity a n d the reflexive turn that characterizes the
(hysterical) subject o f the
Unconscious. P a r t II c o n t a i n s a systematic c o n f r o n t a t i o n with t h e f o u r
philosophers
w h o , i n o n e way o r a n o t h e r , t o o k A l t h u s s e r as t h e i r s t a r t i n g p o i n t ,
but
l a t e r , via a c r i t i c i s m o f A l t h u s s e r , d e v e l o p e d t h e i r o w n t h e o r y o f p o l i t i c a l subjectivity: L a c l a u ' s t h e o r y o f h e g e m o n y , B a l i b a r ' s t h e o r y o f R a n c i e r e ' s t h e o r y o f mesentente,
egaliberte,
B a d i o u ' s t h e o r y o f s u b j e c t i v i t y as f i d e l i t y t o
t h e T r u t h - E v e n t . T h e first c h a p t e r f o c u s e s o n B a d i o u ' s a t t e m p t t o f o r m u late a 'politics o f truth' that could u n d e r m i n e
today's
deconstructionist
a n d / o r p o s t m o d e r n i s t s t a n c e , with a s p e c i a l e m p h a s i s o n his p a t h b r e a k i n g r e a d i n g o f S t Paul. A l t h o u g h I a m in solidarity with B a d i o u ' s a t t e m p t to r e a s s e r t t h e d i m e n s i o n o f u n i v e r s a l i t y as t h e t r u e o p p o s i t e o f c a p i t a l i s t g l o b a l i s m , I r e j e c t h i s c r i t i c i s m o f L a c a n - t h a t is, h i s t h e s i s t h a t p s y c h o a nalysis is n o t a b l e t o p r o v i d e t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f a n e w p o l i t i c a l p r a c t i c e . The
n e x t c h a p t e r a n a l y s e s t h e ways in w h i c h t h e f o u r a u t h o r s t a c k l e t h e
predominant
' p o s t - p o l i t i c a l ' l i b e r a l - d e m o c r a t i c s t a n c e w h i c h is t h e p o l i t i
cal m o d e o f today's g l o b a l capitalism, e a c h o f t h e m d e p l o y i n g his o w n version o f political subjectivization. P a r t I I I d e a l s with t h o s e t e n d e n c i e s o f t o d a y ' s ' p o s t m o d e r n ' thought
which,
against
the
spectre
of
the
political
(transcendental)
Subject,
e n d e a v o u r to assert the liberating proliferation o f t h e m u l t i p l e f o r m s o f s u b j e c t i v i t y - f e m i n i n e , gay, e t h n i c . . . . A c c o r d i n g t o t h i s o r i e n t a t i o n , o n e should a b a n d o n the impossible goal o f global social transformation
and,
instead, focus a t t e n t i o n o n the diverse forms o f asserting o n e ' s particular subjectivity in o u r c o m p l e x a n d d i s p e r s e d p o s t m o d e r n universe, in w h i c h c u l t u r a l r e c o g n i t i o n m a t t e r s m o r e t h a n s o c i o e c o n o m i c s t r u g g l e — t h a t is t o say, i n w h i c h c u l t u r a l s t u d i e s h a v e r e p l a c e d t h e c r i t i q u e o f p o l i t i c a l e c o n o m y . T h e most representative and persuasive version o f these
the
o r i e s , w h o s e p r a c t i c a l e x p r e s s i o n is m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t ' i d e n t i t y p o l i t i e s ' , is Judith
Butler's performative
theory o f gender
formation.
^ c h a p t e r o f this p a r t e n g a g e s in a d e t a i l e d c o n f r o n t a t i o n
So the with
first
Butler's
w o r k , f o c u s i n g o n t h o s e o f its a s p e c t s w h i c h m a k e p o s s i b l e a p r o d u c t i v e d i a l o g u e with L a c a n i a n psychoanalysis ( h e r n o t i o n s o f ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t s ' a n d t h e reflexive t u r n constitutive o f subjectivity). T h e last c h a p t e r t h e n d i r e c t l y c o n f r o n t s t h e k e y i s s u e o f ' O e d i p u s today'', is t h e s o - c a l l e d Oedipal m o d e o f subjectivization (the e m e r g e n c e o f the subject t h r o u g h the integration o f the symbolic prohibition Law)
embodied
in the
paternal
t o d a y r e a l l y in d e c l i n e ? A n d i f s o , w h a t is r e p l a c i n g it? I n a c o n
f r o n t a t i o n with the p r o p o n e n t s o f t h e ' s e c o n d m o d e r n i z a t i o n '
(Giddens,
THE TICKLISH
4
SUBJECT
B e c k ) , it a r g u e s f o r t h e c o n t i n u o u s actuality o f t h e ' d i a l e c t i c o f E n l i g h t e n m e n t ' : far f r o m simply l i b e r a t i n g us f r o m t h e c o n s t r a i n t s o f p a t r i a r c h a l tradition,
the unprecedented
shift in t h e m o d e
o f functioning
o f the
s y m b o l i c o r d e r t h a t w e a r e w i t n e s s i n g t o d a y e n g e n d e r s its o w n n e w r i s k s and dangers. W h i l e t h i s b o o k is p h i l o s o p h i c a l i n its b a s i c t e n o r , i t is first a n d f o r e m o s t an e n g a g e d political intervention, addressing the burning question o f how w e a r e t o r e f o r m u l a t e a leftist, a n t i - c a p i t a l i s t p o l i t i c a l p r o j e c t i n o u r e r a o f global capitalism andiks ideological supplement, liberal-democratic multic u l t u r a l i s m . O n e o f the p h o t o s o f 1 9 9 7 w a s u n d o u b t e d l y t h a t o f m e m b e r s o f s o m e i n d i g e n o u s tribe from B o r n e o carrying water in plastic bags to p u t o u t g i g a n t i c fires w h i c h w e r e d e s t r o y i n g t h e i r h a b i t a t , t h e r i d i c u l o u s i n a d e q u a c y o f their m o d e s t effort m a t c h e d by the h o r r o r o f s e e i n g their e n t i r e life-world disappear. A c c o r d i n g to n e w s p a p e r r e p o r t s , t h e g i g a n t i c cloud o f s m o k e covering the entire a r e a o f n o r t h e r n I n d o n e s i a , Malaysia and
the
southern
Philippines
derailed
nature
i t s e l f , its n o r m a l
cycle
( b e c a u s e o f the c o n t i n u o u s darkness, b e e s were u n a b l e to a c c o m p l i s h their part in the biological r e p r o d u c t i o n
o f p l a n t s ) . H e r e we have
an
e x a m p l e o f the u n c o n d i t i o n a l R e a l o f global Capital p e r t u r b i n g t h e very r e a l i t y o f n a t u r e - t h e r e f e r e n c e t o g l o b a l C a p i t a l is n e c e s s a r y h e r e , s i n c e t h e fires w e r e n o t s i m p l y t h e r e s u l t o f t h e ' g r e e d ' o f l o c a l w o o d m e r c h a n t s and farmers
( a n d o f c o r r u p t I n d o n e s i a n state officials allowing i t ) , b u t
also o f the fact that b e c a u s e o f the El N i n o effect,
the
extraordinary
d r o u g h t did n o t e n d in t h e rains w h i c h regularily q u e n c h s u c h fires, a n d t h e E l N i n o e f f e c t is
global.
T h i s c a t a s t r o p h e t h u s gives b o d y to t h e R e a l o f o u r t i m e : t h e t h r u s t o f Capital which
ruthlessly disregards
and
destroys
particular
life-worlds,
t h r e a t e n i n g t h e v e r y survival o f h u m a n i t y . W h a t , h o w e v e r , a r e t h e i m p l i cations o f this c a t a s t r o p h e ? A r e we d e a l i n g Capital,
or
is t h i s l o g i c j u s t
the
m e r e l y with
predominant
thrust
the
o f the
logic
of
modern
productivist attitude o f technological d o m i n a t i o n over a n d exploitation o f nature? O r furthermore, mate
expression, the
is t h i s v e r y t e c h n o l o g i c a l e x p l o i t a t i o n t h e u l t i
realization
o f the
deepest
potential
of
modern
C a r t e s i a n s u b j e c t i v i t y itself? T h e a u t h o r ' s a n s w e r t o t h i s d i l e m m a is t h e e m p h a t i c p l e a o f ' N o t guilty!' f o r t h e C a r t e s i a n s u b j e c t .
In h e r careful editing o f m y manuscripts for Verso, Gillian B e a u m o n t regularly c a t c h e s m e with m y (intellectual) pants down: h e r gaze u n e r r ingly discerns repetitions in t h e line o f t h o u g h t , m o r o n i c i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s
INTRODUCTION of the argumentation,
false a t t r i b u t i o n s
5
a n d r e f e r e n c e s that display
lack o f g e n e r a l e d u c a t i o n , n o t to m e n t i o n h o w c a n I n o t f e e l a s h a m e d , a n d t h u s hate
the awkwardness
my
o f style
her? O n the other hand,
she
h a s e v e r y r e a s o n t o h a t e me. I c o n s t a n t l y b o m b a r d h e r w i t h l a t e i n s e r t i o n s a n d c h a n g e s o f t h e m a n u s c r i p t , so that I c a n easily i m a g i n e h e r possessing a v o o d o o doll o f m e a n d p i e r c i n g it in t h e e v e n i n g s with a g i g a n t i c n e e d l e . This mutual
h a t r e d , as t h e y w o u l d h a v e p u t it i n t h e g o o d o l d d a y s o f
classic Hollywood, signals t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a beautiful
friendship,
so I
d e d i c a t e this b o o k to h e r .
Notes 1. F o r a detailed c o n f r o n t a t i o n with t h e critical rejection o f the Cartesian subjectivity in cognitive sciences, see Slavoj Zizek, ' T h e Cartesian Subject versus t h e Cartesian T h e a t r e ' , in Cogito and the. Unroturious, eel. Slavoj Ziiek, D u r h a m , NC: D u k e University Press 1 9 9 8 . 2. Interestingly e n o u g h , t h e t h r e e p a r t s also c o r r e s p o n d to t h e g e o g r a p h i c triad o f G e r m a n / F r e n c h / A n g l o - A m e r i c a n tradition: G o r m a n Idealism, F r e n c h political philosophy, A n g l o - A m e r i c a n cultural studies.
The 'Night of the World'
1
The Deadlock of Transcendental Imagination, or, Martin Heidegger as a Reader of Kant
One
o f the enigmatic features
o f 'progressive' postmodernist
thought,
f r o m D e r r i d a t o F r e d r i c J a m e s o n , lies i n its a m b i g u o u s r e l a t i o n s h i p Heidegger's philosophy.
H e i d e g g e r is t r e a t e d
with
due
respect,
to
often
r e f e r r e d t o i n a n o n c o m m i t t a l way, t h e way o n e r e f e r s t o a n u n d i s p u t e d a u t h o r i t y ; y e t , s i m u l t a n e o u s l y , a n u n e a s e , n e v e r fully e x p l i c a t e d , p r e v e n t s full e n d o r s e m e n t o f h i s p o s i t i o n , as i f a k i n d o f i n v i s i b l e p r o h i b i t i o n t e l l s us that s o m e t h i n g m u s t b e f u n d a m e n t a l l y w r o n g with H e i d e g g e r , a l t h o u g h w e a r e n o t ( y e t ) i n a p o s i t i o n t o d e t e r m i n e w h a t t h i s is. E v e n w h e n a u t h o r s d o r i s k a full c o n f r o n t a t i o n with H e i d e g g e r ( a s D e r r i d a d o e s i n On 1
Spirit ),
t h e r e s u l t is, as a r u l e , a m b i g u o u s ; o n e e n d e a v o u r s
d i s t a n c e f r o m H e i d e g g e r while s o m e h o w staying o n his p a t h
the
to gain
a
(Heidegger
still r e m a i n s a p h i l o s o p h e r o f O r i g i n s a n d a u t h e n t i c P r e s e n c e , a l t h o u g h h e did the m o s t to ' d e c o n s t r u c t ' the metaphysical logic o f Origins . . . ) . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h o s e w h o a d o p t o n e o f t h e two e x t r e m e p o s i t i o n s , a n d e i t h e r e n g a g e in a desperate appropriation
of Heidegger
2
ing ) or propose a thorough
attempt
at a politically 'progressive'
(like R e i n e r S c h u m a n n ' s r e j e c t i o n o f his t h o u g h t
'anarchic'
4
L y o t a r d ) , c a n b e c o n v i n c i n g l y d i s m i s s e d as d e a l i n g w i t h image
of Heidegger
that
does
not
live u p
to his
read
(like A d o r n o own
a
3
or
simplified
philosophical
s t r i n g e n c y . T h e e t h i c o - p o l i t i c a l r o o t s o f this d e a d l o c k o f t h e d e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s t r e f e r e n c e t o H e i d e g g e r w e r e p e r h a p s b e s t f o r m u l a t e d by D c r r i d a in his interview with J e a n - L u c Nancy: I believe in the force and the necessity (and t h e r e f o r e in a certain irreversibility) o f the act by which H e i d e g g e r substitutes a certain c o n c e p t o f Dasein for a c o n c e p t o f subject still t o o m a r k e d by the traits o f the b e i n g as vorhanden. and
10
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
h e n c e by an interpretation o f time, a n d insufficiently q u e s t i o n e d in its ontological structure . . . T h e time a n d space o f this d i s p l a c e m e n t o p e n e d up a gap, m a r k e d a gap, they left fragile, o r r e c a l l e d the essential o n t o l o g i c a l fragility of, the ethical, j u r i d i c a l , and political foundations o f d e m o c r a c y a n d o f every discourse that o n e can o p p o s e to National Socialism in all its forms ( t h e 'worst' ones, or those that H e i d e g g e r and o t h e r s m i g h t have t h o u g h t o f o p p o s i n g ) . T h e s e foundations were and remain essentially sealed within a philosophy o f the subject. O n e can quickly perceive the question, which might also b e the task: can o n e take into a c c o u n t the necessity o f the existential analytic and what it shatters in the subject a n d fcan o n e l turn towards an ethics, a politics (are these words still a p p r o p r i a t e ? ) , i n d e e d an ' o t h e r ' d e m o c r a c y (would it still be a d e m o c r a c y ? ) , in any case towards a n o t h e r type o f responsibility that safeguards against what a m o m e n t ago I very quickly called the 'worst'? . . . 1 think that there arc a certain n u m b e r o f us who are working for just this, a n d it can only take place byway o f a long and slow trajectory/' T h a t is t h e t e r r i b l e d e a d l o c k : i f o n e e n d o r s e s H e i d e g g e r ' s
'deconstruc-
tion' o f the metaphysics o f subjectivity, d o e s o n e n o t thus u n d e r m i n e
the
very possibility o f a p h i l o s o p h i c a l l y g r o u n d e d d e m o c r a t i c r e s i s t a n c e to t h e totalitarian h o r r o r s o f the twentieth c e n t u r y ? H a b e r m a s ' s a n s w e r to this q u e s t i o n is a d e f i n i t i v e a n d p a t h e t i c ' Y e s ! ' , a n d , f o r t h a t r e a s o n , h e a l s o opposed
Adorno's
and
Horkheimcr's
Dialectic
of Enlightenment,
a
book
w h i c h - i n a way n o t t o t a l l y d i s s i m i l a r t o H e i d e g g e r - l o c a t e s t h e r o o t s o f t h e ' t o t a l i t a r i a n ' h o r r o r s in t h e b a s i c p r o j e c t o f W e s t e r n Heideggerians, o f course, would
Enlightenment.
retort that o n e c a n n o t simply
d e m o c r a t i c s u b j e c t i v i t y to its ' t o t a l i t a r i a n '
oppose
e x c e s s , s i n c e t h e l a t t e r is t h e
' t r u t h ' o f t h e f o r m e r - t h a t is t o say, s i n c e p h e n o m e n a l i k e ' t o t a l i t a r i a n i s m ' a r e e f f e c t i v e l y g r o u n d e d i n m o d e r n s u b j e c t i v i t y . ( T h i s is h o w - to p u t it in a s o m e w h a t s i m p l i f i e d way - H e i d e g g e r h i m s e l f e x p l a i n s h i s b r i e f e n g a g e m e n t : b y t h e Tact t h a t t h e p r o j e c t o f Being wholly freed o f the t r a n s c e n d e n t a l The
same
ambiguity
also
and
Time
Nazi
was n o t y e t
approach.)
seems
to
determine
Lacan's
i n c o n s i s t e n t ) r e f e r e n c e to H e i d e g g e r , o s c i l l a t i n g b e t w e e n
own
(often
appropriation
o f s o m e k e y H e i d e g g e r t e r m s as p r o v i d i n g t h e s o u g h t - a f t e r f o u n d a t i o n
for
psychoanalysis, a n d a series o f dismissive passing r e m a r k s in his last years (like the o n e external and
qualifying
his e a r l i e r r e f e r e n c e s to H e i d e g g e r
didactic). Against the b a c k g r o u n d
as
purely
o f this i m b r o g l i o ,
t h e s i s will b e t h a t L a c a n s u c c e e d s w h e r e H a b e r m a s a n d o t h e r o f t h e s u b j e c t ' , i n c l u d i n g D i e t e r H e n r i c h , fail: t h e L a c a n i a n
our
'defenders (re)reading
o f t h e p r o b l e m a t i c o f s u b j e c t i v i t y i n G e r m a n I d e a l i s m e n a b l e s us n o t o n l y t o d e l i n e a t e c o n t o u r s o f a n o t i o n o f s u b j e c t i v i t y t h a t d o e s n o t fit t h e f r a m e
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
11
o f H e i d e g g e r ' s n o t i o n o f t h e nihilism i n h e r e n t to m o d e r n subjectivity, b u t also to l o c a t e t h e p o i n t o f t h e i n h e r e n t failure o f H e i d e g g e r ' s p h i l o s o p h i cal edifice, up to die often-discussed q u e s t i o n o f the eventual philosophi cal r o o t s o f his Nazi e n g a g e m e n t .
H e i d e g g e r i a n P o l i t i c a l (Dis) E n g a g e m e n t L e t us t a k e as o u r
starting point
Nietzsche's critique o f Wagner:
this
c r i t i q u e was a p p r o p r i a t e d b y H e i d e g g e r as t h e p a r a d i g m a t i c r e j e c t i o n o f all c r i t i q u e s o f s u b j e c t i v i s m t h a t r e m a i n w i t h i n t h e h o r i z o n o f C a r t e s i a n s u b j e c t i v i t y (say, o f t h e l i b e r a l - d e m o c r a t i c c r i t i c i s m s o f t h e excess
o f subjectivity). Nietzsche
possessed
an
unerring
'totalitarian' instinct
that
e n a b l e d h i m to d i s c e r n , b e h i n d t h e sage w h o p r e a c h e s t h e d e n i a l o f the W i l l t o L i f e , t h e resseritiment
o f t h e t h w a r t e d will: S c h o p e n h a u e r a n d
his
l i k e a r e c o m i c a l figures w h o c o n v e r t e d a n d e l e v a t e d t h e i r i m p o t e n t e n v y , t h e i r lack o f life-asserting creativity, i n t o t h e p o s e o f r e s i g n e d
wisdom.
( D o e s n o t N i e t z s c h e ' s diagnosis also h o l d for today's a t t e m p t s to 'over c o m e ' t h e C a r t e s i a n p a r a d i g m o f d o m i n a t i o n by m e a n s o f a n e w h o l i s t i c attitude
of renouncing
anthropocentrism,
of
humbly
learning
from
ancient cultures, etc.?) I n h i s p r o j e c t o f ' o v e r c o m i n g ' m e t a p h y s i c s , H e i d e g g e r fully e n d o r s e s this N i e t z s c h e a n dismissal o f q u i c k a n d easy exits f r o m m e t a p h y s i c s : the o n l y r e a l way t o b r e a k t h e m e t a p h y s i c a l c l o s u r e is t o ' p a s s t h r o u g h it' i n its m o s t d a n g e r o u s f o r m , to e n d u r e t h e p a i n o f m e t a p h y s i c a l n i h i l i s m a t its m o s t e x t r e m e , w h i c h m e a n s t h a t o n e s h o u l d r e j e c t as f u t i l e all f a l s e s e d a t i v e s , all d i r e c t a t t e m p t s t o s u s p e n d t h e m a d v i c i o u s c y c l e o f m o d e r n t e c h n o l o g y by m e a n s o f a return to p r e m o d c r n traditional W i s d o m (from C h r i s t i a n i t y to O r i e n t a l t h o u g h t ) , all a t t e m p t s t o r e d u c e modern
the threat o f
t e c h n o l o g y to the effect o f s o m e o n l i c social wrong
(capitalist
exploitation, patriarchal domination, 'mechanicist paradigm' . . . ) . These a t t e m p t s a r e n o t o n l y i n e f f e c t u a l : t h e t r u e p r o b l e m w i t h t h e m is t h a t , o n a d e e p e r l e v e l , t h e y i n c i t e t h e evil t h e y a r e f i g h t i n g e v e n f u r t h e r .
An
e x c e l l e n t e x a m p l e h e r e is t h e e c o l o g i c a l c r i s i s : t h e m o m e n t we r e d u c e it to disturbances p r o v o k e d by o u r excessive t e c h n o l o g i c a l exploitation o f n a t u r e , w e s i l e n t l y a l r e a d y s u r m i s e t h a t t h e s o l u t i o n is t o r e l y a g a i n t e c h n o l o g i c a l i n n o v a t i o n s : n e w ' g r e e n ' t e c h n o l o g y , more efficient in
its control
of natural
processes
and, human
resources.
and
on global
. . . Every-" c o n c r e t e
e c o l o g i c a l c o n c e r n a n d p r o j e c t to c h a n g e t e c h n o l o g y i n o r d e r t o i m p r o v e
THE TICKLISH
12
SUBJECT
t h e s t a t e o f o u r n a t u r a l s u r r o u n d i n g s is t h u s d e v a l u e d as r e l y i n g o n
the
very s o u r c e o f t h e t r o u b l e . F o r H e i d e g g e r , t h e t r u e p r o b l e m is n o t e c o l o g i c a l c r i s i s i n its o n t i c dimension, including a possible global catastrophe
( h o l e in the
ozone
layer, m e l t i n g o f t h e ice c a p s , e t c . ) , b u t t h e t e c h n o l o g i c a l m o d e o f r e l a t i n g t o e n t i t i e s a r o u n d u s - t h i s t r u e c r i s i s will c o n f r o n t u s e v e n m o r e r a d i c a l l y i f t h e e x p e c t e d c a t a s t r o p h e d o e s not o c c u r ; t h a t is, i f h u m a n k i n d
does
s u c c e e d in technologically ' m a s t e r i n g ' the critical situation. . . . F o r that reason, H e i d e g g e r also d e n i e s p h i l o s o p h i c a l relevance to the
standard
liberal problematic o f the tension between ' o p e n ' a n d 'closed' societies, b e t w e e n t h e ' n o r m a l ' f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e d e m o c r a t i c capitalist system, with its r e s p e c t f o r h u m a n r i g h t s a n d f r e e d o m s , a n d its ( F a s c i s t o r C o m m u n i s t ) totalitarian 'excesses'. Implicitly, at least, H e i d e g g e r devalues t h e effort to c o n s t r a i n t h e s y s t e m - t o m a i n t a i n its ' h u m a n f a c e ' , t o c o m p e l it t o r e s p e c t t h e basic rules o f d e m o c r a c y a n d f r e e d o m , to provide f o r h u m a n solidar ity, t o p r e v e n t its s l i d i n g i n t o t o t a l i t a r i a n e x c e s s — as a n e s c a p e f r o m
the
i n n e r t r u t h o f t h e s y s t e m t h a t b e c o m e s p e r c e p t i b l e in s u c h e x c e s s e s ; s u c h half-hearted
e f f o r t s t o k e e p t h e s y s t e m i n c h e c k a r e t h e w o r s t way t o
r e m a i n w i t h i n its h o r i z o n . O n e s h o u l d r e c a l l h e r e t h e k e y s t r a t e g i c r o l e o f the signifier 'hysteria' in the m o d e r n
'radical' political discourse, up
to
t h e B o l s h e v i k s , w h o d i s m i s s e d as ' h y s t e r i c s ' t h e i r o p p o n e n t s w h o g r o a n e d a b o u t the n e e d for d e m o c r a t i c values, the totalitarian threat to humanity, and
so on. A l o n g the
same
lines, H e i d e g g e r
also d e n o u n c e s
liberal-
h u m a n i t a r i a n d e m a n d s f o r ' c a p i t a l i s m w i t h a h u m a n f a c e ' as t h e u n w i l l i n g n e s s t o c o n f r o n t t h e e p o c h a l t r u t h i n all its u n b e a r a b l e r a d i c a l i t y . T h e p a r a l l e l w i t h t h e B o l s h e v i k s is a b s o l u t e l y p e r t i n e n t : w h a t H e i d e g g e r s h a r e s w i t h r e v o l u t i o n a r y M a r x i s t s is t h e n o t i o n t h a t t h e s y s t e m ' s t r u t h e m e r g e s i n its e x c e s s - t h a t is t o say, f o r H e i d e g g e r , as w e l l as f o r M a r x i s t s , F a s c i s m is n o t a s i m p l e a b e r r a t i o n o f t h e ' n o r m a l ' d e v e l o p m e n t o f c a p i t a l i s m b u t t h e n e c e s s a r y o u t c o m e o f its i n n e r d y n a m i c s . Here,
however,
complications
arise:
on
closer inspection,
it
soon
b e c o m e s c l e a r t h a t H e i d e g g e r ' s a r g u m e n t a t i v e s t r a t e g y is t w o f o l d . O n t h e o n e h a n d , h e r e j e c t s every
c o n c e r n f o r d e m o c r a c y a n d h u m a n r i g h t s as a
purely o n t i c affair u n w o r t h y o f p r o p e r p h i l o s o p h i c a l o n t o l o g i c a l q u e s t i o n i n g - d e m o c r a c y , F a s c i s m , C o m m u n i s m , t h e y all a m o u n t t o t h e s a m e w i t h regard
to
the
epochal
Destiny o f the
West; on
the
other
hand,
his
i n s i s t e n c e t h a t h e is n o t c o n v i n c e d t h a t d e m o c r a c y is t h e p o l i t i c a l f o r m w h i c h b e s t suits t h e e s s e n c e o f t e c h n o l o g y t h e r e is another
0
p o l i t i c a l f o r m w h i c h suits t h i s
n o n e t h e less suggests
ecological e s s e n c e
that
better -
f o r s o m e t i m e , H e i d e g g e r t h o u g h t h e h a d f o u n d it i n t h e F a s c i s t ' t o t a l
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N mobilization'
(but,
significantly, never
in
Communism,
13
which
always
r e m a i n s f o r h i m e p o c h a l l y t h e s a m e as A m e r i c a n i s m . . . ) . H e i d e g g e r , o f course, emphasizes again and again how the ontological dimension o f N a z i s m is n o t t o b e e q u a t e d w i t h N a z i s m as a n o n t i c i d e o l o g i c o - p o l i t i c a l o r d e r ; i n t h e w e l l - k n o w n p a s s a g e f r o m An Introduction
to Metaphysics,
for
e x a m p l e , h e r e p u d i a t e s t h e N a z i b i o l o g i s t r a c e i d e o l o g y as s o m e t h i n g t h a t totally misses t h e ' i n n e r g r e a t n e s s ' o f t h e Nazi m o v e m e n t , w h i c h lies in 7
t h e e n c o u n t e r b e t w e e n m o d e r n m a n a n d t e c h n o l o g y . N o n e t h e less, t h e fact r e m a i n s
that H e i d e g g e r
never
speaks o f the
'inner
greatness'
of,
say, l i b e r a l d e m o c r a c y - as i f l i b e r a l d e m o c r a c y is j u s t t h a t , a s u p e r f i c i a l w o r l d - v i e w with
no
underlying
dimension
o f assuming
one's
epochal
Destiny. . . . " A p r o p o s o f t h i s p r e c i s e p o i n t , I m y s e l f r u n i n t o m y first t r o u b l e w i t h H e i d e g g e r ( s i n c e I b e g a n as a H e i d e g g e r i a n - m y first p u b l i s h e d b o o k was o n H e i d e g g e r a n d l a n g u a g e ) . W h e n , in m y y o u t h , I was b o m b a r d e d
by
t h e official C o m m u n i s t p h i l o s o p h e r s ' stories o f H e i d e g g e r ' s Nazi e n g a g e m e n t , they left m e r a t h e r c o l d ; I was definitely m o r e o n t h e side o f t h e Y u g o s l a v H e i d e g g e r i a n s . All o f a s u d d e n , h o w e v e r , I b e c a m e a w a r e o f how these Yugoslav Heideggerians were doing
exactly the same
thing
w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e Y u g o s l a v i d e o l o g y o f s e l f - m a n a g e m e n t as H e i d e g g e r h i m s e l f d i d with r e s p e c t to N a z i s m : in ex-Yugoslavia, H e i d e g g e r i a n s e n t e r t a i n e d t h e s a m e a m b i g u o u s l y a s s e r t i v e r e l a t i o n s h i p t o w a r d s S o c i a l i s t selfm a n a g e m e n t , the official i d e o l o g y o f t h e C o m m u n i s t r e g i m e - in e y e s , t h e e s s e n c e o f s e l f - m a n a g e m e n t was t h e v e r y e s s e n c e o f
their
modern
m a n , w h i c h is w h y t h e p h i l o s o p h i c a l n o t i o n o f s e l f - m a n a g e m e n t s u i t s t h e ontological essence o f o u r e p o c h , while the standard political ideology o f L
the r e g i m e misses this ' i n n e r g r e a t n e s s ' o f s e l f m a n a g e m e n t . . . H e i d e g g e r i a n s are thus e t e r n a l l y in s e a r c h o f a positive, o n t i c political systenTtEat would c o m e closest to the e p o c h a l o n t o l o g i c a l truth, a strategy which i n e v i t a b l y l e a d s t o e r r o r ( w h i c h , o f c o u r s e , is always a c k n o w l e d g e d o n l y r e t r o a c t i v e l y , post factum,
after the disastrous o u t c o m e o f o n e ' s e n g a g e m e n t ) .
A s H e i d e g g e r h i m s e l f p u t it, t h o s e w h o c a m e c l o s e s t t o t h e o n t o l o g i c a l T r u t h a r e c o n d e m n e d to e r r at t h e o n t i c level . . . e r r a b o u t what? P r e c i s e l y about the line o f separation between ontic and ontological. T h e p a r a d o x n o t to b e u n d e r e s t i m a t e d
is t h a t t h e v e r y p h i l o s o p h e r w h o f o c u s e d h i s
interest on the e n i g m a o f ontological difference - who warned again and again against the metaphysical mistake o f c o n f e r r i n g ontological dignity Qji s o m e o n t i c c o n t e n t ( G o d as t h e h i g h e s t E n t i t y , f o r e x a m p l e ) - fell i n t o the trap o f conferring o n Nazism the ontological dignity o f suiting
the
essence o f m o d e r n m a n . T h e standard defence o f H e i d e g g e r against the
THE TICKLISH
14
SUBJECT
r e p r o a c h o f h i s N a z i p a s t c o n s i s t s o f two p o i n t s : n o t o n l y w a s h i s N a z i e n g a g e m e n t a s i m p l e p e r s o n a l e r r o r ( a ' s t u p i d i t y [Dummheit]', ger himself put
i t ) i n n o way i n h e r e n t l y r e l a t e d
as H e i d e g
to his
philosophical
p r o j e c t ; t h e m a i n c o u n t e r - a r g u m e n t is t h a t it is H e i d e g g e r ' s o w n p h i l o s ophy
that
enables
totalitariarnsm.
us
to
discern
the
However, what remains
true
epochal
roots
unthought here
of
is t h e
modern hidden
complicity between the ontological indifference towards c o n c r e t e social s y s t e m s ( c a p i t a l i s m , F a s c i s m , C o m m u n i s m ) , i n s o f a r as t h e y a l l b e l o n g to the same horizon o f m o d e r n technology, and the secret privileging o f a c o n c r e t e s o c i o p o l i t i c a l m o d e l (Nazism with H e i d e g g e r , C o m m u n i s m with s o m e ' H e i d e g g e r i a n M a r x i s t s ' ) as c l o s e r t o t h e o n t o l o g i c a l t r u t h o f o u r epoch. Here one should
avoid the trap that c a u g h t H e i d e g g e r ' s
defenders,
w h o d i s m i s s e d H e i d e g g e r ' s N a z i e n g a g e m e n t as a s i m p l e a n o m a l y , a fall i n t o t h e o n t i c level, in b l a t a n t c o n t r a d i c t i o n to his t h o u g h t , w h i c h t e a c h e s us n o t t o c o n f u s e o n t o l o g i c a l h o r i z o n w i t h o n t i c c h o i c e s ( a s w e
have
a l r e a d y s e e n , H e i d e g g e r is a t h i s s t r o n g e s t w h e n h e d e m o n s t r a t e s h o w , o n a d e e p e r structural level, e c o l o g i c a l , conservative, a n d so o n , o p p o s i t i o n s to the
modern
horizon
universe
o f t e c h n o l o g y are
already
embedded
in
the
o f what they purport to reject: the ecological critique o f the
technological exploitation o f n a t u r e ultimately leads to a m o r e
'environ
m e n t a l l y s o u n d ' t e c h n o l o g y , e t c . ) . H e i d e g g e r d i d n o t e n g a g e in t h e N a z i political p r o j e c t 'in spite o f his o n t o l o g i c a l p h i l o s o p h i c a l a p p r o a c h , because
but
of it; t h i s e n g a g e m e n t was n o t ' b e n e a t h ' h i s p h i l o s o p h i c a l l e v e l -
o n t h e c o n t r a r y , i f o n e is t o u n d e r s t a n d H e i d e g g e r , t h e k e y p o i n t is t o grasp
the
complicity (in H e g e l e s e : 'speculative identity')
between
the
elevation above o n t i c c o n c e r n s a n d the passionate ' o n t i c ' Nazi political engagement. O n e can now see the ideological trap that caught H e i d e g g e r : w h e n he criticizes Nazi racism o n b e h a l f o f the true ' i n n e r greatness' o f the Nazi movement, he repeats the elementary ideological gesture o f maintaining a n i n n e r d i s t a n c e t o w a r d s t h e i d e o l o g i c a l t e x t - o f c l a i m i n g t h a t t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g m o r e b e n e a t h it, a n o n - i d e o l o g i c a l k e r n e l : i d e o l o g y e x e r t s its h o l d o v e r us b y m e a n s o f t h i s v e r y i n s i s t e n c e t h a t t h e C a u s e w e a d h e r e to is n o t ' m e r e l y ' i d e o l o g i c a l . S o w h e r e is t h e t r a p ? W h e n t h e
disappointed
H e i d e g g e r t u r n s away f r o m a c t i v e e n g a g e m e n t i n t h e N a z i m o v e m e n t , h e d o e s so b e c a u s e the Nazi m o v e m e n t did n o t m a i n t a i n
t h e l e v e l o f its
' i n n e r g r e a t n e s s ' , b u t l e g i t i m i z e d itself with i n a d e q u a t e ( r a c i a l ) i d e o l o g y . In o t h e r words, what h e e x p e c t e d from
it was t h a t it s h o u l d l e g i t i m i z e
i t s e l f t h r o u g h d i r e c t a w a r e n e s s o f its ' i n n e r g r e a t n e s s ' . A n d t h e p r o b l e m
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N •
15
lies i n t h i s v e r y e x p e c t a t i o n t h a t a p o l i t i c a l m o v e m e n t t h a t will d i r e c t l y r e f e r t o its h i s t o r i c o - o n t o l o g i c a l f o u n d a t i o n is p o s s i b l e . T h i s e x p e c t a t i o n ,
|
l i b w e v e r , is i n
|
recognize that the gap separating the direct ideological legitimization o f
itself p r o f o u n d l y
metaphysical, in
so far
as i t fails
to
a m o v e m e n t f r o m its ' i n n e r g r e a t n e s s ' (its h i s t o r i c o - o n t o l o g i c a l e s s e n c e ) is constitutive,
a p o s i t i v e c o n d i t i o n o f its ' f u n c t i o n i n g ' . T o u s e t h e t e r m s o f
, the later H e i d e g g e r , ontological insight necessarily entails ontic blindness a n d e r r o r , a n d v i c e v e r s a - t h a t is t o say, i n o r d e r t o b e ' e f f e c t i v e ' a t t h e o n t i c l e v e l , o n e m u s t d i s r e g a r d t h e o n t o l o g i c a l h o r i z o n o f o n e ' s activity. ( I n this sense, H e i d e g g e r e m p h a s i z e s that that, far f r o m
'science doesn't
scientific progress.)
and of
In o t h e r words, what H e i d e g g e r seems u n a b l e
e n d o r s e is a c o n c r e t e p o l i t i c a l e n g a g e m e n t t h a t w o u l d accept constitutive
think'
b e i n g its l i m i t a t i o n , t h i s i n a b i l i t y is t h e v e r y m o t o r
blindness
-
as i f t h e
moment
we
to
its n e c e s s a r y ,
acknowledge
the
gap
separating the awareness o f the ontological horizon from ontic engage m e n t , a n y o n t i c e n g a g e m e n t is d e p r e c i a t e d , l o s e s its a u t h e n t i c d i g n i t y . A n o t h e r a s p e c t o f t h e s a m e p r o b l e m is t h e p a s s a g e f r o m t o p r e s e n t - a t - h a n d i n Being
and Time.
ready-at-hand
H e i d e g g e r t a k e s as t h e s t a r t i n g p o i n t
t h e a c t i v e i m m e r s i o n i n its s u r r o u n d i n g s o f a f i n i t e e n g a g e d a g e n t w h o r e l a t e s t o o b j e c t s a r o u n d it as t o s o m e t h i n g r e a d y - a t - h a n d ;
the impassive
p e r c e p t i o n o f o b j e c t s as p r e s e n t - a t - h a n d a r i s e s g r a d u a l l y f r o m t h i s e n g a g e ment when
things
derivative m o d e
'malfunction'
i n d i f f e r e n t ways, a n d
is t h e r e f o r e
o f p r e s e n c e . H e i d e g g e r ' s p o i n t , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t
p r o p e r o n t o l o g i c a l d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e way Dasein
a
the
is i n t h e w o r l d h a s t o
a b a n d o n t h e m o d e r n C a r t e s i a n duality o f values a n d facts: t h e n o t i o n t h a t the
subject encounters
present-at-hand
objects
on
to which
he
then
p r o j e c t s h i s a i m s , a n d e x p l o i t s t h e m a c c o r d i n g l y , falsifies t h e p r o p e r s t a t e o f t h i n g s : t h e f a c t t h a t e n g a g e d i m m e r s i o n i n t h e w o r l d is p r i m o r d i a l , a n d t h a t all o t h e r m o d e s o f t h e p r e s e n c e o f o b j e c t s a r e d e r i v e d f r o m it. On
closer
examination,
however,
the
picture
b l u r r e d a n d m o r e c o m p l e x . T h e p r o b l e m w i t h Being
becomes and
Time
somewhat is h o w t o
c o - o r d i n a t e the series o f pairs o f oppositions: a u t h e n t i c e x i s t e n c e versus das Man;
a n x i e t y v e r s u s i m m e r s i o n i n w o r l d l y activity; t r u e p h i l o s o p h i c a l
t h o u g h t versus traditional ontology; dispersed m o d e r n society versus the P e o p l e a s s u m i n g its h i s t o r i c D e s t i n y . . . . T h e p a i r s i n t h i s s e r i e s d o simply overlap: when a p r e m o d e r n
not
a r t i s a n o r f a r m e r , f o l l o w i n g h i s tra
d i t i o n a l way o f l i f e , is i m m e r s e d i n h i s d a i l y i n v o l v e m e n t w i t h
ready-at-
h a n d o b j e c t s t h a t a r e i n c l u d e d i n h i s w o r l d , t h i s i m m e r s i o n is d e f i n i t e l y n o t t h e s a m e as t h e das Man
o f t h e m o d e r n c i t y - d w e l l e r . ( T h i s is why, i n
his n o t o r i o u s ' W h y s h o u l d we r e m a i n in t h e p r o v i n c e ? ' , H e i d e g g e r h i m s e l f
16
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
r e p o r t s t h a t w h e n h e was u n c e r t a i n w h e t h e r t o a c c e p t t h e i n v i t a t i o n t o g o to t e a c h in B e r l i n , h e a s k e d his f r i e n d , a h a r d - w o r k i n g l o c a l f a r m e r , w h o j u s t s i l e n t l y s h o o k h i s h e a d - H e i d e g g e r i m m e d i a t e l y a c c e p t e d t h i s as t h e a u t h e n t i c a n s w e r t o h i s p r e d i c a m e n t . ) Is it n o t , t h e r e f o r e , t h a t , i n c o n t r a s t to t h e s e two o p p o s e d m o d e s o f i m m e r s i o n - t h e a u t h e n t i c
involvement
with t h e ready-at-hand a n d t h e m o d e r n l e t t i n g o n e s e l f g o with t h e flow o f das Man
- t h e r e a r e a l s o two o p p o s e d m o d e s o f a c q u i r i n g a d i s t a n c e : t h e
s h a t t e r i n g e x i s t e n t i a l e x p e r i e n c e o f a n x i e t y , w h i c h e x t r a n e a t e s us
from
t h e t r a d i t i o n a l i m m e r s i o n i n o u r way o f l i f e , a n d t h e t h e o r e t i c a l d i s t a n c e o f t h e n e u t r a l o b s e r v e r w h o , as i f f r o m o u t s i d e , p e r c e i v e s t h e w o r l d 'representations'?
It seems
as i f t h i s
'authentic'
tension
between
in the
i m m e r s i o n o f ' b e i n g - i n - t h e - w o r l d ' a n d its s u s p e n s i o n i n a n x i e t y is r e d o u b l e d by t h e
'inauthentic'
o n t o l o g y . S o we
have
p a i r o f das Man
four
positions: the
and traditional tension
t w e e n a u t h e n t i c ' b e i n g - i n - t h e - w o r l d ' a n d das Man,
in
metaphysical
e v e r y d a y life
as w e l l as t h e
b e t w e e n t h e two m o d e s o f e x t r a c t i n g o u r s e l v e s f r o m
the everyday
of
traditional
things,
authentic
existential resoluteness
and
the
be
tension run
meta
p h y s i c a l o n t o l o g y - d o e s n o t t h i s give us a k i n d o f H e i d e g g c r i a n s e m i o t i c square? H e i d e g g e r is n o t i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e ( H e g e l i a n ) p r o b l e m o f l e g i t i m i z i n g n o r m s t h a t r e g u l a t e o u r i m m e r s i o n in t h e everyday life-world: h e o s c i l l a t e s b e t w e e n d i r e c t ( p r e - r e f l e x i v e ) i m m e r s i o n i n d a i l y life a n d t h e a b y s s o f t h e disintegration o f this f r a m e w o r k
(his version o f e n c o u n t e r i n g
'absolute
9
n e g a t i v i t y ' ) . H e is a c u t e l y a w a r e o f h o w o u r e v e r y d a y life is g r o u n d e d
on
s o m e fragile d e c i s i o n - how, a l t h o u g h we a r e i r r e d u c i b l y t h r o w n i n t o a c o n t i n g e n t situation, this d o e s n o t m e a n that we are simply
determined
b y it, c a u g h t i n it l i k e a n a n i m a l : t h e o r i g i n a l h u m a n c o n d i t i o n is t h a t o f b e i n g o u t o f j o i n t , o f abyss a n d e x c e s s , a n d a n y i n v o l v e m e n t i n t h e d a i l y life h a b i t a t r e l i e s o n a n a c t o f r e s o l u t e a c c e p t a n c e o f it. D a i l y h a b i t a t a n d e x c e s s a r e n o t s i m p l y o p p o s e d : , t h e h a b i t a t i t s e l f is ' c h o s e n ' i n a n
'exces
s i v e ' g e s t u r e o f g r o u n d l e s s d e c i s i o n . T h i s a c t o f v i o l e n t i m p o s i t i o n is t h e 'third
term'
that u n d e r m i n e s
t h e a l t e r n a t i v e o f fully f i t t i n g i n t o a life-
w o r l d c o n t e x t a n d o f a b s t r a c t d e c o n t e x t u a l i z e d R e a s o n : it c o n s i s t s i n t h e v i o l e n t g e s t u r e o f b r e a k i n g o u t o f t h e f i n i t e c o n t e x t , t h e g e s t u r e w h i c h is n o t yet 'stabilized' in t h e p o s i t i o n o f n e u t r a l universality c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f the observing Reason, but remains a kind o f 'universality-in-becoming', to put
it i n
Kierkegaardese. T h e
'specifically
human'
n e i t h e r that o f the e n g a g e d agent c a u g h t in the
finite
dimension
is
thus
life-world c o n t e x t ,
n o r that o f universal R e a s o n e x e m p t e d f r o m t h e life-world, but t h e very d i s c o r d , t h e ' v a n i s h i n g m e d i a t o r ' , b e t w e e n t h e two.
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N H e i d e g g e r ' s n a m e f o r t h i s a c t o f v i o l e n t i m p o s i t i o n ! Ent-Wurfi
17
indicates
the f u n d a m e n t a l fantasy by m e a n s o f which the s u b j e c t ' m a k e s sense o f acquires the [geworfen],
co-ordinates o f -
in w h i c h h e
problematic
here
finds
is t h a t
the
situation
into which
he
is
himself, disorientated and lost.
Heidegger
uses
the
notion
1 0
of
-
thrown W h a t is
Geuiorfeniieit,
' t h r o w n n e s s ' , i n t o a f i n i t e c o n t i n g e n t s i t u a t i o n , a n d t h e n o f Entwurf,
the
a c T o f a u t h e n t i c a l l y c h o o s i n g o n e ' s way, o n t w o l e v e l s w h o s e r e l a t i o n s h i p is not t h o u g h t o u t : t h e i n d i v i d u a l a n d t h e c o l l e c t i v e o n e . O n t h e i n d i v i d u a l l e v e l , t h e a u t h e n t i c e n c o u n t e r w i t h d e a t h , w h i c h is 'always o n l y m i n e ' , 'enables m e to p r o j e c t m y future in an authentic act o f choice; b u t then, a c o m m u n i t y is a l s o d e t e r m i n e d as b e i n g t h r o w n i n t o a c o n t i n g e n t s i t u a t i o n ' w i t h i n w h i c h it m u s t c h o o s e - a s s u m e its d e s t i n y . H e i d e g g e r p a s s e s the individual to the s o c i e t a l level by m e a n s o f t h e n o t i o n o f
from
repetition::.
' T h e a u t h e n t i c repetition o f a possibility o f e x i s t e n c e that has b e e n p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t Dasein
the
m a y c h o o s e its h e r o - is g r o u n d e d e x i s t e n t i a l l y i n
anticipatory resoluteness.'
1 1
T h e b a c k g r o u n d h e r e is u n m i s t a k a b l y K i e r k e -
g a a r d i a n : a t r u e C h r i s t i a n c o m m u n i t y is g r o u n d e d i n t h e f a c t t h a t e a c h o f its m e m b e r s h a s t o r e p e a t t h e m o d e o f e x i s t e n c e f r e e l y a s s u m e d b y C h r i s t , their hero. T h i s p a s s a g e f r o m t h e ' t h r o w n p r o j e c t i o n ' o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l Dasein
who,
in a n a c t o f a n t i c i p a t o r y d e c i s i o n , a c h i e v e s a n a u t h e n t i c m o d e o f b e i n g , 'freely c h o o s e s h i s f a t e , ' t o a h u m a n c o m m u n i t y o f a P e o p l e w h i c h a l s o , in
a
collective act o f anticipatory
decision
qua
repetition
of a
past
p o s s i b i l i t y , a u t h e n t i c a l l y a s s u m e s its h i s t o r i a l D e s t i n y , is n o t p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l l y g r o u n d e d i n a n a d e q u a t e way. T h e medium
o f collective (societal)
b e i n g - t h e r e is n o t p r o p e r l y d e p l o y e d : w h a t H e i d e g g e r s e e m s to b e m i s s i n g is s i m p l y t h a t w h i c h H e g e l d e s i g n a t e d as ' o b j e c t i v e S p i r i t ' , t h e s y m b o l i c big O t h e r , t h e
'objectified' domain
o f symbolic mandates, a n d so
""winch is not yet t h e ' i m p e r s o n a l ' das Man, immersion
in
a traditional
b u t a l s o no longer
the
on,
premodern
way o f life. T h i s i l l e g i t i m a t e s h o r t
circuit
\ B e t w e e n i n d i v i d u a l a n d c o l l e c t i v e l e v e l is a t t h e r o o t o f H e i d e g g e r ' s ' F a s c i s t 'j t e m p t a t i o n ' ; a t t h i s p o i n t , t h e i m p l i c i t p o l i t i c i z a t i o n o f Being
and Time is a t
t its s t r o n g e s t : d o e s n o t t h e o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n t h e m o d e r n d i s p e r s e d s o c i e t y o f das Man,
anonymous
with p e o p l e busy following t h e i r everyday
p r e o c c u p a t i o n s , a n d t h e P e o p l e a u t h e n t i c a l l y a s s u m i n g its D e s t i n y , r e s o n ate w i t h t h e o p p o s i t i o n civilization
o f frenetic
between the decadent modern false
activity a n d
the
'Americanized'
conservative
'authentic'
r e s p o n s e t o it? T h i s is n o t t o c l a i m t h a t H e i d e g g e r ' s n o t i o n o f h i s t o r i c a l r e p e t i t i o n as c o i n c i d i n g w i t h a u t h e n t i c a n t i c i p a t o r y p r o j e c t i o n is n o t a n e x e m p l a r y c a s e
18
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
o f analysis. T h e key p o i n t n o t to b e m i s s e d in H e i d e g g e r ' s analysis o f h i s t o r i c i t y p r o p e r is t h e i n t e r c o n n e c t i o n o f t h e t h r e e t e m p o r a l e x t a s e s o f t i m e : w h e n h e s p e a k s o f ' t h r o w n p r o j e c t i o n ' , this d o e s n o t s i m p l y m e a n t h a t a f i n i t e a g e n t f i n d s i t s e l f in a s i t u a t i o n t h a t l i m i t s its o p t i o n s ; t h a t i t t h e n a n a l y s e s t h e p o t e n t i a l i t i e s a l l o w e d f o r b y t h i s f i n i t e s i t u a t i o n , b y its c o n d i t i o n , c h o o s e s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y w h i c h b e s t fits its i n t e r e s t s a n d a s s u m e s it as its p r o j e c t . T h e p o i n t is t h a t t h e f u t u r e h a s a p r i m a c y : t o b e a b l e to d i s c e r n t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o p e n e d u p b y t h e t r a d i t i o n i n t o w h i c h a n a g e n t is thrown, o n e m u s t already a c k n o w l e d g e o n e ' s e n g a g e m e n t in a p r o j e c t t h a t is t o s a y , ( t h e m o v e m e n t o f r e p e t i t i o n j as it w e r e , r e t r o a c t i v e l y r e v e a l s ( a n d t h u s fully a c t u a l i z e s ) t h a t w h i c h it r e p e a t s . F o r this r e a s o n , H e i d e g g e r ' s ' d e c i s i o n ' , in the p r e c i s e s e n s e o f anticipa tory resoluteness
[Ent-Schlossenheit],
h a s t h e s t a t u s o f a forced
choice,
H c i d e g g e r i a n d e c i s i o n qua r e p e t i t i o n , is n o t a ' f r e e c h o i c e ' i n t h e
the usual
sense o f the term. ( S u c h a n o t i o n o f freely c h o o s i n g b e t w e e n alternative p o s s i b i l i t i e s is u t t e r l y f o r e i g n t o H e i d e g g e r ; h e d i s m i s s e s it as b e l o n g i n g to s u p e r f i c i a l A m e r i c a n i z e d l i b e r a l i n d i v i d u a l i s m . ) R a t h e r , i t is f u n d a m e n t a l l y the
c h o i c e o f 'freely assuming'
one's imposed
destiny. T h i s
paradox,
n e c e s s a r y i f o n e is t o a v o i d t h e v u l g a r l i b e r a l n o t i o n o f f r e e d o m o f c h o i c e , i n d i c a t e s t h e t h e o l o g i c a l p r o b l e m a t i c o f predestination decision/choice
(not a choice between
and
Grace:
a true
a series o f objects leaving
my
subjective p o s i t i o n intact, b u t t h e f u n d a m e n t a l c h o i c e by m e a n s o f w h i c h I ' c h o o s e m y s e l f ) p r e s u p p o s e s t h a t 1 a s s u m e a passive attitude o f 'letting m y s e l f b e c h o s e n ' - i n s h o r t , free choice
and
Grace
are strictly
equivalent,
as D e l e u z e p u t it, w e r e a l l y c h o o s e o n l y w h e n w e a r e chosen: b i e n , n e c h o i s i t e f f e c t i v e m e n t q u e c e l u i q u i est c h o i s i . ' To
or,
'Ne choisit
1 2
dispel t h e n o t i o n t h a t we a r e d e a l i n g h e r e with an
obscurantist-
t h e o l o g i c a l p r o b l e m a t i c , l e t us e v o k e a m o r e telling leftist e x a m p l e o f proletarian
class i n t e r p e l l a t i o n : w h e n
a s u b j e c t r e c o g n i z e s h i m s e l f as a
p r o l e t a r i a n revolutionary, w h e n h e freely a s s u m e s a n d identifies with the t a s k o f r e v o l u t i o n , h e r e c o g n i z e s h i m s e l f as b e i n g c h o s e n b y H i s t o r y to a c c o m p l i s h this task. I n g e n e r a l , t h e A l t h u s s e r i a n n o t i o n o f i d e o l o g i c a l interpellation involves the situation o f ' f o r c e d c h o i c e ' by m e a n s o f which the s u b j e c t e m e r g e s o u t o f t h e act o f freely c h o o s i n g t h e inevitable -
that
is, i n w h i c h s h e / h e is g i v e n t h e f r e e d o m o f c h o i c e o n c o n d i t i o n t h a t s h e / he
makes
the
right
choice:
when
an
individual
is a d d r e s s e d
by
i n t e r p e l l a t i o n , s h e / h e is ' i n v i t e d t o p l a y a r o l e in s u c h a way t h a t
an the
i n v i t a t i o n a p p e a r s t o h a v e a l r e a d y b e e n a n s w e r e d b y t h e s u b j e c t b e f o r e it was p r o p o s e d , b u t at t h e s a m e t i m e t h e i n v i t a t i o n c o u l d b e
refused'.
1 1
T h e r e i n lies t h e i d e o l o g i c a l a c t o f r e c o g n i t i o n , i n w h i c h I r e c o g n i z e m y s e l f
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
19
as ' a l w a y s - a l r e a d y ' t h a t as w h i c h I a m i n t e r p e l l a t e d : i n r e c o g n i z i n g m y s e l f as X , I f r e e l y a s s u m e / c h o o s e t h e f a c t t h a t I a l w a y s - a l r e a d y was X . W h e n , say, I a m a c c u s e d o f a c r i m e a n d a g r e e t o d e f e n d m y s e l f , I presuppose
myself
as a f r e e a g e n t l e g a l l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r m y a c t s . I n h e r I n t e r n e t discussion widi E r n e s t o L a c l a u , J u d i t h B u t l e r m a d e
a
n i c e H e g e l i a n p o i n t a b o u t d e c i s i o n : i t is n o t o n l y t h a t n o d e c i s i o n is t a k e n i n a n a b s o l u t e v o i d , t h a t e v e r y d e c i s i o n is c o n t e x t u a l i z e d , is a d e c i s i o n - i n context, but contexts ihemsejyes: •' are in s o m e ways p r o d u c e d by decisions, that is, t h e r e is a certain r e d o u b l i n g o f decision-making. . . . T h e r e is first the decision to mark or delimit the c o n t e x t in which a decision [on what kinds o f differences ought not to b e i n c l u d e d in a given polity] will be m a d e , a n d then t h e r e is the m a r k i n g off o f certain kinds o f differences as inadmissible. T h e u n d e c i d a b i l i t y h e r e is r a d i c a l : o n e c a n n e v e r r e a c h a ' p u r e ' c o n t e x t p r i o r t o a d e c i s i o n ; e v e r y c o n t e x t is ' a l w a y s - a l r e a d y ' r e t r o a c t i v e l y c o n s t i t u t e d b y a d e c i s i o n ( a s w i t h r e a s o n s t o d o s o m e t h i n g , w h i c h a r e always at least m i n i m a l l y retroactively posited by the act o f d e c i s i o n they..ground
-
o n l y o n c e we d e c i d e to b e l i e v e d o r e a s o n s to b e l i e v e b e c o m e c o n v i n c i n g t o us, n o t v i c e v e r s a ) . A n o t h e r a s p e c t o f t h i s s a m e p o i n t is t h a t n o t o n l y is t h e r e n o d e c i s i o n w i t h o u t e x c l u s i o n (i.e. every d e c i s i o n p r e c l u d e s a series o f p o s s i b i l i t i e s ) , b u t a l s o t h e a c t o f d e c i s i o n i t s e l f is m a d e p o s s i b l e b y s o m e k i n d o f e x c l u s i o n : s o m e t h i n g m u s t b e e x c l u d e d in o r d e r f o r us t o b e c o m e beings which make decisions. Is n o t t h e L a c a n i a n n o t i o n
o f 'forced choice'
paradox? Does n o t the primordial
a way t o e x p l a i n
'exclusion' which
grounds
( i . e . c h o i c e ) i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e c h o i c e is, a t a c e r t a i n r a d i c a l l y
this
decision
fundamental
level, f o r c e d - that I have a (free) c h o i c e only o n c o n d i t i o n that I m a k e t h e p r o p e r c h o i c e - s o t h a t , at t h i s l e v e l , o n e e n c o u n t e r s a p a r a d o x i c a l c h o i c e w h i c h o v e r l a p s w i t h its m e t a - c h o i c e : I a m t o l d w h a t I m u s t c h o o s e freely. . . . F a r f r o m b e i n g a sign o f ' p a t h o l o g i c a l ( o r politically "totalitar i a n " ) d i s t o r t i o n ' , t h i s l e v e l o f ' f o r c e d c h o i c e ' is p r e c i s e l y w h a t t h e p s y c h o t i c p o s i t i o n lacks:
t h e p s y c h o t i c s u b j e c t a c t s as i f h e h a s a t r u l y f r e e c h o i c e ' a l l
t h e way a l o n g ' . S o , b e f o r e we dismiss H e i d e g g e r ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f a n t i c i p a t o r y d e c i s i o n as f r e e l y a s s u m i n g o n e ' s d e s t i n y as a c o d e d d e s c r i p t i o n o f a c o n s e r v a t i v e ^rjserudo-revolution,
we
should
stop
for
a moment
and
recall
Fredric
J a m e s o n ' s a s s e r t i o n t h a t a t r u e L e f t i s t is in a way m u c h c l o s e r t o t o d a y ' s n e o - c o n s e r v a t i v e c o m m u n i t a r i a n t h a n h e is t o a l i b e r a l d e m o c r a t : h e fully e n d o r s e s t h e c o n s e r v a t i v e c r i t i c i s m o f liberal d e m o c r a c y a n d a g r e e s with
20
THE TICKLISH
the
conservative o n
SUBJECT
practically everything
except
the essential,
except a
s o m e t i m e s tiny f e a t u r e w h i c h , n o n e t h e less, c h a n g e s e v e r y t h i n g . As f o r H e i d e g g e r ' s n o t i o n o f a u t h e n t i c c h o i c e as a r e p e t i t i o n , t h e p a r a l l e l w i t h B e n j a m i n ' s n o t i o n o f r e v o l u t i o n as r e p e t i t i o n , e l u c i d a t e d i n h i s ' T h e s e s on
the
Philosophy
o f History',
1 4
is s t r i k i n g :
here
also, revolution
is
c o n c e p t u a l i z e d as a r e p e t i t i o n t h a t r e a l i z e s t h e h i d d e n p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e past, so that a p r o p e r view o f t h e past ( t h e o n e t h a t p e r c e i v e s t h e past n o t as a c l o s e d s e t o f f a c t s b u t as o p e n , as i n v o l v i n g a p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t f a i l e d , o r was r e p r e s s e d , i n its a c t u a l i t y ) o p e n s o n l y f r o m t h e s t a n d p o i n t o f a n a g e n t e n g a g e d i n a p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n . T h e p r e s e n t r e v o l u t i o n , i n its a t t e m p t to liberate
the
working
class,
also
retroactively
redeems
all
failed
past
a t t e m p t s a t l i b e r a t i o n - t h a t is t o say, t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f a p r e s e n t a g e n t engaged
in
a
revolutionary
project suddenly
makes
visible w h a t
the
o b j e c t i v i s t / p o s i t i v i s t h i s t o r i o g r a p h y , c o n s t r a i n e d t o f a c t i c i t y , is b y d e f i n i tion b l i n d to: the h i d d e n potentialities o f l i b e r a t i o n that were c r u s h e d by the victorious march o f the forces o f domination. R e a d i n t h i s way, t h e a p p r o p r i a t i o n o f t h e p a s t t h r o u g h its r e p e t i t i o n i n an anticipatory d e c i s i o n that e n a c t s a p r o j e c t - this identification o f fate a n d f r e e d o m , o f a s s u m i n g o n e ' s D e s t i n y as t h e h i g h e s t
(albeit forced)
f r e e c h o i c e - d o e s not i n v o l v e a s i m p l e N i e t z s c h e a n p o i n t t h a t e v e n
the
m o s t neutral description o f the past serves the p r e s e n t purposes o f s o m e power-political project. O n e m u s t insist h e r e o n t h e o p p o s i t i o n
between
the appropriation o f the past from the standpoint o f those who rule (the n a r r a t i v e o f p a s t h i s t o r y as t h e e v o l u t i o n l e a d i n g t o a n d l e g i t i m a t i n g t h e i r triumph) and the appropriation
o f t h a t w h i c h , i n t h e p a s t , r e m a i n e d its
Utopian a n d f a i l e d ( ' r e p r e s s e d ' ) p o t e n t i a l i t y . W h a t H e i d e g g e r ' s d e s c r i p tion
l a c k s is t h u s - t o p u t it i n a d i r e c t a n d s o m e w h a t c r u d e way - i n s i g h t
i n t o t h e r a d i c a l l y antagonistic
n a t u r e o f every h i t h e r t o c o m m u n a l way o f
life. H e i d e g g e r ' s o n t o l o g y is t h u s i n f a c t ' p o l i t i c a l ' ( t o r e f e r t o t h e B o u r d i e u ' s b o o k o n H e i d e g g e r ) : his e n d e a v o u r
title
to b r e a k t h r o u g h
d i t i o n a l o n t o l o g y , a n d t o a s s e r t as t h e k e y t o t h e ' s e n s e o f b e i n g '
of tra
man's
d e c i s i o n to a d o p t a ' p r o j e c t ' by m e a n s o f w h i c h h e actively a s s u m e s his 'thrownness' into a finite historical situation, locates the historico-political a c t o f d e c i s i o n in t h e v e r y h e a r t o f o n t o l o g y i t s e l f : t h e v e r y c h o i c e o f t h e h i s t o r i c a l f o r m o f Dasein decision not grounded
is i n a s e n s e ' p o l i t i c a l ' , it c o n s i s t s i n a n a b y s s a l in a n y u n i v e r s a l o n t o l o g i c a l s t r u c t u r e . T h u s
the
standard Habermasian liberal argumentation which locates the source o f H e i d e g g e r ' s Fascist t e m p t a t i o n in his ' i r r a t i o n a l ' d e c i s i o n i s m , in his r e j e c tion
of
any
universal
rational-normative
criteria
for
political
activity,
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
21
c o m p l e t e l y m i s s e s t h e p o i n t : w h a t t h i s c r i t i c i s m r e j e c t s as p r o t o - F a s c i s t ( J e c i s i o n i s m is s i m p l y t h e b a s i c c o n d i t i o n o f t h e political. ^y,
H e i d e g g e r ' s N a z i e n g a g e m e n t was t h e r e f o r e
In a perverted
a 'step in the
right
*• f j j r e c t i o n ' , a s t e p t o w a r d s o p e n l y a d m i t t i n g a n d fully a s s u m i n g t h e c o n s e quences o f the lack o f ontological guarantee, freedom: vns
1 5
o f the
abyss o f
human
as A l a i n B a d i o u p u t it, i n H e i d e g g e r ' s e y e s t h e N a z i ' r e v o l u t i o n '
formally
indistinguishable
from
the
authentic
politico-historical
' e v e n t ' . O r - t o p u t it i n a n o t h e r way - H e i d e g g e r ' s p o l i t i c a l e n g a g e m e n t was a k i n d o f passage
a Facte i n t h e R e a l t h a t b e a r s w i t n e s s t o t h e f a c t t h a t
h e refused to g o to t h e e n d in t h e S y m b o l i c - to t h i n k o u t t h e t h e o r e t i c a l C o n s e q u e n c e s o f h i s b r e a k t h r o u g h i n Being
and
Time.
T h e s t a n d a r d s t o r y a b o u t H e i d e g g e r is t h a t h e a c c o m p l i s h e d h i s ( t u r n ) a f t e r b e c o m i n g a w a r e o f h o w t h e o r i g i n a l p r o j e c t o f Being leads
back
to
transcendental
subjectivism:
owing
to
the
Kehre
and,
Time
unreflected
r e m a i n d e r o f subjectivTsm"Xdecisionism, e t c . ) , H e i d e g g e r let h i m s e l f be s e d u c e d i n t o his Nazi e n g a g e m e n t ; w h e n ,
however, h e b e c a m e
aware
o f h o w h e h a d ' b u r n t h i s f i n g e r s ' w i t h it, h e c l e a r e d u p t h e r e m a i n d e r s o f Subjectivism a n d d e v e l o p e d the i d e a o f t h e h i s t o r i c a l - e p o c h a l c h a r a c t e r o f B e i n g i t s e l f . . . . O n e is t e m p t e d t o i n v e r t t h i s s t a n d a r d s t o r y : t h e r e is a kind o f 'vanishing mediator' between H e i d e g g e r I a n d H e i d e g g e r II, a p o s i t i o n o f r a d i c a l i z e d s u b j e c t i v i t y c o i n c i d i n g w i t h its o p p o s i t e - t h a t is, reduced
to an
empty
gesture,
the
impossible
intersection
between
the
' d e c i s i o n i s m ' o f H e i d e g g e r I a n d his late 'fatalism' ( t h e e v e n t o f B e i n g ' t a k e s p l a c e ' i n m a n , w h o s e r v e s as its s h e p h e r d . . . ) . F a r f r o m b e i n g t h e ' p r a c t i c a l c o n s e q u e n c e ' o f this r a d i c a l i z e d s u b j e c t i v i t y , H e i d e g g e r ' s N a z i e n g a g e m e n t w a s a d e s p e r a t e a t t e m p t t o avoid
it. . . . I n o t h e r w o r d s , w h a t
H e i d e g g e r l a t e r d i s m i s s e d as t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e s u b j e c t i v i s t t r a n s c e n " dental
approach
i n Being
and
Time,
is w h a t h e
should
have stuck
to.
H e i d e g g e r ' s u l t i m a t e f a i l u r e is n o t t h a t h e r e m a i n e d s t u c k i n t h e h o r i z o n "|)&f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s u b j e c t i v i t y , b u t t h a t h e a b a n d o n e d t h i s h o r i z o n all t o o Q u i c k l y , b e f o r e t h i n k i n g o u t all its i n h e r e n t p o s s i b i l i t i e s . N a z i s m was n o t a ^l^olitical expression o f the 'nihilist, d e m o n i a c potential o f m o d e r n
subjec-
;,*Jvity' b u t , r a t h e r , its e x a c t o p p o s i t e : a d e s p e r a t e a t t e m p t t o a v o i d
this
jpotential. T h i s l o g i c o f t h e ' m i s s i n g l i n k ' is o f t e n p r e s e n t i n t h e h i s t o r y o f t h o u g h t , from
S c h e l l i n g to t h e F r a n k f u r t S c h o o l . I n the case o f S c h e l l i n g , we have
t h e a l m o s t u n b e a r a b l e t e n s i o n o f h i s Weltalter
drafts, t h e i r u l t i m a t e failure;
S c h e l l i n g ' s l a t e p h i l o s o p h y , w h i c h f o l l o w s t h e Weltalter,
effectively resolves
this u n b e a r a b l e t e n s i o n , b u t in t h e w r o n g way - by l o s i n g t h e very d i m e n s i o n t h a t was m o s t p r o d u c t i v e i n it. W e e n c o u n t e r t h e s a m e p r o c e d u r e o f
THE TICKLISH
22
SUBJECT
'false r e s o l u t i o n ' i n t h e way H a b e r m a s ' s p r o j e c t relates to A d o r n o ' s a n d Horkheimcr's
'dialectic o f Enlightenment'.
T h e latter
is a l s o
a
self-
d e f e a t i n g p r o j e c t , a g i g a n t i c f a i l u r e ; a n d , a g a i n , w h a t H a b e r m a s d o e s is t o resolve the u n b e a r a b l e
tension
o f the 'dialectic o f E n l i g h t e n m e n t '
by
i n t r o d u c i n g a d i s t i n c t i o n , a k i n d o f ' d i v i s i o n o f l a b o u r ' , b e t w e e n t h e two dimensions, production
and symbolic interaction
(in a strict h o m o l o g y
w i d i S c h e l l i n g , w h o d i s s o l v e s t h e t e n s i o n o f t h e Weltalter
by introducing
the distinction between 'negative' a n d 'positive' philosophy). O u r point is t h a t
enacts an analogous
false
r e s o l u t i o n o f t h e i n h e r e n t d e a d l o c k o f t h e o r i g i n a l p r o j e c t o f Being
Heidegger's
late
'thought
o f Being'
and
1
Time? '
W h y D i d Being W h y is H e i d e g g e r ' s Kant
and Time
R e m a i n Unfinished? 7
and the Problem
us r e c a l l t h e s i m p l e f a c t t h a t Being
of Metaphysics'
and Time,
crucial here? L e t
as w c k n o w it, is a f r a g m e n t :
w h a t H e i d e g g e r p u b l i s h e d as t h e b o o k c o n s i s t s o f t h e first two s e c t i o n s o f t h e first p a r t ; t h e p r o j e c t p r o v e d i m p o s s i b l e t o r e a l i z e , a n d w h a t c a m e o u t o f t h i s f a i l u r e , w h a t ( t o u s e g o o d o l d s t r u c t u r a l i s t j a r g o n ) filled i n t h e l a c k of
the missing
final
part
o f Being
and
Time,
H e i d e g g e r ' s w r i t i n g s a f t e r t h e f a m o u s Kehre. simply to imagine t h e
finished
v e r s i o n o f Being
t h a t s t o p p e d H e i d e g g e r was i n h e r e n t .
was t h e a b u n d a n c e
of
O u r p o i n t , o f c o u r s e , is n o t and. Time,
the impediment
O n c l o s e r e x a m i n a t i o n , t h e situ
a t i o n is m o r e c o m p l e x . O n t h e o n e h a n d - a t l e a s t a t m a n u s c r i p t l e v e l t h e e n t i r e p r o j e c t o f Being
and Time
have
of Metaphysics,
Kant
and
the Problem
was a c c o m p l i s h e d : n o t o n l y d o w e which
encompasses
t h e first
s e c t i o n o f t h e p r o j e c t e d P a r t I I , b u t H e i d e g g e r ' s l e c t u r e s a t M a r b u r g in 1 9 2 7 ( p u b l i s h e d l a t e r as The Basic cover precisely the remaining
Problems
of Phenomenology)
d o loosely
s e c t i o n s o f t h e o r i g i n a l Being
and
Time
p r o j e c t ( t i m e as t h e h o r i z o n o f t h e q u e s t i o n o f b e i n g ; t h e C a r t e s i a n
cogito
a n d t h e A r i s t o t e l i a n c o n c e p t i o n o f t i m e as t h e p l a n n e d s e c t i o n s t w o a n d t h r e e o f t h e s e c o n d p a r t ) , s o that, i f we p u t t h e s e t h r e e p u b l i s h e d v o l u m e s t o g e t h e r , w e d o g e t a r o u g h r e a l i z e d v e r s i o n o f t h e e n t i r e Being project.
Furthermore,
perhaps
even
a l t h o u g h t h e p u b l i s h e d v e r s i o n o f Being
more
enigmatic
and
Time
is t h e f a c t
that
and Time d o e s n o t c o v e r e v e n t h e
c o m p l e t e first p a r t o f t h e e n t i r e p r o j e c t , b u t o n l y its first t w o s e c t i o n s ( s e c t i o n t h r e e , t h e e x p o s i t i o n o f t i m e as t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l
horizon for
t h e q u e s t i o n o f b e i n g , is m i s s i n g ) , it s o m e h o w s t r i k e s u s as ' c o m p l e t e ' , a s a n o r g a n i c W h o l e , as i f n o t h i n g is r e a l l y m i s s i n g . W h a t w e a r e d e a l i n g
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
23
w i t h h e r e is t h u s t h e o p p o s i t e o f t h e s t a n d a r d n o t i o n o f ' c l o s u r e ' conceals Being
or
and
'sutures'
Time,
the
persisting
openness
that
( i n c o n c l u s i v e n e s s ) : with
it is r a t h e r as i f H e i d e g g e r ' s i n s i s t e n c e t h a t t h e p u b l i s h e d
b o o k is j u s t a f r a g m e n t c o n c e a l s t h e f a c t t h a t t h e b o o k is c l o s e d , f i n i s h e d . T h e c o n c l u d i n g c h a p t e r s ( o n h i s t o r i c i t y ) c a n n o t b u t s t r i k e us as a r t i f i c i a l l y a d d e d , as i f t o a d d t o t h e c l o s u r e a h a s t i l y c o n c o c t e d a t t e m p t t o d e s i g n a t e another dimension (that o f collective forms o f historicity), for which there is n o p r o p e r p l a c e i n t h e o r i g i n a l p r o j e c t . . . . I f t h e p u b l i s h e d Being
and
Time
1 8
w e r e to c o v e r t h e e n t i r e P a r t I o f t h e
o r i g i n a l p r o j e c t , o n e c o u l d still s o m e h o w j u s t i f y t h i s p e r c e p t i o n o f w h o l e n e s s . ( W e d i d g e t t h e e n t i r e ' s y s t e m a t i c ' p a r t ; w h a t is m i s s i n g is m e r e l y t h e ' h i s t o r i c ' part, the i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e t h r e e key m o m e n t s in t h e history o f Western metaphysics - Aristotle, Descartes, K a n t - whose radicalized ' r e p e t i t i o n ' is H e i d e g g e r ' s o w n a n a l y t i c o f Dasein.)
Obviously, the i n h e r e n t
i m p e d i m e n t , the barrier preventing the c o m p l e t i o n o f the project, already affects t h e last s e c t i o n o f P a r t I. I f we leave aside t h e p r o b l e m o f n o n publication
o f the
texts
(lecture
notes)
covering
the
remaining
two
s e c t i o n s o f P a r t I I ( d o e s it h a v e s o m e t h i n g t o d o w i t h t h e e n i g m a t i c s t a t u s o f i m a g i n a t i o n i n A r i s t o t l e , as d e m o n s t r a t e d b y C a s t o r i a d i s , t h e s t a t u s t h a t e x p l o d e s t h e o n t o l o g i c a l edifice? o r with the s a m e i m p l i c i t a n t i - o n t o l o g i c a l t h r u s t o f t h e C a r t e s i a n cogito
as t h e first a n n o u n c e m e n t o f t h e ' n i g h t o f
t h e w o r l d ' ? ) , t h e e n i g m a is: why was H e i d e g g e r u n a b l e t o a c c o m p l i s h h i s v e r y s y s t e m a t i c e x p l o r a t i o n o f t i m e as t h e h o r i z o n o f B e i n g ? T h e s t a n d a r d , ' o f f i c i a l ' a n s w e r is w e l l k n o w n : b e c a u s e it b e c a m e c l e a r t o h i m t h a t approach
o f Being
and
Time
was still t o o
the
metaphysical/transcendental,
' m e t h o d o l o g i c a l ' , i n p r o c e e d i n g f r o m Dasein
to the question o f B e i n g ,
i n s t e a d o f d i r e c t l y a p p r o a c h i n g t h e t e m p o r a l D i s c l o s u r e o f B e i n g as t h a t w h i c h s u s t a i n s t h e u n i q u e s t a t u s o f Dasein there
was
another
deadlock,
another
a m o n g all e n t i t i e s . B u t w h a t if kind
o f abyss,
that
Heidegger
e n c o u n t e r e d - a n d w i t h d r e w f r o m - a t t h i s p o i n t ? W e t h e r e f o r e w a n t to argue against the 'official'
v e r s i o n o f this i m p e d i m e n t
b e c a m e a w a r e o f h o w t h e p r o j e c t o f Being
(that
t r a n s c c n d e n t a l - s u b j e c t i v i s t p r o c e d u r e o f first e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e o f possibility' o f t h e
Heidegger
and Time was still c a u g h t in t h e
s e n s e o f B e i n g via t h e
'conditions
a n a l y s i s o f Dasein):
H e i d e g g e r a c t u a l l y e n c o u n t e r e d i n h i s p u r s u i t o f Being
and
Time
what was t h e
abyss o f r a d i c a l s u b j e c t i v i t y a n n o u n c e d in K a n t i a n t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i m a g i n J t t m r i j a n d h e r e c o i l e d f r o m this abyss i n t o his t h o u g h t o f t h e historicity of Being. T h i s c r i t i c i s m o f H e i d e g g e r d o e s n o t s e e m a t all n e w : it h a s
already
b e e n m a d e by, a m o n g o t h e r s , C o r n e l i u s C a s t o r i a d i s , w h o a r g u e s that t h e
24
THE TICKLISH
SUBJECT
K a n t i a n n o t i o n o f i m a g i n a t i o n (as t h a t w h i c h u n d e r m i n e s
the standard
' c l o s e d ' o n t o l o g i c a l i m a g e o f t h e C o s m o s ) is a n n o u n c e d
a l r e a d y in
u n i q u e p a s s a g e o f De Anima
a
(III, 7 a n d 8 ) , where Aristotle claims: 'never
d o e s t h e soul t h i n k w i t h o u t p h a n t a s m ' , a n d d e v e l o p s this f u r t h e r i n t o a k i n d o f ' A r i s t o t e l i a n S c h e m a t i s m ' ( e v e r y a b s t r a c t n o t i o n - say, o f a t r i a n g l e -
has to b e a c c o m p a n i e d in o u r
thought
by a sensible, a l t h o u g h
not
bodily, p h a n t a s m i c r e p r e s e n t a t i o n - w h e n we think o f a triangle, we have in o u r m i n d a n i m a g e o f a c o n c r e t e t r i a n g l e ) .
1 9
Aristotle even a n n o u n c e s
t h e K a n t i a n n o t i o n o f t i m e as t h e u n s u r p a s s a b l e h o r i z o n o f o u r e x p e r i e n c e w h e n h e a s s e r t s : ' i t is n o t p o s s i b l e t o t h i n k w i t h o u t t i m e w h a t is n o t i n t i m e ' ( 0 » Memory,
449-50)
- without
finding
a kind o f figuration
in
s o m e t h i n g temporal; for e x a m p l e , that which 'endures forever'. Castoriadis o p p o s e s
this
notion
o f imagination
o t h e r w i s e p r e v a i l s b o t h in De Anima physical tradition:
to
the
standard
one
which
a n d in t h e e n t i r e s u b s e q u e n t m e t a
this r a d i c a l n o t i o n o f i m a g i n a t i o n is n e i t h e r p a s s i v e -
r e c e p t i v e n o r c o n c e p t u a l - t h a t is t o say, it c a n n o t b e p r o p e r l y
placed
o n t o l o g i c a l l y , s i n c e it i n d i c a t e s a g a p i n t h e v e r y o n t o l o g i c a l e d i f i c e o f B e i n g . C a s t o r i a d i s t h u s s e e m s fully j u s t i f i e d i n h i s c l a i m : with respect to the ' r e c o i l i n g ' H e i d e g g e r imputes to Kant when faced with the 'bottomless abyss' o p e n e d up by the discovery o f t h e transcendental imagin ation, it is H e i d e g g e r h i m s e l f who in effect 'recoils' after writing his b o o k on Kant. A new forgetting, covering-over, a n d e f f a c e m e n t o f the question o f t h e imagination intervenes, for n o further traces o f the question will be found in any o f his subsequent writings; t h e r e is a suppression o f what this question unsettles for every ontology ( a n d for e v e r y 'thinking o f B e i n g ' ) . ' " 2
C a s t o r i a d i s a l s o d r a w s p o l i t i c a l c o n s e q u e n c e s f r o m t h i s : it is H e i d e g g e r ' s r e c o i l i n g f r o m t h e abyss o f i m a g i n a t i o n t h a t j u s t i f i e s h i s a c c e p t a n c e o f ^totalitarian' p o l i t i c a l c l o s u r e , w h i l e t h e abyss o f i m a g i n a t i o n p r o v i d e s t h e philosophical foundation s o c i e t y as g r o u n d e d
for the democratic opening -
the notion
of
i n a c o l l e c t i v e a c t o f h i s t o r i c a l i m a g i n a t i o n : ' A full
r e c o g n i t i o n o f t h e r a d i c a l i m a g i n a t i o n is p o s s i b l e o n l y i f it g o e s h a n d
in
h a n d with t h e discovery o f t h e o t h e r d i m e n s i o n o f t h e radical i m a g i n a r y , t h e s o c i a l - h i s t o r i c a l i m a g i n a r y , i n s t i t u t i n g s o c i e t y as s o u r c e o f o n t o l o g i c a l c r e a t i o n d e p l o y i n g i t s e l f as h i s t o r y . "
21
However, Castoriadis's notion o f
i m a g i n a t i o n r e m a i n s w i t h i n t h e e x i s t e n t i a l i s t h o r i z o n o f m a n as t h e b e i n g who
p r o j e c t s his ' e s s e n c e ' in
the
act o f imagination
transcending
all
p o s i t i v e B e i n g . S o , b e f o r e w e p a s s t h e f i n a l j u d g e m e n t o n it, it w o u l d b e appropriate to take a c l o s e r l o o k at t h e c o n t o u r s o f i m a g i n a t i o n in K a n t himself.
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
25
T h e m y s t e r y o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i m a g i n a t i o n qua s p o n t a n e i t y l i e s i n t h e fact
that it c a n n o t b e p r o p e r l y
phenomenal
and
Noumenal.
l o c a t e d with
regard
to the
couple
K a n t h i m s e l f is c a u g h t h e r e i n a
of
deadly
jjnpasse a n d / o r a m b i g u i t y . O n t h e o n e h a n d , h e c o n c e i v e s o f t r a n s c e n dental freedom
( ' s p o n t a n e i t y ' ) as noumenal:
as p h e n o m e n a l e n t i t i e s , w e
;
,!i$re c a u g h t i n t h e w e b o f c a u s a l c o n n e c t i o n s , w h i l e o u r f r e e d o m ( t h e f a c t that, as m o r a l s u b j e c t s , we a r e f r e e , s e l f - o r i g i n a d n g a g e n t s ) i n d i c a t e s t h e l i o u m c n a l d i m e n s i o n . In t h i s way, K a n t s o l v e s t h e d y n a m i c a n t i n o m i e s o f r e a s o n : b o t h p r o p o s i t i o n s c a n b e t r u e - t h a t is t o say, s i n c e all p h e n o m e n a %re c a u s a l l y l i n k e d , m a n ,
as a
phenomenal
entity,
is n o t
free;
as
a
''Kioumenal e n t i t y , h o w e v e r , m a n c a n a c t m o r a l l y as a f r e e a g e n t . . . . W h a t blurs t h i s c l e a r p i c t u r e is K a n t ' s o w n i n s i g h t i n t o t h e c a t a s t r o p h i c c o n s e quences o f o u r direct access to t h e n o u m e n a l
s p h e r e : i f this w e r e
>$jappen, m e n
and/or
would
lose
Spontaneity; they would s u b c h a p t e r o f h i s Critique
their
moral
freedom
to
transcendental
t u r n i n t o l i f e l e s s p u p p e t s . T h a t is t o say: i n a of Practical
Reason
mysteriously entitied ' O f the
Wise A d a p t a t i o n o f M a n ' s C o g n i t i v e F a c u l t i e s t o H i s P r a c t i c a l V o c a t i o n ' , tic a n s w e r s t h e q u e s t i o n o f w h a t w o u l d h a p p e n t o us i f w e w e r e t o g a i n access t o t h e n o u m e n a l d o m a i n , t o T h i n g s i n t h e m s e l v e s : . . . instead o f the conflict which now the moral disposition has to wage with inclinations and in which, after s o m e defeats, moral strength o f m i n d may b e gradually won, G o d and eternity in their awful majesty would stand unceasingly before o u r eyes. . . . T h u s most actions c o n f o r m i n g to the law would b e d o n e from fear, few would be d o n e from h o p e , n o n e from duty. T h e moral worth o f actions, on which a l o n e the worth o f t h e person a n d even o f the world d e p e n d s in t h e eyes o f s u p r e m e wisdom, would n o t exist at all. T h e c o n d u c t o f m a n , so l o n g as his nature r e m a i n e d as it is now, would b e c h a n g e d into m e r e m e c h a n i s m , where, as in a p u p p e t show, everything would gesticulate well but n o life would b e found in the figures.' ' 2 2
transcendental ftohenomenal: ijgtccessible
freedom
and/or
spontaneity
i t o c c u r s o n l y i n s o f a r as t h e
to the
subject. T h i s in-betweerj -
i t s e l f is t h u s i n noumenal
sphere
a
sense is
neither phenomenal
not nor
^ j f e o u m e n a l , b u t t h e g a p w h i c h s e p a r a t e s t h e two a n d , i n a way, p r e c e d e s t h e m - (is' t h e subject,! so that t h e fact t h a t S u b j e c t c a n n o t b e r e d u c e d to Substance m e a n s precisely that transcendental F r e e d o m , although
it is
n o t p h e n o m e n a l ( i . e . a l t h o u g h it b r e a k s u p t h e c h a i n o f c a u s a l i t y t o w h i c h all p h e n o m e n a a r e s u b m i t t e d ) - t h a t is, a l t h o u g h it c a n n o t b e r e d u c e d t o a
n e f f e c t u n a w a r e o f its t r u e n o u m e n a l c a u s e s (I ' f e e l f r e e ' o n l y b e c a u s e I
a
m b l i n d e d t o t h e c a u s a l i t y w h i c h d e t e r m i n e s m y ' f r e e ' a c t s ) - is a l s o n o t
THE TICKLISH
26
SUBJECT
n o u m e n a l , b u t w o u l d vanish in t h e case o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s d i r e c t a c c e s s to the n o u m e n a l order. T h i s impossibility o f locating t r a n s c e n d e n t a l f r e e d o m / s p o n t a n e i t y with r e g a r d to the c o u p l e p h e n o m e n a l / n o u m e n a l 2
explains
1
why - * K a n t w a s a t s u c h a l o s s , a n d g o t i n v o l v e d i n a s e r i e s o f i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s in his efforts to d e t e r m i n e t h e e x a c t o n t o l o g i c a l status o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l spontaneity. A n d
the mystery o f transcendental
imagination
ultimately
c o i n c i d e s w i t h t h e m y s t e r y o f t h i s abyss o f f r e e d o m . H e i d e g g e r ' s g r e a t a c h i e v e m e n t was t h a t h e c l e a r l y p e r c e i v e d t h i s K a n t i a n d e a d l o c k , l i n k i n g it t o K a n t ' s u n w i l l i n g n e s s t o d r a w all t h e c o n s e quences
from
the
finitude
of
the
transcendental
subject:
Kant's
'regression' into traditional metaphysics occurs the m o m e n t he interprets the spontaneity o f transcendental subject has a n o u m e n a l
apperception
side which
as t h e
p r o o f that
is n o t s u b j e c t t o t h e
causal
the con
s t r a i n t s b i n d i n g all p h e n o m e n a . T h e f i n i t u d e o f t h e K a n t i a n s u b j e c t d o e s not amount
to the
standard sceptical assertion o f the
delusive c h a r a c t e r o f h u m a n k n o w l e d g e
unreliable
and
(man can never penetrate
the
m y s t e r y o f t h e h i g h e s t r e a l i t y , s i n c e h i s k n o w l e d g e is l i m i t e d t o e p h e m e r a l s e n s i b l e p h e n o m e n a . . . ) ; it i n v o l v e s a m u c h m o r e r a d i c a l s t a n c e : t h e v e r y d i m e n s i o n which, from within the h o r i z o n o f his finite t e m p o r a l experi e n c e , a p p e a r s t o t h e s u b j e c t as t h e t r a c e o f t h e i n a c c e s s i b l e n o u m e n a l B e y o n d , is a l r e a d y m a r k e d b y t h e h o r i z o n o f f i n i t u d e - it d e s i g n a t e s t h e way t h e n o u m e n a l
B e y o n d appears
to the subject
within
his
finite
temporal
experience. T h e r a d i c a l c o n s e q u e n c e o f all t h i s f o r t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n
tem
p o r a l i t y a n d e t e r n i t y is t h a t t e m p o r a l i t y is n o t a d e f i c i e n t m o d e o f e t e r n i t y : o n t h e c o n t r a r y , it is ' e t e r n i t y ' i t s e l f t h a t h a s t o b e c o n c e i v e d as a s p e c i f i c modification o f the subject's temporal (self-)experience. This m e a n s that the
t r u e s p l i t is n o l o n g e r b e t w e e n
the
phenomenal
(the domain
of
t e m p o r a l a n d / o r s e n s i b l e e x p e r i e n c e ) a n d t h e n o u m e n a l ; r a t h e r , it r u n s d o w n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e n o u m e n a l itself, in t h e guise o f t h e split b e t w e e n t h e way t h e n o u m e n a l I n - i t s e l f appears i t s e l f sans
phrase,
tout
court,
to the subject
a n d its ' i m p o s s i b l e ' I n -
w i t h o u t r e f e r e n c e to t h e s u b j e c t . G o d ,
S u p r e m e B e i n g W h o gives b o d y to t h e I d e a o f t h e course, designates a n o u m e n a l c o n s i s t e n t way as a n
entity
object of our
the
highest Good, o f
( o n e c a n n o t c o n c e i v e o f it in a
temporal
e x p e r i e n c e ) . However,
it
d e s i g n a t e s a n o u m e n a l e n t i t y i n t h e m o d e o f ' F o r - u s ' - t h a t is, it d e s i g n a t e s the
way a
noumenal
finite
rational
supreme
Being;
entity
(man)
or, to
put
has it in
to
represent
to itself
phenomenological
a l t h o u g h G o d qua S u p r e m e B e i n g c a n n e v e r b e a p h e n o m e n o n
the
terms, in
the
s e n s e o f a n o b j e c t o f s e n s i b l e t e m p o r a l e x p e r i e n c e , it is n o n e t h e l e s s a
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N 'phenomenon'
27
i n a m o r e r a d i c a l s e n s e o f s o m e t h i n g t h a t is m e a n i n g f u l
o n l y as a n e n t i t y w h i c h appears
t o a finite b e i n g e n d o w e d with c o n s c i o u s
ness a n d / o r t h e c a p a c i t y f o r f r e e d o m . P e r h a p s , i f w e a p p r o a c h t h e d i v i n i t y too
closely, this s u b l i m e
quality
of s u p r e m e
Goodness
turns into
an
excruciating Monstrosity. H e r e , H e i d e g g e r is fully j u s t i f i e d i n h i s f e r o c i o u s a v e r s i o n t o C a s s i r e r ' s reading
o f Kant during their famous
Davos debate
simply c o n t r a s t s t h e t e m p o r a l f i n i t u d e level, h u m a n
beings
are empirical
in 1 9 2 9 .
2 4
o f the human condition
entities
whose
behaviour
Cassirer ( a t this can be
e x p l a i n e d b y d i f f e r e n t sets o f c a u s a l l i n k s ) w i t h t h e f r e e d o m o f m a n qua e t h i c a l a g e n t : i n its s y m b o l i c activity, h u m a n i t y g r a d u a l l y c o n s t r u c t s t h e universe o f values a n d m e a n i n g s that c a n n o t b e r e d u c e d to ( o r e x p l a i n e d via a r e f e r e n c e t o ) t h e d o m a i n
o f facts a n d t h e i r i n t e r r e l a t i o n s -
this
u n i v e r s e o f V a l u e s a n d M e a n i n g s p o s i t e d b y m a n ' s s y m b o l i c a c t i v i t y is t h e m o d e r n v e r s i o n o f P l a t o ' s r e a l m o f e t e r n a l I d e a s : t h a t is t o say, i n it, a d i m e n s i o n d i f f e r e n t f r o m t h a t o f t h e d y n a m i c c i r c u i t o f life, o f g e n e r a t i o n and corruption, breaks through a n d comes into existence - a dimension w h i c h , a l t h o u g h it d o c s n o t e x i s t o u t s i d e t h e a c t u a l h u m a n l i f e - w o r l d , is i n i t s e l f ' i m m o r t a l ' a n d ' e t e r n a l ' . I n h i s c a p a c i t y as ' s y m b o l i c a n i m a l ' , m a n transcends
the confines
of
finitudc
a n d temporality. . . . Against
this
distinction, H e i d e g g e r demonstrates h o w t h e 'immortality' a n d 'eternity' of t h e s y m b o l i c s y s t e m o f V a l u e s a n d M e a n i n g s , i r r e d u c i b l e t o t h e l e v e l o f . . e m p i r i c a l l y g i v e n p o s i t i v e f a c t s , c a n e m e r g e o n l y as part, o f t h e e x i s t e n c e of a f i n i t e a n d m o r t a l b e i n g w h o is a b l e t o r e l a t e t o h i s f i n i t u d e as s u c h : .'i: ' i m m o r t a l ' b e i n g s d o n o t e n g a g e i n s y m b o l i c a c t i v i t y , s i n c e , f o r t h e m , t h e ; gap b e t w e e n fact a n d V a l u e disappears. T h e key question, u n a n s w e r e d by |i C a s s i r e r , is t h e r e f o r e : w h a t is t h e s p e c i f i c s t r u c t u r e
o f t h e temporality
Inhuman e x i s t e n c e , s o t h a t it a l l o w s f o r t h e e m e r g e n c e o f meaning I to say, s o t h a t
a human
b e i n g is a b l e
of
- t h a t is
t o e x p e r i e n c e h i s e x i s t e n c e as
pj e m b e d d e d i n a m e a n i n g f u l W h o l e ? |;
O n e c a n see clearly, now, why H e i d e g g e r focuses o n
^.imagination: ! undermines
the unique
character o f imagination
transcendental
lies i n t h e f a c t t h a t it
the opposition between receptivity/finitude
( o f m a n as a n
Si e m p i r i c a l b e i n g c a u g h t i n t h e p h e n o m e n a l c a u s a l n e t w o r k ) a n d s p o n t a n !
A eity ( i . e . t h e s e l f - o r i g i n a t i n g a c t i v i t y o f m a n a s a f r e e a g e n t , b e a r e r o f n o u m e n a l f r e e d o m ) : i m a g i n a t i o n is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y r e c e p t i v e a n d p o s i t i n g , ' p a s s i v e ' ( i n it, w e a r e a f f e c t e d b y s e n s i b l e i m a g e s ) a n d ' a c t i v e ' ( t h e s u b j e c t h i m s e l f f r e e l y gives b i r t h
t o t h e s e i m a g e s , s o t h a t t h i s a f f e c t i o n is s e l l -
a f f e c t i o n ) . A n d H e i d e g g e r ' s e m p h a s i s is o n h o w s p o n t a n e i t y i t s e l f c a n b e c o n c e i v e d o n l y t h r o u g h t h i s u n i t y w i t h a n i r r e d u c i b l e e l e m e n t o f passive
THE TICKLISH
28 receptivity
that
characterizes h u m a n
s u c c e e d in getting noumenal
rid
SUBJECT finitude:
o f receptivity a n d
in itself, h e w o u l d
if the
subject were
gaining direct access to
lose t h e very ' s p o n t a n e i t y '
o f his exist
e n c e . . . . T h e d e a d l o c k o f K a n t is t h u s c o n d e n s e d i n h i s m i s r e a d i n g false
identification)
o f the
spontaneity
to the
o f transcendental
(or
freedom
as
n o u m e n a l : t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s p o n t a n e i t y is p r e c i s e l y s o m e t h i n g t h a t c a n n o t b e c o n c e i v e d o f as n o u m c n a l .
T h e T r o u b l e with T r a n s c e n d e n t a l I m a g i n a t i o n O u r n e x t step should b e to focus o n the f u n d a m e n t a l ambiguity o f Kant's n o t i o n o f i m a g i n a t i o n . A s is w e l l k n o w n , K a n t d i s t i n g u i s h e s b e t w e e n
the
s y n t h e t i c activity o f t h e
the
understanding
[synthesis
intellectualis]
and
synthesis o f the m a n i f o l d o f s e n s u o u s intuition which, while also absolutely 'spontaneous'
( p r o d u c t i v e , f r e e , n o t s u b j e c t t o e m p i r i c a l laws o f a s s o c i a
t i o n ) , n o n e t h e less r e m a i n s at t h e l e v e l o f i n t u i t i o n , b r i n g i n g t h e s e n s u o u s m a n i f o l d t o g e t h e r w i t h o u t a l r e a d y involving t h e activity o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g -
t h i s s e c o n d s y n t h e s i s is t h e
transcendental
synthesis
of imagination.
d i s c u s s i n g this d i s t i n c t i o n , i n t e r p r e t e r s u s u a l l y f o c u s o n t h e d e n s e
In and
a m b i g u o u s last s e c t i o n o f C h a p t e r 1 o f t h e First Division o f t h e T r a n s c e n dental Logic ( ' O f the Pure Conceptions o f the Understanding, egories'), different
which,
after
representations
defining to e a c h
diversity in o n e c o g n i t i o n ' ,
2 i
synthesis other,
as
and
'the
process
o r Cat
of joining
of comprehending
their
g o e s o n t o c l a i m t h a t s y n t h e s i s is:
t h e m e r e operation o f the imagination - a blind but indispensable function o f t h e soul, without which we should have n o cognition whatever, but o f t h e working o f which we are seldom even c o n s c i o u s . But to r e d u c e this synthesis to c o n c e p t i o n s is a function o f the u n d e r s t a n d i n g , by m e a n s o f which we attain to c o g n i t i o n , in the p r o p e r m e a n i n g o f t h e t e r m . 26
I n t h i s way, we o b t a i n a t h r e e - s t e p p r o c e s s t h a t b r i n g s us to c o g n i t i o n proper: T h e first thing which must be given to us in o r d e r to achieve the a priori c o g n i t i o n o f all objects, is the diversity o f the p u r e intuition; the synthesis o f this diversity by means o f the imagination is the s e c o n d ; but this gives, as yet, no c o g n i t i o n . T h e c o n c e p t i o n s which give unity to this p u r e synthesis . . . furnish the third requisite for the cognition o f an o b j e c t , a n d these c o n c e p t i o n s are given bv the understanding.'-'
THE Jjowever,
pure
m
D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L
s
r
o
l a r
a
s
p
U
r
IMAGINATION
29
s y n t h e s i s , r e p r e s e n t e d g e n e r a l l y , g i v e s us t h e
e
conception o f the understanding',
2 8
t h e a m b i g u i t y is c l e a r l y d i s c e r n -
; I b l e : is ' s y n t h e s i s , g e n e r a l l y s p e a k i n g . . . t h e m e r e o p e r a t i o n o f i m a g i n 2 9
ation',
with U n d e r s t a n d i n g
i imagination
has
already
as a s e c o n d a r y c a p a c i t y i n t e r v e n i n g
done
its w o r k ,
or
is i t t h a t
'pure
i r e p r e s e n t e d g e n e r a l l y , gives u s t h e p u r e c o n c e p t i o n o f t h e ing'.
s
o
t r i
after
synthesis,
understand
a t t h e s y n t h e s i s o f i m a g i n a t i o n is m e r e l y t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f
i the synthetic power o f understanding
on a lower, m o r e primitive,
pre-
c o g n i t i v e l e v e l ? O r , t o p u t it i n t h e t e r m s o f g e n u s a n d s p e c i e s : is t h e f o r c e v'of i m a g i n a t i o n d i e i m p e n e t r a b l e u l t i m a t e m y s t e r y o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s p o n taneity, t h e r o o t o f subjectivity, t h e e n c o m p a s s i n g g e n u s o u t o f w h i c h grows u n d e r s t a n d i n g
as its d i s c u r s i v e c o g n i t i v e s p e c i f i c a t i o n , o r is t h e
encompassing genus understanding . shadow
i t s e l f , w i t h i m a g i n a t i o n as a k i n d o f
c a s t r e t r o a c t i v e l y by u n d e r s t a n d i n g
on
to
the
lower
level o f
i n t u i t i o n - o r , t o p u t it i n H e g e l e s e , is t h e s y n t h e s i s o f i m a g i n a t i o n underdeveloped •Understanding?
'In-itself T h e point
of a
force
posited
as s u c h ' ,
o f Heidegger's reading
'for i t s e l f ,
is t h a t o n e
the in
should
d e t e r m i n e t h e s y n t h e s i s o f i m a g i n a t i o n as t h e f u n d a m e n t a l d i m e n s i o n at v the r o o t
o f discursive
understanding,
which
should
thus be
analysed
independently o f the categories o f Understanding - Kant recoiled from - this r a d i c a l s t e p , a n d vbetween
the
pure
reduced
sensuous
imagination
manifold
to a m e r e m e d i a t i n g
o f intuition
and
the
force
cognitive
^ s y n t h e t i c activity o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g . I n c o n t r a s t t o this a p p r o a c h , we a r e t e m p t e d t o e m p h a s i z e a d i f f e r e n t l| a s p e c t : t h e f a c t t h a t K a n t ' s n o t i o n o f i m a g i n a t i o n s i l e n t l y p a s s e s o v e r a ^Crucial
'negative'
feature
o f imagination:
o b s e s s e d as h e
is w i t h
the
{.endeavour to synthesize, to b r i n g t o g e t h e r the dispersed m a n i f o l d given ' in intuition, K a n t passes over in silence the opposite p o w e r o f i m a g i n a t i o n " emphasized
l a t e r by H e g e l -
namely, imagination
qua
the
'activity o f
/ / . d i s s o l u t i o n ' , w h i c h t r e a t s as a s e p a r a t e e n t i t y w h a t h a s e f f e c t i v e e x i s t e n c e . only as a p a r t o f s o m e o r g a n i c W h o l e . T h i s n e g a t i v e p o w e r a l s o c o m p r i s e s '.! U n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d I m a g i n a t i o n , as is c l e a r i f w e r e a d two c r u c i a l p a s s a g e s from
Hegel together. T h e
Jenaer
Realphilosophie,
first,
less k n o w n , is f r o m
his m a n u s c r i p t s o f
a b o u t the 'night o f the world':
T h e h u m a n b e i n g is this night, this empty nothing, that c o n t a i n s everything in its simplicity - an u n e n d i n g wealth of many representations, images, o f which n o n e belongs to him - o r which are not present. T h i s night, ihe i n t e r i o r o f nature, that exists h e r e - p u r e self - in phantasmagorical representations, is night all a r o u n d it, in which h e r e shoots a bloody h e a d - t h e r e a n o t h e r white
30
THE TICKLISH
SUBJECT
ghastly apparition, suddenly h e r e b e f o r e it, a n d j u s t so disappears. O n e catches sight o f this night when o n e looks h u m a n beings in the eye - into a night that b e c o m e s awful."' W h a t better description c o u l d o n e offer o f the power o f i m a g i n a t i o n in its n e g a t i v e , d i s r u p t i v e , d e c o m p o s i n g a s p e c t , as t h e p o w e r t h a t d i s p e r s e s c o n t i n u o u s reality i n t o a c o n f u s e d m u l t i t u d e o f 'partial o b j e c t s ' , spectral a p p a r i t i o n s o f w h a t i n r e a l i t y is e f f e c t i v e o n l y as p a r t o f a l a r g e r o r g a n i s m ? Ultimately, i m a g i n a t i o n stands for the capacity o f o u r m i n d to d i s m e m b e r what immediate perception
puts t o g e t h e r , to ' a b s t r a c t ' n o t a
common
n o t i o n but a certain feature from o t h e r features. T o ' i m a g i n e ' m e a n s to i m a g i n e a p a r t i a l o b j e c t w i t h o u t its b o d y , a c o l o u r w i t h o u t s h a p e , a s h a p e without
a body:
'here
a
bloody
head
-
there
another
white
a p p a r i t i o n ' . T h i s ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' is t h u s t r a n s c e n d e n t a l
ghastly
imagination
at its m o s t e l e m e n t a r y a n d v i o l e n t - t h e u n r e s t r a i n e d r e i g n o f t h e v i o l e n c e o f i m a g i n a t i o n , o f its ' e m p t y f r e e d o m ' w h i c h d i s s o l v e s e v e r y o b j e c t i v e l i n k , e v e r y c o n n e c t i o n g r o u n d e d i n t h e t h i n g itself: 'For itself h h e r e t h e freedom
-
to tear u p
constraint.'
3 1
the
images and
arbitrary
without
any
T h e o t h e r passage - universally known, often q u o t e d
and
i n t e r p r e t e d - is f r o m t h e P r e f a c e t o t h e
to r e c o n n e c t t h e m Phenomenology.
T o break an idea up into its original e l e m e n t s is to return to its m o m e n t s , which at least do not have the form o f the given idea, but rather constitute the i m m e d i a t e property o f the self. T h i s analysis, to b e sure, only arrives at thoughts which are themselves familiar, fixed, a n d inert d e t e r m i n a t i o n s . B u t what is thus separated and non-actual is an essential m o m e n t ; for it is only b e c a u s e the c o n c r e t e does divide itself, a n d make itself into s o m e t h i n g non-actual, that it is self-moving. T h e activity o f dissolution is the power a n d work o f the Understand ing, t h e most astonishing a n d mightiest o f powers, o r rather the absolute power. T h e circle that remains self-enclosed and, like substance, holds its m o m e n t s together, is an i m m e d i a t e relationship, o n e therefore which has n o t h i n g aston ishing about it. B u t that an a c c i d e n t as such, d e t a c h e d from what c i r c u m s c r i b e s it, what is b o u n d a n d is actual only in its c o n t e x t with others, s h o u l d attain an e x i s t e n c e o f its own a n d a separate freedom - this is the t r e m e n d o u s power o f the negative; it is t h e energy o f thought, o f the p u r e T . Death, if that is what we want to call this non-actuality, is o f all things the most dreadful, and to hold fast what is dead requires t h e greatest strength. L a c k i n g strength, B e a u t y hates the U n d e r s t a n d i n g for asking o f h e r what it c a n n o t do. B u t the life o f Spirit is not the life that shrinks from death a n d keeps itself u n t o u c h e d by devastation, but rather the life that endures it and maintains itself in it. It wins its truth only when, in utter d i s m e m b e r m e n t , it finds itself. It is this power, not as s o m e t h i n g positive, which closes its eyes to t h e negative, as when we say o f s o m e t h i n g that
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
31
it is n o t h i n g o r is false, and then, having d o n e with it, turn away and pass on to s o m e t h i n g else; on t h e contrary, Spirit is this power only by l o o k i n g t h e negative in the face, a n d tarrying with it. This tarrying with the negative is t h e magical power that converts it into being. T h i s power is identical with what we earlier called the Subject. . . H e r e , H e g e l praises J Understanding
not, as o n e w o u l d e x p e c t , s p e c u l a t i v e R e a s o n ,
but
as t h e m i g h t i e s t p o w e r in t h e w o r l d , as t h e i n f i n i t e p o w e r o f
'falsity', o f t e a r i n g a p a r t a n d t r e a t i n g as s e p a r a t e w h a t n a t u r a l l y b e l o n g s t o g e t h e r . Is this n o t a p r e c i s e d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e b a s i c n e g a t i v e g e s t u r e o f - l e t us risk t h e t e r m - ' p r e - s y n t h e t i c i m a g i n a t i o n ' , its d e s t r u c t i v e
power
of u n d e r m i n i n g e v e r y o r g a n i c u n i t y ? S o , a l t h o u g h t h e two q u o t e d i
ages
3 3
pass-
s e e m t o s p e a k o f o p p o s i t e p h e n o m e n a ( t h e first o f t h e p r e - r a t i o n a l /
pre-discursive c o n f u s e d i m m e r s i o n in t h e p u r e l y subjective I n t e r i o r ; the s e c o n d o f t h e a b s t r a c t discursive activity o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g , w h i c h d e c o m poses every ' d e p t h ' o f o r g a n i c unity into d e t a c h e d e l e m e n t s ) , they are i thus to b e r e a d t o g e t h e r : b o t h r e f e r to the
'mightiest o f powers',
^ power o f disrupting the unity o f the R e a l , violently installing the o l membra 1
'night'
disjecta,
o f the
o f phenomena 'pure
self,
the
domain
in the m o s t radical sense o f the term. T h e in
which
dismembered
'phantasmagorical representations' appear
and
disconnected
a n d v a n i s h , is t h e m o s t
m e n t a r y m a n i f e s t a t i o n o f t h e p o w e r o f negativity by m e a n s o f w h i c h ^ a c c i d e n t as s u c h , d e t a c h e d f r o m w h a t c i r c u m s c r i b e s it, w h a t is b o u n d
ele 'an and
is a c t u a l o n l y in its c o n t e x t w i t h o t h e r s , . . . a t t a i n [ s ] a n e x i s t e n c e o f its \ o w n a n d a s e p a r a t e f r e e d o m ' . K a n t , i n h i s Critique s
* omable r
of Pure
Reason,
root
o f all s u b j e c t i v e activity, as a
'spontaneous'
capacity
to
c o n n e c t sensible impressions that p r e c e d e s rational synthesis o f sensible
, d a t a t h r o u g h a p r i o r i c a t e g o r i e s . W h a t if, i n t h e two q u o t e d '
elabo-
r a t e s t h e n o t i o n o f ' t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i m a g i n a t i o n ' as t h e m y s t e r i o u s , u n f a t h -
H e g e l is i n d i c a t i n g a k i n d o f e v e n m o r e m y s t e r i o u s obverse
* J j n a g i n a t i o n , an even m o r e primordial \ a t i o n ' , o f tearing
apart
passages,
o f the synthetic
power o f 'pre-synthetic
sensible elements out o f their context, o f
imagindismember
ing t h e i m m e d i a t e e x p e r i e n c e o f a n o r g a n i c W h o l e ? I t w o u l d t h e r e f o r e b e t o o h a s t y to i d e n t i f y t h i s ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' w i t h t h e V o i d o f t h e m y s t i c e x p e r i e n c e : it d e s i g n a t e s , r a t h e r , its e x a c t o p p o s i t e , t h a t is, t h e p r i m o r d i a l B i g "Bang, t h e v i o l e n t self-contrast by m e a n s o f w h i c h t h e b a l a n c e
and
i n n e r p e a c e o f the V o i d o f which mystics speak are p e r t u r b e d , t h r o w n out of joint. I f t h e r e is s o m e t r u t h i n H e i d e g g e r ' s c o n t e n t i o n t h a t K a n t
retreated
f r o m t h e abyss o f i m a g i n a t i o n , h i s r e t r e a t t h u s c o n c e r n s , a b o v e a l l , his
THE TICKLISH
32
SUBJECT
r e f u s a l t o b r i n g t o l i g h t I m a g i n a t i o n i n its n e g a t i v e / d i s r u p t i v e
a s p e c t , as
t h e f o r c e o f t e a r i n g t h e c o n t i n u o u s f a b r i c o f i n t u i t i o n a p a r t . K a n t is t o o q u i c k i n a u t o m a t i c a l l y a s s u m i n g t h a t t h e m u l t i t u d e o f i n t u i t i o n is d i r e c t l y g i v e n , s o t h a t t h e b u l k o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s a c t i v i t y is t h e n
constrained
to
b r i n g i n g t h i s m u l t i t u d e t o g e t h e r , t o o r g a n i z i n g it i n t o a n i n t e r c o n n e c t e d Whole, from
the m o s t primitive synthesis o f i m a g i n a t i o n , t h r o u g h
the
s y n t h e t i c activity o f t h e c a t e g o r i e s o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g , u p t o t h e r e g u l a t i v e I d e a o f R e a s o n , the i m p o s s i b l e task o f u n i t i n g o u r e n t i r e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e u n i v e r s e i n t o a r a t i o n a l o r g a n i c s t r u c t u r e . W h a t K a n t n e g l e c t s is t h e f a c t t h a t t h e p r i m o r d i a l f o r m o f i m a g i n a t i o n is t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e o f t h i s s y n t h e t i c activity: i m a g i n a t i o n
e n a b l e s us to tear the t e x t u r e
o f reality
a p a r t , t o t r e a t as e f f e c t i v e l y e x i s t i n g s o m e t h i n g t h a t is m e r e l y a c o m p o n e n t o f a living W h o l e . How, then, does the opposition between imagination a n d
understand
ing relate to that b e t w e e n synthesis a n d analysis (in t h e s e n s e o f disrupt ing, d e c o m p o s i n g , relation
can
be
the primordial
immediate
c o n c e i v e d as w o r k i n g
both
unity o f intuition)? ways: o n e
can
This
determine
i m a g i n a t i o n as t h e s p o n t a n e o u s s y n t h e s i s o f t h e s e n s u o u s m a n i f o l d i n t o a perception o f unified objects a n d processes, which are then torn
apart,
d e c o m p o s e d , a n a l y s e d by d i s c u r s i v e u n d e r s t a n d i n g ; o r o n e c a n d e t e r m i n e i m a g i n a t i o n as t h e p r i m o r d i a l p o w e r o f d e c o m p o s i t i o n , o f t e a r i n g - a p a r t , while the role o f understanding disjecta,
is t h e n t o b r i n g t o g e t h e r t h e s e
membra
into a new rational W h o l e . In b o t h cases, the continuity b e t w e e n
imagination and understanding
is d i s r u p t e d :
t h e r e is a n i n h e r e n t
o n i s m b e t w e e n t h e two - it is e i t h e r U n d e r s t a n d i n g i n f l i c t e d b y i m a g i n a t i o n , s y n t h e s i z i n g its membra
that heals the
disjecta,
or
antag wound
Understanding
m o r t i f i e s , tears the s p o n t a n e o u s s y n t h e t i c unity o f i m a g i n a t i o n i n t o bits and pieces. A t t h i s p o i n t , a n a i v e q u e s t i o n is q u i t e a p p r o p r i a t e : w h i c h o f t h e a x e s , o f t h e two r e l a t i o n s , is m o r e f u n d a m e n t a l ? T h e u n d e r l y i n g h e r e , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t o f a v i c i o u s c y c l e o r m u t u a l
two
structure
implication:
'the
w o u n d c a n b e h e a l e d o n l y b y t h e s p e a r t h a t i n f l i c t e d it' - t h a t is to say, the
multitude
that
the
synthesis
o f imagination
endeavours
to
t o g e t h e r is a l r e a d y t h e r e s u l t o f i m a g i n a t i o n itself, o f its d i s r u p t i v e
bring power.
T h i s m u t u a l i m p l i c a t i o n n o n e t h e less g i v e s p r e c e d e n c e t o t h e ' n e g a t i v e ' , disruptive aspect o f i m a g i n a t i o n - n o t only for the obvious c o m m o n - s e n s e r e a s o n t h a t e l e m e n t s m u s t first b e d i s m e m b e r e d i n o r d e r t o o p e n u p
the
space for the endeavour
to bring t h e m t o g e t h e r again, but for a m o r e
radical reason:
of the
the
very
e n d e a v o u r o f ' s y n t h e s i s ' is always m i n i m a l l y ' v i o l e n t ' a n d d i s r u p t i v e .
because
subject's irreducible
finitude,
That
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N j
t o say, t h e u n i t y t h e s u b j e c t e n d e a v o u r s
s
to i m p o s e o n
the
33
sensuous
m u l t i t u d e v i a its s y n t h e t i c activity is always e r r a t i c , e c c e n t r i c , u n b a l a n c e d , ' u n s o u n d ' , s o m e t h i n g t h a t is e x t e r n a l l y a n d v i o l e n t l y i m p o s e d o n t o t h e multitude, never a simple impassive act o f discerning the i n h e r e n t subter ranean
connections between
the
membra
disjecta.
In this p r e c i s e sense,
e v e r y s y n t h e t i c u n i t y is b a s e d o n a n a c t o f ' r e p r e s s i o n ' ,
and
therefore
g e n e r a t e s s o m e i n d i v i s i b l e r e m a i n d e r : i t i m p o s e s as u n i f y i n g f e a t u r e s o m e 'unilateral' m o m e n t
t h a t ' b r e a c h e s t h e s y m m e t r y ' . T h i s is w h a t , in
d o m a i n o f c i n e m a t i c art, E i s e n s t e i n ' s c o n c e p t o f ' i n t e l l e c t u a l
the
montage'
seems t o a i m at: i n t e l l e c t u a l activity b r i n g s t o g e t h e r b i t s a n d p i e c e s t o r n by t h e p o w e r o f i m a g i n a t i o n f r o m t h e i r p r o p e r c o n t e x t , v i o l e n t l y r e c o m posing them
i n t o a n e w u n i t y t h a t gives b i r t h
to a n
unexpected
new
meaning. K a n t ' s b r e a k with t h e previous r a t i o n a l i s t / e m p i r i c i s t p r o b l e m a t i c t h u s b e l o c a t e d p r e c i s e l y : in c o n t r a s t t o t h i s p r o b l e m a t i c , h e n o accepts s o m e pre-synthetic mind
-
there
is n o
zero-ground
neutral
elementary
' i d e a s ' in L o c k e ) w h i c h is t h e n s y n t h e t i c activity o f o u r m i n d
elements worked stuff
composed
e l e m e n t a r y c o n t a c t with ' r e a l i t y ' .
3 4
u p o n by
(like e l e m e n t a r y
by o u r
is ahuays-already
can
longer
mind -
our
sensory
that
is, t h e
at xuorh, e v e n i n o u r
most
T h e p r e - s y n t h e t i c R e a l , its p u r e ,
not-
yet-fashioned 'multitude'
n o t yet synthesized by a m i n i m u m o f transcen
dental
stricto
imagination,
is,
.retroactively p r e s u p p o s e d ,
setisu,
but
can
impossible, never
a
actually
level be
that
must
encounteied.
be Our
* ( H e g e l i a n ) p o i n t , h o w e v e r ' , is t h a t t h i s m y t h i c a l / i m p o s s i b l e s t a r t i n g p o i n t , • the p r e s u p p o s i t i o n j the i m a g i n a t i o n ' s
o f i m a g i n a t i o n , is a l r e a d y t h e p r o d u c t , d i e r e s u l t , o f disruptive
| Stero-level o f p u r e m u l t i t u d e l", n o t h i n g b u t pure
imagination
activity. I n s h o r t ,
the
mythic, inaccessible
n o t yet a f f e c t e d / f a s h i o n e d b y i m a g i n a t i o n is itself, i m a g i n a t i o n at its m o s t v i o l e n t , as t h e
«
'night
1 freedom 'l membra
o f the
which disjecta.
world',
'multitude'
as t h e
violently e x p l o d e s
pie-symbolic
is w h a t H e g e l d e s c r i b e s as
'unrulincss' reality into
of the
subject's
a dispersed
abyssal
floating
I t is t h u s c r u c i a l t o ' c l o s e t h e c i r c l e ' : w e n e v e r e x i t
J c i r c l e o f i m a g i n a t i o n , s i n c e t h e very zero-level m y t h i c p r e s u p p o s i t i o n
of the of
s y n t h e t i c i m a g i n a t i o n , t h e ' s t u f f o n w h i c h it w o r k s , is i m a g i n a t i o n i t s e l f at 3
• its p u r e s t a n d m o s t v i o l e n t , i m a g i n a t i o n in its n e g a t i v e , d i s r u p t i v e a s p e c t . ' '
34
THE TICKLISH
SUBJECT
T h e Passage through Madness H e g e l e x p l i c i t l y p o s i t s t h i s ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' as p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l :
the
s y m b o l i c o r d e r , t h e u n i v e r s e o f t h e W o r d , logos,
this
emerges only when
inwardness o f the p u r e self 'must e n t e r also into e x i s t e n c e , b e c o m e an o b j e c t , o p p o s e i t s e l f to t h i s i n n e r n e s s t o b e e x t e r n a l ; r e t u r n t o b e i n g . T h i s is l a n g u a g e as n a m e - g i v i n g p o w e r . . . . T h r o u g h t h e n a m e t h e o b j e c t as i n d i v i d u a l e n t i t y is b o r n o u t o f t h e I . '
3 6
Consequently, what o n e
should
b e a r i n m i n d is t h a t , f o r t h e o b j e c t t o b e ' b o r n o u t o f t h e I ' , it is n e c e s s a r y , as it w e r e , t o s t a r t w i t h a c l e a n s l a t e - t o e r a s e t h e e n t i r e t y o f r e a l i t y i n s o f a r as it is not yet ' b o r n o u t o f t h e I ' by p a s s i n g t h r o u g h t h e ' n i g h t o f t h e world'.
This,
finally, b r i n g s
us
to
madness
as
a philosophical
notion
i n h e r e n t to t h e very c o n c e p t o f subjectivity. S c h e l l i n g ' s basic i n s i g h t
-
w h e r e b y , p r i o r t o its a s s e r t i o n as t h e m e d i u m o f r a t i o n a l W o r d , t h e s u b j e c t is t h e p u r e ' n i g h t o f t h e S e l f , t h e ' i n f i n i t e l a c k o f b e i n g ' , t h e v i o l e n t gesture o f c o n t r a c t i o n that n e g a t e s every b e i n g outside itself - also f o r m s the core o f Hegel's notion o f madness: when Hegel determines
madness
as w i t h d r a w a l f r o m t h e a c t u a l w o r l d , t h e c l o s i n g o f t h e s o u l i n t o i t s e l f , its ' c o n t r a c t i o n ' , t h e c u t t i n g - o f f o f its l i n k s w i t h e x t e r n a l r e a l i t y , h e all t o o q u i c k l y c o n c e i v e s o f t h i s w i t h d r a w a l as a ' r e g r e s s i o n ' t o t h e l e v e l o f t h e ' a n i m a l s o u l ' still e m b e d d e d i n its n a t u r a l s u r r o u n d i n g s a n d by the r h y t h m o f n a t u r e
determined
( n i g h t a n d day, e t c . ) . D o e s n o t t h i s w i t h d r a w a l ,
o n t h e c o n t r a r y , d e s i g n a t e t h e s e v e r i n g o f t h e l i n k s w i t h t h e Umwelt, e n d o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s i m m e r s i o n i n its i m m e d i a t e n a t u r a l
the
surroundings;
a n d is it n o t , as s u c h , t h e f o u n d i n g g e s t u r e o f ' h u m a n i z a t i o n ' ? W a s n o t this w i t h d r a w a l - i n t o - s e l f a c c o m p l i s h e d b y D e s c a r t e s i n h i s u n i v e r s a l a n d r e d u c t i o n t o cogito,
doubt
w h i c h , as D e r r i d a p o i n t e d o u t i n h i s ' C o g i t o a n d
the History o f M a d n e s s ' ,
3 7
also involves a passage t h r o u g h the m o m e n t o f
radical madness? H e r e we m u s t b e c a r e f u l n o t t o m i s s t h e way H e g e l ' s b r e a k w i t h E n l i g h t e n m e n t tradition
c a n b e d i s c e r n e d in
the
reversal o f the
the very
m e t a p h o r o f t h e s u b j e c t : t h e s u b j e c t is n o l o n g e r t h e L i g h t o f R e a s o n opposed
to
the
non-transparent,
impenetrable
Stuff
dition . . . ) ; his very c o r e , the gesture that o p e n s u p L i g h t o f Logos,
(of Nature,
Tra
the space for
the
is a b s o l u t e n e g a t i v i t y , t h e ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' , t h e p o i n t o f
utter m a d n e s s in which p h a n t a s m a g o r i c a l apparitions o f 'partial objects' wander
aimlessly. C o n s e q u e n t l y ,
there
is n o
subjectivity without
g e s t u r e o f w i t h d r a w a l ; t h a t is w h y H e g e l is fully j u s t i f i e d i n i n v e r t i n g
this the
s t a n d a r d q u e s t i o n o f h o w t h e f a l l - r e g r e s s i o n i n t o m a d n e s s is p o s s i b l e : t h e
THE
D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
35
real q u e s t i o n is, r a t h e r , h o w t h e s u b j e c t is a b l e t o c l i m b o u t o f m a d n e s s a n d reach ' n o r m a l i t y ' . T h a t is t o say: t h e w i t h d r a w a l - i n t o - s e l f , t h e c u t t i n g off o f the
links to t h e
e n v i r o n s , is f o l l o w e d b y t h e
construction
of a
s j r n b o l i c universe w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t p r o j e c t s o n t o r e a l i t y as a k i n d o f tfSgteuTe^rjro^tion,
d e s t i n e d t o r e c o m p e n s e us f o r t h e l o s s o f t h e i m m e
diate, p r e - s y m b o l i c R e a l . H o w e v e r , as F r e u d h i m s e l f a s s e r t e d in h i s a n a l y s i s ofTJaniel P a u l S c h r e b e r , is n o t t h e m a n u f a c t u r i n g o f a
substitute-formation,
which r e c o m p e n s e s t h e s u b j e c t f o r t h e loss o f r e a l i t y , t h e m o s t s u c c i n c t definition o f p a r a n o i a c
construction
as t h e
subject's attempt
to
cure
himself of t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f h i s u n i v e r s e ? I n s h o r t , t h e o n t o l o g i c a l n e c e s s i t y o f ' m a d n e s s ' l i e s i n t h e f a c t t h a t it is not p o s s i b l e t o p a s s d i r e c t l y f r o m t h e p u r e l y ' a n i m a l s o u l ' i m m e r s e d i n its natural l i f e - w o r l d t o ' n o r m a l ' s u b j e c t i v i t y d w e l l i n g in its s y m b o l i c u n i v e r s e . The
' v a n i s h i n g m e d i a t o r ' b e t w e e n t h e two is t h e ' m a d ' g e s t u r e o f r a d i c a l
withdrawal
from
reality
which
opens
up
the
space
for
its
symbolic
(re)constitution. Hegel already e m p h a s i z e d the radical ambiguity o f the statement ' W h a t I t h i n k , t h e p r o d u c t o f m y t h o u g h t , is o b j e c t i v e l y t r u e . ' T h i s s t a t e m e n t is a s p e c u l a t i v e p r o p o s i t i o n t h a t e x p r e s s e s s i m u l t a n e o u s l y the ' l o w e s t ' , t h e e r r a t i c a t t i t u d e o f t h e m a d m a n c a u g h t i n h i s s e l f - e n c l o s e d universe,
unable
to
relate
to
reality,
and
the
'highest',
the
truth
of
s p e c u l a t i v e i d e a l i s m , t h e i d e n t i t y o f t h o u g h t a n d b e i n g . If, t h e r e f o r e , i n this p r e c i s e s e n s e -
as L a c a n
put
it -
normality
i t s e l f is a m o d e ,
s u b s p e c i e s o f p s y c h o s i s - t h a t is, i f t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n ' n o r m a l i t y ' madness
is i n h e r e n t
to m a d n e s s -
o f what,
between t h e
'mad'
(paranoiac) construction
construction
o f r e a l i t y c o n s i s t ? Is ' n o r m a l i t y '
then, and
d o e s this the
a
and
difference
'normal'
(social)
ultimately merely a
' m e d i a t e d ' f o r m o f m a d n e s s ? O r , as S c h e l l i n g p u t it, is n o r m a l
more
Reason
merely ' r e g u l a t e d m a d n e s s ' ? Does not Hegel's brief description - 'here shoots a bloody head,
there
a n o t h e r white ghastly apparition' - c h i m e perfectly with L a c a n ' s n o t i o n o f the ' d i s m e m b e r e d b o d y ' [k corps the w o r l d '
morcele]?
W h a t H e g e l calls t h e ' n i g h t o f
(the p h a n t a s m a g o r i c a l , pre-symbolic d o m a i n o f partial drives)
is an u n d e n i a b l e c o m p o n e n t o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s m o s t r a d i c a l s e l f - e x p e r i e n c e , exemplified, a m o n g others, by H i e r o n y m u s B o s c h ' s c e l e b r a t e d paintings. I n a way, t h e e n t i r e p s y c h o a n a l y t i c e x p e r i e n c e f o c u s e s o n t h e t r a c e s o f t h e t r a u m a t i c passage f r o m this ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' i n t o o u r 'daily' of logos.
universe
T h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n t h e n a r r a t i v e f o r m a n d t h e ' d e a t h d r i v e ' , as
the w i t h d r a w a l - i n t o - s e l f c o n s t i t u t i v e o f t h e s u b j e c t , is t h u s t h e m i s s i n g l i n k t h a t h a s to b e p r e s u p p o s e d
if we are to a c c o u n t for the passage
n a t u r a l ' to ' s y m b o l i c ' s u r r o u n d i n g s .
from
THE
36 The
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
k e y p o i n t is t h u s t h a t t h e p a s s a g e f r o m ' n a t u r e ' t o ' c u l t u r e ' is n o t
d i r e c t , t h a t o n e c a n n o t a c c o u n t f o r it w i t h i n a c o n t i n u o u s
evolutionary
n a r r a t i v e : s o m e t h i n g h a s t o i n t e r v e n e b e t w e e n t h e two, a k i n d o f ' v a n i s h i n g m e d i a t o r ' , w h i c h is n e i t h e r N a t u r e n o r C u l t u r e - t h i s I n - b e t w e e n is silently p r e s u p p o s e d
i n all e v o l u t i o n a r y n a r r a t i v e s . W e a r e n o t i d e a l i s t s :
t h i s I n - b e t w e e n is n o t t h e s p a r k o f logos sapiens,
enabling
roundings,
him
to f o r m
magically conferred on
his s u p p l e m e n t a r y
but precisely s o m e t h i n g that, a l t h o u g h
n a t u r e , is n o t y e t logos,
Homo
v i r t u a l s y m b o l i c sur it is a l s o n o
longer
a n d h a s t o b e ' r e p r e s s e d ' b y logos - t h e F r e u d i a n
n a m e f o r t h i s I n - b e t w e e n , o f c o u r s e , is t h e d e a t h d r i v e . S p e a k i n g o f t h i s I n - b e t w e e n , it is i n t e r e s t i n g t o n o t e h o w p h i l o s o p h i c a l n a r r a t i v e s o f t h e ' b i r t h o f m a n ' a r e always c o m p e l l e d t o p r e s u p p o s e h u m a n (pre)history when animal
and
symbolic 'derailed'
simultaneously
Law;
a
such a m o m e n t
in
( w h a t will b e c o m e ) m a n is n o l o n g e r a m e r e
moment
n o t yet a of
'being
thoroughly
o f language',
'perverted',
bound
by
'denaturalized',
n a t u r e w h i c h is n o t yet c u l t u r e . I n h i s p e d a g o g i c a l
writings,
K a n t emphasized that the h u m a n animal n e e d s disciplinary pressure
in
order
in
to t a m e
an
uncanny
'unruliness'
that s e e m s to b e i n h e r e n t
h u m a n n a t u r e - a wild, u n c o n s t r a i n e d p r o p e n s i t y t o i n s i s t s t u b b o r n l y o n o n e ' s o w n will, c o s t w h a t it m a y . B e c a u s e o f t h i s ' u n r u l i n e s s ' t h e
human
a n i m a l n e e d s a M a s t e r to discipline h i m : discipline targets this
'unruli
n e s s ' , n o t the a n i m a l n a t u r e in m a n : It is discipline which prevents man from being t u r n e d aside by his animal impulses from humanity, his a p p o i n t e d end. Discipline, for instance, must restrain him from venturing wildly a n d rashly into danger. Discipline, thus, is merely negative, its action b e i n g to c o u n t e r a c t man's natural unrulincss. T h e positive part o f education is instruction. Unruliness consists in i n d e p e n d e n c e o f law. By discipline m e n are p l a c e d in subjection to the laws o f m a n k i n d , and b r o u g h t to feel their constraint. This, however, must be a c c o m p l i s h e d early. Children, for instance, are first sent to school, not so m u c h with the object o f their learning s o m e t h i n g , but rather that they may b e c o m e used to sitting still a n d doing exactly as they are told. . . . T h e love o f freedom is naturally so strong in man that when o n c e h e has grown a c c u s t o m e d to freedom, he will sacrifice everything for its sake. . . . Owing to his natural love o f freedom it is necessary that m a n should have his natural roughness s m o o t h e d down; with animals, their instinct renders this unnecessary. 38
E v e r y t h i n g is i n
this marvellous
text: from
the
Foucauldian
motif
d i s c i p l i n a r y m i c r o - p r a c t i c e as p r e c e d i n g a n y p o s i t i v e i n s t r u c t i o n , t o
of the
Althusserian e q u a t i o n o f the free s u b j e c t with his s u b j e c t i o n to the Law.
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N H o w e v e r , its f u n d a m e n t a l
a m b i g u i t y is n o l e s s d i s c e r n i b l e : o n
37
the
one
h a n d , K a n t s e e m s t o c o n c e i v e d i s c i p l i n e as t h e p r o c e d u r e t h a t m a k e s t h e h u m a n a n i m a l f r e e , d e l i v e r i n g it f r o m t h e h o l d o f n a t u r a l i n s t i n c t s ; o n t h e o t h e r , i t is c l e a r t h a t w h a t d i s c i p l i n e t a r g e t s is n o t d i r e c t l y
man's
animal n a t u r e b u t his excessive love o f f r e e d o m , his natural
'unruliness',
which g o e s far b e y o n d o b e y i n g a n i m a l instincts -
'unruliness',
another, properly n o u m c n a l
in this
d i m e n s i o n violently e m e r g e s , a
dimension
t h a t s u s p e n d s m a n ' s e n c h a i n m e n t in t h e p h e n o m e n a l n e t w o r k o f n a t u r a l c a u s a l i t y . T h e s t o r y o f m o r a l i t y is t h u s n o t t h e s t a n d a r d s t o r y o f n a t u r e versus c u l t u r e , o f t h e m o r a l L a w c o n s t r a i n i n g o u r n a t u r a l
'pathological'
p l e a s u r e - s e e k i n g p r o p e n s i t i e s - o n t h e c o n t r a r y , t h e s t r u g g l e is b e t w e e n t h e m o r a l L a w a n d unnatural
v i o l e n t ' u n r u l i n e s s ' , a n d , in t h i s s t r u g g l e ,
m a n ' s natural p r o p e n s i t i e s are, rather, o n the side o f m o r a l Law against the excess o f 'unruliness'
that t h r e a t e n s his well-being ( s i n c e m a n
'has
g r o w n a c c u s t o m e d t o f r e e d o m , h e will s a c r i f i c e e v e r y t h i n g f o r its s a k e ' , i n c l u d i n g h i s w e l l - b e i n g ! ) . I n H e g e l ' s Lectures History,
on the Philosophy
of
World
a s i m i l a r r o l e is p l a y e d b y t h e r e f e r e n c e t o ' n e g r o e s ' : s i g n i f i c a n t l y ,
H e g e l d e a l s with ' n e g r o e s ' b e f o r e history p r o p e r ( w h i c h starts with a n c i e n t C h i n a ) , in the section entitled ' T h e Natural C o n t e x t or the G e o g r a p h i c a l B a s i s o f W o r l d H i s t o r y ' : ' n e g r o e s ' s t a n d f o r t h e h u m a n s p i r i t i n its ' s t a t e o f n a t u r e ' ; t h e y a r e d e s c r i b e d as p e r v e r t e d , m o n s t r o u s taneously naive a n d e x t r e m e l y c o r r u p t e d prelapsarian
children,
simul
t h a t is t o say, l i v i n g in
s t a t e o f i n n o c e n c e a n d , p r e c i s e l y as s u c h , t h e m o s t
barbarians; p a r t o f n a t u r e a n d yet t h o r o u g h l y denaturalized;
the
cruel
ruthlessly
m a n i p u l a t i n g n a t u r e t h r o u g h p r i m i t i v e s o r c e r y , yet s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t e r r i fied by r a g i n g n a t u r a l f o r c e s ; m i n d l e s s l y brave cowards. . . . In a closer reading, o n e should link the p r o b l e m
: w
of imagination
t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s p o n t a n e i t y to its p o i n t o f f a i l u r e a n n o u n c e d i n t h e
as two
f o r m s o f t h e S u b l i m e : t h e s e two f o r m s a r e p r e c i s e l y t h e two m o d e s o f i m a g i n a t i o n ' s f a i l u r e t o a c c o m p l i s h its s y n t h e t i c activity. J a c o b R o g o z i n s k i d r e w a t t e n t i o n t o t h e way a k i n d o f e l e m e n t a r y v i o l e n c e is a l r e a d y a t w o r k in p u r e reason, in the m o s t e l e m e n t a r y synthesis o f i m a g i n a t i o n ( m e m o r y , r e t e n t i o n , t e m p o r a l i t y ) . T h a t is t o say: w h a t K a n t fails t o a p p r e c i a t e is t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h t h i s s y n t h e s i s c o n s t i t u t i v e o f ' n o r m a l ' r e a l i t y is — in unheard-of and simultaneously most fundamental
sense -
an
a l r e a d y 'vio
l e n t ' , i n s o f a r as it c o n s i s t s i n a n o r d e r i m p o s e d b y t h e s u b j e c t ' s s y n t h e t i c 4
activity o n t h e h e t e r o g e n e o u s d i s a r r a y o f i m p r e s s i o n s . * ' L e t us a d d t h i s v i o l e n c e o f s y n t h e s i s is p e r h a p s
already an
answer
to
the
that more
fundamental violence o f d i s m e m b e r m e n t , o f tearing the natural continu ity o f e x p e r i e n c e a p a r t . I f t h e s y n t h e s i s o f i m a g i n a t i o n w e r e t o s u c c e e d
38
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
w i t h o u t a g a p , we w o u l d o b t a i n p e r f e c t s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t a n d s e l f - e n c l o s e d a u t o - a f f e c t i o n . H o w e v e r , t h e s y n t h e s i s o f i m a g i n a t i o n n e c e s s a r i l y fails; it g e t s c a u g h t i n a n i n c o n s i s t e n c y i n t w o d i f f e r e n t ways: •
first, in a n i n h e r e n t way, t h r o u g h t h e i m b a l a n c e b e t w e e n
apprehension
a n d c o m p r e h e n s i o n , w h i c h g e n e r a t e s t h e m a t h e m a t i c a l s u b l i m e : syn t h e t i c c o m p r e h e n s i o n is n o t a b l e t o ' c a t c h u p ' w i t h t h e m a g n i t u d e o f the a p p r e h e n d e d
p e r c e p t i o n s w i t h w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t is
bombarded,
a n d it is t h i s v e r y f a i l u r e o f s y n t h e s i s t h a t r e v e a l s its v i o l e n t n a t u r e ; •
t h e n , i n a n e x t e r n a l way, t h r o u g h t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n o f t h e ( m o r a l ) L a w that a n n o u n c e s a n o t h e r dimension, that o f the n o u m e n a l : the (moral) Law
is n e c e s s a r i l y e x p e r i e n c e d b y t h e s u b j e c t a s a v i o l e n t
disturbing
intrusion
the s m o o t h self-sufficient run o f t h e auto-affection o f his
imagination. I n t h e s e two c a s e s o f t h e v i o l e n c e t h a t e m e r g e s a s a k i n d o f a n s w e r t o t h e preceding
violence o f the
transcendental
imagination
itself, wc
thus
e n c o u n t e r t h e m a t r i x o f m a t h e m a t i c a l a n d d y n a m i c a n t i n o m i e s . T h i s is t h e e x a c t l o c u s at w h i c h t h e a n t a g o n i s m b e t w e e n ( p h i l o s o p h i c a l ) m a t e r i a l i s m a n d i d e a l i s m is d i s c e r n i b l e i n K a n t ' s p h i l o s o p h y : i t c o n c e r n s question
o f primacy in
the
relationship
between
the
two
I d e a l i s m gives p r i o r i t y t o t h e d y n a m i c a n t i n o m y , t o t h e way t h e sible Law transcends a n d / o r suspends f r o m t h e outside the
the
antinomies. suprasen-
phenomenal
c a u s a l c h a i n : f r o m this p e r s p e c t i v e , p h e n o m e n a l i n c o n s i s t e n c y is m e r e l y t h e way i n w h i c h t h e n o u m e n a l B e y o n d i n s c r i b e s i t s e l f i n t o t h e enal
domain.
M a t e r i a l i s m , in
contrast,
gives priority
to
phenom
mathematical
a n t i n o m y , to t h e i n h e r e n t i n c o n s i s t e n c y o f t h e p h e n o m e n a l d o m a i n :
the
u l t i m a t e o u t c o m e o f m a t h e m a t i c a l a n t i n o m y is t h e d o m a i n o f a n ' i n c o n sistent All', o f a
multitude
that
lacks the
ontological
consistency o f
'reality'. F r o m this p e r s p e c t i v e , t h e d y n a m i c a n t i n o m y itself a p p e a r s as a n a t t e m p t t o r e s o l v e t h e i n h e r e n t d e a d l o c k o f m a t h e m a t i c a l a n t i n o m y byt r a n s p o s i n g it i n t o t h e c o e x i s t e n c e o f two distinct o r d e r s , t h e p h e n o m e n a l and
the
noumenal.
In
other
words,
mathematical
antinomy
(i.e.
the
i n h e r e n t failure or collapse o f i m a g i n a t i o n ) 'dissolves' p h e n o m e n a l reality in the direction o f the m o n s t r o u s
Real, while dynamic a n t i n o m y
tran
s c e n d s p h e n o m e n a l reality in t h e d i r e c t i o n o f t h e s y m b o l i c L a w - it 'saves phenomena'
by p r o v i d i n g a k i n d o f e x t e r n a l g u a r a n t e e o f t h e
enal domain.
4 1
phenom
As L e n i n h a d a l r e a d y e m p h a s i z e d , t h e h i s t o r y o f p h i l o s o p h y c o n s i s t s o f an incessant, repetitive tracing o f the difference between materialism and
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L
IMAGINATION
39
i d e a l i s m ; w h a t o n e h a s t o a d d is t h a t , as a r u l e , t h i s l i n e o f d e m a r c a t i o n d o e s n o t r u n w h e r e o n e w o u l d o b v i o u s l y e x p e c t it t o r u n
- often,
the
materialist choice hinges o n how we d e c i d e between seemingly secondary a l t e r n a t i v e s . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e p r e d o m i n a n t p h i l o s o p h i c a l c l i c h e , t h e last v e s t i g e o f K a n t ' s m a t e r i a l i s m is t o b e s o u g h t
in his i n s i s t e n c e o n
the
Thing-in-itself, t h e e x t e r n a l O t h e r t h a t f o r e v e r resists b e i n g dissolved in t h e s u b j e c t ' s activity o f r e f l e x i v e ( s e l f - ) p o s i t i n g . T h u s F i c h t e , i n h i s r e j e c t i o n o f t h e K a n t i a n T h i n g - i n - i t s e l f - t h a t is t o say, i n h i s n o t i o n o f t h e absolute act o f the subject's self-positing -
e l i m i n a t e s t h e last trace o f
m a t e r i a l i s m f r o m K a n t ' s e d i f i c e , o p e n i n g u p t h e way f o r H e g e l ' s ' p a n l o g i cist' r e d u c t i o n o f all reality to a n e x t e r n a l i z a t i o n o f the a b s o l u t e s u b j e c t ' s notional self-mediation
. . . C o n t r a r y to this p r e d o m i n a n t
cliche, incor
r e c t l y s u s t a i n e d by L e n i n h i m s e l f , K a n t ' s ' m a t e r i a l i s m ' c o n s i s t s , r a t h e r , i n asserting
the primacy
of mathematical
antinomy,
a n d in c o n c e i v i n g d y n a m i c
a n t i n o m y as s e c o n d a r y , as a n a t t e m p t t o 'save p h e n o m e n a '
through
the
h o u m e n a l L a w as t h e i r c o n s t i t u t i v e e x c e p t i o n . I n o t h e r w o r d s , it is o n l y t o o e a s y t o l o c a t e t h e g r e a t e s t e f f o r t a n d s c o p e o f i m a g i n a t i o n - a n d , s i m u l t a n e o u s l y , its u l t i m a t e f a i l u r e - in its i n a b i l i t y to m a k e the n o u m e n a l d i m e n s i o n p r e s e n t ( t h e r e i n lies the lesson o f the Sublime: the attempt between
to r e p r e s e n t
the n o u m e n a l
and
the n o u m e n a l
- i . e . t o fill t h e
the imagined p h e n o m e n a l
- fails, s o
gap that
i m a g i n a t i o n c a n r e v e a l t h e n o u m e n a l d i m e n s i o n o n l y i n a n e g a t i v e way, via its f a i l u r e , as t h a t w h i c h e l u d e s e v e n t h e g r e a t e s t e f f o r t o f i m a g i n a t i o n ) . P r i o r to this e x p e r i e n c e o f gap a n d
failure,
n a m e for the violent gesture that opens between
the n o u m e n a l
and
up
the p h e n o m e n a l .
'imagination' and
is a l r e a d y
sustains t h e very
T h e true problem
a
gap
is n o t
h o w t o b r i d g e t h e g a p s e p a r a t i n g t h e two b u t , r a t h e r , h o w t h i s g a p c a m e t o e m e r g e i n t h e first p l a c e . T h u s H e i d e g g e r was r i g h t , in a way, i n h i s e m p h a s i s o n
transcendental
i m a g i n a t i o n as p r e c e d i n g a n d g r o u n d i n g t h e d i m e n s i o n o f t h e c o n s t i t u tive c a t e g o r i e s o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g ,
a n d this s a m e priority h o l d s e v e n
for
t h e S u b l i m e as t h e i m p o s s i b l e s c h e m e o f t h e I d e a s o f R e a s o n . T h e g e s t u r e t o b e a c c o m p l i s h e d h e r e is s i m p l y t o i n v e r t a n d / o r d i s p l a c e t h e s t a n d a r d n o t i o n , a c c o r d i n g to w h i c h s u b l i m e p h e n o m e n a ,
by t h e i r very
failure,
b e a r w i t n e s s i n a n e g a t i v e way t o a n o t h e r d i m e n s i o n , t h a t o f t h e n o u m c n a l d i m e n s i o n o f R e a s o n . R a t h e r , i t is t h e o t h e r way r o u n d : t h e S u b l i m e , i n its e x t r e m e , i n its a p p r o a c h i n g t h e M o n s t r o u s , i n d i c a t e s a n a b y s s w h i c h is a l r e a d y c o n c e a l e d , ' g e n t r i f i e d ' , b y t h e I d e a s o f R e a s o n . I n o t h e r w o r d s , it is n o t t h a t , i n t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e S u b l i m e , i m a g i n a t i o n fails p r o p e r l y t o s c h e m a t i z e / t e m p o r a l i z e t h e s u p r a s e n s i b l e d i m e n s i o n o f R e a s o n ; r a t h e r , it
40 is
THE TICKLISH that
the
regulative
Ideas
SUBJECT
of Reason
are
ultimately
nothing
s e c o n d a r y e n d e a v o u r t o c o v e r u p , t o s u s t a i n t h e abyss o f t h e a n n o u n c e d in the failure o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l
but
a
Monstrous
imagination.
T o c l a r i f y this p o i n t f u r t h e r , o n e s h o u l d i n t r o d u c e h e r e t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n s c h e m e a n d symbol: s c h e m e offers a direct, sensible p r e s e n t a t i o n o f a n o t i o n o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g ; while a symbol retains a distance, m e r e l y indicating adequate
something scheme
beyond
it. T h e
persistence
in
time
is t h u s
o f the category o f substance; while Beauty, a
o b j e c t , is - as K a n t p u t s it -
an
beautiful
t h e ' s y m b o l o f t h e G o o d ' , t h a t is, n o t
a
s c h e m e , b u t a s y m b o l i c r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e G o o d as a n I d e a o f R e a s o n , not a category o f Understanding.
A n d things b e c o m e complicated
here
w i t h t h e S u b l i m e : t h e S u b l i m e is n o t a s y m b o l o f t h e G o o d ; s o , i n a way, it is c l o s e r t o t h e s c h e m e , i t s t a n d s f o r a n e f f o r t o f i m a g i n a t i o n t o ' s c h e m a tize'
the
Idea
o f Reason.
However,
it
is a
strange
case o f a
failed
s c h e m a t i s m , o f a s c h e m e t h a t s u c c e e d s t h r o u g h its v e r y f a i l u r e . B e c a u s e of
this
success-in-failure,
the
Sublime
involves
p l e a s u r e a n d p a i n : it is a p l e a s u r e p r o v i d e d
a
strange
mixture
pain, o f the painful failure o f i m a g i n a t i o n , o f the painful
gap
between
a p p r e h e n s i o n a n d c o m p r e h e n s i o n . D o we n o t e n c o u n t e r h e r e a g a i n F r e u d i a n / L a c a n i a n p a r a d o x o f jouissance as p l e a s u r e - i n - p a i n
-
o f das Ding
of
by t h e v e r y e x p e r i e n c e o f the
'beyond the pleasure principle',
which c a n b e e x p e r i e n c e d only in
a
n e g a t i v e way - w h o s e c o n t o u r s c a n b e d i s c e r n e d o n l y n e g a t i v e l y , as t h e c o n t o u r s o f a n i n v i s i b l e v o i d ? S i m i l a r l y , is n o t t h e sublime
Thing,
in
so
far
as
it
also
elicits the
( m o r a l ) Law itself a painful
humiliation, o f self-debasement, m i x e d with a p r o f o u n d
sentiment
satisfaction
of that
t h e s u b j e c t has d o n e his duty? W h a t w e a p p r o a c h i n t h e first, n e g a t i v e , p a i n f u l t i m e o f t h e e x p e r i e n c e of
the
S u b l i m e is w h a t
Kant
refers
to
as t h e
'chaotic aggregate',
as
' s t e p m o t h e r l y n a t u r e ' , n a t u r e as a c r u e l m o t h e r n o t s u b j e c t t o a n y L a w . A s R o g o z i n s k i h a s d e m o n s t r a t e d , t h i s n o t i o n o f ' c h a o t i c a g g r e g a t e ' as das Ungeheure
( t h e M o n s t r o u s ) p l a y s t h e s a m e r o l e as ' d i a b o l i c a l E v i l ' i n
the
Kantian ethics: a hypothesis necessarily evoked b u t then instantly revoked, ' d o m e s t i c a t e d ' . T h i s r e f e r e n c e t o t h e f e m i n i n e is b y n o m e a n s a c c i d e n t a l and
n e u t r a l . A s is w e l l k n o w n ,
Critique
of Judgement
in his Analytics o f the S u b l i m e in
the
K a n t e v o k e s as t h e m o s t s u b l i m e o f a l l s t a t e m e n t s t h e
i n s c r i p t i o n o n t h e t e m p l e o f Isis ( t h e d i v i n e M o t h e r N a t u r e ) : T a m
all
t h a t is, t h a t was a n d t h a t will b e , a n d n o m o r t a l will e v e r r a i s e m y v e i l . ' As t h e t e m p o r a l d e s c r i p t i o n clearly i n d i c a t e s , we a r e d e a l i n g h e r e with N a t u r e in its i m p o s s i b l e t o t a l i t y , w i t h N a t u r e as t h e t o t a l i t y o f p h e n o m e n a c a n never b e accessible to o u r
finite
which
e x p e r i e n c e . A c o u p l e o f years later,
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
41
however, in ' Y o u r G r e a t M a s t e r ' , his p o l e m i c s against t h o s e w h o w a n t o r p r e t e n d t o r e v e a l t h e s e c r e t b e n e a t h t h e v e i l , K a n t g i v e s a m a s c u l i n e twist to t h e s e c r e t b e h i n d t h e veil: ' T h e h i d d e n G o d d e s s in f r o n t o f w h o m . . . w e fall o n o u r k n e e s , is n o n e o t h e r t h a n t h e m o r a l L a w i n o u r s e l v e s . '
4 2
H e r e , l i t e r a l l y , w o m a n ( t h e p r i m o r d i a l M o t h e r N a t u r e ) a p p e a r s as ' o n e o f t h e N a m e s - o f - t h e - F a t h e r ' ( L a c a n ) : h e r t r u e s e c r e t is t h e p a t e r n a l Law. W e a r e d e a l i n g h e r e n o t with t h e totality o f p h e n o m e n a w h a t is b e y o n d p h e n o m e n a ,
the noumenal
moral
but
with
Law. O f c o u r s e , t h e s e
two
v e r s i o n s o f w h a t is b e h i n d t h e veil r e f e r t o t h e two m o d e s o f t h e S u b l i m e ( m a t h e m a t i c a l / d y n a m i c ) , a n d to t h e two c o r r e s p o n d i n g types o f a n t i n o m i e s o f r e a s o n . T h e r e a r e t h u s two c o n c l u s i o n s to b e d r a w n : 1. K a n t h i m s e l f , a l b e i t i m p l i c i t l y , d i d a l r e a d y s e x u a l i z e t h e two a n t i n o m i e s , i n s o f a r as h e l i n k e d t h e t o t a l i t y o f p h e n o m e n a g e n e r a t i n g t h e first ( m a t h e m a t i c a l ) type o f a n t i n o m i e s to t h e ' f e m i n i n e ' p r i n c i p l e o f t h e m o n s t r o u s p u r e c h a o t i c m u l t i t u d e , a n d t h e s e c o n d ( d y n a m i c ) type o f a n t i n o m i e s to the ' m a s c u l i n e ' principle o f the moral Law. 2 . T h e s h i f t o f p a i n i n t o p l e a s u r e i n t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e S u b l i m e is a l s o i m p l i c i t l y s e x u a l i z e d ; it o c c u r s w h e n w e b e c o m e a w a r e o f h o w , b e n e a t h t h e h o r r o r o f t h e c h a o t i c a g g r e g a t e o f p h e n o m e n a , t h e r e is t h e m o r a l L a w - t h a t is, it i n v o l v e s t h e ' m a g i c ' shift f r o m t h e f e m i n i n e m o n s t r o s i t y to t h e m a s c u l i n e Law. A g a i n , e v e r y t h i n g h i n g e s h e r e o n w h e r e w e p u t t h e a c c e n t : is - i n
the
idealist o p t i o n - the monstrosity o f t h e c h a o t i c a g g r e g a t e o f p h e n o m e n a j u s t t h e e x t r e m e o f o u r i m a g i n a t i o n , w h i c h still fails t o c o n v e y t h e
proper
n o u m e n a l d i m e n s i o n o f t h e m o r a l L a w ? O r - t h e m a t e r i a l i s t o p t i o n - is i t t h e o t h e r way r o u n d , a n d quality,
'the
is t h e m o r a l L a w i t s e l f , i n its v e r y
last veil c o v e r i n g
the
Monstrous',
the
(already
sublime
minimally
' g e n t r i f i e d ' , d o m e s t i c a t e d ) way w e , f i n i t e s u b j e c t s , a r e a b l e t o p e r c e i v e (and endure) the unimaginable Thing?
T h e Violence o f Imagination So when
Kant endeavours
to m o v e b e y o n d t h e c l o m a i n o f i m a g i n a t i o n
a n d t o a r t i c u l a t e s u p r a s e n s i b l e R a t i o n a l I d e a s as w h a t a c c o u n t s f o r h u m a n d i g n i t y , H e i d e g g e r i n t e r p r e t s t h i s m o v e as a ' r e t r e a t ' f r o m
t h e abyss o f
imagination.
effect
to g r o u n d
Heidegger
imagination
is r i g h t in
in
a system
so far
as K a n t
is i n
o f Rational Ideas whose
trying
status
is
42
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
n o u m e n a l . B u t is t h i s t h e o n l y way t o b r e a k o u t o f t h e c l o s u r e o f selfaffection
t h a t c o n s t i t u t e s s y n t h e t i c i m a g i n a t i o n ? W h a t i f it is t h e
very
i n s i s t e n c e o n s y n t h e t i c i m a g i n a t i o n as t h e u n s u r p a s s a b l e h o r i z o n o f t h e a p p e a r a n c e / d i s c l o s u r e o f b e i n g w h i c h , by r e t a i n i n g us within t h e c l o s u r e o f t e m p o r a l a u t o - a f f e c t i o n , s c r e e n s t h e abyss o f t h e u n i m a g i n a b l e w h i c h is not eo ipso t h e m e t a p h y s i c a l d i m e n s i o n o f n o u m e n a ? T h a t is t o say: w h e n Kant claims that, without the m i n i m a l synthesis o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l imagin ation, t h e r e w o u l d b e n o ' p h e n o m e n a ' in t h e p r o p e r s e n s e o f t h e t e r m , o n l y ' a b l i n d p l a y o f r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s , t h a t is t o say, less t h a n a
dream',
d o e s h e n o t t h e r e b y e v o k e t h e m o n s t r o u s ' c h a o t i c a g g r e g a t e ' , t h e 'not-yetworld', the
p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l chora,
which forms
the background
of
the
experience o f the Sublime? T h e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e S u b l i m e r e a c h e s t h e very b o r d e r o f this ' c h a o t i c a g g r e g a t e ' o f t h e s e n s e s i n o r d e r t o r e t r e a t f r o m it i n t o t h e s u p r a s e n s i b l e d i m e n s i o n o f t h e n o u m e n a l L a w . I s n o t t h e M o n s t r o u s w h i c h is explicitlyr e n d e r e d t h e m a t i c i n t h e d i a l e c t i c s o f t h e S u b l i m e in t h e t h i r d
Critique
t h u s a l r e a d y a t w o r k a t t h e v e r y h e a r t o f t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l a e s t h e t i c s in the
first
Critique}
function)
Is n o t t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i m a g i n a t i o n
( i n its s y n t h e t i c
already a d e f e n c e against this c h a o t i c a g g r e g a t e ? A r e n o t
the
spectral a p p e a r a n c e s o f partial objects m e n t i o n e d by H e g e l in the q u o t e d passage a b o u t the 'night o f the world' precisely such a pre-synthetic, preo n t o l o g i c a l ' b l i n d p l a y o f r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s ' , w h i c h is ' l e s s t h a n a d r e a m ' ? T h e w a g e r o f t h e K a n t i a n S u b l i m e is t h a t a n o t h e r s y n t h e s i s , n o t
that
o f t h e o n t o l o g i c a l synthesis a c c o m p l i s h e d by t h e t e m p o r a l self-affection o f transcendental
i m a g i n a t i o n , c a n save us f r o m
t h i s abyss o f t h e
failure
of imagination. T h e v i o l e n c e o f i m a g i n a t i o n i n t h e S u b l i m e is t w o f o l d : i t is t h e v i o l e n c e of i m a g i n a t i o n i t s e l f ( o u r s e n s e s a r e s t r e t c h e d t o t h e i r u t m o s t a n d
bom
b a r d e d w i t h i m a g e s o f e x t r e m e c h a o s ) , as w e l l as t h e v i o l e n c e done
to
i m a g i n a t i o n by R e a s o n ( w h i c h c o m p e l s o u r faculty o f i m a g i n a t i o n to e x e r t all its p o w e r s a n d t h e n t o fail m i s e r a b l y , s i n c e it is u n a b l e t o c o m p r e h e n d R e a s o n ) . E v e r y i m a g i n a t i o n is a l r e a d y v i o l e n t i n i t s e l f , i n t h e g u i s e o f t h e tension between apprehension menfassung]: quently,
[Auffassung]
and comprehension
t h e s e c o n d c a n n e v e r fully c a t c h u p w i t h t h e temporality
apprehension
itself,
'as
such',
o f the dispersed multitude
involves and
a
gap
first.
[ZusamConse
between
the
the synthetic act o f the
c o m p r e h e n s i o n o f the unity o f this m u l t i t u d e . O u r faculty o f i m a g i n a t i o n fails t o a c h i e v e t h i s u n i t y w h e n t h e o b j e c t is t o o l a r g e - t h a t is, in t h e c a s e o f t h e ' m a t h e m a t i c a l s u b l i m e ' : ' t h e r e is n o t e n o u g h t i m e ' , t h e r e a r e t o o m a n y u n i t s f o r us t o a c c o m p l i s h t h e i r s y n t h e s i s . T h i s ' n o t - e n o u g h - t i m e ' is
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
43
n o t a s e c o n d a r y d e f i c i e n c y , it a p p e r t a i n s t o t h e v e r y n o t i o n o f t i m e - t h a t j s , ' t h e r e is t i m e ' o n l y i n s o f a r as ' t h e r e is n o t e n o u g h t i m e ' , t e m p o r a l i t y as such is s u s t a i n e d b y t h e g a p b e t w e e n a p p r e h e n s i o n a n d c o m p r e h e n s i o n : a b e i n g a b l e t o c l o s e t h i s g a p a n d fully t o c o m p r e h e n d t h e m u l t i t u d e w o u l d b e a n o u m e n a l archetypus
intellectus
apprehended
no longer constrained
by the limitations o f temporality. T h i s v i o l e n c e o f the synthesis o f c o m p r e h e n s i o n is t h e n f o l l o w e d by t h e v i o l e n c e o f t h e s y n t h e s i s o f r e t e n t i o n which endeavours
to c o u n t e r a c t t h e flow o f t i m e , to r e t a i n w h a t
runs
away, t o r e s i s t t h e t e m p o r a l d r a i n a g e . Rogozinski's c o n c l u s i o n r e g a r d i n g this twofold gap a n d / o r v i o l e n c e ( o f c o m p r e h e n s i o n o v e r a p p r e h e n s i o n , o f r e t e n t i o n o v e r t h e f l o w o f t i m e ) is t h a t t i m e i t s e l f a n d t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i m a g i n a t i o n i n its s y n t h e t i c a c t i v i t y o f auto-affection are n o t directly the same, since the s e c o n d already exerts a violence
o n the p u r e t e m p o r a l dispersal - w i t h o u t this v i o l e n c e , reality
i t s e l f w o u l d n o t r e t a i n its m i n i m a l o n t o l o g i c a l c o n s i s t e n c y . T r a n s c e n d e n t a l s c h e m a t i s m thus d e s i g n a t e s t h e p r o c e d u r e by w h i c h , already at t h e level of
pre-discursive, purely
synthetic temporal
intuitive
temporal
e x p e r i e n c e , the
d i s p e r s a l is v i o l e n t l y s u b o r d i n a t e d
pure
to the
pre-
synthetic
activity o f t h e s u b j e c t , w h o s e d e f i n i t i v e f o r m is t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e discursive categories o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g
to intuition. S c h e m a t i s m forges
o u r t e m p o r a l e x p e r i e n c e into a h o m o g e n e o u s linear succession in which past a n d future are s u b o r d i n a t e d to t h e p r e s e n t (which retains the past a n d a n n o u n c e s t h e f u t u r e ) : w h a t t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s c h e m a t i s m p r e v e n t s us f r o m t h i n k i n g is p r e c i s e l y t h e p a r a d o x o f creatio
ex
nihilo.
I n s c h e m a t i z e d t i m e , n o t h i n g r e a l l y new c a n e m e r g e always-already t h e r e , a n d
merely deploys
its i n h e r e n t
e v e r y t h i n g is
potential.
4 3
The
Sublime, o n the contrary, marks the m o m e n t at which s o m e t h i n g e m e r g e s out
accounted
f o r by-
r e f e r e n c e to the pre-existing n e t w o r k o f c i r c u m s t a n c e s . W e are
o f Nothing
-
something
new
that
cannot
be
dealing
h e r e with a n o t h e r t e m p o r a l i t y , t h e t e m p o r a l i t y o f f r e e d o m , o f a radical r u p t u r e in t h e c h a i n o f ( n a t u r a l a n d / o r s o c i a l ) c a u s a l i t y . . . . W h e n , f o r e x a m p l e , d o e s t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e S u b l i m e o c c u r in politics? W h e n , 'against their better j u d g e m e n t ' , people disregard the balance sheet o f profits a n d losses a n d 'risk f r e e d o m ' ; at that m o m e n t , s o m e t h i n g
that,
l i t e r a l l y , c a n n o t b e ' a c c o u n t e d f o r ' in t h e t e r m s o f ' c i r c u m s t a n c e s ' m i r a c ulously ' b e c o m e s possible'. . . .
4 4
T h e f e e l i n g o f t h e S u b l i m e is a r o u s e d b y
an E v e n t that m o m e n t a r i l y suspends t h e n e t w o r k o f symbolic causality. I n s o f a r as f r e e d o m is t h e p r o p e r n a m e f o r t h i s s u s p e n s i o n o f c a u s a l i t y , o n e is a b l e h e r e freedom
to t h r o w
a new light o n
as ' c o n c e i v e d n e c e s s i t y ' : t h e
the
Hegelian definition
consequent notion
of
o f subjective
44
THE TICKLISH
SUBJECT
i d e a l i s m c o m p e l s us t o i n v e r t t h i s t h e s i s a n d t o c o n c e i v e o f necessity (ultimately
nothing
but) conceived
freedom.
s c e n d e n t a l i d e a l i s m is t h a t i t is t h e s u b j e c t ' s ' s p o n t a n e o u s ' free)
as
T h e central tenet o f Kant's tran (i.e. radically
act o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l a p p e r c e p t i o n that c h a n g e s t h e c o n f u s e d flow o f
s e n s a t i o n s i n t o ' r e a l i t y ' , w h i c h o b e y s n e c e s s a r y laws. T h i s p o i n t is e v e n c l e a r e r i n m o r a l p h i l o s o p h y : w h e n K a n t c l a i m s t h a t m o r a l L a w is t h e
ratio
cognoscendi
that
o f o u r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l f r e e d o m , is h e n o t l i t e r a l l y s a y i n g
n e c e s s i t y is c o n c e i v e d f r e e d o m ? T h a t is t o say: t h e o n l y way f o r us t o g e t t o k n o w ( t o c o n c e i v e o f ) o u r f r e e d o m is via t h e f a c t o f t h e p r e s s u r e o f t h e m o r a l L a w , o f its necessity,
unbearable
which enjoins us to act against
t h e c o m p u l s i o n o f o u r p a t h o l o g i c a l impulses. At t h e m o s t g e n e r a l level, o n e s h o u l d posit that 'necessity' ( t h e symbolic necessity that regulates o u r lives)
relies on
t h e abyssal free
d e c i s i o n , o n t h e point
de capiton
act o f the
subject, o n
his
contingent
that magically turns confusion into a new
O r d e r . I s n o t t h i s f r e e d o m , w h i c h is n o t y e t c a u g h t i n t h e c o b w e b o f n e c e s s i t y , t h e abyss o f t h e ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' ? F o r t h i s r e a s o n , F i c h t e ' s r a d i c a l i z a t i o n o f K a n t is c o n s i s t e n t , n o t j u s t a s u b j e c t i v i s t e c c e n t r i c i t y . F i c h t e was t h e first p h i l o s o p h e r t o f o c u s o n
the
u n c a n n y c o n t i n g e n c y at t h e very h e a r t o f subjectivity: t h e F i c h t e a n s u b j e c t is n o t t h e o v e r b l o w n E g o = E g o as t h e a b s o l u t e O r i g i n o f a l l r e a l i t y , b u t a finite
subject
thrown,
eluding mastery. the
gradual
4 5
caught,
T h e Anstoss,
in a c o n t i n g e n t
social situation
forever
t h e p r i m o r d i a l i m p u l s e t h a t sets in m o t i o n
self-limitation a n d
self-determination
o f the
initially
s u b j e c t , is n o t m e r e l y a m e c h a n i c a l e x t e r n a l i m p u l s e ; i t a l s o
void
indicates
a n o t h e r s u b j e c t w h o , i n t h e abyss o f its f r e e d o m , f u n c t i o n s as t h e c h a l l e n g e [Aufford-erung] to a c c o m p l i s h
c o m p e l l i n g m e t o l i m i t / s p e c i f y m y f r e e d o m , t h a t is,
the
passage
from
abstract egotist freedom
to
concrete
f r e e d o m within the rational e t h i c a l universe - p e r h a p s this i n t e r s u b j e c t i v e Aufforderung
is n o t m e r e l y t h e s e c o n d a r y s p e c i f i c a t i o n o f t h e Anstoss,
but
its e x e m p l a r y o r i g i n a l c a s e . I t is i m p o r t a n t t o b e a r i n m i n d t h e two p r i m a r y m e a n i n g s o f Anstoss G e r m a n : c h e c k , o b s t a c l e , h i n d r a n c e , s o m e t h i n g t h a t resists expansion
o f o u r s t r i v i n g ; and
i n c i t e s o u r activity. Anstoss
an impetus,
the
in
boundless
a stimulus, s o m e t h i n g
that
is n o t s i m p l y t h e o b s t a c l e t h e a b s o l u t e I p o s i t s
t o i t s e l f i n o r d e r t o s t i m u l a t e its a c t i v i t y - s o t h a t , b y o v e r c o m i n g t h e selfp o s i t e d o b s t a c l e , i t a s s e r t s its c r e a t i v e p o w e r , l i k e t h e g a m e s t h e p r o v e r b i a l p e r v e r t e d a s c e t i c s a i n t plays w i t h h i m s e l f b y i n v e n t i n g e v e r n e w
tempta
t i o n s a n d t h e n , i n s u c c e s s f u l l y r e s i s t i n g t h e m , c o n f i r m i n g his s t r e n g t h . I f t h e K a n t i a n Ding Anstoss
an sich
c o r r e s p o n d s to the F r e u d i a n - L a c a n i a n
is c l o s e r t o objet petit
Thing,
a, t o t h e p r i m o r d i a l f o r e i g n b o d y t h a t ' s t i c k s
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
45
in the t h r o a t ' o f t h e s u b j e c t , t o t h e o b j e c t - c a u s e o f d e s i r e t h a t splits Fichte h i m s e l f d e f i n e s Anstoss
it up:
as t h e n o n - a s s i m i l a b l e f o r e i g n b o d y
that
causes t h e s u b j e c t t o d i v i d e i n t o t h e e m p t y a b s o l u t e s u b j e c t a n d t h e f i n i t e determinate
subject, limited by the
n o n - I . Anstoss
thus designates
m o m e n t o f t h e ' r u n - i n ' , t h e h a z a r d o u s k n o c k , t h e encounter
the m i d s t o f t h e i d e a l i t y o f t h e a b s o l u t e I: t h e r e is n o s u b j e c t Anstoss,
the
o f t h e R e a l in without
without the collision with a n e l e m e n t o f i r r e d u c i b l e facticity a n d
c o n t i n g e n c y — ' t h e I is s u p p o s e d t o e n c o u n t e r s o m e t h i n g f o r e i g n
within
itself. T h e p o i n t is t h u s t o a c k n o w l e d g e ' t h e p r e s e n c e , w i t h i n t h e I itself, of a r e a l m o f i r r e d u c i b l e o t h e r n e s s , o f a b s o l u t e c o n t i n g e n c y a n d i n c o m prehensibility. . . . Ultimately, not j u s t Angelus Silesius's rose, but Anstoss
Warum.'
I n c l e a r c o n t r a s t t o t h e K a n t i a n n o u m e n a l Ding Anstoss
every
46
w h a t s o e v e r isl ohne does not c o m e from
o u t s i d e , it is stricto
that affects o u r senses, sensu
ex-timate.
a
non
a s s i m i l a b l e f o r e i g n b o d y a t t h e v e r y c o r e o f t h e s u b j e c t - as F i c h t e h i m s e l f e m p h a s i z e s , t h e p a r a d o x o f Anstoss
l i e s i n t h e f a c t t h a t it is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y
' p u r e l y s u b j e c t i v e ' and n o t p r o d u c e d b y t h e activity o f t h e I . I f Anstoss
were
not ' p u r e l y s u b j e c t i v e ' , i f it w e r e a l r e a d y t h e n o n - I , p a r t o f o b j e c t i v i t y , w e w o u l d fall b a c k i n t o ' d o g m a t i s m ' - t h a t is t o say, Anstoss
would effectively
a m o u n t t o n o m o r e t h a n a s h a d o w ) ' r e m a i n d e r o f t h e K a n t i a n Ding
an
sich, a n d w o u l d t h u s b e a r w i t n e s s t o F i c h t e ' s i n c o n s e q u e n t i a l i t y ( t h e u s u a l c r i t i c i s m o f F i c h t e ) ; i f Anstoss
w e r e s i m p l y s u b j e c t i v e , it w o u l d p r e s e n t a
case o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s h o l l o w p l a y i n g w i t h itself, a n d w e w o u l d n e v e r r e a c h the l e v e l o f o b j e c t i v e r e a l i t y - t h a t is, F i c h t e w o u l d e f f e c t i v e l y b e a s o l i p s i s t ( a n o t h e r c o m m o n c r i t i c i s m o f h i s p h i l o s o p h y ) . T h e c r u c i a l p o i n t is t h a t •Anstoss
sets i n m o t i o n t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n o f ' r e a l i t y ' : a t t h e b e g i n n i n g is t h e
pure I w i t h t h e n o n - a s s i m i l a b l e f o r e i g n
b o d y a t its h e a r t ;
the
subject
c o n s t i t u t e s reality by a s s u m i n g a d i s t a n c e towards t h e R e a l o f t h e f o r m l e s s Anstoss,
a n d c o n f e r r i n g o n it t h e s t r u c t u r e o f o b j e c t i v i t y .
I f K a n t ' s Ding
an
sich
is n o t F i c h t e ' s Anstoss,
4 7
w h a t is t h e
difference
b e t w e e n t h e m ? O r - t o p u t i t i n a n o t h e r way - w h e r e do w e find i n K a n t something K a n t ' s Ding
that
announces
F i c h t e ' s Anstoss?
an sich w i t h t h e ' t r a n s c e n d e n t a l
One
should
object', which
not
confuse
(contrary to
s o m e c o n f u s e d a n d m i s l e a d i n g f o r m u l a t i o n s f o u n d i n K a n t h i m s e l f ) is n o t noumenal that w h i c h
but the 'nothingness', stands
against
the
the void o f horizon (finite)
subject,
the
o f objectivity, o f minimal
form
of
r e s i s t a n c e w h i c h is n o t y e t a n y p o s i t i v e d e t e r m i n a t e o b j e c t t h a t t h e s u b j e c t encounters
in t h e w o r l d -
Kant uses the G e r m a n
expression
w h a t is ' o u t t h e r e o p p o s i n g i t s e l f t o u s , s t a n d i n g a g a i n s t u s ' . T h i s
Daiuider, Dawider
is not t h e abyss o f t h e T h i n g , it d o e s n o t p o i n t t o t h e d i m e n s i o n o f t h e
46
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
u n i m a g i n a b l e ; it is, o n t h e c o n t r a r y , t h e v e r y h o r i z o n o f o p e n n e s s
towards
objectivity within which particular o b j e c t s a p p e a r to a finite subject.
The Monstrous F i c h t e was a p h i l o s o p h e r
o f the
primacy o f practical over
theoretical
R e a s o n ; s o we a r e n o w a l s o i n a p o s i t i o n t o s h o w h o w o u r r e a d i n g o f K a n t affects t h e K a n t i a n a p p r o a c h the Problem
of Metaphysics,
t o t h e e t h i c a l p r o b l e m a t i c . I n h i s Kant,
and
H e i d e g g e r e n d e a v o u r s to think the m o r a l Law
i t s e l f - t h a t is, t h e p r o b l e m a t i c o f p r a c t i c a l R e a s o n - a c c o r d i n g t o
the
s a m e m o d e l o f t h e s y n t h e s i s o f i m a g i n a t i o n as p u r e a u t o - a f f e c t i o n , as t h e u n i t y o f activity ( s p o n t a n e i t y )
and
passivity
( r e c e p t i v i t y ) : in h i s
moral
e x p e r i e n c e , t h e s u b j e c t s u b m i t s h i m s e l f t o a L a w t h a t is n o t e x t e r n a l b u t p o s i t e d b y h i m s e l f , s o t h a t b e i n g a f f e c t e d b y t h e C a l l o f m o r a l L a w is t h e u l t i m a t e f o r m o f s e l f - a f f e c t i o n - in it, as w e l l as in t h e L a w t h a t c h a r a c t e r izes a u t o n o m o u s s u b j e c t i v i t y , a u t o n o m y a n d r e c e p t i v i t y c o i n c i d e . T h i s is t h e o r i g i n o f all t h e p a r a d o x e s o f H e i d e g g e r ' s r e a d i n g : H e i d e g g e r r e d u c e s temporality a n d Law to p u r e self-affection o f the subject, rejects
them
constraints
for
this very
reason
o f subjectivity. In
-
short,
because
they
Heidegger
remain
first then
within
the
himself generates
the
'subjectivist' r e a d i n g o f K a n t t o w h i c h h e t h e n refers in r e j e c t i n g h i m . . . . H e i d e g g e r ' s d e v a l u a t i o n o f K a n t ' s p r a c t i c a l p h i l o s o p h y i n his Kant the Problem
of Metaphysics
H e i n e a n d F e u e r b a c h t o A d o r n o a n d H o r k h e i m e r in Dialectic ment,
and
b e l o n g s in t h e l o n g l i n e o f critics, f r o m H e i n r i c h
w h o d i s m i s s t h e Critique
of Practical
Reason
of
Enlighten
as K a n t ' s b e t r a y a l o f t h e
s u b v e r s i v e a n t i - m e t a p h y s i c a l p o t e n t i a l o f h i s Critique
of Pure
Reason:
in his
e t h i c a l t h o u g h t , K a n t a s s e r t s f r e e d o m a n d m o r a l L a w as t h a t o n a c c o u n t of which
the
finite
subject
(man)
is n o t
constrained
to
phenomenal
e x p e r i e n c e - t h a t is, as a w i n d o w o n t h e p u r e l y r a t i o n a l n o u m e n a l beyond o r outside
time:
domain,
literally the d o m a i n o f meta-physics. T h e p r i c e
K a n t pays f o r t h i s is t h a t h e h a s t o l i m i t t h e s c o p e , t h e g r o u n d i n g r o l e , o f transcendental
imagination
experience of freedom
and
and
its m o v e m e n t
o f temporalization:
m o r a l L a w is not r o o t e d
in t e m p o r a l
the self-
affection. A c c o r d i n g to H e i d e g g e r , t h e u l t i m a t e c a u s e o f this ' r e g r e s s i o n ' into the metaphysical opposition
between
temporal
a n d e t e r n a l lies in
K a n t ' s m e t a p h y s i c a l n o t i o n o f t i m e as t h e l i n e a r s u c c e s s i o n o f m o m e n t s u n d e r t h e d o m i n a t i o n o f t h e p r e s e n t : s o , a l t h o u g h K a n t is c o m p e l l e d t o invoke temporal determinations
i n h i s n o t i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t qua
moral
a g e n t ( m o r a l i t y i n v o l v e s t h e i n f i n i t e t e m p o r a l p r o g r e s s ; o n l y a finite b e i n g
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
47
d w e l l i n g i n t i m e c a n b e a f f e c t e d b y t h e C a l l o f D u t y , e t c . ) , h e is u l t i m a t e l y >able t o c o n c e i v e t h e f a c t o f f r e e d o m
o n l y as s o m e t h i n g p o i n t i n g
to a
d o m a i n o u t s i d e t i m e ( t o n o u m e n a l e t e r n i t y ) , n o t as t h e e x t a s i s o f a n o t h e r , ignore o r i g i n a l , n o n - l i n e a r m o d e o f t e m p o r a l i t y . j
Is t h e r e n o a c t u a l l i n k b e t w e e n K a n t ' s e t h i c a l d u t y a n d H e i d e g g e r ' s C a l l o f C o n s c i e n c e ? H e i d e g g e r ' s n o t i o n o f t h e C a l l o f C o n s c i e n c e is u s u a l l y c r i t i c i z e d f o r its f o r m a l d e c i s i o n i s m : t h i s V o i c e is p u r e l y f o r m a l , it t e l l s
Dasein
to
make
an
authentic
choice without
providing
any
concrete
criteria e n a b l i n g t h e s u b j e c t to identify a u t h e n t i c c h o i c e . ( T h e l o c a t i o n o f t h i s C a l l is e x - t i m a t e i n t h e L a c a n i a n s e n s e : as H e i d e g g e r e m p h a s i z e s , t h i s tCall is n o t p r o n o u n c e d / u t t e r e d from
outside,
but
is
b y another
simultaneously
Dasein
o r d i v i n e A g e n t ; it c o m e s
something
that
N o w h e r e , s i n c e it is t h e v o i c e o f t h e v e r y h e a r t o f Dasein,
emerges
from
r e m i n d i n g it o f
its o w n u n i q u e p o t e n t i a l i t y . ) H e i d e g g e r l i n k s t h i s C a l l o f C o n s c i e n c e t o t h e m o t i f o f g u i l t , c o n c e i v e d as a n a p r i o r i ( e x i s t e n t i a l ) f o r m a l f e a t u r e o f Dasein
as s u c h : i t is n o t a c o n c r e t e g u i l t a b o u t s o m e d e t e r m i n a t e
act or
non-act but the expression o f the formal act that in the case o f
Dasein,
o w i n g t o its f i n i t u d e a n d t h r o w n n e s s , a n d at t h e s a m e t i m e its a n t i c i p a l o r y projecting opening outstrips
towards
the future,
t h e a c t u a l i z a t i o n o f Dasein
p o t e n t i a l i t y always a n d
s determinate
a
priori
existence. T h e
usual
p o i n t h e r e is t h a t H e i d e g g e r ' s e c u l a r i z e s t h e P r o t e s t a n t n o t i o n o f S i n as c o n s u b s t a n t i a l w i t h h u m a n e x i s t e n c e as s u c h ' , d e p r i v i n g i t o f its p o s i t i v e t h e o l o g i c a l f o u n d a t i o n by r e d e f i n i n g it i n a p u r e l y f o r m a l way. H e i d e g g e r s h o u l d n o n e t h e less b e d e f e n d e d
h e r e : t h i s c r i t i c i s m is n o
better g r o u n d e d than the standard criticism that the Marxist narrative o f t h e C o m m u n i s t r e v o l u t i o n l e a d i n g t o t h e c l a s s l e s s s o c i e t y is a s e c u l a r i z e d v e r s i o n o f t h e r e l i g i o u s n a r r a t i v e o f F a l l a n d S a l v a t i o n ; in b o t h c a s e s , t h e a n s w e r s h o u l d b e : why s h o u l d n ' t we t u r n t h e criticism a r o u n d a n d claim that the latter, allegedly 'secularized' version provides the true version o f w h i c h t h e r e l i g i o u s n a r r a t i v e is m e r e l y a m y s t i f i e d a n d n a i v e a n t i c i p a t i o n ? Furthermore,
do n o t these Heideggerian
notions o f Guilt and
C o n s c i e n c e rely o n the paradigmatically m o d e r n
tradition
Call o f
that stretches
f r o m K a n t i a n e t h i c s t o t h e s t r i c t F r e u d i a n n o t i o n o f s u p e r e g o ? T h a t is t o say: t h e first t h i n g t o n o t e is t h a t t h e f o r m a l c h a r a c t e r o f t h e C a l l o f C o n s c i e n c e a n d u n i v e r s a l i z e d G u i l t a r e s t r i c t l y i d e n t i c a l , two s i d e s o f t h e same
c o i n : it is p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e
injunction
from
the
Dasein
never
Call o f C o n s c i e n c e that
receives any
it c a n
never
positive
b e sure of
a c c o m p l i s h i n g its p r o p e r d u t y - t h a t G u i l t is c o n s u b s t a n t i a l with it. W h a t w e a r e d e a l i n g w i t h h e r e is a r e f o r m u l a t i o n o f K a n t ' s c a t e g o r i c a l i m p e r a tive, w h i c h is a l s o t a u t o l o g i c a l l y e m p t y : i t says t h a t t h e s u b j e c t s h o u l d
do
48
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
h i s d u t y w i t h o u t s p e c i f y i n g w h a t t h i s d u t y is, a n d t h u s shifts t h e b u r d e n o f d e t e r m i n i n g the c o n t e n t o f duty wholly o n to the subject. H e i d e g g e r was t h u s fully j u s t i f i e d w h e n , a c o u p l e o f y e a r s l a t e r ( i n h i s 1 9 3 0 c o u r s e o n the e s s e n c e o f h u m a n f r e e d o m ) , h e i n d u l g e d in a b r i e f attempt
to save K a n t ' s
Critique
of Practical
Reason
K a n t i a n m o r a l i m p e r a t i v e i n t h e t e r m s o f Being
and
by i n t e r p r e t i n g Time,
the
as t h e C a l l o f
C o n s c i e n c e t h a t s h a t t e r s a n d t r a n s p o r t s us f r o m o u r i m m e r s i o n i n t o Man, does
i n t o t h e i n a u t h e n t i c o n t i c m o r a l i t y o f ' t h i s is h o w it is done, it': K a n t i a n
practical reason
provides
a glimpse
das
h o w one
i n t o t h e abyss o f
freedom beyond (or, rather, b e n e a t h ) the constraints o f traditional meta physical ontology. T h i s r e f e r e n c e founded
on
to
the
Critique
of Practical
Reason
an accurate insight into Kant's radical ethical
is
revolution,
w h i c h b r e a k s w i t h t h e m e t a p h y s i c a l e t h i c s o f S u p r e m e G o o d - a n d j u s t as Heidegger
retreated
from
the
abyss o f t h e
unimaginable
Monstrosity
lurking in the Kantian p r o b l e m a t i c o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l imagination, so h e also retreated from
the Monstrosity discernible in the K a n t i a n
f o r m a l i s m ' w h e n , a f t e r h i s Kehre,
he no longer reserved an
'ethical
exceptional
r o l e f o r K a n t . F r o m t h e m i d - 1 9 3 0 s o n w a r d s , it is t h e E v e n t o f t h e T r u t h o f B e i n g , its ( d i s ) c l o s u r e , w h i c h p r o v i d e s t h e h i s t o r i a l / e p o c h a l
law/measure
o f w h a t , in o u r e v e r y d a y e x p e r i e n c e , c a n c o u n t as e t h i c a l i n j u n c t i o n . K a n t is t h e r e b y r e d u c e d t o a
figure
in t h e l i n e s t r e t c h i n g f r o m P l a t o ' s I d e a o f
S u p r e m e G o o d ( w h i c h a l r e a d y s u b o r d i n a t e s B e i n g t o S u p r e m e G o o d ) to t h e m o d e r n n i h i l i s t i c b a b b l e a b o u t ' v a l u e s ' ; h e e v e n lays t h e g r o u n d the modern
for
t u r n f r o m t h e n o t i o n o f G o o d as i n h e r e n t i n t h e o r d e r o f
B e i n g itself to t h e subjectivist n o t i o n o f 'values' that h u m a n b e i n g s i m p o s e o n ' o b j e c t i v e ' reality, so that his e t h i c a l r e v o l u t i o n provides a key l i n k in t h e l i n e f r o m P l a t o n i s m to m o d e r n n i h i l i s m towards values. K a n t was t h e first
t o a s s e r t t h e W i l l as t h e W i l l t o W i l l : i n all its g o a l s , t h e W i l l b a s i c a l l y
wills itself, a n d
t h e r e i n lie the roots o f nihilism. T h e a u t o n o m y o f t h e
m o r a l L a w m e a n s t h a t d i i s L a w is self-posited:, it u l t i m a t e l y wills Heidegger
w h e n m y will f o l l o w s its C a l l ,
48
itself.
thus d e n i e s any truly subversive p o t e n t i a l
o f the
e t h i c a l r e v o l u t i o n , o f h i s a s s e r t i o n o f L a w as b a r r e d / e m p t y ,
Kantian
not
deter
m i n e d b y a n y p o s i t i v e c o n t e n t (it is u p o n t h i s f e a t u r e t h a t L a c a n g r o u n d s his thesis o n
Kant's practical philosophy
as t h e s t a r t i n g
point
in
the
l i n e a g e c u l m i n a t i n g i n F r e u d ' s i n v e n t i o n o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s ) . As R o g o z i n s k i demonstrated,
w h a t is c r u c i a l h e r e is t h e
fate o f the
S u b l i m e / M o n s t r o u s : Heidegger ignores the Sublime -
triad
Beautiful/
t h a t is, h e
links
B e a u t y d i r e c t i y to t h e M o n s t r o u s ( m o s t e v i d e n d y i n h i s r e a d i n g o f A n t i g o n e i n An Introduction
49
to Metaphysics ):
B e a u t y is t h e m o d e o f a p p a r i t i o n
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
49
o f t h e M o n s t r o u s ; it d e s i g n a t e s o n e o f t h e m o d a l i t i e s o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t i that shatters o u r a l l e g i a n c e to t h e everyday r u n d e r a i l s o u r i m m e r s i o n i n das Man
o f things -
t h a t is, i t
( t h e way ' i t is d o n e ' ) . T h i s p a s s i n g o v e r
t h e S u b l i m e is d i r e c t l y l i n k e d t o t h e i n s e r t i o n o f K a n t i n t h e P l a t o n i c lineage o f the S u p r e m e G o o d - to H e i d e g g e r ' s dismissal o f the Kantian e t h i c a l r e v o l u t i o n : i f t h e B e a u t i f u l is, as K a n t p u t it, t h e s y m b o l o f t h e Good, t h e n t h e S u b l i m e is p r e c i s e l y t h e f a i l e d s c h e m e o f t h e e t h i c a l
Law.
T h e stakes in H e i d e g g e r ' s direct linking o f the Beautiful to the M o n s t r o u s are thus h i g h e r than they m a y seem: the disappearance o f the S u b l i m e i n H e i d e g g e r ' s r e a d i n g o f K a n t is t h e o b v e r s e o f h i s i g n o r a n c e o f t h e K a n t i a n m o t i f o f t h e pure form
o f Law; the fact that the Kantian
moral
L a w is ' e m p t y ' , a p u r e f o r m , r a d i c a l l y a f f e c t s t h e s t a t u s o f t h e M o n s t r o u s . How? Heidegger,
of
course,
U n c a n n y , das Unheimliche,
thematizes
the
Monstrous
(or
rather,
first g r e a t c h o r u s ) : i n h i s d e t a i l e d r e a d i n g o f t h i s c h o r u s i n An to Metaphysics, nature,
the
as h e t r a n s l a t e s t h e ' d a e m o n i c ' f r o m Antigone % Introduction
he deploys the contours o f the overpowering violence o f
o f earth,
as w e l l as t h e v i o l e n c e o f m a n
who, by dwelling
in
l a n g u a g e , t h r o w s t h e n a t u r a l c o u r s e o f e v e n t s ' o f f t h e r a i l s ' a n d e x p l o i t s it f o r his o w n p u r p o s e s . H e insists r e p e a t e d l y o n t h e ' o u t - o f j o i n t ' c h a r a c t e r o f m a n : n o t o n l y is h i s fight a g a i n s t / w i t h t h e p o w e r s o f n a t u r e ' d e r a i l i n g ' ; t h e v e r y i n s t i t u t i o n o f polis, o f a c o m m u n a l o r d e r , is c h a r a c t e r i z e d as a n a c t o f v i o l e n t i m p o s i t i o n , as g r o u n d e d i n a n a b y s s a l d e c i s i o n . S o H e i d e g g e r is well a w a r e t h a t e v e r y d w e l l i n g i n t h e f a m i l i a r e v e r y d a y u n i v e r s e is grounded
in a v i o l e n t / m o n s t r o u s
act o f resolutely
deciding/assuming
o n e ' s f a t e : t h a t s i n c e m a n is p r i m o r d i a l l y ' o u t o f j o i n t ' , t h e v e r y i m p o s i t i o n of a 'home
[heim]',
o f a c o m m u n a l s i t e o f d w e l l i n g , polis,
is
unheimlkh,
r e p o s e s o n a n e x c e s s i v e / v i o l e n t d e e d . T h e p r o b l e m is t h a t t h i s d o m a i n o f UnheimlicJies
r e m a i n s for h i m t h e very d o m a i n o f t h e disclosure o f histori
cal s h a p e o f b e i n g , o f a world, g r o u n d e d in i m p e n e t r a b l e e a r t h , in w h i c h m a n historically dwells, o f t h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n e a r t h ings) and
(natural surround
t h e s h a p e o f m a n ' s c o m m u n a l b e i n g . A n d , i n s o f a r as
the
p a r t i c u l a r s h a p e o f h i s t o r i c a l b e i n g is ' b e a u t y ' , o n e c a n s e e t h e p r e c i s e sense
in
which,
for
Heidegger,
Beauty
and
the
Monstrous
are
co-
dependent. T h e K a n t i a n / L a c a n i a n M o n s t r o u s , however, involves a n o t h e r
dimen
sion: a d i m e n s i o n not-yet-worldly, o n t o l o g i c a l , the d i s c l o s u r e o f a historical shape o f c o m m u n a l destiny o f being, but a pre-ontological universe o f the ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' in w h i c h partial o b j e c t s w a n d e r in a state p r e c e d i n g a n y s y n t h e s i s , l i k e t h a t in H i e r o n y m u s B o s c h ' s p a i n t i n g s ( w h i c h a r e s t r i c t l y
50
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
correlative to the e m e r g e n c e o f m o d e r n subjectivity). K a n t himself o p e n s u p the d o m a i n o f this u n c a n n y p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l spectrality, o f the ' u n d e a d ' a p p a r i t i o n s , with his d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n n e g a t i v e a n d infinite j u d g e m e n t . " ' " T h i s d o m a i n is n o t t h e o l d , p r e m o d e r n ' u n d e r g r o u n d ' as t h e d a r k , l o w e r strata o f t h e g l o b a l c o s m i c o r d e r in w h i c h m o n s t r o u s entities dwell, b u t s o m e t h i n g stricto sensu
acosmic.
I n o t h e r w o r d s , w h a t H e i d e g g e r m i s s e s is t h e r a d i c a l a n t i - o n t o l o g i c a l (or, rather, anti-cosmological) thrust o f K a n t ' s philosophy: against
the
neo-Kantian historico-culturalist o r epistemological misreading o f Kant, H e i d e g g e r is j u s t i f i e d i n e m p h a s i z i n g h o w K a n t ' s Critique provides the foundation
o f a new ontology o f
finitude
of Pure
and
Reason
temporality;
w h a t h e m i s s e s is t h a t t h e a n t i n o m i e s o f p u r e r e a s o n g e n e r a t e d b y K a n t ' s insistence on the subject's as a w h o l e
o f the
finitude
universe,
s u r r o u n d i n g s , as a life-iuorld
u n d e r m i n e the very n o t i o n o f c o s m o s
as a m e a n i n g f u l
hermeneutic
totality o f
in w h i c h a historical p e o p l e dwells. O r -
to
p u t it i n y e t a n o t h e r way - w h a t H e i d e g g e r m i s s e s is t h e s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e dimension o f the
( b e i n g - i n - t h e - ) w o r l d , p s y c h o t i c s e l f - w i t h d r a w a l , as
the
u l t i m a t e ( i m ) p o s s i b i l i t y , as t h e m o s t r a d i c a l d i m e n s i o n o f s u b j e c t i v i t y , as that against which the violent synthetic imposition o f a (New) O r d e r - the E v e n t o f H i s t o r i c a l D i s c l o s u r e o f B e i n g - is t h e d e f e n c e . And
this b r i n g s us b a c k t o t h e
H e i d e g g e r left o u t i n h i s r e a d i n g
problematic
o f the
Sublime
o f Kant: the Kantian
which
notion o f the 7
S u b l i m e is s t r i c t l y c o r r e l a t i v e t o t h i s f a i l u r e o f o n t o l o g y / c o s m o l o g y ; it designates t h e inability o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i m a g i n a t i o n to b r i n g a b o u t t h e closure o f the horizon necessary for the notion o f a cosmos. T h e Mon s t r o u s c o n c e p t u a l i z e d b y K a n t i n its d i f f e r e n t g u i s e s ( f r o m t h e c h a o t i c a g g r e g a t e o f s t e p m o t h e r l y n a t u r e t o t h e d i a b o l i c a l E v i l ) is t h u s w h o l l y i n c o m p a t i b l e with t h e M o n s t r o u s o f w h i c h H e i d e g g e r s p e a k s : it is a l m o s t the exact obverse o f the violent imposition o f a new historical shape o f B e i n g ; n a m e l y , the very gesture o f t h e s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e d i m e n s i o n o f W o r l d - D i s c l o s u r e . A n d t h e e t h i c a l L a w is e m p t y / s u b l i m e p r e c i s e l y i n s o f a r as its ' p r i m o r d i a l l y r e p r e s s e d ' c o n t e n t is t h e a b y s s o f t h e ' n i g h t o f t h e world', the M o n s t r o u s o f a spontaneity n o t yet b o u n d by any Law F r e u d i a n terms: o f d e a t h drive.
in
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
51
K a n t with D a v i d L y n c h Kant's n o t i o n o f the t r a n s c e n d e n t a l constitution o f reality thus o p e n s
up
a s p e c i f i c ' t h i r d d o m a i n ' , w h i c h is n e i t h e r p h e n o m e n a l n o r n o u m e n a l b u t stricto
sensu
p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l . I n D e r r i d e a n t e r m s , w e c o u l d d e s i g n a t e it as
spectrality; in L a c a n i a n t e r m s , it w o u l d b e t o o q u i c k a n d i n a p p r o p r i a t e
to
d e s i g n a t e it as f a n t a s y s i n c e , f o r L a c a n , f a n t a s y is o n t h e s i d e o f r e a l i t y t h a t is, it s u s t a i n s t h e s u b j e c t ' s ' s e n s e o f r e a l i t y ' : w h e n
the
phantasmic
f r a m e d i s i n t e g r a t e s , t h e s u b j e c t u n d e r g o e s a ' l o s s o f r e a l i t y ' a n d s t a r t s to p e r c e i v e r e a l i t y as a n ' u n r e a l ' n i g h t m a r i s h u n i v e r s e w i t h n o f i r m o n t o l o g i c a l f o u n d a t i o n ; t h i s n i g h t m a r i s h u n i v e r s e is n o t ' p u r e f a n t a s y ' b u t , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , that
which
remains
of reality
after
reality
is deprived
of its support
in
fantasy. So when
Schumann's
Carnival
- w i t h its ' r e g r e s s i o n ' t o a
dreamlike
u n i v e r s e i n w h i c h i n t e r c o u r s e b e t w e e n ' r e a l p e o p l e ' is r e p l a c e d b y a k i n d o f m a s k e d b a l l w h e r e o n e n e v e r k n o w s w h a t o r w h o is h i d d e n
beneath
t h e m a s k l a u g h i n g c r a z i l y at us: a m a c h i n e , a s l i m y l i f e - s u b s t a n c e , o r (undoubtedly the m o s t horrifying) simply the 'real' double o f the mask i t s e l f - sets t o m u s i c H o f f m a n n ' s
Unheimliche,
w h a t we o b t a i n is n o t
the
'universe o f p u r e fantasy' but, rather, t h e u n i q u e artistic r e n d e r i n g o f the decomposition Carnival
o f the fantasy-frame. T h e c h a r a c t e r s musically d e p i c t e d
in
are like the ghastly apparitions strolling a l o n g t h e m a i n street o f
O s l o i n M u n c h ' s f a m o u s p a i n t i n g , p a l e - f a c e d a n d w i t h a frail, b u t s t r a n g e l y i n t e n s e s o u r c e o f l i g h t w i t h i n t h e i r e y e s ( s i g n a l l i n g gaze as o b j e c t r e p l a c i n g t h e l o o k i n g e y e ) : d e s u b j e c t i v i z e d l i v i n g d e a d , frail s p e c t r e s d e p r i v e d o f t h e i r m a t e r i a l s u b s t a n c e . I t is a g a i n s t t h i s b a c k g r o u n d t h a t o n e
should
a p p r o a c h the L a c a n i a n n o t i o n o f 'traversing ( g o i n g t h r o u g h ) the fantasy': ' t r a v e r s i n g t h e f a n t a s y ' p r e c i s e l y d o e s not d e s i g n a t e w h a t t h i s t e r m s u g g e s t s to a c o m m o n - s e n s i c a l a p p r o a c h : 'getting rid o f the fantasies, o f illusionary prejudices and
misperceptions, which
distort our
view o f reality,
f i n a l l y l e a r n i n g t o a c c e p t r e a l i t y t h e way it a c t u a l l y is . . .'. I n
and
'traversing
t h e fantasy' we d o n o t l e a r n to s u s p e n d o u r p h a n t a s m a g o r i c a l p r o d u c t i o n s — o n the contrary, we identify with t h e work o f o u r ' i m a g i n a t i o n ' more
radically, in
a l l its i n c o n s i s t e n c y -
that
is t o
say, p r i o r
even to
its
t r a n s f o r m a t i o n i n t o t h e p h a n t a s m i c f r a m e t h a t g u a r a n t e e s o u r access to reality.
51
A t this 'zero-level', i m p o s s i b l e t o e n d u r e , we have o n l y t h e p u r e void o f subjectivity, c o n f r o n t e d
by a m u l t i t u d e
o f spectral
'partial
w h i c h , p r e c i s e l y , a r e e x e m p l i f i c a t i o n s o f t h e L a c a n i a n lamella,
objects'
the undead
52
THE
object-libido.
5 2
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
O r - t o p u t it i n y e t a n o t h e r way - t h e d e a t h d r i v e is not
t h e p r e - s u b j e c t i v e n o u m e n a l R e a l itself, b u t t h e i m p o s s i b l e m o m e n t o f t h e 'birth o f subjectivity', o f the negative gesture o f c o n t r a c t i o n / w i t h d r a w a l t h a t r e p l a c e s r e a l i t y w i t h membra
disjecta,
w i t h a s e r i e s o f o r g a n s as s t a n d -
ins f o r t h e ' i m m o r t a l ' l i b i d o . T h e m o n s t r o u s R e a l c o n c e a l e d by t h e I d e a s o f R e a s o n is n o t t h e n o u m e n a l , b u t t h i s p r i m o r d i a l s p a c e o f 'wild' synthetic
imagination,
the impossible domain o f transcendental
s p o n t a n e i t y a t its p u r e s t , p r i o r t o its s u b o r d i n a t i o n Law, the d o m a i n post-Renaissance
pre-
freedom/
to any self-imposed
g l i m p s e d m o m e n t a r i l y in various ' e x t r e m e ' points o f art, f r o m
Hieronymus
Bosch
to t h e
Surrealists. This
d o m a i n is i m a g i n a r y , b u t n o t y e t t h e I m a g i n a r y qua s p e c u l a r i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t w i t h a fixed i m a g e , t h a t is, p r i o r t o t h e i m a g i n a r y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n as f o r m a t i v e o f t h e e g o . S o t h e g r e a t i m p l i c i t a c h i e v e m e n t o f K a n t is t h e
assertion
not
o f the
gap
between
transcendentally
constituted
p h e n o m e n a l reality a n d the t r a n s c e n d e n t n o u m e n a l d o m a i n , but o f the ' v a n i s h i n g m e d i a t o r ' b e t w e e n t h e two: i f o n e b r i n g s h i s l i n e o f t h o u g h t t o its c o n c l u s i o n , o n e
has
to
presuppose,
between
direct
animality
and
h u m a n f r e e d o m s u b o r d i n a t e d to Law, the monstrosity o f a pre-synthetic imagination 'run a m o k ' , g e n e r a t i n g spectral apparitions o f partial objects. I t is o n l y a t this l e v e l t h a t , in t h e g u i s e o f t h e p a r t i a l l i b i d o - o b j e c t s , w e encounter
the
impossible
object
correlative to
the
pure
void o f
the
subject's absolute spontaneity: these partial objects ('here a b l o o d y h e a d - t h e r e a n o t h e r white ghastly a p p a r i t i o n ' ) are the impossible forms in the guise o f which
t h e s u b j e c t qua
absolute spontaneity
'encounters
itself
among objects'. A s f o r L a c a n , it is o f t e n n o t e d
t h a t his classic a c c o u n t o f i m a g i n a r y
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n a l r e a d y p r e s u p p o s e s t h e g a p to b e f i l l e d b y it, t h e h o r r i f y i n g e x p e r i e n c e o f d i s p e r s e d ' o r g a n s w i t h o u t a b o d y ' , o f le corps membra
disjecta
morcele,
o f its
f r e e l y f l o a t i n g a r o u n d - it is a t this l e v e l t h a t w e e n c o u n t e r
t h e d e a t h d r i v e a t its m o s t r a d i c a l . A n d , a g a i n , it is this d i m e n s i o n o f p r e phantasmic
and
pre-synthetic
imagination
from
which
Heidegger
r e t r e a t e d w h e n h e a b a n d o n e d t h e i d e a o f m a i n t a i n i n g K a n t as t h e c e n t r a l p o i n t o f r e f e r e n c e i n h i s d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e a n a l y t i c o f Dasein.
Further
m o r e , the s a m e m o v e m e n t s h o u l d b e r e p e a t e d at the level o f i n t e r s u b j e c tivity: t h e H e i d e g g e r i a n Mit-Sein,
t h e f a c t t h a t Dasein
a l w a y s - a l r e a d y r e l a t e s t o o t h e r Daseins, P r i o r t o it, t h e r e is a r e l a t i o n s h i p
s being-in-the-world
is n o t t h e p r i m a r y to a n o t h e r
phenomenon.
subject who
is n o t
yet
properly 'subjectivized', a p a r t n e r in a discursive situation, b u t o n e w h o r e m a i n s t h e ' n e i g h b o u r ' as t h e e x - t i m a t e f o r e i g n b o d y a b s o l u t e l y c l o s e t o us.
5 3
F o r F r e u d a n d L a c a n , ' n e i g h b o u r ' is d e f i n i t e l y o n e o f t h e n a m e s o f
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N das
Ungeheure,
o f the
Monstrous:
what
is a t s t a k e
in
the
53
process
'Oedipalization', the establishment o f the rule o f the paternal
of
L a w , is
p r e c i s e l y the p r o c e s s o f 'gentrifying' this m o n s t r o u s o t h e r n e s s , transform ing i t i n t o a p a r t n e r w i t h i n
the horizon
o f discursive
communication.
T o d a y , t h e a r t i s t w h o is a c t u a l l y o b s e s s e d w i t h i m a g i n a t i o n i n its m o n s t r o u s p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l d i m e n s i o n is D a v i d L y n c h . A f t e r t h e r e l e a s e o f his
first f i l m , a s t r a n g e
rumour
began
Eraserhead,
to c i r c u l a t e to a c c o u n t f o r
its
traumatic impact: At t h e time, it was r u m o r e d that an ultra-low frequency d r o n e in the
film's
s o u n d t r a c k affected t h e viewer's s u b c o n s c i o u s m i n d . P e o p l e said that although inaudible, this noise caused a feeling o f unease, even nausea. T h i s was over ten years a g o a n d the n a m e o f the film was Eraserhead.
L o o k i n g b a c k o n it now, o n e
could say that David L y n c h ' s first feature length film was such an intense e x p e r i e n c e audio-visually that p e o p l e n e e d e d to invent e x p l a n a t i o n s . . . even to the point o f h e a r i n g inaudible n o i s e s / ' The
1
status o f this v o i c e w h i c h n o o n e c a n p e r c e i v e , b u t w h i c h n o n e
the
less d o m i n a t e s us a n d p r o d u c e s m a t e r i a l e f f e c t s ( f e e l i n g s o f u n e a s e
and
n a u s e a ) , is real-impossible
in t h e L a c a n i a n s e n s e o f t h e t e r m . I t is c r u c i a l t o
d i s t i n g u i s h t h i s i n a u d i b l e v o i c e f r o m t h e v o i c e t h a t is t h e o b j e c t o f t h e p s y c h o t i c h a l l u c i n a t i o n : i n p s y c h o s i s ( p a r a n o i a ) , t h e ' i m p o s s i b l e ' v o i c e is not only presupposed
t o e x i s t a n d t o e x e r t its e f f e c t i v e n e s s ; t h e s u b j e c t
a c t u a l l y p u r p o r t s t o h e a r it. A n o t h e r e x a m p l e o f t h e s a m e v o i c e is f o u n d ( u n e x p e c t e d l y , p e r h a p s ) in h u n t i n g : as is w e l l k n o w n , h u n t e r s u s e a s m a l l m e t a l l i c w h i s t l e t o r e a c h t h e i r d o g s ; o w i n g t o its h i g h f r e q u e n c y , o n l y d o g s c a n h e a r it a n d r e a c t t o it - w h i c h , o f c o u r s e , g i v e s r i s e t o t h e p e r s i s t e n t m y t h that we h u m a n s
u n k n o w i n g l y also h e a r this whistle ( b e n e a t h
the
t h r e s h o l d o f c o n s c i o u s p e r c e p t i o n ) a n d o b e y it . . . a p e r f e c t e x a m p l e o f t h e p a r a n o i d n o t i o n t h a t h u m a n s c a n b e c o n t r o l l e d by i n v i s i b l e / i m p e r ceptible media. T h i s n o t i o n is g i v e n a d i r e c t c r i t i c o - i d e o l o g i c a l twist i n J o h n C a r p e n t e r ' s u n d e r r a t e d film They Live
( 1 9 8 8 ) , in w h i c h a l o n e l y drifter arrives in L o s
A n g e l e s a n d d i s c o v e r s t h a t o u r c o n s u m e r i s t s o c i e t y is d o m i n a t e d b y a l i e n s , w h o s e h u m a n disguises a n d s u b l i m i n a l advertising m e s s a g e s are visible o n l y t h r o u g h s p e c i a l g l a s s e s : w h e n we p u t t h e s e g l a s s e s o n , w e c a n p e r c e i v e all a r o u n d us i n j u n c t i o n s ( ' B u y t h i s ! ' , ' T u r n i n t o t h i s s t o r e ! ' , e t c . ) w h i c h we otherwise n o t i c e a n d o b e y w i t h o u t b e i n g aware o f t h e m . A g a i n , the c h a r m o f t h i s i d e a l i e s i n its v e r y n a i v e t y : as i f t h e s u r p l u s o f a n i d e o l o g i c a l m e c h a n i s m o v e r its v i s i b l e p r e s e n c e , is i t s e l f m a t e r i a l i z e d o n
another,
54
THE
invisible
level, so
ideology'. . . .
that,
TICKLISH
with
SUBJECT
special glasses o n ,
we
can
literally
'see
5 ! i
A t t h e l e v e l o f s p e e c h itself, a g a p f o r e v e r s e p a r a t e s w h a t o n e is t e m p t e d to call p r o t o - s p e e c h o r ' s p e e c h - i n - i t s e l f from
'speech-for-itself, explicit
s y m b o l i c registration. F o r e x a m p l e , today's s e x p s y c h o l o g i s t s tell us
that
even b e f o r e a c o u p l e explicidy state t h e i r i n t e n t i o n to g o to b e d t o g e t h e r , e v e r y t h i n g is a l r e a d y d e c i d e d a t t h e l e v e l o f i n n u e n d o s , b o d y l a n g u a g e , e x c h a n g e o f g l a n c e s . . . . T h e t r a p t o b e a v o i d e d h e r e is t h e p r e c i p i t a t e onlologization
o f t h i s ' s p e e c h - i n - i t s e l f , as i f s p e e c h i n f a c t p r e - e x i s t s i t s e l f
as a k i n d o f f u l l y - c o n s t i t u t e d ' s p e e c h b e f o r e s p e e c h ' - as i f t h i s ' s p e e c h avant
la lettre
a c t u a l l y e x i s t s as a n o t h e r , m o r e f u n d a m e n t a l , fully c o n s t i
tuted language,
reducing
normal,
'explicit' language
t o its
secondary
s u r f a c e r e f l e x , so t h a t t h i n g s a r e a l r e a d y t r u l y d e c i d e d b e f o r e t h e y a r e e x p l i c i t l y s p o k e n a b o u t . W h a t o n e s h o u l d always b e a r i n m i n d a g a i n s t t h i s d e l u s i o n is t h a t t h i s o t h e r p r o t o - s p e e c h r e m a i n s v i r t u a l : it b e c o m e s a c t u a l o n l y w h e n its s c o p e is s e a l e d , p o s i t e d as s u c h , in e x p l i c i t W o r d . T h e b e s t p r o o f o f t h i s is t h e f a c t t h a t t h i s p r o t o - l a n g u a g e is i r r e d u c i b l y a m b i g u o u s and
undecidable:
i t is ' p r e g n a n t
with
meaning',
but
with
a
kind
of
u n s p e c i f i e d free-floating m e a n i n g waiting for t h e a c t u a l s y m b o l i z a t i o n to c o n f e r o n it a d e f i n i t i v e s p i n . . . . I n a f a m o u s p a s s a g e f r o m h i s l e t t e r t o Lady Ottoline
Morrell, in which
he
recalls the
circumstances of
his
d e c l a r a t i o n o f love to h e r , B e r t r a n d Russell refers precisely to this
gap
that forever separates the ambiguous d o m a i n
the
explicit act o f symbolic assumption:
o f proto-speech from
' I d i d n o t k n o w I l o v e d y o u till I
h e a r d myself telling you so - for o n e i n s t a n t I t h o u g h t " G o o d G o d , what h a v e I s a i d ? " a n d t h e n I k n e w it was t h e t r u t h . '
5 0
A n d a g a i n , it is w r o n g t o
r e a d this p a s s a g e f r o m I n - i t s e l f t o F o r - i t s e l f as if, d e e p i n h i m s e l f , R u s s e l l ' a l r e a d y k n e w t h a t h e l o v e d h e r ' : t h i s e f f e c t o f a l w a y s - a l r e a d y is s t r i c t l y r e t r o a c t i v e ; its t e m p o r a l i t y is t h a t o f -dfutur
anteri.eur-
t h a t is t o say, R u s s e l l
was n o t i n l o v e w i t h h e r all t h e t i m e w i t h o u t k n o w i n g it; r a t h e r , h e have
will
been i n l o v e w i t h h e r .
I n t h e h i s t o r y o f p h i l o s o p h y , t h e first t o a p p r o a c h
this u n c a n n y
o n t o l o g i c a l , n o t - y e t - s y m b o l i z e d t e x t u r e o f r e l a t i o n s was n o n e o t h e r P l a t o h i m s e l f , w h o , in h i s l a t e d i a l o g u e Timaeus,
prethan
feels c o m p e l l e d to pre
s u p p o s e a k i n d o f m a t r i x - r e c e p t a c l e o f all d e t e r m i n a t e f o r m s g o v e r n e d b y its o w n c o n t i n g e n t r u l e s [chord]
- i t is c r u c i a l n o t t o i d e n t i f y t h i s chora
h a s t i l y w i t h t h e A r i s t o t e l i a n m a t t e r [hyle].
too
H o w e v e r , it w a s t h e g r e a t b r e a k
t h r o u g h o f G e r m a n Idealism to o u t l i n e the p r e c i s e c o n t o u r s o f this preontological dimension o f the spectral Real, which precedes a n d
eludes
t h e o n t o l o g i c a l c o n s t i t u t i o n o f reality (in c o n t r a s t to t h e s t a n d a r d c l i c h e
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
55
a c c o r d i n g to w h i c h G e r m a n I d e a l i s t s p l e a d e d t h e ' p a n - l o g i c i s t ' r e d u c t i o n o f a l l r e a l i t y t o t h e p r o d u c t o f t h e N o t i o n ' s s e l f - m e d i a t i o n ) . K a n t was t h e first t o d e t e c t t h i s c r a c k i n t h e o n t o l o g i c a l e d i f i c e o f r e a l i t y , i f ( w h a t w e ' e x p e r i e n c e a s ) ' o b j e c t i v e r e a l i t y ' is n o t s i m p l y g i v e n ' o u t t h e r e ' , w a i t i n g t o be
perceived
by
the
subject, but
an
artificial
; t h r o u g h the subject's active participation transcendental synthesis - t h e n
composite
constituted
t h a t is, t h r o u g h t h e a c t o f
the question crops up s o o n e r o r later:
w h a t is t h e s t a t u s o f t h e u n c a n n y X t h a t precedes
the
transcendentally
c o n s t i t u t e d reality? F.W.J. S c h e l l i n g gave t h e m o s t d e t a i l e d a c c o u n t o f this X
in his n o t i o n o f t h e G r o u n d o f E x i s t e n c e -
o f that which
'in
God
H i m s e l f is n o t y e t G o d ' : t h e ' d i v i n e m a d n e s s ' , t h e o b s c u r e p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l d o m a i n o f 'drives', t h e pre-logical R e a l that forever r e m a i n s t h e elusive G r o u n d o f R e a s o n t h a t c a n n e v e r b e g r a s p e d 'as s u c h ' , m e r e l y g l i m p s e d i n t h e v e r y g e s t u r e o f its w i t h d r a w a l . . .
A l t h o u g h tliis d i m e n s i o n
may
a p p e a r t o b e u t t e r l y f o r e i g n t o H e g e l ' s ' a b s o l u t e i d e a l i s m ' , it was n e v e r t h e less H e g e l h i m s e l f w h o p r o v i d e d q u o t e d p a s s a g e f r o m t h e Jenaer
its m o s t p o i g n a n t d e s c r i p t i o n i n
RealphUosophie:
the
is n o t t h e p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l
s p a c e o f ' t h e n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' , in w h i c h ' h e r e s h o o t s a b l o o d y h e a d
-
t h e r e a n o t h e r w h i t e g h a s t l y a p p a r i t i o n , s u d d e n l y h e r e b e f o r e it, a n d j u s t so disappears', t h e m o s t s u c c i n c t d e s c r i p t i o n o f L y n c h ' s universe? T h i s p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l d i m e n s i o n is b e s t d i s c e r n e d t h r o u g h t h e c r u c i a l Hegelian gesture o f transposing epistemological limitation into ontologi c a l f a u l t . T h a t is t o say: all H e g e l d o e s is, i n a way, t o s u p p l e m e n t K a n t ' s well-known conditions
motto
o f the
transcendental
o f possibility o f o u r
constitution
knowledge
are
at the
o f reality same
('the
time
the
c o n d i t i o n s o f p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e o b j e c t o f o u r k n o w l e d g e ' ) b y its n e g a t i v e t h e l i m i t a t i o n o f o u r k n o w l e d g e (its f a i l u r e t o g r a s p t h e W h o l e o f B e i n g , t h e way o u r k n o w l e d g e g e t s i n e x o r a b l y e n t a n g l e d i n c o n t r a d i c t i o n s a n d i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s ) is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t h e l i m i t a t i o n o f t h e v e r y o b j e c t o f o u r k n o w l e d g e , t h a t is, t h e g a p s a n d v o i d s i n o u r k n o w l e d g e o f r e a l i t y a r e s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t h e g a p s a n d v o i d s in t h e ' r e a l ' o n t o l o g i c a l e d i f i c e i t s e l f . I t m a y s e e m t h a t h e r e H e g e l is t h e v e r y o p p o s i t e o f K a n t : d o e s h e n o t , i n c l e a r c o n t r a s t t o K a n t ' s a s s e r t i o n t h a t it is i m p o s s i b l e t o c o n c e i v e o f t h e u n i v e r s e as a W h o l e , d e p l o y t h e l a s t a n d m o s t a m b i t i o u s g l o b a l o n t o l o g i c a l e d i f i c e o f t h e t o t a l i t y o f B e i n g ? T h i s i m p r e s s i o n , h o w e v e r , is m i s l e a d i n g : w h a t i t fails t o t a k e n o t e
o f is t h e w a y t h e i n n e r m o s t
'motor'
o f the
d i a l e c t i c a l p r o c e s s is t h e i n t e r p l a y b e t w e e n e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l o b s t a c l e a n d ontological deadlock. In the course o f a dialectical reflexive turn, s u b j e c t is c o m p e l l e d t o a s s u m e t h a t t h e i n s u f f i c i e n c y o f h i s
the
knowledge
with r e g a r d to reality signals the m o r e radical insufficiency o f reality itself
56
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
(see the standard Marxist n o t i o n o f the 'critique o f ideology', whose basic p r e m i s s is t h a t t h e ' i n a d e q u a c y ' o f t h e i d e o l o g i c a l l y d i s t o r t e d v i e w o f s o c i a l r e a l i t y is n o t a s i m p l e e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l m i s t a k e , b u t s i m u l t a n e o u s l y s i g n a l s t h e m u c h m o r e t r o u b l i n g fact t h a t s o m e t h i n g m u s t b e terribly w r o n g with o u r s o c i a l r e a l i t y i t s e l f - o n l y a s o c i e t y w h i c h is ' w r o n g ' i n i t s e l f g e n e r a t e s a ' w r o n g ' a w a r e n e s s o f i t s e l f ) . H e g e l ' s p o i n t h e r e is v e r y p r e c i s e : n o t o n l y do the inherent inconsistencies and contradictions o f our knowledge not p r e v e n t it f r o m f u n c t i o n i n g as ' t r u e ' k n o w l e d g e o f r e a l i t y , b u t t h e r e is ' r e a l i t y ' ( i n t h e m o s t u s u a l s e n s e o f ' h a r d e x t e r n a l r e a l i t y ' as o p p o s e d t o ' m e r e n o t i o n s ' ) o n l y i n s o f a r as t h e d o m a i n o f t h e N o t i o n is a l i e n a t e d from
itself, s p l i t , t r a v e r s e d
by s o m e radical d e a d l o c k , c a u g h t in
some
debilitating inconsistency. T o g e t a n a p p r o x i m a t e i d e a o f t h i s d i a l e c t i c a l v o r t e x , l e t us r e c a l l t h e c l a s s i c o p p o s i t i o n o f t h e t w o m u t u a l l y e x c l u s i v e n o t i o n s o f l i g h t : l i g h t as c o m p o s e d o f p a r t i c l e s a n d l i g h t as c o n s i s t i n g o f w a v e s - t h e ' s o l u t i o n ' o f q u a n t u m p h y s i c s ( l i g h t is b o t h a t t h e s a m e t i m e ) t r a n s p o s e s t h i s o p p o sition i n t o t h e ' t h i n g i t s e l f , with t h e n e c e s s a r y r e s u l t t h a t ' o b j e c t i v e reality' i t s e l f l o s e s its full o n t o l o g i c a l s t a t u s - t h a t it t u r n s i n t o s o m e t h i n g t h a t is o n t o l o g i c a l l y i n c o m p l e t e , c o m p o s e d o f e n t i t i e s w h o s e s t a t u s is u l t i m a t e l y virtual. O r t h i n k o f t h e way the u n i v e r s e we r e c o n s t r u c t in o u r
minds
w h i l e r e a d i n g a n o v e l is full o f ' h o l e s ' , n o t fully c o n s t i t u t e d : w h e n
Conan
D o y l e d e s c r i b e s S h e r l o c k H o l m e s ' s flat, it is m e a n i n g l e s s t o a s k e x a c t l y h o w m a n y b o o k s there were o n the shelves - the writer simply did
not
h a v e a p r e c i s e i d e a o f it in his m i n d . W h a t , h o w e v e r , i f - o n t h e level o f symbolic m e a n i n g , at least -
t h e s a m e g o e s f o r reality
itselfi
Abraham
L i n c o l n ' s f a m o u s ' Y o u c a n f o o l all t h e p e o p l e s o m e o f t h e t i m e , a n d s o m e o f t h e p e o p l e all t h e t i m e , b u t y o u c a n n o t f o o l all t h e p e o p l e all o f t h e t i m e ' is l o g i c a l l y a m b i g u o u s : d o e s it m e a n t h a t t h e r e a r e some p e o p l e w h o c a n always
b e f o o l e d , o r t h a t o n e v e r y o c c a s i o n someone
or other is b o u n d t o
b e f o o l e d ? W h a t , h o w e v e r , i f it is w r o n g t o a s k ' W h a t d i d L i n c o l n reallymean?'
Isn't the most probable
solution
to this e n i g m a
that
Lincoln
h i m s e l f was n o t a w a r e o f t h e a m b i g u i t y - h e s i m p l y w a n t e d t o m a k e a witty point, a n d the phrase ' i m p o s e d itself o n h i m ' b e c a u s e 'it s o u n d e d g o o d ' ? A n d w h a t i f s u c h a s i t u a t i o n in w h i c h o n e a n d t h e s a m e signifier same
line)
'sutures'
the
fundamental
ambiguity
and
(here: the
inconclusiveness
w h i c h persists at the level o f the signified c o n t e n t p e r t a i n s also to w h a t we c a l l ' r e a l i t y ' ? W h a t i f o u r s o c i a l r e a l i t y is ' s y m b o l i c a l l y c o n s t r u c t e d ' a l s o i n t h i s r a d i c a l s e n s e , s o t h a t in o r d e r
to m a i n t a i n
the a p p e a r a n c e
o f its
consistency, an empty signifier (what L a c a n called the Master-Signifier) h a s to c o v e r u p a n d c o n c e a l t h e o n t o l o g i c a l gap?
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
57
S o t h e gap that forever separates t h e d o m a i n o f (symbolically mediated, | j . e . o n t o l o g i c a l l y c o n s t i t u t e d ) reality
f r o m t h e e l u s i v e a n d s p e c t r a l real
that
Iprecedes i t is c r u c i a l : w h a t p s y c h o a n a l y s i s c a l l s ' f a n t a s y ' is t h e e n d e a v o u r Ito c l o s e t h i s g a p b y ( m i s ) p e r c e i v i n g t h e p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l R e a l as s i m p l y another,
'more fundamental',
level o f reality - fantasy p r o j e c t s o n to t h e
|pre-ontological R e a l t h e f o r m o f c o n s t i t u t e d reality (as i n t h e Christian 5 notion o f a n o t h e r , s u p r a s e n s i b l e r e a l i t y ) . T h e g r e a t m e r i t o f L y n c h is t h a t jvhe r e s i s t s t h i s p r o p e r l y m e t a p h y s i c a l t e m p t a t i o n t o c l o s e t h e g a p b e t w e e n \ these p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l p h e n o m e n a a n d t h e l e v e l o f r e a l i t y . A p a r t f r o m h i s s primary v i s u a l p r o c e d u r e f o r c o n v e y i n g t h e s p e c t r a l d i m e n s i o n o f t h e R e a l (the e x c e s s i v e c l o s e - u p o n t h e d e p i c t e d o b j e c t , w h i c h r e n d e r s i t u n r e a l ) , one s h o u l d focus o n t h e way L y n c h plays with u n c a n n y I sounds. T h e nightmare accompanied
s e q u e n c e o f The Elephant
by a strange
vibrating
noise
non-localizable
Man,
that
f o r e x a m p l e , is
seems
to
transgress
the b o r d e r s e p a r a t i n g i n t e r i o r f r o m e x t e r i o r : it is as if, i n t h i s n o i s e , t h e extreme
externality
o f a m a c h i n e c o i n c i d e s with t h e u t m o s t
intimacy
of
the b o d i l y i n t e r i o r , w i t h t h e r h y t h m o f t h e p a l p i t a t i n g h e a r t . D o e s n o t t h i s coincidence
o f t h e very c o r e o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s b e i n g ,
o f his/her
life-
s u b s t a n c e , with t h e e x t e r n a l i t y o f a m a c h i n e , offer a p e r f e c t illustration o f the Lacanian notion o f
ex-timacy?
O n t h e l e v e l o f s p e e c h , p e r h a p s t h e b e s t i l l u s t r a t i o n o f t h i s g a p is t h e s c e n e i n L y n c h ' s Dune
w h e n , i n h i s c o n f r o n t a t i o n with t h e E m p e r o r , t h e
space guild representative utters unintelligible whispers transformed
into
articulate s p e e c h only by passing t h r o u g h a m i c r o p h o n e - in L a c a n i a n t e r m s , t h r o u g h t h e m e d i u m o f t h e b i g O t h e r . I n Twin
Peaks
as w e l l , t h e
dwarf in the R e d L o d g e speaks an i n c o m p r e h e n s i b l e , distorted rendered
English,
intelligible only with t h e h e l p o f subtitles, w h i c h a s s u m e
here
t h e role o f t h e m i c r o p h o n e , that is, t h e m e d i u m o f t h e big O t h e r . . . . I n b o t h cases, L y n c h reveals t h e g a p that forever separates
pre-ontological
p r o t o - s p e e c h , t h i s ' m u r m u r o f t h e R e a l ' , f r o m t h e fully c o n s t i t u t e d This
brings
us to t h e f u n d a m e n t a l
feature
logos.
o f dialectical-materialist
ontology: t h e m i n i m a l g a p , t h e delay, w h i c h forever separates a n event 'in i t s e l f f r o m its s y m b o l i c i n s c r i p t i o n / r e g i s t r a t i o n ; t h i s g a p c a n b e d i s c e r n e d i n its d i f f e r e n t g u i s e s f r o m q u a n t u m p h y s i c s ( a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h a n e v e n t ' b e c o m e s i t s e l f , is fully a c t u a l i z e d , o n l y t h r o u g h its r e g i s t r a t i o n
i n its
s u r r o u n d i n g s - t h a t is, t h e m o m e n t its s u r r o u n d i n g s ' t a k e n o t e ' o f i t ) t o the procedure
o f 'double
take' in t h e classic H o l l y w o o d c o m e d i e s ( t h e
v i c t i m o f a f r a u d o r a n a c c i d e n t first p e r c e i v e s t h e e v e n t o r t h e s t a t e m e n t w h i c h m e a n s c a t a s t r o p h e t o h i m c a l m l y , e v e n w i t h i r o n y , u n a w a r e o f its consequences;
then,
after
a minimal
time
lapse
all o f a s u d d e n
he
58
THE
shudders unmarried
or
stiffens
-
TICKLISH
like
the
innocent daughter
SUBJECT
father
who,
is p r e g n a n t ,
upon
learning
that
first c a l m l y r e m a r k s
his 'OK,
what's the big deal?', a n d only later, after a c o u p l e o f s e c o n d s , turns pale a n d starts t o s h o u t . . . ) . W h a t we a r e d e a l i n g w i t h h e r e is - i n H e g e l e s e t h e m i n i m a l g a p b e t w e e n I n - i t s e l f a n d F o r - i t s e l f ; D e r r i d a d e s c r i b e d this g a p a p r o p o s o f t h e n o t i o n o f gift: as l o n g as a gift is n o t r e c o g n i z e d , it ' i s ' n o t fully a gift; t h e m o m e n t it is r e c o g n i z e d , i t is n o l o n g e r a p u r e gift, s i n c e it is a l r e a d y c a u g h t i n t h e c y c l e o f e x c h a n g e . A n o t h e r e x e m p l a r y case w o u l d b e t h e t e n s i o n in a n e m e r g i n g love r e l a t i o n s h i p : we all know the charm
o f the situation j u s t before
t h e two p a r t n e r s
t h e m a g i c s i l e n c e is b r o k e n
-
are already assured o f their mutual attraction, erotic
t e n s i o n h a n g s in t h e a i r , t h e s i t u a t i o n i t s e l f s e e m s t o b e ' p r e g n a n t '
with
m e a n i n g , to p r e c i p i t a t e itself towards t h e W o r d , to wait for t h e W o r d , to b e i n s e a r c h o f t h e W o r d w h i c h will n a m e pronounced,
it -
y e t o n c e t h e W o r d is
it n e v e r fully fits, it n e c e s s a r i l y b r i n g s a b o u t t h e e f f e c t o f
disappointment,
the
charm
is
lost,
every
birth
of
meaning
is
an
abortion. . . . T h i s p a r a d o x points towards the key feature o f dialectical materialism w h i c h is m o s t c l e a r l y p e r c e p t i b l e i n c h a o s t h e o r y a n d q u a n t u m p h y s i c s ( a n d w h i c h , p e r h a p s , d e f i n e s w h a t we call ' p o s t m o d e r n i s m ' ) : a c u r s o r y approach
ignorant
o f details reveals
(or even generates)
the
features
w h i c h r e m a i n o u t o f r e a c h to a d e t a i l e d , e x c e e d i n g l y close a p p r o a c h . As is w e l l k n o w n , c h a o s t h e o r y was b o r n
out o f the imperfection o f the
m e a s u r i n g apparatus: w h e n t h e s a m e data, repetitively p r o c e s s e d by the same
computer
program,
led
to
radically different
results,
scientists
b e c a m e aware that a difference in data t o o small to b e n o t e d can p r o d u c e a gargantuan
d i f f e r e n c e in t h e
final
o u t c o m e . . . . T h e s a m e p a r a d o x is
o p e r a t i v e in t h e very f o u n d a t i o n o f q u a n t u m physics: t h e d i s t a n c e towards the 'thing itself
( t h e c o n s t i t u t i v e i m p r e c i s i o n o f o u r m e a s u r i n g , t h a t is,
the b a r r i e r o f ' c o m p l e m e n t a r i t y ' w h i c h prevents us from a c c o m p l i s h i n g d i f f e r e n t m e a s u r i n g s ) is part
of the 'thing
simultaneously
itself,
not merely
o u r e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l d e f e c t : t h a t is, i n o r d e r f o r ( w h a t we p e r c e i v e a s ) ' r e a l i t y ' t o a p p e a r , s o m e o f its f e a t u r e s have Is n o t t h e g a p b e t w e e n
to remain
'unspecified'.
the level o f q u a n t u m p o t e n t i a l i t i e s a n d
the
m o m e n t o f ' r e g i s t r a t i o n ' w h i c h c o n f e r s a c t u a l i t y o n it h o m o l o g o u s i n a way t o t h e l o g i c o f ' d o u b l e t a k e ' (a f a t h e r
being
informed
to the g a p b e t w e e n the e v e n t itself
o f his d a u g h t e r ' s
pregnancy)
and
its
sym
b o l i c r e g i s t r a t i o n - t h e m o m e n t w h e n t h e p r o c e s s ' a p p e a r s t o i t s e l f , is is t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n
this
dialectical-materialist n o t i o n o f 'symbolic registration' which, 'after
registered? O f crucial i m p o r t a n c e
here
the
THE
D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
59
: f a c t ' , c o n f e r s a c t u a l i t y o n t h e f a c t in q u e s t i o n , a n d t h e i d e a l i s t e q u a t i o n !. esse = percipi:
t h e a c t o f ( s y m b o l i c ) r e g i s t r a t i o n , t h e ' s e c o n d t a k e ' , always
: c o m e s after a m i n i m a l delay a n d r e m a i n s forever i n c o m p l e t e , cursorv, a g a p s e p a r a t i n g it f r o m t h e I n - i t s e l f o f t h e r e g i s t e r e d p r o c e s s - y e t p r e c i s e l y as s u c h , it is p a r t o f t h e ' t h i n g i t s e l f , as i f t h e ' t h i n g ' i n q u e s t i o n c a n fully r e a l i z e its o n t o l o g i c a l s t a t u s o n l y b y m e a n s o f a m i n i m a l d e l a y w i t h r e g a r d to itself. T h e p a r a d o x t h u s lies in t h e f a c t t h a t the
'thing
itself.
And,
'false'
i n c i d e n t a l l y , therein
appearance lies t h e
is comprised
within
dialectical 'unity
of
e s s e n c e a n d a p p e a r a n c e ' c o m p l e t e l y m i s s e d by t h e t e x t b o o k p l a t i t u d e s o n h o w ' e s s e n c e m u s t a p p e a r ' , a n d so o n : t h e a p p r o x i m a t e 'view f r o m
afar'
w h i c h i g n o r e s all t h e d e t a i l s a n d l i m i t s i t s e l f t o t h e ' m e r e a p p e a r a n c e ' , is nearer
the
'essence' than
a close gaze; the
paradoxically constitutes itself t h r o u g h appearance
from
'essence' o f a thing
t h e very r e m o v a l o f t h e
t h e R e a l i n its i m m e d i a c y .
r , K
thus 'false'
W e thus have three
ele
m e n t s , n o t o n l y e s s e n c e a n d its a p p e a r i n g : first, t h e r e is r e a l i t y ; w i t h i n it, there
is t h e
'essence'
'interface'-screen o f appearances;
appears.
The
appearing/emerging
c a t c h is t h u s
o f the
that
essence -
finally, o n
appearance
that
this
screen,
is l i t e r a l l y
the
is, t h e o n l y p l a c e f o r
the
e s s e n c e t o d w e l l . T h e s t a n d a r d I d e a l i s t r e d u c t i o n o f r e a l i t y as s u c h , in its e n t i r e t y , t o t h e m e r e a p p e a r a n c e o f s o m e h i d d e n E s s e n c e falls s h o r t h e r e : w i t h i n t h e d o m a i n o f ' r e a l i t y ' itself, a l i n e m u s t b e d r a w n w h i c h s e p a r a t e s 'raw' reality f r o m t h e s c r e e n t h r o u g h w h i c h t h e h i d d e n E s s e n c e o f reality a p p e a r s , s o t h a t i f w e t a k e away t h i s m e d i u m o f a p p e a r a n c e , we l o s e t h e v e r y ' e s s e n c e ' w h i c h a p p e a r s in it. . . .
Kant's A c o s m i s m F r o m this v a n t a g e p o i n t , o n e c a n clearly see w h e r e K a n t ' r e c o i l s ' from the abyss o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i m a g i n a t i o n . R e m e m b e r h i s a n s w e r t o t h e q u e s t i o n o f w h a t w o u l d h a p p e n t o us i f w e w e r e t o g a i n a c c e s s t o t h e n o u m e n a l domain,
to Things-in-themselves: n o w o n d e r
this vision o f a m a n
who
t u r n s i n t o a lifeless p u p p e t b e c a u s e o f h i s d i r e c t i n s i g h t i n t o t h e m o n s t r o s ity
o f the
divine
commentators on
Being-in-itself provokes Kant
such
an
unease
among
the
( u s u a l l y , it is e i t h e r p a s s e d o v e r i n s i l e n c e o r
d i s m i s s e d as a n u n c a n n y , o u t - o f - p l a c e b o d y ) : w h a t K a n t d e l i v e r s is n o l e s s t h a n w h a t o n e is t e m p t e d to c a l l the Kantian
fundamental
fantasy,
the O t h e r
S c e n e o f f r e e d o m , o f t h e s p o n t a n e o u s free a g e n t , t h e S c e n e in w h i c h t h e f r e e a g e n t is t u r n e d i n t o a l i f e l e s s p v i p p c t at t h e m e r e } ' o f a p e r v e r s e G o d .
THE TICKLISH
60
SUBJECT
Its l e s s o n , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t t h e r e is n o a c t i v e f r e e a g e n t w i t h o u t phantasmic
support, without
manipulated
this O t h e r
Scene
in which
he
is
by the O t h e r . In short, the K a n t i a n p r o h i b i t i o n
access to the n o u m e n a l
domain
should
be reformulated:
o f direct
what
r e m a i n i n a c c e s s i b l e t o us is n o t t h e n o u m e n a l R e a l , b u t o u r fantasy
this
totally should
fundamental
itself - t h e m o m e n t t h e s u b j e c t c o m e s t o o c l o s e to this p h a n t a s m i c
c o r e , h e l o s e s t h e c o n s i s t e n c y o f his e x i s t e n c e . S o , f o r K a n t , d i r e c t a c c e s s t o t h e n o u m e n a l d o m a i n w o u l d d e p r i v e us o f t h e v e r y ' s p o n t a n e i t y ' t h a t f o r m s t h e c o r e o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l f r e e d o m : it w o u l d t u r n us i n t o l i f e l e s s a u t o m a t a o r , t o p u t i t i n t o d a y ' s t e r m s ,
into
c o m p u t e r s , i n t o ' t h i n k i n g m a c h i n e s ' . B u t is t h i s c o n c l u s i o n r e a l l y u n a v o i d a b l e ? Is t h e s t a t u s o f c o n s c i o u s n e s s b a s i c a l l y t h a t o f f r e e d o m i n a s y s t e m o f r a d i c a l d e t e r m i n i s m ? A r e w e f r e e o n l y i n s o f a r as w e fail t o r e c o g n i z e t h e c a u s e s d e t e r m i n i n g u s ? T o save u s f r o m t h i s p r e d i c a m e n t , w e s h o u l d again displace the o n t o l o g i c a l o b s t a c l e into a positive o n t o l o g i c a l c o n d i t i o n . T h a t is t o say: t h e m i s t a k e o f t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f ( s e l f - ) c o n s c i o u s n e s s with
m i s r e c o g n i t i o n , with
an
e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l o b s t a c l e , is t h a t
stealthily ( r e ) i n t r o d u c e s the standard, p r e m o d e r n ,
it
'cosmological' notion
o f r e a l i t y as a p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f b e i n g : in s u c h a fully c o n s t i t u t e d p o s i t i v e 'chain
of being'
there
is, o f c o u r s e , n o
place for the subject, so
the
d i m e n s i o n o f s u b j e c t i v i t y c a n b e c o n c e i v e d o f o n l y as s o m e t h i n g s t r i c t l y c o - d e p e n d e n t with the e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l m i s r e c o g n i t i o n o f t h e true positivity o f b e i n g . C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e o n l y way t o a c c o u n t e f f e c t i v e l y f o r status
o f ( s e l f - ) c o n s c i o u s n e s s is t o a s s e r t
the ontological
incompleteness
the of
'reality' itself, t h e r e is ' r e a l i t y ' o n l y i n s o f a r as t h e r e is a n o n t o l o g i c a l g a p , a c r a c k , at its v e r y h e a r t - t h a t is, a t r a u m a t i c e x c e s s , a f o r e i g n b o d y cannot be integrated
that
i n t o it. T h i s b r i n g s us b a c k to t h e n o t i o n o f t h e
' n i g h t o f the w o r l d ' : in this m o m e n t a r y s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e positive
order
o f r e a l i t y , we c o n f r o n t t h e o n t o l o g i c a l g a p b e c a u s e o f w h i c h ' r e a l i t y ' is n e v e r a c o m p l e t e , s e l f - e n c l o s e d , p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f b e i n g . I t is o n l y t h i s e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e p s y c h o t i c w i t h d r a w a l f r o m r e a l i t y , o f t h e a b s o l u t e selfcontraction, which a c c o u n t s for the mysterious 'fact' o f
transcendental
f r e e d o m - f o r a ( s e l f - ) c o n s c i o u s n e s s t h a t is a c t u a l l y ' s p o n t a n e o u s ' ,
whose
s p o n t a n e i t y is n o t a n e f f e c t o f m i s r e c o g n i t i o n o f s o m e ' o b j e c t i v e ' p r o c e s s . Only
at
this
achievement:
level
are
far from
we
able
regressing
to
appreciate
from
Hegel's
K a n t ' s c r i t i c i s m to
breathtaking pre-critical
m e t a p h y s i c s e x p r e s s i n g t h e r a t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e o f t h e c o s m o s , H e g e l fully a c c e p t s ( a n d draws the c o n s e q u e n c e s f r o m ) t h e result o f K a n t i a n c o s m o l o g i c a l a n t i n o m i e s - t h e r e is n o ' c o s m o s ' , t h e v e r y n o t i o n o f c o s m o s as t h e o n t o l o g i c a l l y fully c o n s t i t u t e d
positive
totality
is i n c o n s i s t e n t .
On
that
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
61
a c c o u n t , H e g e l also rejects K a n t ' s vision o f a m a n w h o , b e c a u s e o f his direct insight into t h e monstrosity o f the divine Being-in-itself, would turn i n t o a l i f e l e s s p u p p e t : s u c h a v i s i o n is m e a n i n g l e s s a n d i n c o n s i s t e n t , s i n c e , as w e h a v e a l r e a d y p o i n t e d o u t , it s e c r e t l y r e i n t r o d u c e s t h e o n t o l o g i c a l l y fully c o n s t i t u t e d d i v i n e t o t a l i t y : a w o r l d c o n c e i v e d only as S u b s t a n c e , not also as S u b j e c t . F o r H e g e l , t h e fantasy o f s u c h a t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f m a n i n t o a lifeless p u p p e t - i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e m o n s t r o u s divine Will ( o r w h i m ) , horrible
as i t m a y a p p e a r ,
already signals
the retreat
from
the true
m o n s t r o s i t y , w h i c h is t h a t o f t h e a b y s s o f f r e e d o m , o f t h e ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' . W h a t H e g e l d o e s is t h u s t o ' t r a v e r s e ' t h i s f a n t a s y b y d e m o n s t r a t i n g its f u n c t i o n o f filling i n t h e p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l a b y s s o f f r e e d o m - t h a t is, b y r e c o n s t i t u t i n g t h e positive S c e n e i n w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t is i n s e r t e d i n t o a positive n o u m e n a l order. T h a t is o u r u l t i m a t e d i f f e r e n c e f r o m R o g o z i n s k i : i n t h e d i f f e r e n t a n s w e r t o t h e q u e s t i o n ' W h a t lies b e y o n d t h e s y n t h e t i c i m a g i n a t i o n ? W h a t is t h i s u l t i m a t e a b y s s ? ' . R o g o z i n s k i is i n s e a r c h o f a n o n - v i o l e n t ,
pre-synthetic,
p r e - i m a g i n a t i v e unity-in-diversity, o f a ' s e c r e t c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n t h i n g s ' , a Utopian S e c r e t H a r m o n y b e y o n d p h e n o m e n a l c a u s a l l i n k s , a m y s t e r i o u s L i f e o f t h e U n i v e r s e as t h e t e m p o r a l - s p a t i a l
non-violent unity o f pure
d i v e r s i t y , t h e e n i g m a t h a t b o t h e r e d K a n t i n h i s l a s t y e a r s (Opus mum).
Posthu-
F r o m o u r p e r s p e c t i v e , h o w e v e r , this S e c r e t H a r m o n y is p r e c i s e l y
t h e t e m p t a t i o n t o b e r e s i s t e d : t h e p r o b l e m f o r u s is h o w w e a r e t o c o n c e i v e o f t h e f o u n d i n g gesture o f subjectivity, t h e 'passive v i o l e n c e ' , t h e negative a c t o f ( n o t yet i m a g i n a t i o n , b u t ) a b s t r a c t i o n , self-withdrawal 'night
o f the world'. This 'abstraction'
into t h e
is the a b y s s c o n c e a l e d b y t h e
o n t o l o g i c a l synthesis: by t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i m a g i n a t i o n c o n s t i t u t i v e o f r e a l i t y - as s u c h , i t is t h e p o i n t o f t h e m y s t e r i o u s e m e r g e n c e o f t r a n s c e n dental 'spontaneity'. T h e p r o b l e m w i t h H e i d e g g e r , t h e r e f o r e , is t h a t h e limits t h e a n a l y s i s o f s c h e m a t i s m to t r a n s c e n d e n t a l analytics ( t o U n d e r s t a n d i n g , to t h e categor ies constitutive o f reality), n e g l e c t i n g to c o n s i d e r h o w t h e p r o b l e m a t i c o f s c h e m a t i s m r e - e m e r g e s i n t h e Critique
of Judgement,
where Kant conceives
o f t h e S u b l i m e p r e c i s e l y as a n attempt t o schematize
the Ideas o f Reason
t h e m s e l v e s : t h e S u b l i m e c o n f r o n t s us with t h e failure o f i m a g i n a t i o n , with t h a t w h i c h r e m a i n s forever a n d a p r i o r i u n - i m a g i n a b l e — a n d it is h e r e t h a t w e e n c o u n t e r t h e s u b j e c t qua t h e v o i d o f n e g a t i v i t y . I n short, i t is precisely b e c a u s e o f t h e limitation o f H e i d e g g e r ' s analysis o f s c h e m a t i s m to t r a n s c e n d e n t a l
analytics that
h e is u n a b l e
t o address
the excessive
d i m e n s i o n o f s u b j e c t i v i t y , its i n h e r e n t m a d n e s s . F r o m o u r p e r s p e c t i v e , t h e p r o b l e m w i t h H e i d e g g e r is t h u s , i n t h e last
62
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
analysis, t h e following o n e : t h e L a c a n i a n r e a d i n g e n a b l e s us to u n e a r t h in C a r t e s i a n s u b j e c t i v i t y its i n h e r e n t t e n s i o n b e t w e e n t h e m o m e n t o f e x c e s s ( ' d i a b o l i c a l Evil' in K a n t , the ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' in H e g e l . . .) a n d
the
s u b s e q u e n t a t t e m p t to gentrify-domesticate-normalize this e x c e s s . A g a i n a n d again, post-Cartesian p h i l o s o p h e r s are c o m p e l l e d , by the logic
of their
philosophical
m o m e n t o f 'madness'
project,
to
articulate
a
inherent
certain
i n h e r e n t t o cogito, w h i c h t h e y t h e n
excessive
immediately
e n d e a v o u r t o ' r e n o r m a l i z e ' . A n d t h e p r o b l e m w i t h H e i d e g g e r is t h a t h i s n o t i o n o f m o d e r n subjectivity d o e s n o t s e e m to a c c o u n t for this i n h e r e n t e x c e s s . I n s h o r t , t h i s n o t i o n s i m p l y d o e s n o t ' c o v e r ' t h a t a s p e c t o f cogito t h a t l e a d s L a c a n t o c l a i m t h a t cogito is t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e u n c o n s c i o u s . Or -
t o p u t it i n y e t a n o t h e r way -
the paradoxical achievement o f
L a c a n , w h i c h u s u a l l y p a s s e s u n n o t i c e d e v e n a m o n g h i s a d v o c a t e s , is t h a t , on
t h e very b e h a l f o f psychoanalysis, h e
returns to the
Modern
Age,
' d c c o n t e x t u a l i z e d ' r a t i o n a l i s t n o t i o n o f s u b j e c t . T h a t is t o say: o n e o f t h e c l i c h e s o f t o d a y ' s A m e r i c a n a p p r o p r i a t i o n o f H e i d e g g e r is t o e m p h a s i z e h o w h e , a l o n g with W i t t g e n s t e i n , M e r l e a u - P o n t y , a n d o t h e r s , e l a b o r a t e d the conceptual framework
that e n a b l e s us to get rid o f t h e
rationalist
n o t i o n o f s u b j e c t as a n a u t o n o m o u s a g e n t w h o , e x c l u d e d f r o m t h e w o r l d , p r o c e s s e s d a t a p r o v i d e d b y t h e s e n s e s in a c o m p u t e r - l i k e way. H e i d e g g e r ' s notion o f 'being-in-the-world' indicates o u r irreducible a n d unsurpassable ' e m b e d d e d n e s s ' in a c o n c r e t e a n d u l t i m a t e l y c o n t i n g e n t life-world: we are a l w a y s - a l r e a d y in t h e w o r l d , e n g a g e d i n a n e x i s t e n t i a l p r o j e c t a g a i n s t a background
that
eludes
our
grasp
and
forever
remains
the
opaque
h o r i z o n i n t o w h i c h w e a r c ' t h r o w n ' as f i n i t e b e i n g s . A n d i t is c u s t o m a r y t o interpret
the
opposition
between
consciousness and
the
Unconscious
along the same lines: the d i s e m b o d i e d E g o stands for rational conscious ness, whereas the
' U n c o n s c i o u s ' is s y n o n y m o u s w i t h t h e o p a q u e
back
g r o u n d t h a t w e c a n n e v e r fully m a s t e r , s i n c e w e a r e a l w a y s - a l r e a d y p a r t o f it, c a u g h t i n it. Lacan,
however,
in
an
unprecedented
gesture,
claims
the
exact
o p p o s i t e : t h e F r e u d i a n ' U n c o n s c i o u s ' has n o t h i n g w h a t s o e v e r to d o with the structurally necessary a n d irreducible o p a q u e n e s s o f the b a c k g r o u n d , o f the l i f e - c o n t e x t in which we, the always-already e n g a g e d a g e n t s , a r e embedded;
the
'Unconscious'
is,
rather,
the
disembodied
rational
m a c h i n e t h a t f o l l o w s its p a t h i r r e s p e c t i v e o f t h e d e m a n d s o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s l i f e - w o r l d ; it s t a n d s f o r t h e r a t i o n a l s u b j e c t i n s o f a r as i t is o r i g i n a l l y ' o u t o f j o i n t ' , in d i s c o r d with its c o n t e x t u a l i z e d s i t u a t i o n : t h e ' U n c o n s c i o u s ' is the crack that makes the subject's primordial stance s o m e t h i n g o t h e r than ' b e i n g-i n-tb e-wo r i d ' .
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
63
I n t h i s way, o n e c a n a l s o p r o v i d e a n e w , u n e x p e c t e d s o l u t i o n t o t h e o l d p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l p r o b l e m o f h o w the subject can disengage itself from its c o n c r e t e l i f e - w o r l d a n d ( m i s ) p e r c e i v e i t s e l f as a d i s e m b o d i e d
rational
a g e n t : t h i s d i s e n g a g e m e n t c a n o c c u r o n l y b e c a u s e t h e r e is f r o m t h e v e r y o u t s e t s o m e t h i n g i n t h e s u b j e c t t h a t r e s i s t s its full i n c l u s i o n i n t o its l i f e w o r l d c o n t e x t , a n d t h i s ' s o m e t h i n g ' , o f c o u r s e , is t h e u n c o n s c i o u s as t h e psychic m a c h i n e which disregards the r e q u i r e m e n t s o f the 'reality prin c i p l e ' . T h i s shows how, in t h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n o u r i m m e r s i o n in
the
w o r l d as e n g a g e d a g e n t s a n d t h e m o m e n t a r y c o l l a p s e o f t h i s i m m e r s i o n i n a n x i e t y , t h e r e is n o p l a c e f o r t h e U n c o n s c i o u s . T h e p a r a d o x is t h a t o n c e we t h r o w o u t t h e C a r t e s i a n r a t i o n a l s u b j e c t o f s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s , we lose the U n c o n s c i o u s . P e r h a p s t h i s is a l s o t h e m o m e n t o f t r u t h i n H u s s e r l ' s r e s i s t a n c e a g a i n s t e m b r a c i n g Being
and
Time - i n h i s i n s i s t e n c e t h a t H e i d e g g e r m i s s e s t h e
p r o p e r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s t a n c e o f p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l epohe a n d a g a i n c o n c e i v e s Dasein sensu
m i s s e s its m a r k ,
Heidegger's notion
ultimately
as a w o r l d l y e n t i t y : a l t h o u g h t h i s r e p r o a c h it d o e s
express
the
o f being-in-the-world,
apprehension
the
point
slricto
o f how,
o f 'madness'
c h a r a c t e r i z e s the C a r t e s i a n subjectivity, t h e self-withdrawal
in that
o f the
cogito
i n t o itself, t h e e c l i p s e o f t h e w o r l d , d i s a p p e a r s . . . . I t is w e l l k n o w n howH e i d e g g e r turned a r o u n d the famous Kantian statement that the s c a n d a l o f p h i l o s o p h y is t h a t t h e p a s s a g e f r o m
great
our representations
of
o b j e c t s t o o b j e c t s t h e m s e l v e s was n o t p r o p e r l y p r o v e n . F o r H e i d e g g e r , t h e t r u e s c a n d a l is t h a t t h i s p a s s a g e is p e r c e i v e d as a p r o b l e m a t a l l , s i n c e t h e fundamental
situation
o f Dasein
as b e i n g - m - t h e - w o r l d ,
as
always-already
e n g a g e d with o b j e c t s , r e n d e r s t h e v e r y f o r m u l a t i o n o f s u c h a
'problem'
meaningless. F r o m o u r perspective, however, the 'passage' (i.e. the sub j e c t ' s e n t r y i n t o t h e w o r l d , h i s o r h e r c o n s t i t u t i o n as a n a g e n t
engaged
i n r e a l i t y , i n t o w h i c h s h e / h e is t h r o w n ) is n o t o n l y a l e g i t i m a t e p r o b l e m , but
even
the p r o b l e m
o f psychoanalysis.
5 9
In
short,
I intend
to
read
F r e u d ' s s t a t e m e n t t h a t ' t h e U n c o n s c i o u s is o u t s i d e t i m e ' a g a i n s t t h e b a c k g r o u n d o f H e i d e g g e r ' s t h e s i s o n t e m p o r a l i t y as t h e o n t o l o g i c a l h o r i z o n o f t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f B e i n g : p r e c i s e l y i n s o f a r as it is ' o u t s i d e t i m e ' , s t a t u s o f d i e U n c o n s c i o u s ( d r i v e ) is (as L a c a n p u t it in Seminar
the
XT] ' p r e -
o n t o l o g i c a l ' . T h e p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l is t h e d o m a i n o f t h e ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' i n w h i c h t h e v o i d o f s u b j e c t i v i t y is c o n f r o n t e d b y t h e s p e c t r a l p r o t o - r c a l i t y o f ' p a r t i a l o b j e c t s ' , b o m b a r d e d w i t h t h e s e a p p a r i t i o n s o f le corps
morcele.
W h a t we e n c o u n t e r h e r e is t h e d o m a i n o f p u r e , r a d i c a l f a n t a s y as p r e t e m p o r a l spatiality. Husserl's distinction between
eidetic
and
phenomenologico-transcenderital
64
THE TICKLISH
reduction
is
crucial
here:
nothing
SUBJECT
is
lost
in
the
phenomenologico-
t r a n s c e n d e n t a l r e d u c t i o n , t h e e n t i r e flow o f p h e n o m e n a is r e t a i n e d , it is only the subject's existential stance towards t h e m that c h a n g e s o f a c c e p t i n g t h e flow o f p h e n o m e n a
instead
as i n d i c a t i n g e n t i t i e s ( o b j e c t s
and
states o f things) that exist 'in t h e m s e l v e s ' , o u t t h e r e in t h e world,
the
phenomenological
the
reduction
'derealizes' them,
pure non-substantial p h e n o m e n a l
accepting them
f l o w ( a s h i f t t h a t is p e r h a p s
as close
to
s o m e v e r s i o n s o f B u d d h i s m ) , T h i s ' d i s c o n n e c t i o n ' f r o m r e a l i t y is l o s t i n H e i d e g g e r ' s n o t i o n o f Dasein
as ' b e i n g [ t h r o w n ]
in t h e w o r l d ' . O n
other hand, although Husseii's phenomenologico-transcendental t i o n m a y a p p e a r to b e t h e very o p p o s i t e o f t h e K a n t i a n
the
reduc
transcendental
d i m e n s i o n ( t h e d i m e n s i o n o f a p r i o r i c o n d i t i o n s o i e x p e r i e n c e ) , t h e r e is n o n e t h e less a n u n e x p e c t e d l i n k w i t h K a n t . I n h i s u n p u b l i s h e d
manu
script 'Kant's Materialism', Paid de M a n focused on the Kantian problem a t i c o f t h e S u b l i m e as t h e l o c u s o f K a n t ' s m a t e r i a l i s m : Kant's looking at the world j u s t as o n e sees it [wie man ilin sieht] is an absolute, radical formalism that entertains n o notion o f r e f e r e n c e o r semiosis . . . the radical formalism that animates aesthetic j u d g m e n t in the dynamics o f the sublime is what is called materialism. T o p u t it in H e i d e g g e r ' s t e r m s , t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e S u b l i m e involves the suspension
of our engagement
in
the
world, o f o u r
dealing
with
o b j e c t s as ' r c a d y - a t - h a n d ' , c a u g h t in a c o m p l e x n e t w o r k o f m e a n i n g s a n d uses which forms the
texture o f our
life-world. D e M a n ' s
paradoxical
c l a i m t h u s c o u n t e r s t h e s t a n d a r d t h e s i s a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h m a t e r i a l i s m is to b e l o c a t e d o n the level o f s o m e positive a n d d e t e r m i n a t e c o n t e n t w h i c h fills i n t h e e m p t y f o r m a l f r a m e
(in materialism, c o n t e n t generates
and
d e t e r m i n e s t h e f o r m , while idealism posits a f o r m a l a priori i r r e d u c i b l e to t h e c o n t e n t i t e m b r a c e s ) , as well a s t h e l e v e l o f t h e p r a c t i c a l e n g a g e m e n t w i t h o b j e c t s as o p p o s e d t o t h e i r p a s s i v e c o n t e m p l a t i o n . O n e is t e m p t e d t o s u p p l e m e n t t h i s p a r a d o x w i t h a n o t h e r : K a n t ' s m a t e r i a l i s m is u l t i m a t e l y the materialism
of imagination,
o f an
Einbildungskraft
which
precedes
every
ontologically c o n s t i t u t e d reality. W h e n w e t a l k a b o u t t h e w o r l d we s h o u l d , o f c o u r s e , b e a r i n m i n d
that
w e a r e d e a l i n g w i t h two d i s t i n c t n o t i o n s o f it: ( 1 ) t h e t r a d i t i o n a l m e t a p h y s i c a l n o t i o n o f t h e w o r l d as t h e t o t a l i t y o f all e n t i t i e s , t h e o r d e r e d
'Great
C h a i n o f B e i n g ' , w i t h i n w h i c h m a n o c c u p i e s a s p e c i f i c p l a c e as o n e o f t h e beings;
(2) the
properly
Heideggerian
phenomenologically
grounded
n o t i o n o f t h e w o r l d as t h e finite h o r i z o n o f t h e d i s c l o s u r e o f b e i n g , o f t h e way e n t i t i e s o f f e r t h e m s e l v e s t o a h i s t o r i c a l Dasein
t h a t p r o j e c t s its f u t u r e
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
65
against the b a c k g r o u n d o f b e i n g thrown into a c o n c r e t e situation. when we e n c o u n t e r an object from
the distant historical past -
(So
sav, a
m e d i e v a l t o o l - w h a t m a k e s it ' p a s t ' is n o t its a g e as s u c h b u t t h e f a c t t h a t i t is a t r a c e o f a w o r l d ( o f a h i s t o r i c a l m o d e o f t h e d i s c l o s u r e o f b e i n g , o f a n i n t e r c o n n e c t e d t e x t u r e o i s i g n i f i c a t i o n s a n d s o c i a l p r a c t i c e s ) t h a t is n o l o n g e r directly 'ours'. Now when undermined
we c l a i m
that
K a n t , in his a n t i n o m i e s
o f pure
reason,
t h e ( o n t o l o g i c a l v a l i d i t y o f t h e ) n o t i o n o f t h e w o r l d , is n o t
t h i s c l a i m l i m i t e d t o t h e t r a d i t i o n a l m e t a p h y s i c a l n o t i o n o f t h e w o r l d as the
t o t a l i t y o f all e n t i t i e s
( w h i c h is e f f e c t i v e l y
beyond
the
horizon
of
possible e x p e r i e n c e ) ? Furthermore, does not the notion o f transcendental h o r i z o n ( a s o p p o s e d to n o u m c n a l t r a n s c e n d e n c e ) a l r e a d y p o i n t t h e H e i d e g g e r i a n n o t i o n o f t h e w o r l d as t h e
finite
towards
historical horizon o f
t h e d i s c l o s u r e o f b e i n g , i f o n l y we p u r g e it o f its C a r t e s i a n p h y s i c a l i s t c o n n o t a t i o n s ( c a t e g o r i e s o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g as t h e c o n c e p t u a l
framework
o f the scientific c o m p r e h e n s i o n o f representations o f natural,
present-at-
h a n d objects)
a n d t r a n s p o s e it i n t o t h e h o r i z o n o f m e a n i n g o f a
finite
e n g a g e d a g e n t ? P e r h a p s o n e s h o u l d a d d a n o t h e r n o t i o n o f t h e w o r l d to t h e list: t h e p r e m o d e r n
' a n t h r o p o c e n t r i c ' , but n o t yet s u b j e c t i v e view o f
t h e w o r l d as c o s m o s , t h e finite o r d e r e d ' G r e a t C h a i n o f B e i n g ' w i t h E a r t h in t h e c e n t r e , t h e stars a b o v e , t h e u n i v e r s e w h o s e o r d e r b e a r s witness to a d e e p e r m e a n i n g , a n d so o n . A l t h o u g h this o r d e r e d c o s m o s today
in various
'holistic' approaches)
also differs
(reasserted
radically from
the
properly m o d e r n , infinite m e a n i n g l e s s 'silent universe' o f void a n d atoms, it s h o u l d
not
be confused
with
the
phenomenological-transcendental
n o t i o n o f w o r l d as a h o r i z o n o f m e a n i n g d e t e r m i n i n g h o w e n t i t i e s a r c d i s c l o s e d t o a finite a g e n t . D o e s all this m e a n , t h e n , t h a t t h e K a n t i a n d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e n o t i o n o f t h e w o r l d v i a a n t i n o m i e s o f p u r e r e a s o n d o e s n o t a f f e c t w o r l d as t h e
finite
h o r i z o n o f t h e d i s c l o s u r e o f e n t i t i e s t o a n e n g a g e d a g e n t ? O u r w a g e r is t h a t i t d o e s : t h e d i m e n s i o n d e s i g n a t e d b y F r e u d as t h a t o f t h e U n c o n scious, o f the d e a t h drive, a n d
s o o n , is p r e c i s e l y t h e
pre-ontological
d i m e n s i o n that i n t r o d u c e s a g a p i n t o o n e ' s e n g a g e d i m m e r s i o n in w o r l d . O f c o u r s e , H e i d e g g e r ' s n a m e f o r t h e way t h e e n g a g e d
the
agent's
i m m e r s i o n i n h i s w o r l d c a n b e s h a t t e r e d is ' a n x i e t y ' : o n e o f t h e c e n t r a l m o t i f s o f Being and Time is t h a t a n y c o n c r e t e w o r l d - e x p e r i e n c e is u l t i m a t e l y c o n t i n g e n t a n d , as s u c h , always u n d e r t h r e a t ; i n c o n t r a s t t o a n Damn
n e v e r fully fits its s u r r o u n d i n g s ;
Life-World
is always p r e c a r i o u s , a n d
animal,
its i m m e r s i o n i n its d e t e r m i n a t e
can be undermined
by a
e x p e r i e n c e o f its fragility a n d c o n t i n g e n c y . T h e k e y q u e s t i o n ,
sudden
therefore,
THE
66
is:
how
Dasein
does to
this
its
shattering
immersion
in
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
experience its
o f anxiety,
contingent
way
of
which life,
extraneates
relate
to
the
experience o f the 'night o f the world', o f the p o i n t o f madness, o f radical contraction,
o f self-withdrawal,
How does the Heideggerian death
drive?
Lacan's
In
work
contrast
of
the
to
early
as
the
founding
gesture
being-towards-death some 1950s),
attempts one
to
identify
should
insist
incompatibility: 'death drive' designates the ' u n d e a d ' tal'
o f subjectivity?
relate to the them on
lamella,
Freudian (found
in
their
radical
the
'immor
i n s i s t e n c e o f drive t h a t p r e c e d e s t h e o n t o l o g i c a l d i s c l o s u r e o f B e i n g ,
whose
finitude
confronts
a human
being
in
the
experience of
'being-
towards-death'.
Notes 1. See J a c q u e s Derrida, De Vespiit. Heidegger el la question, Paris: Galilee 1 9 8 7 . 2. S e e R e i n e r S c h i i r m a n n , Heidegger on Being and Ailing, B l o o m i n g t o n : I n d i a n a University Press 1 9 8 7 . 3. S e e T h e o d o r W. A d o r n o , The Jargon of A ulhenluily, L o n d o n : New Left B o o k s 1 9 7 3 . 4. See J e a n - F r a n c o i s L y o t a r d , Heidegger el 'lesjuifs', Paris: Galilee 1 9 8 8 . 5. ' "Eating Well", o r t h e Calculation o f the Subject: A n Interview with J a c q u e s D e r r i d a ' , in Who Comes After the Subject, e d . E d u a r d o Cadava, P e t e r C o n n o r a n d J e a n - L u c Nancy, New York: R o u t l e d g e 1 9 9 1 , p. 104. 6. W h e n , in his Spiegel interview, H e i d e g g e r was asked which political system is best a c c o m m o d a t e d to m o d e r n technology, h e answered: 'I a m n o t c o n v i n c e d that it is d e m o c racy' (The. Heidegger Controversy: A Critical Reader, e d . R i c h a r d Wollin, C a m b r i d g e , MA: M I T Press 1 9 9 3 , p. 1 0 4 ) . 7. ' T h e works that a r e being p e d d l e d about nowadays as t h e philosophy o f National Socialism . . . have n o t h i n g whatever t o d o with t h e i n n e r t r u t h a n d g r e a t n e s s o f this m o v e m e n t ( n a m e l y t h e e n c o u n t e r between global t e c h n o l o g y a n d m o d e r n m a n ) . ' (Martin H e i d e g g e r , An Introduction to Metaphysics, New H a v e n , C T : Yale University Press 1 9 9 7 , p. 1 9 9 . ) 8. With respect t o t h e c o u p l i n g o f Stalinism a n d Fascism, H e i d e g g e r silently g r a n t s priority to Fascism - at this point, I differ from him a n d follow Alain B a d i o u (see Alain B a d i o u , L'f'.thii/ue, Paris: I l a t i e r 1 9 9 3 ) , w h o claims that despite t h e h o r r o r s c o m m i t t e d o n its behalf ( o r , rather, o n b e h a l f o f t h e specific f o r m o f these h o r r o r s ) , Stalinist C o m m u n i s m was inherently related t o a T r u t h - E v e n t ( o f t h e O c t o b e r R e v o l u t i o n ) ; while Fascism was a pseudoevent, a lie in t h e guise o f authenticity. S e e C h a p t e r 2 o f Slavoj Zizek, The Plague of Fantasies, London: Verso 1997. 9. See R o b e r t Pippin, Idealism as M o d e r n i s m , C a m b r i d g e : C a m b r i d g e University Press 1 9 9 7 , pp. 3 9 5 - 4 1 4 . 10. I draw h e r e o n a c o n v e r s a t i o n with E r i c S a n t n e r . 11. Martin H e i d e g g e r , Being and 7 'ime,.Albany, NY: S U N Y Press 1 9 9 6 , p. 4 3 7 . 12. Gilles D e l e u z e , hnage.-temps, Paris: Editions d e Minuit 1 9 8 5 , p. 2 3 2 . T o p u t it in a n o t h e r way: c h o i c e is always a m e t a - c h o i c e ; it involves a c h o i c e to c h o o s e o r n o t . Prostitution, for e x a m p l e , is a simple e x c h a n g e : a m a n pays a w o m a n f o r having s e x with h e r . M a r r i a g e , on the o t h e r h a n d , involves two levels: in traditional m a r r i a g e , with m a n as b r e a d w i n n e r , h e pays t h e w o m a n much more (maintains h e r as his wife) in o r d e r not to have, to pay her (for s e x ) . So, in t h e case o f m a r r i a g e for m o n e y , o n e c a n say that t h e h u s b a n d pays t h e wife in o r d e r that
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L
IMAGINATION
67
she should sell n o t only h e r body but also h e r soul - that she should p r e t e n d that she is giving h e r s e l f t o him o u t o f love. Yet a n o t h e r way to put it would be t o say that o n e pays a prostitute to have sex with h e r , whereas one's wife is a prostitute w h o m o n e has to pay even m o r e if o n e doesn't have s e x with h e r (since in this case she is n o t satisfied, a n d o n e has to a p p e a s e h e r in a n o t h e r way, with g e n e r o u s gifts). 13. Mark P o s t e r , The Second Media Age, C a m b r i d g e : Polity Press 1 9 9 5 , p. 8 1 . 14. See W a l t e r B e n j a m i n , 'Theses on t h e Philosophy o f History', in Illuminations, New York: S c h o c k e n B o o k s 1 9 6 9 . 15. F r e d r i c J a m e s o n was already b a n g o n target with his controversial claim that Heideg ger's o p e n political e n g a g e m e n t in 1 9 3 3 , far from p r e s e n t i n g a d e p l o r a b l e a n o m a l y , is his only sympathetic public g e s t u r e . 16. O n e should also take into a c c o u n t h e r e t h e level o f style: H e i d e g g e r I is t e c h n i c a l ' , 'non-musical', i n t r o d u c i n g new difficult t e c h n i c a l distinctions, c o i n i n g new t e r m s , depriving ethically c o n n o t e d c a t e g o r i e s o f their c o n c r e t e e n g a g e m e n t , etc.; while H e i d e g g e r II is 'musical', a b a n d o n i n g strict c o n c e p t u a l distinctions for poetic mediations, r e p l a c i n g long systematic d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e line o f t h o u g h t (simply recall the use o f p a r a g r a p h s in Being and T i m e ) with short, c i r c u l a r poetic r u m i n a t i o n s . O n e should, o f c o u r s e , focus a t t e n t i o n on what is e x c l u d e d in b o t h t e r m s o f this alternative: they a r e b o t h 'deadly serious', o n e in a c o m p u l s o r y t e c h n i c a l way, piling u p newly c o i n e d t e r m s to deal with c o n c e p t u a l distinctions; the o t h e r in poetic s u r r e n d e r to the mystery o f Destiny. W h a t is missing in b o t h cases is joyful irony, t h e very f u n d a m e n t a l feature o f Nietzsche's style. ( R e m e m b e r how t h o r o u g h l y a n d obviously H e i d e g g e r misses t h e p r o f o u n d irony a n d ambiguity o f Nietzsche's seemingly brutal rejection o f W a g n e r - in The Case of Wagner- when h e praises this r e j e c t i o n as crucial for Nietzsche's m a t u r a t i o n as a t h i n k e r . ) 17. See Martin H e i d e g g e r , Kant and the Problem of Metap/tysics, B l o o m i n g t o n : University o f Indiana Press 1 9 9 7 . 18. O n a m o r e g e n e r a l level, it would b e interesting to e l a b o r a t e the c o n c e p t o f unfinished philosophical projects, from t h e early H e g e l to Michel F o u c a u l t (whose first v o l u m e o f t h e History of Sexuality a n n o u n c e s a global p r o j e c t fundamentally different f r o m what was later actually published as volumes II a n d I I I ) ; this n o n - a c c o m p l i s h m e n t is the obverse o f the p r o c e d u r e o f those p h i l o s o p h e r s (from F i c h t e to H u s s e r l ) who never got f u r t h e r than t h e establishment o f t h e f o u n d i n g principles o f their edifice - that is, who repeatedly ( r e ) w r o t e t h e s a m e g r o u n d i n g a n d / o r i n t r o d u c t o r y text. 19. See C o r n e l i u s Castoriadis, ' T h e Discovery o f t h e I m a g i n a t i o n ' , Constellations, vol. 1, no. 2 ( O c t o b e r 1 9 9 4 ) . 2 0 . Ibid., pp. 1 8 5 - 6 . 2 1 . Ibid., p. 2 1 2 . 22. I m m a n u e l Kant, Critique of Practical Reason, New York: Macmillan 1 9 5 6 , pp. 1 5 2 - 3 . 2 3 . As R o b e r t Pippin d e m o n s t r a t e d in C h a p t e r 1 o f Idealism as Modernism. 2 4 . See A p p e n d i x V: Davos Disputation', in H e i d e g g e r , Kant and the Problem of Metaphysics, pp. 1 9 3 - 2 0 7 . 2 5 . I m m a n u e l Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, L o n d o n : E v e r y m a n ' s Library 1 9 8 8 , p. 7 8 . 2 6 . Ibid. 27. Ibid. 2 8 . Ibid. 2 9 . Ibid. 3 0 . G.W.F. Hegel, J e n a e r Realphilosophie'. in I'riihe polilische Systeme, Frankfurt: Ullstein 1 9 7 4 , p. 2 0 4 ; translation emoted, from D o n a l d Phillip V e r e n e , Hegel's Recollection, Albany, NY: S U N Y Press 1 9 8 5 , pp. 7 - 8 . 3 1 . H e g e l , J e n a e r Realphilosophie', p p . 2 0 4 - 5 . 3 2 . G.W.F. H e g e l , Phenomenology of Spirit, trans. A.V. Miller, O x f o r d : O x f o r d University Press 1 9 7 7 , p p . 1 8 - 1 9 . 3 3 . T o which I myself have r e f e r r e d repeatedly in almost all my books.
68
THE
3 4 . O n this crucial point, Analecta 1995.
see
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
Z d r a v k o K o b e , Automaton
transcendentale
I, Ljubljana:
3 5 . H e r e , o f c o u r s e , we a r e r e p e a t i n g t h e reversal that H e g e l a c c o m p l i s h e s a p r o p o s Kant's Thing-in-itself: this p u r e presupposition o f o u r - subjective - p o s i t i n g / m e d i a t i o n , this e x t e r n a l T h i n g which affects us, but that is n o t yet w o r k e d t h r o u g h by t h e subject's reflexive activity, actually turns out to be its e x a c t o p p o s i t e : s o m e t h i n g purely posited, t h e result o f the utmost effort o f mental a b s t r a c t i o n , a p u r e T h i n g - o f - t h o u g h t [Gedankending]. In t h e s a m e way, the pre-synthetic real presupposition o f i m a g i n a t i o n is already t h e p r o d u c t o f imagin ation at its purest. 36. H e g e l , J e n a e r Realphilosophie', p. 2 0 6 ; trans, q u o t e d from V e r e n e , p. 8. 37. See J a c q u e s D e r r i d a , 'Cogito and t h e History o f Madness', in Writing and Difference, C h i c a g o : University o f C h i c a g o Press 1 9 7 8 . 3 8 . Kant on Education, L o n d o n : Kegan Paul, F r e n c h , T r u b n e r & C o . 1 8 9 9 , p p . 3 - 5 . 3 9 . See G.W.F. Hegel, lectures on the Philosophy of World History, Introduction: Reason in History, C a m b r i d g e : C a m b r i d g e University Press 1 9 7 5 , pp. 1 7 6 - 9 0 . 4 0 . See J a c o b Rogozinski, Ktmten, Paris: Editions Kime 1 9 9 6 , p p . 1 2 4 - 3 0 . 4 1 . F o r a m o r e detailed a c c o u n t o f the c o n n e c t i o n between t h e Kantian a n t i n o m i e s a n d L a c a n ' s p a r a d o x e s o f non-All, see C h a p t e r 2 o f Slavoj Zizek, Tanying Willi the Negative, D u r h a m , NO. Duke University Press 1 9 9 3 . 4 2 . Q u o t e d from Rogozinski, Kanten, p. 1 1 8 . 4 3 . T h e great a c h i e v e m e n t o f Schelling's n o t i o n o f Past, P r e s e n t a n d F u t u r e as the t h r e e 'ages' o f the Absolute was to b r e a k the c o n s t r a i n t s o f t h e Kantian t e m p o r a l s c h e m a t i s m , with its p r e d o m i n a n c e o f t h e P r e s e n t : what Soliciting m a k e s t h e m a t i c , in t h e guise o f t h e abyss o f t h e Real, a r e the c o n t o u r s o f a Past that was n e v e r p r e s e n t , since it is past from t h e very b e g i n n i n g o f time; c o m p l e m e n t a r y to it is t h e n o t i o n o f a F u t u r e that will always r e m a i n 'to c o m e ' , not just a deficient m o d e o f the P r e s e n t . 4 4 . O n e is t e m p t e d to establish h e r e a c o n n e c t i o n with Badiou's notion o f the T r u t h Event as the u n f o r e s e e n e m e r g e n c e o f s o m e t h i n g New that c a n n o t be a c c o u n t e d for in terms o f the network o f existing causes. (See C h a p t e r 3 below.) 15. See Daniel B r e a z e a d a l e , ' C h e c k o r C h e c k m a t e ? O n the Finitude o f the F i c h t e a n S e l f , in The Modern Suhjeit. Conceptions of the Self in Classical German Philosophy, ed. Karl Ameriks and Dieter S t u r m a , Albany, NY: S U N Y Press 1 9 9 5 , pp. 8 7 - 1 1 4 . 4 6 . Ibid., p. 1 0 0 . 4 7 . W h a t imposes itself h e r e is the parallel between t h e F i c h t e a n Anstoss a n d t h e F r e u d i a n - L a c a n i a n s c h e m a o f t h e relationship between the p r i m o r d i a l Ich [llr-hh] a n d the object, t h e foreign body in its midst, which disturbs its narcissistic b a l a n c e , setting in m o t i o n the l o n g process o f t h e g r a d u a l expulsion a n d s t n i c t u r a t i o n o f this i n n e r snag, t h r o u g h which (what we e x p e r i e n c e as) ' e x t e r n a l , objective reality' is constituted (see C h a p t e r 3 o f Slavoj Zizek, Enjoy Your Symptom!, New York: R o u t l e d g e 1 9 9 3 ) . 4 8 . Rogozinski opposes to this r e a d i n g a n o t h e r ' s u b t e r r a n e a n ' t e n d e n c y in K a n t himself, a c c o r d i n g to which t h e Kantian c a t e g o r i c a l imperative stands for a Call o f O t h e r n e s s that n o t only involves its own temporality o f finitude (a t e m p o r a l i t y t h a t breaks the constraints o f the linear succession o f 'HOWS', since it is the t e m p o r a l i t y o f t h e Events o f F r e e d o m , o f r u p t u r e s that e m e r g e ex nihilo), but is also a Law n o l o n g e r g r o u n d e d in a Will: like t h e C o n n ' s e n i g m a t i c Law in Kafka's Trial, t h e m o r a l imperative is a Law that 'wants n o t h i n g from yon'. In this f u n d a m e n t a l indifference towards h u m a n affairs lies t h e ultimate e n i g m a o f t h e Law. 4 9 . See H e i d e g g e r , An Introduction to Metaphysics, p p . 1 4 6 - 6 5 . 5 0 . See C h a p t e r 3 o f Zizek, Tanying With the Negative. 5 1 . So o n e should be very careful in d e f e n d i n g the thesis that t h e fact that f e m i n i n e subjectivity finds it easier to b r e a k t h e hold o f fantasy, to 'traverse' its f u n d a m e n t a l fantasy, than masculine subjectivity m e a n s that w o m e n e n t e r t a i n towards the universe o f symbolic s e m b l a n c e s / f i c t i o n s the attitude o f cynical distance ('I know that the phallus, symbolic phallic power, is a m e r e s e m b l a n c e , a n d t h e only thing that c o u n t s is the Real o f puissance' -
T H E D E A D L O C K OF T R A N S C E N D E N T A L I M A G I N A T I O N
69
t h e well-known cliche a b o u t women as subjects who c a n easily 'see t h r o u g h ' t h e spell o f symbolic fictions, ideals, values, a n d focus o n h a r d facts - sex, power . . . - that reallv c o u n t , a n d a r e t h e true desublimated s u p p o r t o f sublime s e m b l a n c e s ) : such a cynical distance does not a m o u n t to 'traversing t h e fantasy', since it implicitly r e d u c e s fantasy to t h e veil o f illusions distorting o u r access to reality 'as it really is'. In c o n t r a s t to t h e c o n c l u s i o n that imposes itself with false e v i d e n c e , o n e should insist that t h e cynical subject is the o n e who is tmst delivered from t h e h o l d o f fantasy. 5 2 . F o r this notion o f lamella, see J a c q u e s L a c a n , The Tour Fundamental Concepts o\(PsychoAnalysis, New York: N o r t o n 1 9 7 9 , pp. 1 9 7 - 8 . 5 3 . See, again, C h a p t e r 3 of Zizek, Ttmying With the Negative. 5 4 . Yuji K o n n o , 'Noise Floats, Night Falls', in David Lynch: Paintings mid Drawings, Tokyo: T o k y o M u s e u m o f C o n t e m p o r a r y A n 1 9 9 1 , p. 2 3 . 5 5 . O f c o u r s e , t h e question r e m a i n s o p e n t o what e x t e n t this p a r a n o i d n o t i o n is quite justified in t h e case o f subliminal advertising. 5 6 . Q u o t e d from RAY. Clark, The. Life ofBertraml Russell, L o n d o n : Weidenfelcl & Nicolson 1 9 7 5 , p. 1 7 6 . 57. F o r a detailed a c c o u n t , see Slavoj Zizek, The Indivisible Remainder. An Tssay on Sche.lling and Related Matters, L o n d o n : Verso 1 9 9 6 . 5 8 . T h e s a m e holds for the Kantian m o r a l Law. if o n e gets t o o close, to it, its sublime g r a n d e u r suddenly c h a n g e s into the horrifying abyss o f the T h i n g t h r e a t e n i n g to swallow the subject. 5 9 . F r o m this standpoint, it is crucial to r e r e a d HrrsserTs late m a n u s c r i p t s on 'passive synthesis', published after his dearh in Husserltana. as p o i n t i n g towards this d o m a i n that, eludes H e i d e g g e r - from which, that is, H e i d e g g e r r e t r e a t e d . P e r h a p s the later Husserl was not exclusively i m m e r s e d in a philosophical p r o j e c t r e n d e r e d obsolete by the great break t h r o u g h o f Being and Time. . . . See E d m r r n d Husserl, Analysen zur passnvn Synthesis, Hiisserliaira, vol. X I , T h e H a g u e : Martinus Nijhoff 1 9 6 6 .
The Hegelian Ticklish Subject
W h a t Is ' N e g a t i o n o f N e g a t i o n ' ? C o l i n W i l s o n ' s From Atlantis
to the Sphinx?
o n e i n t h e e n d l e s s s e r i e s o f New-
A g e airport p o c k e t b o o k variations o n t h e t h e m e o f ' r e c o v e r i n g the lost w i s d o m o f t h e a n c i e n t w o r l d ' ( t h e b o o k ' s s u b t i t l e ) , o p p o s e s i n its c o n c l u d i n g c h a p t e r two types o f k n o w l e d g e : t h e ' a n c i e n t ' i n t u i t i v e , e n c o m p a s s i n g o n e , w h i c h m a k e s us e x p e r i e n c e d i r e c t l y t h e u n d e r l y i n g r h y t h m o f r e a l i t y ('right-brain awareness'), and the m o d e r n knowledge o f self-consciousness a n d r a t i o n a l d i s s e c t i o n o f r e a l i t y ( ' l e f t - b r a i n a w a r e n e s s ' ) . A f t e r all h i s h i g h praise for the m a g i c powers o f a n c i e n t collective consciousness, the a u t h o r a c k n o w l e d g e s t h a t a l t h o u g h this type o f k n o w l e d g e h a d e n o r m o u s advan t a g e s , ' i t was e s s e n t i a l l y limited.
I t w a s t o o p l e a s a n t , t o o r e l a x e d , a n d its
a c h i e v e m e n t s t e n d e d t o b e c o m m u n a l ' ; ' - s o i t was n e c e s s a r y f o r
human
e v o l u t i o n to e s c a p e f r o m this state t o t h e m o r e active attitude o f r a t i o n a l t e c h n o l o g i c a l d o m i n a t i o n . T o d a y , o f c o u r s e , we a r e c o n f r o n t e d by p r o s p e c t o f r e u n i t i n g t h e two h a l v e s a n d
the
' r e c o v e r i n g t h e lost w i s d o m ' ,
c o m b i n i n g it w i t h m o d e r n a c h i e v e m e n t s ( t h e u s u a l s t o r y o f h o w
modern
s c i e n c e itself, i n its m o s t r a d i c a l a c h i e v e m e n t s - q u a n t u m p h y s i c s , a n d s o o n - a l r e a d y p o i n t s towards t h e self-sublation o f t h e m e c h a n i s t i c view in the direction o f the holistic universe d o m i n a t e d by a h i d d e n pattern o f the 'dance o f life'). H e r e , h o w e v e r , W i l s o n ' s b o o k t a k e s a n u n e x p e c t e d t u r n : h o w will t h i s s y n t h e s i s o c c u r ? W i l s o n is i n t e l l i g e n t e n o u g h t o r e j e c t b o t h
predominant
views: t h e d i r e c t l y p r e m o d e r n o n e , a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e ' r a t i o n a l i s t W e s t ' was a m e r e a b e r r a t i o n , a n d w e s h o u l d s i m p l y r e t u r n t o the old wisdom; and
the pseudo-Hegelian
notion o f a 'synthesis'
that
w o u l d s o m e h o w m a i n t a i n d i e b a l a n c e b e t w e e n t h e two s p i r i t u a l p r i n c i p l e s , e n a b l i n g us t o k e e p t h e b e s t o f b o t h w o r l d s : t o r e g a i n t h e l o s t U n i t y w h i l e m a i n t a i n i n g t h e a c h i e v e m e n t s b a s e d o n its l o s s ( t e c h n i c a l p r o g r e s s , i n d i vidualist d y n a m i c s , e t c . ) . A g a i n s t b o t h t h e s e versions, W i l s o n e m p h a s i z e s
THE HEGELIAN
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
71
that the n e x t stage, the o v e r c o m i n g o f the limitation o f the Western rationalist/individualist stance, must s o m e h o w e m e r g e from within
this
W e s t e r n s t a n c e . H e l o c a t e s its s o u r c e i n t h e f o r c e o f i m a g i n a t i o n :
the
Western principle o f self-consciousness a n d individuation
also
brought
a b o u t a b r e a t h t a k i n g r i s e in o u r c a p a c i t y o f i m a g i n a t i o n , a n d i f w e d e v e l o p this
c a p a c i t y t o its u t m o s t ,
c o n s c i o u s n e s s , o f shared
i t will l e a d
to
a
n e w level
o f collective
i m a g i n a t i o n . S o t h e s u r p r i s i n g c o n c l u s i o n is t h a t
the longed-for n e x t step in h u m a n evolution, the step b e y o n d the aliena t i o n f r o m n a t u r e a n d t h e u n i v e r s e as a W h o l e , ' h a s a l r e a d y h a p p e n e d . I t has b e e n h a p p e n i n g
f o r t h e p a s t 3 5 0 0 y e a r s . N o w all w e h a v e t o d o is
r e c o g n i s e i t ' ( t h e last s e n t e n c e in t h e b o o k ) . So
what h a p p e n e d
3 , 5 0 0 years a g o -
3
t h a t is, a r o u n d 2 0 0 0
BC? T h e
decline o f the O l d K i n g d o m o f Egypt, the highest a c h i e v e m e n t o f a n c i e n t w i s d o m , a n d t h e rise o f t h e n e w , violent c u l t u r e s o u t o f w h i c h European
consciousness arose
-
in
short,
the
Fall
modern
itself, t h e
fateful
f o r g e t t i n g o f t h e a n c i e n t w i s d o m w h i c h e n a b l e d us to m a i n t a i n a d i r e c t c o n t a c t with t h e ' d a n c e o f life'. I f we t a k e t h e s e s t a t e m e n t s literally, t h e u n a v o i d a b l e c o n c l u s i o n is t h a t the moment ancient
wisdom)
evolution.
coincides
of the Fall
with its exact opposite,
(the forgetting
with the longed-for
of the
next step in
H e r e we h a v e t h e p r o p e r l y H e g e l i a n m a t r i x o f d e v e l o p m e n t : t h e
F a l l is a l r e a d y in itself lis o w n s e l f - s u b l a t i o n ; t h e w o u n d is a l r e a d y i n i t s e l f its o w n h e a l i n g , s o t h a t t h e p e r c e p t i o n t h a t w e a r c d e a l i n g w i t h t h e F a l l is u l t i m a t e l y a m i s p e r c c p t i o n , a n e f f e c t o f o u r s k e w e d p e r s p e c t i v e - all w e h a v e to d o is t o a c c o m p l i s h t h e m o v e f r o m I n - i t s e l f t o F o r - i t s e l f : t o c h a n g e our
perspective
and
recognize how the longed-for
reversal
is a l r e a d y
o p e r a t i v e i n w h a t is g o i n g o n . The
i n n e r l o g i c o f t h e m o v e m e n t f r o m o n e s t a g e t o a n o t h e r is n o t t h a t
f r o m o n e e x t r e m e , to t h e o p p o s i t e e x t r e m e , a n d t h e n
to their
higher
u n i t y ; t h e s e c o n d p a s s a g e is, r a t h e r , s i m p l y t h e r a d i c a l i z a t i o n o f t h e first. The
p r o b l e m w i t h t h e ' W e s t e r n m e c h a n i s t i c a t t i t u d e ' is n o t t h a t it f o r g o t -
repressed thoroughly
the a n c i e n t holistic W i s d o m , but that enough:
it did not break
with it
it c o n t i n u e d t o p e r c e i v e t h e n e w u n i v e r s e ( o f d i s c u r s i v e
stance) from the perspective o f the old o n e , o f the ' a n c i e n t wisdom'; a n d o f c o u r s e , f r o m t h i s p e r s p e c t i v e t h e n e w u n i v e r s e c a n n o t b u t a p p e a r as t h e c a t a s t r o p h i c w o r l d w h i c h c o m e s a b o u t ' a f t e r t h e F a l l ' . W e rise a g a i n f r o m t h e F a l l n o t b y u n d o i n g its e f f e c t s , b u t in r e c o g n i z i n g in t h e F a l l itself the longed-for liberation. In
Stales
4
of Injury,
Wendy
dialectical process when
Brown
refers
she emphasizes
to t h e s a m e
logic o f the
h o w t h e first r e a c t i o n o f t h e
o p p r e s s e d t o t h e i r o p p r e s s i o n is t h a t t h e y i m a g i n e a w o r l d s i m p l y d e p r i v e d
THE TICKLISH
72
SUBJECT
o f the O t h e r that exerts oppression on t h e m - w o m e n imagine a world without
men; A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n s a w o r l d
without capitalists.
tvithout
whites; w o r k e r s a
world
. . . T h e m i s t a k e o f s u c h a n a t t i t u d e is n o t t h a t i t is ' t o o
r a d i c a l ' , t h a t it w a n t s t o a n n i h i l a t e t h e O t h e r i n s t e a d o f m e r e l y c h a n g i n g it; b u t , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , t h a t it is n o t r a d i c a l e n o u g h : it fails t o e x a m i n e t h e way t h e i d e n t i t y o f its o w n p o s i t i o n ( t h a t o f a w o r k e r , a w o m a n , A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n . . . ) is ' m e d i a t e d '
by the
Other
( t h e r e is n o
an
worker
without a capitalist organizing the p r o d u c t i o n process, etc.), so that i f o n e is t o g e t r i d o f t h e o p p r e s s i v e O t h e r , o n e h a s s u b s t a n t i a l l y t o
transform
t h e c o n t e n t o f o n e ' s o w n p o s i t i o n . T h a t is a l s o t h e f a t a l flaw o f p r e c i p i t a t e historicization: those w h o want 'free sexuality delivered o f the
Oedipal
b u r d e n o f g u i l t a n d a n x i e t y ' p r o c e e d i n t h e s a m e way as t h e w o r k e r w h o w a n t s t o survive as a worker w i t h o u t a c a p i t a l i s t ; t h e y a l s o fail t o t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t t h e way t h e i r o w n p o s i t i o n is ' m e d i a t e d ' b y t h e O t h e r . T h e w e l l known M e a d - M a l i n o w s k i myth o f the free, n o n - i n h i b i t e d sexuality reign i n g in t h e S o u t h P a c i f i c p r o v i d e s a n e x e m p l a r y c a s e o f s u c h a n ' a b s t r a c t n e g a t i o n ' : it m e r e l y p r o j e c t s i n t o t h e s p a t i o - h i s t o r i c a l O t h e r o f ' p r i m i t i v e societies' the fantasy o f a 'free sexuality' r o o t e d in o u r o w n c o n t e x t . I n t h i s way, it is n o t
historical
h i s t o r i c a l ' e n o u g h : it r e m a i n s c a u g h t i n t h e
c o - o r d i n a t e s o f o n e ' s o w n h i s t o r i c a l h o r i z o n p r e c i s e l y i n its a t t e m p t imagine a 'radical' Otherness -
in s h o r t , a n t i - O e d i p u s
is t h e
to
ultimate
Oedipal myth. . . . T h i s m i s t a k e tells us a l o t a b o u t t h e H e g e l i a n ' n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' : its m a t r i x is n o t t h a t o f a l o s s a n d its r e c u p e r a t i o n , b u t s i m p l y t h a t o f a p r o c e s s o f p a s s a g e f r o m s t a t e A t o s t a t e B : t h e first, i m m e d i a t e o f A n e g a t e s t h e p o s i t i o n o f A while remaining
'negation'
xuithin its symbolic confines,
it m u s t b e f o l l o w e d b y a n o t h e r n e g a t i o n , w h i c h t h e n
so
n e g a t e s t h e very
s y m b o l i c s p a c e c o m m o n t o A a n d its i m m e d i a t e n e g a t i o n ( t h e r e i g n o f a r e l i g i o n is first s u b v e r t e d i n t h e g u i s e o f a t h e o l o g i c a l h e r e s y ; c a p i t a l i s m is first
s u b v e r t e d in t h e n a m e o f t h e ' r e i g n o f L a b o u r ' ) . H e r e t h e g a p
that
s e p a r a t e s t h e n e g a t e d s y s t e m ' s ' r e a l ' d e a t h f r o m its ' s y m b o l i c ' d e a t h is crucial: t h e system has to die twice. T h e o n l y t i m e M a n e uses t h e ' n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' in Capital,
term
apropos o f the 'expropriation o f expro
p r i a t o r s ' in socialism, h e has i n m i n d p r e c i s e l y s u c h a two-stage p r o c e s s . The
( m y t h i c a l ) s t a r t i n g p o i n t is t h e s t a t e in w h i c h p r o d u c e r s o w n
their
m e a n s o f p r o d u c t i o n ; i n t h e first s t a g e , t h e p r o c e s s o f e x p r o p r i a t i o n t a k e s p l a c e within the frame of the private
ownership
of the means
of production,
m e a n s that t h e e x p r o p r i a t i o n o f t h e m a j o r i t y a m o u n t s to t h e
which
appropria
tion a n d c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f the ownership o f the m e a n s o f p r o d u c t i o n in a s m a l l c l a s s ( o f c a p i t a l i s t s ) ; in t h e s e c o n d s t a g e , t h e s e e x p r o p r i a t o r s
are
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH themselves expropriated,
SUBJECT
s i n c e t h e very f o r m
73
o f private
ownership
a b o l i s h e d . . . . W h a t is o f i n t e r e s t h e r e is t h a t , in M a r x ' s e y e s ,
is
capitalism
itself, in its very notion, is c o n c e i v e d as a p o i n t o f p a s s a g e b e t w e e n t h e two m o r e 'stable' modes o f production:
c a p i t a l i s m lives o f f t h e
incomplete
r e a l i z a t i o n o f its o w n p r o j e c t ( t h e s a m e p o i n t was l a t e r m a d e b y D e l e u z e , who
emphasized
that
capitalism
poses
' d e t e r r i t o r i a l i z a t i o n ' it itself u n l e a s h e s ) .
a
limit
to
the
very forces
of
5
T h e s a m e m a t r i x o f the H e g e l i a n triad also structured the e x p e r i e n c e of
the
dissident
struggle
against Party rule; in S l o v e n i a , this
struggle
p r o c e e d e d i n t h r e e s t a g e s . T h e first was t h e s t a g e o f i n h e r e n t o p p o s i t i o n , o f c r i t i c i z i n g t h e r e g i m e i n t h e n a m e o f its o w n v a l u e s : ' W h a t w e h a v e is not
true socialism, true
s o c i a l i s t d e m o c r a c y ! ' T h i s c r i t i c i s m was
'pre-
H e g e l i a n ' : it d i d n o t t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t t h e f a c t t h a t t h e e x i s t i n g r e g i m e ' s f a i l u r e to r e a l i z e its n o t i o n s i g n a l l e d t h e i n s u f f i c i e n c y o f t h i s n o t i o n i t s e l f ) ; f o r this r e a s o n , t h e r e g i m e ' s a n s w e r t o this criticism was, strictly s p e a k i n g , c o r r e c t : it was a b s t r a c t ; it d i s p l a y e d t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e B e a u t i f u l S o u l u n a b l e to p e r c e i v e in t h e reality it criticizes t h e o n l y historically p o s s i b l e r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h e i d e a l s it a d v o c a t e s a g a i n s t t h i s r e a l i t y . T h e m o m e n t t h e o p p o s i t i o n a c c e p t e d t h i s t r u t h , it p a s s e d t o t h e n e x t , s e c o n d stage: to c o n s t r u c t the space o f a u t o n o m o u s
'civil s o c i e t y ' c o n
c e i v e d o f as e x t e r n a l t o t h e s p h e r e o f p o l i t i c a l p o w e r . N o w t h e a t t i t u d e was: w e d o n o t w a n t p o w e r , w e j u s t w a n t t h e a u t o n o m o u s s p a c e o u t s i d e t h e d o m a i n o f p o l i t i c a l p o w e r i n w h i c h w e c a n a r t i c u l a t e o u r a r t i s t i c , civil rights, spiritual, a n d so o n , interests, criticize p o w e r a n d limitations, without
endeavouring
reflect on
t o s u p p l a n t it. A g a i n , o f c o u r s e ,
its the
r e g i m e ' s f u n d a m e n t a l criticism o f this attitude ( ' Y o u r i n d i f f e r e n c e towards p o w e r is f a l s e a n d h y p o c r i t i c a l - w h a t y o u a r e r e a l l y a f t e r is p o w e r ' ) was c o r r e c t , a n d t h e p a s s a g e t o t h e last, t h i r d , s t a g e was t h u s t o s u m m o n
up
o u r c o u r a g e and, instead o f hypocritically asserting that o u r hands were c l e a n , t h a t w e d i d n o t w a n t p o w e r , to r e v e r s e o u r p o s i t i o n a n d
emphati
cally a g r e e
and
why
I n t h e first two s t a g e s , w e e n c o u n t e r t h e s p l i t b e t w e e n k n o w l e d g e
and
with
power's
criticism: 'Yes, we
do w a n t
power,
s h o u l d n ' t we? W h y s h o u l d it b e r e s e r v e d f o r y o u ? '
t r u t h : t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e r e g i m e ' s p r o p o n e n t s was f a l s e , y e t t h e r e was some
truth
in
their
criticism, while
the
opposition
was
hypocritical
( a l t h o u g h t h i s h y p o c r i s y was c o n d i t i o n e d b y t h e c o n s t r a i n t s i m p o s e d by t h e r e g i m e i t s e l f , s o t h a t i n t h e h y p o c r i s y o f its o p p o s i t i o n
the
regime
r e c e i v e d t h e t r u t h a b o u t t h e falsity o f its o w n d i s c o u r s e ) ; in t h e
third
s t a g e , h y p o c r i s y was finally o n t h e s i d e o f t h e r e g i m e i t s e l f . T h a t is t o say: w h e n t h e dissidents finally a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t t h e y w e r e after p o w e r , d i e
74
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
liberal, 'civilized' Party m e m b e r s criticized t h e m for a brutal lust for p o w e r - o f c o u r s e , t h i s c r i t i c i s m was p u r e h y p o c r i s y , s i n c e i t w a s e n u n c i a t e d b y t h o s e w h o i n f a c t did ( s t i l l ) h o l d a b s o l u t e p o w e r . T h e o t h e r k e y f e a t u r e was t h a t w h a t a c t u a l l y m a t t e r e d i n t h e first two s t a g e s w a s the form itself, as f o r t h e c o n t e n t , t h e p o s i t i v e c r i t i c i s m o f t h e e x i s t i n g p o w e r was i r r e l e v a n t ( m u c h o f t h e t i m e it was t h e r e j e c t i o n o f t h e e m e r g i n g m a r k e t
reforms
which t h e n played directly into the h a n d s o f the Party hardliners) whole point
was its p l a c e o f e n u n c i a t i o n ,
the
fact that
the
c r i t i c i s m was
f o r m u l a t e d from outside. I n t h e n e x t s t a g e , t h a t o f a u t o n o m o u s civil s o c i e t y , t h i s o u t s i d e b e c a m e o n l y ' f o r i t s e l f , t h a t is, t h e k e y d i m e n s i o n w a s a g a i n purely formal, that o f limiting the p o w e r to the political d o m a i n in the restricted sense o f the term. O n l y in the third stage did f o r m a n d c o n t e n t coincide. T h e l o g i c o f t h e p a s s a g e f r o m I n - i t s e l f t o F o r - i t s e l f is c r u c i a l h e r e . W h e n a l o v e r d r o p s h i s / h e r p a r t n e r , i t is always t r a u m a t i c f o r t h e
abandoned
s u b j e c t t o l e a r n a b o u t t h e t h i r d p e r s o n w h o c a u s e d t h e b r e a k ; is i t n o t e v e n w o r s e , h o w e v e r , i f t h e p a r t n e r l e a r n s t h a t there was nobody, t h a t t h e p a r t n e r d r o p p e d h i m / h e r f o r n o e x t e r n a l r e a s o n ? I n s u c h s i t u a t i o n s , is the infamous
'third person'
the cause on
account o f which the
lover
d r o p p e d h i s / h e r erstwhile p a r t n e r , o r d i d this third p e r s o n m e r e l y serve as a p r e t e x t , g i v i n g b o d y t o t h e d i s c o n t e n t i n t h e l i a i s o n w h i c h was a l r e a d y t h e r e ? ' I n i t s e l f , t h e l i a i s o n was o v e r b e f o r e t h e l o v e r e n c o u n t e r e d a n e w p a r t n e r , b u t this fact b e c a m e ' f o r i t s e l f , t u r n e d i n t o t h e a w a r e n e s s
that
t h e l i a i s o n was o v e r , o n l y t h r o u g h e n c o u n t e r i n g a n e w p a r t n e r . S o , i n a sense, the new partner
is a ' n e g a t i v e m a g n i t u d e ' ,
d i s c o n t e n t in t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p -
giving b o d y
to
p r e c i s e l y as s u c h , h o w e v e r , s h e / h e
the is
n e c e s s a r y i f t h i s d i s c o n t e n t is t o b e c o m e ' f o r i t s e l f , i f i t is t o a c t u a l i z e itself. T h e p a s s a g e f r o m
I n - i t s e l f to F o r - i t s e l f t h u s i n v o l v e s t h e l o g i c o f
r e p e t i t i o n : w h e n a t h i n g b e c o m e s ' f o r i t s e l f , n o t h i n g actually c h a n g e s in it; it j u s t r e p e a t e d l y
asserts
('re-marks') what
it a l r e a d y was i n i t s e l f .
6
' N e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' is t h u s n o t h i n g b u t r e p e t i t i o n a t its p u r e s t : i n t h e first m o v e , a c e r t a i n g e s t u r e is a c c o m p l i s h e d a n d fails; t h e n , i n t h e s e c o n d m o v e , this s a m e g e s t u r e
is s i m p l y repeated.
repetition o f Understanding
R e a s o n is n o t h i n g
but
the
t h a t d e p r i v e s it o f t h e e x c e s s b a g g a g e o f
s u p r a s e n s i b l e i r r a t i o n a l B e y o n d , j u s t as C h r i s t is n o t o p p o s e d t o A d a m b u t merely the second Adam. T h e s e l f - r e f e r e n t i a l i t y o f t h i s p a s s a g e is b e s t c a p t u r e d b y W . C . F i e l d s ' s great o n e - l i n e r w h i c h provides his own version o f H e g e l ' s d i c t u m that the s e c r e t s o f t h e E g y p t i a n s w e r e s e c r e t s a l s o f o r t h e E g y p t i a n s t h e m s e l v e s : you can
deceive
only a crook; t h a t is, y o u r d e c e p t i o n
will s u c c e e d o n l y i f it
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH mobilizes and paradox
manipulates
is c o n f i r m e d
the victim's own
SUBJECT propensity
by every successful swindler:
75 to cheat. T h i s
the
way to d o
it
p r o p e r l y is t o d e p i c t f o r t h e p r o s p e c t i v e v i c t i m t h e o p p o r t u n i t y o f m a k i n g a q u i c k f o r t u n e i n a s e m i - l e g a l way, s o t h a t t h e v i c t i m , a r o u s e d b y y o u r o f f e r o f d e c e i v i n g a t h i r d p a r t y , d o e s n o t n o t i c e t h e t r u e c a t c h t h a t will t u r n him i n t o a s u c k e r . . . o r , t o p u t it i n H e g e l e s e , y o u r - t h e c r o o k ' s - e x t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n o n t h e v i c t i m is a l r e a d y a n i n h e r e n t r e f l e c t i v e d e t e r mination
o f the victim himself. I n m y
nonexistent
third
victim -
'negation'
I effectively ' n e g a t e
-
deception
myself,
the
of
the
deceiver
h i m s e l f is d e c e i v e d ( i n a k i n d o f m o c k i n g r e v e r s a l o f t h e ' r e d e m p t i o n o f the redeemer' from Wagner's
Parsifal).
T h i s , t h e n , is h o w t h e H e g e l i a n ' c u n n i n g o f R e a s o n ' w o r k s : it c o u n t s o n t h e e g o t i s t i c / d e c e i t f u l i m p e t u s e s i n its v i c t i m s - t h a t is to say, t h e H e g e l i a n ' R e a s o n i n H i s t o r y ' is l i k e t h e p r o v e r b i a l A m e r i c a n c o n - a r t i s t w h o s w i n d l e s h i s v i c t i m s b y m a n i p u l a t i n g t h e i r o w n s n e a k y f e a t u r e s . T h e r e d e f i n i t e l y is a k i n d o f p o e t i c j u s t i c e i n t h i s r e v e r s a l : t h e s u b j e c t , as i t w e r e , r e c e i v e s f r o m t h e s w i n d l e r h i s o w n m e s s a g e i n its t r u e / i n v e r t e d f o r m - t h a t is, h e is n o t t h e v i c t i m o f t h e e x t e r n a l d a r k m a c h i n a t i o n s o f t h e t r u e s w i n d l e r b u t , r a t h e r , t h e v i c t i m o f his own c r o o k e d n e s s . Y e t a n o t h e r e x a m p l e o f t h e s a m e r e v e r s a l is p r o v i d e d b y t h e w a y t h e o u t r i g h t moralization n e c e s s a r i l y e n d s u p i n its v e r y o p p o s i t e : i n t h e n o l e s s r a d i c a l
of politics politicization
of morals. T h o s e w h o d i r e c t l y t r a n s l a t e t h e p o l i t i c a l a n t a g o n i s m i n w h i c h they participate
into moral
terms
(the struggle o f G o o d and
Evil, o f
honesty against c o r r u p t i o n ) are s o o n e r or later c o m p e l l e d to p e r f o r m the political i n s t r u m e n t a l i z a t i o n o f t h e d o m a i n o f m o r a l s : to s u b o r d i n a t e t h e i r m o r a l assessments to t h e
actual
needs
o f their political struggle -
T
s u p p o r t X b e c a u s e h e is m o r a l l y g o o d ' i m p e r c e p t i b l y drifts i n t o ' X m u s t b e g o o d b e c a u s e I s u p p o r t h i m ' . A n a l o g o u s l y , t h e leftist d i r e c t p o l i t i c i z a t i o n o f s e x u a l i t y ( ' t h e p e r s o n a l is p o l i t i c a l ' , t h a t is, t h e n o t i o n o f s e x u a l i t y as t h e a r e n a f o r t h e p o l i t i c a l p o w e r s t r u g g l e ) u n a v o i d a b l y c h a n g e s i n t o the sexualization o f politics (the direct g r o u n d i n g o f political oppression in t h e fact o f sexual difference, w h i c h s o o n e r o r later ends u p in s o m e version
o f the
New Age
transformation
o f politics into
between Feminine and Masculine Principles . .. ) .
the
struggle
76
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
T h e Dialectical Anamorphosis T h e l a s t two e x a m p l e s c l e a r l y d i s p l a y h o w H e g e l ' s b e h e s t t o c o n c e i v e t h e A b s o l u t e ' n o t o n l y as S u b s t a n c e , b u t a l s o as S u b j e c t ' d e n o t e s t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e o f w h a t it s e e m s t o m e a n
(the absolute S u b j e c t ' s 'swallowing'
-
i n t e g r a t i n g - t h e e n t i r e s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t e n t t h r o u g h its a c t i v i t y o f m e d i a d o n ) : d o e s n o t H e g e l ' s Phenomenology
of Spirit t e l l us a g a i n a n d a g a i n t h e
s a m e story o f the r e p e a t e d failure o f the s u b j e c t ' s e n d e a v o u r to realize his p r o j e c t in social S u b s t a n c e , t o i m p o s e his vision o n t h e social u n i v e r s e t h e story o f h o w the 'big O t h e r ' , the social s u b s t a n c e , again a n d
-
again
t h w a r t s h i s p r o j e c t a n d t u r n s it u p s i d e - d o w n ? L a c a n c a n t h u s b e a t l e a s t partially e x c u s e d f o r his slip in c o n f o u n d i n g c o n s c i o u s n e s s ' f r o m Phenomenology
two s e p a r a t e
'figures o f
(the 'Law o f the Heart' and the 'Beau
tiful S o u l ' ) ; w h a t t h e y s h a r e is t h e s a m e m a t r i x w h i c h , p e r h a p s e v e n m o r e than
the
'Unhappy
Phenomenology:
Consciousness', condenses
the
basic operation
of
in b o t h cases, the subject endeavours to assert his particular
r i g h t e o u s a t t i t u d e , b u t t h e a c t u a l s o c i a l p e r c e p t i o n o f h i s a t t i t u d e is t h e exact
opposite
o f his self-perception -
for
the
social Substance,
the
subject's righteousness equals crime. A n obvious c o u n t e r - a r g u m e n t imposes itself h e r e : in the c o u r s e o f the phenomenological
p r o c e s s , w e a r e still d e a l i n g w i t h
a subject who
is
c a u g h t in his narcissistic l i m i t e d f r a m e , a n d t h e r e f o r e h a s t o pay t h e p r i c e f o r it b y h i s u l t i m a t e d e m i s e ; t h e a c t u a l u n i v e r s a l s u b j e c t e m e r g e s o n l y a t t h e e n d o f t h e p r o c e s s , a n d is n o l o n g e r o p p o s e d t o s u b s t a n c e b u t t r u l y e n c o m p a s s e s it. . . . T h e p r o p e r l y H e g e l i a n a n s w e r t o t h i s c r i d c i s m is t h a t there simply is no such
'absolute subject', s i n c e t h e H e g e l i a n s u b j e c t is
nothing
but t h e v e r y m o v e m e n t o f u n i l a t e r a l s e l f - d e c e p t i o n , o f t h e hubris o f p o s i t i n g o n e s e l f in o n e ' s exclusive particularity, w h i c h n e c e s s a r i l y turns
against
i t s e l f a n d e n d s i n s e l f - n e g a t i o n . ' S u b s t a n c e as S u b j e c t ' m e a n s p r e c i s e l y that this m o v e m e n t o f self-deception, by m e a n s o f w h i c h
a
particular
a s p e c t p o s i t s i t s e l f as t h e u n i v e r s a l p r i n c i p l e , is n o t e x t e r n a l t o S u b s t a n c e b u t c o n s t i t u t i v e o f it. F o r t h i s r e a s o n , t h e H e g e l i a n ' n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' is n o t t h e m a g i c r e t u r n to identity w h i c h follows t h e painful e x p e r i e n c e o f splitting
and
alienation, but
the
the
very r e v e n g e
subject's presumption: against the
o f the
decentred
Other
against
t h e first n e g a t i o n c o n s i s t s i n t h e s u b j e c t ' s m o v e
social S u b s t a n c e
(in his
'criminal' act which
disturbs
the
s u b s t a n t i a l b a l a n c e ) , a n d t h e s u b s e q u e n t ' n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' is n o t h i n g b u t t h e revenge
of the Substance
(for i n s t a n c e , in psychoanalysis, ' n e g a t i o n '
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH is t h e
subject's repression
into
the
SUBJECT
unconscious
77
of some
substantial
c o n t e n t o f h i s b e i n g , w h i l e t h e ' n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' is t h e r e t u r n o f t h e r e p r e s s e d ) . T o r e f e r again to t h e well-worn e x a m p l e o f the Beautiful Soul: ' n e g a t i o n ' is t h e B e a u t i f u l S o u l ' s c r i t i c a l a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s its s o c i a l s u r roundings,
a n d t h e ' n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' is t h e i n s i g h t i n t o h o w
the
B e a u t i f u l S o u l i t s e l f d e p e n d s o n - a n d t h u s fully p a r t i c i p a t e s i n -
the
w i c k e d u n i v e r s e it p u r p o r t s t o r e j e c t . ' N e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' no
magic
r e v e r s a l ; it s i m p l y s i g n a l s t h e
unavoidable
presupposes
displacement
or
t h w a r t e d n e s s o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s t e l e o l o g i c a l activity. F o r t h a t r e a s o n , insist e n c e o n t h e way i n w h i c h n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n c a n a l s o fail, o n h o w t h e splitting c a n also n o t b e f o l l o w e d by the ' r e t u r n to S e l f , t h e r e f o r e misses t h e m a r k : n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n is t h e v e r y l o g i c a l m a t r i x o f t h e n e c e s s a r y f a i l u r e o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s p r o j e c t - t h a t is t o say, a n e g a t i o n w i t h o u t its selfrelating
negation
would
be
precisely the
successful
realization
of
the
s u b j e c t ' s t e l e o l o g i c a l activity. T h i s c r u c i a l a s p e c t c o u l d also b e c l a r i f i e d via r e f e r e n c e t o o n e o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t aspects o f David L y n c h ' s r e v o l u t i o n in c i n e m a : in c o n t r a s t to t h e e n t i r e history o f c i n e m a , in w h i c h o n e d o m i n a n t subjective p e r s p e c tive o r g a n i z e s t h e n a r r a t i v e s p a c e (in film noir, f o r e x a m p l e , t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f the h e r o himself, whose voice-over c o m m e n t s on the a c t i o n ) , L y n c h endeavours
to p r e s e n t m u l t i p l e
points
o f view. I n Dune,
he
applies
a
p r o c e d u r e ( u n f a i r l y d i s m i s s e d b y m a n y c r i t i c s as a r e c o u r s e t o a n o n - f i l m i c n a i v e t y b o r d e r i n g o n t h e r i d i c u l o u s ) o f u s i n g a multiple
voice-over com
mentary
speak
on
the
action
which,
in
addition,
does
not
from
an
i m a g i n e d future p l a c e (the h e r o r e m e m b e r i n g past events in a f l a s h b a c k ) , b u t is c o n t e m p o r a n e o u s w i t h t h e e v e n t o n w h i c h it c o m m e n t s , e x p r e s s i n g the s u b j e c t ' s doubts, a n x i e t i e s , a n d so on. T h e h e r o ' s voice-over d o e s n o t e n c o m p a s s t h e d e p i c t e d s i t u a t i o n , b u t is i t s e l f e m b e d d e d in it, is a p a r t o f it, e x p r e s s e s t h e s u b j e c t ' s e n g a g e m e n t in it. No
wonder,
then,
that
this
procedure
strikes
today's
spectator
r i d i c u l o u s - it is u n c a n n i l y c l o s e t o a n o t h e r s t a p l e H o l l y w o o d
as
gesture:
when a person o n screen hears or sees something which takes h i m a b a c k (as s t u p i d , u n b e l i e v a b l e , e t c . ) , h i s g a z e u s u a l l y s t i f f e n s , h e i n c l i n e s h i s h e a d s l i g h t l y a n d l o o k s d i r e c t l y i n t o t h e c a m e r a , a c c o m p a n y i n g it w i t h 'What?' o r s o m e similar r e m a r k - i f the s c e n e o c c u r s in a television series, this g e s t u r e is as a r u l e a c c o m p a n i e d b y c a n n e d l a u g h t e r , as w a s r e g u l a r l y t h e c a s e in / Love Lucy.
T h i s idiotic gesture signals the reflexive m o m e n t
o f r e g i s t r a t i o n : t h e a c t o r s ' d i r e c t i m m e r s i o n i n t h e i r n a r r a t i v e r e a l i t y is momentarily perturbed; narrative c o n t e x t and
t h e a c t o r , as it w e r e , e x t r a c t s h i m s e l f f r o m
a s s u m e s t h e p o s i t i o n o f a n o b s e r v e r o f his
the own
78
THE TICKLISH
SUBJECT
p r e d i c a m e n t . . . . I n b o t h c a s e s , i n Dune
a n d i n J Love Lucy,
i n n o c e n t p r o c e d u r e t h r e a t e n s the very f o u n d a t i o n
this a p p a r e n t l y
o f the standard onto
l o g i c a l e d i f i c e ; it i n s c r i b e s a s u b j e c t i v e p o i n t o f v i e w i n t o t h e v e r y h e a r t o f ' o b j e c t i v e r e a l i t y ' . I n o t h e r w o r d s , it u n d e r m i n e s t h e o p p o s i t i o n naive objectivism a n d
transcendental
between
subjectivism: we have n e i t h e r
the
' o b j e c t i v e r e a l i t y ' t h a t is g i v e n i n a d v a n c e , w i t h a m u l t i t u d e o f s u b j e c t i v e p e r s p e c t i v e s p r o v i d i n g d i s t o r t e d views o f it, n o r its t r a n s c e n d e n t a l
counter
point, the unified Subject who encompasses and constitutes the whole o f r e a l i t y ; w h a t w e h a v e is t h e p a r a d o x o f m u l t i p l e s u b j e c t s w h o a r e
included
i n r e a l i t y , e m b e d d e d i n it, a n d w h o s e p e r s p e c t i v e s o n r e a l i t y a r e n o n e t h e l e s s c o n s t i t u t i v e o f it. W h a t L y n c h is s t r i v i n g t o i l l u s t r a t e is t h e
ambiguous
a n d u n c a n n y s t a t u s o f s u b j e c t i v e i l l u s i o n w h i c h , p r e c i s e l y as a n i l l u s i o n ( a d i s t o r t e d view o f r e a l i t y ) , c o n s t i t u t e s reality: i f we s u b t r a c t f r o m reality t h e i l l u s o r y p e r s p e c t i v e o n it, w e l o s e r e a l i t y i t s e l f . On
a p h i l o s o p h i c a l l e v e l , t h i s d e l i c a t e d i s t i n c t i o n a l l o w s us t o
grasp
H e g e l ' s b r e a k with K a n t i a n idealism. H e g e l , o f c o u r s e , l e a r n e d the lesson o f K a n t ' s t r a n s c e n d e n t a l i d e a l i s m ( t h e r e is n o r e a l i t y p r i o r t o a s u b j e c t ' s 'positing'
activity); however,
he
refused
to
elevate
the
subject into
a
n e u t r a l - u n i v e r s a l a g e n t w h o d i r e c t l y c o n s t i t u t e s r e a l i t y . T o p u t it i n K a n t i a n t e r m s : w h i l e h e a d m i t t e d t h a t t h e r e is n o r e a l i t y w i t h o u t t h e s u b j e c t , H e g e l i n s i s t e d t h a t subjectivity
is inherently
'pathological'
(biased, limited to a
distorting, u n b a l a n c e d perspective o n the W h o l e ) . H e g e l ' s a c h i e v e m e n t was t h u s to combine, character
in a n u n p r e c e d e n t e d
of the subject's
activity
way, the analogically
with the subject's
irreducible
constitutive
pathological
bias:
w h e n t h e s e two f e a t u r e s a r e t h o u g h t t o g e t h e r , c o n c e i v e d as c o - d e p e n d e n t , we o b t a i n t h e n o t i o n o f a pathological
bias constitutive
of 'reality' itself.
T h e L a c a n i a n n a m e f o r t h i s p a t h o l o g i c a l b i a s c o n s t i t u t i v e o f r e a l i t y is, o f c o u r s e , anamorphosis.
W h a t d o e s a n a m o r p h o s i s a c t u a l l y a m o u n t t o , say,
i n H o l b e i n ' s Ambassadors}
A p a r t o f t h e p e r c e i v e d s c e n e is d i s t o r t e d
s u c h a way t h a t it a c q u i r e s its p r o p e r
contours only from
the
in
specific
v i e w p o i n t f r o m w h i c h t h e r e m a i n i n g r e a l i t y is b l u r r e d : w h e n w e c l e a r l y p e r c e i v e t h e s t a i n as a s k u l l , a n d t h u s r e a c h t h e p o i n t o f ' t h e S p i r i t is a b o n e ' , t h e r e s t o f r e a l i t y is n o l o n g e r d i s c e r n i b l e . W e t h u s b e c o m e a w a r e t h a t r e a l i t y a l r e a d y i n v o l v e s o u r g a z e , t h a t t h i s g a z e is included
in t h e s c e n e
we a r e o b s e r v i n g , that this s c e n e a l r e a d y ' r e g a r d s us' in t h e p r e c i s e s e n s e in w h i c h , i n K a f k a ' s The Trial,
t h e d o o r o f t h e L a w is t h e r e o n l y f o r t h e
' m a n f r o m t h e c o u n t r y ' . O n e c a n a g a i n d i s c e r n t h e tiny, i m p e r c e p t i b l e , but
none
the
less c r u c i a l g a p
that
forever
separates
standard Idealist n o t i o n o f 'subjective constitution' r e a l i t y as such,
L a c a n from
the
(according to which
t h e w h o l e o f it, is ' a n a m o r p h o t i c ' i n t h e g e n e r a l s e n s e o f
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
79
esse = percipi, o f ' b e i n g t h e r e ' o n l y f o r t h e s u b j e c t ' s g a z e ) : L a c a n ' s n o t i o n o f t h e b l i n d s p o t i n r e a l i t y introduces
anamorphic
distortion
into reality itself.
T h e f a c t t h a t r e a l i t y is t h e r e f o r t h e s u b j e c t o n l y must be inscribed itself in the guise of an anamorphic
in reality
stain - t h i s s t a i n s t a n d s f o r t h e g a z e o f t h e
O t h e r , f o r t h e g a z e qua o b j e c t . I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e a n a m o r p h i c
stain
corrects the standard 'subjective idealism' by r e n d e r i n g t h e gap b e t w e e n t h e e y e a n d t h e g a z e : t h e p e r c e i v i n g s u b j e c t is a l w a y s - a l r e a d y g a z e d
at
f r o m a p o i n t that e l u d e s his eyes.
3, 4 , 5 T h e H e g e l i a n n o t i o n o f ' S u b s t a n c e as S u b j e c t ' is as a r u l e i d e n t i f i e d w i t h the
triadic form
o f the
dialectical process: 'the
S u b s t a n c e is
Subject'
m e a n s t h a t it is a s e l f - d e v e l o p i n g e n t i t y , e x t e r n a l i z i n g i t s e l f , p o s i t i n g its O t h e r n e s s , a n d t h e n r e u n i t i n g i t s e l f w i t h it. . . . I n c o n t r a s t t o t h i s c o m m o n p l a c e , o n e c o u l d a s s e r t t h a t t h e a c t u a l d i m e n s i o n o f s u b j e c t i v i t y is d i s c e r n i b l e precisely in the d e a d l o c k s o f triplicity, in t h o s e p l a c e s w h e r e H e g e l oscillates a n d proposes a form o f quadruplicity, even o f quintuplicity. H o w
pertinent,
tripartite
'rhythm'
then,
is t h e
form
o f triad,
that
is, t h e
infamous
o f the Hegelian process? Although they may
appear
purely formal in the worst sense o f d i e term, these c o n s i d e r a t i o n s i m m e d i ately c o n f r o n t us with t h e i n n e r m o s t t e n s i o n a n d instability o f the H e g e l i a n s y s t e m as t h e s y s t e m o f Let
us t a k e as t h e
subjectivity.
starting point
the well-known
passage from
the
c o n c l u d i n g ' m e t h o d o l o g i c a l ' r e m a r k s o f h i s g r e a t e r Logic, i n w h i c h H e g e l h i m s e l f s p e a k s o f t r i p l i c i t y or q u a d r u p l i c i t y : process, between the starting i m m e d i a c y a n d
the m i d d l e
moment
the concluding
of a
mediated
i m m e d i a c y - t h a t is t o say, t h e m o m e n t o f negation — c a n b e c o u n t e d t w i c e , as i m m e d i a t e n e g a t i o n a n d / o r as s e l f - r e l a t i n g n e g a t i o n , s o t h a t t h e e n t i r e p r o c e s s consists o f t h r e e o r f o u r m o m e n t s . In his p h i l o s o p h y o f n a t u r e , Hegel
seems
t o give a p o s i t i v e o n t o l o g i c a l g r o u n d i n g
to
this
formal
a l t e r n a t i v e w h e n h e a s s e r t s t h a t t h e b a s i c f o r m o f t h e s p i r i t is t r i p l i c i t y a n d t h a t o f n a t u r e is q u a d r u p l i c i t y : s i n c e n a t u r e is t h e k i n g d o m o f e x t e r n a l i t y , e a c h o f t h e l o g i c a l m o m e n t s h a s t o a c q u i r e s e p a r a t e d p o s i t i v e e x i s t e n c e in it. ( I n s o f a r a s , i n H e g e l ' s s t a n d a r d m a l e - d o m i n a t e d p e r s p e c t i v e , m a n a n d w o m a n a r e r e l a t e d as c u l t u r e a n d n a t u r e , o n e is e v e n t e m p t e d t o c l a i m that
Hegel's allocation o f quadruplicity
traditional
opposition
o f 3 and 7
n u m b e r s in o r i e n t a l t h o u g h t . )
4
to
as t h e
nature
points
masculine'
and
towards
the
'feminine'
80
THE
There
is, h o w e v e r ,
TICKLISH
another,
much
SUBJECT
more
substantial
and
pertinent
exemplification o f the logic o f quadruplicity. T h e Idea, the kingdom o f Logic, o f pure conceptual determinations,
o f ' G o d p r i o r to t h e act o f
C r e a t i o n ' , c a n b e n e g a t e d i n two ways: i n t h e g u i s e o f N a t u r e as w e l l as i n t h e g u i s e o f t h e f i n i t e S p i r i t . N a t u r e is t h e i m m e d i a t e n e g a t i o n o f t h e I d e a ; it s t a n d s distinct from
f o r t h e I d e a i n its i n d i f f e r e n t
spatial externality.
i t is t h e f i n i t e S p i r i t , a c t i v e s u b j e c t i v i t y , w h i c h
infinite right a n d o p p o s e s itself to t h e U n i v e r s a l , disturbing balance, subordinating
the
interest o f the W h o l e
to
Quite
a s s e r t s its its o r g a n i c
its e g o t i s m ;
this
n e g a t i o n is s e l f - r e l a t e d , it is ' E v i l ' , t h e m o m e n t o f F a l l ( i n c o n t r a s t
to
N a t u r e ' s i n n o c e n c e ) . T h e p a r a d o x o f t h i s s e c o n d n e g a t i o n is t h a t it is m o r e radical, the m o m e n t o f infinite pain, self-alienation; but, for very r e a s o n , c l o s e r to R e c o n c i l i a t i o n : s i n c e , i n t h e c a s e o f t h e
finite
that Self,
t h e F a l l f r o m T o t a l i t y is s e l f - r e l a t e d , p o s i t e d as s u c h , it is a l s o p r e s e n t as the l o n g i n g for r e u n i f i c a t i o n with the lost Totality. . . . V i t t o r i o H o s l e ' s i d e a is t h a t t h e m o m e n t o f R e c o n c i l i a t i o n w h i c h s h o u l d t h e n f o l l o w t h a t o f the
finite
s p i r i t is n o n e o t h e r t h a n t h e ' o b j e c t i v e ' S p i r i t , i n w h i c h
two d i v i d e d m o m e n t s , n a t u r e a n d o f i n t e r s u b j e c t i v e Sittlichkeil
finite
the
spirit, are r e c o n c i l e d : t h e totality
as m a n ' s ' s e c o n d n a t u r e ' .
8
T h e entire system
c o u l d t h u s b e c o m p o s e d o f f o u r m o m e n t s : t h e l o g i c a l I d e a , its i m m e d i a t e e x t e r n a l i z a t i o n i n N a t u r e , its a b s t r a c t ' r e t u r n t o i t s e l f i n t h e finite s u b j e c t o p p o s e d to N a t u r e , a n d t h e f o u r t h
m o m e n t , ethical Substance, 'second
n a t u r e ' , as t h e r e c o n c i l i a t i o n b e t w e e n N a t u r e a n d
finite
Spirit. A c c o r d i n g
to H o s l c , H e g e l ' s i n s i s t e n c e o n T r i a d against q u a d r u p l i c i t y h i n g e s o n his f a i l u r e p r o p e r l y t o g r a s p t h e l o g i c o f i n t e r s u b j e c t i v i t y as o p p o s e d t o t h e m o n a d i c S u b j e c t a n d its d i a l e c t i c a l m o v e m e n t t o w a r d s t h e O b j e c t . These problems
overdetermine
Hegel's oscillation between
o v e r a l l s t r u c t u r e s o f h i s L o g i c , as w e l l as b e t w e e n d i f f e r e n t between
L o g i c itself a n d
the
Realphilosophie.
In
his L o g i c ,
different
correlations the
triadic
a r t i c u l a t i o n o f B e i n g - E s s e n c e - N o t i o n o v e r l a p s s t r a n g e l y with t h e
dyadic
split i n t o ' o b j e c t i v e l o g i c ' ( B e i n g a n d E s s e n c e ) a n d the 'subjective l o g i c ' of
the
Notion
-
in
clear contrast
to
the
overall
articulation
of
the
dialectical process in which subjectivity c o m e s s e c o n d a n d stands for the moment
o f split, negativity, loss. F o r H o s l e , w h o
is q u i t e j u s t i f i e d
in
e m p h a s i z i n g h o w g a m e s with 'alternative h i s t o r i e s ' , with possible different versions o f H e g e l ' s system, are d e e p l y productive, t h e s y m p t o m a t i c weak point, the p o i n t o f failure that betrays the p r o b l e m a t i c n a t u r e o f 'subjec tive l o g i c ' as t h e c o n c l u d i n g m o m e n t o f t h e e n t i r e L o g i c , is t h e p a s s a g e f r o m its first p a r t t o ' o b j e c t i v i t y ' , w h i c h t h r o w s us b a c k t o s t r u c t u r e s w h i c h p r o p e r l y b e l o n g to t h e d o m a i n o f E s s e n c e (causal m e c h a n i s m s ) , to
the
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
81
p h i l o s o p h y o f N a t u r e ( c h e m i s m , o r g a n i s m ) o r to the p h i l o s o p h y o f finite s p i r i t ( e x t e r n a l t e l e o l o g y ) - H e g e l has to a c c o m p l i s h t h i s g e s t u r e o f ' e x t e r nalizing' the subjective logic p r o p e r i n t o objectivity, so that h e c a n
then
p r o p o s e as t h e t h i r d m o m e n t t h e a b s o l u t e I d e a , t h e s y n t h e s i s o f s u b j e c t i v e logic with objectivity. It would thus have b e e n m u c h m o r e c o n s i s t e n t to posit 'subjective l o g i c ' ( n o t i o n - j u d g e m e n t - s y l l o g i s m ) as t h e second p a r t o f a n o v e r a l l t r i a d i c s t r u c t u r e , a n d t o a d d to ' s u b j e c t i v e l o g i c ' p r o p e r
( t h e first p a r t o f t h e l o g i c o f
N o t i o n ) a third logic, a synthesis o f 'objective' logic (which describes the categorial structure o f pre-subjective reality f r o m B e i n g t h r o u g h E s s e n c e , c o n c l u d i n g i n t h e n o t i o n o f A c t u a l i t y , o f S u b s t a n c e as causa
sui a n d its
passage into subject) a n d o f 'subjective' logic (which describes the cate g o r i a l s t r u c t u r e o f t h e f i n i t e s u b j e c t ' s r e a s o n i n g - it is p r e c i s e l y h e r e
that
we find t h e c o n t e n t o f t r a d i t i o n a l ' l o g i c ' ) . T h i s t h i r d l o g i c w o u l d d e s c r i b e t h e c a t e g o r i a l s t r u c t u r e o f ' s e c o n d n a t u r e ' , o f s p i r i t u a l S u b s t a n c e as t h e u n i t y o f o b j e c t i v e a n d s u b j e c t i v e m o m e n t - t h a t is, it w o u l d d e f i n e
the
c a t e g o r i a l s t r u c t u r e o f m t o s u b j e c t i v i t y . A n d - o n e is t e m p t e d t o a d d , i n a n a n a c h r o n i s t i c p r o l e p s i s - i n s o f a r as L a c a n d e f i n e s t h e s y m b o l i c o r d e r as n e i t h e r o b j e c t i v e n o r s u b j e c t i v e , b u t p r e c i s e l y as t h e o r d e r o f i n t e r s u b j e c tivity,
is n o t t h e p e r f e c t c a n d i d a t e f o r t h i s t h i r d l o g i c o f i n t e r s u b j e c t i v i t y
the psychoanalytic 'logic o f the signifier' that deploys the strange
structure
o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e O t h e r qua h i s s y m b o l i c S u b s t a n c e , t h e s p a c e in w h i c h h e i n t e r a c t s with o t h e r subjects? D o we n o t already possess f r a g m e n t s o f this l o g i c in a m u l t i t u d e o f d o m a i n s a n d guises: t h e l o g i c a l s t r u c t u r e o f a t o m i c p h y s i c s , w h i c h i n c l u d e s i n its s t r u c t u r e s u b j e c t i v i t y ( t h e position o f the observer, the passage from
q u a n t u m virtuality to
existence); the
already
'autopoiesis'
o f life, w h i c h
teleology; L a c a n ' s notion o f 'logical
time';
displays an
actual
internal
up to H e g e l ' s own i n t e r s u b j e c -
tive d i a l e c t i c o f C r i m e ( a g a i n s t t h e e t h i c a l S u b s t a n c e ) a n d its P a r d o n , C r i m i n a l ' s r e c o n c i l i a t i o n with the e s t r a n g e d C o m m u n i t y , in w h i c h
the
Haber-
mas discerned the m o d e l o f the intersubjective communicational process? However,
we
still h a v e
to
face
the
question
o f whether
the
S u b s t a n c e is e f f e c t i v e l y t h e a c c o m p l i s h e d r e c o n c i l i a t i o n b e t w e e n
social Nature
a n d f i n i t e S p i r i t : is it n o t t h a t a g a p f o r e v e r p e r s i s t s b e t w e e n t h e
'first'
n a t u r e a n d the ' s e c o n d ' ? Is n o t t h e ' s e c o n d n a t u r e ' a p r e c a r i o u s state o f balance
that
contingency
can be
destroyed
(the proverbial
self-destruction
at a n y m o m e n t ,
e i t h e r by an
c o m e t h i t t i n g t h e E a r t h ) o r by
external
humanity's
t h r o u g h war or ecological catastrophe? F u r t h e r m o r e ,
is
n o t t h e o b j e c t o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s p r e c i s e l y t h i s g a p b e t w e e n first a n d s e c o n d n a t u r e - the i n s e c u r e position o f a h u m a n s u b j e c t w h o , after losing his
82
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
f o o t i n g i n t h e first n a t u r e , c a n n e v e r f e e l fully at e a s e i n t h e s e c o n d : w h a t F r e u d c a l l e d das Unbehagen passage
from
first
to
in der Kultur,
second
nature
t h e d i f f e r e n t way t h e s u b j e c t ' s
can
go
wrong
(psychosis,
neur
o s i s . . . ) ? T h e r e is thv\s a c o r e t h a t r e s i s t s t h e s u b j e c t ' s f u l l r e c o n c i l i a t i o n w i t h h i s s e c o n d n a t u r e : t h e F r e u d i a n n a m e f o r t h i s k e r n e l is d r i v e ,
the
H e g e l i a n n a m e f o r it is ' a b s t r a c t n e g a t i v i t y ' ( o r , i n t h e m o r e p o e t i c t e r m s o f the young
Hegel, the
' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' ) . Is t h i s n o t w h y
Hegel
insists o n t h e n e c e s s i t y o f war w h i c h , f r o m t i m e to t i m e , m u s t allow t h e s u b j e c t t o r e g a i n t h e t a s t e f o r a b s t r a c t n e g a t i v i t y a n d s h a k e o f f his full i m m e r s i o n i n t h e c o n c r e t e t o t a l i t y o f t h e s o c i a l S u b s t a n c e qua h i s ' s e c o n d nature'? B e c a u s e o f this g a p , t h e o v e r a l l s t r u c t u r e o f L o g i c s h o u l d , r a t h e r , b e e n quadruple:
'objective logic'
prc-subjective reality) a n d
'subjective logic'
the finite subject's reasoning, from
(describing the structure
n o t i o n to syllogism) should
l o w e d by ' i n t e r s u b j e c t i v e l o g i c ' , a n d , f u r t h e r m o r e tive S u b s t a n c e still d o e s n o t fill t h e g a p b e t w e e n between
first
and
have
(describing the categorial structures o f
second nature),
be
of fol
(since the intersubjecitself a n d objectivity,
'absolute logic'. In Lacanian
i n t e r s u b j e c t i v e l o g i c is t h e l o g i c o f t h e s i g n i f i e r d e a l i n g w i t h t h e
terms,
structure
o f desire, w h i l e a b s o l u t e l o g i c is t h e l o g i c o f t h e R e a l , t h e l o g i c o f
drive.
A n d i n f a c t , a t t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f h i s L o g i c , i n his s e a r c h f o r a s y n t h e s i s b e t w e e n t h e I d e a o f t h e T r u e a n d t h e I d e a o f t h e G o o d , H e g e l s e e m s to d e s c r i b e t h e c e n t r a l p a r a d o x o f drive: t h e solution o f t h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n passivity ( c o n t e m p l a t i o n o f t h e T r u e ) a n d activity ( e f f o r t t o r e a l i z e
the
G o o d ) is f o r t h e s u b j e c t to g r a s p t h e f a c t t h a t , i n h i s e t h i c a l e f f o r t , h e is n o t s t r i v i n g i n v a i n t o r e a l i z e a n i m p o s s i b l e I d e a l , b u t is r e a l i z i n g s o m e t h i n g t h a t is a l r e a d y a c t u a l t h r o u g h h i s v e r y r e p e a t e d e f f o r t s t o r e a l i z e it. Is t h i s n o t t h e p a r a d o x l a t e r d e f i n e d b y L a c a n i n h i s d i s t i n c t i o n
between
t h e d r i v e ' s asm a n d goal ( t h e d r i v e ' s t r u e a i m is r e a l i z e d i n its v e r y r e p e a t e d f a i l u r e t o r e a l i z e its g o a l ) ? W i t h r e g a r d to the relationship b e t w e e n L o g i c itself a n d
Realphilosophie,
H o s l e a g a i n p o i n t s o u t h o w t h e i r p a r a l l e l is n e v e r p e r f e c t a n d s t a b l e : i n the standard f o r m o f H e g e l ' s system ( L o g i c - N a t u r e - S p i r i t ) , the triad o f L o g i c ( B e i n g - E s s e n c e - N o t i o n ) is n o t a d e q u a t e l y r e f l e c t e d in t h e d u a l i t y o f Realphilosophie philosophie
mere
( N a t u r e - S p i r i t ) ; if, h o w e v e r , w e t r a n s f o r m
into the triad o f N a t u r e -
finite
Spirit -
Real
objective/naturalized
S p i r i t , t h e o v e r a l l s t r u c t u r e o f t h e s y s t e m is n o l o n g e r a t r i a d , b u t b e c o m e s q u a d r u p l e . S o we have e i t h e r the overall triad, b u t without the p a r a l l e l b e t w e e n L o g i c a n d Realphilosophie,
perfect
o r the perfect triadic parallel,
b u t with t h e o v e r a l l d y a d i c s p l i t b e t w e e n L o g i c a n d Realphilosophie.
. .
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
83
A n d - 1 a m f u r t h e r t e m p t e d to a d d - this failure o f H e g e l to a c c o m p l i s h , in an additional turn o f the screw, t h e r e c o n c i l i a t i o n o f t h e Spirit
qua
' r e t u r n t o i t s e l f o f t h e I d e a f r o m N a t u r e with N a t u r e itself, c a n also b e d i s c e r n e d i n h i s r e d u c t i o n i s t n o t i o n o f s e x u a l i t y . T h a t is t o say, H e g e l c o n c e i v e s t h e ' c u l t u r a l i z a t i o n ' o f s e x u a l i t y as its s i m p l e ' s u b l a t i o n ' i n t o t h e civilized, s o c i o - s y m b o l i c f o r m o f m a r r i a g e . H e g e l treats sexuality in his p h i l o s o p h y o f n a t u r e as a m e r e n a t u r a l f o u n d a t i o n a n d p r e s u p p o s i t i o n o f h u m a n s o c i e t y , i n w h i c h n a t u r a l c o p u l a t i o n is ' s u b l a t e d ' i n t h e
spiritual
l i n k o f m a r r i a g e , b i o l o g i c a l p r o c r e a t i o n is ' s u b l a t e d ' in s y m b o l i c d e s c e n d a n c y m a r k e d by the family N a m e , a n d so o n . A l t h o u g h
H e g e l is, o f
c o u r s e , well aware t h a t this ' s u b l a t i o n ' also affects a n d c h a n g e s the f o r m o f satisfying n a t u r a l
needs
(copulation
is p r e c e d e d
by t h e
process o f
s e d u c t i o n ; it is u s u a l l y d o n e i n t h e m i s s i o n a r y p o s i t i o n a n d n o t a tergo, as w i t h a n i m a l s , e t c . ) , h e l e a v e s o u t o f c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h e way t h i s s y m b o l i c c u l t u r a l ' s u b l a t i o n ' n o t o n l y c h a n g e s the f o r m o f satisfying n a t u r a l n e e d s , b u t s o m e h o w affects t h e i r very s u b s t a n c e : in a s e x u a l o b s e s s i o n like courtly l o v e , t h e u l t i m a t e a i m , s a t i s f a c t i o n i t s e l f , is d i s c o n n e c t e d f r o m its n a t u r a l g r o u n d ; it c h a n g e s i n t o a l e t h a l p a s s i o n t h a t persists b e y o n d t h e
natural
c y c l e o f n e e d a n d its s a t i s f a c t i o n . T h e p o i n t is n o t o n l y t h a t h u m a n s h a v e s e x i n a m o r e c u l t i v a t e d way ( o r , o f c o u r s e , in a n i n c o m p a r a b l y m o r e c r u e l way) t h a n a n i m a l s , b u t that they are able to elevate sexuality into an absolute Aim to which
they
s u b o r d i n a t e t h e i r e n t i r e life - H e g a l s e e m s t o i g n o r e t h i s c h a n g e o f t h e b i o l o g i c a l n e e d t o c o p u l a t e i n t o s e x u a l d r i v e as a p r o p e r l y ' m e t a p h y s i c a l p a s s i o n ' . L e t us t a k e T r i s t a n a n d I s o l d e : w h e r e , i n H e g e l ' s s y s t e m , is t h e p l a c e f o r t h i s d e a d l y p a s s i o n , f o r t h i s will t o d r o w n o n e s e l f in t h e n i g h t o f puissance,
t o leave b e h i n d t h e daily u n i v e r s e o f s y m b o l i c o b l i g a t i o n s - for
t h i s u n c o n d i t i o n a l d r i v e w h i c h is n e i t h e r C u l t u r e n o r N a t u r e ? this
passion
strives
to
suspend
the
domain
o f Culture
Although
( o f symbolic
o b l i g a t i o n s , e t c . ) , it c l e a r l y h a s n o t h i n g t o d o w i t h a r e t u r n t o i n s t i n c t u a l Nature -
rather, it involves t h e m o s t radical perversion o f the
natural
i n s t i n c t , s o t h a t , p a r a d o x i c a l l y , it is t h e v e r y r e c o u r s e t o t h e o r d e r o f C u l t u r e t h a t e n a b l e s us t o e s c a p e t h e d e a d l y v o r t e x o f t h i s
'unnatural'
passion, a n d to r e g a i n t h e pacifying n a t u r a l b a l a n c e o f instinctual n e e d s 1
i n t h e i r s y m b o l i z e d f o r m . ' T o p u t it i n y e t a n o t h e r way: w h a t H e g e l l e a v e s o u t o f c o n s i d e r a t i o n is t h e f a c t t h a t
'there
is n o
sexual
relationship':
culture n o t only confers a cultivated form o n sexuality, b u t
thoroughly
d e r a i l s it, s o t h a t t h e o n l y way f o r a h u m a n b e i n g t o b e a b l e t o ' d o i t ' , t o e n j o y it, is t o r e l y o n s o m e ' p e r v e r s e ' i d i o s y n c r a t i c p h a n t a s m i c s c e n a r i o t h e u l t i m a t e h u m a n p e r v e r s i o n is t h a t so-called
'natural'
instinctual
sexual
84
THE
satisfaction remain
needs a cultural
operative.
TICKLISH
prosthesis,
SUBJECT
some kind
of symbolic
crutch,
in order to
I t is o n l y at t h i s l e v e l , i n t h e ' p e r v e r s e ' c u l t u r a l i z a t i o n o f
the sexual impetus
itself, t h a t w e o b t a i n
the actual
'reconciliation' of
Nature and Culture."' A l o n g these lines, o n e can also a c c o u n t for the 'secret' o f the b i p a r t i t e s t r u c t u r e o f H e g e l ' s Phenomenology:
actual
the logical c o u n t e r p a r t to the
two p a r t s i n t o w h i c h t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f Phenomenology
e v i d e n t l y falls
the ' s y n c h r o n o u s ' triad C o n s c i o u s n e s s - S e l f c o n s c i o u s n e s s - R e a s o n a n d
-
the
' h i s t o r i c a l ' t r i a d S p i r i t - R e l i g i o n - P h i l o s o p h y ( i . e . A b s o l u t e K n o w i n g ) - is t h e d u a l i t y i n e a r l y H e g e l ( u p t o t h e J e n a y e a r s ) o f L o g i c and. M e t a p h y s i c s as t h e two p a r t s o f ' p u r e ' p h i l o s o p h y , w h i c h is t h e n f o l l o w e d b y sophie
(corresponding
Realphilo-
to t h e l a t e r p h i l o s o p h y o f N a t u r e a n d o f S p i r i t ) .
T h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n L o g i c a n d M e t a p h y s i c s p r o p e r fits t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n subjective reflexive R e a s o n , to w h i c h o n l y t h e finite reality c a u g h t in t h e n e t w o r k o f r e l a t i o n s / m e d i a t i o n s is a c c e s s i b l e , a n d t h e h u m a n S p i r i t i n s o f a r as it g r a s p s ( o r , r a t h e r , d i r e c t l y i d e n t i f i e s w i t h ) t h e A b s o l u t e i t s e l f b e y o n d all r e f l e x i v e o p p o s i t i o n s being,
o f reason
itself a n d
(of subject and object, o f thought
intuition . . . ) . This distinction,
of
and
course,
remains Schellingian: Hegel 'became Hegel' when he accepted that there is n o A b s o l u t e beyond, o r above t h e r e f l e x i v e o p p o s i t i o n s a n d c o n t r a d i c t i o n s o f t h e F i n i t e - t h e A b s o l u t e is nothing
but t h e m o v e m e n t o f s c l f - s u b l a t i o n
o f t h e s e f i n i t e d e t e r m i n a t i o n s ; i t is n o t b e y o n d r e f l e c t i o n , b u t
absolute
r e f l e c t i o n itself. O n c e H e g e l g a i n e d this i n s i g h t , t h e d i s t i n c t i o n L o g i c a n d Metaphysics h a d to collapse: L o g i c itself h a d to b e
between identified
w i t h ' M e t a p h y s i c s ' , with t h e p h i l o s o p h i c a l s c i e n c e o f t h e i n h e r e n t c a t e g o r ial n e t w o r k t h a t d e t e r m i n e s e v e r y c o n c e i v a b l e f o r m o f r e a l i t y . W h a t w e h a v e h e r e is t h e p a r a d i g m a t i c c a s e o f d i a l e c t i c a l ' p r o g r e s s ' : w e pass f r o m L o g i c ( d e a l i n g with e x t e r n a l r e f l e x i v e o p p o s i t i o n s , with r e a s o n i n g as o p p o s e d t o its o b j e c t , B e i n g ) t o M e t a p h y s i c s ( d i r e c t l y d e s c r i b i n g t h e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e A b s o l u t e ) n o t by any k i n d o f ' p r o g r e s s ' , o f a m a j o r transmutation
of
Logic,
but
by
( m i s ) p e r c e i v e d as a m e r e organon, our
grasping
the Absolute -
becoming
aware
of
how
what
we
introductory tools, preparatory step, to
that
is, t o M e t a p h y s i c s p r o p e r
-
already
describes t h e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e A b s o l u t e . I n o t h e r w o r d s , w e fail t o g r a s p t h e A b s o l u t e precisely in so far as toe continue the domain
of our finite
reflected reasoning,
to presuppose
that, above and
there is an Absolute
beyond
to be grasped - w e
actually o v e r c o m e the limitation o f e x t e r n a l reflection by simply b e c o m i n g a w a r e o f h o w t h i s e x t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n is i n h e r e n t t o t h e A b s o l u t e i t s e l f . This
is H e g e l ' s f u n d a m e n t a l
criticism o f Kant: n o t
that
K a n t fails
to
o v e r c o m e t h e e x t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g , b u t t h a t h e still t h i n k s
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
85
t h a t t h e r e is s o m e B e y o n d w h i c h e l u d e s its g r a s p . W h a t K a n t d o e s n o t s e e is t h a t h i s Critique of Pure Reason,
as t h e c r i t i c a l ' p r o l e g o m e n a ' t o a f u t u r e
m e t a p h y s i c s , already is t h e o n l y p o s s i b l e m e t a p h y s i c s . O v e r l a p p i n g with t h i s d i s t i n c t i o n is t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e ( t r a d i t i o n a l A r i s t o t e l i a n ) s e n s e o f organon,
providing
the
' L o g i c ' in conceptual
t o o l s t h a t h e l p us t o g r a s p t h e o n t o l o g i c a l s t r u c t u r e o f r e a l i t y ( t h e r u l e s o f our formation o f Notions and forms o f j u d g e m e n t and reasoning), and ' M e t a p h y s i c s ' ( w h i c h d i r e c t l y d e s c r i b e s t h e o n t o l o g i c a l s t r u c t u r e ) : t h e first triad
o f Phenomenology
remains
at
the
level o f ' L o g i c ' ,
providing
the
p h e n o m e n a l s e q u e n c e o f the different m o d e s w h e r e b y the finite, isolated subject can grasp society; while the s e c o n d triad direcUy describes p h e n o m e n a l s e q u e n c e o f the actual historical shapes/figurations
the
o f the
A b s o l u t e i t s e l f . ( T h e ' l o g i c ' o f t h e e a r l y H e g e l t h u s l o o s e l y fits t h e
first
p a r t o f t h e m a t u r e H e g e l ' s 'subjective l o g i c ' , w h i c h follows t h e ' o b j e c t i v e ' logic d e p l o y i n g the o n t o l o g i c a l s t r u c t u r e o f pre-subjective reality.) In this precise sense, o n e c a n argue with justification that H e g e l ' s is a w o r k o f p a s s a g e - t h a t its s t r u c t u r e
Phenomenology
still b e t r a y s t r a c e s o f t h e early-
H e g e l , e s p e c i a l l y i n its f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h t h e ' m a d d a n c e ' o f r e f l e x i v i t y , o f d i a l e c t i c r e v e r s a l s , as t h e ( s t i l l ) i n t r o d u c t o r y p r e l u d e t o t h e S y s t e m p r o p e r , with its s a t i s f i e d s p e c u l a t i v e s e l f - d e p l o y m e n t . I n o t h e r w o r d s ,
Phenomenology
is n o t y e t ' t r u l y H e g e l i a n ' p r e c i s e l y in s o f a r as it still c o n c e i v e s o f its r o l e as
that
o f the
'introduction'
to
the
System
proper
(although
t a n e o u s l y as its first p a r t - t h a t is t h e s o u r c e o f its u l t i m a t e
simul
unresolved
ambiguity). For
Hegel,
Reason
is n o t
another,
'higher'
capacity
than
that
of
' a b s t r a c t ' U n d e r s t a n d i n g ; w h a t d e f i n e s U n d e r s t a n d i n g is t h e v e r y i l l u s i o n t h a t , b e y o n d it, t h e r e is a n o t h e r d o m a i n
( e i t h e r t h e ineffable Mystical o r
R e a s o n ) w h i c h e l u d e s its d i s c u r s i v e g r a s p . I n s h o r t , t o g e t f r o m standing
to R e a s o n , o n e
c o n t r a r y , t o subtract
does n o t have
to
add
anything,
Under
but, o n
s o m e t h i n g : w h a t H e g e l c a l l s ' R e a s o n ' is
the
Understanding
itself, b e r e f t o f t h e i l l u s i o n t h a t t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g B e y o n d it. T h i s is w h y , i n t h e d i r e c t c h o i c e b e t w e e n U n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d R e a s o n , o n e h a s first t o choose Understanding:
n o t in o r d e r
to play the stupid
game
o f self-
b l i n d i n g ( t h e a b s o l u t e s u b j e c t first h a s t o a l i e n a t e itself, t o p o s i t e x t e r n a l r e a l i t y as i n d e p e n d e n t o f itself, i n o r d e r t o s u p e r s e d e / s u b l a t e tion
this a l i e n a
b y way o f r e c o g n i z i n g i n it its o w n p r o d u c t . . . ) , b u t f o r t h e s i m p l e
r e a s o n t h a t there is nothing Understanding;
outside
or beyond Understanding.
F i r s t , we c h o o s e
t h e n , in t h e s e c o n d m o v e , we choose Understanding
again,
o n l y w i t h o u t a n y t h i n g in a d d i t i o n to it (i.e. w i t h o u t t h e illusion that t h e r e is a n o t h e r ,
' h i g h e r ' c a p a c i t y b e y o n d o r b e n e a t h it, e v e n i f t h i s
'higher'
86
THE
c a p a c i t y is c a l l e d R e a s o n ) -
TICKLISH
and
SUBJECT
this U n d e r s t a n d i n g ,
deprived
of
the
i l l u s i o n t h a t t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g b e y o n d it, is R e a s o n . T h i s e n a b l e s us to throw s o m e n e w l i g h t o n t h e a g e - o l d q u e s t i o n o f t h e relationship between Kant and Hegel. Today's Kantians' most convincing a n s w e r t o H e g e l ' s c r i t i c i s m o f K a n t (as e x e m p l i f i e d , say, i n h i s d e t a i l e d e x a m i n a t i o n o f the i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s a n d d i s p l a c e m e n t s d i s c e r n i b l e in ' m o r a l v i e w o f t h e w o r l d ' i n Phenomenology
of Spirit)
is a s i m p l e : so
the what?
W h a t H e g e l c r i t i c i z e s as i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s ( t h e f a c t t h a t K a n t ' s m o r a l theoryp o s i t s t h e necessity o f e t h i c a l a c t i v i t y , w h i l e s i m u l t a n e o u s l y m a k i n g a t r u e e t h i c a l a c t impossible
to accomplish,
e t c . ) is p r e c i s e l y t h e p a r a d o x o f t h e
a u t h e n t i c K a n t i a n p o s i t i o n . . . . T h e H e g e l i a n a n s w e r to this w o u l d t r u e , b u t K a n t is n o t a b l e t o acknowledge, that provide adding
t o state openly, t h e s e
be:
paradoxes
t h e very c o r e o f h i s p h i l o s o p h i c a l e d i f i c e ; a n d , f a r
from
a n y t h i n g t o K a n t (say, t h e ' h i g h e r ' c a p a c i t y o f R e a s o n t h a t is a b l e
to m o v e b e y o n d the K a n t i a n o p p o s i t e s o f n o u m e n a l a n d p h e n o m e n a l , o f f r e e d o m a n d n e c e s s i t y , e t c . ) , Hegel's the paradoxes
constitutive
of Kant's
critique simply openly states and
position.
I t is e n o u g h
assumes
to m e n t i o n
the
r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n E s s e n c e a n d its A p p e a r i n g : K a n t , o f c o u r s e , ' i m p l i c itly' a l r e a d y k n o w s t h a t t h e n o u m e n a l E s s e n c e b e y o n d p h e n o m e n a l realityis n o t s i m p l y a t r a n s c e n d e n t I n - i t s e l f , b u t s o m e h o w h a s t o appear
within
t h i s v e r y r e a l i t y ( s e e h i s w e l l - k n o w n e x a m p l e o f e n t h u s i a s m as a sign o f n o u m e n a l F r e e d o m : in t h e e n t h u s i a s m g e n e r a t e d by t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u tion in e n l i g h t e n e d appeared
o b s e r v e r s all a r o u n d
Europe, noumenal
Freedom
as t h e b e l i e f in t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a h i s t o r i c a l a c t w h i c h , as it w e r e ,
s t a r t s ex nihilo - w h i c h s u s p e n d s
the chain o f causal d e p e n d e n c i e s
and
realizes f r e e d o m ) ; however, this u l t i m a t e identity o f t h e n o u m e n a l
with
t h e a p p e a r a n c e r e m a i n e d ' i n i t s e l f f o r K a n t - w i t h i n h i s e d i f i c e , it w a s n o t p o s s i b l e e x p l i c i t l y t o s t a t e t h a t n o u m e n a l F r e e d o m is nothing r u p t u r e within p h e n o m e n a l reality, t h e p r e m o n i t i o n o f a n o t h e r s i o n w h i c h appears w i t h i n p h e n o m e n a l r e a l i t y .
T h e Speculative
but a dimen
11
Identity o f Substance and Subject
S o , to r e t u r n to H o s l e ' s basic c r i t i c i s m o f H e g e l : H e g e l misses the for
the
second
Reconciliation between
Nature
and
Spirit
(qua
need
Nature
r e t u r n e d i n t o i t s e l f f r o m its e x t e r n a l i t y ) , b e c a u s e h e fails t o d e p l o y all t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e m o v e m e n t o f Er-Innerung
(internaliza
t i o n o f t h e e x t e r n a l , o f w h a t is m e r e l y g i v e n as n e c e s s a r y - c o n t i n g e n t ) is strictly
correlative
to
the
opposite
movement
of
cxternalization,
of
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
87
r e n e w e d ' n a t u r a l i z a t i o n ' . H e g e l , w h o always e m p h a s i z e s t h e a s p e c t o f ErInnerung,
o f t h e Spirit's ' r e t u r n to i t s e l f f r o m t h e e x t e r n a l i t y o f N a t u r e ,
does n o t sufficiendy take into a c c o u n t the opposite m o v e m e n t o f extern a l i z a t i o n - t h e f a c t t h a t t h e S p i r i t w h i c h ' r e t u r n s t o i t s e l f f r o m N a t u r e ' is still t h e f i n i t e S p i r i t a b s t r a c t l y o p p o s e d t o N a t u r e , a n d s h o u l d as s u c h , i n yet a n o t h e r dialectical t u r n o f the screw, b e a g a i n r e c o n c i l e d with N a t u r e . . . . I t s e e m s , n o n e t h e less t h a t H d s l e m i s s e s h e r e t h e p r o p e r m o v e in which
'abstract' internalization
(withdrawal
Hegelian
to the Interior o f
t h o u g h t ) is a c c o m p a n i e d b y - is a n o t h e r a s p e c t o f - t h e a s s e r t i o n o f t h e meaningless externality abstractly o p p o s e d
to the subject. T h e
classical
p o l i t i c a l e x a m p l e , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t o f t h e R o m a n E m p i r e , i n w h i c h s u b j e c t w i t h d r a w s f r o m t h e Sittlichkeit f r e e d o m a n d , for that very reason,
the
o f t h e G r e e k polis i n t o a b s t r a c t i n n e r
e x t e r n a l i t y a s s e r t s its r i g h t i n t h e g u i s e o f
t h e s t a t e p o w e r o f t h e E m p i r e e x p e r i e n c e d b y t h e s u b j e c t as a n e x t e r n a l p o w e r in which h e n o l o n g e r r e c o g n i z e s his ethical substance. T h e m o s t e l e m e n t a r y f o r m o f t h e S p i r i t ' s e x t e r n a l i z a t i o n , o f c o u r s e , is language,
as H e g e l e m p h a s i z e s a g a i n a n d a g a i n , o u r i n n e r e x p e r i e n c e c a n
s h e d the traces o f external senses a n d a c q u i r e the form o f a p u r e
thought
o n l y b y a g a i n b e c o m i n g e x t e r n a l i z e d i n a m e a n i n g l e s s s i g n - w e think o n l y i n words, i n l a n g u a g e . T h e s a m e g o e s f o r customs in g e n e r a l : c u s t o m s f o r m the necessary b a c k g r o u n d , the space o f o u r social freedom. A n d the same g o e s f o r t h e s o c i a l S u b s t a n c e itself, f o r t h e p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f Sittlichkeit, L a c a n i a n ' b i g O t h e r ' , w h i c h is p r e c i s e l y o u r ' s e c o n d n a t u r e ' : spirit', the spirit's r e n e w e d naturalization a n d / o r
the
'objective
externalization.
1 2
I n a n a p p r o a c h t o H e g e l w h i c h , w i t h its e m p h a s i s o n h i s t o r i c a l d i a l e c t i c as t h e o n l y a s p e c t o f H e g e l w o r t h s a v i n g , is t h e v e r y o p p o s i t e o f H o s l e ' s systematic r e c o n s t r u c t i o n , Charles T a y l o r also e n d e a v o u r s
to deploy
the
i n n e r inconsistency o f the Hegelian logic o f cxternalization o f the Idea. A c c o r d i n g to T a y l o r ,
1 3
t h e H e g e l i a n S p i r i t h a s t w o e m b o d i m e n t s : it p o s i t s
its p r e s u p p o s i t i o n , its c o n d i t i o n s o f e x i s t e n c e , and it e x p r e s s e s i t s e l f in its b o d i l y e x t e r i o r . I n t h e case o f t h e A b s o l u t e Spirit, t h e two
embodiments
c o i n c i d e , w h i l e i n t h e c a s e o f m a n qua f i n i t e b e i n g , t h e two a r e f o r e v e r s e p a r a t e d - t h a t is t o say, m a n is always e m b e d d e d i n a s e t o f c o n d i t i o n s o f e x i s t e n c e w h i c h h e c a n n o t e v e r fully ' i n t e r n a l i z e ' , t r a n s f o r m
into
an
e x p r e s s i o n o f h i s s u b j e c t i v i t y - t h e r e is always a n e l e m e n t o f c o n t i n g e n t externality which persists. T h e first a s s o c i a t i o n h e r e , o f c o u r s e , is S c h e l l i n g : t h e p o i n t o f S c h e l ling's
distinction
between
Divine
Existence
and
its
insurmountable
G r o u n d is t h a t t h e g a p t h a t f o r e v e r s e p a r a t e s e x p r e s s i o n f r o m conditions
o f existence holds
also for
the Absolute
Subject,
external for
God
88
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
H i m s e l f - G o d H i m s e l f is e m b e d d e d i n a s e t o f c o n d i t i o n s w h i c h f o r e v e r r e m a i n a n i m p e n e t r a b l e O t h e r . F o r t h i s r e a s o n , S c h e l l i n g is t h e e n i g m a t i c 'vanishing m e d i a t o r ' between absolute Idealism a n d post-Hegelian histori c i s m . T h i s p a s s a g e f r o m I d e a l i s m t o h i s t o r i c i s m is p e r h a p s b e s t e x p r e s s e d b y t h e f a m o u s s t a t e m e n t f r o m t h e b e g i n n i n g o f M a r x ' s Eighteenth
Brumaire
a b o u t h o w m e n c r e a t e history, b u t n o t o u t o f n o t h i n g o r in t h e c o n d i t i o n s t h e y h a v e c h o s e n t h e m s e l v e s - t h e y c r e a t e h i s t o r y in t h e c o n d i t i o n s w h i c h w e r e f o u n d a n d i m p o s e d o n t h e m . H e r e t h e r e is a c l e a r c o n t r a s t w i t h ( a c e r t a i n i m a g e o f ) H e g e l i a n I d e a l i s m , i n w h i c h t h e a b s o l u t e I d e a a c t s as t h e S u b j e c t t h a t p o s i t s its e n t i r e c o n t e n t a n d t h u s a c t u a l i z e s i t s e l f o n l y o u t o f itself, r e l y i n g o n n o e x t e r n a l c o n t i n g e n t p r e s u p p o s i t i o n s - t h a t is, i t is n o t b o u n d by t h e c o n f i n e s o f t e m p o r a l i t y - c o n t i n g e n c y - f i n i t u d e . H o w e v e r , w h a t c o m e s i n b e t w e e n a b s o l u t e I d e a l i s m a n d p o s t - I d e a l i s t h i s t o r i c i s m is t h e u n i q u e p o s i t i o n o f S c h e l l i n g as t h e ' v a n i s h i n g m e d i a t o r ' : S c h e l l i n g r e t a i n s t h e A b s o l u t e as S u b j e c t ( i . e . h e s p e a k s o f G o d , n o t o f m a n ) , b u t he none
the
l e s s applies
contingency-fnitude,
to Him
the fundamental
postulate
of
temporality-
s o t h a t w h a t h e u l t i m a t e l y a s s e r t s is t h a t G o d c r e a t e d
t h e u n i v e r s e , b u t n o t o u t o f n o t h i n g - H e c r e a t e d it in t h e
conditions
which were found and imposed on H i m (these 'conditions', o f course, are t h e u n f a t h o m a b l e Real o f the G r o u n d o f G o d , that which in G o d H i m s e l f is n o t y e t G o d ) . " T a y l o r ' s m i s t a k e h e r e is t h a t h e r e d o u b l e s t h e n o t i o n o f s u b j e c t i n t o h u m a n subjectivity (finite, c a u g h t in t h e g a p b e t w e e n p r e s u p p o s i t i o n
and
expression) and a spectral m o n s t e r called 'Absolute Subject', the Spirit [Geist],
G o d - o r , as T a y l o r c a l l s it (in a t h o r o u g h l y u n - H e g e l i a n f a s h i o n )
' c o s m i c spirit', w h o s e m e r e
' v e h i c l e ' is t h e
finite h u m a n subject. W e thus
finish
the infinite absolute Subject a n d the
(self-)consciousness o f the
w i t h a s p l i t b e t w e e n two s u b j e c t s , finite
h u m a n subject, instead o f the
properly dialectical speculative identity between the infinite
Substance
a n d t h e S u b j e c t as t h e a g e n t o f f i n i t u d e / a p p e a r a n c e / s p l i t - ' S u b s t a n c e is Subject'
m e a n s that t h e split w h i c h s e p a r a t e s S u b j e c t f r o m
Substance,
f r o m t h e i n a c c e s s i b l e I n - i t s e l f b e y o n d p h e n o m e n a l r e a l i t y , is i n h e r e n t t o t h e S u b s t a n c e itself. I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e k e y p o i n t is t o r e a d
Hegel's
p r o p o s i t i o n ' S u b s t a n c e is S u b j e c t ' n o t as a d i r e c t a s s e r t i o n o f i d e n t i t y , b u t as a n e x a m p l e ( p e r h a p s
the e x a m p l e ) o f ' i n f i n i t e j u d g e m e n t ' , l i k e
S p i r i t is a b o n e ' . T h e p o i n t foundation
is n o t
that
the
Substance
(the
o f all e n t i t i e s , t h e A b s o l u t e ) is n o t a p r e - s u b j e c t i v e
'the
ultimate Ground
b u t a S u b j e c t , a n a g e n t o f s e l f - d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n , w h i c h p o s i t s its o t h e r n e s s and
then
substantial
reappropriates
it, a n d
so o n :
agency o f phenomenalization,
'Subject'
stands
appearance,
for the
non-
'illusion',
split,
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
89
f i n i t u d e , U n d e r s t a n d i n g , a n d s o o n , a n d t o c o n c e i v e S u b s t a n c e as S u b j e c t m e a n s p r e c i s e l y t h a t split, p h e n o m e n a l i z a t i o n , a n d s o f o r t h , a r e i n h e r e n t t o t h e life o f t h e A b s o l u t e i t s e l f . T h e r e is n o ' a b s o l u t e S u b j e c t ' - s u b j e c t ' a s s u c h ' is r e l a t i v e , c a u g h t i n s e l f - d i v i s i o n , a n d it is as such t h a t t h e S u b j e c t is i n h e r e n t t o t h e S u b s t a n c e . I n c o n t r a s t t o this speculative notion o f their
identity o f S u b s t a n c e and
Subject,
direct i d e n t i t y t h u s i n v o l v e s t h e r e d o u b l i n g
the
of subjects,
w h i c h again r e d u c e s subjectivity p r o p e r to a n a c c i d e n t ( ' v e h i c l e ' ) o f the substantial Absolute, o f an subjects.
T h i s also o p e n s
O t h e r who speaks 'through' up
the
false,
finite
pseudo-Hegelian
human
notion
of a
d i a l e c t i c a l p r o c e s s i n w h i c h its S u b j e c t ( ' c o s m i c s p i r i t ' ) p o s i t s its e x t e r n a l ity, a l i e n a t e s i t s e l f f r o m i t s e l f , i n o r d e r t o r e g a i n its i n t e g r i t y o n a h i g h e r level: t h e m i s l e a d i n g p r e s u p p o s i t i o n
at w o r k h e r e is t h a t t h e S u b j e c t o f
t h e p r o c e s s is s o m e h o w g i v e n f r o m t h e o u t s e t , n o t e n g e n d e r e d b y t h e v e r y process o f the S u b s t a n c e ' s splitting. A n o t h e r way t o m a k e t h e s a m e p o i n t is w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e two d i f f e r e n t ways o f r e a d i n g t h e s i t u a t i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t c o n f r o n t e d w i t h t h e
unfath
o m a b l e excess of a T h i n g w h i c h eludes his reflexive symbolic grasp. T h e ' s u b s t a n t i a l i s t ' way t o r e a d it is s i m p l y t o c l a i m t h a t o u r ( f i n i t e s u b j e c t ' s ) capacity to grasp
the
O b j e c t we
are
confronting
always a n d
a
priori
s u r p a s s e s u s : t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g i n t h e o b j e c t t h a t f o r e v e r r e s i s t s b e i n g translated into our conceptual network (the point about the a n c e o f t h e o b j e c t i v e ' m a d e r e g u l a r l y b y A d o r n o i n h i s Negative
'preponder Dialectics).
O f what, h o w e v e r , d o e s this e x c e s s c o n s i s t ? W h a t i f w h a t e l u d e s o u r grasp, w h a t is ' i n t h e o b j e c t m o r e t h a n t h e o b j e c t i t s e l f , a r e t h e t r a c e s o f w h a t , i n p a s t h i s t o r y , t h i s ' o b j e c t ' (say, a h i s t o r i c a l s i t u a t i o n t h e s u b j e c t e n d e a v ours
to analyse)
might
have
b e c o m e , b u t failed to d o
so? T o grasp
a
h i s t o r i c a l s i t u a t i o n ' i n its b e c o m i n g ' ( a s K i e r k e g a a r d w o u l d h a v e p u t i t ) is n o t t o p e r c e i v e it as a p o s i t i v e s e t o f f e a t u r e s
( ' t h e way t h i n g s a c t u a l l y
a r e ' ) , b u t t o d i s c e r n i n it t h e t r a c e s o f f a i l e d ' e m a n c i p a t o r y ' a t t e m p t s a t liberation. ( H e r e I am, o f c o u r s e , alluding to W a l t e r B e n j a m i n ' s n o t i o n o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y g a z e w h i c h p e r c e i v e s t h e a c t u a l r e v o l u t i o n a r y ' a c t as t h e redemptive repetition o f past failed e m a n c i p a t o r y attempts.) I n this case, however, the
'preponderance
o f the objective', that which eludes
our
g r a s p i n t h e T h i n g , is n o l o n g e r t h e e x c e s s o f its p o s i t i v e c o n t e n t o v e r o u r c o g n i t i v e c a p a c i t i e s b u t , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , its lack, t h a t is, t h e t r a c e s o f failures,
t h e absences i n s c r i b e d i n its p o s i t i v e e x i s t e n c e : t o g r a s p t h e O c t o b e r
R e v o l u t i o n ' i n its b e c o m i n g ' m e a n s t o d i s c e r n t h e t r e m e n d o u s
emancipa
t o r y p o t e n t i a l t h a t was s i m u l t a n e o u s l y a r o u s e d a n d c r u s h e d b y its h i s t o r i c a l a c t u a l i t y . C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h i s e x c e s s / l a c k is n o t t h e p a r t o f t h e ' o b j e c t i v e
90
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
t h a t is i n e x c e s s o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s c o g n i t i v e c a p a c i t i e s : r a t h e r it c o n s i s t s o f the traces o f the s u b j e c t h i m s e l f (his c r u s h e d h o p e s a n d desires) in the object,
so that
what
is p r o p e r l y
'unfathomable'
in
the
object
is
the
objective counterpart/correlative o f the i n n e r m o s t kernel o f the subject's own desire.
T h e Hegelian Forced Choice These
paradoxes
provide
a clue to
the
Hegelian
opposition
between
' c o n c r e t e ' a n d ' a b s t r a c t ' u n i v e r s a l i t y . H e g e l was t h e first t o e l a b o r a t e t h e p r o p e r l y m o d e r n n o t i o n o f individualization
through secondary
identification.
A t t h e b e g i n n i n g , t h e s u b j e c t is i m m e r s e d i n a p a r t i c u l a r l i f e - f o r m i n t o w h i c h h e was b o r n ( f a m i l y , l o c a l c o m m u n i t y ) ; t h e o n l y w a y f o r h i m t o t e a r h i m s e l f away f r o m h i s p r i m o r d i a l
' o r g a n i c ' c o m m u n i t y , to cut his links
w i t h it a n d a s s e r t h i m s e l f as a n ' a u t o n o m o u s i n d i v i d u a l ' , is t o s h i f t h i s fundamental
a l l e g i a n c e , to
recognize
the
substance
o f his
a n o t h e r , s e c o n d a r y c o m m u n i t y , w h i c h is u n i v e r s a l a n d , 'artificial';
no
longer
'spontaneous'
activity o f i n d e p e n d e n t
free
but
subjects
'mediated,'
(nation
being
sustained
versus
in
simultaneously
local
by
the
community;
p r o f e s s i o n in t h e m o d e r n s e n s e - j o b in a l a r g e a n o n y m o u s c o m p a n y versus
the
'personalized'
master-artisan;
the
ditional wisdom
relationship
between
an
apprentice
academic community o f knowledge
passed from
generation
and
versus
to g e n e r a t i o n ;
the
etc., up
-
his tra to
a
m o t h e r who relies m o r e on child-care manuals than o n parental advice). T h i s shift f r o m p r i m a r y t o s e c o n d a r y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n d o e s n o t i n v o l v e a d i r e c t loss o f p r i m a r y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s : w h a t h a p p e n s is t h a t p r i m a r y i d e n t i fications
u n d e r g o a k i n d o f t r a n s u b s t a n t i a t i o n ; t h e y s t a r t to f u n c t i o n
the form o f a p p e a r a n c e o f the universal secondary identification
as
(say,
precisely by b e i n g a g o o d m e m b e r o f m y family, I t h e r e b y c o n t r i b u t e to t h e p r o p e r f u n c t i o n i n g o f m y n a t i o n - s t a t e ) . T h e r e i n lies t h e
Hegelian
difference
between
universal
secondary
identification
'abstract'
and
remains
' c o n c r e t e ' universality: t h e 'abstract'
in
so
far
as it is
directly
o p p o s e d t o t h e p a r t i c u l a r f o r m s o f p r i m a r y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n - t h a t is, i n s o f a r as it c o m p e l s t h e s u b j e c t t o r e n o u n c e h i s p r i m a r y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s ; i t becomes
'concrete' when
forming
them
into
it r e i n t e g r a t e s
the
modes
of
'abstract'
and
primary
appearance
identifications, of
the
trans
secondary
identification. This tension
between
' c o n c r e t e ' u n i v e r s a l i t y is clearly-
d i s c e r n i b l e in t h e p r e c a r i o u s social status o f t h e e a r l y C h r i s t i a n
Church:
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
91
o n t h e o n e h a n d , t h e r e was t h e z e a l o t r y o f t h e r a d i c a l g r o u p s w h i c h saw n o way o f c o m b i n i n g t h e t r u e C h r i s t i a n a t t i t u d e w i t h t h e e x i s t i n g s p a c e o f p r e d o m i n a n t social r e l a t i o n s , a n d thus p o s e d a s e r i o u s t h r e a t to the social order; o n the o t h e r h a n d , there were the attempts to r e c o n c i l e Christianity with the existing structure o f d o m i n a t i o n , so t h a t y o u c o u l d participate in s o c i a l life, o c c u p y y o u r d e t e r m i n a t e
p l a c e i n it ( a s a s e r v a n t ,
artisan, feudal l o r d . . .) a n d r e m a i n a g o o d C h r i s t i a n -
peasant,
accomplishing
y o u r d e t e r m i n a t e s o c i a l r o l e was n o t o n l y s e e n as c o m p a t i b l e w i t h b e i n g a C h r i s t i a n , it was e v e n p e r c e i v e d as a s p e c i f i c w a y o f f u l f i l l i n g t h e u n i v e r s a l duty o f b e i n g a Christian. On
a
first
approach,
things thus seem clear and
unambiguous:
the
p h i l o s o p h e r o f a b s t r a c t u n i v e r s a l i t y is K a n t ( a n d , i n K a n t ' s s t e p s , F i c h t e ) : in Kant's philosophy, the Universal a b s t r a c t Sollen,
(the moral Law) functions
as
the
t h a t w h i c h ' o u g h t t o b e ' a n d w h i c h , as s u c h , p o s s e s s e s a
terrorist/subversive potential - the Universal stands for an impossible/ u n c o n d i t i o n a l d e m a n d , w h o s e p o w e r o f n e g a t i v i t y is d e s t i n e d t o u n d e r mine
a n y c o n c r e t e totality; a g a i n s t
this
tradition
of
abstract/negative
u n i v e r s a l i t y o p p o s e d t o its p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t , H e g e l e m p h a s i z e s h o w t r u e u n i v e r s a l i t y is a c t u a l i z e d i n t h e s e r i e s o f c o n c r e t e d e t e r m i n a t i o n s
per
c e i v e d b y t h e a b s t r a c t p o i n t o f view o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g as t h e o b s t a c l e t o the
full r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h e U n i v e r s a l
(say, t h e
universal
moral
D u t y is
actualized, b e c o m e s effective, t h r o u g h the c o n c r e t e wealth o f particular human
passions
and
strivings
devalued
by
Kant
as
'pathological'
obstacles). However, are
things
really so simple? In o r d e r
not
to m i s r e a d
properly H e g e l i a n flavour o f the o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n abstract a n d
the con
c r e t e u n i v e r s a l i t y , o n e s h o u l d ' c r o s s b r e e d ' it w i t h a n o t h e r o p p o s i t i o n , t h a t b e t w e e n p o s i t i v e U n i v e r s a l i t y as a m e r e i m p a s s i v e / n e u t r a l m e d i u m o f t h e c o e x i s t e n c e o f its p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t ( t h e ' m u t e u n i v e r s a l i t y ' o f a s p e c i e s defined
by w h a t
all m e m b e r s
o f the
species have
in
U n i v e r s a l i t y i n its a c t u a l e x i s t e n c e , w h i c h is individuality,
common),
and
the assertion o f
t h e s u b j e c t as u n i q u e a n d i r r e d u c i b l e t o t h e p a r t i c u l a r c o n c r e t e t o t a l i t y i n t o w h i c h h e is i n s e r t e d . I n K i e r k e g a a r d e s e , t h i s d i f f e r e n c e is t h e
one
b e t w e e n the positive B e i n g o f the Universal a n d universality-in-becoming: t h e o b v e r s e o f t h e U n i v e r s a l as t h e p a c i f y i n g n e u t r a l
medium/container
o f its p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t is t h e U n i v e r s a l as t h e p o w e r o f n e g a t i v i t y t h a t undermines
t h e fixity o f e v e r y p a r t i c u l a r c o n s t e l l a t i o n , a n d t h i s
power
c o m e s i n t o e x i s t e n c e in t h e guise o f the individual's a b s o l u t e egotist sellc o n t r a c t i o n , h i s n e g a t i o n o f all d e t e r m i n a t e c o n t e n t . T h e d i m e n s i o n
oi
U n i v e r s a l i t y b e c o m e s a c t u a l ( o r , in H e g e l e s e , ' f o r i t s e l f ) o n l y b y ' e n t e r i n g
THE TICKLISH
92
SUBJECT
i n t o e x i s t e n c e ' as universal,
t h a t is, b y o p p o s i n g i t s e l f to all its p a r t i c u l a r
content,
a
by e n t e r i n g
into
'negative
relationship'
with
its
particular
content. W i t h r e g a r d to t h e o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n a b s t r a c t a n d c o n c r e t e U n i v e r s a l ity, t h i s m e a n s t h a t t h e o n l y way t o w a r d s a truly ' c o n c r e t e ' u n i v e r s a l i t y l e a d s t h r o u g h t h e full a s s e r t i o n o f t h e r a d i c a l n e g a t i v i t y by m e a n s o f w h i c h the
universal
negates
its e n t i r e
particular
content: despite
misleading
a p p e a r a n c e s , it is t h e ' m u t e u n i v e r s a l i t y ' o f t h e n e u t r a l c o n t a i n e r o f t h e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t w h i c h is t h e p r e d o m i n a n t f o r m o f a b s t r a c t u n i v e r s a l i t y . I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e o n l y way f o r a U n i v e r s a l i t y t o b e c o m e ' c o n c r e t e ' is t o stop being a neutral-abstract m e d i u m
o f its p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t , a n d
include
W h a t this m e a n s is t h a t , p a r a d o x
itself among
its particular
subspecies.
to
ically, t h e first s t e p t o w a r d s ' c o n c r e t e u n i v e r s a l i t y ' is t h e r a d i c a l n e g a t i o n o f the entire particular c o n t e n t : only t h r o u g h such a n e g a t i o n d o e s the Universal gain
e x i s t e n c e , b e c o m e visible 'as s u c h ' . H e r e
let us
H e g e l ' s analysis o f p h r e n o l o g y , w h i c h closes the c h a p t e r o n R e a s o n ' i n his Phenomenology:
recall
'Observing
H e g e l resorts to an e x p l i c i t p h a l l i c m e t a p h o r
i n o r d e r t o e x p l a i n t h e o p p o s i t i o n o f t h e two p o s s i b l e r e a d i n g s o f t h e proposition reading -
'the
S p i r i t is a b o n e '
(the vulgar-materialist
t h e s h a p e o f o u r skull actually a n d
'reductionist'
directly d e t e r m i n e s
the
f e a t u r e s o f o u r m i n d - a n d t h e s p e c u l a t i v e r e a d i n g - t h e s p i r i t is s t r o n g enough
t o a s s e r t its i d e n t i t y w i t h
the
m o s t u t t e r l y i n e r t stuff,
and
to
' s u b l a t e ' it - t h a t is t o say, e v e n t h e m o s t u t t e r l y i n e r t s t u f f c a n n o t e s c a p e t h e S p i r i t ' s p o w e r o f m e d i a t i o n ) . T h e v u l g a r - m a t e r i a l i s t r e a d i n g is l i k e t h e a p p r o a c h w h i c h sees in t h e p h a l l u s o n l y t h e o r g a n o f u r i n a t i o n , while t h e s p e c u l a t i v e r e a d i n g is a l s o a b l e t o d i s c e r n in i t t h e m u c h h i g h e r f u n c t i o n o f i n s e m i n a t i o n ( i . e . p r e c i s e l y ' c o n c e p t i o n ' as t h e b i o l o g i c a l a n t i c i p a t i o n of
concept). O n a first a p p r o a c h , w e a r e d e a l i n g h e r e w i t h t h e w e l l - k n o w n e l e m e n
tary m o v e m e n t o f Aufhebung
('sublation'): you must go t h r o u g h the lowest
i n o r d e r o n c e m o r e to r e a c h t h e h i g h e s t , t h e l o s t t o t a l i t y ( y o u m u s t l o s e t h e i m m e d i a t e reality in t h e s e l f - c o n t r a c t i o n o f t h e ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' in o r d e r t o r e g a i n i t as ' p o s i t e d ' , m e d i a t e d b y t h e s y m b o l i c activity o f t h e subject; you must r e n o u n c e the immediate organic W h o l e a n d
submit
y o u r s e l f t o t h e m o r t i f y i n g activity o f a b s t r a c t U n d e r s t a n d i n g i n o r d e r regain
t h e l o s t t o t a l i t y at a h i g h e r ,
'mediated'
l e v e l , as t h e
to
totality o f
R e a s o n ) . T h i s m o v e t h u s s e e m s t o o f f e r i t s e l f as a n i d e a l t a r g e t o f t h e s t a n d a r d c r i t i c i s m : yes, o f c o u r s e H e g e l r e c o g n i z e s t h e h o r r o r o f t h e p s y c h o t i c s e l f - c o n t r a c t i o n a n d its ' l o s s o f r e a l i t y ' , y e s , h e a c k n o w l e d g e s t h e n e e d f o r a b s t r a c t d i s m e m b e r m e n t , b u t o n l y as a s t e p , a d e t o u r o n t h e
trium-
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
93
p h a n t path which, a c c o r d i n g to the i n e x o r a b l e dialectical necessity, leads us b a c k t o t h e r e c o n s t i t u t e d o r g a n i c W h o l e . . . . O u r c o n t e n t i o n is t h a t s u c h a r e a d i n g misses the point o f H e g e l ' s a r g u m e n t a t i o n : T h e depth which t h e Spirit brings forth from within - but only as far as its picture-thinking consciousness where it lets it r e m a i n - a n d the ignorance o f this consciousness a b o u t what it really is saying, are the same c o n j u n c t i o n o f t h e high a n d the low which, in the living being, Nature naively expresses when it c o m b i n e s the organ o f its highest fulfilment, t h e organ o f g e n e r a t i o n , with t h e organ o f urination. T h e infinite j u d g e m e n t , c/ua i n f i n i t e , would be the fulfilment o f life that c o m p r e h e n d s itself; t h e consciousness o f the infinite j u d g e m e n t that remains at the level o f picture-thinking behaves as u r i n a t i o n . 15
A c l o s e r e a d i n g o f t h i s p a s s a g e m a k e s it c l e a r t h a t H e g e l ' s p o i n t is not that, in c o n t r a s t t o t h e vulgar e m p i r i c i s t m i n d w h i c h sees o n l y u r i n a t i o n , the p r o p e r speculative attitude has to c h o o s e i n s e m i n a t i o n . T h e p a r a d o x is t h a t the direct choice of insemination p o s s i b l e to c h o o s e t h e
is the infallible
way to miss it it is n o t
t r u e m e a n i n g ' d i r e c t l y - t h a t is t o sav, o n e has t o
b e g i n by m a k i n g t h e ' w r o n g ' c h o i c e ( o f u r i n a t i o n ) : t h e t r u e s p e c u l a t i v e m e a n i n g e m e r g e s o n l y t h r o u g h r e p e a l e d r e a d i n g , as t h e a f t e r - e f f e c t ( o r b y - p r o d u c t ) o f t h e first, ' w r o n g '
reading."'
T h e s a m e g o e s f o r social life, in w h i c h t h e d i r e c t c h o i c e o f t h e ' c o n c r e t e universality' o f a p a r t i c u l a r e t h i c a l life-world c a n e n d only in a r e g r e s s i o n to p r e m o d e r n o r g a n i c society w h i c h d e n i e s the infinite right o f subjectivity as t h e f u n d a m e n t a l modern
feature o f modernity. S i n c e the subject-citizen o f a
state can n o l o n g e r a c c e p t his i m m e r s i o n
social role that confers o n h i m a d e t e r m i n a t e
in s o m e
particular
place within the organic
s o c i a l W h o l e , t h e o n l y way t o t h e r a t i o n a l t o t a l i t y o f t h e m o d e r n leads through the h o r r o r o f revolutionary T e r r o r : o n e should
state
ruthlessly
tear up the constraints o f p r e m o d e r n o r g a n i c ' c o n c r e t e universality', a n d fullv a s s e r t t h e i n f i n i t e r i g h t o f s u b j e c t i v i t y i n its a b s t r a c t n e g a t i v i t y . I n o t h e r words,
the
point
o f Hegel's
deservedly
r e v o l u t i o n a r y T e r r o r in h i s Phenomenology
famous
analysis o f
the
is n o t t h e r a t h e r o b v i o u s i n s i g h t
into how the revolutionary p r o j e c t involved the unilateral direct assertion o f a b s t r a c t U n i v e r s a l R e a s o n , a n d was as s u c h d o o m e d t o p e r i s h in selfd e s t r u c t i v e fury, s i n c e it was u n a b l e t o o r g a n i z e t h e t r a n s p o s i t i o n o f its revolutionary e n e r g y into a c o n c r e t e stable a n d differentiated social order; H e g e l ' s p o i n t , r a t h e r , is t h e e n i g m a o f why, d e s p i t e t h e f a c t t h a t r e v o l u t i o n a r y T e r r o r was a h i s t o r i c a l d e a d l o c k , w e h a v e t o p a s s t h r o u g h it in o r d e r to attain t h e m o d e r n r a t i o n a l state. . . . W e c a n n o w see h e r e wrong
were
the
late-nineteenth-century
conservative
British
how
Hegelians
THE
94
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
(Bradley a n d o t h e r s ) , who i n t e r p r e t e d the social logic o f H e g e l ' s c o n c r e t e u n i v e r s a l i t y as d e m a n d i n g
the identification o f e a c h individual with h i s /
h e r specific post within the d e f i n e d a n d hierarchical W h o l e o f the global social body -
t h i s , p r e c i s e l y , is w h a t t h e m o d e r n
n o t i o n o f subjectivity
precludes. I n o t h e r w o r d s , ' t o c o n c e i v e t h e A b s o l u t e n o t o n l y as S u b s t a n c e , b u t a l s o as S u b j e c t '
means
that when
we a r e c o n f r o n t e d
with
the
c h o i c e between the organic W h o l e a n d the 'madness' o f the
radical
unilateral
feature which throws the W h o l e o u t o f j o i n t a n d i n t o d a m a g i n g
imbal
a n c e , t h i s c h o i c e h a s t h e s t r u c t u r e o f a f o r c e d c h o i c e - t h a t is t o say, o n e h a s to c h o o s e u n i l a t e r a l ' m a d n e s s ' a g a i n s t t h e o r g a n i c W h o l e . S o w h e n o n e is c o n f r o n t e d b y t h e c h o i c e b e t w e e n t h e p r e m o d e r n
organic social
Body a n d the revolutionary T e r r o r which unleashes the destructive force o f a b s t r a c t n e g a t i v i t y , one has to choose Terror - o n l y i n this way c a n
one
create the terrain for the new post-revolutionary reconciliation b e t w e e n the d e m a n d s o f social O r d e r and the abstract f r e e d o m o f the individual. T h e m o n s t r o s i t y o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y T e r r o r is a n a b s o l u t e l y i n d i s p e n s a b l e 'vanishing mediator'
-
this o u t b u r s t
o f radical negativity which
under
m i n e d t h e o l d e s t a b l i s h e d o r d e r ; c l e a r e d t h e s l a t e , as it w e r e , f o r t h e n e w rational order o f the m o d e r n Siltlichkeit/Moralitat
State.
1 7
T h e same holds for the
couple
for the opposition between the subject's immersion
in his c o n c r e t e social life-world a n d his a b s t r a c t
individualist/universal
m o r a l o p p o s i t i o n to this c o n c r e t e i n h e r i t e d u n i v e r s e ; in this c h o i c e , o n e h a s t o c h o o s e Moralitat,
t h a t is, t h e a c t o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l w h o , o n b e h a l f o f
a l a r g e r u n i v e r s a l i t y , u n d e r m i n e s t h e d e t e r m i n a t e p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f mores w h i c h defines his society ( S o c r a t e s versus the
c o n c r e t e totality o f
the
G r e e k city; C h r i s t v e r s u s t h e c o n c r e t e t o t a l i t y o f J e w s ) . H e g e l is fully a w a r e that
the
positive f o r m
in w h i c h
this a b s t r a c t universality gains
actual
e x i s t e n c e is t h a t o f e x t r e m e v i o l e n c e : t h e o b v e r s e o f t h e i n n e r p e a c e o f U n i v e r s a l i t y is t h e d e s t r u c t i v e fury t o w a r d s all p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t , t h a t is t o say, t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y 'in b e c o m i n g ' is t h e v e r y o p p o s i t e o f t h e
peaceful
n e u t r a l m e d i u m o f all p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t - o n l y i n t h i s way c a n u n i v e r s a l i t y b e c o m e ' f o r i t s e l f ; o n l y i n t h i s way c a n ' p r o g r e s s ' t a k e p l a c e . O n e can thus precisely d e t e r m i n e the m o m e n t when
'Hegel became
H e g e l ' : only when h e r e n o u n c e d t h e a e s t h e t i c / G r e e k vision o f the o r g a n i c s o c i a l t o t a l i t y o f Sittlichkeit
( w h i c h f o u n d its m o s t a r t i c u l a t e e x p r e s s i o n in
t h e p o s t h u m o u s l y p u b l i s h e d System der Sittlichkeit
[ 1 8 0 2 - 0 3 ] , a text which
d e f i n i t e l y p o i n t s t o w a r d s w h a t was l a t e r d e v e l o p e d as t h e ' o r g a n i c ' p r o t o Fascist corporate-organicist n o t i o n o f society) -
t h a t is t o say, w h e n
he
b e c a m e fully a w a r e t h a t t h e o n l y p a t h t o t r u e c o n c r e t e t o t a l i t y is t h a t i n
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
95
every d i r e c t c h o i c e b e t w e e n abstract negativity a n d a c o n c r e t e W h o l e , t h e s u b j e c t h a s t o c h o o s e a b s t r a c t n e g a t i v i t y . T h i s s h i f t is m o s t c l e a r l y d e t e c t a b l e in y o u n g H e g e l ' s o s c i l l a t i o n in his a p p r e c i a t i o n o f C h r i s t i a n i t y : H e g e l ' b e c o m e s H e g e l ' w h e n h e fully e n d o r s e s t h e d i s r u p t i v e tive'
skandalon
'abstractly nega
o f C h r i s t ' s e m e r g e n c e - w h e n , t h a t is, w h e n h e r e n o u n c e s
t h e n o s t a l g i c h o p e o f a r e t u r n t o a n e w v e r s i o n o f G r e e k mores as a s o l u t i o n to the problems o f modernity. In
this
sense, the
mature
Hegelian
'reconciliation' remains
utterly
a m b i g u o u s : it d e s i g n a t e s t h e r e c o n c i l i a t i o n o f a split ( t h e h e a l i n g o f t h e w o u n d o f t h e s o c i a l b o d y ) , as well as t h e r e c o n c i l i a t i o n with t h i s split as t h e n e c e s s a r y p r i c e o f i n d i v i d u a l f r e e d o m . W i t h r e g a r d t o p o l i t i c s , o n e is thus t e m p t e d to turn a r o u n d the standard myth o f the y o u n g
'revolution
a r y ' H e g e l w h o , in h i s l a t e r y e a r s , b e t r a y e d h i s s u b v e r s i v e o r i g i n s
and
b e c a m e t h e s t a t e p h i l o s o p h e r p r a i s i n g t h e e x i s t i n g o r d e r as t h e e m b o d i m e n t o f R e a s o n , as t h e ' a c t u a l l y e x i s t i n g G o d ' : r a t h e r , it was t h e y o u n g H e g e l w h o s e ' r e v o l u t i o n a r y ' p r o j e c t - f r o m t o d a y ' s p e r s p e c t i v e , at l e a s t a n n o u n c e d the Fascist 'aestheticization o f the political,' the establishment o f a new o r g a n i c O r d e r that abolishes m o d e r n individuality; while
Hegel
b e c a m e H e g e l ' t h r o u g h his i n s i s t e n c e o n t h e u n a v o i d a b l e a s s e r t i o n o f t h e ' i n f i n i t e r i g h t o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l ' — o n h o w t h e r o a d to ' c o n c r e t e u n i v e r s a l ity' l e a d s o n l y t h r o u g h t h e full a s s e r t i o n o f ' a b s t r a c t n e g a t i v i t y ' . A n o t h e r way t o d i s c e r n t h i s p a s s a g e f r o m p r e - H e g e l i a n H e g e l t o ' H e g e l w h o b e c a m e H e g e l ' is v i a a s m a l l b u t s i g n i f i c a n t c h a n g e in t h e s o c i a l s t r u c t u r e . I n System der Sittlichkeit,
s o c i e t y is s u b d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e e s t a t e s ,
e a c h involving a specific ethical stance: t h e peasantry with the attitude o f pre-refiexive thrust, immersion into substance; e n t r e p r e n e u r s , the g e o i s class, with
their reflected attitude o f individual
bour
competition
and
a c h i e v e m e n t (civil s o c i e t y p r o p e r , i n d u s t r y , e x c h a n g e ) ; t h e a r i s t o c r a c y , t h e u n i v e r s a l c l a s s , w h i c h r u n s p o l i t i c a l life a n d g o e s t o w a r , r e a d y t o risk t h e i r lives w h e n n e c e s s a r y . S i g n i f i c a n t l y , a f t e r H e g e l ' b e c a m e H e g e l ' , t h e u n i v e r sal c l a s s is n o l o n g e r t h e a r i s t o c r a c y ( a s l a n d l o r d s , t h e y a r e i n c l u d e d
in
the peasantry), but the e n l i g h t e n e d state bureaucracy. T h e key p o i n t o f t h i s c h a n g e is t h a t
now,
not
only the
aristocracy but
everybody,
any
i n d i v i d u a l f r o m a n y class, c a n b e m o b i l i z e d a t t d h a s to g o t o war: a b s o l u t e n e g a t i v i t y , t h e r i s k o f d e a t h w h i c h d i s s o l v e s all determinate
fixed
a t t a c h m e n t s to a
c o n t e n t , is n o l o n g e r t h e p r i v i l e g e o f a s p e c i f i c c l a s s ,
b e c o m e s a universal r i g h t / o b l i g a t i o n o f every citizen. A b o v e a n d
but
beyond
his specific p l a c e within the social body, every citizen thus p a r t i c i p a t e s in a b s t r a c t / a b s o l u t e n e g a t i v i t y : n o i n d i v i d u a l is c o m p l e t e l y d e l i m i t e d b y w h a t r e d u c e s h i m to his p a r t i c u l a r p l a c e within t h e social edifice.'*
THE
96
TICKLISH
T h i s is w h y , i n t h e p a s s a g e f r o m
SUBJECT
his Introduction
q u o t e d a t l e n g t h i n C h a p t e r 1, H e g e l h a i l s Understanding infinite
power
to
Phenomenology
(not R e a s o n ! ) , its
t o d i s r u p t a n y o r g a n i c l i n k , t o t r e a t as s e p a r a t e d
what
o r i g i n a l l y b e l o n g s t o g e t h e r a n d h a s a c t u a l e x i s t e n c e o n l y as p a r t o f its c o n c r e t e c o n t e x t : h e r e ' U n d e r s t a n d i n g ' is a n o t h e r n a m e f o r w h a t w e h a v e called
'pre-synthetic imagination', for imagination's power
a n y o r g a n i c W h o l e , t h e p o w e r t h a t p r e c e d e s t h e synthesis
to
dissipate
o f imagination
w h o s e h i g h e s t e x p r e s s i o n is logos ( a s H e i d e g g e r l i k e d t o p o i n t o u t , i n o l d G r e e k , legein a l s o m e a n s ' t o c o l l e c t , t o g a t h e r ' ) . T h i s is w h y t h o s e
who
a d v o c a t e t h e s u b j e c t ' s w i l l i n g s u b m i s s i o n to a n d a c c e p t a n c e o f h i s / h e r 7
p r o p e r p l a c e w i t h i n t h e c o n c r e t e totality o f t h e s u b s t a n t i a l O r d e r a r e as f a r f r o m H e g e l as c o u l d b e : t h e v e r y e x i s t e n c e o f s u b j e c t i v i t y i n v o l v e s t h e ' f a l s e ' , ' a b s t r a c t ' c h o i c e o f E v i l , o f C r i m e - t h a t is, a n e x c e s s i v e ' u n i l a t e r a l ' gesture which throws the h a r m o n i o u s O r d e r o f the W h o l e o u t o f b a l a n c e : why? B e c a u s e s u c h a n a r b i t r a r y c h o i c e o f s o m e t h i n g trivial a n d i n s u b s t a n tial, s u c h a n e x e r c i s e o f u t t e r c a p r i c e b a s e d o n n o g o o d r e a s o n ( ' I w a n t it b e c a u s e I w a n t i t ! ' ) , is, p a r a d o x i c a l l y , t h e o n l y way f o r t h e U n i v e r s a l t o a s s e r t i t s e l f ' f o r i t s e l f , a g a i n s t all d e t e r m i n a t e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t . T h i s e n t r y i n t o t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e U n i v e r s a l 'as s u c h , ' i n c o n t r a d i s t i n c t i o n t o all d e t e r m i n a t e
c o n t e n t , this violent u n i l a t e r a l e n d o r s e m e n t o f
s o m e ' a b s t r a c t ' f e a t u r e , w h i c h t e a r s i t o u t o f its c o n c r e t e l i f e - c o n t e x t a n d thus
involves the
mortification
o f the
organic
W h o l e o f Life,
is
the
m o m e n t o f the actualization o f Subject against the b a l a n c e d substantial O r d e r . T h e f e a r t h a t t h e H e g e l i a n d i a l e c t i c a l m o v e m e n t will g e n e r a t e a negativity
'too
strong'
to
be
reinserted
into
the
circle
o f dialectical
m e d i a t i o n is t h u s d e e p l y m i s p l a c e d : t h e f a c t t h a t ' S u b s t a n c e is [ a l s o t o b e c o n c e i v e d o f as] S u b j e c t ' m e a n s that this e x p l o s i o n o f t h e o r g a n i c U n i t y is w h a t always happens i n t h e c o u r s e o f t h e d i a l e c t i c a l p r o c e s s , a n d t h e n e w ' m e d i a t e d ' U n i t y w h i c h c o m e s a f t e r w a r d s i n n o way s i g n a l s a r e t u r n ' a t a h i g h e r level' to the lost initial U n i t y - in the newly reinstated t o t a l i t y , w e a r e d e a l i n g w i t h a substantially
differentUnity,
'mediated'
a Unity grounded
o n t h e d i s r u p t i v e p o w e r o f n e g a t i v i t y , a U n i t y i n w h i c h this negativity assumes positive
itself
existence,.
P e r h a p s this is t h e s o u r c e o f t h e u n r e s o l v e d t e n s i o n t h a t e n d s H e g e l ' s Logic,
t h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n L i f e a n d K n o w l e d g e as t h e two p a r a d i g m s o f
t h e a b s o l u t e I d e a : i n L i f e , t h e P a r t i c u l a r is still s u b m e r g e d i n t h e U n i v e r s a l - t h a t is t o say, L i f e is a d y n a m i c s y s t e m i n w h i c h t h e U n i v e r s a l r e p r o d u c e s i t s e l f t h r o u g h t h e i n c e s s a n t p r o c e s s o f t h e e m e r g i n g a n d p a s s i n g o f f o f its p a r t i c u l a r m o m e n t s , a system k e p t alive by t h e very p e r p e t u a l d y n a m i c s o f t h e s e l l - m o v e m e n t o f its c o n s t i t u e n t s ; h o w e v e r , s u c h a s y s t e m , in w h i c h
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
97
t h e U n i v e r s a l is t h e P o w e r t h a t e x p r e s s e s itself i n t h e i n c e s s a n t p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e w e a l t h o f its p a r t i c u l a r m o m e n t s , r e m a i n s a ' d y n a m i z e d s u b s t a n c e ' , it d o e s n o t yet involve subjectivity p r o p e r . I n T a y l o r ' s t e r m s ( n o t q u i t e a d e q u a t e ) , we a r e d e a l i n g h e r e with t h e o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n the ' c x p r e s s i v i s t ' / p r o d u c t i v e a s p e c t o f t h e A b s o l u t e ( L i f e as a causa
sui t h a t r e p r o
duces a n d 'expresses' itself t h r o u g h the infinite process o f the g e n e r a t i o n a n d c o r r u p t i o n o f its m o m e n t s ) a n d its ' c o g n i t i v e ' a s p e c t ( t h e A b s o l u t e t h a t a c t u a l i z e s itself o n l y t h r o u g h its full s e l f - k n o w l e d g e ) - h o w a r e w e t o r e c o n c i l e t h e two? side o f S u b s t a n c e
(the
' e x p r e s s i v i s t ' g e n e r a t i v e P o w e r ) a n d passivity o n t h e s i d e o f S u b j e c t
The
first p a r a d o x
is t h a t
a c t i v i t y is o n
the
(the
s u b j e c t qua c o n s c i o u s n e s s ' p a s s i v e l y ' t a k e s i n t o a c c o u n t w h a t t a k e s p l a c e ) : S u b s t a n c e is praxis,
a c t i v e i n t e r v e n t i o n ; w h i l e S u b j e c t is theoria,
passive
i n t u i t i o n . W h a t w e h a v e h e r e is t h e o p p o s i t i o n o f Sein a n d Sollen,
o f the
T r u e a n d t h e G o o d ; h o w e v e r , c o n t r a r y t o t h e s t a n d a r d way o f c o n c e p t u a l izing diis o p p o s i t i o n (the S p i n o z a n passive i n t u i t i o n o f S u b s t a n c e versus the F i c h t e a n active S u b j e c t w h o s p o n t a n e o u s l y a n d a u t o n o m o u s l y posits t h e e n t i r e o b j e c t i v e c o n t e n t ) , H e g e l c o n n e c t s t h e four t e r m s in a crisscross way: e x p r e s s i v e p r o d u c t i v i t y is o n
the side o f t h e S p i n o z a n
Substance
w h i c h p e r m a n e n t l y realizes t h e G o o d by actively s h a p i n g reality; while t h e Subject's fundamental
a t t i t u d e is t h a t o f K n o w i n g - t h e S u b j e c t e n d e a v
o u r s t o e s t a b l i s h w h a t is T r u e , t o d i s c e r n t h e c o n t o u r s o f o b j e c t i v i t y . H e g e l ' s s o l u t i o n as a G e r m a n I d e a l i s t , o f c o u r s e , is a k n o w l e d g e w h i c h is ' s p o n t a n e o u s , ' - t h a t is, i n i t s e l f a praxis g e n e r a t i v e o f its o b j e c t , b u t not in t h e ( F i c h t e a n ) s e n s e o f ' i n t e l l e c t u a l i n t u i t i o n ' , o f a k n o w l e d g e d i r e c t l y p r o d u c t i v e o f its o b j e c t s , a n d n o t e v e n i n t h e s o m e w h a t w e a k e r K a n t i a n s e n s e o f k n o w l e d g e as t r a n s c e n d e n t a l l y c o n s t i t u t i v e o f its o b j e c t s . O n e is e v e n t e m p t e d t o say t h a t H e g e l o p t s f o r p r e c i s e l y t h e o p p o s i t e s o l u t i o n : a t t h e level o f substantial c o n t e n t , ' e v e r y t h i n g h a s already t a k e n p l a c e ' , so t h a t k n o w l e d g e m e r e l y t a k e s it i n t o a c c o u n t - t h a t is t o say, it is a purelyf o r m a l a c t w h i c h r e g i s t e r s t h e s t a t e o f t h i n g s ; p r e c i s e l y as s u c h , h o w e v e r as t h e p u r e l y f o r m a l g e s t u r e o f ' t a k i n g i n t o a c c o u n t ' w h a t ' i n i t s e l f
is
a l r e a d y t h e r e - k n o w l e d g e is ' p e r f o r m a t i v e ' , a n d b r i n g s a b o u t t h e a c t u a l i z a t i o n o f t h e A b s o l u t e . S o w e a r e not. d e a l i n g w i t h a n e w v e r s i o n o f t h e m y s t i c a l U n i o n in w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t ' s a c t i v i t y o v e r l a p s w i t h t h e activity o f t h e A b s o l u t e - G o d i t s e l f - i n w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t e x p e r i e n c e s h i m s e l f as t h e ' v e h i c l e o f t h e A b s o l u t e ' ( i n h i s g r e a t e s t activity h e is p a s s i v e , s i n c e it is t h e A b s o l u t e w h o is e f f e c t i v e l y a c t i v e t h r o u g h h i m ) ; s u c h a m y s t i c a l U n i o n remains the summit o f Schelling's 'dynamized Spinozism'. Hegel's point is, r a t h e r , t h e o p p o s i t e o n e : in my greatest passivity,
I am already active. - t h a t
98
THE
TICKLISH
is t o say, t h e v e r y p a s s i v e ' w i t h d r a w a l '
SUBJECT
by m e a n s o f w h i c h t h e
thought
' s e c e d e s ' , 'splits o f f f r o m its o b j e c t , a c q u i r e s a d i s t a n c e , v i o l e n t l y t e a r s itself o f f ' t h e flow o f t h i n g s ' , a s s u m i n g t h e s t a n c e o f a n ' e x t e r n a l o b s e r v e r ' ; t h i s n o n - a c t is its highest act, t h e i n f i n i t e P o w e r w h i c h i n t r o d u c e s a g a p i n t o the self-enclosed W h o l e o f Substance. T h e s a m e p r o b l e m c o n f r o n t s us i n t h e g u i s e o f t h e o p p o s i t i o n 'positing'
and
H e g e l ' s Logic.
'external'
reflection from
the
beginning
between
of Book
II o f
P o s i t i n g r e f l e c t i o n is ' o n t o l o g i c a l ' , it c o n c e p t u a l i z e s
E s s e n c e as t h e p r o d u c t i v e / g e n e r a t i v e
the
power that 'posits' the wealth
of
a p p e a r a n c e s ; e x t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n , i n c o n t r a s t , is ' e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l ' , i t s t a n d s for the subject's reflexive p e n e t r a t i o n o f the o b j e c t o f k n o w l e d g e — for his effort to d i s c e r n , b e h i n d t h e veil o f p h e n o m e n a , underlying
rational structure
the contours o f their
(their Essence).''' T h e fundamental
dead
l o c k o f t h e e n t i r e ' l o g i c o f E s s e n c e ' is t h a t t h e s e two a s p e c t s , t h e ' o n t o l o g ical'
and
the
'epistemological', can
never
be
fully
synchronized:
s o l u t i o n c a n r e s o l v e t h e o s c i l l a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e two p o l e s appearance
is r e d u c e d
to s o m e t h i n g
that
no
either
is ' m e r e l y s u b j e c t i v e '
the ('the
E s s e n c e o f t h i n g s is a n i n a c c e s s i b l e I n I t s e l f , w h a t I c a n c o n t e m p l a t e is m e r e l y t h e i r illusive a p p e a r a n c e ' ) , o r t h e E s s e n c e i t s e l f b e c o m e s s u b j e c t i v i z e d ( ' t h e h i d d e n E s s e n c e is u l t i m a t e l y t h e s u b j e c t ' s r a t i o n a l
construct,
the result o f his c o n c e p t u a l w o r k ' - j u s t think o f c o n t e m p o r a r y s u b p a r t i c l e physics, in w h i c h t h e last c o n s t i t u e n t s o f reality have t h e status o f a h i g h l y abstract hypothesis - o f a p u r e rational presupposition that we shall n e v e r e n c o u n t e r o u t s i d e t h e t h e o r e t i c a l n e t w o r k , in o u r everyday e x p e r i e n c e ) . A g a i n , this t e n s i o n is r e s o l v e d n o t b y t h e i n c l u s i o n o f e x t e r n a l r e f l e c t i o n into
the
overall structure
o f the
Absolute's self-positing
activity, as
a
m e d i a t i n g m o m e n t o f split a n d e x t e r n a l i t y , b u t by t h e o p p o s i t e a s s e r t i o n o f the d i r e c t ' o n t o l o g i c a l ' status o f the 'externality' o f r e f l e c t i o n itself every positive a n d d e t e r m i n a t e
ontological entity can e m e r g e
o n l y i n s o f a r as t h e A b s o l u t e is ' e x t e r n a l t o i t s e l f , i n s o f a r as a p r e v e n t s its full o n t o l o g i c a l a c t u a l i z a t i o n .
-
'as s u c h ' gap
2 0
' C o n c r e t e Universality' W e c a n n o w s e e in w h a t p r e c i s e s e n s e H e g e l ' s l o g i c r e m a i n s
'transcenden
t a l ' in t h e s t r i c t K a n t i a n s e n s e - t h a t is, in w h a t s e n s e its n o t i o n a l n e t w o r k is n o t m e r e l y f o r m a l , b u t c o n s t i t u t i v e o f r e a l i t y itself, w h o s e structure
it d e s c r i b e s . W h a t sets in m o t i o n
the
categorial
dialectical progress
in
H e g e l ' s Logic is t h e i n h e r e n t t e n s i o n i n t h e s t a t u s o f e v e r y d e t e r m i n a t e /
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
99
l i m i t e d c a t e g o r y : e a c h c o n c e p t is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y necessary ( i . e . i n d i s p e n s a b l e i f w e a r e t o c o n c e i v e r e a l i t y , its u n d e r l y i n g o n t o l o g i c a l s t r u c t u r e ) impossible
and
( i . e . s e l f - r e f u t i n g , i n c o n s i s t e n t : t h e m o m e n t w e fully a n d c o n s e
q u e n t l y ' a p p l y ' it t o r e a l i t y , it d i s i n t e g r a t e s a n d / o r t u r n s i n t o its o p p o s i t e ) . T h i s n o t i o n a l t e n s i o n / ' c o n t r a d i c t i o n ' is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t h e u l t i m a t e tus movens o f ' r e a l i t y ' itself: f a r f r o m s i g n a l l i n g t h e f a i l u r e o f o u r
spiri-
thought
t o g r a s p r e a l i t y , t h e i n h e r e n t i n c o n s i s t e n c y o f o u r n o t i o n a l a p p a r a t u s is t h e u l t i m a t e p r o o f t h a t o u r t h o u g h t is n o t m e r e l y a l o g i c a l g a m e w e p l a y , but
is a b l e
to
reach
r e a l i t y itself, e x p r e s s i n g
its i n h e r e n t
structuring
principle. W h a t a c c o u n t s f o r this p a r a d o x i c a l o v e r l a p p i n g o f n e c e s s i t y a n d i m p o s s i b i l i t y is, o f c o u r s e , t h e n o t i o n o f t h e s e l f - r e l a t i n g U n i v e r s a l i t y
grounded
i n its c o n s t i t u t i v e e x c e p t i o n . W h y a r e f i v e - c e n t c o i n s l a r g e r t h a n t e n - c e n t c o i n s ; why this e x c e p t i o n to t h e g e n e r a l rule a c c o r d i n g to w h i c h v o l u m e follows value? K a r c l van
het
Reve, the famous
Dutch
linguist,
literary
scientist a n d P o p p e r i a n criticist o f psychoanalysis a n d d e c o n s t r u c t i o n , has formulated
t h e l o g i c o f r u l e a n d its e x c e p t i o n i n t h e g u i s e o f w h a t 2 1
ironically calls 'Reve's C o n j e c t u r e ' :
in t h e d o m a i n
P o p p e r ' s l o g i c o f f a l s i f i c a t i o n h a s t o b e inverted
o f symbolic
— t h a t is t o say, f a r
falsifying t h e r u l e , t h e e x c e p t i o n o n e h a s t o s e a r c h f o r confirms enumerating
examples
from
a multitude
o f symbolic,
he
rules, from
it. B e s i d e s
rule-regulated,
a c t i v i t i e s ( i n c h e s s , we h a v e rocade as t h e e x c e p t i o n , a m o v e t h a t v i o l a t e s the fundamental often
l o g i c o f o t h e r p o s s i b l e m o v e s ; in c a r d g a m e s , t h e r e is
an exceptional lower c o m b i n a t i o n
that can overrule
the
highest
o n e ; e t c . ) , R e v e focuses o n linguistics: in g r a m m a r , a p a r t i c u l a r e x c e p t i o n is n e e d e d
in o r d e r
to r e v e a l
(and
thus to m a k e
us sensitive t o )
the
u n i v e r s a l r u l e t h a t w e o t h e r w i s e f o l l o w : A r u l e c a n n o t e x i s t i f t h e r e is n o e x c e p t i o n a g a i n s t w h i c h it c a n d i s t i n g u i s h i t s e l f . ' usually
dismissed
as s o - c a l l e d deponentia,
2 2
T h e s e exceptions are
'irrational'
e i t h e r to the i n f l u e n c e o f s o m e n e i g h b o u r i n g
irregularities
foreign
language
due or
to
r e m a i n d e r s o f earlier linguistic forms. In Latin, for e x a m p l e , w h e n a verb f o r m e n d s i n -or, it u s u a l l y d e s i g n a t e s a p a s s i v e f o r m : laudo laudor'l
is ' I p r a i s e ' ,
a m p r a i s e d ' , a n d s o o n - h o w e v e r , s u r p r i s i n g l y , loquor is n o t ' I a m
s p o k e n ' b u t 'I s p e a k ' ! In H e g e l c s e , s u c h e x c e p t i o n s are n e c e s s a r y i f rules are to b e c o m e 'iorthemselves', not merely a natural
'in-itself
-
t h a t is, i f t h e y a r e t o
be
3
n o t e d ' , p e r c e i v e d 'as s u c h ' . ' - F o r t h i s r e a s o n , a n y a t t e m p t t o a c c o u n t f o r these exceptions a n d / o r
violations by i n v o k i n g t h e i n f l u e n c e oi
neigh
b o u r i n g t o n g u e s o r p a s t f o r m s o f t h e s a m e t o n g u e is i n s u f f i c i e n t : causal c o n n e c t i o n s are undoubtedly
' h i s t o r i c a l l y a c c u r a t e ' ; in o r d e r
such for
THE TICKLISH
1 U U
SUBJECT
t h e m t o b e c o m e effective, h o w e v e r , t h e y h a v e to fulfil s o m e i n h e r e n t n e e d i n t h e present s y s t e m ( a s w i t h t h e u n f o r t u n a t e ' r e m a i n d e r s o f t h e b o u r g e o i s p a s t ' e v o k e d i n t h e e x - C o m m u n i s t c o u n t r i e s as a n e x c u s e f o r all t h e w o e s o f t h e S o c i a l i s t p r e s e n t ; as i f t h e s e ' r e m a i n d e r s ' d i d n o t p l a y a n e c e s s a r y role in -
a n d w e r e n o t k e p t alive by -
Socialist p r e s e n t ) . E x a m p l e s a b o u n d
the inconsistency o f that very
h e r e : b o u r g e o i s utilitarian
society
n e e d s a n a r i s t o c r a c y as t h e e x c e p t i o n t o r e v e a l its b a s i c u t i l i t a r i a n s t a n c e , a n d s o o n ; u p t o erection ( o f t h e p e n i s ) , w h i c h c a n s e r v e as t h e p r o o f a n d sign o f p o t e n c y precisely o n a c c o u n t o f t h e i m m a n e n t d a n g e r o f failure: o f t h e p r o s p e c t t h a t it will not o c c u r .
2 4
T h e r e are three m a i n versions o f the relationship between the Universal a n d its p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t . 1. T h e s t a n d a r d n o t i o n o f n e u t r a l u n i v e r s a l i t y , i n d i f f e r e n t t o its p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t : t h e C a r t e s i a n cogito is t h e n e u t r a l t h i n k i n g s u b s t a n c e , c o m m o n t o all h u m a n s , foundation
indifferent
to
gender,
and
as s u c h
the
philosophical
o f t h e political e q u a l i t y o f t h e sexes. F r o m this p e r s p e c t i v e ,
t h e f a c t t h a t , i n d e s c r i p t i o n s o f cogito in m o d e r n p h i l o s o p h y , o n e a c t u a l l y finds
a p r e d o m i n a n c e o f m a l e f e a t u r e s is u l t i m a t e l y a n i n c o n s i s t e n c y d u e
t o h i s t o r i c a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s : w i t h D e s c a r t e s , K a n t , H e g e l , a n d o t h e r s , cogito r e m a i n e d a n ' u n f i n i s h e d p r o j e c t ' ; its c o n s e q u e n c e s w e r e n o t t h o u g h t to
the
end.
(When
post-Cartesians
like
Malebranche,
for
out
example,
repeated that w o m e n c a n n o t think clearly and are m u c h m o r e susceptible t h a n m e n to t h e i m p r e s s i o n s o f t h e i r senses, they w e r e simply following t h e prejudices o f the social reality o f t h e i r times.) 2. T h e s t a n d a r d M a r x i s t o r c r i t i c o - i d e o l o g i c a l ' s y m p t o m a t i c ' w h i c h n o t o n l y d i s c e r n s b e n e a t h t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y o f cogito t h e n a n c e o f certain male features
reading, predomi
('cogi.to e f f e c t i v e l y s t a n d s f o r t h e
white
u p p e r - c l a s s m a l e p a t r i a r c h a l i n d i v i d u a l ' ) , b u t , i n its s t r o n g e s t v e r s i o n , e v e n c l a i m s t h a t the very gesture ences - the f o r m inherently
of abstract
'masculine',
of universalization, universality
of obliterating
as such
particular
- is not gender-neutral,
differ but
s i n c e it d e f i n e s t h e m o d e r n m a l e a t t i t u d e o f d o m i n a
tion a n d manipulation, so that sexual difference does n o t only stand for t h e d i f f e r e n c e o f t h e two s p e c i e s o f t h e h u m a n g e n u s , b u t i n v o l v e s two different m o d e s o f t h e f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e very r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n
the
Universal a n d the Particular. 3 . T h e r e is, h o w e v e r , a t h i r d v e r s i o n , e l a b o r a t e d i n d e t a i l b y E r n e s t o 2
Laclau:' "' t h e U n i v e r s a l is e m p t y , yet p r e c i s e l y as s u c h a l w a y s - a l r e a d y
filled
in, t h a t is, h e g e m o n i z e d b y s o m e c o n t i n g e n t , p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t t h a t a c t s
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
101
as its s t a n d - i n - i n s h o r t , e a c h U n i v e r s a l is t h e b a t t l e g r o u n d o n w h i c h t h e multitude
o f particular contents
fight
for hegemony.
( I f cogito s i l e n t l y
p r i v i l e g e s m e n as o p p o s e d to w o m e n , t h i s is n o t a n e t e r n a l f a c t i n s c r i b e d i n its v e r y n a t u r e , b u t s o m e t h i n g t h a t c a n b e c h a n g e d t h r o u g h h e g e m o n i c s t r u g g l e . ) T h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h i s t h i r d v e r s i o n a n d t h e first is t h a t t h e t h i r d version allows f o r n o c o n t e n t o f t h e U n i v e r s a l w h i c h w o u l d b e e f f e c t i v e l y n e u t r a l a n d , as s u c h , c o m m o n t o all its s p e c i e s ( w e c a n n e v e r d e f i n e a n y f e a t u r e s w h i c h a r e c o m m o n t o all h u m a n s i n a b s o l u t e l y t h e s a m e m o d a l i t y ) : all p o s i t i v e c o n t e n t o f t h e U n i v e r s a l is t h e
contingent
r e s u l t o f h e g e m o n i c s t r u g g l e - in i t s e l f , t h e U n i v e r s a l is a b s o l u t e l y e m p t y . I n a c c e p t i n g this third
position, o n e
should
insist o n
the
cut i n
the
p a r t i c u l a r s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t e n t by m e a n s o f w h i c h a U n i v e r s a l e s t a b l i s h e s itself. T h a t is t o say. t h e p a r a d o x o f t h e p r o p e r H e g e l i a n n o t i o n o f t h e U n i v e r s a l is t h a t it is n o t t h e n e u t r a l f r a m e o f t h e m u l t i t u d e o f p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t s , b u t i n h e r e n t l y divisive, s p l i t t i n g u p its p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t :
the
U n i v e r s a l always a s s e r t s i t s e l f in t h e g u i s e o f s o m e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t w h i c h claims
to
embody
it d i r e c t l y ,
excluding
all
other
content
as
merely
particular. What, then,
is H e g e l i a n
' c o n c r e t e u n i v e r s a l i t y ' , i f it i n v o l v e s s u c h
a
r a d i c a l c u t - i f it is not t h e o r g a n i c a r t i c u l a t i o n o f a W h o l e in w h i c h e a c h e l e m e n t p l a y s its u n i q u e ,
particular
but irreplaceable part?
Perhaps
a
r e f e r e n c e t o m u s i c c o u l d b e o f s o m e h e l p h e r e ; l e t us t a k e t h e c o n c e p t o f a violin concerto - w h e n , i n w h a t way, clo w e t r e a t it as a n a c t u a l ' c o n c r e t e u n i v e r s a l i t y ' ? W h e n w e d o n o t s u b d i v i d e it s i m p l y i n t o its p a r t i c u l a r f o r m s ( t h e Classical violin c o n c e r t o , the great R o m a n t i c c o n c e r t o s from
Men
d e l s s o h n v i a T c h a i k o v s k y t o S i b e l i u s , e t c . ) , b u t c o n c e i v e its ' s p e c i e s ' o r ' s t a g e s ' as so m a n y a t t e m p t s t o g r a s p - t o d e t e r m i n e , t o give a f o r m t o , t o s t r u g g l e with - t h e v e r y u n i v e r s a l i t y o f t h e c o n c e p t . I t is a l r e a d y d e e p l y significant that Mozart's violin c o n c e r t o s are a bit o f a failure measured
against
his
high
standards,
and
compared
with
(at least
his
piano
c o n c e r t o s ) - n o w o n d e r h i s m o s t p o p u l a r p i e c e f o r v i o l i n a n d c o n c e r t o is h i s Sinfonia
concertante,
w h i c h is a s t r a n g e k i n d o f a n i m a l ( t h e v i o l i n is n o t
y e t a l l o w e d t o a s s u m e a n a u t o n o m o u s r o l e a g a i n s t t h e o r c h e s t r a , s o we a r e d e a l i n g w i t h a s y m p h o n y in a ' c o n c e r t i n g ' m o d e , n o t w i t h a v i o l i n concerto proper). T h e r e a s o n f o r t h i s p r o b a b l y l i e s in t h e fact, e m p h a s i z e d by A d o r n o , that
the
violin, m u c h
more
than
the
piano,
is t h e
ultimate
musical
i n s t r u m e n t a n d e x p r e s s i o n o f subjectivity: a c o n c e r t o f o r s o l o violin, with its i n t e r a c t i o n b e t w e e n v i o l i n a n d o r c h e s t r a , t h u s p r o v i d e s p e r h a p s
the
THE
102
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
u l t i m a t e m u s i c a l e n d e a v o u r to e x p r e s s what G e r m a n I d e a l i s m c a l l e d t h e i n t e r a c t i o n b e t w e e n S u b j e c t a n d S u b s t a n c e ; Mozart's failure bears witness to t h e
fact that
his universe
was n o t y e t t h a t o f r a d i c a l
assertion
of
subjectivity, w h i c h o c c u r r e d only with B e e t h o v e n . W i t h B e e t h o v e n ' s o n e v i o l i n c o n c e r t o , h o w e v e r , t h i n g s a g a i n b e c a m e r a t h e r p r o b l e m a t i c ; h e was a c c u s e d , n o t unfairly, o f a c c e n t u a t i n g t h e m a i n m e l o d i c l i n e in t h e
first
m o v e m e n t in a n e x c e s s i v e l y r e p e t i t i v e way t h a t b o r d e r s o n m u s i c a l kitsch in s h o r t , t h e b a l a n c e b e t w e e n v i o l i n a n d o r c h e s t r a , b e t w e e n S u b j e c t Substance,
is a l r e a d y
counterpoint
disturbed
B r a h m s , w h i c h was q u i t e against
by t h e
t o t h i s e x c e s s is t h e n
subjective excess. T h e
-
and
proper
(again the o n e ) violin c o n c e r t o o f c h a r a c t e r i z e d as t h e
'concerto
t h e v i o l i n ' : it is t h e m a s s i v e s y m p h o n i c w e i g h t o f t h e
appropriately
orchestra
which ultimately engulfs the solo voice o f the violin,
fighting
and
squash
i n g its e x p r e s s i v e t h r u s t , r e d u c i n g i t t o o n e a m o n g t h e e l e m e n t s o f t h e s y m p h o n i c t e x t u r e . P e r h a p s t h e l a s t l i n k i n t h i s d e v e l o p m e n t was B a r t o k ' s ' c o n c e r t o f o r o r c h e s t r a ' ( t h a t is, o n l y f o r o r c h e s t r a , w i t h n o s i n g l e i n s t r u m e n t b e i n g a l l o w e d t o s t a n d o u t as t h e b e a r e r o f a s o l o v o i c e ) , a t r u e c o u n t e r p o i n t to S c h u m a n n ' s ' c o n c e r t w i t h o u t o r c h e s t r a ' ( t h e m o s t a c c u rate
formula
o f his slide
into
madness,
i.e. i n t o
psychotic
seclusion
gradually bereft o f t h e s u p p o r t in t h e 'big O t h e r ' , t h e substantial s y m b o l i c o r d e r ) . W h a t all t h e s e e x a m p l e s h a v e in c o m m o n is t h a t e a c h o f t h e m is n o t just a p a r t i c u l a r case o f the universal c o n c e p t o f 'violin c o n c e r t o ' , b u t a desperate attempt to h a m m e r
o u t a position with r e g a r d
to t h e very
u n i v e r s a l i t y o f t h i s c o n c e p t : e a c h t i m e , t h i s u n i v e r s a l c o n c e p t is ' d i s t u r b e d ' i n a s p e c i f i c way - d i s a v o w e d , t u r n e d a r o u n d , t h r o w n o f f b y t h e e x c e s s i v e e m p h a s i s o n o n e o f its p o l e s . I n s h o r t , t h e r e concerto
that
fully
'realized
its c o n c e p t '
never has b e e n a violin
(a dialogue
engendering
a
productive tension a n d reconciliation between violin a n d orchestra, Sub ject and
S u b s t a n c e ) : every time s o m e invisible h i n d r a n c e
prevents
the
c o n c e p t ' s fulfilment. (This i n h e r e n t h i n d r a n c e preventing the i m m e d i a t e a c t u a l i z a t i o n o f t h e c o n c e p t is a n o t h e r n a m e f o r t h e L a c a n i a n R e a l . ) H e r e we have an e x a m p l e o f H e g e l i a n ' c o n c r e t e universality': a p r o c e s s o r a s e q u e n c e o f particular attempts that d o n o t simply exemplify the universal
notion
but
struggle with
neutral
it, give a s p e c i f i c twist t o i t -
the
U n i v e r s a l is t h u s fully e n g a g e d in t h e p r o c e s s o f its p a r t i c u l a r e x e m p l i f i c a t i o n ; t h a t is t o say, t h e s e p a r t i c u l a r c a s e s i n a way, d e c i d e t h e f a t e o f t h e 21
universal n o t i o n itself. ' T o t h o s e w h o still r e m e m b e r A l t h u s s e r ' s a n t i - H e g e l i a n e l a b o r a t i o n o f t h e n o t i o n o f overdeterminatwn
as t h e k e y c a t e g o r y o f t h e M a r x i s t d i a l e c t i c ,
it will c o m e as n o s u r p r i s e t h a t A l t h u s s e r ' s p o l e m i c s a g a i n s t H e g e l ' s n o t i o n
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
103
o f u n i v e r s a l i t y is m i s d i r e c t e d : t h e f e a t u r e t h a t A l d i u s s e r e m p h a s i z e d as t h e m a i n characteristic o f o v e r d e t e r m i n a t i o n (in e a c h particular constellation, t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y i n q u e s t i o n is ' o v e r d e t e r m i n e d ' , g i v e n a s p e c i f i c f l a v o u r o r s p i n , by t h e u n i q u e s e t o f c o n c r e t e c o n d i t i o n s -
t h a t is t o say, in
the
M a r x i s t d i a l e c t i c , the exception is the ruler, w e n e v e r e n c o u n t e r t h e a p p r o p r i a t e e m b o d i m e n t o f u n i v e r s a l i t y as s u c h ) is t h e v e r y f u n d a m e n t a l of
H e g e l i a n c o n c r e t e universality.
concrete
S o it is n o t
enough
feature
to claim
that
u n i v e r s a l i t y is a r t i c u l a t e d i n t o a t e x t u r e o f p a r t i c u l a r c o n s t e l
lations, o f situations in which a specific c o n t e n t h e g e m o n i z e s the universal n o t i o n ; o n e s h o u l d a l s o b e a r i n m i n d t h a t all t h e s e p a r t i c u l a r e x e m p l i f i c a t i o n s o f t h e universality in q u e s t i o n are b r a n d e d by t h e sign o f t h e i r u l t i m a t e f a i l u r e : e a c h o f t h e h i s t o r i c a l f i g u r e s o f t h e v i o l i n c o n c e r t o is a b o v e all t h e failure and
t o a c t u a l i z e t h e ' n o t i o n ' o f t h e v i o l i n c o n c e r t o fully
adequately. T h e Hegelian
' c o n c r e t e universality' thus involves
the
R e a l o f s o m e c e n t r a l i m p o s s i b i l i t y : u n i v e r s a l i t y is ' c o n c r e t e ' , s t r u c t u r e d as a texture o f particular
figurations,
p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e it is f o r e v e r p r e v e n t e d
f r o m a c q u i r i n g a figure t h a t w o u l d b e a d e q u a t e t o its n o t i o n . T h i s is w h y - as H e g e l p u t s it — t h e U n i v e r s a l g e n u s is always one of its own species: t h e r e is u n i v e r s a l i t y o n l y i n s o f a r as t h e r e is a g a p , a h o l e , i n t h e m i d s t o f t h e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t o f t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y i n q u e s t i o n , t h a t is, i n s o f a r as. a m o n g t h e s p e c i e s o f a g e n u s , t h e r e is always o n e s p e c i e s m i s s i n g : n a m e l y , t h e s p e c i e s t h a t w o u l d a d e q u a t e l y e m b o d y t h e g e n u s itself.
' R a t h e r t h a n w a n t n o t h i n g . . .' The
notion
that best illustrates the
necessity o f a 'false'
('unilateral',
' a b s t r a c t ' ) c h o i c e i n t h e c o u r s e o f a d i a l e c t i c a l p r o c e s s is t h a t o f ' s t u b b o r n a t t a c h m e n t ' ; t h i s t h o r o u g h l y a m b i g u o u s n o t i o n is o p e r a t i v e H e g e l ' s Phenomenology. attachment
to s o m e
On
throughout
t h e o n e h a n d , it s t a n d s f o r t h e p a t h o l o g i c a l
particular
content
(interest, object,
p l e a s u r e . . .)
s c o r n e d by t h e m o r a l i s t i c j u d g i n g c o n s c i e n c e . H e g e l is f a r f r o m
simply
c o n d e m n i n g such an attachment: h e emphasizes again and again
that
s u c h a n a t t a c h m e n t is t h e o n t o l o g i c a l a p r i o r i o f a n act - t h e h e r o ' s ( a c t i v e subject's) ethical
act by m e a n s o f w h i c h h e disturbs t h e b a l a n c e o f t h e
t o t a l i t y o f mores
is always a n d
necessarily e x p e r i e n c e d
c o m m u n i t y as a c r i m e . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , a far m o r e p e r i l o u s
socioby
his
stubborn
a t t a c h m e n t ' is t h a t o f t h e i n a c t i v e j u d g i n g s u b j e c t w h o r e m a i n s p a t h o l o g i cally a t t a c h e d to his a b s t r a c t m o r a l s t a n d a r d s a n d , on b e h a l f o f t h e m , c o n d e m n s e v e r y a c t as c r i m i n a l : s u c h a s t u b b o r n
c l i n g i n g to
abstract
THE TICKLISH
104
SUBJECT
m o r a l s t a n d a r d s , w h i c h c o u l d l e g i t i m i z e us t o p a s s j u d g e m e n t o n e v e r y a c t i v e s u b j e c t i v i t y , is t h e u l t i m a t e f o r m o f E v i l . As for the t e n s i o n b e t w e e n e t h n i c particularity a n d universalism, 'stub b o r n a t t a c h m e n t ' d e s c r i b e s s i m u l t a n e o u s l y the s u b j e c t ' s c l i n g i n g to his p a r t i c u l a r e t h n i c i d e n t i t y , w h i c h h e is n o t r e a d y t o a b a n d o n
u n d e r any
c i r c u m s t a n c e s , a n d a d i r e c t r e f e r e n c e t o a b s t r a c t u n i v e r s a l i t y as t h a t w h i c h r e m a i n s t h e s a m e , t h e u n c h a n g e a b l e s t a b l e f r a m e w o r k in t h e c h a n g e o f all p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t . T h e
universal
properly dialectical paradox,
c o u r s e , is t h a t i f t h e s u b j e c t is t o e x t r a c t h i m s e l f f r o m t h e
of
substantial
c o n t e n t o f his p a r t i c u l a r e t h n i c totality, h e c a n d o so o n l y by c l i n g i n g to s o m e radically c o n t i n g e n t idiosyncratic c o n t e n t . F o r that reason,
'stub
b o r n a t t a c h m e n t ' is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t h e r e s i s t a n c e t o c h a n g e - m e d i a l i o n u n i v e r s a l i z a t i o n and t h e v e r y o p e r a t o r o f this c h a n g e : w h e n , i r r e s p e c t i v e o f circumstances, I stubbornly attach myself to s o m e a c c i d e n t a l particular feature to w h i c h I a m b o u n d
by n o i n n e r necessity, this ' p a t h o l o g i c a l '
a t t a c h m e n t e n a b l e s m e to d i s e n g a g e m y s e l f f r o m i m m e r s i o n in m y particu l a r l i f e - c o n t e x t . T h a t is w h a t H e g e l c a l l s t h e ' i n f i n i t e r i g h t o f s u b j e c t i v i t y ' : t o risk e v e r y t h i n g , m y e n t i r e s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t e n t , f o r t h e s a k e o f s o m e trifling, idiosyncratic f e a t u r e that m a t t e r s m o r e to m e t h a n a n y t h i n g else. T h e p a r a d o x , t h e r e f o r e , lies i n t h e f a c t t h a t I c a n a r r i v e at t h e U n i v e r s a l for-itself only t h r o u g h a s t u b b o r n a t t a c h m e n t to s o m e c o n t i n g e n t particu lar c o n t e n t , which
functions
as a ' n e g a t i v e
magnitude',
as
something
wholly i n d i f f e r e n t in itself w h o s e m e a n i n g resides e n t i r e l y in t h e fact that it gives b o d y t o t h e s u b j e c t ' s a r b i t r a i y will ( T w a n t t h i s b e c a u s e 1 w a n t i t ! ' , a n d t h e m o r e t r i f l i n g this c o n t e n t , t h e m o r e m y will is a s s e r t e d . . . ) . T h i s i d i o s y n c r a t i c f e a t u r e , o f c o u r s e , is i n i t s e l f c o n t i n g e n t a n d u n i m p o r t a n t :
a
m e t o n y m y o f v o i d , o f n o t h i n g n e s s - w i l l i n g t h i s X is a way o f ' w i l l i n g Nothingness'. The
immediate
opposite
o f 'stubborn
attachment'
as t h e
supreme
e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s o b s t i n a t e self-will is, o f c o u r s e , discipline.
The
n o t i o n o f t h e f o r m a t i v e p o w e r o f d i s c i p l i n e ( p r e c i s e l y i n its ' t r a u m a t i c ' d i m e n s i o n o f o b e y i n g a b l i n d m e a n i n g l e s s ' m e c h a n i c a l ' r i t u a l ) was c r u c i a l f o r t h e H e g e l i a n n o t i o n o f s u b j e c t i v i t y . I n h i s Gymnasialreden,
d e l i v e r e d at
t h e e n d o f t h e s c h o o l y e a r w h e n h e was h e a d o f t h e N u r e m b e r g
Gymna
sium,
military
H e g e l insisted o n
the
n e c e s s i t y o f m e c h a n i c a l d r i l l in
s e r v i c e , a n d o n l e a r n i n g L a t i n . T h e s t r a n g e s t a t u s o f L a t i n is o f s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t : w h y d i d L a t i n , n o t G r e e k , b e c o m e t h e lingua franca
o f the West?
G r e e k is t h e m y t h i c a l ' l a n g u a g e o f o r i g i n s ' , e n d o w e d w i t h full m e a n i n g ; w h i l e L a t i n is ' m e c h a n i c a l ' , s e c o n d - h a n d , a l a n g u a g e o f i m i t a t i o n in w h i c h t h e o r i g i n a l w e a l t h o f m e a n i n g was l o s t ( a s H e i d e g g e r e m p h a s i z e s a g a i n
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
105
a n d a g a i n ) - so it is all t h e m o r e s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t L a t i n , n o t G r e e k , b e c a m e the universal m e d i u m o f W e s t e r n civilization.
2 7
Why?
I t is n o t m e r e l y t h a t this m e c h a n i c a l d r i l l , t h e c a p a c i t y t o o b e y m e a n i n g less r u l e s , p r o v i d e s t h e g r o u n d f o r l a t e r m e a n i n g f u l a u t o n o m o u s s p i r i t u a l a c t i v i t y ( o n e m u s t first l e a r n , g e t a c c u s t o m e d t o , t h e r u l e s o f g r a m m a r a n d s o c i a l e t i q u e t t e , in o r d e r t o b e a b l e t o i n d u l g e
freely in
c r e a t i v e a c t i v i t y ) a n d is t h u s s u b s e q u e n t l y ' s u b l a t e d [aufgehoberi]', to a m e r e invisible G r o u n d
'higher' reduced
f o r a h i g h e r activity. T h e c r u c i a l p o i n t is,
r a t h e r , t h a t w i t h o u t t h i s r a d i c a l e x t e r n a l i z a t i o n , this s a c r i f i c e o f all i n n e r substantial spiritual c o n t e n t , t h e s u b j e c t r e m a i n s e m b e d d e d in his S u b stance, and
c a n n o t e m e r g e as p u r e
self-relating negativity -
the
true
speculative m e a n i n g o f t h e m e a n i n g l e s s e x t e r n a l drill resides in the radical a b a n d o n m e n t o f all ' i n n e r ' s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t e n t o f m y s p i r i t u a l life; it is o n l y t h r o u g h s u c h a n a b a n d o n m e n t t h a t I e m e r g e as t h e p u r e s u b j e c t o f enunciation, no particular between
longer attached
life-world.
to a n y positive o r d e r ,
S o , like F o u c a u l t , H e g e l
r o o t e d in
insists o n
discipline a n d subjectivization, although
he
a
any
close link
gives it a s l i g h t l y
d i f f e r e n t twist: t h e s u b j e c t p r o d u c e d b y d i s c i p l i n a r y p r a c t i c e s is n o t
the
s o u l as t h e p r i s o n o f t h e b o d y ' , b u t — i f I m a y risk t h i s f o r m u l a t i o n
2
precisely a soulless subject, a s u b j e c t d e p r i v e d o f the d e p t h o f his 'soul'. " H e g e l ' s p o i n t is t h u s t h e very o p p o s i t e o f w h a t is u s u a l l y a t t r i b u t e d
to
h i m : t h e ' m e c h a n i c a l ' activity o f m e a n i n g l e s s drill a n d b l i n d o b e d i e n c e c a n n e v e r b e fully s u b l a t e d i n t o t h e ' h i g h e r ' s p i r i t u a l e x e r c i s e o f S e n s e not because o f the irreducible r e m a i n d e r o f material inertia but, on
the
c o n t r a r y , p r e c i s e l y t o g u a r a n t e e t h e a u t o n o m y o f t h e s u b j e c t with r e g a r d to his substantial c o n t e n t : t h e c o m p l e t e ' s u b l a t i o n ' o f m e c h a n i c a l drill i n t o Spiritual c o n t e n t (in L a c a n e s e : o f t h e s y m b o l i c m a c h i n e into M e a n i n g ) w o u l d e q u a l t h e s u b j e c t ' s c o m p l e t e i m m e r s i o n in S u b s t a n c e . I n so far
as m e a n i n g l e s s
m e c h a n i c a l drill
compels
the
subject to
distance
h i m s e l f f r o m e v e r y s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t e n t , t h e s u b j e c t h a s f r o m t i m e to t i m e to b e shaken
out
o f his s e l f - c o m p l a c e n t i m m e r s i o n
in t h e
substantial
totality o f M e a n i n g , a n d c o n f r o n t e d with t h e void o f p u r e negativity
-
t h a t , a c c o r d i n g t o H e g e l , is t h e r o l e o f w a r , w h i c h h e c o n s i d e r s n e c e s s a r y p r e c i s e l y in s o f a r as it i n v o l v e s a m e a n i n g l e s s s a c r i f i c e a n d
destruction
that u n d e r m i n e s t h e c o m p l a c e n c y o f o u r daily r o u t i n e . A n d , again, H e g e l has to b e s u p p l e m e n t e d h e r e with L a c a n : w h a t m a k e s the s u b j e c t e n d u r e t h i s m e a n i n g l e s s d r i l l o f s e l f - d i s c i p l i n e is t h e s u r p l u s - e n j o y m e n t
produced
b y it. I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e s u p p l e m e n t o f m e a n i n g l e s s d r i l l t o t h e s p i r i t u a l t o t a l i t y is n o n e o t h e r t h a n t h e s u p p l e m e n t o f objet petit a t o t h e field of Meaning:
it
bears
witness
to
the
fact
that
Hcgcl
was
no
'semantic
THE
106
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
i d e a l i s t ' , t h a t h e was w e l l a w a r e o f h o w t h e v e r y d o m a i n o f M e a n i n g c a n never achieve closure a n d g r o u n d itself in a self-referential circle - it has to rely o n
an
'indivisible r e m a i n d e r '
m e c h a n i c a l e x e r c i s e . T h i s is a l s o , par
o f puissance excellence,
provided
by
blind
the case o f religion in
r e l a t i o n t o p h i l o s o p h i c a l r e a s o n i n g : is n o t p r a y e r t h e ' h i g h e s t ' e x a m p l e o f m e c h a n i c a l - r e p e t i t i v e activity d e s t i n e d t o p r o v i d e t h a t is, e n j o y m e n t Philosophy
its o w n s a t i s f a c t i o n
as H e g e l h i m s e l f e m p h a s i z e s i n h i s Lectures
-
on the
of Religion?
T h e advantage o f H e g e l ' s a c c o u n t o f disciplinary practices over Fouc a u l t ' s is t h a t H e g e l , as i t w e r e , p r o v i d e s t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l g e n e s i s o f d i s c i p l i n e b y a n s w e r i n g t h e q u e s t i o n : h o w a n d w h y d o e s ( t h a t w h i c h will b e c o m e ) t h e s u b j e c t ( t h e A l t h u s s e r i a n ' i n d i v i d u a l ' ) willingly s u b j e c t itself t o t h e f o r m a t i v e d i s c i p l i n e o f P o w e r ? H o w a n d w h y d o e s it l e t i t s e l f b e c a u g h t i n it? H e g e l ' s a n s w e r , o f c o u r s e , is t h e f e a r o f D e a t h , t h e a b s o l u t e M a s t e r : s i n c e m y b o d i l y e x i s t e n c e is s u b j e c t t o n a t u r a l
corruption,
and
s i n c e I c a n n o t g e t r i d o f t h e b o d y a n d t h o r o u g h l y n e g a t e it, t h e o n l y t h i n g I c a n d o is e m b o d y n e g a t i v i t y : i n s t e a d o f d i r e c t l y n e g a t i n g m y b o d y , I live m y b o d i l y e x i s t e n c e as t h e p e r m a n e n t n e g a t i v i z a t i o n , s u b o r d i n a t i o n , m o r t i f i c a t i o n , d i s c i p l i n i n g , o f t h e b o d y . . • • T h e life o f f o r m a t i v e d i s c i p l i n e w h a t H e g e l c a l l s Bildung-
-
is t h u s a n e n d e a v o u r t o n e u t r a l i z e t h e e x c e s s i v e
l i f e - s u b s t a n c e i n m e , t o live m y a c t u a l life as i f I a m a l r e a d y d e a d , t o w a r d off desire w h i c h ' m a k e s m e feel alive'. T h e positive figure o f the M a s t e r who
effectively oppresses
me
is u l t i m a t e l y a s t a n d - i n
for
the
radical
negativity o f D e a t h , t h e a b s o l u t e M a s t e r - this e x p l a i n s the d e a d l o c k o f t h e o b s e s s i o n a l n e u r o t i c w h o o r g a n i z e s h i s e n t i r e life as t h e e x p e c t a t i o n o f t h e m o m e n t w h e n h i s M a s t e r will d i e , s o t h a t h e will d i e n
finally
be
a b l e t o b e c o m e fully a l i v e , t o ' e n j o y l i f e ' ; w h e n t h e o b s e s s i o n a l ' s M a s t e r a c t u a l l y d i e s , t h e i m p a c t o f h i s d e a t h is, o f c o u r s e , e x a c t l y t h e o p p o s i t e : t h e o b s e s s i o n a l is c o n f r o n t e d w i t h t h e v o i d o f D e a t h , t h e a b s o l u t e M a s t e r , w h i c h was l u r k i n g b e n e a t h t h e a c t u a l M a s t e r . W h a t H e g e l a l r e a d y h i n t s at, a n d L a c a n e l a b o r a t e s , is h o w t h i s r e n u n c i a t i o n o f t h e b o d y , o f b o d i l y p l e a s u r e s , p r o d u c e s a p l e a s u r e o f its o w n w h i c h is p r e c i s e l y w h a t L a c a n c a l l s s u r p l u s - e n j o y m e n t . T h e
-
fundamental
' p e r v e r s i o n ' o f t h e h u m a n l i b i d i n a l e c o n o m y is t h a t w h e n s o m e p l e a s u r a b l e activity is p r o h i b i t e d a n d ' r e p r e s s e d ' , w e d o n o t s i m p l y g e t a life o f s t r i c t o b e d i e n c e t o t h e L a w d e p r i v e d o f all p l e a s u r e s - t h e e x e r c i s e o f t h e L a w itself b e c o m e s libidinally c a t h e c t e d , so t h a t t h e p r o h i b i t o r y activity i t s e l f p r o v i d e s a p l e a s u r e o f its o w n . A p r o p o s o f t h e a s c e t i c , f o r e x a m p l e , H e g e l e m p h a s i z e s h o w his e n d l e s s m o r t i f i c a t i o n o f his b o d y b e c o m e s a s o u r c e o f p e r v e r s e excessive e n j o y m e n t : t h e very r e n u n c i a t i o n o f libidinal
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
107
s a t i s f a c t i o n b e c o m e s a n a u t o n o m o u s s o u r c e o f s a t i s f a c t i o n , a n d t h i s is t h e ' b r i b e ' which m a k e s the servant a c c e p t his servitude. The
key p r o b l e m
r e v e r s a l o f negating
is t h u s t h e
uncanny
2 9
possibility o f the
dialectical
the body i n t o embodied negation, o f r e p r e s s i n g a l i b i d i n a l
u r g e i n t o o b t a i n i n g l i b i d i n a l satisfaction f r o m this very a c t o f r e p r e s s i o n . T h i s m y s t e r y is t h a t o f masochism: repudiation
h o w c a n t h e very v i o l e n t d e n i a l
and
o f erotic satisfaction b e c o m e eroticized? H o w can libidinal
i n v e s t m e n t n o t o n l y d e t a c h i t s e l f f r o m its d i r e c t g o a l , b u t e v e n s h i f t f r o m it to t h e very activity o p p o s i n g this g o a l ? T h e F r e u d i a n
n a m e for
this
o r i g i n a l ' d e t a c h a b i l i t y ' o f t h e e r o t i c i m p u l s e f r o m its ' n a t u r a l ' o b j e c t , f o r t h i s o r i g i n a l p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e e r o t i c i m p u l s e s h i f t i n g its a t t a c h m e n t f r o m o n e o b j e c t t o a n o t h e r , is, o f c o u r s e , n o n e o t h e r t h a n death drive. I n o r d e r t o a c c o u n t f o r t h e n i h i l i s t i c d e n i a l o f t h e a s s e r t i v e will t o life, N i e t z s c h e , in
On
the Genealogy
of Morals,
introduced
the
well-known
distinction
b e t w e e n n o t w i l l i n g at all a n d w i l l i n g N o t h i n g itself: n i h i l i s t i c h a t r e d o f life is ' a r e v o l t a g a i n s t t h e m o s t f u n d a m e n t a l p r e s u p p o s i t i o n s o f life; y e t it is a n d r e m a i n s a will! . . . r a t h e r t h a n w a n t n o t h i n g , nothingness.'
3 0
man
even
wants
H e r e o n e should recall that L a c a n (who otherwise ignores
N i e t z s c h e ) implicitly refers to t h e s a m e distinction in his definition o f hysterical a n o r e x i a : the a n o r e x i c s u b j e c t d o e s n o t simply refuse f o o d a n d n o t e a t ; r a t h e r , s h e eats Nothing to
animal
itself. F o r L a c a n , h u m a n d e s i r e ( i n c o n t r a s t
i n s t i n c t ) is always, c o n s t i t u t i v e l y , m e d i a t e d
by r e f e r e n c e
to
N o t h i n g n e s s : t h e t r u e o b j e c t - c a u s e o f d e s i r e (as o p p o s e d t o t h e o b j e c t s t h a t satisfy o u r n e e d s ) is, b y d e f i n i t i o n , a ' m e t o n y m y o f l a c k ' , a s t a n d - i n f o r N o t h i n g n e s s . ( W h i c h is w h y , f o r L a c a n , objet petit a as t h e o b j e c t - c a u s e o f d e s i r e is t h e o r i g i n a l l y l o s t o b j e c t : it is n o t o n l y t h a t w e d e s i r e it i n s o f a r as it is l o s t - t h i s o b j e c t is n o t h i n g b u t a l o s s p o s i t i v i z e d . )
3 1
S o w e a r e b a c k a t t h e p r o b l e m a t i c o f ' s t u b b o r n a t t a c h m e n t ' , s i n c e it is absolutely c r u c i a l to b e a r in m i n d the c o - d e p e n d e n c e b e t w e e n d e t a c h a b i l ity f r o m a n y d e t e r m i n a t e c o n t e n t a n d e x c e s s i v e a t t a c h m e n t t o a p a r t i c u l a r o b j e c t t h a t m a k e s us i n d i f f e r e n t t o all o t h e r o b j e c t s - s u c h a n o b j e c t is w h a t L a c a n , f o l l o w i n g K a n t , c a l l s ' n e g a t i v e m a g n i t u d e ' , t h a t is, a n o b j e c t w h i c h , i n its v e r y p o s i t i v e p r e s e n c e , a c t s as a s t a n d - i n f o r t h e v o i d o f N o t h i n g n e s s ( o r f o r t h e abyss o f t h e i m p o s s i b l e T h i n g ) , s o t h a t wanting particular
object, maintaining
one's 'stubborn, attachment'
the very concrete form of 'wanting thus
stricto
sensu
Nothingness'.
litis
to it come what may, is
Excess and lack o f attachment
coincide, since excessive attachment
to
a
particular
c o n t i n g e n t o b j e c t is t h e v e r y o p e r a t o r o f l e t h a l d i s - a t t a c h m e n t : t o t a k e a r a t h e r p a t h e t i c e x a m p l e , T r i s t a n ' s u n c o n d i t i o n a l , excessive a t t a c h m e n t to Isolde
(and
vice versa)
was
the
very f o r m
o f his
dis-attachment,
of
THE TICKLISH
108
SUBJECT
h i s c u t t i n g - o f f o f all h i s l i n k s w i t h t h e w o r l d a n d i m m e r s i o n i n t o N o t h i n g n e s s . ( A b e a u t i f u l w o m a n a s t h e i m a g e o f d e a t h is a s t a n d a r d f e a t u r e o f male phantasmic space.) O n e c a n s e e h o w t h i s p a r a d o x p e r f e c t l y fits L a c a n ' s n o t i o n o f s u b l i m a t i o n as t h e e l e v a t i o n o f s o m e p a r t i c u l a r p o s i t i v e o b j e c t t o ' t h e d i g n i t y o f t h e T h i n g ' : t h e s u b j e c t b e c o m e s excessively a t t a c h e d to an o b j e c t in so far as t h i s o b j e c t
starts
to f u n c t i o n
as a s t a n d - i n
for Nothingness.
Nietzsche o n the o n e hand, and F r e u d and Lacan on
Here,
the other,
part
c o m p a n y : w h a t N i e t z s c h e d e n o u n c e s as t h e ' n i h i l i s t i c ' g e s t u r e t o c o u n t e r act life-asserting instincts, F r e u d a n d
L a c a n c o n c e i v e as t h e v e r y b a s i c
s t r u c t u r e o f h u m a n d r i v e as o p p o s e d t o n a t u r a l i n s t i n c t s . I n o t h e r w o r d s , w h a t N i e t z s c h e c a n n o t a c c e p t is t h e r a d i c a l d i m e n s i o n o f t h e d e a t h d r i v e - the fact that the e x c e s s o f the Will o v e r a m e r e s e l f - c o n t e n d e d satisfac tion
is always m e d i a t e d b y t h e ' n i h i l i s t i c ' s t u b b o r n a t t a c h m e n t t o N o t h i n g
n e s s . T h e d e a t h d r i v e is n o t m e r e l y a d i r e c t n i h i l i s t i c o p p o s i t i o n t o a n y life-asserting a t t a c h m e n t ;
r a t h e r , it is t h e v e r y f o r m a l s t r u c t u r e
of
r e f e r e n c e t o N o t h i n g n e s s t h a t e n a b l e s us to o v e r c o m e the stupid contended
life-rhythm,
some Cause -
in
order
to
become
'passionately attached'
the selfto
b e it l o v e , a r t , k n o w l e d g e o r p o l i t i c s - f o r w h i c h w e a r e
r e a d y t o r i s k e v e r y t h i n g . I n t h i s p r e c i s e s e n s e , it is m e a n i n g l e s s t o t a l k a b o u t t h e s u b l i m a t i o n o f d r i v e s , s i n c e d r i v e as s u c h i n v o l v e s t h e s t r u c t u r e o f s u b l i m a t i o n : we pass f r o m i n s t i n c t to drive w h e n , i n s t e a d o f a i m i n g d i r e c t l y a t t h e g o a l t h a t w o u l d satisfy u s , s a t i s f a c t i o n is b r o u g h t a b o u t b y c i r c u l a t i n g a r o u n d t h e v o i d , by r e p e a t e d l y m i s s i n g t h e o b j e c t w h i c h is t h e stand-in for the central void. S o , w h e n a s u b j e c t desires a series o f positive o b j e c t s , t h e t h i n g t o d o is t o d i s t i n g u i s h b e t w e e n o b j e c t s w h i c h a r e a c t u a l l y d e s i r e d as p a r t i c u l a r o b j e c t s , a n d the o b j e c t w h i c h is d e s i r e d a s t h e s t a n d in for Nothingness: which functions
as a ' n e g a t i v e m a g n i t u d e '
in
the
Kantian sense o f the term.
'Include m e out!' As for this N i e t z s c h e a n d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n 'willing n o t h i n g
( n o t willing
a n y t h i n g a t a l l ) ' a n d ' w i l l i n g N o t i r i n g n e s s i t s e l f , o n e s h o u l d r e a d it a g a i n s t the b a c k g r o u n d o f L a c a n ' s distinction, elaborated apropos o f Ernst Kris's case
o f 'pathological'
nothing
between
'stealing
(in the simple sense o f "not stealing a n y t h i n g " ) ' a n d
self-accusation
o f plagiarism,
'stealing
N o t h i n g n e s s i t s e l f : w h e n the p a t i e n t - an intellectual obsessed with
the
n o t i o n t h a t h e is c o n s t a n t l y s t e a l i n g i d e a s f r o m h i s c o l l e a g u e s - is p r o v e d
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
109
b y t h e a n a l y s t ( K r i s ) n o t , in r e a l i t y , t o h a v e s t o l e n a n y t h i n g , t h i s d o e s n o t y e t p r o v e t h a t h e is s i m p l y i n n o c e n t . W h a t t h e p a t i e n t is a c t u a l l y s t e a l i n g is ' n o t h i n g ' i t s e l f , j u s t as a n a n o r e x i c is n o t s i m p l y e a t i n g n o t h i n g ( i n t h e sense o f 'not eating anything') W h a t , exactly, d o Leader
3 2
linked
but, rather,
these passages, so often
this
case to
another
in
eating
Nothingness
referred which
a
to, m e a n ? patient
itself. . . . Darian
evokes
the
a n e c d o t e o f a m a n s u s p e c t e d by h i s e m p l o y e r o f s t e a l i n g s o m e t h i n g : as h e leaves t h e
factory where
h e works
every evening,
his w h e e l b a r r o w
is
s e a r c h e d s y s t e m a t i c a l l y - n o t h i n g is f o u n d , u n t i l a t l a s t i t is u n d e r s t o o d t h a t h e is s t e a l i n g w h e e l b a r r o w s t h e m s e l v e s . . . . A l o n g t h e s a m e l i n e s , as Lacan emphasizes, when
Kris's patient
displays h i s o b s e s s i o n w i t h
the
' p a t h o l o g i c a l ' f e e l i n g o f p l a g i a r i z i n g , t h e c r u c i a l p o i n t is n o t t o t a k e t h i s self-accusation at face value, a n d e n d e a v o u r to prove t o t h e p a t i e n t that in r e a l i t y h e is n o t s t e a l i n g a n y t h i n g f r o m h i s c o l l e a g u e s - w h a t t h e p a t i e n t ( a s w e l l as h i s a n a l y s t ) fails t o s e e is t h a t ' t h e r e a l p l a g i a r i s m is i n t h e f o r m o f t h e o b j e c t itself, in t h e f a c t t h a t f o r t h i s m a n s o m e t h i n g c a n o n l y h a v e a v a l u e i f it b e l o n g s t o s o m e o n e e l s e ' : everything he jouissance
3 3
the patient's apprehension
p o s s e s s e s is s t o l e n c o n c e a l s t h e
profound
that
satisfaction
-
— h e d e r i v e s f r o m t h e v e r y f a c t o f not h a v i n g a n y t h i n g t h a t t r u l y
b e l o n g s t o h i m - t h a t is truly ' h i s ' . On
t h e l e v e l o f d e s i r e , t h i s a t t i t u d e o f s t e a l i n g m e a n s t h a t d e s i r e is
always t h e d e s i r e o f t h e O t h e r , n e v e r i m m e d i a t e l y ' m i n e '
(I desire
an
o b j e c t o n l y i n s o f a r as it is d e s i r e d b y t h e O t h e r ) - s o t h e o n l y way f o r m e a u t h e n t i c a l l y t o ' d e s i r e ' is t o r e j e c t all p o s i t i v e o b j e c t s o f d e s i r e , a n d d e s i r e N o t h i n g n e s s i t s e l f ( a g a i n , i n all t h e s e n s e s o f t h i s t e r m , u p t o d e s i r i n g t h a t s p e c i f i c f o r m o f N o t h i n g n e s s w h i c h is d e s i r e i t s e l f - f o r t h i s r e a s o n , h u m a n d e s i r e is always d e s i r e t o d e s i r e , d e s i r e t o b e t h e o b j e c t o f t h e
Other's
d e s i r e ) . A g a i n , we c a n easily s e e t h e h o m o l o g y w i t h N i e t z s c h e : a W i l l c a n b e a ' W i l l t o W i l l ' , a w i l l i n g w h i c h w a n t s w i l l i n g itself, o n l y i n s o f a r as it is a W i l l w h i c h a c t i v e l y wills N o t h i n g n e s s . ( A n o t h e r w e l l - k n o w n f o r m o f t h i s r e v e r s a l is t h e c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f R o m a n t i c l o v e r s as a c t u a l l y b e i n g i n l o v e n o t with t h e b e l o v e d p e r s o n , b u t with L o v e itself.) C r u c i a l h e r e is t h e s e l f - r e f l e x i v e t u r n b y m e a n s o f w h i c h t h e ( s y m b o l i c ) f o r m i t s e l f is c o u n t e d a m o n g its e l e m e n t s : t o W i l l t h e W i l l i t s e l f is t o W i l l n o t h i n g , j u s t as t o s t e a l t h e w h e e l b a r r o w i t s e l f ( t h e v e r y f o r m - c o n t a i n e r o f s t o l e n g o o d s ) is t o s t e a l N o t h i n g n e s s i t s e l f ( t h e v o i d w h i c h p o t e n t i a l l y contains stolen g o o d s ) . This 'nothing' ultimately stands for the subject i t s e l f - t h a t is, it is t h e e m p t y s i g n i f i e r w i t h o u t s i g n i f i e d , w h i c h r e p r e s e n t s t h e s u b j e c t . T h u s t h e s u b j e c t is n o t d i r e c t l y i n c l u d e d
in t h e s y m b o l i c
o r d e r : it is i n c l u d e d as t h e v e r y p o i n t a t w h i c h s i g n i f i c a t i o n b r e a k s d o w n .
THE TICKLISH
no
SUBJECT
S a m G o l d w y n ' s f a m o u s r e t o r t w h e n h e was c o n f r o n t e d w i t h a n u n a c c e p t able
business
proposition,
'Include
me
out!',
perfecdy
expresses
this
i n t e r m e d i a t e status o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e s y m b o l i c
order,
between direct inclusion and direct exclusion: the signifier which
'repre
s e n t s t h e s u b j e c t f o r o t h e r s i g n i f i e r s ' is t h e e m p t y s i g n i f i e r , t h e ' s i g n i f i e r without
signified', the
'nothing
signifier by m e a n s
o f (in
( t h e s u b j e c t ) is c o u n t e d as s o m e t h i n g ' -
the
guise of)
which
in this signifier,
the
s u b j e c t is n o t s i m p l y i n c l u d e d i n t o t h e s i g n i f i e r ' s n e t w o r k ; r a t h e r , h i s v e r y e x c l u s i o n f r o m i t ( s i g n a l l e d b y t h e f a c t t h a t t h e r e is n o s i g n i f i e d t o t h i s s i g n i f i e r ) is ' i n c l u d e d ' i n it, m a r k e d , r e g i s t e r e d by it. T h i s s i t u a t i o n is t h e s a m e as t h a t o f t h e w e l l - k n o w n c h i l d i s h n o n s e n s e also often
quoted
myself
the
-
by L a c a n : 'I have t h r e e
third
term,
'myself,
brothers, Ernest, Paul
designates
the
way
the
and
s u b j e c t is
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y i n c l u d e d in t h e s e r i e s (as ' m y s e l f ' ) , a n d e x c l u d e d f r o m it (as t h e
absent
'subject o f the
enunciation'
who
has
three
brothers,
i n c l u d i n g h i m s e l f ) - t h a t is t o say, t h i s t e r m , p r e c i s e l y , ' i n c l u d e s m e o u t ' . T h u s reflexivity sustains the gap b e t w e e n t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e e n u n c i a t i o n and
to take the
old
n o t o r i o u s F r e u d i a n e x a m p l e - t h e p a t i e n t says: ' I d o n o t k n o w w h o
the subject o f the s t a t e m e n t / e n u n c i a t e d : w h e n
-
that
[ p e r s o n i n m y d r e a m ] was, b u t it was not m y m o t h e r ! ' , t h e e n i g m a is: whydid h e deny s o m e t h i n g that n o b o d y suggested to h i m ? In o t h e r
words,
t h e r e a l m e s s a g e o f t h e p a t i e n t ' s ' I t was not m y m o t h e r ! ' lies n o t i n its e n u n c i a t e d c o n t e n t , b u t i n t h e v e r y f a c t t h a t this m e s s a g e was u t t e r e d at a l l - t h e r e a l m e s s a g e c o n s i s t s in t h e very a c t o f d e l i v e r i n g this m e s s a g e (like
a person
who,
vehemently defends
when
nobody
himself: 'I did
o f theft,
already
not s t e a l it!' - w h y d o e s h e
is a c c u s i n g h i m
defend
h i m s e l f , w h e n n o b o d y was e v e n t h i n k i n g o f a c c u s i n g h i m ? ) . T h e f a c t t h a t t h e m e s s a g e was d e l i v e r e d a t all is t h u s l i k e t h e w h e e l b a r r o w w h i c h s h o u l d b e ' e x c l u d e d i n ' t h e c o n t e n t r a t h e r t h a n ' i n c l u d e d o u t ' o f it: it tells us a lot, p r o v i d i n g t h e crucial e l e m e n t with r e g a r d to t h e c o n t e n t
(theft).
This formula, 'include m e out', provides the most succinct definition o f t h e obsessional^
s u b j e c t i v e a t t i t u d e . T h a t is t o say: w h a t is t h e g o a l o f t h e
obsessional attitude? T o achieve the position o f a p u r e invisible m e d i a t o r - t h a t is, t o play, in i n t e r s u b j e c t i v e r e l a t i o n s , t h e r o l e o f w h a t , i n c h e m i s t r y , o n e calls a 'catalyst': the
substance which speeds up,
o r e v e n sets in
m o t i o n , a p r o c e s s o f c h e m i c a l r e a c t i o n without itself c h a n g i n g o r b e i n g a f f e c t e d in a n y w a y . F r o m m y p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e , I r e c a l l t h e c a t a s t r o p h i c c o n s e q u e n c e s o f o n e o f m y b e n e v o l e n t i n t e r v e n t i o n s . I was s l e e p i n g in a f r i e n d ' s a p a r t m e n t i n a r o o m i n w h i c h m y f r i e n d , a n analyst, r e c e i v e d h i s p a t i e n t s ; c l o s e t o t h i s r o o m was a n o t h e r r o o m i n w h i c h a n o t h e r a n a l y s t
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
111
a l s o r e c e i v e d p a t i e n t s . S o o n c e , i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e day, I r e t u r n e d b r i e f l y to t h e a p a r t m e n t to leave a p a c k a g e t h e r e ; s i n c e voices told m e that t h e o t h e r a n a l y s t was r e c e i v i n g p a t i e n t s i n h i s r o o m , I t i p t o e d s i l e n t l y i n t o m v r o o m a n d p u t t h e p a c k a g e i n t o a c h e s t . W h i l e I was d o i n g t h i s , I n o t i c e d a b o o k o n t h e t a b l e w h i c h d i d n o t b e l o n g t h e r e ; I a l s o saw a g a p in t h e b o o k s h e l v e s w h e r e this b o o k obviously fitted - so, u n a b l e to resist t h e compulsive temptation,
I put
t h e b o o k b a c k i n its p r o p e r
tiptoed out o f the apartment.
Later 1 learned from
place,
then
my friend that
bv
d o i n g t h i s , b y s i m p l y p u t t i n g a n o b j e c t b a c k i n its p r o p e r p l a c e , I h a d c a u s e d the analyst f r o m t h e a d j a c e n t r o o m to have a nervous
breakdown.
T h e b o o k I f o u n d o n t h e t a b l e was t o b e r e t u r n e d by t h i s a n a l y s t t o t h e f r i e n d i n w h o s e r o o m I was s l e e p i n g . J u s t b e f o r e I a r r i v e d , this a n a l y s t e n t e r e d m v r o o m a n d , s i n c e h e was l a t e a n d a p a t i e n t was a l r e a d y w a i t i n g f o r h i m , j u s t t h r e w t h e b o o k o n t h e t a b l e . I m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r I left, t h e p a t i e n t h a d to g o to t h e toilet, so t h e analyst u s e d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y o f t h e s h o r t b r e a k t o e n t e r m y r o o m a g a i n a n d p u t t h e b o o k b a c k i n its p r o p e r place -
o n e c a n i m a g i n e his s h o c k w h e n
h e n o t i c e d t h a t the book xuas
already back in its proper place on the shelf. O n l y two o r t h r e e m i n u t e s p a s s e d b e t w e e n h i s two visits t o t h e r o o m , a n d h e h a d n o t h e a r d n o i s e s ( s i n c e 1 t i p t o e d in a n d o u t ) , so h e was c o n v i n c e d t h a t h e h i m s e l f m u s t h a v e
put
t h e b o o k t h e r e . H o w e v e r , s i n c e h e c l e a r l y r e m e m b e r e d at t h e s a m e timethat only a short while ago h e had j u s t thrown the b o o k on the table, h e t h o u g h t h e was h a v i n g h a l l u c i n a t i o n s a n d l o s i n g c o n t r o l o v e r h i s a c t s
-
even m y friend, to w h o m t h e analyst later told t h e story, t h o u g h t t h e latter was l o s i n g h i s m i n d . . . . S o m e t h i n g s i m i l a r h a p p e n s i n t h e C o e n b r o t h e r s ' e x c e l l e n t film Blood Simple,
t h e private investigator, h i r e d by the j e a l o u s h u s b a n d
t o kill h i s
wife a n d h e r l o v e r , kills t h e h u s b a n d h i m s e l f i n s t e a d . A f t e r w a r d s , t h e l o v e r who stumbles on the dead husband
thinks that his mistress ( t h e wife)
c o m m i t t e d t h e c r i m e , a n d e r a s e s its t r a c e s ; t h e wife, o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , a l s o w r o n g l y a s s u m e s t h a t h e r l o v e r d i d it - a s e t o f u n e x p e c t e d c o m p l i cations arises f r o m intervened towards intervene
in
the
which in
the
the
couple's unawareness
situation. . . . This, obsessional
a situation), but
then,
neurotic in
the
that is t h e
strives: to
mode
m e d i a t o r / i n t e r c e s s o r w h o is n e v e r p r o p e r l y
another
agent
unattainable be
o f 'out',
'included' o f an
counted, included,
has ideal (to
invisible among
the elements o f the situation. I n Sleeping
with the Enemy, J u l i a R o b e r t s e s c a p e s f r o m h e r p a t h o l o g i c a l
s a d i s t i c h u s b a n d a n d a s s u m e s a n e w i d e n t i t y in a s m a l l I o w a t o w n ; i n h i s efforts to track h e r d o w n , t h e h u s b a n d l o c a t e s h e r b l i n d old m o t h e r a n d
THE TICKLISH
112
SUBJECT
a p p r o a c h e s h e r in a nursing h o m e - in o r d e r to trap h e r into revealing h e r d a u g h t e r ' s w h e r e a b o u t s t o h i m , h e p o s e s as a p o l i c e d e t e c t i v e w h o , a w a r e o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e h u s b a n d is a p a t h o l o g i c a l k i l l e r , w a n t s t o w a r n J u l i a R o b e r t s t h a t h e r h u s b a n d is o n h e r t r a c k s , a n d t o p r o t e c t h e r f r o m his m e r c i l e s s r e v e n g e . T h e h u s b a n d t h u s uses t h e very e f f o r t to p r o t e c t J u l i a R o b e r t s a g a i n s t h i s f u r y as a m e a n s o f t r a c k i n g h e r d o w n a n d t a k i n g his r e v e n g e - by i n c l u d i n g h i m s e l f in t h e s c r i e s o f t h o s e trying to p r o t e c t J u l i a R o b e r t s , h e ' i n c l u d e s h i m s e l f o u t ' as t o w h a t h e e f f e c t i v e l y is. . . . A similar inversion
provides
what
is p r o b a b l y
the
best solution
to
the
s u b g e n r e o f the 'locked-room mystery' (a m u r d e r which ' c o u l d n ' t o c c u r ' , s i n c e it t o o k p l a c e in a h e r m e t i c a l l y i s o l a t e d p l a c e ) , i n w h i c h J o h n D i c k s o n Carr specialized: the
murderer
is t h e
very p e r s o n
who
discovers
the
m u r d e r - h e starts s h o u t i n g ' M u r d e r ! M u r d e r ! ' , i n d u c i n g the p e r s o n
to
b e m u r d e r e d to u n l o c k t h e d o o r o f h i s r o o m , a n d then q u i c k l y m u r d e r i n g him -
since the m u r d e r e r
was t h e o n e w h o
'discovered' the
murder,
n o b o d y s u s p e c t s him . . . a g a i n , h e r e t h e m u r d e r e r is ' i n c l u d e d o u t '
from
t h e s e r i e s o f t h o s e t r y i n g t o s o l v e t h e c r i m e . ( T h i s l o g i c , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t o f the thief h i m s e l f shouting 'Catch a thief!' - including h i m s e l f out from the set o f potential thieves.) I n b o t h t h e s e c a s e s , t h e m i s t a k e o f t h o s e c o n c e r n e d is t h a t i n
their
s e a r c h f o r t h e d a n g e r o u s m u r d e r e r , t h e y f o r g e t to i n c l u d e i n t h e s e r i e s o f s u s p e c t s t h e w h e e l b a r r o w i t s e l f - t h a t is, t h o s e e n g a g e d i n t h e e f f o r t t o solve o r p r e v e n t
the
crime. Again, the
link between
inscription o f subjectivity i n t o the series a n d
the
the
'impossible'
empty form
( o f the
' s i g n i f i e r w i t h o u t s i g n i f i e d ' ) is c r u c i a l h e r e : t h e s e r i e s is ' s u b j e c t i v i z e d ' w h e n a n d o n l y w h e n o n e o f its e l e m e n t s is a n e m p t y e l e m e n t - t h a t is, a n e l e m e n t w h i c h i n s c r i b e s i n t h e s e r i e s its v e r y f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e : t h i s e l e m e n t does n o t simply ' m e a n n o t h i n g ' ; rather, it ' m e a n s N o t h i n g n e s s i t s e l f
and,
as s u c h , r e p r e s e n t s t h e s u b j e c t . W e a r e t h e r e f o r e b a c k a t t h e m y s t e r y o f reflection, o f t h e s e l f - r e f e r e n t i a l reflexive
turn
that
is c o n s u b s t a n t i a l
with
subjectivity. R e p r e s s i o n
first
e m e r g e s as a n a t t e m p t t o regulate desires c o n s i d e r e d ' i l l i c i t ' b y t h e p r e d o m i n a n t s o c i o - s y m b o l i c o r d e r ; h o w e v e r , this p o w e r o f r e p r e s s i o n c a n m a i n t a i n i t s e l f i n t h e p s y c h i c e c o n o m y o n l y i f i t is s u s t a i n e d b y t h e desire for regulation
- if, t h a t is, t h e v e r y f o r m a l a c t i v i t y o f r e g u l a t i o n / r e p r e s s i o n /
subjection b e c o m e s libidinally invested a n d source
turns into an
o f libidinal satisfaction. T h i s satisfaction provided
regulatory
activity, t h i s
desire
for
regulation,
plays
autonomous by t h e
exactly the
very same
s t r u c t u r a l r o l e as t h e w h e e l b a r r o w i n t h e s t o r y q u o t e d b y L e a d e r : w e c a n c l o s e l y i n s p e c t all t h e d e s i r e s t h e s u b j e c t e n d e a v o u r s t o r e g u l a t e , b u t w e
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH
SUBJECT
113
g e t t h e key to t h e specific m o d e o f his s u b j e c t i v e s t a n c e o n l y i f we ' i n c l u d e o u t ' t h e d e s i r e f o r r e g u l a t i o n itself. . . . T h i s r e f l e x i v e r e v e r s a l is h y s t e r i a a t its m o s t e l e m e n t a r y : t h e r e v e r s a l o f t h e i m p o s s i b i l i t y o f satisfying a d e s i r e i n t o t h e d e s i r e f o r t h e d e s i r e remain
unsatisfied
desire).
Perhaps
(and thus turn into a 'reflected' desire, a 'desire
t h a t is t h e l i m i t a t i o n o f K a n t ' s p h i l o s o p h y : n o t i n
f o r m a l i s m as s u c h b u t , r a t h e r , i n t h e f a c t t h a t K a n t was n o t a b l e r e a d y t o count/include
the form into content,
to to its
and/or
as part of the content. O n a first
a p p r o a c h , it m a y s e e m t h a t , p r e c i s e l y , K a n t was a b l e t o d o s o : is n o t t h e m y s t e r i o u s f a c t t h a t , i n a m o r a l a g e n t , t h e p u r e form o f m o r a l L a w can a c t as t h e m o t i v e , t h e m o t i v a t i o n a l f o r c e , o f p r a c t i c a l activity t h e k e y p o i n t o f his e t h i c a l theory? H e r e , h o w e v e r , o n e s h o u l d i n t r o d u c e
the
Hegelian
d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n 'in i t s e l f a n d 'for i t s e l f : K a n t d o e s a c c o m p l i s h this s t e p ( o f ' i n c l u d i n g o u t ' t h e f o r m i n t o c o n t e n t i t s e l f ) in itself, n o t y e t for itself - t h a t is, h e is n o t r e a d y t o e m b r a c e a l l t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t h i s ' i n c l u s i o n o u t ' o f t h e f o r m i n t o c o n t e n t , a n d c o n t i n u e s t o t r e a t f o r m as 'pure
form',
abstractly o p p o s e d
to
its c o n t e n t
(which
is w h y ,
in
his
formulations, h e constantly 'regresses' to the standard n o t i o n o f a m a n split b e t w e e n the universal Call o f Duty a n d the wealth o f p a t h o l o g i c a l e g o t i s t i c i m p u l s e s ) . I n a way, H e g e l is m u c h c l o s e r t o K a n t t h a n h e maya p p e a r t o b e : w h a t o f t e n c r e a t e s a d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e two is t h e b a r e l y p e r c e p t i b l e gap that separates the In-itself f r o m the For-itself.
T o w a r d s a Materialist T h e o r y o f G r a c e H e g e l i a n ' c o n c r e t e u n i v e r s a l i t y ' is t h u s m u c h m o r e p a r a d o x i c a l t h a n it m a y a p p e a r : it h a s n o t h i n g w h a t s o e v e r t o d o w i t h a n y k i n d o f a e s t h e t i c o r g a n i c t o t a l i t y , s i n c e it r e f l e x i v e l y ' i n c l u d e s o u t ' t h e v e r y e x c e s s a n d / o r gap that forever spoils such a totality -
the irreducible and
ultimately
u n a c c o u n t a b l e g a p b e t w e e n a s e r i e s a n d its e x c e s s , b e t w e e n t h e W h o l e a n d t h e O n e o f its e x c e p t i o n , is t h e v e r y terrain o f ' c o n c r e t e u n i v e r s a l i t y ' . F o r this r e a s o n ,
the true politico-philosophical heirs o f Hegel are
not
a u t h o r s w h o e n d e a v o u r to rectify t h e e x c e s s e s o f m o d e r n i t y via t h e r e t u r n to s o m e new form o f organic substantial O r d e r (like the c o m m u n i t a r i a n s ) b u t , r a t h e r , a u t h o r s w h o fully e n d o r s e
the political logic o f the excess
c o n s t i t u t i v e o f e v e r y e s t a b l i s h e d O r d e r . T h e e x e m p l a r y c a s e , o f c o u r s e , is C a r l S c h m i t t ' s c l e c i s i o n i s t c l a i m t h a t t h e r u l e o f law u l t i m a t e l y h i n g e s o n a n abyssal a c t o f v i o l e n c e ( v i o l e n t i m p o s i t i o n ) g r o u n d e d
o n l y in itself:
THE TICKLISH
114 every
SUBJECT
p o s i t i v e s t a t u t e t o w h i c h t h i s a c t r e f e r s i n o r d e r t o l e g i d m i z e i t s e l f is
self-referentially p o s i t e d by this a c t itself.
34
T h e b a s i c p a r a d o x o f S c h m i t t ' s p o s i t i o n is t h a t h i s very p o l e m i c s a g a i n s t l i b e r a l - d e m o c r a t i c f o r m a l i s m i n e x o r a b l y g e t c a u g h t in t h e f o r m a l i s t trap. S c h m i t t targets the utilitarian-enlightened g r o u n d i n g o f the political in s o m e p r e s u p p o s e d set o f neutral-universal n o r m s or strategic rules which (should) regulate the interplay o f individual interests ( e i t h e r in the guise o f l e g a l n o r m a t i v i s m a la K e l s e n , o r i n t h e g u i s e o f e c o n o m i c u t i l i t a r i a n i s m ) : it is n o t p o s s i b l e t o p a s s d i r e c t l y f r o m a p u r e n o r m a t i v e o r d e r t o t h e a c t u a l i t y o f s o c i a l life - t h e n e c e s s a r y m e d i a t o r b e t w e e n t h e t w o is a n a c t o f W i l l , a d e c i s i o n , g r o u n d e d o n l y i n i t s e l f , w h i c h imposes a c e r t a i n o r d e r o r legal h e r m e n e u t i c s ( r e a d i n g o f abstract rules). A n y n o r m a t i v e
order,
t a k e n in itself, r e m a i n s s t u c k i n a b s t r a c t f o r m a l i s m ; it c a n n o t b r i d g e
the
g a p t h a t s e p a r a t e s it f r o m a c t u a l life. H o w e v e r - a n d t h i s is t h e c o r e o f S c h m i t t ' s a r g u m e n t a t i o n - t h e d e c i s i o n w h i c h b r i d g e s t h i s g a p is n o t a decision for some c o n c r e t e order,
but
primarily the
decision for
f o r m a l p r i n c i p l e o f o r d e r as s u c h . T h e c o n c r e t e c o n t e n t o f t h e
the
imposed
o r d e r is a r b i t r a r y , d e p e n d e n t o n t h e S o v e r e i g n ' s will, l e f t t o h i s t o r i c a l c o n t i n g e n c y - t h e principle
of order, t h e Dass-Sein o f O r d e r , h a s p r i o r i t y o v e r
its c o n c r e t e c o n t e n t , o v e r its Was-Sein. T h a t is t h e m a i n f e a t u r e o f m o d e r n c o n s e r v a t i v i s m , w h i c h s h a r p l y d i s t i n g u i s h e s it f r o m e v e r y k i n d o f t r a d i t i o n alism: m o d e r n
conservativism, even m o r e
than liberalism, assumes
lesson o f the dissolution o f the traditional set o f values a n d / o r
the
authorities
- t h e r e is n o l o n g e r a n y p o s i t i v e c o n t e n t w h i c h c o u l d b e p r e s u p p o s e d the
universally
accepted
frame
of
reference.
(Hobbes
was
the
as first
explicitly to posit this d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n the p r i n c i p l e o f o r d e r a n d any c o n c r e t e o r d e r . ) T h e p a r a d o x t h u s l i e s i n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e o n l y way t o o p p o s e l e g a l n o r m a t i v e f o r m a l i s m is t o r e v e r t t o d e c i s i o n i s t f o r m a l i s m
-
t h e r e is n o way o f e s c a p i n g f o r m a l i s m w i t h i n t h e h o r i z o n o f m o d e r n i t y . A n d d o e s n o t this g a p also provide t h e implicit political b a c k g r o u n d for L a c a n ' s l o g i c o f t h e u n i v e r s a l a n d its c o n s t i t u t i v e e x c e p t i o n ? I t is e a s y t o translate Schmitt's critique o f liberalism into L a c a n e s e : what liberalism m i s r e c o g n i z e s is t h e c o n s t i t u t i v e r o l e o f t h e e x c e p t i o n a l / e x c e s s i v e M a s t e r S i g n i f i e r . T h i s r e f e r e n c e t o L a c a n a l s o e n a b l e s us t o a c c o u n t f o r necessary ambiguity o f Schmitt's notion
o f e x c e p t i o n : it stands
taneously for the intrusion
(of the pure contingency
o f the Real
p e r t u r b s t h e u n i v e r s e o f s y m b o l i c automaton) Sovereign who
(violently, without
the
simul that
and f o r t h e g e s t u r e o f t h e
foundation
in
the
symbolic
norm)
i m p o s e s a s y m b o l i c n o r m a t i v e o r d e r : i n L a c a n e s e , it s t a n d s f o r objet petit a as well as f o r S , , t h e M a s t e r - S i g n i f i e r .
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH This double nature o f the foundational
SUBJECT
115
a c t is c l e a r l y d i s c e r n i b l e i n
r e l i g i o n : Christ calls o n his followers to o b e y a n d r e s p e c t t h e i r superiors i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h e s t a b l i s h e d c u s t o m s and t o h a t e a n d d i s o b e y
them,
t h a t is, t o c u t all h u m a n l i n k s w i t h t h e m : ' I f a n y o n e c o m e s t o m e a n d d o e s n o t h a t e h i s f a t h e r a n d h i s m o t h e r , h i s wife a n d c h i l d r e n , h i s b r o t h e r s a n d s i s t e r s - y e s , e v e n h i s o w n life - h e c a n n o t b e m y d i s c i p l e ' ( L u k e 1 4 : 2 6 ) . D o we n o t e n c o u n t e r h e r e Christ's o w n 'religious s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e e t h i c a l ' ? T h e u n i v e r s e o f e s t a b l i s h e d e t h i c a l n o r m s (mores,
the substance
o f s o c i a l life) is r e a s s e r t e d , b u t o n l y i n so f a r as it is ' m e d i a t e d ' b y C h r i s t ' s a u t h o r i t y : first, w e h a v e t o a c c o m p l i s h t h e g e s t u r e o f r a d i c a l n e g a t i v i t y a n d r e j e c t e v e r y t h i n g t h a t is m o s t p r e c i o u s t o us; l a t e r , w e g e t i t b a c k , b u t as a n e x p r e s s i o n o f C h r i s t ' s will, m e d i a t e d b y it ( t h e way a S o v e r e i g n r e l a t e s t o p o s i t i v e laws i n v o l v e s t h e s a m e p a r a d o x : a S o v e r e i g n c o m p e l s u s
to
r e s p e c t laws p r e c i s e l y i n s o f a r as h e is t h e p o i n t o f t h e s u s p e n s i o n o f laws). W h e n Christ claims that h e did n o t c o m e to u n d e r m i n e
the Old
L a w , b u t m e r e l y t o fulfil it, o n e h a s t o r e a d i n t o t h i s ' f u l f i l m e n t ' t h e full ambiguity o f the Derridean supplement: undermines
its direct authority.
the very act of fulfilling
the
Law
I n t h i s p r e c i s e s e n s e , ' L o v e Is t h e F u l f i l m e n t
o f the L a w ' ( R o m a n s 13: 1 0 ) : love a c c o m p l i s h e s what the Law ( C o m m a n d m e n t s ) a i m s at, b u t t h i s v e r y a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s i m u l t a n e o u s l y i n v o l v e s t h e s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e L a w . T h e n o t i o n o f b e l i e f w h i c h fits t h i s p a r a d o x o f a u t h o r i t y was e l a b o r a t e d b y K i e r k e g a a r d ; t h i s is why, f o r h i m , religion eminently
modern:
involves a radical disruption wager on
the
is
t h e t r a d i t i o n a l u n i v e r s e is e t h i c a l , w h i l e t h e R e l i g i o u s o f the O l d Ways -
Impossible we have
to m a k e
t r u e r e l i g i o n is a c r a z y
o n c e we
lose support
in
tradition. T
W h a t is p r o p e r l y m o d e r n i n S c h m i t t ' s n o t i o n o f e x c e p t i o n is t h u s t h e v i o l e n t g e s t u r e o f asserting the i n d e p e n d e n c e o f t h e abyssal act o f free d e c i s i o n f r o m its p o s i t i v e c o n t e n t . W h a t is ' M o d e r n ' is t h e g a p b e t w e e n the
act o f decision and
matters
its c o n t e n t -
the
is t h e a c t as s u c h , i n d e p e n d e n t
independent
perception
o f its c o n t e n t
o f the positive d e t e r m i n a t e
that what (or
order). The paradox
g r o u n d s s o - c a l l e d ' c o n s e r v a t i v e m o d e r n i s m ' ) is t h u s t h a t t h e
really
'ordering', (which
innermost
p o s s i b i l i t y o f m o d e r n i s m is a s s e r t e d i n t h e g u i s e o f its a p p a r e n t o p p o s i t e , o f the return to an u n c o n d i t i o n a l authority that c a n n o t b e g r o u n d e d
in
p o s i t i v e r e a s o n s . C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e p r o p e r l y m o d e r n G o d is t h e G o d o f predestination,
a k i n d o f S c h m i t t i a n politician w h o draws the
line o f
separation between Us and T h e m , Friends and E n e m i e s , the Delivered a n d t h e D a m n e d , by means any grounds
of a purely formal,
in the actual properties
abyssal act of decision,
and acts of concerned
humans
without
(since they
THE
116
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
were n o t yet even b o r n ) . I n traditional C a t h o l i c i s m , salvation d e p e n d s o n earthly g o o d
deeds; in
the
logic o f Protestant predestination,
earthly
d e e d s a n d f o r t u n e s ( w e a l t h ) a r e a t b e s t a n a m b i g u o u s sign o f t h e f a c t t h a t t h e s u b j e c t is a l r e a d y r e d e e m e d t h r o u g h t h e i n s c r u t a b l e d i v i n e a c t -
that
is, h e is n o t s a v e d because h e is r i c h o r d i d g o o d d e e d s , h e a c c o m p l i s h e s g o o d d e e d s o r is r i c h because h e is s a v e d . . . . C r u c i a l h e r e is t h e s h i f t f r o m a c t t o s i g n : f r o m t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f p r e d e s t i n a t i o n , a d e e d b e c o m e s a sign o f the predestined divine decision. T h e e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l v e r s i o n o f t h i s v o l u n t a r i s t d e c i s i o n i s m was a s s e r t e d by Descartes
( i n h i s Reply
to the Six
Objections),
apropos
o f the
most
e l e m e n t a r y m a t h e m a t i c a l t r u t h s : ' G o d d i d n o t will t h e t h r e e a n g l e s o f a t r i a n g l e t o b e e q u a l t o two r i g h t a n g l e s b e c a u s e h e k n e w t h a t t h e y c o u l d n o t b e o t h e r w i s e . O n t h e c o n t r a r y , it is b e c a u s e h e w i l l e d t h e t h r e e a n g l e s o f a t r i a n g l e t o b e n e c e s s a r i l y e q u a l t o two r i g h t a n g l e s t h a t t h i s is t r u e a n d c a n n o t b e otherwise.' T h e b e s t p r o o f o f h o w this gap, o n c e asserted, c a n n o t b e d e n i e d , is p r o v i d e d b y M a l e b r a n c h c , w h o o p p o s e d t h i s ' m o d e r n i s t ' a s s e r t i o n o f t h e p r i m a c y o f W i l l o v e r R e a s o n , s i n c e h e was
not
r e a d y t o a c c e p t as t h e u l t i m a t e G r o u n d o f t h e w o r l d ' a c e r t a i n a b s o l u t e decree, without reason'
( a s L e i b n i z p u t it i n h i s ' O n t h e P h i l o s o p h y o f
D e s c a r t e s ' ) : h o w e v e r , t h i s r e j e c t i o n i n n o way e n t a i l e d a r e t u r n t o
the
p r e m o d e r n identification o f G o d with the rational h a r m o n i o u s o r d e r o f 1
the universe in which T r u t h c o i n c i d e s with S u p r e m e Good. "' M a l e b r a n c h e b e g i n s by e x t e n d i n g t h e r a t i o n a l necessity f o l l o w e d by G o d in His acts f r o m
Nature
t o G r a c e : n o t o n l y is N a t u r e a g i g a n t i c
C a r t e s i a n m e c h a n i s m w h i c h , i n its m o v e m e n t , o b e y s s i m p l e laws; t h e s a m e h o l d s f o r G r a c e itself, w h o s e d i s t r i b u t i o n f o l l o w s u n i v e r s a l laws t h a t a r c indifferent towards individuals. It m a y well h a p p e n that -
as w i t h
rain
w h i c h , o b e y i n g t h e b l i n d laws o f N a t u r e , c a n fall o n b a r r e n l a n d , l e a v i n g t h e carefully cultivated field n e a r b y dry; o r with t h e p r o v e r b i a l b r i c k f r o m a roof, which can hit the h e a d o f a virtuous p e r s o n a n d miss a c r i m i n a l walking nearby - G r a c e c a n also hit the worst o f f e n d e r o r hypocrite, a n d miss a virtuous m a n . W h y ? B e c a u s e , m o r e t h a n t h e h a p p i n e s s o f worthless individuals, G o d values t h e simplicity a n d o r d e r o f the structure o f the e n t i r e u n i v e r s e : t h e c r u e l a n d u n d e s e r v e d f a t e o f v i r t u o u s i n d i v i d u a l s is t h e p r i c e t o b e p a i d i f t h e u n i v e r s e is t o b e g o v e r n e d b y s i m p l e u n i v e r s a l laws. T h e M a l e b r a n c h i a n G o d is t h u s u n c a n n i l y c l o s e t o t h e G o d i n t h e memoirs
o f Daniel Paul
Schreber: a
cruel and
indifferent
God
who
e m p h a t i c a l l y d o e s not ' u n d e r s t a n d ' o u r i n d i v i d u a l s e c r e t s a n d d r e a m s , a n Egoist who
loves H i m s e l f
more
than
His
creatures
and
whose
blind
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH universal Will inevitably, without
SUBJECT
117
any qualms, tramples down
individual
flowers: T h e g e n e r a l laws which diffuse grace in o u r hearts, thus find n o t h i n g in o u r wills which d e t e r m i n e their efficacy - j u s t as the g e n e r a l laws which govern t h e rains are not based on the dispositions o f the places where it rains. F o r w h e t h e r the grounds be fallow o r w h e t h e r they b e cultivated, it rains indifferently in all places, both in t h e deserts and in t h e s e a .
36
T
W hy, t h e n , d i d G o d c r e a t e t h e w o r l d i n t h e first p l a c e ? F o r t h e s a k e o f C h r i s t ' s a r r i v a l - i n o r d e r , t h a t is, f o r t h e w o r l d t o b e d e l i v e r e d by C h r i s t . Here
M a l e b r a n c h e inverts
only son' into 'It would work
were
not
'God
so loved
be unworthy
inseparable
from
the
world,
that
he
gave
his
o f G o d t o love t h e world, i f this
his s o n ' .
From
this inversion,
Male
b r a n c h e is n o t a f r a i d t o d r a w t h e o n l y l o g i c a l , a l b e i t m o r b i d , c o n c l u s i o n that G o d the F a t h e r ' n e v e r h a d a m o r e a g r e e a b l e sight t h a n that o f his o n l y son f a s t e n e d to t h e cross to re-establish o r d e r in t h e u n i v e r s e ' . s u c h , C h r i s t is t h e o c c a s i o n a l c a u s e o f G r a c e : i n c o n t r a s t
F a t h e r , C h r i s t t h e S o n d i s p e n s e s G r a c e with r e g a r d to individual b u t s i n c e h e is c o n s t r a i n e d b y t h e and
makes
his
finite
choices following
3 7
to G o d
As the
merits,
h o r i z o n o f a h u m a n soul, h e acts
his p a r t i c u l a r
will, a n d
is p r o n e
to
mistakes. M a l e b r a n c h e t h u s g i v e s a t h e o l o g i c a l twist t o t h e s t a n d a r d epistemological
occasionalism: for
him,
occasionalism
Cartesian
is n o t
only
or
p r i m a r i l y a t h e o r y o f p e r c e p t i o n a n d v o l i t i o n ( w e d o n o t s e e b o d i e s , 'we s e e all t h i n g s i n G o d ' ; o u r m i n d is n o t c a p a b l e o f d i r e c t l y m o v i n g
even
the smallest b o d y ) , but also the theory o f Salvation, since the h u m a n soul o f C h r i s t is t h e o c c a s i o n a l c a u s e o f t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f G r a c e t o p a r t i c u l a r persons. Here
M a l e b r a n c h e relies o n
a h o m o l o g y with
the domain
of
N a t u r e i n w h i c h , i f w e a r e t o e x p l a i n e v e n t X , w e n e e d g e n e r a l laws t h a t r e g u l a t e p h y s i c a l p r o c e s s e s as w e l l as t h e t e x t u r e o f p r i o r p a r t i c u l a r e v e n t s w h i c h , i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h g e n e r a l laws, g e n e r a t e e v e n t X - g e n e r a l laws b e c o m e effective only t h r o u g h the t e x t u r e o f particular e x i s t e n c e s that a c t u a l i z e t h e m . I n a s i m i l a r way, G o d t h e F a t h e r s u s t a i n s t h e g e n e r a l laws o f G r a c e , w h i l e C h r i s t a c t s a s its o c c a s i o n a l c a u s e a n d d e t e r m i n e s w h o will a c u t a l l y b e t o u c h e d by G r a c e .
3 8
I n t h i s way, M a l e b r a n c h e e n d e a v o u r s
to
a v o i d t h e t w o e x t r e m e s : b e f o r e t h e F a l l , G o d d i d p l a n t o p r o v i d e G r a c e to all
men
(in
contrast
to
Calvinism, which
advocates
predestination
-
s e l e c t i o n o f t h e few - b e f o r e t h e F a l l ) ; b e c a u s e o f A d a m ' s Fall, however, sin is u n i v e r s a l ; all m e n d e s e r v e t o b e l o s t , a n d i n o r d e r t o r e d e e m w o r l d , G o d s e n t H i s S o n , C h r i s t , s o t h a t it is C h r i s t a l o n e w h o c a n
the
furnish
THE TICKLISH
118 the
SUBJECT
o c c a s i o n f o r G r a c e to b e d i s t r i b u t e d .
human
and,
as s u c h , p r o n e
to h u m a n
However,
Christ's soul
limitations; his t h o u g h t s
' a c c o m p a n i e d b y c e r t a i n d e s i r e s ' w i t h r e g a r d to p e o p l e h e h e was p e r p l e x e d a n d
intrigued
was were
encountered;
b y s o m e , r e p e l l e d by o t h e r s -
so
he
d i s t r i b u t e d G r a c e u n e v e n l y , g i v i n g it t o a s i n n e r o r w i t h h o l d i n g i t f r o m a virtuous person. S o M a l e b r a n c h e is u n a b l e t o a v o i d t h e d i s c r e p a n c y b e t w e e n G r a c e a n d v i r t u e : G o d ' s g e n e r a l will o p e r a t e s o n a u n i v e r s a l level a n d
distributes
Grace
individual
according
to
simple
Cartesian
laws w h i c h ,
from
an
p e r s p e c t i v e , n e c e s s a r i l y a p p e a r u n j u s t a n d t a i n t e d by c r u e l i n d i f f e r e n c e . M a l e b r a n c h e d e n i e s t h e n o t i o n o f a G o d w h o h a s in m i n d m e i n
my
p a r t i c u l a r i t y , a G o d w h o a c t s w i t h a p a r t i c u l a r will t o h e l p m e , t o a n s w e r m y p r a y e r ; C h r i s t , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , d o e s a c t w i t h a volonte
particuliere,
b u t b e c a u s e o f h i s h u m a n l i m i t a t i o n s h i s d i s t r i b u t i o n o f G r a c e is i r r e g u l a r and
unjust,
Hegel,
p a t h o l o g i c a l l y t w i s t e d . . . . D o e s t h i s n o t b r i n g us b a c k
to his thesis o n
subjectivity?
The
how
relationship
abstract between
universality the
coincides
general
with
laws o f G r a c e
C h r i s t ' s p a r t i c u l a r o c c a s i o n a l c a u s e s is t h a t o f speculative
identity:
to
arbitrary and
abstract
g e n e r a l laws r e a l i z e t h e m s e l v e s i n t h e g u i s e o f t h e i r o p p o s i t e , i n c o n t i n gent particular whims o f a subject's
(Christ's) disposition -
H e g e l i a n civil s o c i e t y o f t h e m a r k e t , i n w h i c h t h e u n i v e r s a l
as in
the
anonymous
law r e a l i z e s i t s e l f t h r o u g h t h e c o n t i n g e n t i n t e r a c t i o n o f s u b j e c t i v e p a r t i c u lar i n t e r e s t s .
3 9
A q u e s t i o n a r i s e s h e r e : why t h i s d e t o u r t h r o u g h A d a m ' s F a l l a n d arrival o f Christ; why d o c s G o d n o t distribute G r a c e directly a n d d a n t l y t o all m e n t h r o u g h H i s volonte generate?
On account
of His
the
abun
Narcissism:
G o d c r e a t e d t h e w o r l d f o r H i s G l o r y - t h a t is, s o t h a t t h e w o r l d w o u l d b e r e d e e m e d through Christ's sacrifice. T h e o p p o n e n t s o f M a l e b r a n c h e , o f c o u r s e , were q u i c k to draw f r o m this t h e u n a v o i d a b l e u n c a n n y c o n c l u s i o n : all m e n h a d to b e d a m n e d s o t h a t C h r i s t w a s a b l e t o r e d e e m some o f t h e m - o r , as B o s s u e t p u t it: 'we w o u l d all b e s a v e d , i f w e h a d n o S a v i o u r ' .
4 0
T h i s p a r a d o x is t h e k e y t o M a l e b r a n c h e ' s s e r i e s o f s t r a n g e r e v e r s a l s o f t h e e s t a b l i s h e d t h e o l o g i c a l c l i c h e s : A d a m h a d t o fall, c o r r u p t i o n was n e c e s s a r y i n o r d e r t o m a k e C h r i s t ' s a r r i v a l p o s s i b l e ; a t n o t i m e was G o d
happier
t h a n w h e n H e was o b s e r v i n g C h r i s t ' s s u f f e r i n g o n t h e C r o s s . . . . I n w h a t , then, consists the role o f f r e e d o m within the confines o f strict occasional i s m ? M a l e b r a n c h e is n o t a f r a i d t o d r a w t h e r a d i c a l c o n c l u s i o n : a t t h e l e v e l o f c o n t e n t , e v e r y t h i n g is d e c i d e d 'en nous sans nous
4 1
- t h a t is t o say, w e
a r c m e c h a n i s m s ; G o d p r o m p t s us, p r o d u c e s feelings a n d m o v e m e n t s in us; we a r e c o m p l e t e l y r u l e d by m o t i v e s . T h e m a r g i n o f f r e e d o m lies o n l y
THE
in the
HEGELIAN
TICKLISH
subject's capacity to withhold
SUBJECT
or grant
119
his c o n s e n t from
or to
a
m o t i v e - f r e e d o m is t h e p o w e r ' w h i c h t h e s o u l h a s , t o s u s p e n d o r t o g i v e 4 2
its c o n s e n t t o m o t i v e s , w h i c h
naturally follow interesting
perceptions'.
What,
act
Malebranche's
then,
happens
a n s w e r is r a d i c a l a n d stop
ourselves,
put
in
an
of
consistent:
ourselves
(human)
freedom?
' N o t h i n g . . . . T h e o n l y t h i n g we d o
at
rest.'
This
p r o d u c e s n o t h i n g physical in o u r s u b s t a n c e s ' ,
is 4 3
'an
immanent
act
'an act which docs
and which makes the general cause [ G o d ] do nothing'.
4 1
nous
sans
nous;
the s u b j e c t m e r e l y provides his f o r m a l
decided
c o n s e n t . Is
this r e d u c t i o n o f f r e e d o m to t h e ' n o t h i n g ' o f a n e m p t y g e s t u r e the of the Hegelian Absolute
nothing
F r e e d o m as o u r
c o n s e n t t o m o t i v e s is t h u s p u r e l y r e f l e x i v e : e v e r y t h i n g is e f f e c t i v e l y en
is
which
not
'truth'
Subject?
Notes 1. Colin Wilson, From Atlantis to the Sphinx, L o n d o n : Virgin B o o k s 1 9 9 7 . 2. Ibid., p. 3 5 2 . 3. Ibid., p. 3 5 4 . 4. See W e n d y Brown, Status of Injury, Stanford, CA : Stanford University Press 1 9 9 6 , p. 3 6 . 5. T h e m a t r i x o f t h e n o t o r i o u s 'Hegelian triad' is provided by t h e two shifts in t h e relationship between h e a d a c h e a n d s e x . In t h e g o o d old pre-feminist days, t h e sexually subdued wife was supposed t o reject t h e husband's o r m a n ' s a d v a n c e s with: 'Not tonight, darling, I've g o t a h e a d a c h e ! ' In t h e sexually liberated 1970s, when it b e c a m e a c c e p t a b l e f o r w o m e n t o play t h e active role in instigating sex, it was usually t h e m a n w h o used t h e s a m e e x c u s e to stall a w o m a n ' s advances: I d o n ' t want to d o it tonight, I've g o t a h e a d a c h e ! ' In t h e t h e r a p e u t i c 1980s and 1990s, however, w o m e n again use a h e a d a c h e as a n a r g u m e n t , but for t h e o p p o s i t e p u r p o s e : 'I've g o t a h e a d a c h e , so let's d o it ( t o refresh m e ) ! ' ( P e r h a p s , between t h e s e c o n d a n d third phases, o n e should insert a n o t h e r b r i e f stage o f absolute negativity in which t h e two p a r t n e r s simply a g r e e that since they b o t h have a h e a d a c h e , they shouldn't d o i t . . . ) 6. F o r this reason, la traverse? du [antasine \\\ psychoanalytic t r e a t m e n t is d o u b l e - that is, t h e r e a r e two traversees, a n d analysis p r o p e r fills in t h e distance 'in between t h e two traversees'. T h e first traversee is t h e b r e a k d o w n o f t h e p h a n t a s m i c s u p p o r t o f t h e analysand's everyday e x i s t e n c e , which sustained his d e m a n d to e n t e r psychoanalysis: s o m e t h i n g must g o awn', t h e p a t t e r n o f his everyday life must disintegrate, otherwise analysis r e m a i n s e m p t y c h a t t e r with n o radical subjective c o n s e q u e n c e s . T h e point o f preliminary talks is to establish if this e l e m e n t a r y condition for real analysis is fulfilled. T h e n o n e works towards 'going t h r o u g h ' the fantasy. This g a p is, again, t h e g a p between In-itself a n d For-itself: t h e first traversing is 'In-itself, a n d only t h e s e c o n d is 'For-itself. 7. However, t h e oscillation is n o t only that between triplicity o r quadruplicity: historical dialectics often s e e m s to point towards quintuplicity. In H e g e l ' s Phenomenology, t h e ideal triad o f W e s t e r n history would b e t h e G r e e k Siltluhke.ilt h e world o f i m m e d i a t e ethical substanti ality a n d o r g a n i c unity - its alienation in t h e medieval universe, c u l m i n a t i n g in m o d e r n utilitarianism, a n d t h e final r e c o n c i l i a t i o n o f t h e ethical S u b s t a n c e with free individuality in the m o d e r n rational State; however, in each o f the two passages (from substantial unity to its alienation, a n d from utter alienation t o r e c o n c i l i a t i o n ) a n u n c a n n y i n t e r m e d i a t e m o m e n t
120
THE TICKLISH SUBJECT
intervenes: between G r e e k substantial unity a n d medieval alienation t h e r e is t h e R o m a n e p o c h o f abstract individualism (in which, a l t h o u g h t h e Greek substantial ethical unity is alreadv lost, alienation has not \et occurred - t h e R o m a n s did not yet c o n c e i v e o f t h e i r real world as a m e r e reflection o f t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t Deity); between utilitarian civil society a n d the m o d e r n rational State t h e r e is the b r i e f e p o c h o f Absolute F r e e d o m , the t r a u m a t i c T e r r o r o f t h e Revolution (which a l r e a d y supersedes alienation, but in a n i m m e d i a t e way, a n d thus, instead o f bringing about true reconciliation, e n d s u p in u t t e r self-destructive f u r y ) . T h e interesting point is that a h o m o l o g o u s shift o f triplicity to quintuplicity via t h e intrusion o f t h e two i n t e r m e d i a t e stages s e e m s also to disturb the s t a n d a r d historical materialist triad o f pre-class tribal society, 'alienated' class societies, a n d a p p r o a c h i n g post-class socialist society: 'Oriental Despotism' intervenes between pre-class tribal society a n d classic slave society, t h e n reintervenes again in t h e guise o f t h e despotic Stalinist State between capitalism a n d ' a u t h e n t i c ' socialism. 8. See Vittorio Hosle, Hegels System: l)er Idealismus der Subjektivitdt und das Problem der Intersubjektivitdt, vols 1 a n d 2, H a m b u r g : Felix M e i n e r V e r l a g 1 9 8 8 . 9. A n o t h e r i n d i c a t o r o f Hegel's failure seems to be t h e way he treats m a d n e s s in his 'Anthropology': he r e d u c e s t h e withdrawal from the public social universe that c h a r a c t e r i z e s m a d n e s s to t h e (egression to 'animal soul', missing the obvious point that t h e 'night o f t h e world' to which we r e t u r n in psychosis is n o t the animal universe but, r a t h e r the radical n e g a t i o n , suspension, o f the living being's i m m e r s i o n in its natural s u r r o u n d i n g s . See p a r a . 4 0 8 in Hegel's Philosophy of Mind, O x f o r d : C l a r e n d o n Press 1 9 9 2 . 10. T h e s t a n d a r d a r g u m e n t o f the C a t h o l i c C h u r c h against c o n t r a c e p t i o n ( a c c o r d i n g to which sex, deprived o f t h e higher goal o f p r o c r e a t i o n , is r e d u c e d to a n i m a l f o r n i c a t i o n ) thus obviously misses t h e point: is it not precisely sex in the service o f p r o c r e a t i o n - i.e. biological r e p r o d u c t i o n - that is animal? Is it not specifically h u m a n that sexual activity c a n d e t a c h it.self from its 'natural" goal a n d turn into an end-in-itself? O r , to p u t it in male-chauvinist terms: is it possible to imagine t h e opposition between 'whore' a n d ' m o t h e r ' in the a n i m a l universe? F r o m the standpoint o f n a t u r e , 'Spirit' designates a meaningless e x p e n d i t u r e , a zielgehemmtes instinct - t h a t is, an instinct thwarted as to its 'natural' goal, a n d thereby c a u g h t in the endless repetitive m o v e m e n t o f drive. I f - as L a c a n e m p h a s i z e d again a n d again - t h e symbolic gesture par excellence is an e m p t y a n d / o r i n t e r r u p t e d gesture, a gesture m e a n t n o t to be a c c o m p l i s h e d , t h e n sexuality 'humanizes' itself by c u t t i n g its links with t h e natural movement of procreation. 1 1 . T h e trickiest p r o c e d u r e in i n t e r p r e t i n g g r e a t texts o f the philosophical tradition is t h e precise positioning o f a thesis o r notion which t h e a u t h o r ferociously rejects: at these points, the question to be asked is always Is t h e a u t h o r simply rejecting a n o t h e r ' s n o t i o n , o r is he actually introducing this idea in t h e very guise o f its r e j e c t i o n ? ' . T a k e Kant's rejection o f t h e notion o f 'diabolical Evil' (Evil elevated into m o r a l Duty, i.e. a c c o m p l i s h e d n o t o u t o f 'pathological' motivation, but j u s t 'for its own s a k e ' ) : is n o t K a n t h e r e rejecting a notion the conceptual space for which was opened up only by his own philosophical system - that is to say, is h e not battling with the i n n e r m o s t c o n s e q u e n c e , t h e u n b e a r a b l e excess, o f lib. own philosophy? ( T o m a k e an u n e x p e c t e d c o m p a r i s o n , is he not behaving a little bit like the proverbial wife who accuses h e r husband's best friend o f m a k i n g advances to h e r , t h e r e b y betraying h e r own disavowed sexual desire for hint?) O n e o f t h e m a t r i x e s o f p r o g r e s s ' in t h e history o f philosophy is that a l a t e r p h i l o s o p h e r , a pupil o f the first o n e , o p e n l y assumes a n d fully articulates t h e notion which his t e a c h e r actually i n t r o d u c e d in t h e guise o f p o l e m i c a l rejection - as was the case with Schelling, with his theory o f evil, in relation to Kant. 12. This externality o f the symbolic o r d e r should f u r t h e r m o r e b e o p p o s e d to the e x t e r n a l i t y o f the peu de reaUte, o f an asinine positive e l e m e n t in which the big O t h e r itself must e m b o d y itself in o r d e r to a c q u i r e full actuality: the Spirit is a h o n e ' , t h e State as a rational totality b e c o m e s actual in the body o f the M o n a r c h , a n d so on. T h e role o f t h e King ( M o n a r c h ) in Hegel's rational State is thus what E d g a r Allan P o e called the 'imp o f perversity': w h e n a criminal s u c c e e d s in wholly obliterating t h e traces o f his c r i m e - when t h e r e a r e n o
THE HEGELIAN TICKLISH SUBJECT
121
s y m p t o m a t i c 'returns o f the repressed', n o 'clues' that betray the p r e s e n c e o f t h e O t h e r S c e n e o f c r i m e - that is, when he is in n o d a n g e r o f being discovered, when t h e c a m o u f l a g e o f rationalization works perfectly - t h e criminal feels an irresistible u r g e t o display his c r i m e publicly, to shout o u t t h e truth about his h o r r i b l e d e e d . Is it not the s a m e with the H e g e l i a n d e d u c t i o n o f the m o n a r c h y ? J u s t when t h e social edifice attains t h e a c c o m p l i s h e d rationality o f a perfectly o r g a n i z e d State, this rationality is paid for by t h e necessity to s u p p l e m e n t it by - to posit at its h e a d - t h e t h o r o u g h l y 'irrational' e l e m e n t o f t h e h e r e d i t a r y m o n a r c h who is immediately, in his n a t u r e (i.e. d u e to his biological d e s c e n d e n c y ) , what he is 'in c u l t u r e ' , in t e r m s o f his symbolic title. 13. See Charles Taylor, Hegel, C a m b r i d g e , MA: C a m b r i d g e University Press 1 9 7 5 , p. 9 2 . 14. Recall the s t a n d a r d cynical designation o f s o m e o n e as a relative genius' - o n e is a g e n i u s o r not; 'genius' is not an attribute that allows levels o f amplification. In t h e s a m e wav, Schelling qualifies G o d as 'relatively Absolute': H e is t h e absolute M a s t e r a n d C r e a t o r , but His absolute p o w e r is n o n e t h e less qualified, limited by what is not yet G o d in H i m . 15. G.W.F. Hegel, Phenomenology of Spirit, O x f o r d : O x f o r d University Press 1 9 7 7 , p. 2 1 0 . In t h e a c c o m p a n y i n g f o o t n o t e , the t r a n s l a t o r (A.V. Miller) draws a t t e n t i o n to t h e passage from Hegel's Philosophy of Nature in which he asserts the s a m e identity: 'In m a n y animals the o r g a n s o f e x c r e t i o n a n d the genitals, t h e highest a n d lowest parts in the a n i m a l o r g a n i z a t i o n , a r intimately c o n n e c t e d : just as s p e e c h a n d kissing, on t h e o n e h a n d , a n d eating, drinking a n d spitting, on t h e o t h e r , a r e all d o n e with the m o u t h . ' 16. I owe this precise point to M l a d e n Dolar; see T h e P h r e n o l o g y o f Spirit", in Supposing the Subject, ed. J o a n C o p j e c , L o n d o n : V e r s o 1 9 9 4 . T h e r e is a clear parallel between this necessity to m a k e the w r o n g c h o i c e in o r d e r to r e a c h t h e p r o p e r result (to c h o o s e ' u r i n a t i o n ' in o r d e r to r e a c h ' i n s e m i n a t i o n ' ) , and t h e s t r u c t u r e o f the Russian j o k e from Socialist times on Rabinovitch, who wants to e m i g r a t e f r o m the Soviet U n i o n for two reasons: 'First, I f e a r that if t h e socialist o r d e r disintegrates, all t h e b l a m e for t h e C o m m u n i s t c r i m e s will be put on us, t h e Jews.' T o t h e state b u r e a u c r a t ' s e x c l a m a t i o n 'But n o t h i n g will ever c h a n g e in t h e Soviet U n i o n ! Socialism is h e r e to stay for ever!', Rabinovilch calmly answers: ' T h a t ' s my s e c o n d reason!' H e r e also, the only way to r e a c h t h e true r e a s o n is via the w r o n g first r e a s o n . 17. T o put it tn E r n e s t o L a c l a u ' s t e r m s o f a n t a g o n i s m versus the s t r u c t u r e o f differences: for H e g e l , ever,' system o f differences - every posilive social s t r u c t u r e - is based o n a n antagonistic struggle, a n d war is the r e t u r n o f t h e a n t a g o n i s t i c logic o f 'Us versus T h e m ' which forever t h r e a t e n s every s t r u c t u r e o f differences. 18. P e r h a p s t h e p r o b l e m with this triadic articulation o f the social edifice is that H e g e l tries to c o m p r e s s into a s y n c h r o n o u s o r d e r t h r e e different global principles o f social organization: ( 1 ) the p r e r n o d e r n p e a s a n t / f e r r d a l principle, which, in feudalism, s t r u c t u r e s the whole o f society (artisans themselves a r e o r g a n i z e d into guilds a n d estates, they d o n o t function in a free m a r k e t ; State pow er itself is paternalistic, involving a naive pre-reflexive trust o f its subjects in t h e King's divine right to r u l e ) ; ( 2 ) the m o d e r n market-liberal principle o f civil society, which also d e t e r m i n e s t h e way peasant life functions (with a g r i c u l t u r e itself o r g a n i z e d as a b r a n c h o f industrial p r o d u c t i o n ) a n d t h e political s u p e r s t r u c t u r e ( t h e State r e d u c e d to a 'police state', t h e 'night w a t c h m a n ' g u a r a n t e e i n g t h e legal a n d p o l i c e / p o l i t i c a l c o n d i t i o n s o f civil life): ( 3 ) t h e p l a n n e d state-socialist logic in which the State b u r e a u c r a c y , as t h e universal class, also e n d e a v o u r s t o run t h e e n t i r e p r o d u c t i o n , including a g r i c u l t u r e ( n o w o n d e r t h e biggest effort o f Stalinism, as the s u p r e m e e x p r e s s i o n o f this t e n d e n c y , was to crush the peasantry, with its naive-trusting pre-reflexive a t t i t u d e ) . C a n these t h r e e principles be effectively ' m e d i a t e d ' into a c o m p l e t e arid stable 'syllogism o f Society'? T h e p r o b l e m is that e a c h o f t h e m is split from within, involved in an antagonistic tension that i n t r o d u c e s the properly political dimension: the a r c h a i c o r g a n i c o r d e r c a n t u r n into Fascist populist violence against ' T h e m ' ; liberalism is split betw-een a conservative laissezfaire attitude and an activist stance o f egaliberlir, state socialism g e n e r a t e s a r e a c t i o n in t h e guise o f grass-roots s p o n t a n e o u s self-organization. Do n o t these t h r e e principles t h e r e f o r e 7
122
THE TICKLISH SUBJECT
n e e d ( o r involve) a fourth principle: that, precisely, o f t h e political as such, o f social a n t a g o n i s m , o f d e m o c r a t i c destabilization o f t h e articulated social body, a p r i n c i p l e which, from time t o time, finds expression in different f o r m s o f ' s p o n t a n e o u s ' o r 'direct' d e m o c r a c y (like workers' councils in t h e revolutionary t u r m o i l a t t h e e n d o f W o r l d W a r I, o r d e m o c r a t i c 'forums' in t h e disintegration o f Socialism)? F o r a m o r e detailed a c c o u n t o f this n o t i o n o f the political, see C h a p t e r 4 below. 19. O n e should b e a r in m i n d that all c a t e g o r i e s o f reflection directly involve r e f e r e n c e to the knowing subject: say, the difference between a p p e a r a n c e a n d essence exists only for the gaze o f the subject t o w h o m only t h e a p p e a r a n c e is directly accessible, who t h e n e n d e a v o u r s t o p e n e t r a t e the underlying e s s e n c e hidden b e n e a t h the veil. See Taylor, Hegel, pp. 2 5 7 - 9 . 20. This point is also crucial for t h e p r o p e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e difference that s e p a r a t e s H e g e l from Schelling: as l o n g as H e g e l r e m a i n e d c o m m i t t e d to Schelling's critique o f K a n t i a n - F i c h t e a n subjectivism, he - as it were - b a c k e d insemination against u r i n a t i o n , that is, the direct c h o i c e o f t h e c o n c r e t e totality against the abstract subjective division. H e g e l ' b e c a m e H e g e l ' the m o m e n t he b e c a m e aware that every c h o i c e between Totality a n d abstract subjectivity which disbands Totality's c o n c r e t e o r g a n i c link is ultimately a forced c h o i c e in which the subject is c o m p e l l e d to c h o o s e himself- that is, the 'unilateral' disruptive violence which 'is' t h e subject. 2 1 . See Karel van het Rcve, 'Reves V e r m u t u n g ' , in Dr Freud and Slierhck Holmes, H a m b u r g : F i s c h e r Verlag 1 9 9 4 , pp. 1 4 0 - 5 1 . 2 2 . Ibid., p. 1 4 9 . 2 3 . L a c a n has s o m e t h i n g o f t h e s a m e order in mind w h e n he posits the c o r r e l a t i o n between the universal 'phallic function' and its constitutive e x c e p t i o n . 24. A n o t h e r e x a m p l e : how d o e s a c o u p l e c o m e to the decision to marry, to e n t e r a p e r m a n e n t , symbolically asserted relationship? Usually, the decision is not taken when t h e two p a r t n e r s , after a p e r i o d o f trial a n d d e l i b e r a t i o n , finally ascertain the h a r m o n i o u s n a t u r e o f their respective n e e d s a n d c h a r a c t e r features; r a t h e r , after s o m e small conflict that disturbs t h e bliss o f their c o m m o n life, the p a r t n e r s b e c o m e aware o f the insignificance o f this conflict - o f how the b o n d between t h e m is infinitely s t r o n g e r than this a n n o y a n c e . It is thus t h e very disturbing detail which forces m e to b e c o m e aware o f the d e p t h o f my a t t a c h m e n t . 2 5 . See E r n e s t o L a c l a u , Fmancipation(s), L o n d o n : Verso 1 9 9 6 . 2 6 . P e r h a p s t h e best f o r m u l a t i o n o f this vertiginous abyss in which t h e Universal is c a u g h t in t h e Hegelian dialectical p r o c e s s is provided by J e a n - L u c Nancy in his Hegel l.'infpiietude du negatif, Paris: H a c h e t t e 1 9 9 7 . 27. See R e n a t a Salecl, The Spoils of Freedom, L o n d o n : R o u t l e d g e 1 9 9 4 , p. 1 3 6 . 2 8 . Within t h e d o m a i n o f l a n g u a g e , H e g e l m a k e s the s a m e point by m e a n s o f his notion o f ' m e c h a n i c a l m e m o r y ' . See C h a p t e r 2 o f Slavoj Zizek, The Metastases of Enjoyment, L o n d o n : Verso 1994. 29. J u d i t h B u t l e r claims that when he deals with the s t r u c t u r e o f religious sacrificial labour, H e g e l a b a n d o n s its dialectical subversion, which would consist in pointing o u t how t h e sacrificial r e n u n c i a t i o n is false in so far as it p r o d u c e s a satisfaction o f its own, a pleasurein-pain ( o r , to put it in L a c a n i a n t e r m s , the u n d e r m i n i n g o f t h e e n u n c i a t e d c o n t e n t via r e f e r e n c e to its position o f e n u n c i a t i o n : I inflict pain on myself, but at t h e level o f t h e subjective position o f e n u n c i a t i o n I e x p e r i e n c e this pain as excessively p l e a s u r a b l e ) . A c c o r d ing to Butler, in t h e case o f sacrificial religious l a b o u r , pain a n d satisfaction a r e externally opposed; what m a k e s m e e n d u r e pain, o r even inflict it on myself, is n o t the d i r e c t perverse satisfaction I get out o f it, but the belief that t h e m o r e I suffer h e r e , o n this e a r t h , the m o r e I will be c o m p e n s a t e d , the m o r e satisfaction I will get, in t h e B e y o n d , after m v d e a t h . (See J u d i t h Butler, The Psychic Fife of Tower, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press 1 9 9 7 , p. 4 4 . ) Is this, however, in fact Hegel's position? Is n o t H e g e l well aware that the p r o m i s e d p l e a s u r e o f the B e y o n d is a m e r e mask for t h e pleasure I derive h e r e and now f r o m imagining this future reward? 30. Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Ceneal/igy of Morals, New York: Vintage 1 9 8 9 , p. 1 6 3 .
THE
HEGELIAN
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
123
3 1 . A n d is this not c o n n e c t e d to the logical distinction between e x t e r n a l a n d internal n e g a t i o n ? T h e basic p r o c e d u r e o f Stalinist p a r a n o i a was to r e a d e x t e r n a l n e g a t i o n as internal: the people's indifference towards c o n s t r u c t i n g Socialism ( n o t wanting to d o it) was r e a d as active plotting against it (wanting n o t to d o it, i.e. o p p o s i n g i t ) . O n e c a n thus say that the s p a c e o f the d e a t h drive is this very gap between e x t e r n a l a n d internal n e g a t i o n , between wanting n o t h i n g a n d actively wanting Nothingness. 3 2 . See Darian L e a d e r , Promises Lovers Make When It dels Lute, L o n d o n : F a b e r & F a b e r 1997, pp. 4 9 - 6 6 . 3 3 . Ibid., p. 5 6 . 3 4 . S e e Carl Schmitt, Political Theology: Four Chapters att the Concept of Sovereignty, C a m b r i d g e , MA: M I T Press 1 9 8 8 . 3 5 . See Miian Bozovic, ' M a l e b r a n c h e ' s O c c a s i o n a l i s m , o r , Philosophy in the G a r d e n of E d e n ' , in Cogito and the Unconscious, e d . Slavoj Zizek, D u r h a m , NC: Duke University Press 1998. 3 6 . Nicolas M a l e b r a n c h e , Treatise on Nature and Grace, O x f o r d : C l a r e n d o n Press 1 9 9 2 , pp. 1 4 0 - 4 1 . 3 7 . Nicolas M a l e b r a n c h e , finite de morale, Paris: G a r n i e r - F l a m m a r i o n 1 9 9 5 . p. 4 1 . 3 8 . M a l e b r a n c h e ' s use o f the t e r m 'occasionalism' is thus highly idiosyncratic in that it c o m b i n e s this m e a n i n g ( t h e n e e d for a p a r t i c u l a r cause to s u p p l e m e n t the universal law) with a different m e a n i n g which refers to the (lack o f a d i r e c t ) relationship between the two substances: since t h e r e is n o d i r e c t c o n n e c t i o n between body a n d soul - since a hody c a n n o t directly a r t upon a soul (and vice v e r s a ) , the c o - o r d i n a t i o n between the two ( t h e fact that when I think about raising my h a n d , my h a n d actually goes u p ) must be g u a r a n t e e d by God's g e n e r a l will. In this s e c o n d case, an occasional c a u s e (say, my intention to raise my h a n d ) d o e s not have to rely only o n g e n e r a l laws in o r d e r to c o n n e c t with o t h e r objects o f the s a m e o r d e r ( m y o t h e r intentions a n d t h o u g h t s ) : the divine g e n e r a l taws also have to sustain the c o - o r d i n a t i o n between two totally i n d e p e n d e n t series o f p a r t i c u l a r events, the 'mental' a n d 'bodily' series. 3 9 . O n e should be attentive h e r e to the implicit dialectic o f the Universal a n d its e x c e p t i o n : the Universal is m e r e l y potential, 'prelapsarian', a n d it realizes itself via the Fall, in the guise o f the contingently distributed p a r t i c u l a r G r a c e . 4 0 . S e e also F e n e l o n ' s version: 'it is precisely b e c a u s e we have a Saviour that so m a n y souls perish' ('Refutations du svsteme du P e r e M a l e b r a n c h e ' , in (Evvres de Venelon, Paris: C h e z L e f e v r e 1835, ch. 3 6 ) . 4 1 . Nicolas M a l e b r a n c h e , Lntretiens sur la melaphysiaue, Paris: W i n 1 9 8 4 , p. 117. 4 2 . Nicolas M a l e b r a n c h e , Recherche de la verite, Paris: Galerie de la S o r b o n n e 1 9 9 1 , p. 4 2 8 . 4 3 . Ibid., p. 4 3 1 . 4 4 . Ibid.
PART II
-
The Split Universality
3
The Politics of Truth, or, Alain Badiou as a Reader of St Paul
1
' T h e b e g i n n i n g is t h e n e g a t i o n o f t h a t w h i c h b e g i n s w i t h i t ' - S c h e l l i n g ' s statement
applies perfectly to the
itinerary o f the
four
contemporary
p o l i t i c a l p h i l o s o p h e r s w h o b e g a n as A l t h u s s e r i a n s a n d t h e n
elaborated
t h e i r own distinctive position by distancing themselves f r o m t h e i r starting point. T h e cases that immediately spring to m i n d are, o f course, those o f Etienne Balibar and J a c q u e s Ranciere. B a c k i n t h e 1 9 6 0 s , B a l i b a r was A l t h u s s e r ' s f a v o u r e d p u p i l a n d p r i v i l e g e d c o l l a b o r a t o r ; all h i s w o r k i n t h e l a s t d e c a d e , h o w e v e r , is s u s t a i n e d b y a kind o f avoidance o f (and silence about) the n a m e 'Althusser' L
c a n t l y , h i s k e y e s s a y o n A l t h u s s e r b e a r s t h e t i t l e Tais-toi, up
[remain
(signifi
Althusserf:
'Shut
silent], Althusser!'). In a revealing commemorative
essay,
B a l i b a r d e s c r i b e s t h e last p h a s e o f A l t h u s s c r ' s t h e o r e t i c a l a c t i v i t y ( e v e n p r i o r t o h i s u n f o r t u n a t e m e n t a l h e a l t h p r o b l e m s ) as a s y s t e m a t i c p u r s u i t o f ( o r e x e r c i s e i n ) s e l f - d e s t r u c t i o n , as i f A l t h u s s e r was c a u g h t i n t h e v o r t e x o f a systematic u n d e r m i n i n g a n d subverting o f his own previous t h e o r e t i cal p r o p o s i t i o n s . A g a i n s t t h e b a c k g r o u n d o f this d e b r i s o f t h e A l t h u s s e r i a n theoretical edifice,
B a l i b a r painfully e n d e a v o u r s
to f o r m u l a t e
his
own
p o s i t i o n , n o t always i n a fully c o n s i s t e n t way, o f t e n c o m b i n i n g t h e s t a n d a r d Althusserian enemies
references
(note
the
( S p i n o z a ) with
growing
importance
r e f e r e n c e s to Althusser's o f Hegel
in
arch
Balibar's recent
essays). R a n c i e r e , w h o a l s o b e g a n as a s t r i c t A l t h u s s e r i a n ( w i t h a c o n t r i b u t i o n t o Lire
le Capital),
then
( i n La lecon d'Allhusser),
accomplished a violent
gesture o f distancing, which e n a b l e d h i m to follow his own p a t h , focusing o n w h a t h e p e r c e i v e d as t h e m a i n n e g a t i v e a s p e c t o f A l t h u s s e r ' s
thought:
his t h e o r e t i c i s t elitism, his i n s i s t e n c e o n t h e g a p f o r e v e r s e p a r a t i n g
the
universe o f scientific c o g n i t i o n from that o f ideological ( m i s ) r e c o g n i t i o n in w h i c h t h e c o m m o n m a s s e s are i m m e r s e d . A g a i n s t this s t a n c e , w h i c h
THE TICKLISH
128
SUBJECT
allows t h e o r e t i c i a n s to ' s p e a k f o r ' t h e m a s s e s , to k n o w t h e t r u t h
about
t h e m , R a n c i e r e e n d e a v o u r s again a n d again to e l a b o r a t e the c o n t o u r s o f those m a g i c , violently p o e t i c m o m e n t s o f subjectivization in which
the
e x c l u d e d ('lower classes') put forward their claim to speak for themselves, to effect a c h a n g e in t h e g l o b a l p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e social s p a c e so t h a t t h e i r c l a i m s h a v e a l e g i t i m a t e p l a c e i n it. I n a m o r e m e d i a t e d way, t h e s a m e a l s o h o l d s f o r E r n e s t o L a c l a u a n d A l a i n B a d i o u . L a c l a u ' s first b o o k (Politics was still s t r o n g l y A l t h u s s e r i a n
and Ideology
(the notion
in Marxist
plays a c e n t r a l r o l e i n i t ) ; h i s f u r t h e r d e v e l o p m e n t , e s p e c i a l l y i n and
Socialist
Strategy
Theory)
o f ideological interpellation
(written with C h a n t a l M o u f f e ) ,
Hegemony
c o u l d b e r e a d as a
kind o f 'postmodernist' or 'deconstructionist' displacement o f the Althus serian
edifice: the distinction between science a n d
ideology collapses,
s i n c e t h e n o t i o n o f i d e o l o g y is u n i v e r s a l i z e d as t h e s t r u g g l e f o r h e g e m o n y t h a t r e n d s t h e v e r y h e a r t o f e v e r y s o c i a l f o r m a t i o n , a c c o u n t i n g f o r its f r a g i l e i d e n t i t y a n d , s i m u l t a n e o u s l y , f o r e v e r p r e v e n t i n g its c l o s u r e ; notion
of
the
subject
is
reconceptualized
as
the
very
operator
the of
h e g e m o n y . F i n a l l y , t h e r e is t h e s t r a n g e c a s e o f A l a i n B a d i o u . I s n o t B a d i o u also intimately r e l a t e d to Althusser, n o t only o n t h e level o f his p e r s o n a l i n t e l l e c t u a l b i o g r a p h y ( h e b e g a n as a m e m b e r o f t h e L a c a n o - A l t h u s s e r i a n l e g e n d a r y Cahiers
pour I'Analyse
g r o u p i n t h e 1 9 6 0 s ; h i s first b o o k l e t was
p u b l i s h e d in A l t h u s s e r ' s Theorie s e r i e s ) b u t a l s o o n t h e i n h e r e n t t h e o r e t i c a l level: his o p p o s i t i o n o f k n o w l e d g e ( r e l a t e d to t h e positive o r d e r o f B e i n g ) a n d truth ( r e l a t e d to t h e E v e n t that springs f r o m t h e void in t h e midst o f being)
seems
to
reverse
the
Althusserian
opposition
o f science
and
i d e o l o g y : B a d i o u ' s ' k n o w l e d g e ' is c l o s e r to ( a p o s i t i v i s t n o t i o n o f ) s c i e n c e , while his d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t b e a r s a n u n c a n n y r e s e m b l a n c e to Althusserian 'ideological interpellation'.
The Truth-Event. . . T h e a x i s o f B a d i o u ' s t h e o r e t i c a l e d i f i c e is - as t h e title o f h i s m a i n w o r k indicates -
the gap between B e i n g and
Event.'-
B e i n g ' stands for
the
positive o n t o l o g i c a l o r d e r accessible to K n o w l e d g e , for the infinite multi tude o f w h a t ' p r e s e n t s i t s e l f in o u r e x p e r i e n c e , c a t e g o r i z e d in g e n u s e s a n d s p e c i e s in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h its p r o p e r t i e s . A c c o r d i n g t o B a d i o u , t h e o n l y p r o p e r s c i e n c e o f B e i n g - a s - B c i n g is m a t h e m a t i c s - h i s first p a r a d o x i c a l c o n c l u s i o n is t h u s t o i n s i s t o n t h e g a p t h a t s e p a r a t e s p h i l o s o p h y f r o m ontology:
ontology
is
mathematical
science,
not
philosophy,
which
THE POLITICS OF TRUTH
129
involves a d i f f e r e n t d i m e n s i o n . B a d i o u p r o v i d e s an e l a b o r a t e d analysis o f B e i n g . A t t h e b o t t o m , as it w e r e , is t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e p u r e m u l t i p l e , t h e n o t y e t s y m b o l i c a l l y s t r u c t u r e d m u l t i t u d e o f e x p e r i e n c e , t h a t w h i c h is g i v e n ; this m u l t i t u d e is n o t a m u l t i t u d e o f ' O n e s ' , s i n c e c o u n t i n g h a s n o t yet t a k e n p l a c e . B a d i o u calls a n y p a r t i c u l a r c o n s i s t e n t m u l t i t u d e
(French
s o c i e t y ; m o d e r n a r t . . . ) a ' s i t u a t i o n ' ; a s i t u a t i o n is s t r u c t u r e d , a n d it is its s t r u c t u r e t h a t a l l o w s us t o ' c o u n t [ t h e s i t u a t i o n ] as O n e ' . H e r e , h o w e v e r , t h e first c r a c k s i n t h e o n t o l o g i c a l e d i f i c e o f B e i n g a l r e a d y a p p e a r : f o r us to
'count
[the
situation]
as O n e ' ,
the
'reduplication'
proper
to
the
symbolization (symbolic i n s c r i p t i o n ) o f a situation m u s t b e at work: that is, in o r d e r f o r a s i t u a t i o n always-already
be
to b e ' c o u n t e d
a meta-structure
that
as O n e ' , its s t r u c t u r e
designates
it as o n e
must
(i.e.
the
signified structure o f the situation m u s t b e r e d o u b l e d in the symbolic n e t w o r k o f s i g n i f i e r s ) . W h e n a s i t u a t i o n is t h u s ' c o u n t e d as O n e ' , i d e n t i fied
b y its s y m b o l i c s t r u c t u r e , w e h a v e t h e ' s t a t e o f t h e s i t u a t i o n ' .
Here
B a d i o u is p l a y i n g o n t h e a m b i g u i t y o f t h e t e r m s t a t e : ' s t a t e o f t h i n g s ' as well as S t a t e ( i n t h e p o l i t i c a l s e n s e ) - t h e r e is n o ' s t a t e o f s o c i e t y ' w i t h o u t a ' s t a t e ' i n w h i c h t h e s t r u c t u r e o f s o c i e t y is r e - p r e s e n t e d / r e d o u b l e d . T h i s s y m b o l i c reduplicatio
already involves the m i n i m a l dialectic o f V o i d
a n d E x c e s s . T h e p u r e m u l t i p l e o f B e i n g is n o t y e t a m u l t i t u d e o f O n e s , s i n c e , as w e h a v e j u s t s e e n , t o h a v e O n e , t h e p u r e m u l t i p l e ' c o u n t e d as O n e ' ; f r o m
the standpoint
must
o f the state o f a situation,
p r e c e d i n g m u l t i p l e c a n o n l y a p p e a r as nothing,
s o n o t h i n g is t h e
be the
'proper
n a m e o f B e i n g as B e i n g ' p r i o r t o its s y m b o l i z a t i o n . T h e V o i d is t h e c e n t r a l category o f ontology from
Democritus' atomism
onwards:
'atoms'
are
n o t h i n g b u t c o n f i g u r a t i o n s o f t h e V o i d . T h e e x c e s s c o r r e l a t i v e to this V o i d t a k e s two f o r m s . O n t h e o n e h a n d , e a c h s t a t e o f t h i n g s i n v o l v e s a t l e a s t o n e excessive e l e m e n t w h i c h , a l t h o u g h it c l e a r l y b e l o n g s to t h e s i t u a t i o n , is n o t ' c o u n t e d ' b y it, p r o p e r l y i n c l u d e d i n it ( t h e ' n o n - i n t e g r a t e d '
rabble
i n a s o c i a l s i t u a t i o n , e t c . ) : t h i s e l e m e n t is p r e s e n t e d , b u t n o t r e - p r e s e n t e d . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e r e is t h e e x c e s s o f r e - p r e s e n t a t i o n o v e r p r e s e n t a t i o n : t h e a g e n c y t h a t b r i n g s a b o u t t h e p a s s a g e f r o m s i t u a t i o n t o its s t a t e ( S t a t e i n s o c i e t y ) is always i n e x c e s s w i t h r e g a r d t o w h a t it s t r u c t u r e s : S t a t e power
is n e c e s s a r i l y ' e x c e s s i v e ' , it n e v e r
simply a n d
transparently
re
presents society ( t h e i m p o s s i b l e liberal d r e a m o f a state r e d u c e d to the s e r v i c e o f civil s o c i e t y ) , b u t a c t s as a v i o l e n t i n t e r v e n t i o n in w h a t it r e presents. T h i s , t h e n , is t h e s t r u c t u r e o f B e i n g . F r o m t i m e t o t i m e , h o w e v e r , i n a wholly c o n t i n g e n t , u n p r e d i c t a b l e
way, o u t
o f reach for Knowledge o f
B e i n g , an Event takes place that b e l o n g s to a wholly different dimension
THE TICKLISH
130 -
SUBJECT
t h a t , p r e c i s e l y , o f n o n - B e i n g . L e t us t a k e F r e n c h s o c i e t y i n t h e
eighteenth
late
c e n t u r y : t h e s t a t e o f s o c i e t y , its s t r a t a , e c o n o m i c , p o l i t i c a l ,
ideological conflicts, a n d so o n , are accessible to knowledge. However, n o a m o u n t o f K n o w l e d g e will e n a b l e u s t o p r e d i c t o r a c c o u n t f o r t h e p r o p e r l y u n a c c o u n t a b l e E v e n t c a l l e d t h e ' F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n ' . I n this p r e c i s e s e n s e , t h e E v e n t e m e r g e s ex nihilo: i f it c a n n o t b e a c c o u n t e d f o r i n t e r m s o f t h e s i t u a d o n , t h i s d o e s n o t m e a n t h a t i t is s i m p l y a n i n t e r v e n t i o n f r o m O u t s i d e o r B e y o n d - i t a t t a c h e s i t s e l f p r e c i s e l y t o t h e V o i d o f e v e r y s i t u a t i o n , t o its i n h e r e n t i n c o n s i s t e n c y a n d / o r its e x c e s s . T h e E v e n t is t h e T r u t h o f t h e situation that m a k e s visible/legible what the 'official'
situation
had
to
' r e p r e s s ' , b u t i t is a l s o always l o c a l i z e d - t h a t is t o say, t h e T r u t h is always t h e T r u t h of a s p e c i f i c s i t u a t i o n . T h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n , f o r e x a m p l e , is the Event which makes visible/legible the excesses and inconsistencies, the
'lie', o f the
ancien
regime,
and
it is t h e T r u t h
of t h e
ancien
regime
s i t u a t i o n , l o c a l i z e d , a t t a c h e d t o it. A n E v e n t t h u s i n v o l v e s its o w n s e r i e s o f determinations:
the
E v e n t itself; its n a m i n g
(the designation
'French
R e v o l u t i o n ' is n o t a n o b j e c t i v e c a t e g o r i z i n g b u t p a r t o f t h e E v e n t i t s e l f , t h e way its f o l l o w e r s p e r c e i v e d a n d s y m b o l i z e d t h e i r a c t i v i t y ) ; its u l t i m a t e Goal
( t h e s o c i e t y o f fully r e a l i z e d e m a n c i p a t i o n , o f
fraternity);
its ' o p e r a t o r '
(the
political m o v e m e n t s
freedom-equalitystruggling
for
the
R e v o l u t i o n ; a n d , l a s t b u t n o t l e a s t , its subject, t h e a g e n t w h o , o n b e h a l f o f the Truth-Event, intervenes in the historical multiple o f the situation a n d discerns/identifies s u b j e c t is h i s fidelity
in
it s i g n s - e f f e c t s o f t h e
Event. W h a t
defines
the
t o t h e E v e n t : t h e s u b j e c t c o m e s after t h e E v e n t a n d
p e r s i s t s i n d i s c e r n i n g its t r a c e s w i t h i n h i s s i t u a t i o n . T h e s u b j e c t is t h u s , f o r B a d i o u , a finite c o n t i n g e n t e m e r g e n c e : n o t o n l y is T r u t h n o t ' s u b j e c t i v e ' i n t h e s e n s e o f b e i n g s u b o r d i n a t e d t o h i s w h i m s , b u t t h e s u b j e c t h i m s e l f ' s e r v e s t h e T r u t h ' t h a t t r a n s c e n d s h i m ; h e is n e v e r fully a d e q u a t e t o t h e i n f i n i t e o r d e r o f T r u t h , s i n c e t h e s u b j e c t always h a s t o o p e r a t e w i t h i n a finite m u l t i p l e o f a s i t u a t i o n i n w h i c h h e d i s c e r n s t h e signs o f T r u t h . T o m a k e this c r u c i a l p o i n t clear, l e t us take the e x a m p l e o f t h e C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n ( w h i c h p e r h a p s p r o v i d e s the e x a m p l e o f a T r u t h E v e n t ) : t h e E v e n t is C h r i s t ' s i n c a r n a t i o n a n d d e a t h ; its u l t i m a t e G o a l is t h e L a s t J u d g e m e n t , t h e f i n a l R e d e m p t i o n ; its ' o p e r a t o r ' i n t h e m u l t i p l e of
the historical situation
is t h e C h u r c h ; its ' s u b j e c t ' is t h e c o r p u s o f
believers who intervene in their situation on b e h a l f o f the Truth-Event, s e a r c h i n g i n it f o r s i g n s o f G o d . ( O r , t o t a k e t h e e x a m p l e o f l o v e : w h e n I fall p a s s i o n a t e l y i n l o v e , I b e c o m e ' s u b j e c t i v i z e d ' b y r e m a i n i n g f a i t h f u l t o this E v e n t a n d f o l l o w i n g it i n m y l i f e . ) T o d a y , however, w h e n even t h e m o s t radical i n t e l l e c t u a l s u c c u m b s to
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H the compulsion appropriate
to d i s t a n c e h i m s e l f f r o m
131
Communism,
t o r e a s s e r t t h e O c t o b e r R e v o l u t i o n as a n
it s e e m s
more
Event o f Truth
d e f i n e d against t h e o p p o r t u n i s t i c leftist ' f o o l s ' a n d c o n s e r v a t i v e ' k n a v e s ' . T h e O c t o b e r R e v o l u t i o n a l s o allows us t o i d e n t i f y c l e a r l y t h r e e ways o f b e t r a y i n g the T r u t h - E v e n t : s i m p l e disavowal, the a t t e m p t patterns
as i f n o t h i n g
had
happened, just
a minor
to follow old
disturbance
(the
r e a c t i o n o f 'utilitarian' l i b e r a l d e m o c r a c y ) ; false i m i t a t i o n o f t h e E v e n t o f Truth
( t h e F a s c i s t s t a g i n g o f t h e c o n s e r v a t i v e r e v o l u t i o n as a
pseudo-
e v e n t ) ; a n d a d i r e c t ' o n t o l o g i c i z a t i o n ' o f t h e E v e n t o f T r u t h , its r e d u c t i o n to a n e w positive o r d e r o f b e i n g ( S t a l i n i s m ) . the gap
that separates B a d i o u from
3
H e r e o n e can readily grasp
d e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s t fictionalism: his
r a d i c a l o p p o s i t i o n to t h e n o t i o n o f a ' m u l t i t u d e 'truth-effects'). situation;
Truth
i t is t h e
o f truths'
is c o n t i n g e n t ; i t h i n g e s o n
truth
of t h i s s i t u a t i o n ,
but
in
(or,
rather,
a c o n c r e t e historical every c o n c r e t e
and
c o n t i n g e n t h i s t o r i c a l s i t u a t i o n t h e r e is one and only one T r u t h w h i c h , o n c e a r t i c u l a t e d , s p o k e n o u t , f u n c t i o n s as t h e i n d e x o f i t s e l f a n d o f t h e falsity o f t h e f i e l d s u b v e r t e d by it. W h e n B a d i o u s p e a k s o f ' t h i s s y m p t o m a l t o r s i o n o f b e i n g w h i c h is a 4
t r u t h i n t h e always-total t e x t u r e o f k n o w l e d g e s ' , e v e r y t e r m h a s its w e i g h t . The
t e x t u r e o f K n o w l e d g e is, b y d e f i n i t i o n , always t o t a l -
t h a t is, f o r
K n o w l e d g e o f B e i n g , t h e r e is n o e x c e s s ; e x c e s s a n d l a c k o f a s i t u a t i o n a r e visible o n l y f r o m t h e s t a n d p o i n t o f t h e E v e n t , n o t f r o m t h e s t a n d p o i n t o f t h e k n o w i n g servants o f the State. F r o m within this s t a n d p o i n t , o f c o u r s e , o n e sees ' p r o b l e m s ' , but they are automatically r e d u c e d to 'local', m a r g i n a l d i f f i c u l t i e s , to c o n t i n g e n t e r r o r s - w h a t T r u t h d o e s is t o r e v e a l t h a t (what K n o w l e d g e m i s p e r c e i v e s as) m a r g i n a l m a l f u n c t i o n i n g s a n d o f failure are a structural
necessity. Crucial for the
points
E v e n t is t h u s
the
elevation o f an empirical obstacle into a transcendental limitation. With r e g a r d t o t h e ancien
regime, w h a t t h e T r u t h - E v e n t r e v e a l s is h o w i n j u s t i c e s
a r e n o t m a r g i n a l m a l f u n c t i o n i n g s b u t p e r t a i n to t h e very s t r u c t u r e o f the s y s t e m w h i c h is i n its e s s e n c e , as s u c h , ' c o r r u p t ' . S u c h a n e n t i t y - w h i c h , m i s p e r c e i v e d b y t h e s y s t e m as a l o c a l ' a b n o r m a l i t y ' , e f f e c t i v e l y c o n d e n s e s t h e g l o b a l ' a b n o r m a l i t y ' o f t h e s y s t e m as s u c h , i n its e n t i r e t y - is w h a t , i n t h e F r e u d o - M a r x i a n t r a d i t i o n , is c a l l e d t h e symptom:
in psychoanalysis,
lapses, d r e a m s , c o m p u l s i v e f o r m a t i o n s a n d acts, a n d so o n , are ' s y m p t o m a l torsions' that m a k e accessible the subject's T r u t h , inaccessible to Knowl e d g e , w h i c h s e e s t h e m as m e r e m a l f u n c t i o n i n g s ; i n M a r x i s m , e c o n o m i c c r i s i s is s u c h a ' s y m p t o m a l t o r s i o n ' . H e r e B a d i o u is c l e a r l y a n d r a d i c a l l y o p p o s e d t o t h e p o s t m o d e r n
anti-
P l a t o n i c t h r u s t w h o s e b a s i c d o g m a is t h a t t h e e r a w h e n it was still p o s s i b l e
THE TICKLISH
132
to base a political m o v e m e n t
on
SUBJECT
a direct reference
to s o m e
eternal
m e t a p h y s i c a l o r t r a n s c e n d e n t a l t r u t h is d e f i n i t e l y o v e r : t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f o u r century proves that such a r e f e r e n c e to s o m e metaphysical a priori c a n l e a d o n l y to c a t a s t r o p h i c 'totalitarian' social c o n s e q u e n c e s . F o r this r e a s o n , t h e o n l y s o l u t i o n is t o a c c e p t t h a t w e live i n a n e w e r a d e p r i v e d o f m e t a p h y s i c a l c e r t a i n t i e s , in an e r a o f c o n t i n g e n c y a n d c o n j e c t u r e s , in a ' r i s k s o c i e t y ' i n w h i c h p o l i t i c s is a m a t t e r o f phronesis,
o f strategic j u d g e
ments a n d dialogue, not o f applying fundamental
cognitive insights. . . .
W h a t B a d i o u is a i m i n g at, a g a i n s t t h i s p o s t m o d e r n
doxa, is p r e c i s e l y t h e
resuscitation
o f t h e politics
of (universal)
Truth
in today's c o n d i t i o n s o f
global c o n t i n g e n c y . T h u s B a d i o u rehabilitates, in the m o d e r n o f multiplicity and meta-physkal
conditions
contingency, not only philosophy but the
dimension:
the
infinite
Truth
is ' e t e r n a l '
and
properly
meta-
with
r e g a r d t o t h e t e m p o r a l p r o c e s s o f B e i n g ; it is a f l a s h o f a n o t h e r d i m e n s i o n t r a n s c e n d i n g t h e positivity o f B e i n g . T h e l a t e s t v e r s i o n o f t h e d i s a v o w a l o f T r u t h is p r o v i d e d b y t h e N e w A g e o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e hubris o f s o - c a l l e d C a r t e s i a n s u b j e c t i v i t y a n d its m e c h a n icist d o m i n a t i n g a t t i t u d e towards n a t u r e . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e N e w A g e c l i c h e , t h e o r i g i n a l sin o f m o d e r n W e s t e r n civilization (as, i n d e e d , o f t h e J u d a e o Christian
his a r r o g a n t
assumption
o c c u p i e s t h e c e n t r a l p l a c e in t h e universe a n d / o r
tradition)
is m a n ' s
hubris,
t h a t h e is
that
w i t h t h e d i v i n e r i g h t t o d o m i n a t e all o t h e r b e i n g s a n d e x p l o i t t h e m his profit.
This
hubris,
which
disturbs
the
rightful
he
endowed for
balance o f cosmic
powers, s o o n e r o r later forces N a t u r e to re-establish that b a l a n c e : today's e c o l o g i c a l , s o c i a l a n d p s y c h i c c r i s i s is i n t e r p r e t e d as t h e u n i v e r s e ' s j u s t i f i e d answer to m a n ' s p r e s u m p t i o n .
O u r o n l y s o l u t i o n thus lies in t h e shift o f
the global paradigm,
in a d o p t i n g
will
our
humbly
assume
t h e n e w h o l i s t i c a t t i t u d e in w h i c h w e
constrained
place
in
the
global
Order
of
Being. . . . I n c o n t r a s t to this c l i c h e , o n e s h o u l d a s s e r t t h e e x c e s s o f s u b j e c t i v i t y ( w h a t H e g e l c a l l e d t h e ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' ) as t h e o n l y h o p e o f r e d e m p t i o n : t r u e evil lies n o t i n t h e e x c e s s o f s u b j e c t i v i t y as s u c h , b u t i n
its
' o n t o l o g i z a t i o n ' , i n its r e i n s c r i p t i o n i n t o s o m e g l o b a l c o s m i c f r a m e w o r k . Already in de
S a d e , e x c e s s i v e c r u e l t y is o n t o l o g i c a l l y ' c o v e r e d ' b y
the
o r d e r o f N a t u r e as t h e ' S u p r e m e B e i n g o f E v i l ' ; b o t h N a z i s m a n d S t a l i n i s m involved t h e r e f e r e n c e to s o m e g l o b a l O r d e r o f B e i n g (in t h e c a s e o f Stalinism, the dialectical organization o f the m o v e m e n t o f m a t t e r ) . T r u e a r r o g a n c e is t h u s t h e v e r y o p p o s i t e o f t h e a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e o f s u b j e c t i v i t y : it l i e s i n f a l s e h u m i l i t y - t h a t is to say, it e m e r g e s w h e n
hubris the
s u b j e c t p r e t e n d s to s p e a k a n d act o n b e h a l f o f t h e G l o b a l C o s m i c O r d e r ,
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H p o s i n g a s its h u m b l e i n s t r u m e n t .
133
In c o n t r a s t to this false humility,
the
e n t i r e W e s t e r n s t a n c e was a n t i - g l o b a l : n o t o n l y d o e s C h r i s t i a n i t y i n v o l v e reference pagan
to
order
a
higher
Truth
which
cuts
into
and
o f C o s m o s e x p r e s s e d in p r o f o u n d
disturbs
the
Wisdoms; even
old
Plato's
I d e a l i s m i t s e l f c a n b e q u a l i f i e d a s t h e first c l e a r e l a b o r a t i o n o f t h e
idea
t h a t t h e g l o b a l c o s m i c ' C h a i n o f B e i n g ' is n o t ' a l l t h e r e i s ' , t h a t t h e r e is another
Order
( o f Ideas) which suspends
t h e validity o f t h e O r d e r
of
Being. O n e o f B a d i o u ' s g r e a t t h e s e s is t h a t t h e p u r e m u l t i p l e l a c k s t h e d i g n i t y o f the p r o p e r
object o f thought:
from
Stalin to D e r r i d a ,
philosophical
c o m m o n s e n s e h a s always i n s i s t e d o n i n f i n i t e c o m p l e x i t y ( e v e r y t h i n g is i n t e r c o n n e c t e d ; r e a l i t y is s o c o m p l e x t h a t it is a c c e s s i b l e t o us o n l y i n a p p r o x i m a t i o n s . . . ) . B a d i o u implicitly c o n d e m n s d e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s m itself as t h e l a t e s t v e r s i o n o f t h i s c o m m o n - s e n s e m o t i f o f i n f i n i t e c o m p l e x i t y . A m o n g the advocates o f 'anti-essentialist' p o s t m o d e r n identity politics, for e x a m p l e , o n e o f t e n e n c o u n t e r s t h e i n s i s t e n c e t h a t t h e r e is n o ' w o m a n
in
general', there are only white middle-class w o m e n , black single m o t h e r s , l e s b i a n s , a n d s o o n . O n e s h o u l d r e j e c t s u c h ' i n s i g h t s ' as b a n a l i t i e s u n w o r thy o f b e i n g o b j e c t s o f t h o u g h t . lies p r e c i s e l y in
how
the
T h e problem o f philosophical
universality
o f 'woman'
emerges
thought
out
of
this
endless multitude. T h u s , o n e c a n also rehabilitate the H e g e l i a n difference b e t w e e n b a d ( s p u r i o u s ) a n d p r o p e r i n f i n i t y : t h e first r e f e r s t o c o m m o n sense infinite complexity; the s e c o n d c o n c e r n s t h e infinity o f an which, precisely, transcends
the
Event,
' i n f i n i t e c o m p l e x i t y ' o f its c o n t e x t .
In
e x a c t l y t h e s a m e way o n e c a n d i s t i n g u i s h b e t w e e n h i s t o r i c i s m a n d h i s t o r i c ity p r o p e r : h i s t o r i c i s m r e f e r s t o t h e s e t o f e c o n o m i c , p o l i t i c a l , c u l t u r a l , a n d so o n , c i r c u m s t a n c e s w h o s e c o m p l e x i n t e r a c t i o n allows us to a c c o u n t for the E v e n t to b e e x p l a i n e d , while historicity p r o p e r involves the specific t e m p o r a l i t y o f t h e E v e n t a n d its a f t e r m a t h , and
its
between
final
End
(between
Revolution and
Christ's
Communism,
the span between the
death
and
between
the
Last
Event
Judgement,
falling in love a n d
the
a c c o m p l i s h e d bliss o f living t o g e t h e r . . . ) . Perhaps
the
gap
separating
Badiou
from
the
standard
postmodern
d e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s t p o l i t i c a l t h e o r i s t s is u l t i m a t e l y c r e a t e d b y t h e f a c t t h a t the latter r e m a i n within
the confines o f the pessimistic wisdom o f the
f a i l e d e n c o u n t e r : is n o t t h e u l t i m a t e d e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s t l e s s o n t h a t e v e r y enthusiastic e n c o u n t e r with t h e R e a l T h i n g , ever)' p a t h e t i c
identification
o f a p o s i t i v e e m p i r i c a l E v e n t w i t h it, is a d e l u s i v e s e m b l a n c e s u s t a i n e d b y the short circuit b e t w e e n a c o n t i n g e n t positive e l e m e n t a n d the p r e c e d i n g u n i v e r s a l V o i d ? I n it, we m o m e n t a r i l y s u c c u m b t o t h e i l l u s i o n t h a i
the
THE TICKLISH
134
SUBJECT
p r o m i s e o f i m p o s s i b l e F u l l n e s s is a c t u a l l y r e a l i z e d - t h a t , t o
paraphrase
D e r r i d a , d e m o c r a c y is n o l o n g e r m e r e l y a venir b u t h a s a c t u a l l y a r r i v e d ; from
this,
deconstructionists
draw
the
conclusion
that
the
principal
e t h i c o - p o l i t i c a l d u t y is t o m a i n t a i n t h e g a p b e t w e e n t h e V o i d o f t h e c e n t r a l i m p o s s i b i l i t y and e v e r y p o s i t i v e c o n t e n t g i v i n g b o d y t o it - t h a t is, n e v e r fully t o s u c c u m b t o t h e e n t h u s i a s m o f h a s t y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f a p o s i t i v e E v e n t with
the
redemptive
Promise
deconstructionist stance, admiration
that
is always
'to c o m e ' . In
this
f o r t h e R e v o l u t i o n i n its Utopian
enthusiastic aspect g o e s h a n d in h a n d with the conservative m e l a n c h o l i c i n s i g h t t h a t e n t h u s i a s m i n e v i t a b l y t u r n s i n t o its o p p o s i t e , i n t o t h e w o r s t t e r r o r , the m o m e n t we e n d e a v o u r to t r a n s p o s e it i n t o t h e positive struc t u r i n g p r i n c i p l e o f social reality. It m a y s e e m that B a d i o u r e m a i n s within this framework: does n o t h e a l s o w a r n a g a i n s t t h e desastre o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y t e m p t a t i o n t o c o n f o u n d t h e T r u t h - E v e n t with the o r d e r o f B e i n g : o f the a t t e m p t to ' o n t o l o g i z e ' Truth
into the ontological principle o f the order
of Being?
However,
t h i n g s a r e m o r e c o m p l e x : B a d i o u ' s p o s i t i o n is t h a t a l t h o u g h t h e u n i v e r s a l O r d e r has t h e status o f a s e m b l a n c e , f r o m
time
to time, in a c o n t i n g e n t
a n d u n p r e d i c t a b l e way, a ' m i r a c l e ' c a n h a p p e n i n t h e g u i s e o f a T r u t h E v e n t that deservedly s h a m e s a p o s t m o d e r n i s t s c e p t i c . W h a t h e h a s in m i n d is a v e r y p r e c i s e p o l i t i c a l e x p e r i e n c e . F o r e x a m p l e , i n F r a n c e , d u r i n g the
first
Mitterrand
government
in
the
early
1980s,
all
well-meaning
Leftists were sceptical a b o u t M i n i s t e r o f J u s t i c e R o b e r t B a d i n t e r ' s inten tion to abolish the d e a t h p e n a l t y a n d i n t r o d u c e o t h e r progressive r e f o r m s o f t h e p e n a l c o d e . T h e i r s t a n c e was ' Y e s , o f c o u r s e w e s u p p o r t h i m ; b u t is t h e s i t u a t i o n y e t r i p e f o r it? W i l l t h e p e o p l e , t e r r i f i e d b y t h e r i s i n g c r i m e r a t e , b e w i l l i n g t o s w a l l o w it? I s n ' t t h i s a c a s e o f i d e a l i s t i c o b s t i n a c y t h a t c a n o n l y w e a k e n o u r g o v e r n m e n t , a n d d o us m o r e h a r m
than good?'.
B a d i n t e r simply i g n o r e d the catastrophic p r e d i c t i o n s o f the o p i n i o n polls, a n d p e r s i s t e d - w i t h t h e s u r p r i s i n g r e s u l t t h a t , all o f a s u d d e n , it was t h e majority o f the p e o p l e who c h a n g e d their m i n d s a n d started to support him. A s i m i l a r e v e n t h a p p e n e d i n I t a l y i n t h e m i d 1 9 7 0 s , w h e n t h e r e was a r e f e r e n d u m o n divorce. In private, the Left, even the C o m m u n i s t s - who, of course, supported
the
right
to divorce -
were sceptical about
the
o u t c o m e , fearing that the majority o f p e o p l e were n o t yet m a t u r e e n o u g h , that they would b e f r i g h t e n e d by the i n t e n s e C a t h o l i c p r o p a g a n d a depict ing a b a n d o n e d children and m o t h e r s , a n d so on. T o the great surprise o f e v e r y o n e , h o w e v e r , the r e f e r e n d u m was a g r e a t s e t b a c k f o r t h e
Church
and the Right, since a considerable majority o f 6 0 p e r c e n t voted for the
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H right
to divorce. Events like this d o
o c c u r in
135 politics, and
they
are
authentic Events belying shameful 'post-ideological realism': they are n o t momentary
enthusiastic
outbursts
occasionally
disturbing
the
usual
d e p r e s s i v e / c o n f o r m i s t / u t i l i t a r i a n run o f things, only to b e followed by an i n e x o r a b l e s o b e r i n g disillusionment 'the m o r n i n g after'; o n the contrary, they are the m o m e n t o f T r u t h in the overall structure o f d e c e p t i o n
and
l u r e . T h e f u n d a m e n t a l l e s s o n o f p o s t m o d e r n i s t p o l i t i c s is t h a t there is no Event,
that 'nothing
r e a l l y h a p p e n s ' , t h a t t h e T r u t h - E v e n t is a p a s s i n g ,
illusory s h o r t circuit, a false i d e n t i f i c a t i o n to b e d i s p e l l e d s o o n e r o r l a t e r b y t h e r e a s s e r d o n o f d i f f e r e n c e o r , at b e s t , t h e f l e e t i n g p r o m i s e o f t h e R e d e m p t i o n - t o - c o m e , towards w h i c h we have to m a i n t a i n a p r o p e r
dis
tance in o r d e r to avoid catastrophic 'totalitarian' c o n s e q u e n c e s ; against t h i s s t r u c t u r a l s c e p t i c i s m , B a d i o u is fully j u s t i f i e d i n i n s i s t i n g t h a t - t o u s e t h e t e r m w i t h its full t h e o l o g i c a l w e i g h t - miracles do happen.
. . ."'
. . . a n d Its Undecidability W e c a n n o w s e e t h e s e n s e i n w h i c h t h e T r u t h - E v e n t is ' u n d e c i d a b l e ' : i t is u n d e c i d a b l e f r o m the s t a n d p o i n t o f t h e System, o f the o n t o l o g i c a l 'state o f t h i n g s ' . A n E v e n t is t h u s c i r c u l a r i n t h e s e n s e t h a t its i d e n t i f i c a t i o n is possible only from ,(i
intervention
the standpoint
o f what B a d i o u calls ' a n
interpreting
- if, t h a t is, o n e s p e a k s f r o m a s u b j e c t i v e l y e n g a g e d p o s i t i o n ,
o r - t o p u t it m o r e f o r m a l l y - i f o n e i n c l u d e s i n t h e d e s i g n a t e d s i t u a t i o n t h e a c t o f n a m i n g itself: t h e c h a o t i c events in F r a n c e at t h e e n d o f t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y c a n b e i d e n t i f i e d as t h e ' F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n ' o n l y f o r those w h o a c c e p t the 'wager' that s u c h an E v e n t exists. B a d i o u formally d e f i n e s intervention
as ' e v e r y p r o c e d u r e b y m e a n s o f w h i c h a m u l t i p l e is 7
r e c o g n i z e d as a n e v e n t ' - s o 'it will r e m a i n f o r e v e r d o u b t f u l if t h e r e was a n e v e n t a t a l l , e x c e p t f o r t h e i n t e r v e n o r [I'intervenant] he
belonged
to
the
situation'.
8
Fidelity to
the
who d e c i d e d that
Event designates
the
c o n t i n u o u s effort o f traversing the field o f knowledge from the standpoint o f E v e n t , i n t e r v e n i n g i n it, s e a r c h i n g f o r t h e s i g n s o f T r u t h . A l o n g t h e s e lines, B a d i o u also interprets the P a u l i n e triad o f Faith, H o p e a n d Love: F a i t h is f a i t h i n t h e E v e n t ( t h e b e l i e f t h a t t h e E v e n t - C h r i s t ' s r i s i n g f r o m t h e d e a d - r e a l l y t o o k p l a c e ) ; H o p e is t h e h o p e t h a t t h e final r e c o n c i l i a t i o n a n n o u n c e d b y t h e E v e n t ( t h e L a s t J u d g e m e n t ) will a c t u a l l y o c c u r ; L o v e is t h e p a t i e n t s t r u g g l e f o r t h i s t o h a p p e n , t h a t is, t h e l o n g
and
a r d u o u s w o r k t o a s s e r t o n e ' s fidelity t o t h e E v e n t . B a d i o u calls t h e l a n g u a g e that e n d e a v o u r s to n a m e t h e T r u t h - E v e n t t h e
THE TICKLISH
136
SUBJECT
' s u b j e c t - l a n g u a g e ' . T h i s l a n g u a g e is m e a n i n g l e s s f r o m
the standpoint
of
K n o w l e d g e , w h i c h j u d g e s p r o p o s i t i o n s with r e g a r d to t h e i r r e f e r e n t within t h e d o m a i n o f positive b e i n g ( o r with r e g a r d to the p r o p e r f u n c t i o n i n g o f s p e e c h within the established symbolic o r d e r ) : w h e n the
subject-language
speaks o f Christian r e d e m p t i o n , revolutionary e m a n c i p a t i o n , love, a n d so on,
Knowledge
referent
d i s m i s s e s all t h i s a s e m p t y
phrases
lacking any
proper
('political-messianic j a r g o n ' , ' p o e t i c hermeticism", etc.). L e t us
imagine a person
in love describing
the features
o f his b e l o v e d
to
his
f r i e n d : t h e f r i e n d , w h o is n o t i n l o v e w i t h t h e s a m e p e r s o n , will s i m p l y f i n d t h i s e n t h u s i a s t i c d e s c r i p t i o n m e a n i n g l e s s ; h e will n o t g e t ' t h e
point'
o f it. . . . I n s h o r t , s u b j e c t - l a n g u a g e i n v o l v e s t h e l o g i c o f t h e s h i b b o l e t h , o f a d i f f e r e n c e w h i c h is v i s i b l e o n l y f r o m however,
in n o way m e a n s
that
the
within,
not from without.
subject-language
involves
This,
another,
' d e e p e r ' r e f e r e n c e t o a h i d d e n t r u e c o n t e n t : i t is, r a t h e r , t h a t t h e s u b j e c t language,
'derails'
or 'unsettles'
the standard use o f language
with
e s t a b l i s h e d m e a n i n g s , a n d leaves the r e f e r e n c e ' e m p t y ' - with the that
this
void
will
be
filled w h e n
a c t u a l i z e s i t s e l f as a n e w s i t u a t i o n
the
Goal
is r e a c h e d ,
its
'wager'
when
Truth
(God's kingdom on earth; the emanci
p a t e d s o c i e t y . . . ) . T h e n a m i n g o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t is ' e m p t y ' p r e c i s e l y in s o f a r as it r e f e r s t o t h e f u l l n e s s y e t t o c o m e . The
undecidability
o f the Event thus m e a n s
that an E v e n t does
p o s s e s s a n y o n t o l o g i c a l g u a r a n t e e : it c a n n o t b e r e d u c e d t o ( o r
not
deduced,
g e n e r a t e d f r o m ) a ( p r e v i o u s ) S i t u a t i o n : it e m e r g e s ' o u t o f n o t h i n g '
(the
N o t h i n g w h i c h was t h e o n t o l o g i c a l t r u t h o f t h i s p r e v i o u s s i t u a t i o n ) . T h u s t h e r e is n o n e u t r a l g a z e o f k n o w l e d g e t h a t c o u l d d i s c e r n t h e E v e n t i n its e f f e c t s : a D e c i s i o n is a l w a y s - a l r e a d y
here -
t h a t is, o n e c a n d i s c e r n
the
signs o f a n E v e n t in t h e S i t u a t i o n o n l y from a previous D e c i s i o n f o r T r u t h , j u s t as i n J a n s e n i s t t h e o l o g y , i n w h i c h d i v i n e m i r a c l e s a r e l e g i b l e as s u c h o n l y to t h o s e w h o have a l r e a d y d e c i d e d
for Faith. A neutral
historicist
g a z e will n e v e r s e e in t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n a s e r i e s o f t r a c e s o f t h e E v e n t called the 'French Revolution', merely a multitude o f occurrences caught in
the
network
o f social determinations;
to an
external
g a z e , L o v e is
m e r e l y a succession o f psychic a n d physiological states. . . . ( P e r h a p s
this
was t h e n e g a t i v e a c h i e v e m e n t t h a t b r o u g h t s u c h f a m e t o F r a n c o i s F u r e t : did n o t his m a i n i m p a c t derive f r o m his de-eventualization
o f the F r e n c h
R e v o l u t i o n , in a d o p t i n g an e x t e r n a l p e r s p e c t i v e towards it a n d t u r n i n g it into
a
succession
of complex
specific historical
facts?)
The
engaged
o b s e r v e r p e r c e i v e s p o s i t i v e h i s t o r i c a l o c c u r r e n c e s as p a r t s o f t h e E v e n t o f the F r e n c h Revolution only to the e x t e n t that h e observes t h e m from
the
u n i q u e e n g a g e d s t a n d p o i n t o f R e v o l u t i o n - as B a d i o u p u t s it, a n E v e n t is
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H s e l f - r e f e r e n t i a l i n t h a t it includes
its own designation:
137 the symbolic designa
t i o n ' F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n ' is p a r t o f t h e d e s i g n a t e d c o n t e n t i t s e l f , s i n c e , i f we s u b t r a c t t h i s d e s i g n a t i o n , t h e d e s c r i b e d c o n t e n t t u r n s i n t o a m u l t i t u d e o f positive o c c u r r e n c e s available to k n o w l e d g e . In this p r e c i s e s e n s e , a n E v e n t involves subjectivity: t h e e n g a g e d
'subjective perspective' o n
the
1
E v e n t is p a r t o f t h e E v e n t itself. ' T h e difference between veracity ( t h e a c c u r a c y - a d e q u a c y o f k n o w l e d g e ) a n d T r u t h is c r u c i a l h e r e . L e t u s t a k e t h e M a r x i s t t h e s i s t h a t all h i s t o r y is the
history o f class struggle:
this thesis already p r e s u p p o s e s
engaged
s u b j e c t i v i t y — t h a t is t o say, o n l y f r o m t h i s s l a n t d o e s t h e w h o l e o f h i s t o r y a p p e a r as s u c h ; o n l y f r o m t h i s ' i n t e r e s t e d ' s t a n d p o i n t
can one
discern
t r a c e s o f t h e c l a s s s t r u g g l e in t h e e n t i r e s o c i a l e d i f i c e , u p t o t h e p r o d u c t s o f the highest culture. T h e answer to the obvious c o u n t e r - a r g u m e n t
(this
v e r y f a c t p r o v e s t h a t we a r e d e a l i n g w i t h a d i s t o r t e d view, n o t w i t h t h e t r u e s t a t e o f t h i n g s ) is t h a t it is t h e a l l e g e d l y ' o b j e c t i v e ' , ' i m p a r t i a l ' g a z e t h a t is n o t i n f a c t n e u t r a l b u t a l r e a d y p a r t i a l - t h a t is, t h e g a z e o f t h e w i n n e r s , o f t h e ruling classes. ( N o w o n d e r t h e m o t t o o f right-wing historical revision ists is ' L e t ' s a p p r o a c h t h e t o p i c o f t h e H o l o c a u s t i n a c o o l , o b j e c t i v e way; l e t ' s p u t it i n its c o n t e x t , l e t ' s i n s p e c t t h e f a c t s . . . ' ) A t h e o r i s t o f t h e C o m m u n i s t r e v o l u t i o n is n o t s o m e o n e w h o , a f t e r e s t a b l i s h i n g by m e a n s o f objective study that the future
b e l o n g s to t h e w o r k i n g class, d e c i d e s to
t a k e its s i d e a n d t o b e t o n t h e w i n n e r : t h e e n g a g e d v i e w p e r m e a t e s h i s t h e o r y from the very outset. W i t h i n t h e M a r x i s t t r a d i t i o n , t h i s n o t i o n o f p a r t i a l i t y as n o t o n l y n o t a n o b s t a c l e t o b u t a p o s i t i v e c o n d i t i o n o f T r u t h was m o s t c l e a r l y a r t i c u l a t e d b y G e o r g L u k a c s i n h i s e a r l y w o r k History
and Class Consciousness,
more
mode
directly messianic, proto-religious
'Theses on
a n d in a
by W a l t e r B e n j a m i n
the Philosophy o f History': 'truth' e m e r g e s when
from his p r e s e n t catastrophic position, gains a s u d d e n insight into e n t i r e p a s t as a s e r i e s o f c a t a s t r o p h e s t h a t l e d t o h i s c u r r e n t
in
a victim, the
predicament.
S o , w h e n we r e a d a t e x t o n T r u t h , w e s h o u l d b e c a r e f u l n o t t o c o n f u s e t h e level o f K n o w l e d g e with t h e level o f T r u t h . F o r e x a m p l e , Marx himself used 'proletariat'
although
as s y n o n y m o u s w i t h ' t h e w o r k i n g
class'
n o r m a l l y , o n e c a n n o n e t h e less d i s c e r n in his w o r k a c l e a r t e n d e n c y to c o n c e i v e ' t h e w o r k i n g c l a s s ' as a d e s c r i p t i v e t e r m b e l o n g i n g t o t h e d o m a i n o f K n o w l e d g e (the o b j e c t o f ' n e u t r a l ' s o c i o l o g i c a l study, a social s t r a t u m subdivided into c o m p o n e n t s , etc.); whereas 'proletariat'
designates
the
o p e r a t o r o f T r u t h , t h a t is, t h e e n g a g e d a g e n t o f d i e r e v o l u t i o n a r y s t r u g g l e . Furthermore,
the
status
o f the
pure
multiple
and
its V o i d is a l s o
u n d e c i d a b l e a n d p u r e l y ' i n t e r m e d i a r y ' : w e n e v e r e n c o u n t e r it ' n o w ' , s i n c e
THE TICKLISH
138
SUBJECT
it is always r e c o g n i z e d as s u c h r e t r o a c t i v e l y , t h r o u g h t h e a c t o f D e c i s i o n t h a t d i s s o l v e s i t - t h a t is, b y m e a n s o f w h i c h w e a l r e a d y p a s s o v e r it. F o r e x a m p l e , N a z i s m as a p s e u d o - E v e n t c o n c e i v e s o f i t s e l f as t h e D e c i s i o n f o r social H a r m o n y a n d O r d e r against the C h a o s o f m o d e r n liberal-Jewishclass-warfare society - h o w e v e r , m o d e r n society n e v e r p e r c e i v e s itself in t h e first p e r s o n as f u n d a m e n t a l l y
' c h a o t i c ' , it p e r c e i v e s ' c h a o s ' ( o r 'dis
o r d e r ' o r ' d e g e n e r a t i o n ' ) as a l i m i t e d , c o n t i n g e n t d e a d l o c k , a t e m p o r a r y c r i s i s - m o d e r n s o c i e t y a p p e a r s as f u n d a m e n t a l l y ' c h a o t i c ' o n l y f r o m s t a n d p o i n t o f t h e D e c i s i o n f o r O r d e r , t h a t is, o n c e t h e D e c i s i o n is made.
the
already
O n e s h o u l d t h e r e f o r e resist t h e retroactive illusion a c c o r d i n g to
w h i c h D e c i s i o n follows
the insight into the o p e n
undecidability o f the
s i t u a t i o n : i t is o n l y t h e D e c i s i o n i t s e l f t h a t r e v e a l s t h e p r e v i o u s S t a t e as ' u n d e c i d a b l e ' . P r i o r t o D e c i s i o n , w e i n h a b i t a S i t u a t i o n w h i c h is e n c l o s e d i n its h o r i z o n ; f r o m w i t h i n
this h o r i z o n ,
the V o i d constitutive o f this
S i t u a t i o n is b y d e f i n i t i o n i n v i s i b l e ; t h a t is t o say, u n d e c i d a b i l i t y is r e d u c e d t o - a n d a p p e a r s as - a m a r g i n a l d i s t u r b a n c e o f t h e g l o b a l S y s t e m . A f t e r t h e D e c i s i o n , u n d e c i d a b i l i t y is o v e r , s i n c e w e i n h a b i t t h e n e w d o m a i n o f Truth. T h e gesture that c l o s e s / d e c i d e s the Situation (again) thus absol u t e l y c o i n c i d e s w i t h t h e g e s t u r e t h a t ( r e t r o a c t i v e l y ) o p e n s it u p . T h e E v e n t is t h u s t h e V o i d o f a n i n v i s i b l e l i n e s e p a r a t i n g o n e c l o s u r e f r o m a n o t h e r : p r i o r t o it, t h e S i t u a t i o n was c l o s e d ; t h a t is, f r o m w i t h i n its h o r i z o n , ( w h a t will b e c o m e ) t h e E v e n t n e c e s s a r i l y a p p e a r s as skandalon,
as
an u n d e c i d a b l e , c h a o t i c intrusion that has n o place in the State o f the S i t u a t i o n ( o r , t o p u t it i n m a t h e m a t i c a l t e r m s , t h a t is
'supernumerary');
o n c e t h e E v e n t t a k e s p l a c e a n d is a s s u m e d as s u c h , t h e very
previous
Situation
political
appears
as u n d e c i d a b l e
Chaos. F o r an
established
O r d e r , t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y t u r m o i l t h a t t h r e a t e n s t o o v e r t h r o w it is a c h a o t i c d i s l o c a t i o n , w h i l e f r o m t h e v i e w p o i n t o f t h e R e v o l u t i o n , ancien
regime i t s e l f
is a n a m e f o r d i s o r d e r , f o r a n i m p e n e t r a b l e a n d u l t i m a t e l y
'irrational'
d e s p o t i s m . H e r e B a d i o u is c l e a r l y o p p o s e d
to the D e r r i d e a n
ethics o f
o p e n n e s s t o t h e E v e n t i n its u n p r e d i c t a b l e a l t e r i t y : s u c h a n e m p h a s i s o n u n p r e d i c t a b l e A l t e r i t y as t h e u l t i m a t e h o r i z o n r e m a i n s w i t h i n t h e c o n f i n e s o f a S i t u a t i o n , a n d s e r v e s o n l y t o d e f e r o r b l o c k t h e D e c i s i o n - it i n v o l v e s us i n t h e ' p o s t m o d e r n i s t ' i n d e f i n i t e o s c i l l a t i o n o f ' h o w d o we k n o w t h i s truly is t h e E v e n t , n o t j u s t a n o t h e r s e m b l a n c e o f t h e E v e n t ? ' H o w are w e t o d r a w a d e m a r c a t i o n l i n e b e t w e e n a t r u e E v e n t a n d its s e m b l a n c e ? Is n o t B a d i o u c o m p e l l e d to rely h e r e o n
a
'metaphysical'
o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n T r u t h a n d its s e m b l a n c e ? A g a i n , t h e a n s w e r i n v o l v e s t h e way a n E v e n t r e l a t e s t o t h e S i t u a t i o n w h o s e T r u t h it a r t i c u l a t e s : N a z i s m was a p s e u d o - E v e n t a n d t h e O c t o b e r R e v o l u t i o n was a n a u t h e n t i c E v e n t ,
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
139
b e c a u s e only t h e latter r e l a t e d to the very f o u n d a t i o n s o f the Situation o f capitalist o r d e r , effectively u n d e r m i n i n g t h o s e f o u n d a t i o n s , in c o n t r a s t to Nazism, which
staged
a pseudo-Event
precisely in
order
to
save
the
c a p i t a l i s t o r d e r . T h e N a z i s t r a t e g y was ' t o c h a n g e t h i n g s s o t h a t , a t t h e i r most fundamental, they can remain the s a m e ' . W e all r e m e m b e r t h e f a m o u s s c e n e f r o m B o b F o s s e ' s Cabaret,
which
t a k e s p l a c e i n t h e e a r l y 1 9 3 0 s , in a s m a l l c o u n t r y i n n n e a r B e r l i n : a b o y ( i n N a z i u n i f o r m , as we l e a r n i n t h e c o u r s e o f t h e s o n g ) s t a r t s t o s i n g a sorrowful e l e g i a c s o n g a b o u t the F a t h e r l a n d , w h i c h s h o u l d give G e r m a n s a s i g n t h a t t o m o r r o w b e l o n g s t o t h e m , a n d so o n ; t h e c r o w d
gradually
j o i n s him, a n d everyone, including a g r o u p o f d e c a d e n t nightlifers from B e r l i n , is i m p r e s s e d b y its e m o t i o n a l i m p a c t . . . . T h i s s c e n e is o f t e n e v o k e d b y p s e u d o - i n t e l l e c t u a l s as t h e m o m e n t w h e n
they 'finally grasped
what
N a z i s m was a b o u t , h o w it w o r k e d ' . O n e is t e m p t e d t o a d d t h a t t h e y a r e r i g h t , b u t f o r t h e w r o n g r e a s o n s : it is n o t t h e p a t h o s o f p a t r i o t i c e n g a g e ment
as such
that
is ' F a s c i s t ' . W h a t a c t u a l l y p r e p a r e s
the
ground
for
F a s c i s m is t h e v e r y l i b e r a l s u s p i c i o n a n d d e n u n c i a t i o n o f e v e r y f o r m o f u n c o n d i t i o n a l e n g a g e m e n t , o f d e v o t i o n t o a C a u s e , as p o t e n t i a l l y ' t o t a l i t a r i a n ' f a n a t i c i s m - t h a t is t o say, t h e p r o b l e m l i e s i n t h e v e r y c o m p l i c i t y o f t h e a t m o s p h e r e o f i n c a p a c i t a t i n g c y n i c a l d e c a d e n t s e l f - e n j o y m e n t with the
Fascist E v e n t , with
Order
the
into this C h a o s . In
Decision which
purports
o t h e r words, what
to
(re)introduce
is f a l s e a b o u t
the
Nazi
i d e o l o g i c a l m a c h i n e is n o t t h e r h e t o r i c o f D e c i s i o n as s u c h ( o f t h e E v e n t that puts an e n d to d e c a d e n t i m p o t e n c e , e t c . ) , b u t - o n t h e c o n t r a r y the
fact
that
the
Nazi
' E v e n t ' is a e s t h e t i c i z e d t h e a t r e ,
a faked
-
event
e f f e c t i v e l y u n a b l e to p u t a n e n d t o t h e d e c a d e n t c r i p p l i n g i m p a s s e . I t is i n this p r e c i s e s e n s e t h a t t h e c o m m o n r e a c t i o n to t h e Nazi s o n g from
Cabaret
is r i g h t f o r d i e w r o n g r e a s o n s : w h a t it fails t o p e r c e i v e is h o w o u r f o r m e r cynical pleasure
in
decadent
promiscuity created
the
cabaret songs about
background
that
made
money
and
sexual
us s u s c e p t i b l e t o
the
i m p a c t o f the Nazi song. S o how are an Event a n d
its n a m i n g
related? B a d i o u rejects
Kant's
reading o f the Event o f the F r e n c h Revolution, the reading which locates t h e crucial effect o f t h e R e v o l u t i o n in t h e s u b l i m e f e e l i n g o f e n t h u s i a s m t h a t t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y e v e n t s in P a r i s s e t i n m o t i o n i n p a s s i v e o b s e r v e r s a c r o s s E u r o p e , n o t d i r e c t l y i n v o l v e d in t h e e v e n t i t s e l f , a n d t h e n this s u b l i m e effect
opposes
( t h e assertion o f o u r b e l i e f in t h e p r o g r e s s o f m a n ' s
R e a s o n a n d F r e e d o m ) to t h e grim reality o f the R e v o l u t i o n itself ( K a n t r e a d i l y c o n c e d e s t h a t h o r r i b l e t h i n g s t o o k p l a c e in F r a n c e : t h e R e v o l u t i o n often
s e r v e d as t h e c a t a l y s t f o r t h e o u t b u r s t
o f the
lowest
destructive
THE
140
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
p a s s i o n s o f t h e wild m o b ) . B a d i o u sarcastically r e m a r k s
that such
an
a e s t h e t i c i z a t i o n o f t h e R e v o l u t i o n a d m i r e d f r o m a safe d i s t a n c e b y p a s s i v e observers goes hand
in h a n d
with
the utmost
loathing for the
actual
r e v o l u t i o n a r i e s t h e m s e l v e s . ( D o we n o t a g a i n e n c o u n t e r h e r e t h e t e n s i o n between the Sublime and the Monstrous
[das
Ungeheure]:
what
appears
from a p r o p e r distance to b e the S u b l i m e cause o f enthusiasm turns into the figure o f monstrous
Evil, o n c e w e a p p r o a c h
it t o o closely a n d
get
d i r e c d y involved in it?) A g a i n s t this K a n t i a n c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e s u b l i m e effect o n passive observ ers, B a d i o u insists o n t h e i m m a n e n c e o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t : t h e T r u t h - E v e n t is T r u t h i n i t s e l f f o r its a g e n t s t h e m s e l v e s , n o t f o r e x t e r n a l o b s e r v e r s . O n a first a p p r o a c h , it m a y a p p e a r
t h a t K a n t ' s p o s i t i o n is m o r e
'Lacanian'
h e r e : is n o t t h e T r u t h o f a n E v e n t a p r i o r i d e c e n t r e d w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e E v e n t itself; d o e s i t n o t d e p e n d o n t h e m o d e o f its i n s c r i p t i o n i n t o t h e b i g O t h e r ( p e r s o n i f i e d h e r e b y e n l i g h t e n e d p u b l i c o p i n i o n ) , w h i c h is always, a p r i o r i , d e f e r r e d ? Is n o t w h a t is p r o p e r l y u n t h i n k a b l e p r e c i s e l y a T r u t h t h a t w o u l d d i r e c t l y k n o w i t s e l f as T r u t h ? Is n o t t h e d e l a y o f c o m p r e h e n s i o n constitutive
(therein
lies t h e
Hegelian
materialist
M i n e r v a flies o n l y at d u s k ) ? F u r t h e r m o r e ,
lesson: the
Owl
of
i f a T r u t h - E v e n t is r a d i c a l l y
i m m a n e n t , h o w a r e w e t o d i s t i n g u i s h T r u t h f r o m its s i m u l a c r u m ? Is i t n o t o n l y t h e r e f e r e n c e to t h e d e c e n t r e d b i g O t h e r t h a t e n a b l e s us t o d r a w t h i s distinction? B a d i o u n o n e t h e less p r o v i d e s a p r e c i s e c r i t e r i o n f o r t h i s d i s t i n c t i o n i n t h e way a n E v e n t r e l a t e s t o its c o n d i t i o n s , t o t h e ' s i t u a t i o n ' o u t o f w h i c h i t a r o s e : a t r u e E v e n t e m e r g e s o u t o f t h e ' v o i d ' o f t h e s i t u a t i o n ; it is a t t a c h e d t o its element surnumeraire.
to the s y m p t o m a t i c e l e m e n t that has n o
proper
p l a c e i n t h e s i t u a t i o n , a l t h o u g h it b e l o n g s t o it, w h i l e t h e s i m u l a c r u m o f a n E v e n t disavows t h e s y m p t o m . F o r t h i s r e a s o n , t h e L e n i n i s t O c t o b e r R e v o l u t i o n r e m a i n s a n E v e n t , s i n c e it r e l a t e s t o t h e ' c l a s s s t r u g g l e ' as t h e s y m p t o m a t i c t o r s i o n o f its s i t u a t i o n , w h i l e t h e N a z i m o v e m e n t is a s i m u l a c r u m , a disavowal o f t h e t r a u m a o f class struggle. . . . T h e d i f f e r e n c e lies n o t i n t h e i n h e r e n t q u a l i t i e s o f t h e E v e n t itself, b u t i n its p l a c e - i n t h e way i t r e l a t e s t o t h e s i t u a t i o n o u t o f w h i c h it e m e r g e d . A s f o r t h e e x t e r n a l gaze that bears witness to the T r u t h
o f t h e E v e n t , t h i s g a z e is a b l e
d i s c e r n t h a t T r u t h o n l y i n s o f a r as it is t h e g a z e o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l s
to
who
a r e a l r e a d y e n g a g e d o n its b e h a l f : t h e r e is n o n e u t r a l e n l i g h t e n e d p u b l i c o p i n i o n t o b e i m p r e s s e d b y t h e E v e n t , s i n c e T r u t h is d i s c e r n i b l e o n l y f o r the potential m e m b e r s
o f the new C o m m u n i t y o f 'believers', for
their
e n g a g e d gaze. I n t h i s way, w e c a n p a r a d o x i c a l l y r e t a i n b o t h d i s t a n c e and
engagement:
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
141
in the case o f Christianity, the Event ( C r u c i f i x i o n ) b e c o m e s a T r u t h - E v e n t ' a f t e r t h e f a c t ' , t h a t is, w h e n it l e a d s t o t h e c o n s t i t u t i o n o f t h e g r o u p o f believers, o f the e n g a g e d C o m m u n i t y h e l d
t o g e t h e r b y fidelity to
E v e n t . T h e r e is t h u s a d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n a n E v e n t a n d its n a m i n g :
the an
E v e n t is t h e t r a u m a t i c e n c o u n t e r w i t h t h e R e a l ( C h r i s t ' s d e a t h ; t h e h i s t o r i c s h o c k o f r e v o l u t i o n ; e t c . ) , w h i l e its n a m i n g is t h e i n s c r i p t i o n o f t h e E v e n t into the language
(Christian doctrine, revolutionary consciousness). In
L a c a n e s e , a n E v e n t is objet petit a, w h i l e n a m i n g is t h e n e w s i g n i f i e r t h a t establishes what R i m b a u d calls the N e w O r d e r , t h e n e w readability o f t h e situation based o n D e c i s i o n (in the M a r x i s t revolutionary perspective, the entire
prior
history
becomes a
history
o f class struggle,
of
defeated
emancipatory striving).
Truth and Ideology F r o m this b r i e f d e s c r i p t i o n o n e c a n a l r e a d y g e t a p r e s e n t i m e n t o f w h a t o n e is t e m p t e d
t o c a l l , i n all n a i v e t y , t h e i n t u i t i v e p o w e r o f B a d i o u ' s
n o t i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t : it e f f e c t i v e l y d e s c r i b e s t h e e x p e r i e n c e e a c h o f us h a s w h e n h e o r s h e is s u b j e c t i v e l y fully e n g a g e d i n s o m e C a u s e w h i c h is ' h i s o r h e r o w n ' : i n t h o s e p r e c i o u s m o m e n t s , a m I n o t 'fully a s u b j e c t ' ? B u t d o e s n o t t h i s v e r y f e a t u r e m a k e it ideological? T h a t is t o say, t h e first t h i n g t h a t s t r i k e s t h e e y e o f a n y o n e w h o is v e r s e d i n t h e h i s t o r y o f F r e n c h M a r x i s m is h o w B a d i o u ' s n o t i o n o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t is u n c a n n i l y c l o s e t o Althusser's notion
o f ideological interpellation. Furthermore,
is it
not
s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t B a d i o u ' s u l t i m a t e e x a m p l e o f t h e E v e n t is religion ( C h r i s t i a n i t y f r o m S t P a u l t o P a s c a l ) as t h e p r o t o t y p e o f ideology, event, precisely, does
not fit a n y o f t h e f o u r generiques
e n u m e r a t e s (love, art, s c i e n c e , p o l i t i c s ) ?
and that
o f the event
this he
1 0
S o , p e r h a p s , i f we t a k e B a d i o u ' s t h o u g h t i t s e l f as a ' s i t u a t i o n ' o f B e i n g , s u b d i v i d e d i n t o f o u r generiques,
( C h r i s t i a n ) r e l i g i o n i t s e l f is h i s ' s y m p t o m a l
torsion', the e l e m e n t that belongs to the d o m a i n o f T r u t h without b e i n g o n e o f its a c k n o w l e d g e d p a r t s o r s u b s p e c i e s ? T h i s s e e m s t o i n d i c a t e t h a t the Truth-Event consists in the e l e m e n t a r y ideological gesture o f interpel lating individuals (parts o f a 'situation' o f B e i n g ) into subjects ( b e a r e r s / followers
of Truth). One
is t e m p t e d
to
go
even
a step further:
the
p a r a d i g m a t i c e x a m p l e o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t is n o t o n l y r e l i g i o n i n g e n e r a l b u t , s p e c i f i c a l l y , Christian
r e l i g i o n c e n t r e d o n the E v e n t o f Christ's arrival
a n d d e a t h (as K i e r k e g a a r d h a d already p o i n t e d out, Christianity inverts t h e s t a n d a r d m e t a p h y s i c a l r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n E t e r n i t y a n d T i m e : in a
THE TICKLISH
142
SUBJECT
way, E t e r n i t y i t s e l f h i n g e s o n t h e t e m p o r a l E v e n t o f C h r i s t ) . S o p e r h a p s B a d i o u c a n a l s o b e r e a d as t h e l a s t g r e a t a u t h o r i n t h e F r e n c h t r a d i t i o n o f Catholic dogmaticists from
Pascal and
Malebranche on
(we n e e d
only
r e c a l l t h a t two o f h i s k e y r e f e r e n c e s a r e P a s c a l a n d C l a u d e l ) . F o r y e a r s t h e p a r a l l e l b e t w e e n r e v o l u t i o n a r y M a r x i s m a n d M e s s i a n i c C h r i s t i a n i t y was a c o m m o n topic a m o n g liberal critics like B e r t r a n d Russell, who dismissed M a r x i s m as a s e c u l a r i z e d v e r s i o n o f M e s s i a n i c r e l i g i o u s i d e o l o g y ; B a d i o u , in contrast (following a line from the later E n g e l s to F r e d r i c J a m e s o n ) , fully e n d o r s e s t h i s h o m o l o g y . T h i s r e a d i n g is f u r t h e r c o n f i r m e d b y B a d i o u ' s p a s s i o n a t e d e f e n c e o f S t Paul
Truth-Event -
Christ's
R e s u r r e c t i o n - as t h e ' u n i v e r s a l s i n g u l a r ' ( a s i n g u l a r e v e n t t h a t
as t h e
one who
articulated
the
Christian
interpel
lates individuals into subjects universally, irrespectively o f their race, sex, social class . . .) a n d t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e followers' fidelity to i t . "
Of
c o u r s e , h e r e B a d i o u is w e l l a w a r e t h a t t o d a y , i n o u r e r a o f m o d e r n s c i e n c e , o n e c a n n o l o n g e r a c c e p t t h e f a b l e o f t h e m i r a c l e o f R e s u r r e c t i o n as t h e form o f the Truth-Event. Although the Truth-Event does designate o c c u r r e n c e o f s o m e t h i n g which, from within the horizon o f the
the
predomi
n a n t o r d e r o f K n o w l e d g e , a p p e a r s i m p o s s i b l e ( t h i n k o f the l a u g h t e r with which
the
Greek philosophers
greeted
St Paul's
assertion
of
Christ's
R e s u r r e c t i o n o n his visit t o A t h e n s ) , t o d a y , a n y l o c a t i o n o f t h e
Truth-
E v e n t at t h e level o f s u p e r n a t u r a l m i r a c l e s necessarily entails regression i n t o o b s c u r a n t i s m , s i n c e t h e e v e n t o f S c i e n c e is i r r e d u c i b l e a n d c a n n o t b e u n d o n e . T o d a y , o n e c a n a c c e p t as t h e T r u t h - E v e n t , as t h e i n t r u s i o n o f t h e traumatic
Real
that
occurrences which
shatters
the
predominant
take place in a universe
symbolic
texture,
c o m p a t i b l e with
only-
scientific
k n o w l e d g e , e v e n i f t h e y m o v e a t its b o r d e r s a n d q u e s t i o n its p r e s u p p o s i tions the
-
the
political
'sites' act,
of
the
artistic
Event
today
invention,
the
are
scientific
discovery
psychoanalytic
itself,
confrontation
with love. . . . T h a t is t h e p r o b l e m which endeavours
with G r a h a m
Greene's drama
The Potting
to resuscitate t h e C h r i s t i a n version o f t h e
Shed,
shattering
i m p a c t o f t h e i m p o s s i b l e R e a l : t h e life o f t h e f a m i l y o f a g r e a t p o s i t i v i s t p h i l o s o p h e r who d e d i c a t e d his w h o l e effort to fighting religious supersti t i o n s is t h o r o u g h l y s h a t t e r e d by a n u n e x p e c t e d m i r a c l e : h i s s o n , t h e o b j e c t o f t h e p h i l o s o p h e r ' s g r e a t e s t l o v e , is m o r t a l l y ill a n d a l r e a d y p r o c l a i m e d d e a d w h e n , m i r a c u l o u s l y , h e is b r o u g h t b a c k t o life b y m e a n s o f w h a t , evidently, c a n n o t b e anything b u t a d i r e c t intervention o f Divine G r a c e . T h e s t o r y is t o l d i n r e t r o s p e c t f r o m t h e s t a n d p o i n t o f a f a m i l y f r i e n d w h o , a f t e r t h e p h i l o s o p h e r ' s d e a t h , w r i t e s h i s b i o g r a p h y a n d is p u z z l e d b y a n
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
143
e n i g m a i n t h e l a t t e r ' s life: w h y , a c o u p l e o f y e a r s b e f o r e h i s d e a t h , d i d t h e p h i l o s o p h e r s u d d e n l y s t o p w r i t i n g ; w h y d i d h e l o s e h i s will t o live, as i f h i s life was s u d d e n l y d e p r i v e d o f m e a n i n g , a n d e n t e r a p e r i o d o f r e s i g n a t i o n , passively awaiting his d e a t h ? I n t e r v i e w i n g the surviving family m e m b e r s , h e s o o n d i s c o v e r s t h a t t h e r e is a d a r k f a m i l y s e c r e t n o b o d y w a n t s t o t a l k a b o u t , until, finally, o n e o f t h e family b r e a k s d o w n a n d c o n f e s s e s to h i m t h a t t h e s h a t t e r i n g s e c r e t is t h e m i r a c u l o u s r e s u s c i t a t i o n o f t h e p h i l o s opher's
son, which
engagement,
rendered
his e n t i r e
meaningless. . . . Intriguing
theoretical work, as i t is, s u c h
his
lifelong
a story
cannot
e f f e c t i v e l y e n g a g e us t o d a y . A p r o p o s o f S t Paul, B a d i o u tackles the p r o b l e m o f l o c a t i n g his position w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e f o u r generiques
that g e n e r a t e effective truths
(science,
p o l i t i c s , a r t , l o v e ) - t h a t is, w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e f a c t t h a t ( t o d a y , at l e a s t ) Christianity, based o n a fabulous event o f Resurrection, c a n n o t b e c o u n t e d as a n e f f e c t i v e T r u t h - E v e n t , b u t m e r e l y as its s e m b l a n c e . H i s s o l u t i o n is t h a t S t P a u l is t h e a n t i - p h i l o s o p h i c a l theoretician conditions
of the truth-procedure,
articulation
o f how
what
he
provides
is t h e
fidelity to a T r u t h - E v e n t o p e r a t e s
d i m e n s i o n : t h e e x c e s s i v e , surnumeraire
proposed
of the first
i n its
formal
detailed universal
Real o f a Truth-Event ('Resurrec
t i o n ' ) that e m e r g e s by G r a c e (i.e. c a n n o t b e a c c o u n t e d for in t h e
terms
o f the c o n s t i t u e n t s o f t h e given s i t u a t i o n ) sets in m o t i o n , in t h e s u b j e c t s w h o r e c o g n i z e t h e m s e l v e s i n its c a l l , t h e m i l i t a n t ' w o r k o f L o v e ' , t h a t is, the
struggle
to disseminate, with
persistent
fidelity, t h i s T r u t h
in
its
u n i v e r s a l s c o p e , as c o n c e r n i n g e v e r y o n e . S o a l t h o u g h S t P a u l ' s p a r t i c u l a r message
is n o
formulates
longer
operative
the operative m o d e
for
us,
o f the
the
very
terms
in
Christian religion do
which
he
possess
a
u n i v e r s a l s c o p e as r e l e v a n t f o r e v e r y T r u t h - E v e n t : e v e r y T r u t h - E v e n t l e a d s t o a k i n d o f ' R e s u r r e c t i o n , ' - t h r o u g h f i d e l i t y t o it a n d a l a b o u r o f L o v e o n its b e h a l f , o n e e n t e r s a n o t h e r d i m e n s i o n i r r e d u c i b l e t o m e r e service des biens, t o t h e s m o o t h r u n n i n g o f a f f a i r s i n t h e d o m a i n o f B e i n g , t h e d o m a i n o f Immortality, o f Life u n e n c u m b e r e d problem
remains
o f how
by d e a t h . . . . N o n e t h e less,
i t was p o s s i b l e f o r
the
first
pertinent description o f the m o d e o f operation o f the
and
fidelity
still
the most
to a T r u t h -
E v e n t t o o c c u r a p r o p o s o f a T r u t h - E v e n t t h a t is a m e r e s e m b l a n c e , n o t a n actual Truth. F r o m a H e g e l i a n s t a n d p o i n t t h e r e is a d e e p n e c e s s i t y i n t h i s , c o n f i r m e d by t h e fact that in o u r c e n t u r y t h e p h i l o s o p h e r w h o p r o v i d e d t h e definitive d e s c r i p t i o n o f a n a u t h e n t i c p o l i t i c a l act ( H e i d e g g e r i n Being and Time) s e d u c e d b y a p o l i t i c a l a c t t h a t was u n d o u b t e d l y Truth-Event
( N a z i s m ) . S o it is as if, i f o n e
a fake, n o t an
is to e x p r e s s
the
was
actual formal
THE TICKLISH
144
SUBJECT
s t r u c t u r e o f f i d e l i t y t o t h e T r u t h - E v e n t , o n e h a s t o d o it a p r o p o s o f a n E v e n t t h a t is m e r e l y its o w n s e m b l a n c e . P e r h a p s t h e l e s s o n o f all t h i s is m o r e r a d i c a l t h a n it a p p e a r s : w h a t i f w h a t B a d i o u c a l l s t h e T r u t h - E v e n t is, a t its m o s t r a d i c a l , a p u r e l y f o r m a l a c t o f d e c i s i o n , n o t o n l y n o t b a s e d o n a n a c t u a l t r u t h , b u t u l t i m a t e l y indifferent
t o t h e p r e c i s e status ( a c t u a l o r
fictitious) o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t it refers to? W h a t i f we a r e d e a l i n g h e r e with a n i n h e r e n t key c o m p o n e n t o f the T r u t h - E v e n t - what i f t h e true fidelity t o t h e E v e n t is ' d o g m a t i c ' i n t h e p r e c i s e s e n s e o f u n c o n d i t i o n a l F a i t h , o f an attitude which does n o t ask for g o o d r e a s o n s a n d w h i c h , for that very reason, c a n n o t b e refuted by any ' a r g u m e n t a t i o n ' ? S o , b a c k t o o u r m a i n l i n e o f a r g u m e n t : B a d i o u d e f i n e s as ' g e n e r i c ' t h e m u l t i p l e within a situation t h a t has n o p a r t i c u l a r p r o p e r t i e s , r e f e r e n c e to w h i c h w o u l d e n a b l e us t o classify i t as its s u b s p e c i e s : t h e ' g e n e r i c ' m u l t i p l e b e l o n g s t o t h e s i t u a t i o n , b u t is n o t p r o p e r l y i n c l u d e d i n it as its s u b s p e c i e s (the
' r a b b l e ' in H e g e l ' s philosophy
o f law, f o r
example). A
multiple
e l e m e n t / p a r t o f t h e s i t u a t i o n w h i c h d o e s n o t fit i n t o it, w h i c h s t i c k s o u t , is g e n e r i c p r e c i s e l y i n s o f a r as i t d i r e c t l y g i v e s b o d y t o t h e b e i n g o f t h e situation
as s u c h .
It subverts
the
situation
by directly e m b o d y i n g
its
universality. A n d , with r e g a r d t o B a d i o u ' s own classification o f g e n e r i c p r o c e d u r e s i n f o u r s p e c i e s ( p o l i t i c s , art, s c i e n c e , l o v e ) , d o e s n o t r e l i g i o u s i d e o l o g y o c c u p y p r e c i s e l y t h i s g e n e r i c p l a c e ? I t is n o n e p r e c i s e l y as s u c h it gives b o d y t o t h e g e n e r i c as s u c h .
of them,
Is n o t t h i s i d e n t i t y o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t a n d i d e o l o g y f u r t h e r b y futur
yet
1 2
confirmed
anterieur as t h e s p e c i f i c t e m p o r a l i t y o f g e n e r i c p r o c e d u r e s ? S t a r t
ing from the n a m i n g o f the Event (Christ's death, R e v o l u t i o n ) , generic p r o c e d u r e s e a r c h e s f o r its s i g n s i n t h e m u l t i t u d e w i t h a v i e w t o t h e
final
g o a l t h a t will b r i n g full p l e n i t u d e ( t h e L a s t J u d g e m e n t , C o m m u n i s m , o r , i n M a l l a r m e , le Livre).
G e n e r i c p r o c e d u r e s thus involve a t e m p o r a l l o o p :
fidelity to the E v e n t e n a b l e s t h e m to j u d g e t h e h i s t o r i c m u l t i p l e f r o m t h e s t a n d p o i n t o f p l e n i t u d e to c o m e , b u t t h e arrival o f this p l e n i t u d e
already
i n v o l v e s t h e s u b j e c t i v e a c t o f D e c i s i o n — o r , i n P a s c a l i a n , t h e ' w a g e r ' o n it. A r e w e t h u s n o t c l o s e t o w h a t L a c l a u d e s c r i b e s as h e g e m o n y ? L e t u s t a k e the democratic-egalitarian political Event: reference to the D e m o c r a t i c R e v o l u t i o n e n a b l e s us t o r e a d h i s t o r y as a c o n t i n u o u s d e m o c r a t i c s t r u g g l e a i m i n g at total e m a n c i p a t i o n ; fundamentally
the present
situation
is e x p e r i e n c e d
'dislocated', 'out o f j o i n t ' (the corruption
of the
as
ancien
regime, c l a s s s o c i e t y , f a l l e n t e r r e s t r i a l l i f e ) w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e p r o m i s e o f a redeemed
future.
F o r the
language-subject,
'now'
is always a t i m e
of
a n t a g o n i s m , split b e t w e e n t h e c o r r u p t 'state o f t h i n g s ' a n d t h e p r o m i s e o f Truth.
THE
POLITICS
OF
TRUTH
145
S o , a g a i n , is n o t B a d i o u ' s n o t i o n o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t u n c a n n i l y c l o s e t o Althusser's notion o f (ideological) interpellation? Isn't the process Badiou is d e s c r i b i n g t h a t o f a n i n d i v i d u a l i n t e r p e l l a t e d i n t o a s u b j e c t b y a C a u s e ? ( S i g n i f i c a n t l y , i n o r d e r t o d e s c r i b e t h e f o r m a l s t r u c t u r e o f fidelity t o t h e T r u t h - E v e n t , h e u s e s t h e s a m e e x a m p l e as A l t h u s s e r i n h i s d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e p r o c e s s o f i n t e r p e l l a t i o n . ) Is n o t t h e c i r c u l a r r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e E v e n t a n d t h e s u b j e c t ( t h e s u b j e c t serves t h e E v e n t in his
fidelity,
but the
E v e n t i t s e l f is v i s i b l e as s u c h o n l y t o a n a l r e a d y e n g a g e d s u b j e c t ) t h e v e r y circle o f ideology? P r i o r to c o n s t r a i n i n g t h e ideology -
notion
o f the
s u b j e c t to
t o i d e n t i f y i n g t h e s u b j e c t as s u c h as i d e o l o g i c a l -
Althusser
e n t e r t a i n e d for a s h o r t time t h e idea o f t h e f o u r m o d a l i t i e s o f subjectivity: t h e i d e o l o g i c a l s u b j e c t , the s u b j e c t in art, t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e U n c o n s c i o u s , t h e s u b j e c t o f s c i e n c e . Is t h e r e n o t a c l e a r p a r a l l e l b e t w e e n B a d i o u ' s f o u r g e n e r i c s o f t r u t h (love, art, s c i e n c e , p o l i t i c s ) a n d t h e s e f o u r m o d a l i t i e s o f subjectivity ( w h e r e love c o r r e s p o n d s to t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e U n c o n s c i o u s , the
topic o f psychoanalysis, a n d
politics, o f course, to the
subject o f
i d e o l o g y ) ? T h e p a r a d o x is t h u s t h a t B a d i o u ' s o p p o s i t i o n o f k n o w l e d g e a n d truth s e e m s to turn exactly a r o u n d Althusser's opposition o f ideology a n d s c i e n c e : ' n o n - a u t h e n t i c ' k n o w l e d g e is l i m i t e d t o t h e p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f B e i n g , b l i n d t o its s t r u c t u r a l v o i d , t o its s y m p t o m a l engaged
Truth
that
subjectivizes
provides
torsion; while
authentic
insight
the
into
a
situation.
St P a u l with B a d i o u A c c o r d i n g to a d e e p - a l b e i t u n e x p e c t e d - logic, t h e t o p i c o f P a u l i n e C h r i s t i a n i t y is a l s o c r u c i a l f o r B a d i o u ' s c o n f r o n t a t i o n w i t h p s y c h o a n a l y s i s . W h e n B a d i o u adamantly o p p o s e s the ' m o r b i d obsession with d e a t h ' , w h e n h e o p p o s e s t h e T r u t h - E v e n t t o t h e d e a t i i d r i v e , a n d s o o n , h e is a t h i s w e a k e s t , s u c c u m b i n g t o t h e temptation
of the non-thought.
I t is s y m p t o m a t i c
t h a t B a d i o u is c o m p e l l e d t o i d e n t i f y t h e l i b e r a l - d e m o c r a t i c service des biens, t h e s m o o t h r u n n i n g o f t h i n g s in t h e positivity o f B e i n g w h e r e
'nothing
a c t u a l l y h a p p e n s ' , with t h e ' m o r b i d o b s e s s i o n w i t h d e a t h ' . A l t h o u g h
one
c a n e a s i l y s e e t h e e l e m e n t o f t r u t h i n t h i s e q u a t i o n ( m e r e service d£s biens, d e p r i v e d o f t h e d i m e n s i o n o f T r u t h , f a r f r o m b e i n g a b l e t o f u n c t i o n as ' h e a l t h y ' everyday life, n o t b o t h e r e d by ' e t e r n a l ' q u e s t i o n s , n e c e s s a r i l y r e g r e s s e s i n t o n i h i l i s t i c m o r b i d i t y - as C h r i s t i a n s w o u l d p u t it, t h e r e is t r u e L i f e o n l y i n C h r i s t , a n d life o u t s i d e t h e E v e n t o f C h r i s t s o o n e r o r l a t e r t u r n s i n t o its o p p o s i t e , a m o r b i d d e c a d e n c e ; w h e n w e d e d i c a t e o u r life t o
146
THE TICKLISH
SUBJECT
excessive p l e a s u r e s , t h e s e very p l e a s u r e s a r e s o o n e r o r l a t e r s p o i l e d ) , o n e s h o u l d n o n e t h e less insist h e r e o n w h a t L a c a n calls t h e s p a c e o r d i s t a n c e between the two deaths: t o p u t it i n B a d i o u ' s C h r i s t i a n t e r m s , i n o r d e r t o b e a b l e to o p e n o n e s e l f u p to t h e life o f t r u e E t e r n i t y , o n e h a s to
suspend
o n e ' s a t t a c h m e n t t o ' t h i s ' life a n d e n t e r t h e d o m a i n o f ate, t h e
domain
b e t w e e n t h e two d e a t h s , t h e d o m a i n o f t h e ' u n d e a d ' . T h i s p o i n t is w o r t h y o f m o r e d e t a i l e d e x a m i n a t i o n , s i n c e i t c o n d e n s e s t h e gap t h a t s e p a r a t e s B a d i o u f r o m L a c a n a n d psychoanalysis in g e n e r a l . B a d i o u , o f c o u r s e , is a l s o w e l l a w a r e o f t h e o p p o s i t i o n o f two d e a t h s two L i v e s ) : w h e n S t P a u l o p p o s e s L i f e a n d D e a t h
(and
( S p i r i t is L i f e , w h i l e
F l e s h b r i n g s D e a t h ) , this o p p o s i t i o n o f Life a n d D e a t h has n o t h i n g to d o w i t h t h e b i o l o g i c a l o p p o s i t i o n o f life a n d d e a t h as p a r t s o f t h e c y c l e o f g e n e r a t i o n a n d c o r r u p t i o n , o r with t h e s t a n d a r d P l a t o n i c o p p o s i t i o n o f Soul a n d Body: for St Paul, 'Life' and ' D e a t h ' , Spirit a n d Flesh, designate two s u b j e c t i v e s t a n c e s , t w o ways t o live o n e ' s life. S o w h e n S t P a u l s p e a k s o f D e a t h a n d R e s u r r e c t i o n - rising i n t o t h e e t e r n a l Life in C h r i s t -
this
h a s n o t h i n g t o d o w i t h b i o l o g i c a l life a n d d e a t h b u t , r a t h e r , p r o v i d e s t h e c o - o r d i n a t e s o f t h e two f u n d a m e n t a l
'existential attitudes'
(to use
this
m o d e r n t e r m anachronistically). T h i s leads B a d i o u to a specific interpre t a t i o n o f C h r i s t i a n i t y w h i c h radically
dissociates
Death, and Resurrection:
are n o t the same, they are n o t even dialectically i n t e r c o n n e c t e d in
they the
sense o f gaining access to eternal Life by paying the price o f suffering w h i c h r e d e e m s us f r o m o u r s i n s . F o r B a d i o u , C h r i s t ' s d e a t h o n t h e C r o s s s i m p l y s i g n a l s t h a t ' G o d b e c a m e m a n ' , t h a t e t e r n a l T r u t h is s o m e t h i n g i m m a n e n t to h u m a n life, a c c e s s i b l e to every h u m a n b e i n g . T h e m e s s a g e o f the fact that G o d h a d to b e c a m e m a n a n d to die (to suffer the fate o f all f l e s h ) in o r d e r t o r e s u r r e c t is t h a t E t e r n a l L i f e is s o m e t h i n g a c c e s s i b l e t o h u m a n i t y , t o all m e n as f i n i t e m o r t a l b e i n g s : e a c h o f us c a n b e t o u c h e d by the G r a c e o f the T r u t h - E v e n t a n d e n t e r the d o m a i n o f E t e r n a l Life. H e r e B a d i o u is o p e n l y a n t i - H e g e l i a n : t h e r e is n o d i a l e c t i c s o f L i f e
and
D e a t h , i n t h e s e n s e o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t o f R e s u r r e c t i o n e m e r g i n g as t h e m a g i c r e v e r s a l o f n e g a t i v i t y i n t o p o s i t i v i t y w h e n w e a r e fully r e a d y t o ' t a r r y with
the negative', to assume
our
mortality and
suffering
a t its
most
r a d i c a l . T h e T r u t h - E v e n t is s i m p l y a r a d i c a l l y N e w B e g i n n i n g ; i t d e s i g n a t e s the violent, traumatic a n d c o n t i n g e n t intrusion o f a n o t h e r d i m e n s i o n not ' m e d i a t e d ' by the d o m a i n o f terrestrial finitude a n d
corruption.
O n e m u s t t h u s avoid t h e pitfalls o f t h e m o r b i d m a s o c h i s t m o r a l i t y that p e r c e i v e s s u f f e r i n g as i n h e r e n t l y r e d e e m i n g : t h i s m o r a l i t y r e m a i n s w i t h i n the c o n f i n e s o f the L a w (which d e m a n d s from us a p r i c e for the a d m i s s i o n t o E t e r n a l L i f e ) , a n d is t h u s n o t y e t at t h e l e v e l o f t h e p r o p e r l y C h r i s t i a n
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
147
n o t i o n o f L o v e . As B a d i o u p u t s it, C h r i s t ' s d e a t h is n o t i n i t s e l f t h e T r u t h E v e n t , it s i m p l y p r e p a r e s t h e s i t e f o r t h e E v e n t ( R e s u r r e c t i o n ) b y a s s e r t i n g the identity o f G o d a n d M a n -
the fact that the infinite d i m e n s i o n o f
I m m o r t a l T r u t h is a l s o a c c e s s i b l e t o a h u m a n finite m o r t a l ; w h a t u l t i m a t e l y m a t t e r s is o n l y t h e R e s u r r e c t i o n o f t h e d e a d
(i.e. h u m a n - m o r t a l )
signalling that each h u m a n b e i n g can be r e d e e m e d
Christ,
and can enter
the
d o m a i n o f E t e r n a l L i f e , t h a t is, p a r t i c i p a t e in t h e T r u t h - E v e n t . T h e r e i n lies t h e m e s s a g e o f Christianity: t h e positivity o f B e i n g , O r d e r o f t h e c o s m o s r e g u l a t e d b y its L a w s , w h i c h is t h e d o m a i n o f and
mortality
(from
the
standpoint
o f the
cosmos, o f the
the
finitude
totality o f
positive B e i n g , we a r e m e r e l y p a r t i c u l a r b e i n g s d e t e r m i n e d by o u r specific p l a c e in t h e g l o b a l o r d e r -
t h e L a w is u l t i m a t e l y a n o t h e r n a m e f o r
O r d e r o f c o s m i c J u s t i c e , w h i c h a l l o c a t e s t o e a c h o f us h i s o r h e r
the
proper
p l a c e ) , is n o t ' a l l t h e r e i s ' ; t h e r e is a n o t h e r d i m e n s i o n , t h e d i m e n s i o n o f T r u e L i f e i n L o v e , a c c e s s i b l e t o all o f us t h r o u g h D i v i n e G r a c e , s o t h a t w e c a n all p a r t i c i p a t e i n it. C h r i s t i a n R e v e l a t i o n is t h u s a n e x a m p l e
(although
p r o b a b l y the e x a m p l e ) o f h o w w e , h u m a n b e i n g s , a r e n o t c o n s t r a i n e d t o the positivity o f B e i n g ; o f how, f r o m t i m e to time, in a c o n t i n g e n t
and
unpredictable
the
way, a T r u t h - E v e n t c a n
o c c u r that
opens
up
t o us
p o s s i b i l i t y o f p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n A n o t h e r L i f e by r e m a i n i n g f a i t h f u l Truth-Event. T h e interesting
thing
to n o t e
is h o w
to
Badiou here
the
turns
a r o u n d t h e s t a n d a r d o p p o s i t i o n o f t h e L a w as u n i v e r s a l a n d G r a c e
(or
c h a r i s m a ) as p a r t i c u l a r , t h e i d e a t h a t w e a r e all s u b j e c t e d t o t h e u n i v e r s a l D i v i n e L a w , w h e r e a s o n l y s o m e o f us a r e t o u c h e d b y G r a c e , a n d c a n t h u s b e r e d e e m e d : i n B a d i o u ' s r e a d i n g o f S t P a u l , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , i t is L a w i t s e l f w h i c h , ' u n i v e r s a l ' as i t m a y a p p e a r ,
is u l t i m a t e l y ' p a r t i c u l a r i s t '
(a
l e g a l o r d e r always i m p o s e s s p e c i f i c d u t i e s a n d r i g h t s o n u s , i t is always a Law
defining
a specific c o m m u n i t y
at
the
expense
o f excluding
the
m e m b e r s o f o t h e r e t h n i c , e t c . , c o m m u n i t i e s ) , w h i l e D i v i n e G r a c e is t r u l y u n i v e r s a l , t h a t is, n o n - e x c l u s i v e , a d d r e s s i n g all h u m a n s i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f their r a c e , sex, social status, a n d so o n . W e t h u s h a v e two lives, t h e
finite
b i o l o g i c a l life a n d t h e i n f i n i t e L i f e o f
participating in the T r u t h - E v e n t o f R e s u r r e c t i o n . Correspondingly, are
a l s o two d e a t h s :
the
biological death
and
Death
in
the
there
sense o f
s u c c u m b i n g t o t h e 'way o f all f l e s h ' . H o w d o e s S t P a u l d e t e r m i n e
this
o p p o s i t i o n o f L i f e a n d D e a t h as t h e two s u b j e c t i v e , e x i s t e n t i a l a t t i t u d e s ? Here
we
touch
the
crux
of
Badiou's
argument,
c o n c e r n s psychoanalysis: for B a d i o u , the opposition
which
also
directly
o f Death and
Life
overlaps with t h e o p p o s i t i o n o f L a w a n d L o v e . F o r S t P a u l , s u c c u m b i n g to t h e t e m p t a t i o n s o f t h e f l e s h d o e s n o t s i m p l y m e a n i n d u l g i n g in u n b r i d l e d
THE
148
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
terrestrial conquests (the search for pleasures, power, wealth . . .) irrespec tive o f t h e L a w ( o f m o r a l p r o h i b i t i o n s ) . O n t h e c o n t r a r y , h i s c e n t r a l t e n e t , e l a b o r a t e d i n w h a t is p r o b a b l y t h e ( d e s e r v e d l y ) m o s t f a m o u s p a s s a g e i n h i s w r i t i n g s , C h a p t e r 7, v e r s e 7, i n t h e E p i s t l e t o t h e R o m a n s , is t h a t t h e r e is n o S i n p r i o r t o o r i n d e p e n d e n t o f t h e L a w : w h a t c o m e s b e f o r e i t is a s i m p l e i n n o c e n t p r e l a p s a r i a n life f o r e v e r l o s t t o u s m o r t a l h u m a n b e i n g s . T h e u n i v e r s e w e live i n , our 'way o f all f l e s h ' , is t h e u n i v e r s e i n w h i c h S i n a n d L a w , d e s i r e a n d its p r o h i b i t i o n , a r e i n e x t r i c a b l y i n t e r t w i n e d : i t is t h e v e r y a c t o f P r o h i b i t i o n t h a t gives rise t o t h e d e s i r e f o r its t r a n s g r e s s i o n , t h a t is, fixes o u r d e s i r e o n t h e p r o h i b i t e d o b j e c t : W h a t then should we say? T h a t the law is sin? By n o m e a n s ! Yet, i f it had not b e e n for the law, I would not have known sin, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law h a d n o t said, 'You shall not covet.' B u t sin, seizing an opportunity in the c o m m a n d m e n t , p r o d u c e s in m e all kinds o f covetousness. Apart from the law sin lies dead. I was o n c e alive apart from the law, but when t h e c o m m a n d m e n t c a m e , sin revived and I died, a n d the very c o m m a n d m e n t that promised life proved to b e death to m e . F o r sin, seizing an opportunity in the c o m m a n d m e n t , deceived m e a n d through it killed m e . . . . I do n o t understand my own actions. F o r I do n o t do what I want, but I do the very t h i n g I hate. Now if I do what 1 do not want, I agree that the law is g o o d . B u t in fact it is no l o n g e r I that do it, but sin that dwells within m e . F o r I know that n o t h i n g g o o d dwells within m e , that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I c a n n o t doit. l s
T h i s p a s s a g e , o f c o u r s e , m u s t b e s e e n i n its c o n t e x t : i n t h e w h o l e o f t h i s p a r t o f t h e E p i s t l e , t h e p r o b l e m S t P a u l s t r u g g l e s w i t h is h o w t o a v o i d t h e t r a p o f perversion,
t h a t is, o f a L a w t h a t g e n e r a t e s its t r a n s g r e s s i o n , s i n c e i t
n e e d s it i n o r d e r to a s s e r t i t s e l f as L a w . F o r e x a m p l e , i n R o m a n s 3 : 5 - 8 , St P a u l fires o f f a b a r r a g e o f d e s p e r a t e q u e s t i o n s : B u t if o u r injustice serves to confirm t h e j u s t i c e o f G o d , what should we say? T h a t G o d is unjust to inflict wrath on us? . . . B u t if through my falsehood G o d ' s truthfulness a b o u n d s to his glory, why am I still b e i n g c o n d e m n e d as a s i n n e r ? A n d why not say (as s o m e p e o p l e slander us by saying that we say) ' L e t us do evil so that g o o d may c o m e ' ? T h i s ' L e t u s d o evil s o t h a t g o o d m a y c o m e [ f r o m i t ] ' is t h e m o s t s u c c i n c t definition o f t h e s h o r t c i r c u i t o f t h e perverse position. D o e s this m a k e G o d a c l o s e t p e r v e r t w h o b r i n g s a b o u t o u r fall s o t h a t H e
may
then
r e d e e m us t h r o u g h H i s s a c r i f i c e , o r - t o q u o t e R o m a n s 1 1 : 11 - ' h a v e t h e y s t u m b l e d s o as t o f a l l ' , t h a t is, d i d w e s t u m b l e ( b e c o m e i n v o l v e d i n S i n , i n t h e 'way o f all f l e s h ' ) b e c a u s e G o d n e e d e d o u r F a l l as p a r t o f H i s p l a n o f
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
149
u l t i m a t e R e d e m p t i o n ? I f t h i s is h o w t h i n g s a r e , t h e n t h e a n s w e r t o t h e question
'Should
we
continue
to
sin
in
order
that
grace
may
a b o u n d ? ' ( R o m a n s 6: I ) is a f f i r m a t i v e : i t is o n l y a n d p r e c i s e l y b y i n d u l g i n g i n S i n t h a t w e e n a b l e G o d to p l a y H i s p a r t as o u r S a v i o u r . B u t S t P a u l ' s e n t i r e e f f o r t is t o b r e a k o u t o f t h i s v i c i o u s c y c l e i n w h i c h t h e p r o h i b i t i v e L a w a n d its t r a n s g r e s s i o n g e n e r a t e a n d s u p p o r t e a c h o t h e r . I n h i s Philosophical
Notebooks, L e n i n m a d e t h e w e l l - k n o w n s t a t e m e n t t h a t
e v e r y o n e w h o a i m s a t r e a l l y u n d e r s t a n d i n g M a r x ' s Capital s h o u l d r e a d t h e w h o l e o f H e g e l ' s Logic in d e t a i l . H e t h e n d i d it h i m s e l f ,
supplementing
q u o t e s f r o m H e g e l w i t h h u n d r e d s o f 'sirs' a n d m a r g i n a l c o m m e n t s l i k e : ' T h e first p a r t o f t h i s s e n t e n c e c o n t a i n s a n i n g e n i o u s d i a l e c t i c a l i n s i g h t ; t h e s e c o n d p a r t is t h e o l o g i c a l r u b b i s h ! ' A t a s k a w a i t i n g t r u e L a c a n i a n d i a l e c t i c a l m a t e r i a l i s t s is t o r e p e a t t h e s a m e g e s t u r e w i t h S t P a u l , s i n c e , a g a i n , e v e r y o n e w h o a i m s a t r e a l l y u n d e r s t a n d i n g L a c a n ' s Ecrils
should
r e a d the e n t i r e t e x t o f R o m a n s a n d C o r i n t h i a n s in detail: o n e c a n n o t wait f o r a L a c a n i a n v o l u m e o f Theological b y h u n d r e d s o f 'sics
Notebooks, w i t h q u o t e s a c c o m p a n i e d
a n d c o m m e n t s l i k e : ' T h e first p a r t o f t h i s s e n t e n c e
p r o v i d e s t h e d e e p e s t i n s i g h t i n t o L a c a n i a n e t h i c s , w h i l e t h e s e c o n d p a r t is j u s t theological rubbish!' . . , S o , b a c k to t h e
long
1 4
quote
from
Romans: the
i n t e r v e n t i o n o f t h e L a w is t h u s t h a t it divides
direct result o f
the
the subject a n d introduces a
m o r b i d c o n f u s i o n b e t w e e n life a n d d e a t h : t h e s u b j e c t is d i v i d e d b e t w e e n ( c o n s c i o u s ) o b e d i e n c e t o t h e L a w a n d ( u n c o n s c i o u s ) d e s i r e f o r its t r a n s g r e s s i o n g e n e r a t e d b y t h e l e g a l p r o h i b i t i o n itself. I t is n o t I , t h e s u b j e c t , who
transgress
the
L a w , i t is n o n - s u b j e c t i v i z e d
i m p u l s e s in w h i c h I d o B e c a u s e o f this split, m y
' S i n ' itself, t h e
n o t r e c o g n i z e myself, a n d w h i c h I even
sinful hate.
( c o n s c i o u s ) S e l f is u l t i m a t e l y e x p e r i e n c e d as
' d e a d ' , as d e p r i v e d o f l i v i n g i m p e t u s ; w h i l e ' l i f e ' , e c s t a t i c a f f i r m a t i o n o f living e n e r g y , c a n a p p e a r only in the guise o f ' S i n ' , o f a transgression t h a t gives rise to a m o r b i d s e n s e o f guilt. M y a c t u a l life-impulse, m y d e s i r e , a p p e a r s t o m e as a f o r e i g n a u t o m a t i s m t h a t p e r s i s t s i n f o l l o w i n g its p a t h i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f m y c o n s c i o u s W i l l a n d i n t e n t i o n s . S t P a u l ' s p r o b l e m is thus not the standard m o r b i d moralistic o n e ( h o w to crush transgressive impulses,
how
finally to purify
myself
o f sinful
urges), but
its
exact
o p p o s i t e : h o w c a n I b r e a k o u t o f this vicious cycle o f t h e L a w a n d desire, o f t h e P r o h i b i t i o n a n d its t r a n s g r e s s i o n , w i t h i n w h i c h I c a n a s s e r t l i v i n g p a s s i o n s o n l y i n t h e g u i s e o f t h e i r o p p o s i t e , as a m o r b i d
my
death
d r i v e ? H o w w o u l d it b e p o s s i b l e f o r m e t o e x p e r i e n c e m y l i f e - i m p u l s e n o t as a f o r e i g n a u t o m a t i s m , as a b l i n d ' c o m p u l s i o n t o r e p e a t ' m a k i n g
me
THE TICKLISH
150
SUBJECT
transgress t h e Law, with t h e u n a c k n o w l e d g e d c o m p l i c i t y o f t h e L a w itself, b u t as a fully s u b j e c t i v i z e d , p o s i t i v e ' Y e s ! ' t o m y L i f e ? H e r e S t P a u l a n d B a d i o u s e e m fully t o e n d o r s e H e g e l ' s p o i n t t h a t t h e r e is Evil o n l y f o r t h e g a z e t h a t p e r c e i v e s s o m e t h i n g as Evil: it is t h e L a w i t s e l f that n o t only o p e n s u p a n d sustains t h e d o m a i n o f Sin, o f sinful u r g e s to t r a n s g r e s s it, b u t a l s o f i n d s a p e r v e r s e a n d m o r b i d s a t i s f a c t i o n i n m a k i n g u s f e e l g u i l t y a b o u t it. T h e u l t i m a t e r e s u l t o f t h e r u l e o f t h e L a w t h u s c o n s i s t s o f all t h e w e l l - k n o w n twists a n d p a r a d o x e s o f t h e s u p e r e g o : I c a n e n j o y o n l y i f I f e e l g u i l t y a b o u t it, w h i c h m e a n s t h a t , i n a s e l f - r e f l e x i v e turn, I can
take pleasure
in f e e l i n g guilty; I c a n
find
enjoyment
in
p u n i s h i n g m y s e l f for sinful t h o u g h t s ; a n d so o n . S o w h e n B a d i o u speaks o f t h e ' m o r b i d f a s c i n a t i o n o f t h e d e a t h d r i v e ' , a n d s o f o r t h , h e is n o t r e s o r t i n g to g e n e r a l platitudes, b u t r e f e r r i n g to a very p r e c i s e ' P a u l i n e ' r e a d i n g o f the psychoanalytic n o t i o n s h e uses: the e n t i r e c o m p l e x e n t a n g l e m e n t o f L a w a n d desire - n o t o n l y illicit sinful d e s i r e s t h a t g o against t h e L a w , b u t t h i s m o r b i d i n t e r t w i n i n g o f life a n d
d e a t h in w h i c h
the
' d e a d ' l e t t e r o f t h e L a w p e r v e r t s m y e n j o y m e n t o f life i t s e l f , c h a n g i n g it i n t o a f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h d e a t h ; t h i s p e r v e r t e d u n i v e r s e in w h i c h t h e a s c e t i c w h o flagellates h i m s e l f o n b e h a l f o f the Law enjoys m o r e intensely than t h e p e r s o n w h o t a k e s i n n o c e n t p l e a s u r e i n e a r t h l y d e l i g h t s — is w h a t S t P a u l d e s i g n a t e s as ' t h e way o f t h e F l e s h ' as o p p o s e d t o ' t h e way o f t h e S p i r i t ' : ' F l e s h ' is n o t f l e s h as o p p o s e d t o t h e L a w , b u t f l e s h as a n e x c e s s i v e self-torturing,
mortifying
morbid
fascination
begotten
by the Law
(sec
R o m a n s 5: 2 0 : ' l a w c a m e i n , w i t h t h e r e s u l t t h a t t h e t r e s p a s s m u l t i p l i e d ' ) . As B a d i o u e m p h a s i z e s , h e r e S t P a u l is u n e x p e c t e d l y c l o s e t o h i s g r e a t d e t r a c t o r N i e t z s c h e , w h o s e p r o b l e m was a l s o h o w t o b r e a k away f r o m t h e vicious cycle o f t h e self-mortifying m o r b i d denial o f Life: for h i m Christian
'way o f t h e
Spirit'
is p r e c i s e l y t h e
magic
break,
the
B e g i n n i n g t h a t d e l i v e r s us f r o m t h i s d e b i l i t a t i n g m o r b i d d e a d l o c k
the New and
e n a b l e s us t o o p e n o u r s e l v e s t o t h e E t e r n a l L i f e o f L o v e w i t h o u t S i n ( i . e . L a w a n d t h e g u i l t t h e L a w i n d u c e s ) . I n o t h e r w o r d s , i t is as i f S t P a u l h i m s e l f h a s a n s w e r e d D o s t o e v s k y ' s i n f a m o u s ' I f t h e r e is n o G o d , e v e r y t h i n g is p e r m i t t e d ! ' i n a d v a n c e - f o r S t P a u l , precisely since there is the God of Love, everything
is permitted
to the Christian
believer - t h a t is t o say, t h e L a w
w h i c h r e g u l a t e s a n d p r o h i b i t s c e r t a i n a c t s is s u s p e n d e d . F o r a C h r i s t i a n b e l i e v e r , t h e f a c t t h a t h e d o e s n o t d o c e r t a i n t h i n g s is b a s e d n o t prohibitions
(which then
generate
the
transgressive desire
to
on
indulge
precisely in t h e s e t h i n g s ) b u t in t h e positive, affirmative attitude o f L o v e , which r e n d e r s m e a n i n g l e s s the a c c o m p l i s h m e n t o f acts w h i c h b e a r witness t o t h e f a c t t h a t I a m n o t f r e e , b u t still d o m i n a t e d b y a n e x t e r n a l f o r c e :
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
151
' "All t h i n g s a r c lawful f o r m e " , b u t n o t all t h i n g s a r e b e n e f i c i a l . "All t h i n g s a r e lawful f o r m e " , b u t I will n o t b e d o m i n a t e d b y a n y t h i n g . ' ( I C o r i n t h i a n s 7: 1 2 - 'All t h i n g s a r e lawful f o r m e ' is o f t e n t r a n s l a t e d a l s o as ' N o t h i n g is p r o h i b i t e d t o m e ' ! ) T h i s r u p t u r e w i t h t h e u n i v e r s e o f t h e L a w a n d its t r a n s g r e s s i o n is m o s t c l e a r l y a r t i c u l a t e d i n a v e r y p r o v o k i n g ' a n a l o g y f r o m marriage': D o you not know, b r o t h e r s and sisters - for I am speaking to those who know the law - that the law is b i n d i n g on a person only during that person's lifetime? T h u s a married woman is b o u n d by the law to h e r h u s b a n d as l o n g as h e lives; but if her husband dies, s h e is discharged from t h e law c o n c e r n i n g the husband. Accordingly, she will b e called an adulteress if she lives with a n o t h e r m a n while h e r husband is alive. B u t if h e r h u s b a n d dies, she is free from the law, and if she marries a n o t h e r man, she is not an adulteress. In the s a m e way, my friends, you have died to the law t h r o u g h the body o f Christ, so that you may b e l o n g to a n o t h e r , to him who has h e e n raised from the dead in o r d e r that we may b e a r fruit for G o d . W h i l e we were living in the flesh, o u r sinful passions, a r o u s e d by the law, were at work in o u r m e m b e r s to b e a r fruit for death. But now we are discharged from the law. dead to that which held us captive. ( R o m a n s 7: 1 - 6 ) T o b e c o m e a t r u e C h r i s t i a n a n d e m b r a c e L o v e , o n e s h o u l d thus 'die to t h e l a w ' , t o b r e a k u p t h e v i c i o u s c y c l e o f ' s i n f u l p a s s i o n s , a r o u s e d by t h e l a w ' . A s L a c a n w o u l d h a v e p u t it, o n e h a s t o u n d e r g o t h e s e c o n d , s y m b o l i c death, which involves t h e s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e big O t h e r , the symbolic Law t h a t h i t h e r t o d o m i n a t e d a n d r e g u l a t e d o u r lives. S o t h e c r u c i a l p o i n t is t h a t we h a v e two ' d i v i s i o n s o f t h e s u b j e c t ' w h i c h s h o u l d n o t b e c o n f u s e d . O n t h e o n e h a n d , we have t h e division o f t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e L a w b e t w e e n his c o n s c i o u s E g o , w h i c h
adheres
d e c e n t r e d desire which, operating
to
the
letter o f the
Law, and
his
'automatically', against the subject's
c o n s c i o u s will, c o m p e l s h i m t o ' d o w h a t h e h a t e s ' , t o t r a n s g r e s s t h e L a w a n d i n d u l g e i n i l l i c i t jouissance. radical division b e t w e e n
O n the o t h e r h a n d , we have the
this e n t i r e d o m a i n
more
o f the Law/desire, o f the
p r o h i b i t i o n g e n e r a t i n g its t r a n s g r e s s i o n , a n d t h e p r o p e r l y C h r i s t i a n way of Love which marks a New Beginning, breaking out o f the deadlock o f L a w a n d its t r a n s g r e s s i o n .
THE
152
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
Between the T w o Deaths W h a t s t a n c e d o e s t h e L a c a n i a n ' d i v i d e d s u b j e c t ' a d o p t t o w a r d s t h e s e two d i v i s i o n s ? I t m a y a p p e a r t h a t t h e a n s w e r is s i m p l e a n d
straightforward:
p s y c h o a n a l y s i s is the t h e o r y t h a t c o n c e p t u a l i z e s , b r i n g s i n t o d a y l i g h t , t h e p a r a d o x i c a l s t r u c t u r e o f t h e first d i v i s i o n . Is n o t B a d i o u ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e i n t e r t w i n i n g o f L a w a n d d e s i r e full o f i m p l i c i t ( s o m e t i m e s e v e n e x p licit) r e f e r e n c e s to a n d p a r a p h r a s e s o f L a c a n ? Is n o t t h e u l t i m a t e d o m a i n o f psychoanalysis t h e c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e s y m b o l i c L a w a n d d e s i r e ? Is n o t the multitude connection
o f p e r v e r s e satisfactions t h e very f o r m in w h i c h
between
Law and
d e s i r e is r e a l i z e d ? Is n o t
the
the
Lacanian
division o f the s u b j e c t the division that c o n c e r n s precisely t h e s u b j e c t ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e s y m b o l i c L a w ? F u r t h e r m o r e , is n o t t h e u l t i m a t e c o n f i r m a t i o n o f this L a c a n ' s ' K a n t avec S a d e ' , w h i c h directly posits t h e S a d e i a n u n i v e r s e o f m o r b i d p e r v e r s i o n as t h e ' t r u t h ' o f t h e m o s t r a d i c a l a s s e r t i o n o f t h e m o r a l w e i g h t o f s y m b o l i c L a w in h u m a n history ( K a n t i a n e t h i c s ) ? ( T h e i r o n i c p o i n t n o t t o b e m i s s e d h e r e is t h a t F o u c a u l t c o n c e i v e s o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s as t h e f i n a l c h a i n i n t h e l i n k t h a t b e g a n w i t h t h e C h r i s t i a n c o n f e s s i o n a l m o d e o f sexuality, i r r e d u c i b l y l i n k i n g it to L a w a n d while -
at l e a s t i n B a d i o u ' s r e a d i n g -
St Paul, the founding
guilt,
figure o f
C h r i s t i a n i t y , d o e s t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e : h e e n d e a v o u r s t o break t h e m o r b i d link between Law and desire. . . .) However, the crucial p o i n t for psychoa n a l y s i s h e r e is: d o e s p s y c h o a n a l y s i s r e m a i n w i t h i n
the c o n f i n e s o f this
' m o r b i d ' m a s o c h i s t i c o b s e s s i o n with d e a t h , o f t h e p e r v e r s e i n t e r m i n g l i n g o f Life a n d D e a t h w h i c h characterizes t h e dialectics o f the
prohibitory
L a w t h a t g e n e r a t e s t h e d e s i r e f o r its t r a n s g r e s s i o n ? P e r h a p s t h e b e s t way t o a n s w e r this q u e s t i o n is t o s t a r t w i t h t h e f a c t t h a t L a c a n h i m s e l f a l s o focuses o n the s a m e passage from St Paul in his e l a b o r a t i o n o f the link b e t w e e n L a w a n d d e s i r e , r e f e r r i n g t o t h e T h i n g as t h e i m p o s s i b l e o b j e c t o f jouissance
a c c e s s i b l e o n l y v i a t h e p r o h i b i t o r y L a w , as its t r a n s g r e s s i o n .
T h i s p a s s a g e s h o u l d b e q u o t e d i n full:
Is the Law the T h i n g ? Certainly not. Yet I can only know o f the T h i n g by m e a n s o f the Law. In effect, I would n o t have h a d t h e idea to covet it if the Law h a d n ' t said: ' T h o u shalt not covet it.' B u t the T h i n g finds a way by p r o d u c i n g in m e all kinds o f covetousness thanks to the c o m m a n d m e n t , for without the Law t h e T h i n g is dead. B u t even without the Law, I was o n c e alive. B u t when
the
c o m m a n d m e n t appeared, the T h i n g flared up, returned o n c e again, and I m e t my death. A n d for me, the c o m m a n d m e n t that was supposed to lead to life
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
153
t u r n e d out to lead to death, for t h e T h i n g found a way a n d thanks to t h e c o m m a n d m e n t seduced me; t h r o u g h it I c a m e to desire death. I believe that for a little while now s o m e o f you at least have b e g u n to suspect that it is n o l o n g e r I who have b e e n speaking. In fact, with o n e small c h a n g e , namely, ' T h i n g ' for 'sin', this is the s p e e c h o f Saint Paul on t h e subject o f t h e relations between the law and the sin in t h e Epistle to the R o m a n s , C h a p t e r 7, paragraph 7. . . . T h e relationship between the T h i n g a n d the Law c o u l d not b e b e t t e r defined than in these terms. . . . T h e dialectical relationship between desire a n d the Law causes o u r desire to flare up only in relation to t h e Law, through which it b e c o m e s t h e desire for death. It is only because o f the Law that sin . . . takes on an excessive, hyperbolic c h a r a c t e r . F r e u d ' s discovery - t h e ethics o f psycho analysis - does it leave us clinging to that d i a l e c t i c ? 15
T h e c r u c i a l t h i n g h e r e is t h e l a s t p h r a s e , w h i c h c l e a r l y i n d i c a t e s t h a t , f o r L a c a n , t h e r e is ' a way o f d i s c o v e r i n g t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p t o das Ding
some
1 1
w h e r e b e y o n d the Law' ' - the whole p o i n t o f the ethics o f psychoanalysis is t o f o r m u l a t e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a r e l a t i o n s h i p t h a t a v o i d s t h e pitfalls o f t h e s u p e r e g o i n c u l p a t i o n that a c c o u n t s for the ' m o r b i d ' e n j o y m e n t o f sin, w h i l e s i m u l t a n e o u s l y a v o i d i n g w h a t K a n t c a l l e d Schwdrrnerei, ist c l a i m t o g i v e v o i c e t o
the obscurant
( a n d thus to legitimize o n e ' s position
by a
r e f e r e n c e to) a spiritual illumination, a direct insight into the impossible R e a l T h i n g . W h e n L a c a n f o r m u l a t e s his m a x i m o f psychoanalytic ethics, ' ne pas ceder sur son desir,
t h a t is, ' d o n ' t c o m p r o m i s e , d o n ' t give way o n
y o u r d e s i r e ' , t h e d e s i r e i n v o l v e d h e r e is n o l o n g e r t h e t r a n s g r e s s i v e d e s i r e generated
by the
prohibitory
Law, a n d
d i a l e c t i c w i t h t h e L a w ; r a t h e r , it is
fidelity
thus
involved
in
a
'morbid'
t o o n e ' s d e s i r e i t s e l f t h a t is
e l e v a t e d t o t h e l e v e l o f e t h i c a l d u t y , s o t h a t 'ne pas ceder sur son desir u l t i m a t e l y a n o t h e r way o f s a y i n g ' D o y o u r d u t y ! '
is
1 7
It would t h e r e f o r e b e t e m p t i n g to risk a B a d i o u i a n - P a u l i n e r e a d i n g o f t h e e n d o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s , d e t e r m i n i n g i t as a N e w B e g i n n i n g , a s y m b o l i c ' r e b i r t h ' - t h e r a d i c a l r e s t r u c t u r i n g o f t h e a n a l y s a n d ' s s u b j e c t i v i t y in s u c h a way t h a t t h e v i c i o u s c y c l e o f t h e s u p e r e g o is s u s p e n d e d ,
left
behind.
D o e s n o t L a c a n h i m s e l f provide a n u m b e r o f hints that t h e e n d o f analysis o p e n s u p t h e d o m a i n o f Love beyond Law, u s i n g t h e v e r y P a u l i n e t e r m s t o w h i c h B a d i o u r e f e r s ? N e v e r t h e l e s s , L a c a n ' s way is n o t t h a t o f S t P a u l o r B a d i o u : p s y c h o a n a l y s i s is n o t ' p s y c h o s y n t h e s i s ' ; it d o e s n o t a l r e a d y posit a ' n e w h a r m o n y ' , a n e w T r u t h - E v e n t ; it - as it w e r e - m e r e l y w i p e s t h e s l a t e c l e a n for o n e . H o w e v e r , this ' m e r e l y ' s h o u l d b e p u t in q u o t a t i o n
marks,
b e c a u s e it is L a c a n ' s c o n t e n t i o n t h a t , i n t h i s n e g a t i v e g e s t u r e o f ' w i p i n g the
slate
clean',
something
(a void)
is c o n f r o n t e d
which
is
already
THE TICKLISH
154
SUBJECT
' s u t u r e d ' with t h e arrival o f a n e w T r u t h - E v e n t . F o r L a c a n , negativity, a negative gesture o f withdrawal, p r e c e d e s any positive gesture o f enthusi a s t i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h a C a u s e : n e g a t i v i t y f u n c t i o n s as t h e c o n d i t i o n o f ( i m ) p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e e n t h u s i a s t i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n - t h a t is t o say, i t lays t h e g r o u n d , o p e n s u p s p a c e f o r it, b u t is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y o b f u s c a t e d b y i t a n d undermines
it. F o r t h i s r e a s o n , L a c a n i m p l i c i t l y c h a n g e s t h e
balance
between D e a t h a n d R e s u r r e c t i o n in favour o f D e a t h : what ' D e a t h '
stands
f o r a t its m o s t r a d i c a l is n o t m e r e l y t h e p a s s i n g o f e a r t h l y l i f e , b u t 'night
of the
world',
the
self-withdrawal,
the
absolute
the
contraction
of
s u b j e c t i v i t y , t h e s e v e r i n g o f its l i n k s w i t h ' r e a l i t y ' - this is t h e ' w i p i n g t h e slate c l e a n ' that o p e n s up the d o m a i n o f the symbolic New B e g i n n i n g , o f the e m e r g e n c e o f the
'New Harmony'
sustained
by a newly
emerged
Master-Signifier. H e r e , L a c a n p a r t s c o m p a n y w i t h S t P a u l a n d B a d i o u : G o d n o t o n l y is b u t a l w a y s - a l r e a d y was d e a d -
t h a t is t o say, a f t e r F r e u d ,
one
cannot
directly have faith in a Truth-Event; every such E v e n t ultimately r e m a i n s a s e m b l a n c e o b f u s c a t i n g a p r e c e d i n g V o i d w h o s e F r e u d i a n n a m e is drive.
S o L a c a n differs f r o m B a d i o u in t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n
status o f this d o m a i n
o f the
death exact
b e y o n d t h e r u l e o f t h e L a w . T h a t is t o say: l i k e
Lacan, B a d i o u delineates the contours o f a d o m a i n beyond the O r d e r o f B e i n g , b e y o n d t h e p o l i t i c s o f service des Mens, b e y o n d t h e ' m o r b i d ' ego connection between
Law and
super
its t r a n s g r e s s i v e d e s i r e . F o r L a c a n ,
however, the F r e u d i a n topic o f the d e a t h drive c a n n o t b e a c c o u n t e d for i n t h e t e r m s o f t h i s c o n n e c t i o n : t h e ' d e a t h d r i v e ' is not t h e o u t c o m e o f t h e m o r b i d c o n f u s i o n o f Life a n d D e a t h c a u s e d by t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n o f t h e symbolic Law. F o r L a c a n , the u n c a n n y d o m a i n b e y o n d the O r d e r o f B e i n g is w h a t h e c a l l s t h e d o m a i n ' b e t w e e n t h e two d e a t h s ' , t h e p r e - o n t o l o g i c a l d o m a i n o f m o n s t r o u s s p e c t r a l a p p a r i t i o n s , t h e d o m a i n t h a t is ' i m m o r t a l ' , yet n o t i n t h e B a d i o u i a n s e n s e o f t h e i m m o r t a l i t y o f p a r t i c i p a t i n g T r u t h , b u t i n t h e s e n s e o f w h a t L a c a n c a l l s lamella, 'undead' object-libido. finds
in
monstrous
, s
T h i s d o m a i n , in w h i c h O e d i p u s plary case)
o f the
himself after
( o r K i n g L e a r , to take a n o t h e r e x e m
the
Fall, when
h i s s y m b o l i c d e s t i n y is
f u l f i l l e d , is f o r L a c a n t h e p r o p e r d o m a i n ' b e y o n d t h e L a w ' . T h a t is t o say: i n his r e a d i n g o f t h e O e d i p u s m y t h , t h e e a r l y L a c a n a l r e a d y f o c u s e s o n w h a t t h e u s u a l v e r s i o n o f t h e ' O e d i p u s c o m p l e x ' l e a v e s o u t : t h e first f i g u r e o f w h a t is ' b e y o n d O e d i p u s ' , w h i c h is Oedipus
himself a f t e r h e h a s f u l f i l l e d
h i s d e s t i n y t o t h e b i t t e r e n d , t h e h o r r i f y i n g figure o f O e d i p u s at C o l o n n u s , this e m b i t t e r e d o l d m a n with his t h o r o u g h l y u n c o m p r o m i s i n g cursing everyone around
h i m . . . . D o e s n o t this
figure
attitude,
of Oedipus
at
T H E POLITICS OF T R U T H C o l o n n u s c o n f r o n t us with jouissance, gressed
155
the i n h e r e n t deadlock, the impossibility o f
c o n c e a l e d b y its P r o h i b i t i o n ? W a s h e n o t t h e o n e w h o the
Prohibition
and
paid
the
price by having
trans
to a s s u m e
this
impossibility? T o illustrate the position o f O e d i p u s at C o l o n n u s , L a c a n c o m p a r e s it t o t h a t o f t h e u n f o r t u n a t e M r V a l d e m a r i n P o e ' s f a m o u s s t o r y , the
person
w h o , via h y p n o s i s , is p u t
to death
and
then
reawakened,
imploring the people who observe the horrible experiment: 'For God's sake! - quick! - quick! - p u t m e to s l e e p - or, quick! - waken m e ! quick! - I SAY T O Y O U T H A T I AM DEAD!' W h e n h e is a w a k e n e d , M r V a l d e m a r : is n o m o r e than a disgusting liquefaction, s o m e t h i n g for which n o language has a n a m e , the naked apparition, pure, simple, brutal, o f this figure which is impossible to gaze at face on, which hovers in the b a c k g r o u n d o f all the imaginings o f h u m a n destiny, which is beyond all qualification, and for which the word carrion is completely inadequate, the c o m p l e t e collapse o f this species o f swelling that is life - the bubble bursts and dissolves down into i n a n i m a t e putrid liquid. T h a t is what h a p p e n s in the case o f O e d i p u s . As everything right from the start o f the tragedy goes to show, O e d i p u s is n o t h i n g m o r e than t h e scum o f the earth, the refuse, the residue, a thing empty o f any plausible a p p e a r a n c e . ' ' ' I t is c l e a r t h a t w e a r e d e a l i n g h e r e w i t h t h e d o m a i n ' i n b e t w e e n t h e two d e a t h s ' , t h e s y m b o l i c a n d t h e r e a l : t h e u l t i m a t e o b j e c t o f h o r r o r is t h e sudden
emergence
theorized
by
o f this
Lacan
as
'life
lamella,
beyond the
death'
later
(in
undead-indestructible
Seminar
XT)
object,
Life
d e p r i v e d o f s u p p o r t i n t h e s y m b o l i c o r d e r . T h i s , p e r h a p s , is c o n n e c t e d with today's p h e n o m e n o n
o f cyberspace: the m o r e o u r
(experience of)
r e a l i t y is ' v i r t u a l i z e d ' , c h a n g e d i n t o a s c r e e n - p h e n o m e n o n o n an interface, the m o r e the 'indivisible r e m a i n d e r ' integrated
into
the
interface
appears
as t h e
encountered
t h a t resists b e i n g
horrifying
remainder
u n d e a d Life - n o w o n d e r images o f such a formless ' u n d c a d '
of
substance
o f L i f e a b o u n d i n t o d a y ' s s c i e n c e - f i c t i o n h o r r o r n a r r a t i v e s , f r o m Alien
on.
L e t u s r e c a l l t h e w e l l - k n o w n s c e n e f r o m T e r r y G i l l i a m ' s Brazil, t o w h i c h I have often
referred
restaurant r e c o m m e n d s day's m e n u
-
t h e s c e n e in w h i c h
t h e w a i t e r in a h i g h - c l a s s
to his c u s t o m e r s the best suggestions f r o m
the
( ' T o d a y , o u r t o u r n e d o s is r e a l l y s p e c i a l ! ' , e t c . ) . Y e t w h a t t h e
c u s t o m e r s g e t o n m a k i n g t h e i r c h o i c e is a d a z z l i n g c o l o u r p h o t o g r a p h o f the m e a l o n a stand above the plate, a n d o n the plate itself a l o a t h s o m e , e x c r e m c n t a l , paste-like lump:'
20
this split b e t w e e n the i m a g e o f the
a n d t h e R e a l o f its f o r m l e s s e x c r e m e n t a l r e m n a n t
food
exemplifies perfectly
the disintegration o f reality into the ghostlike, substanccless a p p e a r a n c e
THE
156
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
o n a n i n t e r f a c e a n d t h e raw s t u f f o f t h e r e m a i n d e r obsession
with
this
remainder
is t h e
price
we
o f the Real -
have
to
pay
suspension o f the paternal P r o h i b i t i o n / L a w that sustains a n d
the
for
the
guarantees
o u r a c c e s s t o r e a l i t y . A n d o f c o u r s e , L a c a n ' s p o i n t is t h a t i f o n e e x p l o i t s t h e p o t e n t i a l s o p e n e d u p b y o u r e x i s t e n c e as parlhres
fully
('beings o f
l a n g u a g e ' ) , o n e s o o n e r o r l a t e r finds o n e s e l f in this horrifying i n - b e t w e e n state - t h e t h r e a t e n i n g possibility o f this o c c u r r e n c e l o o m s o v e r e a c h o f us. T h i s 'indivisible r e m a i n d e r ' , this f o r m l e s s stain o f the 'little p i e c e o f the Real' the
that
'is' O e d i p u s
a f t e r t h e f u l f i l m e n t o f h i s s y m b o l i c D e s t i n y , is
direct e m b o d i m e n t
of what
Lacan
c a l l s plus-de-jouir,
e n j o y m e n t ' , the excess that c a n n o t b e a c c o u n t e d idealization. W h e n
L a c a n uses the
term
the
'surplus-
f o r by a n y s y m b o l i c
plus-de-jouir,
he
is, o f c o u r s e ,
playing on the ambiguity o f the F r e n c h expression ('excess o f e n j o y m e n t ' as well tempted
as ' n o
longer
any
to s p e a k h e r e
e n j o y m e n t ' ) ; following
o f this f o r m l e s s
model,
one
'indivisible r e m a i n d e r '
this
that
O e d i p u s a f t e r t h e f u l f i l m e n t o f his D e s t i n y as a c a s e o f plus d'homme is ' e x c e s s i v e l y h u m a n ' , h e h a s l i v e d t h e ' h u m a n c o n d i t i o n ' t o t h e e n d , r e a l i z i n g its m o s t f u n d a m e n t a l
there
by n o h u m a n laws o r c o n s i d e r a t i o n s . . . . As L a c a n a r c two m a i n
is he
bitter
possibility; and, for that very reason,
h e is in a way ' n o l o n g e r h u m a n ' , a n d t u r n s i n t o a n ' i n h u m a n bound
-
is
ways o f c o p i n g
with
this
'remainder':
monster',
emphasizes, traditional
h u m a n i s m disavows it, a v o i d s c o n f r o n t i n g it, c o v e r s it u p w i t h i d e a l i z a t i o n s , c o n c e a l i n g it w i t h n o b l e i m a g e s o f H u m a n i t y ;
on the other hand,
the
ruthless a n d b o u n d l e s s capitalist e c o n o m y p u t s this e x c e s s / r e m a i n d e r to u s e , m a n i p u l a t i n g i t i n o r d e r t o k e e p its p r o d u c t i v e m a c h i n e r y i n ual m o t i o n
perpet
(as o n e u s u a l l y p u t s it, t h e r e is n o d e s i r e , n o d e p r a v i t y ,
too
low to b e exploited for capitalist p r o f i t e e r i n g ) . A t t h i s p o i n t , w h e n O e d i p u s is r e d u c e d t o t h e ' s c u m o f h u m a n i t y ' , we again e n c o u n t e r the a m b i g u o u s relationship (or, in H e g e l e s e , the specu lative identity) b e t w e e n
the lowest a n d t h e highest, b e t w e e n
the
excre-
m e n t a l s c u m a n d t h e s a c r e d : a f t e r h i s u t t e r d e j e c t i o n , all o f a s u d d e n , m e s s e n g e r s f r o m d i f f e r e n t c i t i e s vie f o r O e d i p u s ' s f a v o u r s , a s k i n g h i m t o bless t h e i r h o m e t o w n with his p r e s e n c e , to w h i c h t h e e m b i t t e r e d
Oedipus
a n s w e r s w i t h t h e f a m o u s l i n e : ' A m I t o b e c o u n t e d as s o m e t h i n g
[accord
i n g t o s o m e r e a d i n g s : as a m a n ] o n l y n o w , w h e n I a m r e d u c e d t o n o t h i n g [ w h e n 1 a m n o l o n g e r h u m a n ] ? ' D o e s n o t this l i n e r e v e a l t h e e l e m e n t a r y m a t r i x o f subjectivity: you b e c o m e
'something'
(you are c o u n t e d
as a
subject) only after going through the zero-point, after being deprived o f all t h e
'pathological'
(in
the Kantian
sense o f empirical,
contingent)
THE
POLITICS
OF
TRUTH
157
features that support your identity, a n d thus r e d u c e d to ' n o t h i n g ' -
'a
N o t h i n g n e s s c o u n t e d as S o m e t h i n g ' is t h e m o s t c o n c i s e f o r m u l a o f t h e Lacanian 'barred' subject (s).One
1
c o u l d say t h a t M a r t i n L u t h e r was t h e first g r e a t
antihumanist:
m o d e r n s u b j e c t i v i t y is a n n o u n c e d n o t i n t h e R e n a i s s a n c e h u m a n i s t
cel
e b r a t i o n o f m a n as t h e ' c r o w n o f c r e a t i o n ' , t h a t is, i n t h e t r a d i t i o n o f E r a s m u s a n d o t h e r s ( t o w h o m L u t h e r c a n n o t b u t a p p e a r as a ' b a r b a r i a n ' ) , b u t , r a t h e r , in L u t h e r ' s f a m o u s s t a t e m e n t t h a t m a n is t h e e x c r e m e n t t h a t fell o u t o f G o d ' s anus. M o d e r n subjectivity has n o t h i n g to d o with
the
n o t i o n o f m a n as t h e h i g h e s t c r e a t u r e i n t h e ' G r e a t C h a i n o f B e i n g ' , as the
final
point
o f the
evolution
o f the
universe:
modern
subjectivity
e m e r g e s w h e n t h e s u b j e c t p e r c e i v e s h i m s e l f as ' o u t o f j o i n t ' , as
excluded
f r o m the ' o r d e r o f things', from the positive o r d e r o f entities. F o r that reason, the ontic equivalent o f the m o d e r n
s u b j e c t is i n h e r e n t l y
excre-
mental: t h e r e is n o s u b j e c t i v i t y p r o p e r w i t h o u t t h e n o t i o n t h a t at a d i f f e r e n t level, f r o m a n o t h e r perspective, I a m a m e r e p i e c e o f shit. F o r M a r x , the e m e r g e n c e o f w o r k i n g - c l a s s s u b j e c t i v i t y is s t r i c t l y c o - d e p e n d e n t o n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e w o r k e r is c o m p e l l e d t o s e l l t h e very' s u b s t a n c e o f h i s b e i n g ( h i s c r e a t i v e p o w e r ) as a c o m m o d i t y o n t h e m a r k e t - t h a t is, t o r e d u c e agalma,
the
t h e treasure, t h e p r e c i o u s c o r e o f his b e i n g , to an o b j e c t that c a n
b e b o u g h t f o r m o n e y : t h e r e is n o s u b j e c t i v i t y w i t h o u t t h e r e d u c t i o n o f t h e subject's positive-substantial b e i n g to a d i s p o s a b l e ' p i e c e o f shit'. In this case o f correlation between
Cartesian subjectivity a n d
its e x c r e m e n t a l
o b j e c t a l c o u n t e r p a r t , we are n o t d e a l i n g m e r e l y with an e x a m p l e o f what Foucault
called the
modern
empirico-transcendental
couple
that
characterizes
a n t h r o p o l o g y , b u t r a t h e r , with t h e s p l i t b e t w e e n t h e s u b j e c t o f
the enunciation
and
the subject o f the enunciated:*-
if the
Cartesian
s u b j e c t is t o e m e r g e a t t h e l e v e l o f t h e e n u n c i a t i o n , h e m u s t b e r e d u c e d to
the
'almost-nothing'
o f disposable
excrement
at
the
level
of
the
enunciated content. W h a t B a d i o u does n o t take into a c c o u n t c a n b e best s u m m a r i z e d by the f a c t t h a t , in t h e C h r i s t i a n i c o n o g r a p h y , S t P a u l t a k e s t h e p l a c e o f J u d a s t h e T r a i t o r a m o n g the twelve apostles - a c a s e o f m e t a p h o r i c
substitution
i f e v e r t h e r e was o n e . T h e k e y p o i n t is t h a t S t P a u l was i n a p o s i t i o n t o e s t a b l i s h C h r i s t i a n i t y as a n I n s t i t u t i o n , t o f o r m u l a t e its u n i v e r s a l precisely because he did excluded
from
the
not k n o w C h r i s t p e r s o n a l l y -
initiatoiy deadlock
o f those
who
as s u c h were
Truth, he
was
personally
e n g a g e d w i t h t h e M a s t e r ; h o w e v e r , in o r d e r f o r t h i s d i s t a n c e t o b e c o m e p r o d u c t i v e - t h a t is, i n o r d e r f o r h i s u n i v e r s a l m e s s a g e t o m a t t e r
more
t h a n h i s p e r s o n - C h r i s t had t o b e b e t r a y e d . . . . T o p u t it a n o t h e r way:
THE TICKLISH
158
SUBJECT
any idiot can bring a b o u t simple stupid miracles like walking on water o r m a k i n g f o o d fall d o w n f r o m h e a v e n - t h e t r u e m i r a c l e , as H e g e l p u t it, is t h a t o f t h e u n i v e r s a l t h o u g h t , a n d it t o o k S t P a u l t o p e r f o r m it, t h a t is, t o translate the idiosyncratic Christ-Event into the f o r m o f universal thought.
T h e Lacanian Subject W h a t , t h e n , is t h e s u b j e c t h e r e ? T h e s u b j e c t is s t r i c t l y c o r r e l a t i v e w i t h t h e o n t o l o g i c a l g a p b e t w e e n t h e universal a n d t h e p a r t i c u l a r - with o n t o l o g i c a l u n d e c i d a b i l i t y , w i t h t h e f a c t t h a t it is n o t p o s s i b l e t o d e r i v e H e g e m o n y o r T r u t h d i r e c t l y f r o m t h e g i v e n p o s i t i v e o n t o l o g i c a l s e t : t h e ' s u b j e c t ' is t h e act, t h e decision b y m e a n s o f w h i c h w e p a s s f r o m t h e p o s i t i v i t y o f t h e given m u l t i t u d e to t h e T r u t h - E v e n t a n d / o r to H e g e m o n y . T h i s p r e c a r i o u s status o f t h e subject relies o n t h e K a n t i a n a n t i - c o s m o l o g i c a l insight r e a l i t y is ' n o n - a l l ' , o n t o l o g i c a l l y n o t
fully c o n s t i t u t e d , s o it n e e d s
that the
s u p p l e m e n t o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s c o n t i n g e n t g e s t u r e to o b t a i n a s e m b l a n c e o f o n t o l o g i c a l c o n s i s t e n c y . ' S u b j e c t ' is n o t a n a m e f o r t h e g a p o f f r e e d o m a n d c o n t i n g e n c y that infringes u p o n the positive o n t o l o g i c a l o r d e r , active i n its i n t e r s t i c e s ; r a t h e r , ' s u b j e c t ' is t h e c o n t i n g e n c y t h a t g r o u n d s t h e v e r y p o s i t i v e o n t o l o g i c a l o r d e r , t h a t is, t h e
' v a n i s h i n g m e d i a t o r ' w h o s e self-
effacing gesture transforms the pre-ontological chaotic multitude into the s e m b l a n c e o f a positive ' o b j e c t i v e ' o r d e r o f reality. I n this p r e c i s e s e n s e , e v e r y o n t o l o g y is ' p o l i t i c a l ' : b a s e d o n a d i s a v o w e d c o n t i n g e n t ' s u b j e c t i v e ' act o f decision.
2 3
S o K a n t was r i g h t : t h e v e r y i d e a o f t h e u n i v e r s e , o f t h e
All o f r e a l i t y , as a t o t a l i t y w h i c h e x i s t s i n i t s e l f , h a s t o b e r e j e c t e d as a p a r a l o g i s m - t h a t is t o say, w h a t l o o k s l i k e a n epistemological
limitation
of
o u r capacity to grasp reality ( t h e fact that we a r e f o r e v e r p e r c e i v i n g reality f r o m o u r f i n i t e t e m p o r a l s t a n d p o i n t ) is t h e p o s i t i v e ontological
condition
of
r e a l i t y itself. H e r e , h o w e v e r , o n e s h o u l d a v o i d t h e fatal t r a p o f c o n c e i v i n g t h e s u b j e c t as t h e a c t , t h e g e s t u r e , w h i c h i n t e r v e n e s a f t e r w a r d s i n o r d e r t o fill i n t h e o n t o l o g i c a l gap, a n d insist o n t h e i r r e d u c i b l e vicious cycle o f subjectivity: ' t h e w o u n d is h e a l e d o n l y by t h e s p e a r w h i c h s m o t e i t ' , t h a t is, t h e s u b j e c t 'is' t h e very g a p
filled
in by t h e g e s t u r e o f s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n ( w h i c h , i n
L a c l a u , e s t a b l i s h e s a n e w h e g e m o n y ; w h i c h , i n R a n c i e r e , gives v o i c e t o t h e 'part o f n o part'; w h i c h , in B a d i o u , a s s u m e s
fidelity
to the Truth-Event;
e t c . ) . In short, the L a c a n i a n answer to the question asked ( a n d answered in a n e g a t i v e w a y ) b y s u c h d i f f e r e n t p h i l o s o p h e r s as A l t h u s s e r ,
Derrida
and Badiou - 'Can the gap, the o p e n i n g , the Void which precedes
the
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
159
g e s t u r e o f . s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n , still b e c a l l e d " s u b j e c t " ? ' - is a n e m p h a t i c ' Y e s ! ' - t h e s u b j e c t is b o t h a t t h e s a m e t i m e , t h e o n t o l o g i c a l g a p ( t h e ' n i g h t o f t h e w o r l d ' , t h e m a d n e s s o f r a d i c a l s e l f - w i t h d r a w a l ) as w e l l as t h e
gesture
o f subjectivization which, by m e a n s o f a s h o r t circuit b e t w e e n t h e Univer sal a n d
the Particular, h e a l s the w o u n d o f this gap
(in L a c a n e s e : t h e
g e s t u r e o f t h e M a s t e r w h i c h e s t a b l i s h e s a ' n e w h a r m o n y ' ) . 'Subjectivity' name for this irreducible
circularity,
for a, power which does not fight an
resisting force (say, the inertia of the given substantial is absolutely
inherent,
which ultimately
t h e s u b j e c t ' s very e n d e a v o u r
order),
but an obstacle that 24
'is' the subject
is a
external
itself.'
In other
words,
t o fill i n t h e g a p r e t r o a c t i v e l y s u s t a i n s
and
g e n e r a t e s this gap. The
'death drive'
is t h u s t h e c o n s t i t u t i v e o b v e r s e o f e v e r y
emphatic
assertion o f T r u t h i r r e d u c i b l e to t h e positive o r d e r o f B e i n g : the negative gesture that clears a space for creative sublimation. T h e fact that sublima tion p r e s u p p o s e s t h e d e a t h drive m e a n s t h a t w h e n we a r e enthusiastically t r a n s f i x e d b y a s u b l i m e o b j e c t , tiiis o b j e c t is a ' m a s k o f d e a t h ' , a v e i l t h a t c o v e r s u p t h e p r i m o r d i a l o n t o l o g i c a l V o i d — as N i e t z s c h e w o u l d h a v e p u t it: t o will t h i s s u b l i m e o b j e c t e f f e c t i v e l y a m o u n t s t o w i l l i n g a N o t h i n g n e s s . T h a t is t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n L a c a n a n d B a d i o u : L a c a n insists o n
5
the
p r i m a c y o f t h e ( n e g a t i v e ) act o v e r t h e ( p o s i t i v e ) e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a ' n e w harmony' Badiou,
via t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n the
different
facets
o f s o m e new Master-Signifier; while of
negativity
(ethical
catastrophes)
for are
r e d u c e d t o so m a n y v e r s i o n s o f t h e ' b e t r a v a l ' o f ( o r i n f i d e l i t y t o , o r d e n i a l of) the positive Truth-Event. T h i s d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n B a d i o u a n d L a c a n c o n c e r n s precisely the status o f t h e s u b j e c t : B a d i o u ' s m a i n p o i n t is t o a v o i d i d e n t i f y i n g t h e s u b j e c t w i t h the constitutive V o i d o f the structure
-
such
an identification
already
' o n t o l o g i z e s ' t h e s u b j e c t , a l b e i t i n a p u r e l y n e g a t i v e way - t h a t is, it t u r n s t h e s u b j e c t i n t o a n entity c o n s u b s t a n t i a l with t h e s t r u c t u r e , a n entity that b e l o n g s to t h e o r d e r
o f w h a t is n e c e s s a r y a n d
a priori
('no
structure
w i t h o u t a s u b j e c t ' ) . T o this L a c a n i a n o n t o l o g i z a t i o n o f the s u b j e c t , B a d i o u o p p o s e s its ' r a r i t y ' , t h e l o c a l - c o n t i n g e n t - f r a g i l e - p a s s i n g e m e r g e n c e o f s u b j e c t i v i t y : w h e n , in a c o n t i n g e n t a n d u n p r e d i c t a b l e way, a T r u t h - E v e n t t a k e s p l a c e , a s u b j e c t is t h e r e to e x e r t f i d e l i t y t o t h e E v e n t b y d i s c e r n i n g 2n
t r a c e s i n a S i t u a t i o n w h o s e T r u t h t h i s E v e n t is.'
its
F o r B a d i o u , as w e l l as f o r
L a c l a u , t h e s u b j e c t is c o n s u b s t a n t i a l w i t h a c o n t i n g e n t a c t o f D e c i s i o n ; while
Lacan introduces
the
distinction
between
the
subject
and
the
g e s t u r e o f s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n : w h a t B a d i o u a n d L a c l a u d e s c r i b e is t h e p r o c e s s o f .subjectivization - t h e e m p h a t i c e n g a g e m e n t , t h e a s s u m p t i o n o f
fidelity
to t h e E v e n t (or, in L a c l a u , the e m p h a t i c gesture o f identifying
empty
THE TICKLISH
160
SUBJECT
universality with s o m e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t t h a t h e g e m o n i z e s i t ) , w h i l e t h e s u b j e c t is t h e n e g a t i v e g e s t u r e o f b r e a k i n g o u t o f t h e c o n s t r a i n t s o f B e i n g that o p e n s up the space o f possible subjectivization. I n L a c a n e s e , t h e s u b j e c t p r i o r t o s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n is t h e p u r e n e g a t i v i t y o f t h e d e a t h d r i v e p r i o r t o its r e v e r s a l i n t o t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h s o m e new Master-Signifier.
2 7
O r - t o p u t it i n a n o t h e r w a y - L a c a n ' s p o i n t is n o t
t h a t t h e s u b j e c t is i n s c r i b e d i n t o t h e v e r y o n t o l o g i c a l s t r u c t u r e u n i v e r s e as its c o n s t i t u t i v e v o i d , b u t t h a t 'subject' designates an Act that sustains
the very ontological
o f the
the contingency
of
order of being. ' S u b j e c t ' d o e s n o t o p e n
u p a h o l e i n t h e full o r d e r o f B e i n g : ' s u b j e c t ' is t h e c o n t i n g e n t - e x c e s s i v e g e s t u r e that constitutes the very universal o r d e r o f B e i n g . T h e o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n t h e s u b j e c t qua o n t o l o g i c a l f o u n d a t i o n o f t h e o r d e r o f B e i n g a n d t h e s u b j e c t qua c o n t i n g e n t p a r t i c u l a r e m e r g e n c e is t h e r e f o r e f a l s e :
the
s u b j e c t is t h e c o n t i n g e n t e m e r g e n c e / a c t t h a t s u s t a i n s t h e v e r y u n i v e r s a l o r d e r o f B e i n g . T h e s u b j e c t is n o t s i m p l y t h e e x c e s s i v e hubris
through
which a particular e l e m e n t disturbs the global o r d e r o f B e i n g by positing itself -
a particular element -
as its c e n t r e ; t h e s u b j e c t is, r a t h e r ,
the
p a r a d o x o f a p a r t i c u l a r e l e m e n t that sustains t h e very universal f r a m e . L a c a n ' s n o t i o n o f t h e a c t as r e a l is t h u s o p p o s e d t o b o t h L a c l a u a n d B a d i o u . I n L a c a n , a c t is a p u r e l y negative
c a t e g o r y : t o p u t it i n B a d i o u ' s
t e r m s , it s t a n d s f o r t h e g e s t u r e o f b r e a k i n g o u t o f t h e c o n s t r a i n t s o f B e i n g , f o r t h e r e f e r e n c e t o t h e V o i d a t its c o r e , prior to filling
this Void. I n this
p r e c i s e s e n s e , t h e act involves t h e d i m e n s i o n o f d e a t h drive that g r o u n d s a decision fidelity drive
(to a c c o m p l i s h a h e g e m o n i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n ; to e n g a g e in
to a T r u t h ) , b u t c a n n o t b e r e d u c e d (a category Badiou adamandy
'vanishing
mediator'
between
to it. T h e L a c a n i a n
opposes)
Being and
is t h u s a g a i n a k i n d
Event: there
is a
a
death of
'negative'
g e s t u r e c o n s t i t u t i v e o f t h e s u b j e c t w h i c h is t h e n o b f u s c a t e d i n ' B e i n g ' ( t h e e s t a b l i s h e d o n t o l o g i c a l o r d e r ) a n d in fidelity t o t h e E v e n t . This
minimal
distance
between
the
death
drive
a s
and
sublimation,
between the negative gesture o f suspension-withdrawal-contraction
and
t h e p o s i t i v e g e s t u r e o f filling its v o i d , is n o t j u s t a t h e o r e t i c a l d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e two a s p e c t s , w h i c h a r e i n s e p a r a b l e i n o u r a c t u a l e x p e r i e n c e : as w e h a v e a l r e a d y s e e n , t h e w h o l e o f L a c a n ' s e f f o r t is p r e c i s e l y f o c u s e d o n t h o s e l i m i t - e x p e r i e n c e s in w h i c h the s u b j e c t finds h i m s e l f c o n f r o n t e d w i t h t h e d e a t h d r i v e a t its p u r e s t , p r i o r t o its r e v e r s a l i n t o s u b l i m a t i o n . Is n o t L a c a n ' s analysis o f A n t i g o n e f o c u s e d o n t h e m o m e n t w h e n s h e finds h e r s e l f i n t h e s t a t e 'in b e t w e e n t h e two d e a t h s ' , r e d u c e d t o a l i v i n g d e a t h , e x c l u d e d f r o m t h e s y m b o l i c d o m a i n ? - " ' Is t h i s n o t s i m i l a r t o t h e u n c a n n y figure
of Oedipus
a t C o l o n n u s w h o , a f t e r f u l f i l l i n g h i s d e s t i n y , is a l s o
THE
POLITICS
OF
TRUTH
161
r e d u c e d to 'less t h a n n o t h i n g ' , to a f o r m l e s s stain, t h e e m b o d i m e n t o f some
unspeakable
h o r r o r ? All these
and
other
figures
(from
s p e a r e ' s K i n g L e a r to C l a u d e l ' s S y g n e de C o u f o n t a i n e ) are find
t h e m s e l v e s in
this void,
trespassing
the
Shake
figures
who
limit o f 'humanity'
and
e n t e r i n g t h e d o m a i n w h i c h , i n a n c i e n t G r e e k , was c a l l e d ate,
'inhuman
m a d n e s s ' . H e r e , B a d i o u pays t h e p r i c e f o r h i s p r o t o - P l a t o n i c a d h e r e n c e to T r u t h a n d t h e G o o d : w h a t r e m a i n s b e y o n d his r e a c h , in his v i o l e n t ( a n d , o n its o w n l e v e l , q u i t e j u s t i f i e d ) p o l e m i c s a g a i n s t t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y o b s e s s i o n with d e p o l i t i c i z e d ' r a d i c a l Evil' insistence
that the different
(the Holocaust, etc.) and
f a c e t s o f Evil a r e m e r e l y s o m a n y
his
conse
q u e n c e s o f t h e b e t r a y a l o f t h e G o o d ( o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t ) , is t h i s d o m a i n ' b e y o n d t h e G o o d ' , in w h i c h a h u m a n b e i n g e n c o u n t e r s t h e d e a t h drive as t h e u t m o s t l i m i t o f h u m a n e x p e r i e n c e , a n d pays t h e p r i c e b y u n d e r g o ing a radical 'subjective d e s t i t u t i o n ' , by b e i n g r e d u c e d to an e x c r e m e n t a l r e m a i n d e r . L a c a n ' s p o i n t is t h a t t h i s l i m i t - e x p e r i e n c e is t h e i r r e d u c i b l e / constitutive condition o f the (im)possibility o f the creative act o f e m b r a c i n g a T r u t h - E v e n t : it o p e n s u p a n d s u s t a i n s t h e s p a c e for t h e T r u t h - E v e n t , y e t its e x c e s s always t h r e a t e n s t o u n d e r m i n e it. C l a s s i c o n t o - t h e o l o g y is f o c u s e d o n t h e t r i a d o f t h e T r u e , t h e B e a u t i f u l a n d t h e G o o d . W h a t L a c a n d o e s is t o p u s h t h e s e t h r e e n o t i o n s t o t h e i r limit, d e m o n s t r a t i n g
t h a t t h e G o o d is t h e m a s k o f ' d i a b o l i c a l ' E v i l , t h a t
t h e B e a u t i f u l is t h e m a s k o f t h e U g l y , o f t h e d i s g u s t i n g h o r r o r o f t h e R e a l , a n d t h a t t h e T r u e is t h e m a s k o f t h e c e n t r a l V o i d a r o u n d w h i c h e v e r y s y m b o l i c e d i f i c e is w o v e n . I n s h o r t , t h e r e is a d o m a i n ' b e y o n d t h e G o o d ' t h a t is n o t s i m p l y e v e r y d a y background
' p a t h o l o g i c a l ' villainy, b u t
o f t h e G o o d itself, t h e
p o w e r ; t h e r e is a d o m a i n
the
terrifying a m b i g u o u s
constitutive s o u r c e o f its
' b e y o n d t h e B e a u t i f u l ' t h a t is n o t s i m p l y t h e
ugliness o f ordinary everyday objects, but the constitutive b a c k g r o u n d o f B e a u t y itself, t h e H o r r o r v e i l e d b y t h e f a s c i n a t i n g p r e s e n c e o f B e a u t y ; t h e r e is a d o m a i n ' b e y o n d T r u t h ' t h a t is n o t s i m p l y t h e e v e r y d a y d o m a i n o f l i e s , d e c e p t i o n s a n d f a l s i t i e s , b u t t h e V o i d t h a t s u s t a i n s t h e p l a c e in which o n e can only formulate symbolic there
is a n
fictions
that we call ' t r u t h s ' . I f
e t h i c o - p o l i t i c a l l e s s o n o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s , it c o n s i s t s i n
the
insight into how the great calamities o f our century (from the Holocaust t o t h e S t a l i n i s t desastre)
are
not the
result o f o u r
succumbing
to
the
m o r b i d attraction o f this B e y o n d but, o n the contrary, the result o f o u r e n d e a v o u r t o a v o i d c o n f r o n t i n g it a n d t o i m p o s e t h e d i r e c t r u l e o f t h e Truth a n d / o r Goodness.
THE TICKLISH
162
SUBJECT
T h e M a s t e r o r t h e Analyst? W e are now in a position to provide a precise definition o f the gap
that
s e p a r a t e s B a d i o u f r o m L a c a n : f o r B a d i o u , w h a t p s y c h o a n a l y s i s p r o v i d e s is insight into the m o r b i d intertwining o f Life a n d D e a t h , o f Law and desire, a n i n s i g h t i n t o t h e o b s c e n i t y o f t h e L a w i t s e l f as t h e ' t r u t h ' o f t h e a n d m o r a l stance that limit themselves to t h e O r d e r
thought
of Being and
d i s c r i m i n a t o r y L a w s ; as s u c h , p s y c h o a n a l y s i s c a n n o t p r o p e r l y r e n d e r matic the d o m a i n fidelity
b e y o n d t h e L a w , t h a t is, t h e m o d e
to t h e T r u t h - E v e n t -
o f operation
t h e p s y c h o a n a l y t i c s u b j e c t is t h e
its the of
divided
s u b j e c t o f t h e ( s y m b o l i c ) L a w , not t h e s u b j e c t d i v i d e d b e t w e e n L a w ( w h i c h r e g u l a t e s the O r d e r o f B e i n g ) a n d L o v e (as
fidelity
to the T r u t h - E v e n t ) .
T h e l o g i c a l c o n s e q u e n c e o f t h i s is t h a t p s y c h o a n a l y s i s , f o r B a d i o u , r e m a i n s c o n s t r a i n e d t o t h e field o f K n o w l e d g e , u n a b l e to a p p r o a c h t h e
properly
positive d i m e n s i o n o f T r u t h - p r o c e s s e s : in t h e case o f love, psychoanalysis r e d u c e s it t o a s u b l i m a t e d e x p r e s s i o n o f s e x u a l i t y ; i n t h e c a s e o f s c i e n c e as w e l l as a r t , p s y c h o a n a l y s i s c a n o n l y p r o v i d e
the subjective libidinal
c o n d i t i o n s o f a scientific i n v e n t i o n o r a w o r k o f art, w h i c h a r e u l t i m a t e l y i r r e l e v a n t t o t h e i r t r u t h - d i m e n s i o n - t h a t a n a r t i s t o r a s c i e n t i s t was d r i v e n b y his u n r e s o l v e d O e d i p u s c o m p l e x o r l a t e n t h o m o s e x u a l i t y , a n d s o o n ; in the case o f politics, psychoanalysis c a n c o n c e i v e o f collectivity only a g a i n s t t h e b a c k g r o u n d o f t h e Totem and
Taboo o r Moses and
Monotheism
p r o b l e m a t i c o f p r i m o r d i a l c r i m e a n d g u i l t , a n d so o n , u n a b l e t o c o n c e i v e a m i l i t a n t ' r e v o l u t i o n a r y ' c o l l e c t i v e t h a t is b o u n d not b y p a r e n t a l g u i l t b u t by t h e positive f o r c e o f L o v e . F o r L a c a n , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , a Truth-Event background
of the traumatic
a r e B a d i o u ' s f o u r generiques
encounter
can operate only against
xuith the undead/monstrous
Thing,
the what
- art, s c i e n c e , l o v e , p o l i t i c s - i f n o t f o u r ways
o f r e i n s c r i b i n g t h e e n c o u n t e r with t h e R e a l T h i n g o n to t h e s y m b o l i c t e x t u r e ? I n art, b e a u t y is ' t h e l a s t v e i l o f t h e M o n s t r o u s ' ; f a r f r o m
being
j u s t a n o t h e r s y m b o l i c n a r r a t i v e , science is t h e e n d e a v o u r t o f o r m u l a t e structure o f the Real b e n e a t h the symbolic
fiction;
the
for the later Lacan,
love is n o l o n g e r m e r e l y t h e n a r c i s s i s t i c s c r e e n o b f u s c a t i n g t h e t r u t h o f d e s i r e , b u t t h e way t o ' g e n t r i f y ' a n d c o m e t o t e r m s w i t h t h e
traumatic
d r i v e ; finally, m i l i t a n t politics is a way o f p u t t i n g t o u s e t h e t e r r i f i c f o r c e o f N e g a t i v i t y i n o r d e r t o r e s t r u c t u r e o u r s o c i a l affairs. . . . S o L a c a n is n o t a p o s t m o d e r n i s t c u l t u r a l relativist: t h e r e d e f i n i t e l y is a d i f f e r e n c e a n a u t h e n t i c T r u t h - E v e n t a n d its s e m b l a n c e , a n d t h e fact t h a t i n a T r u t h - E v e n t
between
t h i s d i f f e r e n c e lies i n
the void o f the d e a t h drive, o f radical
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
163
negativity, a gap that m o m e n t a r i l y s u s p e n d s the O r d e r o f B e i n g , c o n t i n u e s to resonate. T h i s b r i n g s us b a c k t o t h e p r o b l e m o f h u m a n f i n i t u d e : w h e n B a d i o u dismisses the topic o f h u m a n finitude, from H e i d e g g e r i a n
'being-towards-
d e a t h ' t o F r e u d i a n ' d e a t h d r i v e ' , as t h e m o r b i d o b s e s s i o n w i t h w h a t m a k e s m a n e q u a l t o a n d t h u s r e d u c e d t o a m e r e a n i m a l - as t h e b l i n d n e s s t o that
properly
meta-physical
dimension
that
elevates m a n
beyond
the
a n i m a l k i n g d o m a n d allows h i m to ' g a i n i m m o r t a l i t y ' by p a r t i c i p a t i n g in a Truth-Event thought',
his t h e o r e t i c a l g e s t u r e involves a ' r e g r e s s i o n ' to
to a naive traditional
two o r d e r s ( t h e
finitude
'non-
(pre-critical, pre-Kantian) opposition o f
o f positive B e i n g ; the i m m o r t a l i t y o f the T r u t h -
Event) that r e m a i n s b l i n d to h o w the very s p a c e for the specific ' i m m o r tality' i n w h i c h h u m a n b e i n g s c a n p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e T r u t h - E v e n t is o p e n e d up by m a n ' s u n i q u e
r e l a t i o n s h i p to his
finitudc
d e a t h . As H e i d e g g e r c o n c l u s i v e l y d e m o n s t r a t e d
and
the possibility o f
in h i s p o l e m i c s a g a i n s t
C a s s i r e r ' s n e o - K a n t i a n r e a d i n g o f K a n t , t h a t is K a n t ' s g r e a t p h i l o s o p h i c a l r e v o l u t i o n : it is t h e very
finitude
o f t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s u b j e c t as c o n s t i t u
tive o f ' o b j e c t i v e r e a l i t y ' t h a t a l l o w s K a n t t o b r e a k o u t o f t h e f r a m e o f t r a d i t i o n a l m e t a p h y s i c s , t o r e j e c t t h e n o t i o n o f t h e c o s m o s as t h e o r d e r e d W h o l e o f B e i n g : t o p o s i t t h a t t h e o r d e r o f B e i n g , t h e field o f t r a n s c e n d e n tally c o n s t i t u t e d r e a l i t y , is i n i t s e l f n o n - t o t a l i z a b l e , c a n n o t b e c o h e r e n t l y t h o u g h t o f as a W h o l e , s i n c e its e x i s t e n c e is a t t a c h e d t o finite s u b j e c t i v i t y ; the
transcendental
spontaneity
o f freedom
thus
emerges
as
a
third
:,
d o m a i n , n e i t h e r p h e n o m e n a l reality n o r the n o u m e n a l In-itself. ° T h e k e y p o i n t is t h a t t h e ' i m m o r t a l i t y ' o f w h i c h L a c a n s p e a k s ( t h a t o f t h e ' u n d e a d ' lamella, the horizon o f h u m a n
the o b j e c t that 'is' l i b i d o ) c a n e m e r g e only within finitude,
as a f o r m a t i o n t h a t s t a n d s f o r a n d fills t h e
o n t o l o g i c a l V o i d , t h e h o l e in t h e t e x t u r e o f reality o p e n e d u p by t h e fact that
r e a l i t y is t r a n s c e n d e n t a l l y c o n s t i t u t e d by t h e
subject.
(If the transcendental
finite
transcendental
s u b j e c t w e r e n o t finite b u t infinite, we
w o u l d b e d e a l i n g n o t with t r a n s c e n d e n t a l c o n s t i t u t i o n b u t with ' i n t e l l e c tual i n t u i t i o n ' - w i t h a n i n t u i t i o n t h a t d i r e c t l y c r e a t e s w h a t it p e r c e i v e s : a p r e r o g a t i v e o f t h e i n f i n i t e D i v i n e B e i n g . ) S o t h e p o i n t is n o t t o d e n y t h e specifically h u m a n m o d e o f 'immortality' (that o f participating in a TruthE v e n t sustaining a d i m e n s i o n irreducible to the c o n s t r a i n e d positive o r d e r o f B e i n g ) , b u t t o b e a r i n m i n d h o w t h i s ' i m m o r t a l i t y ' is b a s e d o n specific m o d e o f h u m a n
finitude.
F o r Kant himself, the
finitude
t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s u b j e c t is n o t a l i m i t a t i o n o f h i s f r e e d o m a n d
the
o f the
transcenden
tal s p o n t a n e i t y , b u t its p o s i t i v e c o n d i t i o n : i f a h u m a n s u b j e c t w e r e t o g a i n d i r e c t a c c e s s to t h e n o u m e n a l
domain,
he would
change from
a
free
THE TICKLISH
164
SUBJECT
s u b j e c t i n t o a lifeless p u p p e t directly c o n f r o n t e d with a n d d o m i n a t e d by the awesome Divine Power. I n short, against B a d i o u , o n e s h o u l d insist that only to a
finite/mortal
b e i n g d o e s t h e a c t ( o r E v e n t ) a p p e a r as a t r a u m a t i c i n t r u s i o n o f t h e R e a l , as s o m e t h i n g t h a t c a n n o t b e n a m e d d i r e c t l y : i t is t h e v e r y f a c t t h a t m a n is split b e t w e e n m o r t a l i t y (a finite b e i n g d e s t i n e d to p e r i s h ) a n d t h e capacity to p a r t i c i p a t e in t h e E t e r n i t y o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t w h i c h b e a r s witness to the fact that we are d e a l i n g with a
finite/mortal
b e i n g . T o a truly i n f i n i t e /
immortal being, the act would b e transparent,
directly symbolized,
the
R e a l w o u l d c o i n c i d e w i t h t h e S y m b o l i c - t h a t is, i n B a d i o u ' s t e r m s , n a m i n g w o u l d b e d i r e c d y i n s c r i b e d i n t o , w o u l d c o i n c i d e w i t h , t h e E v e n t itself, w h i c h w o u l d t h u s l o s e its t r a u m a t i c c h a r a c t e r as t h e i n t r u s i o n o f t h e R e a l t h a t is innomable
( w h a t c a n n o t b e n a m e d ) . O r - t o p u t it i n y e t a n o t h e r
way - t h e a c t ( E v e n t ) c a n n e v e r b e fully s u b j e c t i v i z e d , i n t e g r a t e d i n t o t h e s y m b o l i c u n i v e r s e , p r e c i s e l y i n s o f a r as t h e s u b j e c t w h o is its a g e n t is a finite/mortal
e n t i t y . Is n o t a f u r t h e r p r o o f o f t h i s p o i n t t h e f a c t t h a t , f o r
Badiou, Truth
is always t h e
Truth
o f a specific c o n t i n g e n t
situation,
a t t a c h e d to it: e t e r n i t y / i m m o r t a l i t y is t h u s always e t e r n i t y / i m m o r t a l i t y of t h e g i v e n finite, s p e c i f i c c o n t i n g e n t s i t u a t i o n o r c o n d i t i o n ? Perhaps the gap that formulated
in
terms
finally
o f the
separates B a d i o u from L a c a n c a n also be difference
between
the
Hysteric
and
the
M a s t e r . B a d i o u is i n t e r e s t e d i n h o w t o r e t a i n f i d e l i t y t o t h e T r u t h - E v e n t , h o w to formulate the universal symbolic framework that guarantees
and
a c c o m p l i s h e s this fidelity, h o w to t r a n s m u t e t h e u n i q u e singularity o f the Event into the constitutive gesture o f a lasting symbolic edifice based on fidelity
t o t h e E v e n t - t h a t is t o say, h e is o p p o s e d t o t h e f a l s e p o e t i c s o f
t h o s e w h o r e m a i n f a s c i n a t e d by t h e i n e f f a b l e singularity o f t h e E v e n t a n d c o n s i d e r e v e r y n a m i n g o f t h e E v e n t as a l r e a d y a b e t r a y a l . F o r t h i s r e a s o n , B a d i o u e l e v a t e s t h e f i g u r e o f t h e M a s t e r : t h e M a s t e r is t h e o n e w h o the Event
- w h o , by p r o d u c i n g
a n e w point
de caption,
names
Master-Signifier,-
r e c o n f i g u r e s t h e s y m b o l i c field via t h e r e f e r e n c e to t h e n e w E v e n t . L a c a n , in contrast, following F r e u d , takes the side o f the Hysteric w h o , precisely, q u e s t i o n s a n d c h a l l e n g e s t h e M a s t e r ' s n a m i n g o f t h e E v e n t - w h o , t h a t is, o n b e h a l f o f h e r v e r y fidelity t o t h e E v e n t , i n s i s t s o n t h e g a p b e t w e e n t h e E v e n t a n d its s y m b o l i z a t i o n / n a m i n g
(in L a c a n e s e , b e t w e e n
objet petit
a
a n d t h e M a s t e r - S i g n i f i e r ) . T h e H y s t e r i c ' s q u e s t i o n is s i m p l y : "Why is that name the name of the
Event?'
W h e n , i n his u n p u b l i s h e d
course o f 1 9 9 7 / 9 8 , Badiou elaborated
four possible subjective stances towards
the Truth-Event, he
added
the as
t h e f o u r t h t e r m to t h e triad o f M a s t e r / H y s t e r i c / U n i v e r s i t y t h e p o s i t i o n o f
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
165
t h e Mystic. T h e M a s t e r p r e t e n d s to n a m e , a n d t h u s d i r e c d y translate i n t o s y m b o l i c fidelity, t h e d i m e n s i o n o f t h e a c t - t h a t is, t h e d e f i n i n g
feature
o f t h e M a s t e r ' s g e s t u r e is t o c h a n g e t h e a c t i n t o a n e w M a s t e r - S i g n i f i e r , t o g u a r a n t e e the c o n t i n u i t y a n d c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t h e E v e n t . In c o n t r a s t to the Master, the Hysteric maintains the ambiguous
attitude o f division
towards the act, insisting o n the s i m u l t a n e o u s necessity a n d impossibility (ultimate
failure)
o f its s y m b o l i z a t i o n : t h e r e
was a n
Event, but
each
s y m b o l i z a t i o n o f t h e E v e n t a l r e a d y b e t r a y s its t r u e t r a u m a t i c i m p a c t - t h a t is t o say, t h e H y s t e r i c r e a c t s t o e a c h s y m b o l i z a t i o n o f t h e E v e n t w i t h a ' ce nest pas ca\ t h a t ' s n o t it. I n c o n t r a s t t o b o t h o f t h e m , t h e p e r v e r s e a g e n t o f U n i v e r s i t y d i s c o u r s e d i s a v o w s t h a t t h e r e was t h e e v e n t o f a n a c t i n t h e first
place
-
with
his
chain
o f knowledge,
he
wants
to
reduce
the
c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t h e a c t t o j u s t a n o t h e r t h i n g t h a t c a n b e e x p l a i n e d away as p a r t o f t h e n o r m a l r u n o f t h i n g s ; i n o t h e r w o r d s , i n c o n t r a s t t o
the
Master, who wants to ensure the continuity b e t w e e n the Event a n d
its
consequences,
and
the
Hysteric, who
insists o n
the
gap
that
forever
s e p a r a t e s a n E v e n t f r o m its ( s y m b o l i c ) c o n s e q u e n c e s , U n i v e r s i t y d i s c o u r s e aims at 'suturing'
the
field
o f c o n s e q u e n c e s by e x p l a i n i n g t h e m
away
without any r e f e r e n c e to the E v e n t ('Love? It's n o t h i n g but the result o f a series o f o c c u r r e n c e s in your n e u r o n a l network!', etc.). T h e f o u r t h a t t i t u d e B a d i o u a d d s is t h a t o f t h e M y s t i c , w h i c h is t h e e x a c t o b v e r s e o f perverse University d i s c o u r s e ; i f t h e latter wants to isolate t h e symbolic chain o f c o n s e q u e n c e s from their founding
Event, t h e Mystic
w a n t s t o i s o l a t e t h e E v e n t f r o m t h e n e t w o r k o f its s y m b o l i c c o n s e q u e n c e s : h e insists o n t h e i n e f f a b i l i t y o f t h e E v e n t , a n d
disregards
its s y m b o l i c
c o n s e q u e n c e s . F o r t h e M y s t i c , w h a t m a t t e r s is t h e bliss o f o n e ' s i m m e r s i o n in t h e Event, w h i c h o b l i t e r a t e s t h e e n t i r e s y m b o l i c reality. L a c a n , h o w e v e r , i n c o n t r a s t t o B a d i o u , a d d s as t h e f o u r t h Hysteric a n d
University pervert
the
term to the triad o f Master,
discourse o f the
analyst: f o r
m y s t i c i s m is t h e i s o l a t e d p o s i t i o n o f t h e p s y c h o t i c i m m e r s e d i n puissance
and,
as s u c h , n o t a d i s c o u r s e
(a s o c i a l l i n k ) at all. S o
consistency o f L a c a n ' s entire edifice hinges on discursive
him,
his/her
the fact that a
the
fourth
p o s i t i o n is p o s s i b l e , w h i c h is n o t t h a t o f a M a s t e r , t h a t o f t h e
Hysteric, o r that o f the University. T h i s position, while m a i n t a i n i n g
the
g a p b e t w e e n t h e E v e n t a n d its s y m b o l i z a t i o n , a v o i d s t h e h y s t e r i c a l t r a p and, instead o f b e i n g c a u g h t in the vicious cycle o f p e r m a n e n t
failure,
a f f i r m s t h i s g a p as p o s i t i v e a n d p r o d u c t i v e : it a s s e r t s t h e R e a l o f t h e E v e n t as t h e ' g e n e r a t o r ' , t h e g e n e r a t i n g c o r e t o b e e n c i r c l e d r e p e a t e d l y b y t h e subject's symbolic productivity. T h e political c o n s e q u e n c e s o f this r e a s s e r t i o n o f psychoanalysis in the
THE TICKLISH
166
SUBJECT
face o f Badiou's critique constitute
t h e very o p p o s i t e o f t h e
psychoanalytic scepticism about the
final
process
o u t c o m e o f the
standard
revolutionary
( t h e well-known story o f ' t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y p r o c e s s has to
go
w r o n g a n d e n d u p i n a s e l f - d e s t r u c t i v e fury b e c a u s e it is u n a w a r e o f its o w n l i b i d i n a l f o u n d a t i o n s , o f t h e m u r d e r o u s a g g r e s s i v i t y t h a t s u s t a i n s its i d e a l i s m ' , e t c . ) : we a r e t e m p t e d to c l a i m , r a t h e r , that B a d i o u ' s r e s i s t a n c e t o p s y c h o a n a l y s i s is p a r t o f h i s h i d d e n K a n t i a n i s m , w h i c h u l t i m a t e l y a l s o l e a d s h i m t o o p p o s e t h e full r e v o l u t i o n a r y passage
a Vacte. T h a t is t o say:
a l t h o u g h B a d i o u is a d a m a n t l y a n t i - K a n t i a n a n d , i n h i s p o l i t i c a l s t a n c e s , r a d i c a l l y leftist ( r e j e c t i n g o u t r i g h t n o t o n l y p a r l i a m e n t a r y d e m o c r a c y , b u t also m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t 'identity p o l i t i e s ' ) , at a d e e p e r level his d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n the o r d e r o f the positive K n o w l e d g e o f B e i n g a n d the wholly different Truth-Event remains Kantian: when he emphasizes how,
from
t h e s t a n d p o i n t o f K n o w l e d g e , t h e r e s i m p l y is n o E v e n t - h o w , t h a t is, t h e t r a c e s o f t h e E v e n t c a n b e d i s c e r n e d as s i g n s o n l y b y t h o s e w h o a r e a l r e a d y involved in s u p p o r t o f t h e E v e n t n o t i o n o f signs that a n n o u n c e
does he not thereby repeat
the n o u m e n a l
Kant's
fact o f f r e e d o m
without
p o s i t i v e l y p r o v i n g it ( l i k e e n t h u s i a s m f o r t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n ) ? Badiou's inconsistent pure multiple
is L a c a n ' s R e a l as pas-tout,
that
which a 'state o f a situation' unifies, inscribes, a c c o u n t s for, turns into a consistent structure,
that X
that precedes
the
Kantian
transcendental
synthesis. T h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f the p u r e multiple i n t o the state o f things c o r r e s p o n d s to K a n t ' s t r a n s c e n d e n t a l synthesis c o n s t i t u t i n g reality. T h e o r d e r o f r e a l i t y , i n K a n t , is t h r e a t e n e d / l i m i t e d i n two w a y s :
31
by ' m a t h
e m a t i c a l a n t i n o m i e s ' - t h a t is, b y t h e i n h e r e n t f a i l u r e o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l synthesis, the gap b e t w e e n a p p r e h e n s i o n a n d c o m p r e h e n s i o n , the delay between the latter and the f o r m e r (in Badiou, the ontological Void the correlative excess o f presentation over re-presentation that
and
threatens
the n o r m a l f u n c t i o n i n g o f a state o f t h i n g s ) - a n d by ' d y n a m i c a n t i n o m i e s ' - t h a t is, b y t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n o f a n e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t o r d e r o f n o u m e n a l ethical Goals o f rational F r e e d o m (in B a d i o u , the T r u t h - E v e n t ) . A n d in K a n t , as w e l l as i n B a d i o u , is n o t t h e s p a c e f o r f r e e d o m o p e n e d u p b y t h e excess and inconsistency o f the ontological o r d e r ?
3 2
B a d i o u ' s K a n t i a n i s m is d i s c e r n i b l e p r e c i s e l y i n t h e way h e l i m i t s t h e s c o p e o f T r u t h : a l t h o u g h T r u t h is u n i v e r s a l a n d n e c e s s a r y as t h e t r u t h o f a s i t u a t i o n , n o n e t h e l e s s it c a n n o t n a m e t h e W h o l e o f t h e s i t u a t i o n , b u t c a n e x i s t o n l y as t h e i n f i n i t e , i n c e s s a n t e f f o r t t o d i s c e r n i n t h e s i t u a t i o n the
traces o f the
Truth-Event,
exactly h o m o l o g o u s
infinite ethical effort. W h e n T r u t h
pretends
with
the
to g r a s p / n a m e
Kantian
the
entire
situation, we e n d up in t h e c a t a s t r o p h e o f S t a l i n i s m o r t h e M a o i s t C u l t u r a l
THE
POLITICS
R e v o l u t i o n , with t h e i r t h o r o u g h g o i n g innomable for
OK T R U T H
167
'totalitarian' destructive rage. This
s u r p l u s , t h a t w h i c h f o r e v e r resists b e i n g n a m e d in a s i t u a t i o n , is,
Badiou, precisely defined
community
in
in
each
p o l i t i c s , s e x u a l puissance
o f the in
four
'generics' o f
love, a n d
so
on.
L a c a n i a n p e r s p e c t i v e , h o w e v e r , t h i s c o r e t h a t r e s i s t s n a m i n g is in a ' f u n d a m e n t a l authentic Lacan,
fantasy'
-
a c t does i n t e r v e n e
the
authentic
t h a t i s , i t is t h e
to put
and
act
an
it s u c c i n c t l y -
a c t i t s e l f i n its n e g a t i v e d i m e n s i o n ,
for
t h e a c t as
R e a l o f a n ' o b j e c t ' p r e c e d i n g n a m i n g , is w h a t is u l t i m a t e l y innomable. one
the
structured
c o r e o f puissance,
in this c o r e . S o -
Truth:
From
the
Here
can see the crucial weight o f the L a c a n i a n distinction between a s o b j e c t , as a n e g a t i v e g e s t u r e o f d i s c o n t i n u i t y , a n d its n a m i n g
positive
Truth-procedure.
thesis that remain a
'truth fiction
F o r this
has the structure
reason,
one
should
stick to
the in a
Lacan's
o f a f i c t i o n ' : t r u t h is c o n d e m n e d
p r e c i s e l y i n s o f a r as t h e innomable
Real
to
e l u d e s its g r a s p .
Notes 1. F . W J . Schclling, Sdmlliehe Werke, e d . K.F.A. Schelling, Stuttgart: C o t t a 1 8 5 6 - 6 1 , vol. VIII, p. 6 0 0 . 2. Alain B a d i o u , I.'elre el levenement, Paris: Editions d u Seuil 1 9 8 8 . 3. T o m a k e this logic c l e a r e r , let us m e n t i o n a n o t h e r o f Badiou's e x a m p l e s o f T r u t h Event: t h e atonal revolution in music a c c o m p l i s h e d hy t h e S e c o n d V i e n n e s e S c h o o l ( S c h o e n berg, B e r g , W e h e r n ) . H e r e , also, we have t h r e e ways o f betraying this E v e n t o f T r u t h : t h e traditionalists' dismissal o f t h e atonal revolution as an e m p t y formal e x p e r i m e n t , which allows t h e m t o c o n t i n u e t o c o m p o s e in t h e old ways, as if n o t h i n g h a d h a p p e n e d ; t h e p s e u d o m o d e r n i s t imitation o f atonality; a n d t h e t e n d e n c y t o c h a n g e atonal music into a new positive tradition. 4. B a d i o u , L'etre el Vevenemenl, p. 2 5 . 5. In theory, p e r h a p s t h e main indication o f this suspension o f Event is t h e n o t i o n a n d p r a c t i c e o f 'cultural studies' as t h e p r e d o m i n a n t n a m e for t h e all-encompassing a p p r o a c h to socio-symbolic p r o d u c t s : t h e basic feature o f cultural studies is that they a r e n o l o n g e r able o r ready t o c o n f r o n t religious, scientific o r philosophical works in t e r m s o f their i n h e r e n t T r u t h , but r e d u c e t h e m to a p r o d u c t o f historical c i r c u m s t a n c e s , to a n object o f anthropologico-psychoanalytic i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . 6. B a d i o u , L'etre el Vevenemenl, p. 2 0 2 . 7. Ibid., p. 2 2 4 . 8. Ibid., p. 2 9 . 9. U p to a point, o n e c a n also say that K n o w l e d g e is constative, while T r u t h is performative. 10. As B a d i o u perspicacious])' notes, these four d o m a i n s o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t a r e today, in public discourse, m o r e a n d m o r e r e p l a c e d by t h e i r fake doubles: we speak o f 'culture instead o f art, o f 'administration' instead o f politics, o f 'sex' instead o f love, ot 'know-how o r 'wisdom' instead o f science: a r t is r e d u c e d t o a n e x p r e s s i o n / a r t i c u l a t i o n o f historically specific c u l t u r e , love to an ideological d a t e d f o r m o f sexuality; s c i e n c e is dismissed as a W e s t e r n , falsely universalized form o f practical knowledge o n a n equal footing with forms o f
168
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
pre-scientific wisdom; politics (with all t h e passion o r struggle that this n o t i o n involves) is r e d u c e d to an i m m a t u r e ideological version o r f o r e r u n n e r o f t h e a r t o f social gestion. . . . 1 1 . S e e Alain B a d i o u , Saint Paul. La fondation de I'universalisme, Paris: Presses Universitaires de F r a n c e 1 9 9 7 . 12. O f c o u r s e , B a d i o u simultaneously mobilizes t h e association of ' g e n e r i c ' with 'generat ing': it is this ' g e n e r i c ' e l e m e n t that enables us to ' g e n e r a t e ' propositions o f t h e subjectl a n g u a g e in which T r u t h resonates. 1 3 . R o m a n s 7: 7 to 7: 1 8 ( q u o t e d from The. Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version, Nashville, T N : T h o m a s Nelson Publishers 1 9 9 0 ) . 14. F o r B a d i o u , St Paul's f u n d a m e n t a l p r o b l e m was that o f t h e a p p r o p r i a t e discourse: to assert a u t h e n t i c Christian universalism, St P a u l has to b r e a k with G r e e k philosophical sophistry as well as with Jewish p r o p h e t i c o b s c u r a n t i s m , which is still t h e p r e d o m i n a n t discursive m o d e o f the Gospels. H e r e , however, o n e should p e r h a p s c o m p l i c a t e the p i c t u r e a little: m a y b e Christ's o b s c u r e parables in t h e Gospels a r e m o r e subversive than they a p p e a r ; maybe they a r e t h e r e precisely t o p e r p l e x a n d frustrate t h e disciples w h o a r e u n a b l e to d i s c e r n a c l e a r m e a n i n g in t h e m ; maybe the well-known s t a t e m e n t from Matthew 19: 12 'Let a n y o n e a c c e p t [or, as it is also translated: u n d e r s t a n d ] this who c a n ' - is to be r e a d literally, as a signal that t h e s e a r c h for a d e e p e r m e a n i n g is misleading; m a y b e they a r e to be taken like t h e p a r a b l e o f the D o o r o f the Law in Kafka's Trial, s u b m i t t e d to an e x a s p e r a t i n g literal r e a d i n g by the priest, a r e a d i n g that yields n o d e e p e r m e a n i n g . So maybe these parables a r e not the r e m a i n d e r o f the old Jewish p r o p h e t i c discourse but, r a t h e r , its i m m a n e n t m o c k i n g subversion. A n d , incidentally, isn't it striking that this 'Let a n y o n e a c c e p t this who c a n ' is p r o n o u n c e d by Christ r e g a r d i n g t h e p r o b l e m o f castration? H e r e is t h e full q u o t e : 'Not everyone c a n a c c e p t / u n d e r s t a n d this t e a c h i n g , b\rt only t h o s e l o w h o m it is given. F o r t h e r e a r e e u n u c h s who have b e e n so from birth, a n d t h e r e a r e e u n u c h s w h o have b e e n m a d e e u n u c h s by others, a n d t h e r e a r e e u n u c h s for t h e sake o f the k i n g d o m o f heaven. L e t a n y o n e a c c e p t / u n d e r s t a n d this who c a n ' ( M a t t h e w 19: 1 1 - 1 2 ) . W h a t is ultimately u n g r a s p a b l e , beyond c o m p r e h e n s i o n , is the fact o f c a s t r a t i o n in its different modalities. 15. J a c q u e s L a c a n , The Ethics of Psychoanalysis, L o n d o n : Rorrtledge 1 9 9 2 , pp. 8 3 - 4 . 16. Ibid., p. 8 4 . 17. A n o t h e r p r o b l e m h e r e is the status o f t h e r e f e r e n c e to Kant: in so far as K a n t is c o n c e i v e d o f as t h e p h i l o s o p h e r o f the Law in B a d i o u ' s Pauline sense, Lacarr's 'Kant avec Sade' retains its full validity - that is, t h e statirs o f t h e Kantian m o r a l Law r e m a i n s that o f a s u p e r e g o - f o r m a t i o n , so that its 'truth' is the Sadeian universe o f m o r b i d perversion. However, t h e r e is a n o t h e r way o f c o n c e p t u a l i z i n g the Kantian m o r a l injunction which delivers it from s u p e r e g o c o n s t r a i n t s . (See A p p e n d i x III o f Slavoj Zizek, The Plague of Fantasies, L o n d o r r : Verso 1997.) 18. S e c j a c q u e s L a c a n , The Foul Fundamental Concepts of Psycho-Analysis, New York: N o r t o n 1 9 7 9 , pp. 1 9 7 - 8 . 19. J a c q u e s L a c a n , The Seminar, Book II: The Ego in Freud's Theory arid in the Technique, of Psychoanalysis, New York: N o r t o n 1 9 9 1 , pp. 2 3 1 - 2 . 2 0 . This s c e n e from Brazil is psychotic, since it involves t h e d i s a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e Symbolic - that is to say, what h a p p e n s in it is what L a c a n describes as t h e psychotic torsion o f t h e ' s c h e m e L ' o f symbolic c o m m u n i c a t i o n : symbolic reality falls apart into, on the o n e side, the p u r e Real o f the e x c r e m e n t a n d , o n the o t h e r , t h e p u r e I m a g i n a r y o f t h e substanceless h a l l u c i n a t o r y i m a g e . . . . ( S e e J a c q u e s L a c a n , 'On a Question P r e l i m i n a r y t o Any Possible T r e a t m e n t o f Psychosis', in Enils: A Selection, New York: N o r t o n 1 9 7 7 . ) In short, what takes p l a c e in this s c e n e is t h e dissolution o f the B o r r o m e a n knot in which, irr the intricate i n t e r c o n n e c t i o n between t h e t h r e e dimensions, e a c h c o u p l e o f t h e m is linked t h r o u g h the third: when the efficiency o f the Symbolic is s u s p e n d e d , t h e lirrk between the o t h e r two d i m e n s i o n s ( I m a g i n a r y a n d R e a l ) that sustains o u r 'sense o f reality' is cut. 2 1 . T h e other famous quip o f t h e e m b i t t e r e d O e d i p u s is p r o n o u n c e d by t h e C h o r u s , which claims that the greatest b o o n g r a n t e d lo a m o r t a l h u m a n being is n o t to be b o r n at
T H E P O L I T I C S OF T R U T H
169
all; the well-known c o m i c r e j o i n d e r q u o t e d by F r e u d a n d r e f e r r e d to by L a c a n ('Unfortu nately, that h a p p e n s to scarcely o n e in a h u n d r e d t h o u s a n d ' ) takes o n a new m e a n i n g today, in the midst o f t h e h e a t e d d e b a t e a b o u t a b o r t i o n : a r e not t h e a b o r t e d c h i l d r e n in a sense those who did s u c c e e d in not being b o r n ? 2 2 . See L a c a n , Ecrits: A Selection, p. 3 0 0 . 2 3 . T h a t is t h e task o f today's critique o f ideology: to u n e a r t h , b e n e a t h any s e m b l a n c e o f a 'reified' o n t o l o g i c a l o r d e r , its disavowed 'political' f o u n d a t i o n : h o w it hinges o n s o m e excessive 'subjective' act. 2 4 . P e r h a p s t h e first - a n d still u n s u r p a s s e d - description o f this p a r a d o x was p r o v i d e d by Fichte's notion o f Anstoss, t h e ' o b s t a c l e / i m p e t u s ' t h a t sets in m o t i o n t h e subject's p r o d u c t i v e effort o f 'positing' objective reality: this Anstoss is n o l o n g e r the Kantian Thing-in-itself - an e x t e r n a l stimulus affecting t h e subject from outside - but a c o r e o f c o n t i n g e n c y that is extimate: a foreign body at t h e very h e a r t o f t h e subject. Subjectivity is thus defined not by a struggle against t h e inertia o f t h e o p p o s e d substantial o r d e r , but by an absolutely i n h e r e n t tension. ( S e e C h a p t e r 1 above.) 2 5 . Consequently, t h e r e is simply n o p l a c e for t h e F r e u d i a n d e a t h drive in Badiou's pair o f Being and Event: t h e d e a t h drive certainly i n t e r r u p t s t h e e c o n o m y o f the 'service o f t h e G o o d s [service des biens]', the principle o f t h e s m o o t h r u n n i n g o f affairs, which is the highest political principle o f the O r d e r o f Being; on t h e o t h e r h a n d , B a d i o u is certainly right to e m p h a s i z e that t h e e m e r g e n c e o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t disavows t h e d e a t h drive. . . . In short, the death drive is the point that u n d e r m i n e s B a d i o u ' s proto-Kantian o n t o l o g i c a l dualism between t h e O r d e r o f Being a n d t h e Event o f T r u t h : it is a kind o f 'vanishing m e d i a t o r ' between the two; it o p e n s u p a g a p in t h e positivity o f Being, a suspension in its s m o o t h functioning, a n d it is this g a p t h a t c a n later b e filled by t h e T r u t h - E v e n t . 2 6 . Alain B a d i o u , L'etre et levevement, pp. 4 7 2 - 4 . 27. In his implicit p o l e m i c s against L a c l a u a n d L a c a n , R a n c i e r e m a k e s t h e s a m e point as B a d i o u : h e emphasizes that politics is not a c o n s e q u e n c e o f the i n c o m p l e t e n e s s o f t h e social subject - t h e r e is n o ontological g u a r a n t e e o r f o u n d a t i o n o f politics in the a priori Void o f Being, in t h e subject as constitutive L a c k / F i n i t u d e / I n c o m p l e t e u e s s ; o n e looks in vain for the p h i l o s o p h i c o - t r a n s c e n d e n t a l 'condition o f possibility' o f politics. T h e o r d e r o f 'police' (the positive o r d e r o f B e i n g ) is in itself full, t h e r e a r e n o holes in it; it is only the political act itself, the gesture o f political subjectivization, that adds to it t h e 'distance towards itself a n d dislodges its self-identity . . . (see J a c q u e s R a n c i e r e , Ln mesentente, Paris: Galilee 1 9 9 5 , pp. 4 3 - 6 7 ) . T h e L a c a n i a n answer to this would be that h e r e R a n c i e r e fetishizes the o r d e r o f police, failing to r e c o g n i z e how this o r d e r itself relies on t h e excessive gesture o f the Master, which is a stand-in for the political L a c k - the 'gentrification', the positivization, o f the p r o p e r l y political excess. In short, we d o n o t have t h e full positivity o f the police o r d e r p e r t u r b e d from time to time by the h e t e r o g e n e o u s i n t e r v e n t i o n o f political subjectivity: this positivity itself alwavs-already relies on t h e (disavowal of s o m e ) excessive gesture o f t h e Master. O r - to put it in yet a n o t h e r way - politics is not a consequence o f t h e (pre-polilical) g a p in the o l d e r o f B e i n g o r n o n - c o i n c i d e n c e o f t h e social subject with itself: t h e fact that the social subject is n e v e r c o m p l e t e a n d self-identical m e a n s that t h e social being itself is always-already bused on a (disavowed) g e s t u r e o f politicization a n d , as s u c h , t h o r o u g h l y political. 2 8 . This difference between L a c a n a n d B a d i o u also has precise c o n s e q u e n c e s for the a p p r e c i a t i o n o f c o n c r e t e political events. F o r B a d i o u , t h e disintegration o f Eastern E u r o p e a n Socialism was not a T r u t h - E v e n t : a p a r t f r o m giving rise to a b r i e f p o p u l a r enthusiasm, the dissident f e r m e n t did not s u c c e e d in t r a n s f o r m i n g itself into a stable m o v e m e n t o f followers patiently e n g a g e d in the militant fidelity t o t h e E v e n t , but s o o n disintegrated, so that what we have today is e i t h e r the r e t u r n to vulgar liberal p a r l i a m e n t a r y capitalism o r the a d v o c a c y o f racist e t h n i c f u n d a m e n t a l i s m . However, if we a c c e p t t h e L a c a n i a n distinction between the act as a negative gesture o f saying 'No!', a n d its positive a f l e t m a t h , locating the key d i m e n s i o n in the primordial negative g e s t u r e , t h e n the p r o c e s s o f disintegration did n o n e the less
170
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
p r o d u c e a t r u e art in t h e guise o f t h e enthusiastic mass m o v e m e n t o f saying No!' to t h e C o m m u n i s t r e g i m e o n b e h a l f o f a u t h e n t i c solidarity; this negative gesture c o u n t e d m o r e than its later failed positivization. 2 9 . T h e case o f A n t i g o n e , o f c o u r s e , is m o r e c o m p l e x , since she puts h e r life at stake a n d e n t e r s the d o m a i n 'in between t h e two d e a t h s ' precisely in order to prevent her brother's second death: to give him a p r o p e r funeral rite that will s e c u r e his eternalization in t h e symbolic order. 3 0 . A n o t h e r p r o b l e m is that Kant often s h r a n k from his own discovery, identifying f r e e d o m as n o u m e n a l (see C h a p t e r 1 a b o v e ) . 3 1 . Again, see C h a p t e r 1 above. 3 2 . Badiou's Kantianism c a n also be d i s c e r n e d in the way his political p r o j e c t gets c a u g h t in t h e quintessential Kantian p a r a d o x o f 'spurious infinity' in o u r a p p r o a c h to the Ideal: for B a d i o u , the ultimate goal o f political activity is to achieve p r e s e n c e without r e p r e s e n t a t i o n , that is, a situation n o l o n g e r r e d o u b l e d in its State; however, t h e political a c t itself in its e s s e n c e is d i r e c t e d against the State; it is an intervention into the existing State that u n d e r m i n e s its functioning - so it needs a pre-existing State in the s a m e sense that o n e needs an e n e m y in o r d e r to assert o n e s e l f by fighting it.
4
Political Subjectivization and Its Vicissitudes
Badiou, Balibar, Ranciere As F r e d r i c J a m e s o n
has
often
Modernism-Postmodernism
emphasized,
provides
the
triad
Traditionalism-
a logical m a t r i x that c a n also b e
a p p l i e d to a p a r t i c u l a r historical c o n t e n t . T h e r e a r e clearly t h r e e
main
readings o f Nietzsche: traditional (die Nietzsche o f the return to p r e m o d ern aristocratic warrior values against d e c a d e n t Judaeo-Christian m o d e r n ity), m o d e r n
(the Nietzsche o f the hermeneutics o f doubt and
self-probing), and postmodern
ironic
(the Nietzsche o f the play o f a p p e a r a n c e s
a n d differences). D o e s n o t the s a m e h o l d for today's three m a i n philosophico-political positions: the
(traditionalist)
o t h e r s ) , t h e ( m o d e r n ) universalists ern)
'dispersionists'
of the political,
communitarians
(Taylor and
(Rawls, H a b e r m a s ) , a n d the ( p o s t m o d
( L y o t a r d a n d o t h e r s ) ? W h a t t h e y all s h a r e is a
s o m e v e r s i o n o f pre-political
reduction
e t h i c s : t h e r e is n o p o l i t i c s p r o p e r
in a c l o s e d c o m m u n i t y r u l e d by a traditional set o f values; universalists g r o u n d politics in a p r o c e d u r a l i s t a priori o f discursive ( o r distributive) e t h i c s ; ' d i s p e r s i o n i s t s ' c o n d e m n p o l i t i c s as u n i f y i n g , t o t a l i t a r i a n , v i o l e n t , a n d so o n , a n d a s s u m e the position o f e t h i c a l critics w h o reveal ( o r voice) t h e e t h i c a l W r o n g o r Evil c o m m i t t e d b y p o l i t i c s , w i t h o u t e n g a g i n g i n a n alternative political project.
1
E a c h o f the three positions thus involves a p r a g m a t i c
(performative)
p a r a d o x o f its o w n . T h e c o m m u n i t a r i a n s ' p r o b l e m is t h a t i n
today's
global
s o c i e t y t h e i r p o s i t i o n is a p r i o r i f a k e d , m a r k e d b y a s p l i t b e t w e e n e n u n c i ated and enunciation: they themselves do not speak from the particular p o s i t i o n o f a c l o s e d c o m m u n i t y , t h e i r p o s i t i o n o f e n u n c i a t i o n is a l r e a d y u n i v e r s a l ( t h e i r m i s t a k e is t h u s t h e o p p o s i t e o f t h a t o f t h e who
conceals the
universalists'
particular
problem
is t h a t
kernel
o f his
alleged
their universalism
universalist,
universality).
is always
too
The
narrow,
THE TICKLISH
172 grounded differend,
SUBJECT
i n a n e x c e p t i o n , i n a g e s t u r e o f e x c l u s i o n (it r e p r e s s e s
the
d o e s n o t e v e n a l l o w it t o b e p r o p e r l y f o r m u l a t e d ) . A n d f i n a l l y ,
t h e o p p o s i t e p r o b l e m o f ' d i s p e r s i o n i s t s ' is t h a t t h e y a r e t o o a l l - i n c l u s i v e : h o w d o we pass f r o m t h e i r ' o n t o l o g i c a l ' assertion o f m u l t i t u d e to e t h i c s ( o f diversity, t o l e r a n c e . . . ) ? Three
contemporary
2
French
political
philosophers
(Alain
Badiou,
E t i e n n e Balibar a n d J a c q u e s R a n c i e r e ) have formulated a kind o f i n h e r e n t s e l f - c r i t i c i s m o f t h e s e t h r e e p o s i t i o n s - t h a t is, e a c h o f t h e m c a n b e s a i d t o focus o n the i n h e r e n t split o f t h e p o s i t i o n in q u e s t i o n : •
Is n o t B a d i o u t h e a n t i - c o m m u n i t a r i a n c o m m u n i t a r i a n ? D o e s h e
not
i n t r o d u c e a split in t h e n o t i o n o f c o m m u n i t y , a split b e t w e e n positive c o m m u n i t i e s g r o u n d e d in t h e o r d e r o f B e i n g (nation-state, e t c . ) , a n d t h e ' i m p o s s i b l e ' c o m m u n i t y - t o - c o m e g r o u n d e d i n fidelity t o t h e T r u t h E v e n t , like t h e c o m m u n i t y o f believers in C h r i s t o r t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y community
(or,
one
is
tempted
to
add,
the
psychoanalytic
community)? •
Is n o t B a l i b a r t h e
anli-Habermasian
Habermasian,
i n s o f a r as
he
a c c e p t s u n i v e r s a l i t y as t h e u l t i m a t e h o r i z o n o f p o l i t i c s , b u t n o n e
the
less f o c u s e s o n t h e i n h e r e n t s p l i t in t h e u n i v e r s a l i t s e l f b e t w e e n
(in
H e g e l e s e ) an abstract a n d a c o n c r e t e universal, between the c o n c r e t e l y structured
universal o r d e r a n d
the infinite/unconditional
universal
d e m a n d o f egaliberte w h i c h t h r e a t e n s t o u n d e r m i n e it? •
Is n o t R a n c i e r e t h e a n t i - L y o t a r d i a n L y o t a r d i a n ? B y e l a b o r a t i n g t h e g a p b e t w e e n t h e p o s i t i v e g l o b a l o r d e r ( w h a t h e c a l l s la politique/police)
and
p o l i t i c a l i n t e r v e n t i o n s w h i c h p e r t u r b t h i s o r d e r a n d give w o r d t o le tort (to t h e W r o n g , to t h o s e w h o a r e n o t i n c l u d e d , w h o s e s t a t e m e n t s a r e n o t c o m p r e h e n s i b l e in the o p t s f o r a political
mode
ruling
political/police space), Ranciere
o f rebellion against the universal
police/
political order. A fourth
name
should
be added
to this triad,
a kind o f constitutive
e x c e p t i o n to this series: t h e ' a n t i - S c h m i t t i a n S c h m i t t i a n ' E r n e s t o L a c l a u ( w h o works with C h a n t a l M o u f f e ) . L a c l a u a c k n o w l e d g e s the
fundamental,
u n s u r p a s s a b l e status o f a n t a g o n i s m , y e t i n s t e a d o f fetishizing it in a h e r o i c w a r f a r e c o n f l i c t , h e i n s c r i b e s it i n t o t h e s y m b o l i c as t h e p o l i t i c a l l o g i c o f the struggle for h e g e m o n y . A series o f obvious differences
notwithstand
ing, the theoretical edifices o f L a c l a u and B a d i o u are u n i t e d by a d e e p h o m o l o g y . Against t h e H e g e l i a n vision o f t h e ' c o n c r e t e universal', o f the reconciliation between Universal and Particular (or between B e i n g and
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S Event),
which
is still c l e a r l y d i s c e r n i b l e
asserting a constitutive
and
irreducible
in gap
Marx,
they both
that undermines
173
start the
by self-
e n c l o s e d c o n s i s t e n c y o f t h e o n t o l o g i c a l e d i f i c e : f o r L a c l a u , t h i s g a p is t h e gap between the Particular a n d the empty Universal, which necessitates the operation o f h e g e m o n y (or the gap between the differential o f t h e p o s i t i v e s o c i a l o r d e r - t h e l o g i c o f differences
structure
— a n d properly political
a n t a g o n i s m , w h i c h i n v o l v e s t h e l o g i c o f equivalence);
f o r B a d i o u , i t is t h e
g a p b e t w e e n B e i n g a n d E v e n t ( b e t w e e n t h e o r d e r o f B e i n g -- s t r u c t u r e , s t a t e o f s i t u a t i o n , k n o w l e d g e - a n d t h e e v e n t o f T r u t h , T r u t h as E v e n t ) . I n b o t h c a s e s , t h e p r o b l e m is h o w t o b r e a k o u t o f t h e s e l f - e n c l o s e d f i e l d o f o n t o l o g y as a d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e p o s i t i v e u n i v e r s e ; i n b o t h c a s e s , t h e dimension
which undermines
the closure o f ontology has an
c h a r a c t e r - it c o n c e r n s t h e c o n t i n g e n t a c t o f decision ground
o f the
'undecidable'
'ethical'
against the back
multiplicity o f Being; consequently,
both
a u t h o r s e n d e a v o u r t o c o n c e p t u a l i z e a n e w , p o s t - C a r t e s i a n m o d e o f subjec tivity w h i c h c u t s its l i n k s w i t h o n t o l o g y a n d h i n g e s o n a c o n t i n g e n t a c t o f decision. B o t h authors a c c o m p l i s h the return to a proto-Kantian ism: they b o t h hegemony
or
elaborate
a quasi-transcendental
o f T r u t h ) , which
is d e s t i n e d
theory
to
serve
formal
(of ideological as
the
a
priori
framework for contingent empirical occurrences o f hegemony or Truth. I n b o t h c a s e s , h o w e v e r , this f o r m a l c h a r a c t e r o f t h e t h e o r y is l i n k e d , b y a kind
o f half-acknowledged
umbilical cord, to
a concrete and
limited
politico-historical constellation a n d practice (in L a c l a u , the post-Marxist strategy o f the multitude
o f e m a n c i p a t o r y s t r u g g l e s f o r r e c o g n i t i o n ; in
B a d i o u , the anti-State 'marginal'
r e v o l u t i o n a r y politics in factories,
on
campuses, etc.). T h e s a m e g o e s f o r t h e o t h e r two a u t h o r s . I n t h e c a s e o f R a n c i e r e , h i s o b v i o u s p a r a d i g m is t h e ' s p o n t a n e o u s ' r e b e l l i o n o f t h e p r o l e t a r i a n m a s s e s ( n o t t h e m y t h i c a l M a r x i a n p r o l e t a r i a t as t h e S u b j e c t o f H i s t o r y , b u t a c t u a l groups o f e x p l o i t e d artisans, textile workers, working w o m e n a n d 'ordinary'
people) who reject the police frame
defining
their
other
'proper'
p l a c e a n d , in a v i o l e n t p o l i t i c o - p o e t i c g e s t u r e , take t h e floor, start to s p e a k f o r t h e m s e l v e s . B a l i b a r is m o r e f o c u s e d o n t h e u n i v e r s e o f ' c i v i l i t y ' , e v e n d e c e n c y : h i s p r o b l e m is h o w , t o d a y , w e a r e to m a i n t a i n a c i v i c s p a c e o f dialogue in w h i c h we c a n articulate o u r d e m a n d
for h u m a n rights; for
t h a t r e a s o n , B a l i b a r resists t h e anti-State r h e t o r i c s o f t h e N e w L e f t o f t h e 1 9 6 0 s ( t h e n o t i o n o f t h e S t a t e as a m e c h a n i s m o f ' o p p r e s s i o n ' o f p e o p l e ' s i n i t i a t i v e s ) a n d e m p h a s i z e s t h e r o l e o f t h e S t a t e as t h e ( p o s s i b l e ) g u a r a n t o r o f t h e s p a c e o f civic d i s c u s s i o n . All t h e s e a u t h o r s o s c i l l a t e b e t w e e n p r o p o s i n g
a neutral formal
frame
THE TICKLISH
174
SUBJECT
that describes the working o f the political field, without specific
prise
de parti,
and
the
prevalence
given
implying
to a p a r t i c u l a r
any
leftist
p o l i t i c a l p r a c t i c e . T h i s t e n s i o n was a l r e a d y c l e a r l y d i s c e r n i b l e i n t h e w o r k o f M i c h e l F o u c a u l t , w h o s e r v e s as t h e p o i n t o f r e f e r e n c e f o r m o s t o f t h e s e a u t h o r s : h i s n o t i o n o f P o w e r is p r e s e n t e d as a n e u t r a l t o o l t h a t d e s c r i b e s t h e way t h e e n t i r e
field
o f e x i s t i n g p o w e r s t r u c t u r e s a n d resistances to
t h e m f u n c t i o n s . F o u c a u l t l i k e d t o p r e s e n t h i m s e l f as a d e t a c h e d p o s i t i v i s t , l a y i n g b a r e t h e c o m m o n m e c h a n i s m s t h a t u n d e r l i e t h e activity o f p a s s i o n ately o p p o s e d political agents; o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , o n e c a n n o t avoid the impression
t h a t F o u c a u l t is s o m e h o w
passionately on
the
side o f
the
' o p p r e s s e d ' , o f t h o s e w h o are c a u g h t in the m a c h i n e r y o f ' d i s c i p l i n e a n d p u n i s h m e n t ' , a n d a i m s t o give t h e m t h e c h a n c e t o u t t e r , t o e n a b l e
them
t o s t a r t t o ' s p e a k f o r t h e m s e l v e s ' . . . . D o w e n o t find, o n a d i f f e r e n t l e v e l , t h e s a m e t e n s i o n in L a c l a u ? L a c l a u ' s n o t i o n o f h e g e m o n y d e s c r i b e s t h e universal m e c h a n i s m o f ideological ' c e m e n t ' which binds any social body t o g e t h e r , a n o t i o n t h a t c a n a n a l y s e all p o s s i b l e s o c i o p o l i t i c a l o r d e r s , f r o m F a s c i s m t o l i b e r a l d e m o c r a c y ; o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , L a c l a u n o n e t h e less advocates a determinate political option, 'radical d e m o c r a c y ' .
3
H e g e m o n y a n d Its S y m p t o m s S o let us p r o c e e d like p r o p e r materialists, a n d b e g i n with t h e e x c e p t i o n to t h e series: with L a c l a u , w h o s e p r o p o s i t i o n
that today 'the realm o f
p h i l o s o p h y c o m e s to an e n d a n d t h e r e a l m o f politics b e g i n s ' e c h o e s M a r x ' s thesis o n the passage from
4
strangely
theoretical interpretation
to
r e v o l u t i o n a r y t r a n s f o r m a t i o n . A l t h o u g h , o f c o u r s e , in L a c l a u this thesis h a s a d i f f e r e n t m e a n i n g , t h e r e is n e v e r t h e l e s s a c o m m o n t h r e a d : i n b o t h cases, any theoretical
approach
that
endeavours
to grasp
and
mirror
a d e q u a t e l y ' w h a t i s ' ( w h a t M a r x c a l l e d t h e ' w o r l d - v i e w ' ) is d e n o u n c e d
as
s o m e t h i n g w h i c h , u n b e k n o w n t o itself, r e l i e s o n a c o n t i n g e n t p r a c t i c a l a c t -
that
is t o say, i n b o t h
cases the
ultimate
solution
to
philosophical
p r o b l e m s is p r a c t i c e . F o r M a r x , t h e p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r o b l e m o f finds
freedom
its s o l u t i o n i n t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a f r e e s o c i e t y ; w h i l e
for L a c l a u , the b r e a k d o w n o f the traditional c l o s e d o n t o l o g y reveals h o w f e a t u r e s t h a t w e ( m i s ) p e r c e i v e as o n t o l o g i c a l l y p o s i t i v e r e l y o n a n e t h i c o political decision that sustains t h e prevailing h e g e m o n y . S o w h a t is h e g e m o n y ? T h o s e w h o still r e m e m b e r t h e g o o d o l d days o f S o c i a l i s t R e a l i s m a r e well a w a r e o f t h e k e y r o l e p l a y e d b y t h e n o t i o n o f t h e ' t y p i c a l ' in its t h e o r e t i c a l e d i f i c e : t r u l y p r o g r e s s i v e S o c i a l i s t l i t e r a t u r e
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S should
depict
'typical' h e r o e s in
175
'typical' situations. Writers who,
for
e x a m p l e , p r e s e n t e d a p r e d o m i n a n t l y b l e a k p i c t u r e o f the Soviet reality w e r e n o t a c c u s e d s i m p l y o f l y i n g - t h e a c c u s a t i o n was t h a t t h e y p r o v i d e d a distorted reflection o f social reality by focusing o n p h e n o m e n a were n o t focusing
'typical', which were sad r e m a i n d e r s on
phenomena
expressing the
deeper
which were
underlying
o f the
' t y p i c a l ' in
the
which
past, instead o f precise sense o f
historical tendency o f the
progress
t o w a r d s C o m m u n i s m . A n o v e l w h i c h p r e s e n t e d a n e w S o c i a l i s t type o f m a n w h o d e d i c a t e d h i s l i f e t o t h e h a p p i n e s s o f all t h e p e o p l e , o f c o u r s e , depicted a minority p h e n o m e n o n yet like t h a t ) , b u t n o n e
(the majority o f the people were
t h e less a p h e n o m e n o n
w h i c h e n a b l e d us
not to
i d e n t i f y t h e t r u l y p r o g r e s s i v e f o r c e s a c t i v e in t h e s o c i a l s i t u a t i o n . R i d i c u l o u s as t h i s n o t i o n o f t h e ' t y p i c a l ' m a y s o u n d , t h e r e is a g r a i n o f t r u t h i n it - i t l i e s i n t h e f a c t t h a t e a c h a p p a r e n t l y u n i v e r s a l i d e o l o g i c a l n o t i o n is always h e g e m o n i z e d b y s o m e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t w h i c h c o l o u r s its v e r y u n i v e r s a l i t y a n d a c c o u n t s f o r its e f f i c i e n c y . I n t h e p r e s e n t r e j e c t i o n o f t h e social welfare system by the N e w R i g h t in t h e U S A , f o r e x a m p l e , t h e v e r y u n i v e r s a l n o t i o n o f t h e p r e s e n t w e l f a r e s y s t e m as i n e f f i c i e n t is c o n t a m i n a t e d by t h e m o r e c o n c r e t e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e n o t o r i o u s single A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n m o t h e r , as i f s o c i a l w e l f a r e w e r e , i n t h e l a s t r e s o r t , a p r o g r a m m e for single b l a c k m o t h e r s - the particular case o f 'the single b l a c k m o t h e r ' is s i l e n d y c o n c e i v e d o f as ' t y p i c a l ' o f t h e u n i v e r s a l n o t i o n o f s o c i a l w e l f a r e , a n d w h a t is w r o n g w i t h it. . . . T h e s a m e g o e s f o r u n i v e r s a l i d e o l o g i c a l n o t i o n : o n e always h a s t o l o o k f o r t h e
every
particular
c o n t e n t which accounts for the specific efficiency o f an ideological notion. In the case o f the Moral Majority c a m p a i g n against abortion, for e x a m p l e , t h e ' t y p i c a l ' c a s e is t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e o f t h e
(jobless) black mother: a
successful a n d sexually p r o m i s c u o u s c a r e e r w o m a n w h o gives priority to h e r p r o f e s s i o n a l life o v e r h e r ' n a t u r a l '
assignment o f motherhood
(in
b l a t a n t c o n t r a d i c t i o n t o t h e f a c t s , w h i c h tell us t h a t t h e g r e a t m a j o r i t y o f a b o r t i o n s o c c u r in lower-class families with several c h i l d r e n ) . T h i s s p e c i f i c ' t w i s t ' , t h e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t w h i c h is p r o m u l g a t e d
as
' t y p i c a l ' o f t h e u n i v e r s a l n o t i o n , is t h e e l e m e n t o f f a n t a s y , o f t h e p h a n t a s mic background/support
o f the universal i d e o l o g i c a l n o t i o n - in K a n t s
t e r m s , it plays t h e r o l e o f ' t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s c h e m a t i s m ' , t r a n s l a t i n g
the
empty universal n o t i o n into a n o t i o n which directly relates a n d applies to o u r ' a c t u a l e x p e r i e n c e ' . A s s u c h , t h i s p h a n t a s m i c s p e c i f i c a t i o n is b y n o m e a n s a m e r e i n s i g n i f i c a n t i l l u s t r a t i o n o r e x e m p l i f i c a t i o n : it is o n
this
l e v e l o f w h i c h p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t will c o u n t as ' t y p i c a l ' t h a t i d e o l o g i c a l battles are won
o r lost. T o g o b a c k to o u r e x a m p l e o f a b o r t i o n :
the
THE
176
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
m o m e n t we p e r c e i v e as ' t y p i c a l ' t h e c a s e o f a b o r t i o n i n a l a r g e l o w e r - c l a s s family u n a b l e to c o p e e c o n o m i c a l l y with a n o t h e r child, the c h a n g e s radically. . . .
perspective
5
' S i n g l e u n e m p l o y e d m o t h e r ' is t h u s a sintlwme
i n t h e .strict L a c a n i a n
s e n s e : a k n o t , a p o i n t at w h i c h all t h e l i n e s o f t h e p r e d o m i n a n t i d e o l o g i c a l argumentation
( t h e r e t u r n to family values, t h e r e j e c t i o n o f t h e welfare
s t a t e a n d its ' u n c o n t r o l l e d ' s p e n d i n g , e t c . ) m e e t . F o r t h a t r e a s o n , i f w e 'untie'
this
sinthome,
the
efficiency
o f its e n t i r e
i d e o l o g i c a l e d i f i c e is
s u s p e n d e d . W e c a n s e e n o w i n w h a t s e n s e t h e p s y c h o a n a l y d c sinthome is t o b e o p p o s e d to t h e m e d i c a l s y m p t o m : t h e l a t t e r is a s i g n o f s o m e
more
f u n d a m e n t a l p r o c e s s t a k i n g p l a c e o n a n o t h e r l e v e l . W h e n o n e c l a i m s , say, t h a t f e v e r is a s y m p t o m , t h e i m p l i c a d o n is t h a t w e s h o u l d n o t c u r e o n l y t h e s y m p t o m , b u t a t t a c k its c a u s e s d i r e c t i y . ( O r , i n s o c i a l s c i e n c e s , w h e n o n e c l a i m s t h a t a d o l e s c e n t v i o l e n c e is a s y m p t o m o f t h e g l o b a l c r i s i s o f v a l u e s a n d t h e w o r k e t h i c , t h e i m p l i c a t i o n is t h a t o n e s h o u l d a t t a c k t h e problem
'at
its r o o t ' ,
by directly addressing
problems
o f the
family,
e m p l o y m e n t , e t c . , n o t o n l y by p u n i s h i n g t h e o f f e n d e r s . ) T h e sinthome, c o n t r a s t , is n o t a ' m e r e s y m p t o m ' , b u t 'thing itself
that which holds together
- i f o n e u n t i e s it, t h e ' t h i n g i t s e l f
disintegrates. F o r
r e a s o n , p s y c h o a n a l y s i s a c t u a l l y does c u r e b y a d d r e s s i n g t h e sinthome.
in the that
. ..
T h i s e x a m p l e m a k e s it c l e a r i n w h a t s e n s e ' t h e u n i v e r s a l r e s u l t s f r o m a constitutive split in w h i c h t h e n e g a t i o n o f a p a r t i c u l a r identity transforms this
identity
into
the
symbol
Universal e m e r g e s within
o f identity
and
the Particular when
fullness
as
such':''
some particular
the
content
s t a r t s t o f u n c t i o n as t h e s t a n d - i n f o r t h e a b s e n t U n i v e r s a l - t h a t is t o say, t h e u n i v e r s a l is o p e r a t i v e o n l y t h r o u g h t h e s p l i t i n t h e p a r t i c u l a r . A c o u p l e o f y e a r s a g o , t h e E n g l i s h y e l l o w p r e s s f o c u s e d o n s i n g l e m o t h e r s as t h e s o u r c e o f all t h e evils o f m o d e r n s o c i e t y , f r o m t h e b u d g e t c r i s i s t o j u v e n i l e d e l i n q u e n c y - in this i d e o l o g i c a l s p a c e , the universality o f t h e
'modern
s o c i a l E v i l ' was o p e r a t i v e o n l y t h r o u g h t h e s p l i t o f t h e f i g u r e o f ' s i n g l e m o t h e r ' i n t o i t s e l f i n its p a r t i c u l a r i t y a n d i t s e l f as t h e s t a n d - i n f o r 'modern
social Evil'.
Owing
to
the
c o n t i n g e n t c h a r a c t e r o f this
the link
b e t w e e n t h e U n i v e r s a l a n d t h e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t w h i c h f u n c t i o n s as its s t a n d - i n ( i . e . t h e f a c t t h a t t h i s l i n k is t h e o u t c o m e o f a political hegemony), signifier:
the existence o f the
' P o l i t i c s is p o s s i b l e
U n i v e r s a l always r e l i e s o n
because
the
constitutive
struggle for an
empty
impossibility o f
society c a n o n l y r e p r e s e n t itself t h r o u g h t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f e m p t y signifiers.'
7
S i n c e ' s o c i e t y d o e s n ' t e x i s t ' , its u l t i m a t e u n i t y c a n b e s y m b o l i z e d
only in t h e guise o f a n e m p t y signifier h e g e m o n i z e d by s o m e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t - t h e s t r u g g l e f o r this c o n t e n t is t h e p o l i t i c a l s t r u g g l e . I n o t h e r
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
177
w o r d s , p o l i t i c s e x i s t s b e c a u s e ' s o c i e t y d o e s n ' t e x i s t ' : p o l i t i c s is t h e s t r u g g l e for the c o n t e n t o f the e m p t y signifier which represents the impossibility o f S o c i e t y . T h e w o r n - o u t p h r a s e ' t h e p o l i t i c s o f d i e s i g n i f i e r ' is t h u s fully j u s t i f i e d : t h e o r d e r o f s i g n i f i e r as s u c h is p o l i t i c a l a n d , v i c e v e r s a , t h e r e is n o p o l i t i c s o u t s i d e t h e o r d e r o f t h e s i g n i f i e r . T h e s p a c e o f p o l i t i c s is t h e gap b e t w e e n the series o f 'ordinary' signifiers ( S ) a n d the empty Master2
Signifier ( S , ) . T h e o n l y t h i n g t o a d d t o L a c l a u ' s f o r m u l a t i o n is t h a t h i s a n t i - H e g e l i a n twist is p e r h a p s , all t o o s u d d e n : W e are not dealing h e r e with ' d e t e r m i n a t e n e g a t i o n ' in t h e Hegelian sense: while the latter c o m e s out o f the a p p a r e n t positivity o f the c o n c r e t e a n d 'circulates' t h r o u g h c o n t e n t s that are always d e t e r m i n a t e , o u r notion o f negativ ity d e p e n d s on the failure in t h e constitution o f all d e t e r m i n a t i o n . 8
What, however, if the infamous
'Hegelian determinate
negation'
aims
p r e c i s e l y at t h e f a c t t h a t e v e r y p a r t i c u l a r f o r m a t i o n i n v o l v e s a g a p b e t w e e n the
Universal and
the
Particular -
or, in H e g e l e s e , that a
particular
f o r m a t i o n n e v e r c o i n c i d e s w i t h its ( u n i v e r s a l ) n o t i o n - a n d t h a t it is t h i s very gap
t h a t b r i n g s a b o u t its d i a l e c t i c a l d i s s o l u t i o n ? L e t us t a k e
the
e x a m p l e o f t h e S t a t e : t h e r e is always a g a p b e t w e e n t h e n o t i o n o f t h e S t a t e a n d its p a r t i c u l a r a c t u a l i z a t i o n s ; H e g e l ' s p o i n t h e r e , h o w e v e r , is n o t t h a t , in the c o u r s e o f t h e t e l e o l o g i c a l p r o c e s s o f history, positively existing, actual states are gradually a p p r o a c h i n g their n o t i o n , until modern
post-revolutionary
state, actuality a n d
notion
finally,
overlap.
in t h e Hegel's
p o i n t , r a t h e r , is t h a t t h e d e f i c i e n c y o f a c t u a l l y e x i s t i n g , p o s i t i v e s t a t e s w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e i r n o t i o n is g r o u n d e d in a n i n h e r e n t d e f i c i e n c y o f t h e v e r y n o t i o n o f t h e S t a t e ; t h u s t h e s p l i t is i n h e r e n t t o t h e n o t i o n o f t h e S t a l e it s h o u l d b e r e f o r m u l a t e d as t h e s p l i t b e t w e e n t h e S t a t e qua t h e r a t i o n a l totality o f social relations a n d t h e series o f i r r e d u c i b l e a n t a g o n i s m s w h i c h , already
on the level of the notion,
p r e v e n t t h i s t o t a l i t y f r o m fully a c t u a l i z i n g
i t s e l f ( t h e s p l i t b e t w e e n S t a t e a n d civil s o c i e t y o n a c c o u n t o f w h i c h unity
o f the
S t a t e is u l t i m a t e l y
always
experienced
by individuals
the as
' i m p o s e d f r o m o u t s i d e ' , s o t h a t i n d i v i d u a l s u b j e c t s a r e n e v e r fully ' t h e m s e l v e s ' in t h e S t a t e , a r e n e v e r a b l e fully t o i d e n t i f y t h e W i l l o f t h e S t a t e w i t h t h e i r o w n ) . A g a i n , H e g e l ' s p o i n t h e r e is n o t t h a t t h e S t a t e w h i c h w o u l d fully fit its n o t i o n is i m p o s s i b l e - i t is p o s s i b l e ; t h e c a t c h is, r a t h e r , t h a t it is no longer a State, but a religious community.
What one should change
is t h e n o t i o n o f t h e S t a t e i t s e l f - t h a t is, t h e v e r y s t a n d a r d b y m e a n s o f which o n e m e a s u r e s t h e deficiency o f actual states. The
struggle
for
ideologico-political h e g e m o n y
is
thus
always
the
THE TICKLISH
178
struggle for appropriation
SUBJECT
o f the terms that are 'spontaneously'
experi
e n c e d as ' a p o l i t i c a l ' , as t r a n s c e n d i n g p o l i t i c a l b o u n d a r i e s . N o w o n d e r t h e n a m e o f t h e s t r o n g e s t dissident o p p o s i t i o n f o r c e in t h e f o r m e r E a s t e r n E u r o p e a n c o u n t r i e s was S o l i d a r i t y : a s i g n i f i e r o f t h e i m p o s s i b l e f u l l n e s s o f s o c i e t y i f e v e r t h e r e was o n e . I t w a s as if, i n t h o s e c o u p l e o f y e a r s , w h a t L a c l a u c a l l s d i e l o g i c o f e q u i v a l e n c e was b r o u g h t a l m o s t t o its e x t r e m e : ' C o m m u n i s t s i n p o w e r ' s e r v e d as the e m b o d i m e n t o f n o n - s o c i e t y , o f d e c a y a n d corruption, magically uniting everyone against themselves, including disaffected ' h o n e s t Communists'. Conservative nationalists accused them of
betraying
Polish interests
to the
Soviet master;
business-orientated
i n d i v i d u a l s saw i n t h e m a n o b s t a c l e t o t h e i r u n b r i d l e d c a p i t a l i s t activity; for
the
Catholic Church,
Communists
were
amoral
atheists; for
the
f a r m e r s , t h e y r e p r e s e n t e d t h e f o r c e o f v i o l e n t m o d e r n i z a t i o n w h i c h dis r u p t e d t h e i r way o f life; f o r t h e a r t i s t s a n d i n t e l l e c t u a l s , C o m m u n i s m was synonymous
in
their
everyday
e x p e r i e n c e with
oppressive
and
stupid
c e n s o r s h i p ; t h e w o r k e r s saw t h e m s e l v e s n o t o n l y e x p l o i t e d by t h e
Party
b u r e a u c r a c y but, even worse, humiliated
been
by c l a i m s t h a t t h i s h a d
d o n e o n t h e i r b e h a l f , in t h e i r o w n n a m e ; f i n a l l y , d i s i l l u s i o n e d o l d L e f t i s t s p e r c e i v e d t h e r e g i m e as t h e b e t r a y a l o f ' t r u e S o c i a l i s m ' . T h e i m p o s s i b l e political
a l l i a n c e b e t w e e n all t h e s e d i v e r g e n t a n d p o t e n t i a l l y a n t a g o n i s t i c
p o s i t i o n s was p o s s i b l e o n l y u n d e r t h e b a n n e r o f a s i g n i f i e r w h i c h s t o o d , as it w e r e , o n t h e v e r y b o r d e r w h i c h s e p a r a t e s t h e p o l i t i c a l f r o m t h e
pre-
p o l i t i c a l , a n d ' s o l i d a r i t y ' was t h e p e r f e c t c a n d i d a t e f o r t h i s r o l e : i t was p o l i t i c a l l y o p e r a t i v e as d e s i g n a t i n g t h e ' s i m p l e ' a n d ' f u n d a m e n t a l '
unity
o f h u m a n b e i n g s w h i c h s h o u l d l i n k t h e m b e y o n d all p o l i t i c a l d i f f e r e n c e s . N o w , h o w e v e r , w h e n t h i s m a g i c m o m e n t o f u n i v e r s a l s o l i d a r i t y is o v e r , t h e s i g n i f i e r w h i c h , i n s o m e p o s t - S o c i a l i s t c o u n t r i e s , is e m e r g i n g as t h e s i g n i f i e r o f w h a t L a c l a u c a l l s t h e ' a b s e n t f u l l n e s s ' o f s o c i e t y is honesty: it forms the focus o f the spontaneous ideology o f 'ordinaiy p e o p l e ' caught in t h e e c o n o m i c - s o c i a l t u r b u l e n c e i n w h i c h h o p e s o f a n e w fullness o f Society
which
should
follow
the
collapse
of
Socialism were
cruelly
b e t r a y e d , so t h a t i n t h e i r e y e s , t h e ' o l d g u a r d ' ( e x - C o m m u n i s t s ) a n d e x dissidents w h o e n t e r e d t h e ranks o f p o w e r j o i n e d in e x p l o i t i n g t h e m even m o r e than before under the b a n n e r of democracy and freedom. . . . T h e b a t t l e f o r h e g e m o n y , o f c o u r s e , is n o w f o c u s e d o n t h e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t w h i c h will give a s p i n to t h i s s i g n i f i e r : w h a t d o e s ' h o n e s t y ' m e a n ? F o r a c o n s e r v a t i v e , it m e a n s r e t u r n i n g t o t r a d i t i o n a l m o r a l a n d r e l i g i o u s v a l u e s , as w e l l as p u r g i n g t h e s o c i a l b o d y o f t h e r e m a i n d e r s o f t h e o l d r e g i m e ; f o r a L e f t i s t , s o c i a l j u s t i c e a n d r e s i s t a n c e to r a p i d p r i v a t i z a t i o n ; a n d s o f o r t h . T h e s a m e m e a s u r e - r e t u r n i n g l a n d t o t h e C h u r c h , f o r e x a m p l e - is t h u s
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
179
' h o n e s t ' f r o m t h e c o n s e r v a t i v e s t a n d p o i n t a n d ' d i s h o n e s t ' f r o m t h e leftist s t a n d p o i n t - e a c h position silently ( r e ) d e f i n e s ' h o n e s t y ' to a c c o m m o d a t e it t o its o w n i d e o l o g i c o - p o l i t i c a l p o s i t i o n . I t w o u l d b e w r o n g , h o w e v e r , t o c l a i m t h a t t h e c o n f l i c t is u l t i m a t e l y a b o u t d i f f e r e n t m e a n i n g s o f t h e t e r m ' h o n e s t y ' : w h a t g e t s l o s t i n t h i s ' s e m a n t i c c l a r i f i c a t i o n ' is t h a t e a c h p o s i t i o n c l a i m s t h a t their honesty is the only 'true' honesty: t h e s t r u g g l e is n o t s i m p l y a s t r u g g l e b e t w e e n d i f f e r e n t p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t s , it is a s t r u g g l e i n h e r e n t t o the Universal itself' S o how does a particular c o n t e n t s u c c e e d in displacing a n o t h e r c o n t e n t as a s t a n d - i n f o r t h e U n i v e r s a l ? L a c l a u ' s a n s w e r is readability:
in a c o n c r e t e
s i t u a t i o n o f p o s t - S o c i a l i s m , ' h o n e s t y ' as t h e s i g n i f i c r o f t h e a b s e n t f u l l n e s s o f S o c i e t y will b e h e g e m o n i z e d b y t h e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t w h i c h m a k e s t h e everyday e x p e r i e n c e o f e n g a g e d individuals m o r e c o n v i n c i n g l y ' r e a d a b l e ' - which e n a b l e s t h e m m o r e effectively to o r g a n i z e t h e i r l i f e - e x p e r i e n c e into
a
consistent
criterion,
narrative.
it d e p e n d s
on
O f course,
'readability'
ideological struggle:
the
is n o t
fact
a
that,
neutral
after
the
collapse o f t h e s t a n d a r d b o u r g e o i s narrative in t h e G e r m a n y o f t h e early 1930s, which Semitism
was u n a b l e
rendered
this
to
account
crisis ' m o r e
socialist-revolutionary narrative
is t h e
for
the
g l o b a l crisis,
Nazi
convincingly readable' c o n t i n g e n t result
anti-
than
the
o f a series o f
o v e r d e t e r m i n e d f a c t o r s . O r , to p u t it i n a n o t h e r way: this
'readability'
does not imply a simple relationship o f c o m p e t i t i o n between a multitude o f n a r r a t i v e s / d e s c r i p t i o n s a n d t h e extra-discursive reality, w h e r e t h e nar r a t i v e w h i c h is m o s t ' a d e q u a t e ' with r e g a r d t o r e a l i t y w i n s : t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p is c i r c u l a r a n d s e l f - r e l a t i n g : t h e n a r r a t i v e a l r e a d y p r e d e t e r m i n e s w h a t w e s h a l l e x p e r i e n c e as ' r e a l i t y ' . O n e is t e m p t e d t o p r o p o s e a way o f s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t h i n k i n g o f L a c l a u ' s n o t i o n o f i d e o l o g i c a l u n i v e r s a l i t y as e m p t y , as t h e f r a m e w i t h i n different particular contents notion
o f ideological
tight
which
for h e g e m o n y , a n d the classic Marxist
universality
as
'false'
(privileging
a
particular
interest). B o t h o f t h e m bring into play the constitutive gap between
the
U n i v e r s a l a n d t h e P a r t i c u l a r , a l b e i t i n a d i f f e r e n t way. F o r L a c l a u , t h i s g a p is t h e g a p between t h e a b s e n t f u l l n e s s o f t h e U n i v e r s a l a n d a c o n t i n g e n t p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t t h a t a c t s as a s t a n d - i n f o r t h i s a b s e n t f u l l n e s s ; f o r M a r x , it is t h e g a p within t h e ( p a r t i c u l a r ) c o n t e n t o f t h e U n i v e r s a l , t h a t is, t h e gap between the 'official'
c o n t e n t o f t h e U n i v e r s a l a n d its u n a c k n o w l
e d g e d p r e s u p p o s i t i o n s , w h i c h involve a set o f e x c l u s i o n s . L e t us t a k e t h e c l a s s i c e x a m p l e o f h u m a n r i g h t s . T h e M a r x i s t s y m p t o m a l r e a d i n g c a n c o n v i n c i n g l y d e m o n s t r a t e t h e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t w h i c h gives t h e s p e c i f i c b o u r g e o i s i d e o l o g i c a l s p i n to t h e n o t i o n o f h u m a n
rights:
THE
180
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
'universal h u m a n rights are in fact t h e right o f white, male, private owners t o e x c h a n g e f r e e l y o n t h e m a r k e t , e x p l o i t w o r k e r s a n d w o m e n , as w e l l as exert
p o l i t i c a l d o m i n a t i o n . . .' -
considers the hidden
tendentially,
at least, this
approach
' p a t h o l o g i c a l ' spin to b e constitutive o f t h e very
f o r m o f the Universal. A g a i n s t this q u i c k dismissal o f the universal f o r m i t s e l f as i d e o l o g i c a l ( c o n c e a l i n g a n u n a c k n o w l e d g e d p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t ) , L a c l a u i n s i s t s o n t h e g a p b e t w e e n t h e e m p t y u n i v e r s a l i t y a n d its d e t e r m i n ate c o n t e n t : the link b e t w e e n
the
e m p t y universal
notion
of
'human
r i g h t s ' a n d its o r i g i n a l p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t is c o n t i n g e n t - t h a t is to say, t h e m o m e n t t h e y w e r e f o r m u l a t e d , ' h u m a n r i g h t s ' s t a r t e d t o f u n c t i o n as a n empty signifier whose c o n c r e t e c o n t e n t could b e contested a n d -
widened
what a b o u t the h u m a n rights o f w o m e n , c h i l d r e n , m e m b e r s o f n o n -
w h i t e r a c e s , c r i m i n a l s , m a d m e n . . .? E a c h o f t h e s e s u p p l e m e n t a r y g e s t u r e s d o e s n o t s i m p l y apply t h e n o t i o n o f h u m a n r i g h t s to e v e r n e w ( w o m e n , b l a c k s . . . c a n also v o t e , o w n p r o p e r t y , p u b l i c life, e t c . ) , b u t r e t r o a c t i v e l y redefines
domains
actively p a r t i c i p a t e
the very notion of human
in
rights.
L e t us r e c a l l t h e g i s t o f M a r x ' s n o t i o n o f e x p l o i t a t i o n : e x p l o i t a t i o n is not simply o p p o s e d
to j u s t i c e -
M a r x ' s p o i n t is n o t t h a t w o r k e r s
e x p l o i t e d b e c a u s e t h e y a r e n o t p a i d t h e full v a l u e o f t h e i r w o r k .
are The
c e n t r a l t h e s i s o f M a r x ' s n o t i o n o f ' s u r p l u s - v a l u e ' is t h a t a worker is exploited, even when he is fully
paid';
e x p l o i t a t i o n is t h u s n o t o p p o s e d t o t h e
just'
e q u i v a l e n t e x c h a n g e ; i t f u n c t i o n s , r a t h e r , as its p o i n t o f i n h e r e n t e x c e p t i o n - t h e r e is o n e c o m m o d i t y ( t h e w o r k f o r c e ) w h i c h is e x p l o i t e d p r e c i s e l y w h e n it is ' p a i d its full v a l u e ' . ( T h e f u r t h e r p o i n t n o t to b e m i s s e d is t h a t t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f t h i s excess is s t r i c t l y e q u i v a l e n t t o t h e universalization
of
t h e e x c h a n g e - f u n c t i o n : t h e m o m e n t t h e e x c h a n g e - f u n c t i o n is u n i v e r s a l i z e d - t h a t is, t h e m o m e n t it b e c o m e s t h e s t r u c t u r i n g
principle o f the
w h o l e o f e c o n o m i c life - t h e e x c e p t i o n e m e r g e s , s i n c e at t h i s p o i n t
the
w o r k f o r c e i t s e l f b e c o m e s a c o m m o d i t y e x c h a n g e d o n t h e m a r k e t . M a r x in effect a n n o u n c e s h e r e t h e L a c a n i a n n o t i o n o f t h e Universal w h i c h involves a c o n s t i t u t i v e e x c e p t i o n . ) T h e b a s i c p r e m i s s o f s y m p t o m a l r e a d i n g is t h u s t h a t every i d e o l o g i c a l universality n e c e s s a r i l y gives rise to a p a r t i c u l a r ' e x t i m a t e ' e l e m e n t , t o a n e l e m e n t w h i c h - p r e c i s e l y as a n i n h e r e n t , n e c e s s a r y product
o f t h e p r o c e s s d e s i g n a t e d by t h e universality -
simultaneously
u n d e r m i n e s it: t h e s y m p t o m is a n e x a m p l e w h i c h s u b v e r t s t h e U n i v e r s a l w h o s e e x a m p l e it i s .
1 0
T h e gap between the e m p t y signifier and the multitude o f particular c o n t e n t s w h i c h , i n t h e fight f o r h e g e m o n y , e n d e a v o u r to f u n c t i o n as t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h i s a b s e n t f u l l n e s s , is t h u s reflected itself
in t h e guise o f t h e gap
that separates
within
the particular
the
Particular
hegemonic
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S c o n t e n t o f an ideological universality from the symptom that
181
undermines
i t (say, s e p a r a t e s t h e b o u r g e o i s n o d o n o f j u s t a n d e q u i v a l e n t e x c h a n g e ' f r o m t h e e x c h a n g e b e t w e e n c a p i t a l a n d w o r k f o r c e as t h e p a r t i c u l a r e x c h a n g e t h a t i n v o l v e s e x p l o i t a t i o n p r e c i s e l y i n s o f a r as it is j u s t ' a n d ' e q u i v a l e n t ' ) . W e s h o u l d t h e r e f o r e c o n s i d e r t h r e e , n o t j u s t two, levels: t h e e m p t y versal
(justice'),
t h e particular
content
which
hegemonizes
the
U n i v e r s a l ( j u s t a n d e q u i v a l e n t e x c h a n g e ' ) , a n d t h e individual, tomatic
excess which
undermines
this h e g e m o n i c
content
Uni
empty
the symp (exchange
b e t w e e n capital a n d w o r k f o r c e ) . O n e c a n s e e i m m e d i a t e l y in w h a t s e n s e the individual individual
is t h e
dialectical unity o f Universal a n d
(the symptomatic
excess)
Particular;
b e a r s witness to t h e gap
the
between
t h e U n i v e r s a l a n d t h e P a r t i c u l a r : t o t h e f a c t t h a t t h e U n i v e r s a l is always ' f a l s e ' i n its c o n c r e t e e x i s t e n c e ( h e g e m o n i z e d b y s o m e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t which involves a series o f e x c l u s i o n s ) . L e t us m a k e t h e s a m e p o i n t f r o m y e t a n o t h e r p e r s p e c t i v e . S o m e y e a r s ago, Q u e n t i n Skinner pointed out that a possible discussion between traditional
liberal a n d
a Marxist radical about
the
scope o f the
a
term
'political' involves m o r e t h a n t h e m e a n i n g o f that t e r m . " F o r the liberal, t h e s p h e r e o f t h e p o l i t i c a l is r e s t r i c t e d t o a s p e c i f i c s p h e r e o f r e a c h i n g decisions which c o n c e r n the administration intimate
o f p u b l i c affairs - n o t o n l y
( s e x u a l ) interests, hut also art, s c i e n c e , even the e c o n o m y , a r e
o u t s i d e its s c o p e . F o r t h e M a r x i s t r a d i c a l , o f c o u r s e , t h e p o l i t i c a l p e r v a d e s e v e r y s p h e r e o f o u r lives, f r o m t h e s o c i a l t o t h e m o s t i n t i m a t e , a n d very
perception
grounded
o f something
as
'apolitical',
'private',
and
so
the is
in a d i s a v o w e d p o l i t i c a l d e c i s i o n . B o t h s t a n d a r d p h i l o s o p h i c a l
versions, 'realist' and
' n o m i n a l i s t ' , fail t o a c c o u n t f o r t h i s s t r u g g l e
t h e U n i v e r s a l . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e r e a l i s t a c c o u n t , t h e r e is a ' t r u e ' o f t h e n o t i o n o f t h e political to b e u n e a r t h e d o n c e we gain access to this c o n t e n t , different
on,
by a true t h e o i y , so that
we c a n m e a s u r e
h o w c l o s e t o it
theories o f the political have c o m e . T h e nominalist
on the contrary, reduces the whole p r o b l e m
for
content
to t h e different
account, nominal
d e f i n i t i o n s o f t h e t e r m : t h e r e is n o r e a l c o n f l i c t ; t h e t w o p a r t i e s a r e s i m p l y vising t h e w o r d ' p o l i t i c a l ' i n a d i f f e r e n t s e n s e , c o n f e r r i n g o n it a d i f f e r e n t scope. What
both
a c c o u n t s miss, what
disappears
in b o t h
o f them,
is
the
a n t a g o n i s m , t h e struggle i n s c r i b e d i n t o t h e very h e a r t o f t h e 'thing i t s e l f . I n t h e r e a l i s t a c c o u n t , t h e r e is a t r u e c o n t e n t o f t h e u n i v e r s a l n o t i o n t o b e discovered,
and
the
struggle
is s i m p l y
the
conflict between
different
e r r o n e o u s r e a d i n g s o f it - t h a t is, it a r i s e s o u t o f o u r m i s p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e true c o n t e n t . I n the n o m i n a l i s t a c c o u n t , struggle a g a i n arises o u t o f a n
THE TICKLISH
182
SUBJECT
e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l c o n f u s i o n , a n d is t h u s n e u t r a l i z e d i n t o a p e a c e f u l c o e x i s t e n c e o f t h e p l u r a l i t y o f m e a n i n g s . W h a t g e t s l o s t i n b o t h c a s e s is t h e f a c t t h a t t h e struggle for h e g e m o n y
( f o r t h e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t w h i c h will
f u n c t i o n as t h e s t a n d - i n f o r t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y o f t h e p o l i t i c a l ) is g r o u n d l e s s : t h e u l t i m a t e R e a l w h i c h c a n n o t b e f u r t h e r g r o u n d e d in s o m e o n t o l o g i c a l structure. H e r e , h o w e v e r , o n e s h o u l d a d d a g a i n t h a t i f t h e M a r x i s t ' s o p e r a t i o n is t o b e e f f e c t i v e , it h a s t o i n v o l v e t h e s y m p t o m a l r e a d i n g o f t h e l i b e r a l ' s position, which endeavours to d e m o n s t r a t e how the liberal's constriction o f the s c o p e o f t h e 'political' has to disavow - to e x c l u d e violently p o l i t i c a l c h a r a c t e r o f s o m e t h i n g w h i c h , according
to the liberal's own
of the term, s h o u l d e n t e r t h e s c o p e o f t h e p o l i t i c a l ; a n d , f u r t h e r m o r e , this
very exclusion
excellence.
of something
from
the political
is a political
the
definition
gesture
how par
T h e standard e x a m p l e : the liberal definition o f 'private family
l i f e ' as a p o l i t i c a l n a t u r a l i z e s - a n d / o r c h a n g e s i n t o h i e r a r c h i c a l r e l a t i o n s g r o u n d e d in pre-political p s y c h o l o g i c a l attitudes, in d i f f e r e n c e s in h u m a n n a t u r e , in a p r i o r i c u l t u r a l c o n s t a n t s , a n d s o o n - a w h o l e s e t o f r e l a t i o n s of subordination
a n d exclusion that actually d e p e n d
o n political power
relations.
Enter the Subject H o w d o e s subjectivity
e n t e r this p r o c e s s o f h e g e m o n i c u n i v e r s a l i z a t i o n ? F o r
L a c l a u , t h e ' s u b j e c t ' is t h e v e r y a g e n t w h i c h a c c o m p l i s h e s t h e of
hegemony -
which
sutures
the
Universal
to a
operation
particular
content.
A l t h o u g h L a c l a u ' s a n d B a d i o u ' s n o t i o n s o f t h e s u b j e c t s e e m s to b e very s i m i l a r ( i n b o t h c a s e s , t h e s u b j e c t is n o t a s u b s t a n t i a l a g e n t b u t e m e r g e s i n t h e c o u r s e o f a n a c t o f d e c i s i o n / c h o i c e t h a t is n o t g r o u n d e d
in a n y
prc-given factual O r d e r ) , t h e y a r e n o n e t h e less s e p a r a t e d bv d i f f e r e n t stances towards
'deconstruction'.
L a c l a u ' s m o v e is d e c o n s t r u c t i v e - t h a t is why, f o r h i m , t h e o p e r a t i o n o f h e g e m o n y i n t h e c o u r s e o f w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t e m e r g e s is t h e e l e m e n t a r y m a t r i x o f ideology: h e g e m o n y involves a kind o f structural s h o r t circuit between
the
Particular
and
the
Universal, and
the
fragility
o f every
h e g e m o n i c o p e r a t i o n is g r o u n d e d i n t h e u l t i m a t e l y ' i l l u s o r y ' c h a r a c t e r o f t h i s s h o r t c i r c u i t ; t h e t a s k o f t h e o r y is p r e c i s e l y t o ' d e c o n s t r u c t ' it, t h a t is, t o d e m o n s t r a t e h o w e v e r y h e g e m o n i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n is i n h e r e n t l y u n s t a b l e , the
contingent
outcome
of
a struggle
-
in
short,
for
L a c l a u , every
h e g e m o n i c o p e r a t i o n is u l t i m a t e l y ' i d e o l o g i c a l ' . F o r B a d i o u , i n c o n t r a s t , a
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
183
T r u t h - E v e n t is t h a t w h i c h c a n n o t b e ' d e c o n s t r u c t e d ' , r e d u c e d t o a n e f f e c t o f an intricate, overdetermined texture o f ' t r a c e s ' ; h e r e B a d i o u introduces the tension between the Necessity o f a global situation and the c o n t i n g e n t e m e r g e n c e o f its T r u t h . F o r B a d i o u ( i n h i s a n t i - P l a t o n i c m o d e , d e s p i t e h i s l o v e o f P l a t o ) , N e c e s s i t y is a c a t e g o r y o f v e r a c i t y , o f t h e o r d e r o f B e i n g , w h i l e T r u t h is i n h e r e n t l y c o n t i n g e n t , i t c a n o c c u r o r n o t . S o if, a g a i n s t t h e deconstructionist
and/or
postmodern
politics o f
'undecidability'
and
' s e m b l a n c e ' , B a d i o u - to paraphrase Saint-Just's well-known c o m m e n t o n ' h a p p i n e s s as a p o l i t i c a l f a c t o r ' - w a n t s t o ( r e ) a s s e r t truth factor,
this d o e s n o t
mean
that h e wants
to r e t u r n
as a
to t h e
political
premodern
g r o u n d i n g o f politics in s o m e eternal neutral o r d e r o f T r u t h . F o r B a d i o u , Truth
itself is a theologico-political
r e v e l a t i o n is t h e u n a v o w e d
notion: t h e o l o g i c a l i n s o f a r as r e l i g i o u s
paradigm
o f his n o t i o n o f t h e
Truth-Event;
p o l i t i c a l b e c a u s e T r u t h is n o t a s t a t e t o b e p e r c e i v e d b y m e a n s o f a n e u t r a l intuition, but a matter o f (ultimately political) e n g a g e m e n t . Consequently, for B a d i o u , subjectivization designates the event o f T r u t h that disrupts the closure o f the h e g e m o n i c ideological d o m a i n a n d / o r the existing social edifice (the O r d e r o f B e i n g ) ; while for Laclau, the gesture o f subjectivizat i o n is t h e v e r y g e s t u r e o f e s t a b l i s h i n g a ( n e w ) h e g e m o n y , a n d is as s u c h the elementary gesture o f ideology. In
a way, e v e r y t h i n g
seems
to
1 2
hinge
on
the
relationship
between
K n o w l e d g e a n d T r u t h . B a d i o u limits K n o w l e d g e to a positive e n c y c l o p a e d i c g r a s p o f B e i n g w h i c h is, as s u c h , b l i n d t o t h e d i m e n s i o n o f T r u t h as E v e n t : K n o w l e d g e k n o w s o n l y v e r a c i t y ( a d e q u a t i o n ) , n o t T r u t h , w h i c h is 'subjective'
( n o t in t h e s t a n d a r d s e n s e o f subjectivism, but l i n k e d t o a
' w a g e r ' , t o a d e c i s i o n / c h o i c e w h i c h i n a way t r a n s c e n d s t h e s u b j e c t , s i n c e t h e s u b j e c t h i m s e l f / h e r s e l f is n o t h i n g consequences
o f the
Decision).
b u t t h e activity o f p u r s u i n g
I s it n o t
a fact, however,
that
the
every
c o n c r e t e , socially o p e r a t i v e field o f K n o w l e d g e p r e s u p p o s e s a T r u t h - E v e n t , s i n c e it is u l t i m a t e l y a k i n d o f ' s e d i m e n t a t i o n ' o f a n E v e n t , its ' o n t o l o g i z a t i o n ' , s o t h a t t h e t a s k o f a n a l y s i s is p r e c i s e l y t o u n e a r t h t h e E v e n t ( t h e e t h i c o - p o l i t i c a l d e c i s i o n ) w h o s e s c a n d a l o u s d i m e n s i o n always l u r k s b e h i n d 1
1
' d o m e s t i c a t e d ' knowledge? ' W e c a n also see now the gap which separates B a d i o u f r o m L a c l a u : f o r B a d i o u , a n E v e n t is a c o n t i n g e n t r a r e o c c u r r e n c e w i t h i n t h e g l o b a l o r d e r o f B e i n g ; w h i l e f o r L a c l a u ( t o p u t it i n B a d i o u ' s t e r m s ) , a n y O r d e r o f B e i n g is i t s e l f always a ' s e d i m e n t a t i o n ' o f s o m e p a s t E v e n t , a ' n o r m a l i z a t i o n ' o f a f o u n d i n g E v e n t ( f o r e x a m p l e , t h e C h u r c h as the Institution o f Order
is s e d i m e n t e d f r o m t h e E v e n t o f C h r i s t , say)
every positive o n t o l o g i c a l o r d e r political decision.
already
relies o n
a disavowed
-
ethico-
THE
184
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
Laclau a n d B a d i o u nevertheless share a h i d d e n r e f e r e n c e to Kant. T h a t is t o say, t h e u l t i m a t e philosophical
q u e s t i o n t h a t l u r k s b e h i n d all t h i s is
that o f Kantian formalism. T h e horizon
o f Laclau's central notion
of
h e g e m o n y is t h e c o n s t i t u t i v e g a p b e t w e e n t h e P a r t i c u l a r a n d t h e U n i v e r sal: t h e U n i v e r s a l is n e v e r full; i t is a p r i o r i e m p t y , d e v o i d o f p o s i t i v e content; different
p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t s strive t o fill t h i s g a p , b u t
particular that s u c c e e d s in e x e r t i n g the h e g e m o n i c function
every
remains a
t e m p o r a r y a n d c o n t i n g e n t s t a n d - i n t h a t is f o r e v e r s p l i t b e t w e e n its p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t a n d t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y it r e p r e s e n t s . . . . D o w e n o t
encounter
h e r e t h e p a r a d o x i c a l l o g i c o f desire as c o n s t i t u t i v e l y impossible, s u s t a i n e d b y a constitutive lack (the a b s e n t fullness o f the e m p t y signifier) that c a n n e v e r b e s u p p l i e d b y a n y p o s i t i v e o b j e c t , t h a t is, b y a c o n s t i t u t i v e ' o u t o f j o i n t ' o f t h e P a r t i c u l a r w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e U n i v e r s a l . . .? W h a t , h o w e v e r , i f this i m p o s s i b l e d e s i r e t o m a k e u p f o r t h e l a c k , to o v e r c o m e t h e ' o u t o f j o i n t ' , is n o t t h e u l t i m a t e f a c t ? W h a t if, b e y o n d ( o r , r a t h e r , b e n e a t h ) it, o n e s h o u l d p r e s u p p o s e n o t the fullness o f a F o u n d a t i o n , b u t the s t r i v i n g : a n u n c a n n y active will to disrupt? Understanding,
emphasized
how,
opposite
( I t was H e g e l w h o , a p r o p o s o f
instead
of
complaining
about
abstract, negative quality o f U n d e r s t a n d i n g , how U n d e r s t a n d i n g
the
replaces
t h e i m m e d i a t e f u l l n e s s o f life w i t h d r y a b s t r a c t c a t e g o r i e s , o n e
should
praise the infinite power
tearing
asunder
what
belongs
of Understanding
together
in
nature,
t h a t is c a p a b l e o f positing
as s e p a r a t e
what
r e m a i n s i n r e a l i t y j o i n e d t o g e t h e r . ) A n d is n o t t h e F r e u d i a n n a m e f o r t h i s a c t i v e will t o d i s r u p t t h e death drive? I n c o n t r a s t t o d e s i r e , w h i c h s t r i v e s t o regain the impossible balance between the Universal a n d the Particular t h a t is, f o r a p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t t h a t w o u l d fill t h e g a p b e t w e e n i t s e l f a n d t h e U n i v e r s a l - d r i v e t h u s a c t i v e l y wills a n d s u s t a i n s t h e g a p b e t w e e n t h e Universal and the Particular.
Why Are Ruling Ideas N o t the Ideas o f T h o s e W h o Rule? O u r c o n c l u s i o n is t h u s t h a t t h e r u l i n g i d e o l o g y , i n o r d e r t o b e o p e r a t i v e , h a s to i n c o r p o r a t e a s e r i e s o f f e a t u r e s i n w h i c h t h e
exploited/dominated
m a j o r i t y will b e a b l e t o r e c o g n i z e its a u t h e n t i c l o n g i n g s .
1 4
In short,
every
h e g e m o n i c u n i v e r s a l i t y h a s t o i n c o r p o r a t e at least two p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t s : the 'authentic' popular domination authentic against
popular
fierce
c o n t e n t a n d its ' d i s t o r t i o n '
by t h e r e l a t i o n s o f
and exploitation. O f course Fascist ideology longing for a true
competition and
community and
'manipulates'
social
solidarity
e x p l o i t a t i o n ; o f c o u r s e it 'distorts'
the
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
185
e x p r e s s i o n o f t h i s l o n g i n g in o r d e r t o l e g i t i m i z e t h e c o n t i n u a d o n o f t h e relations o f social d o m i n a t i o n
a n d e x p l o i t a t i o n . I n o r d e r to b e a b l e to
a c h i e v e t h i s e f f e c t , h o w e v e r , it n o n e t h e l e s s h a s t o i n c o r p o r a t e popular
l o n g i n g . I d e o l o g i c a l h e g e m o n y is t h u s
particular rather,
c o n t e n t d i r e c t l y f i l l i n g in
the
very f o r m
the void
not
the
o f the
authentic
case of
empty
some
Universal;
o f ideological universality bears witness
to
the
s t r u g g l e b e t w e e n ( a t l e a s t ) two p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t s : t h e ' p o p u l a r ' c o n t e n t expressing the secret longings o f the d o m i n a t e d majority, a n d the specific c o n t e n t expressing the interests o f the forces o f domination. O n e is t e m p t e d t o r e f e r h e r e t o t h e F r e u d i a n d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n latent dream-thought
the
a n d t h e u n c o n s c i o u s desire e x p r e s s e d in a d r e a m :
t h e two a r e n o t t h e s a m e , s i n c e t h e u n c o n s c i o u s d e s i r e a r t i c u l a t e s i t s e l f , i n s c r i b e s itself, t h r o u g h
the very ' w o r k i n g - t h r o u g h ' ,
translation, o f the
l a t e n t d r e a m - t h o u g h t i n t o t h e e x p l i c i t t e x t o f a d r e a m . I n t h e s a m e way, t h e r e is n o t h i n g ' F a s c i s t ' ( ' r e a c t i o n a r y ' , e t c . ) i n t h e ' l a t e n t
dream-thought'
o f the Fascist ideology (the longing for authentic c o m m u n i t y a n d social solidarity, e t c . ) ; what a c c o u n t s for the p r o p e r l y Fascist c h a r a c t e r o f the F a s c i s t i d e o l o g y is t h e way t h i s ' l a t e n t d r e a m - t h o u g h t ' e l a b o r a t e d by the ideological 'dream-work' text which continues
is
transformed/
into the explicit ideological
to l e g i t i m i z e social r e l a t i o n s o f e x p l o i t a t i o n
and
d o m i n a t i o n . A n d is it n o t t h e s a m e w i t h t o d a y ' s r i g h t - w i n g p o p u l i s m ? A r e n o t liberal critics t o o q u i c k in dismissing t h e very values p o p u l i s m
refers
t o as i n h e r e n t l y ' f u n d a m e n t a l i s t ' o r ' p r o t o - F a s c i s t ' ? N o n - i d e o l o g y ( w h a t F r e d r i c J a m e s o n calls t h e U t o p i a n m o m e n t
present
e v e n i n t h e m o s t a t r o c i o u s i d e o l o g y ) is t h u s a b s o l u t e l y i n d i s p e n s a b l e : i n a way, i d e o l o g y is n o t h i n g b u t t h e f o r m o f a p p e a r a n c e , t h e f o r m a l d i s t o r t i o n / displacement, o f non-ideology. T o return to the worst i m a g i n a b l e case was
not
Nazi
anti-Semitism grounded
in
the
Utopian longing
for
an
a u t h e n t i c c o m m u n i t y l i f e , i n t h e fully j u s t i f i e d r e j e c t i o n o f t h e i r r a t i o n a l i t y of
capitalist exploitation,
and
so
on?
Our
point,
again,
is t h a t
it
is
t h e o r e t i c a l l y a n d politically w r o n g to c o n d e m n t h e l o n g i n g for a u t h e n t i c c o m m u n i t y life as s u c h as ' p r o t o - F a s c i s t ' , t o d e n o u n c e it as a ' t o t a l i t a r i a n fantasy' - to s e a r c h for t h e p o s s i b l e ' r o o t s ' o f F a s c i s m in this very l o n g i n g (the standard mistake o f the liberal-individualist critique o f F a s c i s m ) : the n o n - i d e o l o g i c a l U t o p i a n c h a r a c t e r o f t h i s l o n g i n g is t o b e fully a s s e r t e d . What makes
it ' i d e o l o g i c a l ' is its a r t i c u l a t i o n ,
t h e way this l o n g i n g
is
f u n c t i o n a l i z e d as t h e l e g i t i m i z a t i o n o f a v e r y s p e c i f i c n o t i o n o f c a p i t a l i s t exploitation (the result o f Jewish influence, the p r e d o m i n a n c e o f financial over 'productive' capital, w h i c h tends towards a h a r m o n i o u s
'partnership
THE TICKLISH
186
SLTBJECT
w i t h w o r k e r s . . . ) a n d h o w t o o v e r c o m e it ( b y g e t t i n g r i d o f t h e J e w s , o f course). C r u c i a l f o r a s u c c e s s f u l i d e o l o g y is t h u s t h e t e n s i o n within its p a r t i c u l a r content between
the t h e m e s a n d motifs that b e l o n g to the
'oppressed'
a n d t h o s e w h i c h b e l o n g t o t h e ' o p p r e s s o r s ' : r u l i n g i d e a s a r c never d i r e c t l y t h e i d e a s o f t h e r u l i n g c l a s s . L e t u s t a k e w h a t is a r g u a b l y t h e example,
Christianity
-
how
did
it b e c o m e
the
ruling
ultimate
ideology?
By
i n c o r p o r a t i n g a s c r i e s o f m o t i f s a n d a s p i r a t i o n s o f t h e o p p r e s s e d ( t r u t h is on
the side o f t h e suffering
and
humiliated;
power
corrupts . . .)
r e a r t i c u l a t i n g t h e m i n s u c h a way t h a t t h e y b e c a m e c o m p a t i b l e w i t h
and the
existing relations o f domination. A n d the same holds even for Fascism. The
fundamental
ideological contradiction
o f F a s c i s m is t h a t
between
o r g a n i c i s m a n d m e c h a n i c i s m : the corporatist-organic aestheticized vision of
the
Social
destruction,
B o d y and
wiping-out,
the
extreme
o f the
'technologization',
last vestiges
mobilization,
o f 'organic'
communities
(families, universities, local s e l f - m a n a g e m e n t traditions) at the level o f the actual 'micro-practices' o f the power exercise. In Fascism, the c i z e d o r g a n i c i s t c o r p o r a t e i d e o l o g y is t h u s t h e v e r y f o r m
aestheti
o f an
c e d e n t e d technological mobilization o f society which disrupts
unpre
'organic'
links.'"' T h i s p a r a d o x e n a b l e s us t o a v o i d t h e l i b e r a l - m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t
trap
o f c o n d e m n i n g e v e r y c a l l f o r a r e t u r n to o r g a n i c ( e t h n i c , e t c . ) l i n k s as ' p r o t o - F a s c i s t ' : w h a t d e f i n e s F a s c i s m is, r a t h e r , a s p e c i f i c c o m b i n a t i o n o f o r g a n i c i s t c o r p o r a t i s m a n d t h e d r i v e t o r u t h l e s s m o d e r n i z a t i o n . T o p u t it i n y e t a n o t h e r way: i n e v e r y a c t u a l F a s c i s m , o n e always e n c o u n t e r s
ele
m e n t s w h i c h m a k e us say: ' T h i s is n o t y e t f u l l - b l o w n F a s c i s m ; t h e r e a r e still i n c o n s i s t e n t e l e m e n t s o f leftist t r a d i t i o n s o r l i b e r a l i s m i n i t ' ; h o w e v e r , t h i s r e m o v a l f r o m — this d i s t a n c e t o w a r d s — t h e p h a n t o m o f ' p u r e ' F a s c i s m is F a s c i s m tout court. ' F a s c i s m ' , i n its i d e o l o g y a n d p r a c t i c e , is n o t h i n g b u t a certain formal principle o f distortion o f social antagonism, a certain logic o f its d i s p l a c e m e n t by a c o m b i n a t i o n a n d c o n d e n s a t i o n
o f inconsistent
attitudes. T h e s a m e d i s t o r t i o n is d i s c e r n i b l e i n t h e f a c t t h a t , t o d a y , t h e o n l y c l a s s w h i c h , i n its ' s u b j e c t i v e ' s e l f - p e r c e p t i o n , e x p l i c i t l y c o n c e i v e s o f a n d
pre
s e n t s i t s e l f as a c l a s s is t h e n o t o r i o u s ' m i d d l e c l a s s ' w h i c h is p r e c i s e l y t h e 'non-class':
the
allegedly hard-working
middle
strata
o f society
which
d e f i n e t h e m s e l v e s n o t o n l y b y t h e i r a l l e g i a n c e t o firm m o r a l a n d r e l i g i o u s standards, space -
b u t by a d o u b l e o p p o s i t i o n
non-patriotic
'deracinated'
to b o t h
' e x t r e m e s ' o f the social
rich c o r p o r a t i o n s
on
the o n e
side;
poor excluded immigrants and ghetto-members on the other. T h e 'mid d l e c l a s s ' g r o u n d s its i d e n t i t y in t h e e x c l u s i o n o f b o t h e x t r e m e s w h i c h ,
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S when
they are directly c o u n t e r p o s e d ,
give us ' c l a s s a n t a g o n i s m '
187 a t its
p u r e s t . T h e c o n s t i t u t i v e l i e o f t h e v e r y n o t i o n o f t h e ' m i d d l e c l a s s ' is t h u s t h e s a m e as t h a t o f t h e t r u e P a r t y l i n e b e t w e e n t h e two e x t r e m e s o f ' r i g h t w i n g d e v i a t i o n ' a n d ' l e f t - w i n g d e v i a t i o n ' i n S t a l i n i s m : t h e ' m i d d l e c l a s s ' is, i n its v e r y ' r e a l ' e x i s t e n c e , t h e embodied
He, t h e d e n i a l o f a n t a g o n i s m - i n
p s y c h o a n a l y t i c t e r m s , t h e ' m i d d l e c l a s s ' is a fetish, tion
the impossible intersec
o f Left a n d R i g h t which, by expelling b o t h poles o f the antagonism
into the position o f antisocial ' e x t r e m e s ' which c o r r o d e the healthy social body
(multinational corporations and
i t s e l f as t h e
neutral
common
ground
intruding immigrants), o f Society. In other
presents
words,
' m i d d l e c l a s s ' is t h e v e r y f o r m o f t h e d i s a v o w a l o f t h e f a c t t h a t
the
'Society
d o e s n ' t e x i s t ' ( L a c l a u ) - i n it, S o c i e t y does e x i s t . L e f t i s t s u s u a l l y b e m o a n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e l i n e o f d i v i s i o n i n t h e c l a s s s t r u g g l e is as a r u l e b l u r r e d , d i s p l a c e d , falsified - m o s t blatantly in t h e c a s e o f rightist p o p u l i s m , w h i c h p r e s e n t s i t s e l f as s p e a k i n g o n b e h a l f o f t h e p e o p l e , w h i l e i n f a c t a d v o c a t i n g t h e interests o f t h o s e w h o rule. H o w e v e r , this c o n s t a n t d i s p l a c e m e n t a n d ' f a l s i f i c a t i o n ' o f t h e l i n e o f ( c l a s s ) d i v i s i o n is t h e ' c l a s s s t r u g g l e ' : a c l a s s s o c i e t y i n w h i c h t h e i d e o l o g i c a l p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e c l a s s d i v i s i o n was p u r e a n d d i r e c t w o u l d b e a h a r m o n i o u s s t r u c t u r e with n o struggle - o r , to put it in L a c l a u ' s t e r m s , c l a s s a n t a g o n i s m w o u l d t h e r e b y b e fully s y m b o l i z e d ; it w o u l d n o l o n g e r b e i m p o s s i b l e / r e a l , b u t a s i m p l e d i f f e r e n t i a l s t r u c t u r a l feature.
T h e P o l i t i c a l a n d I t s Disavowals If, t h e n , t h e n o t i o n o f h e g e m o n y e x p r e s s e s t h e e l e m e n t a r y s t r u c t u r e o f i d e o l o g i c a l d o m i n a t i o n , a r e w e c o n d e m n e d t o shifts w i t h i n t h e s p a c e o f h e g e m o n y , o r is it p o s s i b l e t o s u s p e n d - t e m p o r a r i l y , a t l e a s t - its v e r y m e c h a n i s m ? J a c q u e s R a n c i e r e ' s c l a i m is t h a t s u c h a s u b v e r s i o n d o e s o c c u r , a n d that it even c o n s t i t u t e s t h e very c o r e o f politics, o f a p r o p e r political event. 1 1
W h a t , f o r R a n c i e r e , is p o l i t i c s p r o p e r ? ' A p h e n o m e n o n w h i c h , f o r t h e first t i m e , a p p e a r e d i n A n c i e n t G r e e c e w h e n t h e m e m b e r s o f demos ( t h o s e with n o
firmly
only d e m a n d e d
d e t e r m i n e d place in the hierarchical social edifice) t h a t t h e i r v o i c e b e h e a r d a g a i n s t t h o s e in p o w e r ,
not those
w h o e x e r t e d s o c i a l c o n t r o l - t h a t is, t h e y n o t o n l y p r o t e s t e d t h e w r o n g
[le
tort] t h e y s u f f e r e d , a n d w a n t e d t h e i r v o i c e t o h e h e a r d , t o b e r e c o g n i z e d as i n c l u d e d i n t h e p u b l i c s p h e r e , o n a n e q u a l f o o t i n g with t h e oligarchy and
aristocracy -
even m o r e , they, t h e e x c l u d e d , those
ruling with
THE TICKLISH
188 no
fixed
place within
representatives,
the
Universality ('we -
SUBJECT
the social edifice, presented
stand-ins,
for
the "nothing",
the
the
the true
n o t c o u n t e d in the o r d e r - are
p e o p l e , we are All against o t h e r s w h o privileged interest'). In short,
t h e m s e l v e s as
W h o l e o f Society, for stand
only for their
political conflict designates
the
particular
the
tension
b e t w e e n t h e s t r u c t u r e d s o c i a l b o d y i n w h i c h e a c h p a r t h a s its p l a c e , a n d ' t h e p a r t o f n o p a r t ' w h i c h u n s e t t l e s this o r d e r o n a c c o u n t o f t h e p r i n c i p l e o f u n i v e r s a l i t y - o f w h a t B a l i b a r c a l l s egaliberte, equality
o f all m e n
qua
speaking
the
beings. Politics p r o p e r
empty
principled thus
always
involves a kind o f s h o r t circuit b e t w e e n the Universal a n d t h e Particular: t h e p a r a d o x o f a singulier
universel,
a s i n g u l a r w h i c h a p p e a r s as t h e s t a n d -
in for the Universal, destabilizing t h e ' n a t u r a l ' f u n c t i o n a l o r d e r o f rela t i o n s in
the social body. This identification
o f the
non-part
with
the
W h o l e , o f t h e p a r t o f s o c i e t y with n o p r o p e r l y d e f i n e d p l a c e w i t h i n it ( o r r e s i s t i n g t h e a l l o c a t e d s u b o r d i n a t e d p l a c e w i t h i n i t ) w i t h t h e U n i v e r s a l , is t h e e l e m e n t a r y g e s t u r e o f p o l i t i c i z a t i o n , d i s c e r n i b l e i n all g r e a t d e m o c r a t i c e v e n t s f r o m t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n ( i n w h i c h k troisieme etat p r o c l a i m e d itself i d e n t i c a l to t h e N a t i o n clergy)
to
the
demise
as s u c h ,
against
o f ex-European
the
Socialism
aristocracy and (in
which
the
dissident
'forums' proclaimed themselves representative o f the entire society against the Party
nomenklatura).
In this p r e c i s e s e n s e , politics a n d d e m o c r a c y a r e s y n o n y m o u s : t h e b a s i c a i m o f a n t i d e m o c r a t i c p o l i t i c s always a n d b y d e f i n i t i o n is a n d was d e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n - t h a t is, t h e u n c o n d i t i o n a l d e m a n d t h a t ' t h i n g s s h o u l d g o b a c k to n o r m a l ' , with e a c h individual d o i n g his o r h e r p a r t i c u l a r j o b . . . . A n d , as R a n c i e r e p r o v e s therefore
not
a
against H a b e r m a s ,
rational
debate
the
between
struggle for o n e ' s voice to b e h e a r d
and
political struggle multiple
proper
interests,
but
is the
r e c o g n i z e d as t h e v o i c e o f a
l e g i t i m a t e p a r t n e r : w h e n t h e ' e x c l u d e d ' , f r o m t h e G r e e k demos t o P o l i s h workers, protested against the ruling elite (aristocracy o r t h e true stakes were n o t only t h e i r e x p l i c i t d e m a n d s better working conditions, etc.), but
nomenklatura),
(for h i g h e r wages,
t h e i r v e r y r i g h t to b e h e a r d
r e c o g n i z e d as a n e q u a l p a r t n e r i n t h e d e b a t e - i n P o l a n d , t h e l o s t t h e m o m e n t it h a d t o a c c e p t S o l i d a r i t y as a n e q u a l
and
nomenklatura
partner.
T h e s e sudden intrusions o f politics p r o p e r u n d e r m i n e R a n c i e r e ' s order o f police,
the
established
social o r d e r
in w h i c h
each
p a r t is
properly-
a c c o u n t e d for. R a n c i e r e , o f c o u r s e , e m p h a s i z e s h o w t h e l i n e o f s e p a r a t i o n b e t w e e n p o l i c e a n d p o l i t i c s is always b l u r r e d a n d c o n t e s t e d : in t h e M a r x i s t t r a d i t i o n , say, ' p r o l e t a r i a t ' c a n b e r e a d as t h e s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n o f t h e ' p a r t o f n o p a r t ' e l e v a t i n g its i n j u s t i c e i n t o t h e u l t i m a t e t e s t o f u n i v e r s a l i t y a n d ,
189
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y , as t h e o p e r a t o r w h i c h will b r i n g a b o u t t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a post-political rational society. to police can be only a matter
17
S o m e t i m e s t h e shift f r o m p o l i t i c s p r o p e r o f a change from
the definite
to
the
indefinite article, like the East G e r m a n crowds d e m o n s t r a t i n g against the C o m m u n i s t r e g i m e i n t h e last days o f t h e G D R : first t h e y s h o u t e d ' W e a r e the p e o p l e ! '
['Wir sind
das V o l k ! ' ] , t h e r e b y p e r f o r m i n g
the
gesture
of
p o l i t i c i z a t i o n at its p u r e s t - t h e y , t h e e x c l u d e d c o u n t e r - r e v o l u t i o n a r y
'scum'
o f the official W h o l e o f the P e o p l e , with n o p r o p e r p l a c e in t h e
official
space (or, m o r e precisely, with only
tides
like
'counter-revolutionaries',
' h o o l i g a n s ' , o r - at best - 'victims o f b o u r g e o i s p r o p a g a n d a '
reserved for
t h e m ) , c l a i m e d t o s t a n d f o r the p e o p l e , f o r ' a l l ' ; a c o u p l e o f days l a t e r , h o w e v e r , t h e s l o g a n c h a n g e d i n t o ' W e a r e a/one
people!'
[ ' W i r s i n d ein
V o l k ! ' ] , clearly signalling the closure o f the m o m e n t a r y authentic political opening, towards
the reappropriation
o f the d e m o c r a t i c i m p e t u s by the
the reunification o f Germany, which m e a n t
thrust
rejoining Western
G e r m a n y ' s liberal-capitalist p o l i c e / p o l i t i c a l order. In J a p a n ,
the
caste o f u n t o u c h a b l e s
w h o a r e involved in c o n t a c t with d e a d
is c a l l e d t h e flesh
burakumim
(butchers,
those
leatherworkers,
g r a v e d i g g e r s ) a n d a r e s o m e t i m e s e v e n r e f e r r e d t o as eta ( ' m u c h
filth).
E v e n now, in the ' e n l i g h t e n e d ' p r e s e n t , w h e n they are n o l o n g e r o p e n l y despised, they are silently i g n o r e d hiring
them,
or
parents
n o t o n l y d o c o m p a n i e s still a v o i d
allowing
their
children
to
marry
them,
but, u n d e r the 'politically c o r r e c t ' p r e t e n c e n o t o f offending them,
one
prefers to i g n o r e the issue. H o w e v e r , t h e c r u c i a l p o i n t , a n d t h e p r o o f o f the
pre-political
Japanese
(or,
rather,
s o c i e t y , is t h e
non-political)
fact that
although
'corporate' voices are
functioning heard
on
of
their
b e h a l f (we c o u l d simply m e n t i o n t h e g r e a t a n d r e c e n t l y d e a d S u e S u m i i w h o , i n h e r i m p r e s s i v e s e r i e s o f n o v e l s The River reference
to
burakumin
to
expose
the
with No Bridge,
meaninglessness
used
o f the
the
entire
J a p a n e s e caste hierarchy - significantly, h e r primordial traumatic experi e n c e was t h e s h o c k w h e n , as a c h i l d , s h e w i t n e s s e d honour
the
Emperor,
a relative o f hers
scratched
how, in o r d e r the
toilet used
t h e v i s i t i n g E m p e r o r to p r e s e r v e a p i e c e o f his s h i t as a s a c r e d t h e burakumin
d i d n o t a c t i v e l y politicize
their
as t h a t
the
position
o f singulier
their destiny, did n o t
universe!,,
'part o f n o part', they stand for the
society. . . . '
claiming
that,
to by
relic),
constitute
precisely
as
true universality o f J a p a n e s e
8
T h e r e is a s c r i e s o f d i s a v o w a l s o f this p o l i t i c a l m o m e n t , o f t h e logic o f political conflict:
proper
THE TICKLISH
190 •
arche-politics:
'communitarian'
organically structured
SUBJECT
attempts
to define a traditional
close,
h o m o g e n e o u s social s p a c e that allows for
no
void in w h i c h t h e political m o m e n t - e v e n t c a n e m e r g e ; •
para-politics:
the attempt
t o d e p o l i t i c i z e p o l i t i c s ( t o t r a n s l a t e it i n t o
p o l i c e l o g i c ) : o n e a c c e p t s p o l i t i c a l c o n f l i c t , b u t r e f o r m u l a t e s it i n t o a c o m p e t i t i o n , within the representational space, b e t w e e n a c k n o w l e d g e d parties/agents, for the (temporary) occupation o f the place o f e x e c u tive •
power;
1 9
Marxist (or Utopian
Socialist)
meta-politics:
p o l i t i c a l c o n f l i c t is fully
a s s e r t e d , but as a s h a d o w - t h e a t r e in w h i c h e v e n t s w h o s e p r o p e r p l a c e is o n A n o t h e r S c e n e ( o f e c o n o m i c p r o c e s s e s ) a r e p l a y e d o u t ; t h e ulti m a t e g o a l o f ' t r u e ' p o l i t i c s is t h u s its s e l f - c a n c e l l a t i o n , t h e tion
o f the
'administration
of people'
into
the
transforma
'administration
of
t h i n g s ' w i t h i n a fully s e l f - t r a n s p a r e n t r a t i o n a l o r d e r o f c o l l e c t i v e W i l l ; - " •
the fourth f o r m , the m o s t c u n n i n g a n d radical version o f t h e disavowal ( n o t m e n t i o n e d b y R a n c i e r e ) , is w h a t I a m t e m p t e d t o c a l l
ultra-politics:
t h e a t t e m p t t o d e p o l i t i c i z e t h e c o n f l i c t b y b r i n g i n g it t o a n e x t r e m e via t h e d i r e c t m i l i t a r i z a t i o n o f p o l i t i c s - b y r e f o r m u l a t i n g it as t h e between
'Us' and
' T h e m ' , o u r E n e m y , w h e r e t h e r e is n o
war
common
g r o u n d f o r s y m b o l i c c o n f l i c t - it is d e e p l y s y m p t o m a t i c t h a t ,
rather
t h a n c l a s s struggle, t h e r a d i c a l R i g h t s p e a k s o f c l a s s ( o r s e x u a l ) warfare.'" W h a t we h a v e i n all t h e s e f o u r c a s e s is t h u s a n a t t e m p t t o g e n t r i f y properly
traumatic
dimension
o f the
political: s o m e t h i n g
emerged
the in
A n c i e n t G r e e c e u n d e r t h e n a m e o f demos d e m a n d i n g its r i g h t s , a n d , f r o m t h e very b e g i n n i n g liberal
(i.e. f r o m
'political philosophy',
suspend
P l a t o ' s Republic)
t o t h e r e c e n t revival o f
'political philosophy'
was a n
attempt
the destabilizing potential o f the political, to disavow
r e g u l a t e it i n o n e way o r a n o t h e r : b r i n g i n g a b o u t a r e t u r n political social body, forth.*
fixing
to
and/or
to a
the rules o f political c o m p e t i t i o n , and
preso
2
'Political
philosophy'
'defence-formation',
and
is t h u s ,
in
all its
different
forms,
a
kind
of
p e r h a p s its t y p o l o g y c o u l d b e e s t a b l i s h e d via
r e f e r e n c e to the different modalities o f d e f e n c e against s o m e
traumatic
e x p e r i e n c e in p s y c h o a n a l y s i s . I t m a y s e e m , h o w e v e r , t h a t p s y c h o a n a l y s i s , the psychoanalytic a p p r o a c h to politics, also involves the r e d u c t i o n o f the p r o p e r p o l i t i c a l d i m e n s i o n . T h a t is t o say, w h e n o n e a p p r o a c h e s p o l i t i c s th r o u g h
the
psychoanalytic
network,
one
usually
focuses
on
Freud's
elaboration o f the notion o f the 'crowd' apropos o f the Army a n d
the
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
191
C h u r c h . T h i s a p p r o a c h , however, s e e m s to provoke justified criticism: are n o t t h e A r m y a n d t h e C h u r c h p r e c i s e l y e x a m p l e s o f t h e disavowal
o f the
p r o p e r p o l i t i c a l d i m e n s i o n , t h a t is, t h e two f o r m s o f s o c i a l o r g a n i z a t i o n i n w h i c h t h e l o g i c o f c o l l e c t i v e d e l i b e r a t i o n a n d d e c i s i o n o n p u b l i c affairs w h i c h d e f i n e s t h e p o l i t i c a l s p a c e is r e p l a c e d b y a c l e a r h i e r a r c h i c a l c h a i n o f c o m m a n d ? Is t h i s n o t a p r o o f b y n e g a t i o n t h a t p s y c h o a n a l y s i s is u n a b l e t o d e f i n e t h e p r o p e r l y political
s p a c e : t h e o n l y f o r m o f ' s o c i a b i l i t y ' it c a n
a r t i c u l a t e is t h e ' t o t a l i t a r i a n ' d i s t o r t i o n / o b f u s c a t i o n o f t h e p o l i t i c a l ? H a n n a h A r e n d t s e e m e d to p o i n t in this d i r e c t i o n w h e n s h e e m p h a s i z e d the distinction between political power a n d the m e r e exercise o f (social) v i o l e n c e : o r g a n i z a t i o n s run by d i r e c t n o n - p o l i t i c a l a u t h o r i t y - by an o r d e r of command
t h a t is n o t p o l i t i c a l l y g r o u n d e d
authority
s c h o o l ) - r e p r e s e n t e x a m p l e s o f v i o l e n c e [Gewalt],
(Army,
Church,
not o f political Power
in t h e s t r i c t s e n s e o f t h e t e r m . H e r e , h o w e v e r , it w o u l d b e p r o d u c t i v e
to
i n t r o d u c e t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e p u b l i c s y m b o l i c L a w a n d its o b s c e n e supplement:
2 3
the notion o f the o b s c e n e superego double-supplement
of
P o w e r i m p l i e s t h a t there is no Power without violence. P o w e r always h a s t o r e l y o n a n o b s c e n e s t a i n o f v i o l e n c e ; p o l i t i c a l s p a c e is n e v e r ' p u r e ' , b u t always involves s o m e k i n d o f r e l i a n c e o n 'pre-political' v i o l e n c e . O f c o u r s e , the r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n p o l i t i c a l p o w e r a n d p r e - p o l i t i c a l v i o l e n c e is o n e o f m u t u a l i m p l i c a t i o n : n o t o n l y is v i o l e n c e t h e power,
(political) power
itself
necessary supplement
is a l w a y s - a l r e a d y
at
the
root
of
of
every
apparently 'non-political' relationship o f violence. T h e accepted violence and direct relationship o f subordination
in t h e A r m y , t h e C h u r c h ,
the
f a m i l y , a n d o t h e r ' n o n - p o l i t i c a l ' s o c i a l f o r m s is i n i t s e l f t h e ' r e i f i c a t i o n ' o f a c e r t a i n exhico-political
struggle a n d d e c i s i o n - a critical analysis s h o u l d
d i s c e r n t h e h i d d e n political
p r o c e s s t h a t s u s t a i n s all t h e s e ' n o n - ' o r
p o l i t i c a l ' r e l a t i o n s h i p s . I n h u m a n s o c i e t y , t h e p o l i t i c a l is t h e
'pre-
englobing
structuring p r i n c i p l e , so that every neutralization o f s o m e partial c o n t e n t as ' n o n - p o l i t i c a l ' is a p o l i t i c a l g e s t u r e par
excellence.
T h e (Mis) U s e s o f A p p e a r a n c e W i t h i n t h e s e f o u r disavowals o f d i e political m o m e n t p r o p e r ,
the
most
i n t e r e s t i n g a n d p o l i t i c a l l y p e r t i n e n t is t h e c a s e o f m e t a - p o l i t i c s , i n w h i c h
-
t o p u t it in t h e t e r m s o f L a c a n ' s m a t r i x o f t h e f o u r d i s c o u r s e s - t h e p l a c e o f t h e ' a g e n t ' is o c c u p i e d b y knowledge.
M a r x p r e s e n t e d his p o s i t i o n as t h a t
o f 'scientific m a t e r i a l i s m ' ; t h a t is, m e t a - p o l i t i c s is a p o l i t i c s w h i c h l e g i t i m i z e s i t s e l f b y a d i r e c t r e f e r e n c e t o t h e s c i e n t i f i c s t a t u s o f its k n o w l e d g e
(it is
THE TICKLISH
192
SUBJECT
this k n o w l e d g e which e n a b l e s meta-politics t o draw a line o f distinction b e t w e e n t h o s e i m m e r s e d in p o l i t i c o - i d e o l o g i c a l illusions a n d
the
Party
b a s i n g its h i s t o r i c a l i n t e r v e n t i o n o n k n o w l e d g e o f a c t u a l s o c i o e c o n o m i c p r o c e s s e s ) . T h i s k n o w l e d g e ( o f class society a n d the relations o f p r o d u c tion in M a r x i s m ) suspends
t h e c l a s s i c o p p o s i t i o n o f Sein
and
Sollen,
of
B e i n g a n d t h e O u g h t , o f w h a t Is a n d t h e e t h i c a l I d e a l : t h e e t h i c a l I d e a l t o w a r d s w h i c h t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y s u b j e c t s t r i v e s is d i r e c t l y g r o u n d e d i n ( o r coincides with)
the
social processes -
'objective', 'disinterested'
this c o i n c i d e n c e o p e n s u p
v i o l e n c e , s i n c e in t h i s way a c t s w h i c h r u n
scientific knowledge a space for
of
'totalitarian'
against the most
elementary
n o n n s o f e t h i c a l d e c e n c y c a n b e l e g i t i m i z e d as g r o u n d e d i n t h e ( i n s i g h t into) historical Necessity (the mass killing o f m e m b e r s o f the 'bourgeois c l a s s ' is j u s t i f i e d b y t h e s c i e n t i f i c i n s i g h t t h a t t h i s c l a s s is a l r e a d y i n i t s e l f ' c o n d e m n e d t o d i s a p p e a r ' , p a s t its ' p r o g r e s s i v e r o l e ' , e t c . ) . T h a t is t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e s t a n d a r d d e s t r u c t i v e - e v e n m u r d e r ous -
d i m e n s i o n o f strictly a d h e r i n g
to the ethical Ideal, and
modern
t o t a l i t a r i a n i s m : t h e t e r r o r i s m o f t h e J a c o b i n s i n t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n was grounded attempt
in their strict a d h e r e n c e to realize
t o t h e i d e a l o f egaliberte -
this i d e a ] d i r e c t l y , t o i m p o s e
c o i n c i d e n c e o f the p u r e s t idealism with
it o n
in
to reality;
their this
the most destructive violence,
a n a l y s e d a l r e a d y b y H e g e l in t h e f a m o u s c h a p t e r o f h i s
Phenomenology,
c a n n o t explain twentieth-century totalitarianism. W h a t the J a c o b i n s lacked was t h e r e f e r e n c e to o b j e c t i v e / n e u t r a l ' s c i e n t i f i c '
k n o w l e d g e o f history
l e g i t i m i z i n g t h e i r e x e r c i s e o f u n c o n d i t i o n a l p o w e r . I t is o n l y t h e L e n i n i s t revolutionary, not the J a c o b i n , who thus occupies the properlv perverted p o s i t i o n o f t h e p u r e i n s t r u m e n t o f h i s t o r i c a l N e c e s s i t y m a d e a c c e s s i b l e by m e a n s o f scientific knowledge.-
1
H e r e R a n c i e r e follows C l a u d e L e f o r t ' s i n s i g h t i n t o h o w t h e s p a c e for ( C o m m u n i s t ) t o t a l i t a r i a n i s m was o p e n e d b y ' d e m o c r a t i c i n v e n t i o n ' i t s e l f : t o t a l i t a r i a n i s m is a n i n h e r e n t p e r v e r s i o n o f d e m o c r a t i c l o g i c .
2 0
F i r s t , we
have t h e l o g i c o f t h e traditional M a s t e r w h o g r o u n d s his a u t h o r i t y in s o m e t r a n s c e n d e n t r e a s o n ( D i v i n e R i g h t , e t c . ) ; w h a t t h e n b e c o m e s visible with ' d e m o c r a t i c i n v e n t i o n ' is t h e g a p t h a t s e p a r a t e s t h e p o s i t i v e p e r s o n o f t h e Master
from
the
place
he
o c c u p i e s in
the
symbolic network
-
with
' d e m o c r a t i c i n v e n t i o n ' , t h e p l a c e o f P o w e r is p o s i t e d as o r i g i n a l l y empty, o c c u p i e d o n l y t e m p o r a r i l y a n d in a c o n t i n g e n t way by d i f f e r e n t subjects. I n o t h e r w o r d s , it n o w b e c o m e s e v i d e n t t h a t ( t o q u o t e M a r x ) p e o p l e d o n o t t r e a t s o m e b o d y as a k i n g b e c a u s e h e is a k i n g i n h i m s e l f ; h e is a k i n g because a n d as long as p e o p l e t r e a t h i m as o n e . T o t a l i t a r i a n i s m t a k e s i n t o a c c o u n t this r u p t u r e
a c c o m p l i s h e d by t h e
'democratic invention':
the
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
193
t o t a l i t a r i a n M a s t e r fully a c c e p t s t h e l o g i c o f ' I a m a M a s t e r o n l y i n s o f a r as y o u t r e a t m e as o n e ' - t h a t is t o say, h i s p o s i t i o n i n v o l v e s n o r e f e r e n c e t o s o m e t r a n s c e n d e n t g r o u n d ; o n t h e c o n t r a r y , h e e m p h a t i c a l l y tells his f o l l o w e r s : ' I n m y s e l f , I a m n o t h i n g ; all m y s t r e n g t h d e r i v e s f r o m y o u ; I a m o n l y t h e e m b o d i m e n t o f y o u r d e e p e s t strivings; t h e m o m e n t I l o s e m v r o o t s i n y o u , I a m l o s t . . .'. H i s e n t i r e l e g i t i m a c y d e r i v e s f r o m t h i s p o s i t i o n o f pure servant o f the People: the m o r e he 'modestly' diminishes instrumentalizes
his
role,
the
more
he
emphasizes
that
he
and
merely
e x p r e s s e s a n d realizes t h e strivings o f t h e P e o p l e themselves, w h o a r e t h e true Master, the m o r e all-powerful a n d u n t o u c h a b l e h e b e c o m e s , s i n c e a n y a t t a c k o n h i m is e f f e c t i v e l y a n a t t a c k o n t h e P e o p l e t h e m s e l v e s , o n t h e i r i n n e r m o s t l o n g i n g s . . . . ' T h e P e o p l e ' is t h u s s p l i t i n t o a c t u a l i n d i v i d u a l s ( p r o n e t o t r e a s o n a n d all k i n d s o f h u m a n w e a k n e s s e s ) a n d the P e o p l e e m b o d i e d in t h e M a s t e r . T h e s e t h r e e l o g i c s ( t h a t o f t h e t r a d i t i o n a l M a s t e r , o f the d e m o c r a t i c regulated
fight
totalitarian
three
Master)
fit t h e
for the empty place o f Power, o f the modes
o f the
disavowal
o f politics
c o n c e p t u a l i z e d by R a n c i e r e : t h e t r a d i t i o n a l M a s t e r f u n c t i o n s within
the
s p a c e o f a r c h e - p o l i t i c s ; d e m o c r a c y i n v o l v e s p a r a - p o l i t i c s , t h a t is, t h e g e n t r i fication
o f politics p r o p e r in regulated a g o n i s m
( t h e rules o f e l e c t i o n s
a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e d e m o c r a c y , e t c . ) ; t h e t o t a l i t a r i a n M a s t e r is p o s s i b l e only within the space o f meta-politics. Perhaps
the distinction
between
the
Communist and
Fascist Master
r e s i d e s i n t h e f a c t t h a t - d e s p i t e all t h e t a l k a b o u t r a c i a l s c i e n c e , a n d s o o n - t h e i n n e r m o s t l o g i c o f F a s c i s m is n o t m e t a - p o l i t i c a l b u t u l t r a - p o l i t i c a l : t h e F a s c i s t M a s t e r is a w a r r i o r i n p o l i t i c s . S t a l i n i s m at its ' p u r e s t ' p e r i o d o f g r e a t p u r g e s i n t h e l a t e 1 9 3 0 s ) is a m u c h m o r e
(the
paradoxical
p h e n o m e n o n than the Trotskyite narratives o f the alleged betrayal o f the a u t h e n t i c r e v o l u t i o n by t h e n e w nomenklatura
w o u l d like to have us believe:
Stalinism,
rather,
(self-relating) negativity
functions
as a
is t h e
kind
point
o f radical
o f 'vanishing
mediator'
between
the
that
'authentic'
revolutionary phase o f the late 1 9 1 0 s / e a r l y 1920s a n d the stabilization o f t h e nomenklatura
i n t o a N e w C l a s s a f t e r S t a l i n ' s d e a t h . T h a t is t o say: w h a t
c h a r a c t e r i z e s this Stalinist m o m e n t , this effective ' p o i n t o f (revolutionary) m a d n e s s ' , is t h e i n h e r e n t t e n s i o n b e t w e e n t h e n e w nomenklatura
and
L e a d e r w h o is d r i v e n t o r e p e a t e d ' i r r a t i o n a l ' p u r g e s , s o t h a t t h e
nomenkla
tura
is u n a b l e
to stabilize itself into
a New
Class: the
the
self-enhancing
( ' b o o t s t r a p ' ) cycle o f T e r r o r potentially involves everyone, n o t only the e n t i r e ' o r d i n a r y ' p o p u l a t i o n b u t a l s o t h e h i g h e s t nomenklatura
- everyone
( w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f t h e O n e , S t a l i n h i m s e l f ) was u n d e r
permanent
threat o f liquidation.
THE TICKLISH
194
SUBJECT
O n e is t h u s l e d t o b e l i e v e t h a t S t a l i n i n f a c t l o s t h i s f i g h t a g a i n s t nomenklatura
the
( a n d t h e r e b y t h e b u l k o f his ' r e a l ' p o w e r ) i n t h e l a t e 1 9 3 0 s ,
with t h e e n d o f the G r e a t P u r g e s (ironically, this m o m e n t c o i n c i d e d with t h e ridiculous i n c r e a s e in p u b l i c a d u l a t i o n
o f the figure o f Stalin, his
c e l e b r a t i o n as t h e g r e a t e s t g e n i u s o f m a n k i n d , a n d s o o n , as i f t h e l o s s o f ' r e a l ' p o w e r was s o m e h o w c o m p e n s a t e d b y t h e g a i n i n s y m b o l i c p o w e r . W h a t t h e nomenklatura
o f f e r e d S t a l i n was a r o l e c o m p a r a b l e t o t h a t o f t h e
c o n s t i t u t i o n a l m o n a r c h w h o d o t s t h e i ' s , b u t is d e p r i v e d o f a c t u a l e x e c u tive p o w e r
( o r , a t l e a s t , h a s t o s h a r e it w i t h h i s e q u a l s , m e m b e r s o f t h e
s e n i o r i n n e r c i r c l e ) ; Stalin, o f course, could n o t resign h i m s e l f to such a s y m b o l i c r o l e , a n d his p o s t - W o r l d - W a r - I I activity ( t h e J e w i s h D o c t o r s ' P l o t , the
planned
anti-Semitic purge,
e t c . ) betrays his effort to r e g a i n
real
power, a n effort w h i c h u l t i m a t e l y r e m a i n e d u n s u c c e s s f u l . S o , in t h e last y e a r s o f his life, w i t h t h e r e s i s t a n c e o f t h e nomenklatura
g r o w i n g , S t a l i n was
m o r e a n d m o r e i s o l a t e d as a p a r a n o i a c m a d m a n w h o s e w o r d s n o l o n g e r p o s s e s s e d d i r e c t p e r f o r m a t i v e e f f i c i e n c y - his w o r d s (say, h i s a c c u s a t i o n s of treason
were
no
l o n g e r ' a c t e d u p o n ' . I n t h e last C o m m u n i s t Party c o n g r e s s a t t e n d e d
against
the
senior members
o f the
nomenklatura)
by
S t a l i n (in 1 9 5 2 ) , S t a l i n , in h i s s p e e c h , a c c u s e d M o l o t o v a n d
Kaganovich
o f b e i n g traitors a n d E n g l i s h spies; after Stalin's s p e e c h , M o l o t o v simply stood
up
and
claimed that
Comrade
S t a l i n was w r o n g ,
since he
and
K a g a n o v i c h always h a d b e e n a n d r e m a i n e d g o o d B o l s h e v i k s - a n d , t o t h e amazement
o f the
accused m e n
party
retained
delegates
present,
their s e n i o r posts -
nothing
happened:
something
the
two
that would
have
b e e n u n t h i n k a b l e a c o u p l e o f years before. Also with r e g a r d to actual social c h a n g e , o r ' c u t in t h e s u b s t a n c e o f the s o c i a l b o d y ' , t h e t r u e r e v o l u t i o n was n o t t h e O c t o b e r R e v o l u t i o n , b u t t h e c o l l e c t i v i z a t i o n o f t h e l a t e 1 9 2 0 s . T h e O c t o b e r R e v o l u t i o n left t h e stance o f the
social body
(the
intricate
network
o f family a n d
sub other
r e l a t i o n s ) i n t a c t ; i n t h i s r e s p e c t it was s i m i l a r t o t h e F a s c i s t r e v o l u t i o n , which also merely i m p o s e d existing network maintain
a new form
o f social relations -
this n e t w o r k
of executive power
o r rather,
o f social relations. F o r that
r e v o l u t i o n was a f a k e e v e n t , a r e v o l u t i o n -
tire
on to
p r e c i s e l y in o r d e r reason,
the
the to
Fascist
s e m b l a n c e o f a radical
c h a n g e - which t o o k place so that ' n o t h i n g would really c h a n g e ' , so that things
(i.e. the f u n d a m e n t a l
capitalist relations o f p r o d u c t i o n )
would
b a s i c a l l y r e m a i n t h e s a m e . I t was o n l y t h e f o r c e d c o l l e c t i v i z a t i o n o f t h e late
1920s
substance'
which
thoroughly
subverted
and
dismembered
(the inherited network o f relations), perturbing
deeply into the most fundamental social fabric.
2 6
the
'social
and
cutting
POLITICAL SUBJECTIVIZATION AND ITS V I C I S S I T U D E S Let
lis r e t u r n , h o w e v e r , t o R a n c i e r e ' s b a s i c e m p h a s i s o n
the
195 radical
ambiguity o f the Marxist notion o f the 'gap' between formal d e m o c r a c y (human
rights,
political freedom,
etc.)
and
the
economic
reality o f
e x p l o i t a t i o n a n d d o m i n a t i o n . O n e c a n r e a d this g a p b e t w e e n t h e ance' o f equality-freedom
'appear
a n d t h e social reality o f e c o n o m i c , cultural,
a n d o t h e r d i f f e r e n c e s e i t h e r i n t h e s t a n d a r d ' s y m p t o m a t i c ' way ( t h e f o r m o f u n i v e r s a l r i g h t s , e q u a l i t y , f r e e d o m a n d d e m o c r a c y is s i m p l y a n e c e s s a r y b u t i l l u s o r y f o r m o f e x p r e s s i o n o f its c o n c r e t e s o c i a l c o n t e n t , t h e u n i v e r s e o f e x p l o i t a t i o n a n d c l a s s d o m i n a t i o n ) , o r in t h e m u c h m o r e s e n s e o f a t e n s i o n i n w h i c h t h e ' a p p e a r a n c e ' o f egaliberte,
subversive
p r e c i s e l y , is not a
' m e r e a p p e a r a n c e ' b u t e v i n c e s a n e f f e c t i v i t y o f its o w n , w h i c h a l l o w s i t t o set in m o t i o n t h e p r o c e s s o f t h e r e a r t i c u l a t i o n o f actual s o c i o - e c o n o m i c relations
b y way o f t h e i r
progressive
'politicization'.
(Why
shouldn't
w o m e n vote too? W h y s h o u l d n ' t working c o n d i t i o n s b e o f public political c o n c e r n ? , e t c . ) O n e is t e m p t e d h e r e t o u s e t h e o l d L e v i - S t r a u s s i a n t e r m 'symbolic efficiency':
the
appearance
o f egaliberte
is a s y m b o l i c f i c t i o n
w h i c h , as s u c h , p o s s e s s e s a n a c t u a l e f f i c i e n c y o f its o w n - o n e s h o u l d r e s i s t the properly cynical temptation
o f r e d u c i n g it t o a m e r e i l l u s i o n
that
c o n c e a l s a different actuality. The
distinction
simulacrum here.
2 7
between
appearance
and
the
postmodern
notion
of
as n o l o n g e r c l e a r l y d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e f r o m t h e R e a l is c r u c i a l
T h e p o l i t i c a l as t h e d o m a i n o f a p p e a r a n c e ( o p p o s e d t o t h e s o c i a l
r e a l i t y o f c l a s s a n d o t h e r d i s t i n c t i o n s , t h a t is, o f s o c i e t y as t h e a r t i c u l a t e d s o c i a l b o d y ) h a s n o t h i n g i n c o m m o n with t h e p o s t m o d e r n n o t i o n t h a t we are entering
the
e r a o f u n i v e r s a l i z e d s i m u l a c r a in w h i c h
reality
itself
b e c o m e s i n d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e f r o m its s i m u l a t e d d o u b l e . T h e n o s t a l g i c l o n g ing for the authentic e x p e r i e n c e o f b e i n g lost in the deluge o f simulacra ( d e t e c t a b l e i n V i r i l i o ) , as w e l l as t h e p o s t m o d e r n N e w W o r l d o f u n i v e r s a l i z e d s i m u l a c r a as t h e
assertion o f the Brave
sign
that we a r e
finally
g e t t i n g r i d o f t h e m e t a p h y s i c a l o b s e s s i o n with a u t h e n t i c B e i n g ( d e t e c t a b l e in V a t t i m o ) , b o t h miss the distinction between s i m u l a c r u m a n d
appear
a n c e : w h a t g e t s l o s t i n t o d a y ' s ' p l a g u e o f s i m u l a t i o n s ' is n o t t h e f i r m , t r u e , non-simulated
Real, but
appearance
itself. T o p u t
it i n L a c a n i a n
terms:
s i m u l a c r u m is i m a g i n a r y ( i l l u s i o n ) , w h i l e a p p e a r a n c e is s y m b o l i c ( f i c t i o n ) ; w h e n t h e s p e c i f i c d i m e n s i o n o f s y m b o l i c a p p e a r a n c e starts t o d i s i n t e g r a t e , the Imaginary and the Real b e c o m e m o r e and m o r e indistinguishable. The
k e y t o t o d a y ' s u n i v e r s e o f s i m u l a c r a , i n w h i c h t h e R e a l is l e s s a n d
less d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e f r o m its i m a g i n a r y s i m u l a t i o n , lies in t h e r e t r e a t o f 'symbolic efficiency'. In s o c i o p o l i t i c a l t e r m s , this d o m a i n o f a p p e a r a n c e ( o f s y m b o l i c f i c t i o n ) is n o n e o t h e r t h a n t h a t o f p o l i t i c s as d i s t i n c t f r o m
THE TICKLISH
196
SUBJECT
t h e s o c i a l b o d y s u b d i v i d e d i n t o p a r t s . T h e r e is ' a p p e a r a n c e ' i n s o f a r as a p a r t n o t i n c l u d e d in t h e W h o l e o f t h e S o c i a l B o d y ( o r i n c l u d e d / e x c l u d e d i n a way a g a i n s t w h i c h i t p r o t e s t s ) s y m b o l i z e s its p o s i t i o n as t h a t o f a W r o n g , c l a i m i n g , a g a i n s t o t h e r parts, t h a t it stands f o r the universality o f egaliberte.
h e r e we a r e d e a l i n g with a p p e a r a n c e i n c o n t r a s t to t h e 'reality'
o f the structured social body. T h e old conservative m o t t o o f ' k e e p i n g
up
a p p e a r a n c e s ' t h u s t a k e s a n e w twist t o d a y : it n o l o n g e r s t a n d s f o r
the
' w i s d o m ' a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h it is b e t t e r n o t t o d i s t u r b t h e r u l e s o f s o c i a l etiquette t o o m u c h , since social c h a o s m i g h t ensue. T o d a y , the effort to 'keep
up
properly
appearances'
stands,
rather,
political space against the
for
the
onslaught
effort to maintain
the
o f the
all-
postmodern
e m b r a c i n g s o c i a l b o d y , w i t h its m u l t i t u d e o f p a r t i c u l a r i d e n t i t i e s . T h i s is a l s o h o w o n e Phenomenology:
has to r e a d H e g e l ' s famous
' t h e S u p r a s e n s i b l e is a p p e a r a n c e
dictum
2 8
from
qua a p p e a r a n c e ' .
his In
a
s e n t i m e n t a l a n s w e r t o a c h i l d a s k i n g h i m w h a t G o d ' s f a c e is l i k e , a p r i e s t answers that w h e n e v e r the child e n c o u n t e r s
a human
face
irradiating
b e n e v o l e n c e a n d g o o d n e s s , w h o e v e r this face b e l o n g s to, h e c a t c h e s a g l i m p s e o f H i s f a c e . . . . T h e t r u t h o f t h i s s e n t i m e n t a l p l a t i t u d e is t h a t t h e S u p r a s e n s i b l e ( G o d ' s f a c e ) is d i s c e r n i b l e as a m o m e n t a r y , f l e e t i n g a p p e a r a n c e , t h e ' g r i m a c e ' o f a n e a r t h l y f a c e . I t is this d i m e n s i o n o f ' a p p e a r a n c e ' transubstantiating
a p i e c e o f reality i n t o s o m e t h i n g which, for a
brief
m o m e n t , i r r a d i a t e s t h e s u p r a s e n s i b l e E t e r n i t y t h a t is m i s s i n g in t h e l o g i c o f t h e s i m u l a c r u m : in t h e s i m u l a c r u m , w h i c h b e c o m e s i n d i s t i n g u i s h a b l e f r o m t h e R e a l , e v e r y t h i n g is h e r e , a n d n o o t h e r , t r a n s c e n d e n t effectively
'appears'
in/through
it. H e r e
we
are
p r o b l e m a t i c o f t h e s u b l i m e : in K a n t ' s f a m o u s r e a d i n g o f t h e evoked
by the
French
Revolution
in
the
dimension
b a c k at the
enlightened
Kantian
enthusiasm
public
around
E u r o p e , t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y e v e n t s f u n c t i o n e d as a s i g n t h r o u g h w h i c h t h e dimension
o f trans-phenomenal
Freedom,
' A p p e a r a n c e ' is t h u s n o t s i m p l y t h e d o m a i n ' m a g i c m o m e n t s ' in w h i c h a n o t h e r ,
o f a free
society,
of phenomena,
noumcnal dimension
appeared. but
those
momentarily
' a p p e a r s ' in ( ' s h i n e s t h r o u g h ' ) s o m e e m p i r i c a l / c o n t i n g e n t p h e n o m e n o n . S o - b a c k t o H e g e l : ' t h e S u p r a s e n s i b l e is a p p e a r a n c e qua a p p e a r a n c e ' d o e s n o t s i m p l y m e a n t h a t t h e S u p r a s e n s i b l e is n o t a p o s i t i v e e n t i t y beyond p h e n o m e n a , b u t the i n h e r e n t p o w e r o f negativity which m a k e s
appear
a n c e ' m e r e l y a n a p p e a r a n c e ' , t h a t is, s o m e t h i n g t h a t is n o t i n i t s e l f fully actual, b u t c o n d e m n e d to perish in the p r o c e s s o f self-sublation. It also m e a n s t h a t t h e S u p r a s e n s i b l e is e f f e c t i v e o n l y as r e d o u b l e d , s e l f - r e f l e c t e d , self-related a p p e a r a n c e :
the S u p r a s e n s i b l e c o m e s i n t o e x i s t e n c e in
the
guise
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
197
o f an
the
appearance
of Another
Dimension
which
interrupts
s t a n d a r d n o r m a l o r d e r o f a p p e a r a n c e s qua p h e n o m e n a . T h a t is a l s o t h e p r o b l e m w i t h c y b e r s p a c e a n d v i r t u a l r e a l i t y ( V R ) : w h a t V R t h r e a t e n s is not ' r e a l i t y ' , w h i c h is d i s s o l v e d i n t h e m u l t i p l i c i t y o f its s i m u l a c r a , b u t , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , appearance.
S o in o r d e r to c o u n t e r
the
s t a n d a r d f e a r t h a t c y b e r s p a c e V R u n d e r m i n e s r e a l i t y , it is n o t e n o u g h
to
insist o n t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n reality a n d t h e R e a l ( c l a i m i n g that V R can g e n e r a t e a 'sense o f reality', b u t n o t the i m p o s s i b l e R e a l ) ; o n e s h o u l d also i n t r o d u c e a distinction, correlative to t h e o n e b e t w e e n reality a n d t h e Real, within
the order
of appearance
itself -
the
distinction
between
p h e n o m e n a l reality a n d the ' m a g i c ' a p p e a r a n c e s ( o f A n o t h e r D i m e n s i o n ) w i t h i n it. I n s h o r t , o n e s h o u l d d i s t i n g u i s h h e r e b e t w e e n two c o u p l e s o f o p p o s i t e s w h i c h a r e a b s o l u t e l y n o t t o b e c o n f u s e d in t h e s i n g l e o p p o s i t i o n o f a p p e a r a n c e v e r s u s r e a l i t y : t h e c o u p l e o f r e a l i t y a n d its s i m u l a c r u m , a n d t h e c o u p l e o f t h e R e a l a n d a p p e a r a n c e . T h e R e a l is a g r i m a c e o f r e a l i t y : say, a d i s g u s t i n g l y c o n t o r t e d f a c e transpires/appears.
In
in w h i c h
the Real o f a deadly
this s e n s e , t h e R e a l i t s e l f is a n
rage
appearance,
an
e l u s i v e s e m b l a n c e w h o s e f l e e t i n g p r e s e n c e / a b s e n c e is d i s c e r n i b l e i n t h e gaps a n d discontinuities o f t h e p h e n o m e n a l o r d e r o f reality. T h e
true
o p p o s i t i o n is t h u s b e t w e e n r e a l i t y / s i m u l a c r u m ( t h e two c o i n c i d e in V R ) a n d R e a l / a p p e a r a n c e . I n m o r e detail, o n e s h o u l d distinguish f o u r levels of appearance: •
a p p e a r a n c e in t h e s i m p l e s e n s e o f ' i l l u s i o n ' , t h e f a l s e / d i s t o r t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i o n / i m a g e o f reality ('things are n o t what they s e e m ' platitudes) -
although, o f course, a further
distinction n e e d s to b e
introduced
h e r e b e t w e e n a p p e a r a n c e qua m e r e s u b j e c t i v e i l l u s i o n ( d i s t o r t i n g t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l l y c o n s t i t u t e d o r d e r o f r e a l i t y ) a n d a p p e a r a n c e qua t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l l y c o n s t i t u t e d o r d e r o f p h e n o m e n a l r e a l i t y itself, w h i c h is o p p o s e d t o t h e T h i n g - i n - i t s e l f ; •
appearance
in
the
sense o f symbolic fiction, that
is, in
Hegelese,
a p p e a r a n c e as e s s e n t i a l : say, t h e o r d e r o f s y m b o l i c c u s t o m s a n d titles ( ' t h e h o n o u r a b l e j u d g e ' , e t c . ) w h i c h is ' m e r e l y a n a p p e a r a n c e ' - i f w e d i s t u r b it, h o w e v e r , s o c i a l r e a l i t y i t s e l f d i s i n t e g r a t e s ; •
a p p e a r a n c e i n t h e s e n s e o f s i g n s i n d i c a t i n g t h a t t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g b e y o n d (directly accessible p h e n o m e n a l
r e a l i t y ) , t h a t is, t h e
appear
a n c e o f t h e S u p r a s e n s i b l e : t h e S u p r a s e n s i b l e e x i s t s o n l y i n s o f a r as it appears
as such
(as t h e
indeterminate
presentiment
something beneath p h e n o m e n a l reality');
that
'there
is
THE
198 •
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
f i n a l l y ( a n d it is o n l y h e r e t h a t w e e n c o u n t e r w h a t p s y c h o a n a l y s i s c a l l s t h e ' f u n d a m e n t a l f a n t a s y ' , as w e l l as t h e m o s t r a d i c a l p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l n o t i o n o f ' p h e n o m e n a ' ) , t h e a p p e a r a n c e w h i c h fills t h e void i n t h e m i d s t o f r e a l i t y , t h a t is, t h e a p p e a r a n c e w h i c h c o n c e a l s t h e f a c t t h a t , b e n e a t h t h e p h e n o m e n a , t h e r e is n o t h i n g t o c o n c e a l .
T h e p r o b l e m w i t h K a n t is t h a t h e t e n d s t o c o n f u s e t h e l a s t two l e v e l s . T h a t is t o say, t h e
paradox
t o b e a c c e p t e d is t h a t t h e
Freedom, o f the Supreme
G o o d , appears
from the p h e n o m e n a l perspective o f the
realm o f
as s u c h
finite
noumenal
(as n o u m e n a l )
t o o c l o s e t o it, it c h a n g e s i n t o t h e m o n s t r o u s R e a l . . . . H e r e
Heidegger
was o n t h e r i g h t t r a c k w i t h h i s i n s i s t e n c e o n t e m p o r a l i t y as t h e unsurpassable meaning exactiy
ultimate
h o r i z o n , t h a t is, o f e t e r n i t y i t s e l f as a c a t e g o r y w h i c h
only within the
only
s u b j e c t : i n itself, i f w e g e t
same
the
temporal
way, w h a t
experience of a
K a n t was n o t
fully
finite
aware
subject:
o f is h o w
has in the
distinction between (our e x p e r i e n c e of) n o u m e n a l freedom and temporal i m m e r s i o n i n p h e n o m e n a is a d i s t i n c t i o n i n t e r n a l t o o u r
finite
temporal
experience.
Post-Politics T o d a y , h o w e v e r , we a r e d e a l i n g with a n o t h e r f o r m o f the d e n e g a t i o n o f t h e p o l i t i c a l , p o s t m o d e r n post-politics,
which n o longer merely 'represses'
t h e p o l i t i c a l , t r y i n g t o c o n t a i n it a n d p a c i f y t h e ' r e t u r n s o f t h e r e p r e s s e d ' , b u t m u c h m o r e e f f e c t i v e l y ' f o r e c l o s e s ' it, s o t h a t t h e p o s t m o d e r n f o r m s o f e t h n i c v i o l e n c e , with t h e i r ' i r r a t i o n a l ' e x c e s s i v e c h a r a c t e r , a r e n o l o n g e r simple
'returns o f the
repressed'
but,
rather,
represent
a case o f
the
f o r e c l o s e d ( f r o m t h e S y m b o l i c ) w h i c h , as w e k n o w f r o m L a c a n , r e t u r n s i n t h e Real. I n post-politics, t h e c o n f l i c t o f global i d e o l o g i c a l visions e m b o d ied in d i f f e r e n t collaboration
parties
which
o f enlightened
compete
for power
technocrats
is r e p l a c e d
(economists, public
by
the
opinion
s p e c i a l i s t s . . . ) a n d l i b e r a l m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t s ; via t h e p r o c e s s o f n e g o t i a t i o n o f interests, a c o m p r o m i s e
is r e a c h e d i n
the guise o f a m o r e
o r less
universal consensus. Post-politics thus emphasizes the n e e d to leave old ideological divisions b e h i n d
and
confront
necessary expert
and
free
knowledge
n e w issues, a r m e d
deliberation
that
takes
with
the
people's
concrete needs and demands into account. T h e b e s t f o r m u l a t h a t e x p r e s s e s t h e p a r a d o x o f p o s t - p o l i t i c s is p e r h a p s T o n y B l a i r ' s c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f N e w L a b o u r as t h e ' R a d i c a l C e n t r e ' : i n
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
199
t h e o l d days o f ' i d e o l o g i c a l ' p o l i t i c a l d i v i s i o n , t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n ' r a d i c a l ' was r e s e r v e d e i t h e r f o r t h e e x t r e m e L e f t o r f o r t h e e x t r e m e R i g h t . T h e C e n t r e was, by d e f i n i t i o n , m o d e r a t e : m e a s u r e d by t h e o l d s t a n d a r d s ,
the
t e r m ' R a d i c a l C e n t r e ' is t h e s a m e n o n s e n s e as ' r a d i c a l m o d e r a t i o n ' . W h a t m a k e s N e w L a b o u r ( o r B i l l C l i n t o n ' s p o l i t i c s i n t h e U S A ) ' r a d i c a l ' is its radical a b a n d o n m e n t o f the ' o l d i d e o l o g i c a l divides', usually f o r m u l a t e d in the guise o f a p a r a p h r a s e o f D e n g X i a o p i n g ' s m o t t o f r o m the 1960s: 'It d o e s n ' t m a t t e r i f a c a t is r e d o r w h i t e ; w h a t m a t t e r s is t h a t it a c t u a l l y c a t c h e s m i c e ' : i n the s a m e vein, a d v o c a t e s o f New L a b o u r like to e m p h a size t h a t o n e s h o u l d
take g o o d ideas without any p r e j u d i c e a n d
them, whatever their
( i d e o l o g i c a l ) origins. A n d what
are these
apply 'good
i d e a s ' ? T h e a n s w e r is, o f c o u r s e , ideas that work. I t is h e r e t h a t w e e n c o u n t e r the gap that separates a political act p r o p e r from the 'administration o f social matters' which r e m a i n s within the framework o f existing sociopoli t i c a l r e l a t i o n s : t h e p o l i t i c a l a c t ( i n t e r v e n t i o n ) p r o p e r is n o t s i m p l y s o m e t h i n g that works well within t h e f r a m e w o r k o f t h e e x i s t i n g r e l a t i o n s , b u t s o m e t h i n g t h a t changes say t h a t
the very framework
g o o d ideas are
'ideas
that determines
that work'
means
how things work. T o
that o n e
accepts
in
advance the (global capitalist) constellation that d e t e r m i n e s what works (if, f o r e x a m p l e , o n e s p e n d s l o o m u c h m o n e y o n e d u c a t i o n o r h e a l t h c a r e , that
'doesn't work',
s i n c e it i n f r i n g e s t o o m u c h
on
the
conditions of
capitalist profitability). O n e c a n also p u t it in t e r m s o f t h e
well-known
d e f i n i t i o n o f p o l i t i c s as t h e
p o l i t i c s is,
'art o f the possible': authentic
r a t h e r , t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e , t h a t is, t h e a r t o f t h e impossible - it c h a n g e s t h e very
parameters
of
what
is
considered
'possible'
in
the
existing
2
constellation. '' o f t h e i m p o s s i b l e is e f f e c t i v e l y p r e c l u d e d ,
the
political (the space o f litigation in which the e x c l u d e d c a n protest
When
this d i m e n s i o n
the
w r o n g / i n j u s t i c e d o n e to t h e m ) f o r e c l o s e d from the symbolic returns in t h e R e a l , i n t h e g u i s e o f n e w f o r m s o f racism; t h i s ' p o s t m o d e r n
racism'
e m e r g e s as t h e u l t i m a t e c o n s e q u e n c e o f t h e p o s t - p o l i t i c a l s u s p e n s i o n o f the political, the reduction o f the State to a m e r e police-agent servicing the
(consensually established) needs o f market forces and
multicultur-
a l i s l t o l e r a n t h u m a n i t a r i a n i s m : t h e ' f o r e i g n e r ' w h o s e s t a t u s is n e v e r p r o p erly ' r e g u l a t e d '
is t h e
indivisible
remainder
o f the transformation
o f the
d e m o c r a t i c political struggle into the post-political p r o c e d u r e o f n e g o t i a t i o n a n d m u l t i c u l t u r a h s t p o l i c i n g . I n s t e a d o f t h e political ing class' d e m a n d i n g
subject 'work
its u n i v e r s a l r i g h t s , w e g e l , o n t h e o n e h a n d ,
the
m u l t i p l i c i t y o f p a r t i c u l a r s o c i a l s t r a t a o r g r o u p s , e a c h w i t h its p r o b l e m s (the dwindling
n e e d for m a n u a l workers, etc.) and, on
the other,
the
THE TICKLISH
200 immigrant,
ever m o r e
prevented
SUBJECT
from
politicizing
his p r e d i c a m e n t
of
exclusion.*" T h e obvious counter-argument
h e r e is t h a t t o d a y it is t h e ( p o l i t i c a l )
R i g h t t h a t is a c c o m p l i s h i n g t h e a c t s , b o l d l y c h a n g i n g t h e v e r y r u l e s o f w h a t is c o n s i d e r e d a c c e p t a b l e - a d m i s s i b l e in t h e s p h e r e o f p u b l i c d i s c o u r s e : f r o m t h e way R e a g a n i s m a n d T h a t c h e r i s m l e g i t i m i z e d t h e d e b a t e
about
c u r t a i l i n g w o r k e r s ' rights a n d social b e n e f i t s , u p to t h e g r a d u a l legitimiza t i o n o f t h e ' o p e n d e b a t e ' a b o u t N a z i s m i n r e v i s i o n i s t h i s t o r i o g r a p h y d la N o l t e (was i t r e a l l y s o b a d ? W a s n o t C o m m u n i s m w o r s e , t h a t is, c a n n o t Nazism
be
understood
as a
reaction
to
Leninism-Stalinism?). Here,
h o w e v e r , it is c r u c i a l t o i n t r o d u c e a f u r t h e r d i s t i n c t i o n : f o r L a c a n , a t r u e a c t d o e s n o t o n l y r e t r o a c t i v e l y c h a n g e t h e r u l e s o f t h e s y m b o l i c s p a c e ; it a l s o d i s t u r b s t h e u n d e r l y i n g f a n t a s y - a n d h e r e , c o n c e r n i n g this c r u c i a l d i m e n s i o n , F a s c i s m e m p h a t i c a l l y d o c s not p a s s t h e c r i t e r i o n o f t h e a c t . F a s c i s t ' R e v o l u t i o n ' is, o n t h e c o n t r a r y , t h e p a r a d i g m a t i c c a s e o f a p s e u d o E v e n t , o f a s p e c t a c u l a r t u r m o i l d e s t i n e d to c o n c e a l t h e fact that, o n
the
m o s t f u n d a m e n t a l l e v e l ( t h a t o f t h e r e l a t i o n s o f p r o d u c t i o n ) , nothing
really
changes.
what
T h e F a s c i s t R e v o l u t i o n is t h u s t h e a n s w e r t o t h e q u e s t i o n :
d o w e h a v e t o c h a n g e s o t h a t , u l t i m a t e l y , n o t h i n g will r e a l l y c h a n g e ? O r
-
t o p u t it i n t e r m s o f t h e l i b i d i n a i e c o n o m y o f t h e i d e o l o g i c a l s p a c e - f a r from disturbing/'traversing'
t h e fantasy that u n d e r l i e s a n d sustains
the
capitalist social edifice, Fascist ideological revolution m e r e l y brings to the light the p h a n t a s m i c ' i n h e r e n t transgression' o f the ' n o r m a l '
bourgeois
i d e o l o g i c a l situation (the set o f implicit racist, sexist, etc., ' p r e j u d i c e s ' that e f f e c t i v e l y d e t e r m i n e t h e activity o f i n d i v i d u a l s i n it, a l t h o u g h t h e y a r e n o t publicly r e c o g n i z e d ) . O n e o f t o d a y ' s c o m m o n w i s d o m s is t h a t w e a r e e n t e r i n g a n e w m e d i e v a l society in t h e guise o f t h e N e w W o r l d O r d e r - t h e g r a i n o f t r u t h in this c o m p a r i s o n is t h a t t h e N e w W o r l d O r d e r , as i n m e d i e v a l t i m e s , is g l o b a l , b u t n o t u n i v e r s a l , s i n c e i t strives f o r a n e w g l o b a l order w i t h e a c h p a r t i n its a l l o c a t e d p l a c e . A t y p i c a l a d v o c a t e o f l i b e r a l i s m t o d a y t h r o w s workers' protests against r e d u c i n g their rights a n d right-wing on
fidelity
together insistence
t o t h e W e s t e r n c u l t u r a l h e r i t a g e : h e p e r c e i v e s b o t h as p i t i f u l
remainders o f the 'age o f ideology' which have n o relevance in post-ideological universe. However,
f o l l o w t o t a l l y i n c o m p a t i b l e l o g i c s : t h e R i g h t insists o n a particular n a l i d e n t i t y (ethnos tion;
while
for
o r habitat)
the
Left,
threatened the
today's
t h e two r e s i s t a n c e s t o g l o b a l i z a t i o n commu
by the o n s l a u g h t o f globaliza
dimension
under
threat
politicization, o f articulating 'impossible' u n / i w a / d e m a n d s f r o m within the existing s p a c e o f W o r l d O r d e r ) .
is
that
of
('impossible'
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S H e r e o n e s h o u l d o p p o s e globalization
a n d universalization:
201
globalization
( n o t o n l y in t h e s e n s e o f g l o b a l c a p i t a l i s m , t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a g l o b a l w o r l d m a r k e t , b u t a l s o i n t h e s e n s e o f t h e a s s e r d o n o f ' h u m a n i t y ' as t h e global point o f r e f e r e n c e for h u m a n
rights,
legitimizing the violation o f
State sovereignty, from trade restrictions to direct military interventions, in parts o f the world w h e r e global h u m a n
rights
a r e v i o l a t e d ) is p r e c i s e l y
the n a m e for the e m e r g i n g post-political logic which progressively cludes the d i m e n s i o n o f universality that appears in politicization T h e p a r a d o x is t h a t t h e r e is n o Universal political litigation,
o f the
'part
of no
pre
proper.
p r o p e r without the process o f part',
o f an
out-ofjoint
entity
p r e s e n t i n g / m a n i f e s t i n g i t s e l f as t h e s t a n d - i n f o r t h e U n i v e r s a l . One
should
link Ranciere's notion
excessive, non-functional p o s e d by B a l i b a r : talist'
3 1
o f post-politics to the n o t i o n
c r u e l t y as a f e a t u r e o f c o n t e m p o r a r y l i f e ,
a cruelty whose manifestations range from
racist a n d / o r
religious slaughter
to t h e
of pro
'fundamen
'senseless' outbursts
of
v i o l e n c e b y a d o l e s c e n t s a n d t h e h o m e l e s s in o u r m e g a l o p o l i s e s , a v i o l e n c e o n e is t e m p t e d
t o c a l l /rf-Evil, a v i o l e n c e g r o u n d e d
in n o utilitarian
or
i d e o l o g i c a l r e a s o n . A l l t h e talk a b o u t f o r e i g n e r s s t e a l i n g w o r k f r o m u s , o r t h e d i r e a t t h e y r e p r e s e n t to o u r W e s t e r n v a l u e s , s h o u l d n o t d e c e i v e u s : u n d e r c l o s e r e x a m i n a t i o n , it s o o n b e c o m e s c l e a r t h a t t h i s t a l k p r o v i d e s a rather
superficial
obtain
from
secondary
a skinhead
rationalization.
is t h a t
it m a k e s
The him
answer feel
we
good
to
ultimately beat
up
f o r e i g n e r s , t h a t t h e i r p r e s e n c e d i s t u r b s h i m . . . . W h a t we e n c o u n t e r
here
is i n d e e d
most
/rf-Evil,
that
is, Evil s t r u c t u r e d
and
motivated
by t h e
e l e m e n t a r y i m b a l a n c e i n t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e E g o and.
puissance,
b y t h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n p l e a s u r e a n d t h e f o r e i g n b o d y o f jouissance
at t h e
v e r y h e a r t o f it. I d - E v i l t h u s s t a g e s t h e m o s t e l e m e n t a r y ' s h o r t c i r c u i t ' i n t h e s u b j e c t ' s r e l a t i o n s h i p to t h e p r i m o r d i a l l y missing o b j e c t - c a u s e o f his desire: w h a t ' b o t h e r s ' us in t h e ' o t h e r '
(Jew, J a p a n e s e , A f r i c a n , T u r k . . .)
is t h a t h e a p p e a r s t o e n j o y a p r i v i l e g e d r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e o b j e c t -
the
o t h e r e i t h e r p o s s e s s e s t h e o b j e c t - t r e a s u r e , h a v i n g s n a t c h e d it away f r o m us ( w h i c h is why we d o n ' t h a v e i t ) , o r h e p o s e s a t h r e a t t o o u r p o s s e s s i o n o f the object.
3 2
W h a t o n e s h o u l d s u g g e s t h e r e , a g a i n , is t h e H e g e l i a n ' i n f i n i t e j u d g e m e n t ' asserting the speculative identity o f these 'useless' a n d
'excessive'
outbursts o f v i o l e n c e , which display n o t h i n g b u t a p u r e a n d n a k e d sublimated') universe
hatred o f O t h e r n e s s , a n d the post-political
o f tolerance o f difference,
in w h i c h
nobody
('non-
multiculturalist is e x c l u d e d .
Of
c o u r s e , I h a v e j u s t u s e d t h e t e r m ' n o n - s u b l i m a t e d ' in its u s u a l s e n s e w h i c h , in
this case, stands
for
the
exact opposite
o f its s t r i c t
psychoanalytic
THE TICKLISH
202
SUBJECT
m e a n i n g - in short, what takes p l a c e in t h e f o c u s i n g o f o u r h a t r e d
on
s o m e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e ( o f f i c i a l l y t o l e r a t e d ) O t h e r is t h e v e r y m e c h a n i s m o f sublimation
a t its m o s t e l e m e n t a r y : t h e a l l - e n c o m p a s s i n g n a t u r e
o f the post-political C o n c r e t e Universality w h i c h a c c o u n t s for everybody at t h e level o f s y m b o l i c i n c l u s i o n , this multiculturalist vision-and-practice o f ' u n i t y i n d i f f e r e n c e ' ( ' a l l e q u a l , all d i f f e r e n t ' ) , l e a v e s o p e n , as t h e o n l y way t o m a r k t h e D i f f e r e n c e , t h e p r o t o - s u b l i m a t o r y g e s t u r e o f e l e v a t i n g a c o n t i n g e n t O t h e r ( o f race, sex, religion . . .) into the 'absolute O t h e r n e s s ' o f the i m p o s s i b l e T h i n g , the u l t i m a t e t h r e a t to o u r identity - this T h i n g w h i c h m u s t b e a n n i h i l a t e d i f w e a r e t o survive. T h e r e i n l i e s t h e p r o p e r l y H e g e l i a n p a r a d o x : t h e final a r r i v a l o f t h e t r u l y r a t i o n a l ' c o n c r e t e u n i v e r sality'
-
the
abolition
o f antagonisms,
the
negotiated coexistence o f different groups -
'mature'
universe
of
the
c o i n c i d e s w i t h its r a d i c a l
o p p o s i t e , with t h o r o u g h l y c o n t i n g e n t outbursts o f v i o l e n c e . H e g e l ' s f u n d a m e n t a l r u l e is t h a t ' o b j e c t i v e ' e x c e s s ( t h e d i r e c t r e i g n o f a b s t r a c t u n i v e r s a l i t y w h i c h i m p o s e s its l a w ' m e c h a n i c a l l y ' , w i t h c o m p l e t e d i s r e g a r d f o r t h e c o n c e r n e d s u b j e c t c a u g h t i n its w e b ) is always s u p p l e mented
by the
'subjective' excess (the irregular,
arbitrary exercise o f
w h i m s ) . A n e x c e l l e n t i l l u s t r a t i o n o f t h i s i n t e r d e p e n d e n c e is p r o v i d e d b y Balibar,
1 3
w h o d i s t i n g u i s h e s two o p p o s i t e b u t c o m p l e m e n t a r y m o d e s o f
e x c e s s i v e v i o l e n c e : t h e ' u l t r a - o b j e c t i v e ' ( ' s t r u c t u r a l ' ) v i o l e n c e t h a t is i n h e r e n t in t h e social c o n d i t i o n s o f g l o b a l capitalism ( t h e ' a u t o m a t i c ' c r e a t i o n o f e x c l u d e d a n d d i s p e n s a b l e individuals, f r o m t h e h o m e l e s s to t h e u n e m p l o y e d ) , a n d the 'ultra-subjective' v i o l e n c e o f newly e m e r g i n g e t h n i c a n d / or
religious
(in short:
racist)
'fundamentalisms'.
This
'excessive'
and
' g r o u n d l e s s ' v i o l e n c e i n v o l v e s its o w n m o d e o f k n o w l e d g e , t h a t o f i m p o tent cynical reflection -
b a c k t o o u r e x a m p l e o f /d-Evil, o f a
skinhead
b e a t i n g u p f o r e i g n e r s : w h e n h e is r e a l l y p r e s s e d f o r t h e r e a s o n s f o r h i s v i o l e n c e , a n d i f h e is c a p a b l e o f m i n i m a l t h e o r e t i c a l r e f l e c t i o n , h e will s u d d e n l y start to talk like social workers, sociologists a n d social p s y c h o l o gists, q u o t i n g d i m i n i s h e d s o c i a l m o b i l i t y , r i s i n g i n s e c u r i t y , t h e d i s i n t e g r a tion o f p a t e r n a l authority, the lack o f m a t e r n a l love in his early c h i l d h o o d . . . in s h o r t , h e will p r o v i d e t h e m o r e o r l e s s p r e c i s e p s y c h o s o c i o l o g i c a l a c c o u n t o f his acts so d e a r to e n l i g h t e n e d liberals e a g e r to ' u n d e r s t a n d ' v i o l e n t y o u t h as t r a g i c v i c t i m s o f t h e i r s o c i a l a n d f a m i l i a l c o n d i t i o n s . H e r e the standard e n l i g h t e n e d formula o f the efficiency o f the 'critique o f ideology' from Plato onwards
( ' T h e y ' r e d o i n g it b e c a u s e t h e y d o n ' t
k n o w w h a t t h e y ' r e d o i n g ' - t h a t is, k n o w l e d g e i n i t s e l f is l i b e r a t i n g ; w h e n t h e e r r i n g s u b j e c t r e f l e c t s u p o n w h a t h e is d o i n g , h e will n o l o n g e r b e d o i n g i t ) is t u r n e d a r o u n d : t h e v i o l e n t s k i n h e a d ' k n o w s v e r y w e l l w h a t
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S he's doing, but he's nevertheless doing i t ' . knowledge embedded
M
203
T h e symbolically efficient
i n t h e s u b j e c t ' s a c t u a l s o c i a l praxis
disintegrates
i n t o , o n t h e o n e h a n d , e x c e s s i v e ' i r r a t i o n a l ' v i o l e n c e with n o i d e o l o g i c o political foundation and, on the o t h e r , i m p o t e n t external reflecdon that leaves t h e s u b j e c t ' s acts intact. I n t h e g u i s e o f this cynically i m p o t e n t r e f l e c t i n g s k i n h e a d w h o , with a n i r o n i c s m i l e , e x p l a i n s the r o o t s o f his s e n s e l e s s l y v i o l e n t b e h a v i o u r to t h e p e r p l e x e d j o u r n a l i s t , t h e e n l i g h t e n e d t o l e r a n t m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t b e n t o n ' u n d e r s t a n d i n g ' f o r m s o f e x c e s s i v e vio l e n c e g e t s h i s o w n m e s s a g e i n its i n v e r t e d , t r u e f o r m - i n s h o r t , as L a c a n w o u l d h a v e p u t it, a t t h i s p o i n t t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n b e t w e e n h i m a n d t h e ' o b j e c t ' o f h i s study, t h e i n t o l e r a n t s k i n h e a d , is t h o r o u g h l y s u c c e s s f u l . T h e distinction b e t w e e n this excessive 'dysfunctional' v i o l e n c e a n d the o b s c e n e v i o l e n c e t h a t s e r v e s as t h e i m p l i c i t s u p p o r t o f a s t a n d a r d i d e o l o g i c a l u n i v e r s a l n o t i o n is c r u c i a l h e r e
(when 'the rights o f m a n ' are
'not
really universal' b u t 'in fact the right o f white property-owning m a l e s ' , any a t t e m p t to d i s r e g a r d this i m p l i c i t u n d e r l y i n g set o f u n w r i t t e n rules that effectively
constrain
violence). Nowhere
the
universality
is t h i s c o n t r a s t
o f rights stronger
is m e t than
in
by outbursts the
case o f
of the
A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n s : a l t h o u g h they w e r e formally e n t i t l e d to p a r t i c i p a t e in p o l i t i c a l life by t h e m e r e f a c t o f b e i n g A m e r i c a n c i t i z e n s , t h e o l d p a r a political d e m o c r a t i c racism p r e v e n t e d t h e i r actual participation by silently enforcing
their
exclusion
(via v e r b a l
and
physical threats,
etc.).
The
a p p r o p r i a t e a n s w e r t o t h i s s t a n d a r d e x c l u s i o n - f r o m - t h e - U n i v e r s a l was t h e g r e a t Civil R i g h t s m o v e m e n t a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e n a m e o f M a r t i n L u t h e r K i n g : it s u s p e n d e d
the implicit o b s c e n e supplement
tiiat
enacted
the
a c t u a l e x c l u s i o n o f B l a c k s f r o m f o r m a l u n i v e r s a l e q u a l i t y - o f c o u r s e , it was e a s y f o r s u c h a g e s t u r e t o g a i n t h e s u p p o r t o f t h e l a r g e m a j o r i t y o f t h e white liberal upper-class establishment, dismissing o p p o n e n t s low-class S o u t h e r n
rednecks. Today, however,
the
as
very terrain
dumb of
the
s t r u g g l e h a s c h a n g e d : t h e p o s t - p o l i t i c a l l i b e r a l e s t a b l i s h m e n t n o t o n l y fully a c k n o w l e d g e s t h e g a p b e t w e e n m e r e f o r m a l e q u a l i t y a n d its a c t u a l i z a t i o n / i m p l e m e n t a t i o n , it n o t o n l y a c k n o w l e d g e s t h e e x c l u s i o n a r y l o g i c o f i d e o l o g i c a l u n i v e r s a l i t y ; it e v e n a c t i v e l y
fights
false'
it b y a p p l y i n g t o it a vast
legal-psychological-sociological network o f measures, from identifying the specific p r o b l e m s o f every g r o u p a n d s u b g r o u p
(not only homosexuals
b u t African-American lesbians, African-American lesbian m o t h e r s , AfricanAmerican
unemployed
lesbian m o t h e r s . . .) up
to proposing
a set o f
m e a s u r e s ('affirmative action', e t c . ) to rectify the wrong. W h a t s u c h a t o l e r a n t p r o c e d u r e p r e c l u d e s is t h e g e s t u r e o f
pohticization
p r o p e r : a l t h o u g h t h e difficulties o f b e i n g a n A f r i c a n - A m e r i c a n u n e m p l o y e d
THE
204
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
l e s b i a n m o t h e r a r e a d e q u a t e l y c a t a l o g u e d r i g h t d o w n t o its m o s t s p e c i f i c features, t h e c o n c e r n e d s u b j e c t n o n e t h e less s o m e h o w 'feels' that t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g ' w r o n g ' a n d ' f r u s t r a t i n g ' i n t h i s v e r y e f f o r t to m e t e o u t j u s t i c e t o h e r s p e c i f i c p r e d i c a m e n t - w h a t s h e is d e p r i v e d o f is t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f for
the
universal ' w r o n g ' . T h e o n l y way to a r t i c u l a t e this universality - t h e
'metaphoric'
elevation o f h e r specific
'wrong'
into a stand-in
fact
t h a t I , p r e c i s e l y , a m not m e r e l y t h a t s p e c i f i c i n d i v i d u a l e x p o s e d t o a s e t o f s p e c i f i c i n j u s t i c e s - c o n s i s t s , t h e n , i n its a p p a r e n t o p p o s i t e , i n t h e
thor
o u g h l y ' i r r a t i o n a l ' e x c e s s i v e o u t b u r s t o f v i o l e n c e . T h e o l d H e g e l i a n r u l e is a g a i n c o n f i r m e d h e r e : t h e o n l y way f o r a u n i v e r s a l i t y t o c o m e i n t o e x i s t e n c e , t o ' p o s i t ' i t s e l f ' a s s u c h ' , is i n t h e g u i s e o f its v e r y o p p o s i t e , o f w h a t c a n n o t b u t a p p e a r as a n e x c e s s i v e ' i r r a t i o n a l ' w h i m . T h e s e v i o l e n t a Vacte b e a r w i t n e s s t o s o m e u n d e r l y i n g antagonism
passages
that can no longer be
f o r m u l a t e d - s y m b o l i z e d in p r o p e r l y p o l i t i c a l t e r m s . T h e o n l y way to c o u n t e r a c t t h e s e e x c e s s i v e ' i r r a t i o n a l ' o u t b u r s t s is t o a p p r o a c h t h e q u e s t i o n o f w h a t n o n e t h e less r e m a i n s f o r e c l o s e d in t h e very a l l - i n c l u s i o n a r y / t o l e r a n t post-political logic, a n d
to actualize this f o r e c l o s e d d i m e n s i o n in
some
new m o d e o f political subjectivization. L e t us r e c a l l t h e s t a n d a r d e x a m p l e o f a p o p u l a r p r o t e s t ( m a s s d e m o n s t r a t i o n , s t r i k e , b o y c o t t ) d i r e c t e d a t a s p e c i f i c p o i n t , t h a t is, f o c u s i n g o n a particular d e m a n d
('Abolish that new tax! Justice for the
imprisoned!
S t o p exploiting that natural r e s o u r c e ! ' . . .) - the situation b e c o m e s polit icized when
this p a r t i c u l a r d e m a n d
s t a r t s t o f u n c t i o n as a
metaphoric
c o n d e n s a t i o n o f the g l o b a l o p p o s i t i o n against T h e m , t h o s e in p o w e r , so t h a t t h e p r o t e s t is n o l o n g e r a c t u a l l y j u s t a b o u t t h a t d e m a n d , b u t
about
t h e universal d i m e n s i o n t h a t r e s o n a t e s in t h a t p a r t i c u l a r d e m a n d (for this reason, protesters
often feel s o m e h o w deceived w h e n
those in
power
a g a i n s t w h o m t h e i r p r o t e s t was a d d r e s s e d s i m p l y a c c e p t t h e i r d e m a n d
-
as if, i n t h i s way, t h e y h a v e s o m e h o w f r u s t r a t e d t h e m , d e p r i v i n g t h e m o f t h e t r u e a i m o f t h e i r p r o t e s t in t h e very guise o f a c c e p t i n g t h e i r d e m a n d ) . W h a t p o s t - p o l i t i c s t e n d s t o p r e v e n t is p r e c i s e l y t h i s m e l a p h o r i c u n i v e r s a l i zation o f p a r t i c u l a r d e m a n d s : post-politics m o b i l i z e s t h e vast a p p a r a t u s o f experts, social workers, a n d so o n , to r e d u c e the overall d e m a n d plaint)
o f a particular
content - no wonder
group
to j u s t this d e m a n d ,
with
its
this s u f f o c a t i n g c l o s u r e gives b i r t h to
(com
particular 'irrational'
o u t b u r s t s o f v i o l e n c e as t h e o n l y way t o give e x p r e s s i o n t o t h e d i m e n s i o n b e y o n d particularity. T h i s a r g u m e n t a t i o n is n o t t o b e c o n f u s e d w i t h t h e p o i n t , m a d e b y m a n y a conservative critic, a c c o r d i n g to which return
o f the
repressed
of our
anaemic
violent outbursts liberal Western
signify
the
civilization.
POLITICAL
SUBJECTIVIZATION
AND
ITS VICISSITUDES
205
E x e m p l a r y h e r e is M a r i o V a r g a s L l o s a ' s a r g u m e n t a t i o n t h a t ' t h e h o o l i g a n is n o b a r b a r i a n : h e is a n e x q u i s i t e a n d t e r r i b l e p r o d u c t o f c i v i l i z a t i o n ' .
3 5
L l o s a t a k e s as h i s s t a r t i n g p o i n t t h e o b s e r v a t i o n t h a t t h e t y p i c a l v i o l e n t s o c c e r f a n is n o t a n u n e m p l o y e d
lumpenproletarian
but a comfortably off
m i d d l e - c l a s s w o r k e r , t h a t is, t h e v e r y e p i t o m e o f g e n t i e g o o d m a n n e r s a n d civilized c o m p a s s i o n - his violent outbursts are ' r e t u r n s o f t h e r e p r e s s e d ' , the reassertion o f the violent orgy increasingly p r o h i b i t e d by o u r civilized liberal societies. T h r o u g h a m i s l e a d i n g r e f e r e n c e to F r e u d , L l o s a mystifies a n d n a t u r a l i z e s c u r r e n t v i o l e n t o u t b u r s t s : as i f t h e r e is a
fixed,
irreducible
propensity towards violent outbursts in h u m a n n a t u r e , a n d w h e n
sacred
o r g i e s a r e n o l o n g e r p e r m i t t e d as its l e g i t i m a t e e x p r e s s i o n , t h i s p r o p e n s i t y h a s t o find a n o t h e r way t o e x p r e s s itself. . . . I n c l e a r c o n t r a s t t o t h i s l i n e of argumentation,
m y p o i n t is m u c h
stronger: the neo-Nazi
skinhead's
e t h n i c v i o l e n c e is n o t t h e ' r e t u r n o f t h e r e p r e s s e d ' o f t h e l i b e r a l m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t t o l e r a n c e , b u t directly generated
by it, its o w n c o n c e a l e d t r u e f a c e .
Is T h e r e a Progressive
ILurocentrism?
T h i s c o n c e p t u a l f r a m e e n a b l e s us t o a p p r o a c h E a s t e r n E u r o p e a n
Social
i s m i n a n e w way. T h e p a s s a g e f r o m a c t u a l l y e x i s t i n g S o c i a l i s m t o a c t u a l l y existing capitalism in E a s t e r n E u r o p e b r o u g h t reversals
o f sublime
democratic
enthusiasm
about a series o f c o m i c into
the
ridiculous.
The
dignified East G e r m a n crowds gathering a r o u n d Protestant c h u r c h e s a n d h e r o i c a l l y d e f y i n g Stasi t e r r o r s u d d e n l y t u r n e d i n t o v u l g a r c o n s u m e r s o f bananas and cheap pornography; appeal
the civilized C z e c h s m o b i l i z e d by the
o f Havel a n d o t h e r cultural
icons suddenly
turned into
swindlers o f W e s t e r n tourists. . . . T h e d i s a p p o i n t m e n t
cheap
was m u t u a l :
the
W e s t , w h i c h b e g a n b y i d o l i z i n g t h e E a s t e r n d i s s i d e n t m o v e m e n t as t h e r e i n v e n t i o n o f its o w n t i r e d d e m o c r a c y , d i s a p p o i n t e d l y d i s m i s s e s t h e p r e s e n t p o s t - S o c i a l i s t r e g i m e s as a m i x t u r e o f t h e c o r r u p t e x - C o m m u n i s t o l i g a r c h y a n d / o r ethnic and religious fundamentalists
(even the dwindling liberals
a r e m i s t r u s t e d as i n s u f f i c i e n t l y ' p o l i t i c a l l y c o r r e c t ' : w h e r e is t h e i r f e m i n i s t awareness?
etc.); the East, which
began
b y i d o l i z i n g t h e W e s t as
the
e x a m p l e o f a f f l u e n t d e m o c r a c y t o b e f o l l o w e d , finds i t s e l f i n t h e w h i r l p o o l o f r u t h l e s s c o m m e r c i a l i z a t i o n a n d e c o n o m i c c o l o n i z a t i o n . S o was all t h i s worth the effort? T h e hero o f Dashiell Hammett's
Maltese
Falcon,
the private
detective
S a m S p a d e , n a r r a t e s t h e s t o r y o f h i s b e i n g h i r e d t o find a m a n w h o
had
s u d d e n l y left his s e t t l e d j o b a n d f a m i l y , a n d v a n i s h e d . S p a d e is u n a b l e to
THE TICKLISH
206
SUBJECT
t r a c k h i m down, h u t a few years l a t e r h e a c c i d e n t a l l y e n c o u n t e r s t h e m a n i n a b a r i n a n o t h e r c i t y . U n d e r a n a s s u m e d n a m e , t h e m a n is l e a d i n g a life r e m a r k a b l y s i m i l a r t o t h e o n e h e f l e d f r o m
(a regular b o r i n g j o b , a
n e w wife a n d c h i l d r e n ) - d e s p i t e t h i s s i m i l a r i t y , h o w e v e r , h e is c o n v i n c e d t h a t h i s n e w b e g i n n i n g was n o t i n v a i n , t h a t it was w e l l w o r t h t h e t r o u b l e t o c u t his ties a n d start a n e w life. . . . P e r h a p s t h e s a m e g o e s f o r
the
passage from actually existing Socialism to acutally existing capitalism in ex-Communist East E u r o p e a n
countries: despite
betrayed
enthusiastic
e x p e c t a t i o n s , s o m e t h i n g did t a k e p l a c e i n b e t w e e n , i n t h e p a s s a g e i t s e l f , and
it is i n
mediator',
this E v e n t w h i c h
in this m o m e n t
t o o k place in
between,
this
o f democratic enthusiasm,
'vanishing
that we
should
l o c a t e t h e c r u c i a l d i m e n s i o n o b f u s c a t e d by l a t e r r e n o r m a l i z a t i o n . I t is c l e a r t h a t t h e p r o t e s t i n g c r o w d s i n t h e D D R , P o l a n d a n d t h e C z e c h R e p u b l i c ' w a n t e d s o m e t h i n g e l s e ' , a Utopian o b j e c t o f i m p o s s i b l e F u l l n e s s designated by a multiplicity o f n a m e s ('solidarity', ' h u m a n rights', e t c . ) , not w h a t t h e y a c t u a l l y g o t . T h e r e a r e two p o s s i b l e r e a c t i o n s t o t h i s between
expectations and
r e a l i t y ; t h e b e s t way t o c a p t u r e
them
gap is b y
r e f e r e n c e to t h e w e l l - k n o w n o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n fool a n d knave. T h e f o o l is a s i m p l e t o n , a c o u r t j e s t e r w h o is a l l o w e d t o tell t h e t r u t h p r e c i s e l y because
the
'performative
power'
(the
sociopolitical efficacy)
of
his
s p e e c h is s u s p e n d e d ; t h e k n a v e is t h e c y n i c w h o o p e n l y s t a t e s t h e t r u t h , a c r o o k w h o t r i e s t o s e l l t h e o p e n a d m i s s i o n o f h i s c r o o k e d n e s s as h o n e s t y , a s c o u n d r e l who admits the n e e d for illegitimate repression in o r d e r
to
m a i n t a i n s o c i a l s t a b i l i t y . F o l l o w i n g t h e fall o f S o c i a l i s m , t h e k n a v e is a n e o c o n s e r v a t i v e a d v o c a t e o f t h e f r e e m a r k e t , w h o c r u e l l y r e j e c t s all f o r m s o f s o c i a l s o l i d a r i t y as c o u n t e r p r o d u c t i v e s e n t i m e n t a l i s m ; w h i l e t h e f o o l is a m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t ' r a d i c a l ' social critic w h o , by m e a n s o f his ludic p r o c e d u r e s d e s t i n e d t o ' s u b v e r t ' t h e e x i s t i n g o r d e r , a c t u a l l y s e r v e s as its s u p p l e m e n t . W i t h r e g a r d t o E a s t e r n E u r o p e , a k n a v e d i s m i s s e s t h e ' t h i r d way' p r o j e c t o f Neues
Forum
i n t h e e x - D D R as h o p e l e s s l y o u t d a t e d
utopianism,
e x h o r t s us t o a c c e p t c r u e l m a r k e t r e a l i t y ; w h i l e a f o o l i n s i s t s t h a t
and the
collapse o f S o c i a l i s m has actually o p e n e d up a T h i r d Way, a possibility left r
u n e x p l o i t e d by the W estern r e c o l o n i z a t i o n o f the East. T h i s c r u e l r e v e r s a l o f t h e s u b l i m e i n t o t h e r i d i c u l o u s was, o f c o u r s e , g r o u n d e d i n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e r e was a d o u b l e m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g a t w o r k i n the public (self-)perception o f social protest m o v e m e n t s (from Solidarity t o Neues Forum)
in t h e last years o f E a s t e r n E u r o p e a n S o c i a l i s m . O n
o n e h a n d , t h e r e w e r e t h e a t t e m p t s o f t h e r u l i n g nomenklatura these
events
in
their
police/political
framework,
by
the
to reinscribe distinguishing
b e t w e e n ' h o n e s t critics' with w h o m o n e c o u l d discuss m a t t e r s in a c a l m ,
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
207
rational, depoliticized atmosphere, a n d a b u n c h o f extremist provocateurs w h o served foreign interests.
3 6
T h e b a t t l e was t h u s n o t o n l y f o r h i g h e r
wages a n d b e t t e r c o n d i t i o n s , b u t also - a n d a b o v e all - for t h e workers to b e a c k n o w l e d g e d as l e g i t i m a t e p a r t n e r s i n n e g o t i a t i n g w i t h r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f the regime - the m o m e n t the powers that b e were forced to accept this,
t h e battle was i n a way already w o n .
3 7
When
these
movements
e x p l o d e d in a b r o a d mass p h e n o m e n o n , their d e m a n d s f o r f r e e d o m a n d d e m o c r a c y ( a n d solidarity a n d . . .) were also m i s p e r c e i v e d b y W e s t e r n c o m m e n t a t o r s w h o saw in t h e m c o n f i r m a t i o n that t h e p e o p l e o f the East also want what t h e p e o p l e in the W e s t already have: they automatically translated these demands freedom
into the Western liberal-democratic notion o f
(multiparty representational
political g a m e
cum g l o b a l
market
economy). Emblematic Rather,
to the point
the American
o f caricature
news r e p o r t e r ,
h e r e was t h e figure
on Tiananmen
Square
o f Dan in 1 9 8 9 ,
s t a n d i n g i n f r o n t o f a c o p y o f t h e S t a t u e o f L i b e r t y a n d c l a i m i n g that this s t a t u e says e v e r y t h i n g a b o u t w h a t t h e p r o t e s t i n g s t u d e n t s w e r e (in
short,
if you scratch
t h e yellow skin
demanding
o f a Chinese, you
find
an
A m e r i c a n ) . W h a t t h i s s t a t u e a c t u a l l y s t o o d f o r was a Utopian l o n g i n g t h a t h a d n o t h i n g to d o with t h e real U S A ( i n c i d e n t a l l y , it was t h e s a m e with the original immigrants
to America, for whom
t h e view o f t h e
statue
s t o o d f o r a Utopian l o n g i n g t h a t was s o o n c r u s h e d ) . T h e p e r c e p t i o n o f the A m e r i c a n m e d i a thus offered a n o t h e r e x a m p l e o f t h e reinscription o f t h e e x p l o s i o n o f w h a t , as w e h a v e s e e n , E t i e n n e B a l i b a r c a l l s (the unconditional
demand
for freedom-equality
which
egaliberte
explodes any
positive o r d e r ) within t h e c o n f i n e s o f a given o r d e r . Are we, then, c o n d e m n e d between
a knave
contours
o f this
fundamental
to the debilitating alternative o f choosing
a n d a f o o l , o r is t h e r e tertium
datur
a tertium
can be discerned
datur?
Perhaps
via r e f e r e n c e
the
to the
E u r o p e a n l e g a c y . W h e n o n e says ' E u r o p e a n l e g a c y ' , e v e r y
s e l f - r e s p e c t i n g leftist i n t e l l e c t u a l h a s t h e s a m e r e a c t i o n as J o s e p h G o e b b e l s h a d t o c u l t u r e as s u c h : h e r e a c h e s f o r h i s g u n a n d s t a r t s t o f i r e a c c u s a t i o n s o f proto-Fascist E u r o c e n t r i s t cultural i m p e r i a l i s m . . . . Is it possible, how e v e r , t o i m a g i n e a leftist a p p r o p r i a t i o n o f t h e E u r o p e a n p o l i t i c a l t r a d i t i o n ? Y e s , i f w e f o l l o w R a n c i e r e a n d i d e n t i f y as t h e c o r e o f t h i s t r a d i t i o n t h e u n i q u e g e s t u r e o f d e m o c r a t i c p o l i t i c a l s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n : it w a s t h i s p o l i t i c i z a t i o n p r o p e r w h i c h r e - e m e r g e d violently in t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f E a s t e r n E u r o p e a n S o c i a l i s m . F r o m m y own political past, I r e m e m b e r h o w , after f o u r j o u r n a l i s t s w e r e a r r e s t e d a n d b r o u g h t t o trial b y t h e Y u g o s l a v A r m y in Slovenia in 1 9 8 8 , I participated in the ' C o m m i t t e e f o r t h e protection
THE
208 of the
human
rights
TICKLISH
o f the four
SUBJECT
a c c u s e d ' . Officially,
the
goal o f the
C o m m i t t e e was s i m p l y t o g u a r a n t e e f a i r t r e a t m e n t f o r t h e f o u r a c c u s e d ; however, the
Committee
turned
into the
major oppositional
political
force, practically t h e S l o v e n e version o f the C z e c h Civic F o r u m o r East G e r m a n Neues Forum,
the body which co-ordinated democratic opposition,
a de facto r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f civil s o c i e t y . The Committee's programme
c o n s i s t e d o f f o u r i t e m s ; t h e first
three
directiy c o n c e r n e d the a c c u s e d , while the 'devil in t h e detail', o f c o u r s e , was t h e f o u r t h i t e m , w h i c h s a i d t h a t t h e C o m m i t t e e w a n t e d t o c l a r i f y t h e entire b a c k g r o u n d o f the arrest o f the four accused, a n d thus contribute to c r e a t i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s in w h i c h possible -
such
arrests would
a c o d e d way o f s a y i n g t h a t w e w a n t e d
existing Socialist regime. O u r
demand
no
longer
be
the abolition o f the
'Justice for the
four
accused!'
s t a r t e d t o f u n c t i o n as t h e m e t a p h o r i c c o n d e n s a t i o n o f t h e d e m a n d
for
t h e global o v e r t h r o w o f t h e Socialist r e g i m e . F o r t h a t r e a s o n , in a l m o s t daily n e g o t i a t i o n s with t h e C o m m i t t e e , C o m m u n i s t Party officials
were
always a c c u s i n g u s o f a ' h i d d e n a g e n d a ' , c l a i m i n g t h a t t h e l i b e r a t i o n o f t h e f o u r a c c u s e d was n o t o u r t r u e g o a l - t h a t w e w e r e ' e x p l o i t i n g a n d manipulating
the arrest and
trial f o r o t h e r , d a r k e r
political goals'. In
short, the C o m m u n i s t s w a n t e d to play t h e ' r a t i o n a l ' d e p o l i t i c i z e d g a m e : they wanted
to deprive
the
slogan
'Justice for
the
four
accused!' o f
its e x p l o s i v e g e n e r a l c o n n o t a t i o n , a n d r e d u c e it t o its l i t e r a l
meaning,
w h i c h c o n c e r n e d j u s t a m i n o r l e g a l m a t t e r ; t h e y c y n i c a l l y c l a i m e d t h a t it was w e , t h e manipulating
Committee, who were
behaving
'non-democratically'
and
the fate o f t h e a c c u s e d , using g l o b a l p r e s s u r e a n d black
mailing strategies instead o f focusing o n the particular p r o b l e m o f their plight. T h i s is p o l i t i c s p r o p e r : t h e m o m e n t i n w h i c h a p a r t i c u l a r d e m a n d is n o t simply part o f the negotiation o f interests but aims at s o m e t h i n g
more,
and
global
starts
to function
as t h e
metaphoric
condensation
o f the
r e s t r u c t u r i n g o f t h e e n t i r e s o c i a l s p a c e . T h e r e is a c l e a r c o n t r a s t b e t w e e n this subjectivization a n d
today's
proliferation
o f postmodern
'identity
p o l i t i c s ' w h o s e g o a l is t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e , t h a t is, p r e c i s e l y t h e a s s e r t i o n o f o n e ' s particular identity, o f o n e ' s p r o p e r p l a c e within t h e social structure. T h e p o s t m o d e r n i d e n t i t y p o l i t i c s o f p a r t i c u l a r ( e t h n i c , s e x u a l , e t c . ) life styles p e r f e c t l y fits t h e
depoliticized notion
p a r t i c u l a r g r o u p is ' a c c o u n t e d f o r ' ,
o f society, in w h i c h
h a s its s p e c i f i c s t a t u s
every
( o f victim)
a c k n o w l e d g e d t h r o u g h affirmative a c t i o n o r o t h e r m e a s u r e s d e s t i n e d
to
g u a r a n t e e social justice. T h e fact t h a t this k i n d o f j u s t i c e m e t e d o u t to victimized m i n o r i t i e s r e q u i r e s an i n t r i c a t e p o l i c e a p p a r a t u s ( f o r identify-
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
209
i n g t h e g r o u p i n q u e s t i o n , f o r p u n i s h i n g o f f e n d e r s a g a i n s t its r i g h t s - h o w legally to define sexual h a r a s s m e n t providing
so o n -
for
the preferential treatment which should compensate for
o r racial injury?, a n d
the
w r o n g t h i s g r o u p h a s s u f f e r e d ) is d e e p l y s i g n i f i c a n t : w h a t is u s u a l l y p r a i s e d as ' p o s t m o d e r n p o l i t i c s ' ( t h e p u r s u i t o f p a r t i c u l a r i s s u e s w h o s e r e s o l u t i o n m u s t b e n e g o t i a t e d w i t h i n t h e ' r a t i o n a l ' g l o b a l o r d e r a l l o c a t i n g its p a r t i c u lar
c o m p o n e n t its p r o p e r
p l a c e ) is t h u s e f f e c t i v e l y t h e e n d o f p o l i t i c s
proper. S o while everyone s e e m s to a g r e e
that
today's
post-political liberal-
d e m o c r a t i c g l o b a l c a p i t a l i s t r e g i m e is t h e r e g i m e o f t h e n o n - e v e n t
(in
N i e t z s c h e ' s t e r m s , o f t h e L a s t M a n ) , t h e q u e s t i o n o f w h e r e we a r e to l o o k for
the Event remains open.
T h e o b v i o u s s o l u t i o n is: i n s o f a r as w e
experience contemporary postmodern proper
s o c i a l life as ' n o n - s u b s t a n t i a l '
the
a n s w e r is t h e m u l t i t u d e o f p a s s i o n a t e , o f t e n v i o l e n t r e t u r n s
to
' r o o t s ' , t o d i f f e r e n t f o r m s o f e t h n i c a n d / o r r e l i g i o u s ' s u b s t a n c e ' . W h a t is ' s u b s t a n c e ' i n s o c i a l e x p e r i e n c e ? I t is t h e v i o l e n t e m o t i o n a l m o m e n t o f 'recognition', when o n e b e c o m e s aware o f o n e ' s 'roots', o f o n e ' s
'true
b e l o n g i n g ' , t h e m o m e n t i n t h e f a c e o f w h i c h l i b e r a l r e f l e x i v e d i s t a n c e is u t t e r l y i m p o t e n t - all o f a s u d d e n , a d r i f t i n t h e w o r l d , o n e
finds
oneself
in t h e grip o f a k i n d o f a b s o l u t e l o n g i n g for ' h o m e ' , a n d everything else, everyday c o m m o n c o n c e r n s , b e c o m e s u n i m p o r t a n t . . . . Here,
however,
one
must
fully
endorse
3 8
Badiou's
point
that
these
'returns to the S u b s t a n c e ' are themselves i m p o t e n t in the face o f the global m a r c h
o f C a p i t a l : t h e y a r e its i n h e r e n t s u p p l e m e n t ,
the
limit/
c o n d i t i o n o f its f u n c t i o n i n g , s i n c e - as D e l e u z e e m p h a s i z e d y e a r s a g o capitalist
'deterritorialization'
is
always
accompanied
by
-
re-emerging
' r e t e r r i t o r i a l i z a t i o n s ' . M o r e p r e c i s e l y , t h e r e is a n i n h e r e n t s p l i t i n t h e f i e l d o f particular identities themselves c a u s e d by the o n s l a u g h t o f capitalist globalization: o n the o n e hand, the so-called 'fundamentalisms',
whose
b a s i c f o r m u l a is t h a t o f t h e I d e n t i t y o f o n e ' s o w n g r o u p , i m p l y i n g practice o f excluding the threatening
O t h e r ( s ) : F r a n c e for the
the
French
(against Algerian i m m i g r a n t s ) , A m e r i c a for A m e r i c a n s (against the His panic invasion), Slovenia for Slovenians (against the excessive p r e s e n c e o f ' S o u t h e r n e r s ' , immigrants f r o m the ex-Yugoslav r e p u b l i c s ) ; h a n d , t h e r e is p o s t m o d e r n
multiculturalist
3 3
on the other
'identity polities', aiming
t h e t o l e r a n t c o e x i s t e n c e o f ever-shifting, ' h y b r i d ' lifestyle g r o u p s , into endless subgroups
at
divided
( H i s p a n i c w o m e n , b l a c k gays, white m a l e
AIDS
patients, lesbian m o t h e r s . . . ) . This ever-growing flowering o f groups a n d subgroups in their and
fluid,
shifting
identities, e a c h
insisting o n
the
right
hybrid
to assert
its
THE
210
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
s p e c i f i c way o f life a n d / o r c u l t u r e , t h i s i n c e s s a n t d i v e r s i f i c a t i o n , is p o s s i b l e a n d t h i n k a b l e o n l y a g a i n s t t h e b a c k g r o u n d o f c a p i t a l i s t g l o b a l i z a t i o n ; i t is t h e v e r y way c a p i t a l i s t g l o b a l i z a t i o n a f f e c t s o u r s e n s e o f e t h n i c a n d o t h e r forms o f community belonging: the only link c o n n e c t i n g these multiple groups
is t h e l i n k o f C a p i t a l i t s e l f , always r e a d y t o satisfy t h e
specific
d e m a n d s o f e a c h g r o u p a n d s u b g r o u p (gay tourism, H i s p a n i c m u s i c . . . ) . Furthermore, the opposition between fundamentalism
and
postmodern
p l u r a l i s t i d e n t i t y p o l i t i c s is u l t i m a t e l y a f a k e , c o n c e a l i n g a d e e p e r s o l i d a r i t y ( o r , to p u t
it i n H e g e l e s e , s p e c u l a t i v e i d e n t i t y ) : a m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t
e a s i l y find e v e n t h e m o s t ' f u n d a m e n t a l i s t '
can
e t h n i c identity attractive, but
o n l y i n s o f a r as it is t h e i d e n t i t y o f t h e s u p p o s e d l y a u t h e n t i c O t h e r (say, in the U S A , Native A m e r i c a n tribal identity); a f u n d a m e n t a l i s t g r o u p c a n e a s i l y a d o p t , i n its s o c i a l f u n c t i o n i n g , t h e p o s t m o d e r n s t r a t e g i e s o f i d e n t i t y politics, presenting
i t s e l f as o n e
o f the
threatened
minorities,
simply
s t r i v i n g t o m a i n t a i n its s p e c i f i c way o f life a n d c u l t u r a l i d e n t i t y . T h e l i n e of separation between multiculturalist identity politics a n d
fundamental
i s m is t h u s p u r e l y f o r m a l ;
the
it o f t e n
depends
merely on
different
p e r s p e c t i v e f r o m w h i c h t h e o b s e r v e r views a m o v e m e n t f o r m a i n t a i n i n g a g r o u p identity. U n d e r t h e s e c o n d i t i o n s , t h e E v e n t in the guise o f t h e ' r e t u r n to r o o t s ' c a n b e o n l y a s e m b l a n c e t h a t fits t h e c a p i t a l i s t c i r c u l a r m o v e n e n t p e r f e c t l y o r - in t h e w o r s t c a s e - l e a d s t o a c a t a s t r o p h e l i k e N a z i s m . T h e s i g n o f t o d a y ' s i d e o l o g i c o - p o l i t i c a l c o n s t e l l a t i o n is t h e f a c t t h a t t h e s e k i n d s o f pseudo-Events constitute the only a p p e a r a n c e s o f Events which s e e m to p o p u p (it is o n l y r i g h t - w i n g p o p u l i s m w h i c h t o d a y d i s p l a y s t h e a u t h e n t i c political
o f o p e n l y admitting that,
pre
c i s e l y i n s o f a r as o n e c l a i m s t o s p e a k f r o m a u n i v e r s a l s t a n d p o i n t ,
p a s s i o n o f a c c e p t i n g t h e struggle,
one
d o e s n o t a i m t o p l e a s e e v e r y b o d y , b u t is r e a d y t o i n t r o d u c e a division
of
' U s ' versus ' T h e m ' ) . It has often b e e n r e m a r k e d that, despite hating the guts o f B u c h a n a n in t h e U S A , L e P e n in F r a n c e o r H a i d e r in Austria, e v e n L e f t i s t s f e e l a k i n d o f r e l i e f at t h e i r a p p e a r a n c e - finally, i n t h e m i d s t o f t h e r e i g n o f t h e a s e p t i c p o s t - p o l i t i c a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f p u b l i c affairs, t h e r e is s o m e o n e w h o r e v i v e s a p r o p e r p o l i t i c a l p a s s i o n o f d i v i s i o n
and
c o n f r o n t a t i o n , a c o m m i t t e d b e l i e f in political issues, a l b e i t in a d e p l o r a b l y repulsive form. . . . W e are thus m o r e a n d m o r e deeply l o c k e d into a c l a u s t r o p h o b i c s p a c e within w h i c h we c a n o n l y oscillate b e t w e e n the n o n event o f the s m o o t h r u n n i n g o f the liberal-democratic capitalist global New World O r d e r a n d fundamentalist
Events (the rise o f local
proto-
Fascisms, e t c . ) , which temporarily disturb the calm surface o f the capitalist o c e a n - n o w o n d e r t h a t , in t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , H e i d e g g e r m i s t o o k t h e
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
211
p s e u d o - E v e n t o f t h e Nazi r e v o l u t i o n for t h e E v e n t itself. T o d a y , m o r e t h a n e v e r , o n e h a s t o i n s i s t t h a t t h e o n l y way o p e n t o t h e e m e r g e n c e o f a n E v e n t is t h a t o f b r e a k i n g t h e v i c i o u s c y c l e o f g l o b a l i z a t i o n - w i t h - p a r t i c u l a r i zation
by
(re)asserting the d i m e n s i o n
o f U n i v e r s a l i t y against
capitalist
globalization. B a d i o u draws an interesting parallel h e r e b e t w e e n o u r t i m e of American
global
domination
and
the
late R o m a n
E m p i r e , also
a
' m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t ' g l o b a l S t a t e i n w h i c h m u l t i p l e e t h n i c g r o u p s w e r e thriv ing, u n i t e d ( n o t by c a p i t a l , b u t ) by t h e n o n - s u b s t a n t i a l l i n k o f t h e R o m a n l e g a l o r d e r - s o w h a t w e n e e d t o d a y is t h e g e s t u r e t h a t w o u l d capitalist globalization from
the standpoint
undermine
o f u n i v e r s a l T r u t h , j u s t as
P a u l i n e Christianity did to t h e R o m a n g l o b a l E m p i r e . F o r t h i s r e a s o n , a r e n e w e d L e f t s h o u l d a i m a t fully e n d o r s i n g
Kierke
gaard's p a r a d o x i c a l claim that, with regard to t h e tension b e t w e e n d i t i o n a n d m o d e r n i t y , Christianity
is on the side of modernity.
tra
In his assertion
that authentic Faith c a n e m e r g e only w h e n o n e leaves p a g a n 'organicist' h u m a n i s m b e h i n d , K i e r k e g a a r d p r o m u l g a t e s a t h o r o u g h g o i n g reversal in the relationship between Inside and Outside
( i n n e r faith a n d
i n s t i t u t i o n ) . In his p a s s i o n a t e a n d v i o l e n t p o l e m i c s against
religious
Christendom',
h e d o e s n o t simply r e j e c t o b e d i e n c e to e x t e r n a l i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e d r e l i g i o n o n b e h a l f o f a t r u e i n n e r f a i t h : K i e r k e g a a r d is w e l l a w a r e t h a t t h e s e two aspects (rituals o f the e x t e r n a l institution a n d a true i n n e r c o n v i c t i o n ) are s t r i c t l y c o d e p e n d e n t , t h a t t h e y f o r m t h e two s i d e s o f t h e ' m o d e r n a g e ' in w h i c h l i f e l e s s e x t e r n a l r i t u a l is s u p p l e m e n t e d b y t h e e m p t y s e n t i m e n t a l i s m o f the liberal religion o f inner conviction ('dogmas d o n ' t matter, what m a t t e r s is t h e a u t h e n t i c i n n e r r e l i g i o u s s e n t i m e n t ' ) . K i e r k e g a a r d ' s p o i n t is t h a t t r u e r e l i g i o n is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y m o r e ' i n n e r '
(it i n v o l v e s a n a c t o f
a b s o l u t e faith that c a n n o t e v e n b e e x t e r n a l i z e d i n t o the universal m e d i u m o f l a n g u a g e ) a n d m o r e e x t e r n a l ( w h e n I truly b e l i e v e , I a c c e p t that t h e s o u r c e o f m y f a i t h is n o t in m y s e l f ; t h a t , i n s o m e i n e x p l i c a b l e way, it c o m e s f r o m o u t s i d e , f r o m G o d H i m s e l f - i n H i s g r a c e , G o d a d d r e s s e d m e , it was n o t I w h o raised m y s e l f to H i m ) . I n o t h e r w o r d s , w e n o l o n g e r d w e l l i n t h e A r i s t o t e l i a n u n i v e r s e in w h i c h (ontologically)
lower elements spontaneously
move
and
tend
towards
t h e i r G o a l , t h e i m m o v a b l e G o o d : i n C h r i s t i a n i t y , it is G o d H i m s e l f w h o 'moves', who e m b o d i e s H i m s e l f in a t e m p o r a l / m o r t a l m a n . W h e n Kier k e g a a r d d e t e r m i n e s f a i t h as t h e p u r e i n t e r n a l i t y w h i c h
t h e b e l i e v e r is
u n a b l e t o s y m b o l i z e / s o c i a l i z e , t o s h a r e w i t h o t h e r s ( A b r a h a m is a b s o l u t e l y a l o n e in the face o f G o d ' s h o r r i b l e c o m m a n d t o s l a u g h t e r his son Isaac; h e is u n a b l e e v e n t o s h a r e h i s p a i n w i t h o t h e r s ) ; t h i s m e a n s t h a t w h a t , in h i s faith, is a b s o l u t e l y i n n e r , w h a t resists i n t e r s u b j e c t i v e s y m b o l i c m e d i a t i o n ,
THE
212
is t h e v e r y r a d i c a l externality
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
o f the religious Call: A b r a h a m
is u n a b l e
s h a r e G o d ' s h o r r i b l e i n j u n c t i o n w i t h o t h e r s p r e c i s e l y i n s o f a r as
to this
i n j u n c t i o n i n n o way e x p r e s s e s h i s ' i n n e r n a t u r e ' , b u t is e x p e r i e n c e d as a radically traumatic intrusion which attacks the subject from outside
and
w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t c a n n e v e r i n t e r n a l i z e , a s s u m e as ' h i s o w n ' , d i s c e r n a n y m e a n i n g i n it t o b e s h a r e d w i t h o t h e r s . T h e p o i n t is t h u s t h a t t h e s u b j e c t c a n n o t e x t e r n a l i z e G o d ' s i n j u n c t i o n precisely because he cannot W e can see now how Kierkegaard 'surmounts'
the ' m o d e r n
internalize age'
it.
oppo
sition b e t w e e n e x t e r n a l lifeless ritual a n d p u r e i n n e r s e n t i m e n t a l c o n v i c tion: n o t t h r o u g h a p s e u d o - H e g e l i a n synthesis, so that we re-establish an a u t h e n t i c s o c i a l life i n w h i c h ' e x t e r n a l ' s o c i a l r i t u a l s a r e a g a i n
permeated
with a u t h e n t i c i n n e r c o n v i c t i o n - t h a t is, i n w h i c h s u b j e c t s fully p a r t i c i p a t e i n o r g a n i c s o c i a l life ( t h e y o u n g H e g e l ' s v i s i o n o f t h e G r e e k
community
p r i o r to t h e s p l i t i n t o ' s u b j e c t i v e ' a n d ' o b j e c t i v e ' ) , b u t b y e n d o r s i n g
the
p a r a d o x o f a u t h e n t i c f a i t h in w h i c h r a d i c a l e x t e r n a l i t y c o i n c i d e s w i t h p u r e internality. Perhaps opposition
one
should
between
return
Socratic
here
to
the
reminiscence
well-known
and
Christian
Kierkegaardian repetition.
S o c r a t i c p h i l o s o p h i c a l p r i n c i p l e is t h e o n e o f r e m i n i s c e n c e : t h e
The Truth
a l r e a d y d w e l l s d e e p i n s i d e m e , a n d i n o r d e r t o d i s c o v e r it I h a v e o n l y t o l o o k d e e p i n t o m y soul, to g e t to ' k n o w m y s e l f . T h e C h r i s t i a n T r u t h , in c o n t r a s t , is t h e o n e o f R e v e l a t i o n , w h i c h is t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e o f r e m i niscence: Truth
is n o t i n h e r e n t ,
i t is n o t
the
( r e ) d i s c o v e r y o f w h a t is
a l r e a d y i n m y s e l f , b u t a n E v e n t , s o m e t h i n g v i o l e n t l y imposed o n m e
from
t h e O u t s i d e t h r o u g h a t r a u m a t i c e n c o u n t e r t h a t shatters t h e very f o u n d a tions o f my being. ( F o r that reason, the New Age Gnostic redefinition o f C h r i s t i a n i t y in t e r m s o f t h e p u r i f i c a t i o n is p r o f o u n d l y
S o u l ' s j o u r n e y o f i n n e r self-discovery
and
heretical, a n d should b e ruthlessly r e j e c t e d . )
A n d L a c a n , l i k e B a d i o u , o p t s f o r t h e C h r i s t i a n - K i e r k e g a a r d i a n view: i n c o n t r a s t t o m i s l e a d i n g first i m p r e s s i o n s , p s y c h o a n a l y t i c t r e a t m e n t is, a t its most fundamental,
not t h e p a t h o f r e m e m b r a n c e , o f t h e r e t u r n t o
i n n e r r e p r e s s e d t r u t h , its b r i n g i n g t o l i g h t ; its c r u c i a l m o m e n t , 'traversing the fantasy', rather, designates the subject's (symbolic) his ( r e - ) c r e a t i o n ex nihilo, a j u m p
the
that o f rebirth,
t h r o u g h the 'zero-point' o f d e a t h drive
to t h e t h o r o u g h l y n e w s y m b o l i c c o n f i g u r a t i o n o f his b e i n g .
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
213
T h e T h r e e Universals T h e s e i m p a s s e s d e m o n s t r a t e h o w t h e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e U n i v e r s a l is m u c h m o r e c o m p l e x t h a n i t a p p e a r s . I t was B a l i b a r
4 0
who elaborated the
levels o f universality w h i c h vaguely follow t h e L a c a n i a n
three
triad o f Real,
I m a g i n a r y a n d S y m b o l i c : the 'real' universality o f globalization, with
the
s u p p l e m e n t a r y process o f 'internal e x c l u s i o n s ' (the e x t e n t to which, today, the
fate o f e a c h o f us h i n g e s o n universality
of
the
the
intricate web o f global
relations);
the
fiction
that
hegemony
( C h u r c h o r S t a t e as t h e u n i v e r s a l
regulates
'imagined
market
ideological
communities',
w h i c h allow the s u b j e c t to a c q u i r e a d i s t a n c e towards i m m e r s i o n in his i m m e d i a t e social g r o u p - class, profession, sex, religion . . . - a n d
posit
h i m s e l f as a f r e e s u b j e c t ) ; t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y o f a n I d e a l , as e x e m p l i f i e d b y t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y d e m a n d f o r egaliberte, w h i c h r e m a i n s a n excess, setting in m o t i o n
permanent
insurrection
unconditional
against
the
existing
o r d e r , a n d c a n thus n e v e r b e ' g e n t r i f i e d ' , i n c l u d e d in t h e e x i s t i n g o r d e r . T h e p o i n t , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t t h e b o u n d a r y b e t w e e n t h e s e t h r e e u n i v e r sals is n e v e r s t a b l e a n d serve
as
the
particular
fixed:
hegemonic
social role
the notion o f freedom
idea
(I a m
which
enables
us
poor
artisan,
but
a
to
and equality identify
can
with
our
p r e c i s e l y as s u c h
I
p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e life o f m y n a t i o n - s t a t e as a n e q u a l a n d f r e e c i t i z e n . . . ) , o r as t h e i r r e d u c i b l e e x c e s s w h i c h d e s t a b i l i z e s t h e f i x e d s o c i a l o r d e r . W h a t , i n t h e J a c o b i n u n i v e r s e , was t h e d e s t a b i l i z i n g u n i v e r s a l i t y o f t h e
Ideal
setting in m o t i o n
later
the
incessant process o f social transformation
b e c a m e the ideological fiction allowing e a c h individual
to identify with
his specific p l a c e in
here
universal
'abstract'
the
social space. T h e
(potentially opposed
alternative
is: is
to c o n c r e t e c o n t e n t )
or
the 'con
c r e t e ' (in the s e n s e that I e x p e r i e n c e m y very p a r t i c u l a r m o d e o f social life as m y s p e c i f i c way o f p a r t i c i p a t i n g
in the universal
B a l i b a r ' s p o i n t is, o f c o u r s e , t h a t t h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n ducible: the excess o f abstract-negative-ideal destabilizing force,
u n i v e r s a l i t y , its
c a n n e v e r b e fully i n t e g r a t e d
whole o f a 'concrete universality'.
social
order)?
t h e t w o is i r r e
into the
unsetdingharmonious
41
H o w e v e r , t h e r e is a n o t h e r t e n s i o n , t h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n t h e two m o d e s o f ' c o n c r e t e u n i v e r s a l i t y ' itself, w h i c h s e e m s m o r e c r u c i a l t o d a y . T h a t is t o say,
the
'real' universality o f today's
i n v o l v e s its o w n
hegemonic
fiction
globalization through (or even
ideal)
of
the
market
multiculturalist
tolerance, respect for and protection o f h u m a n rights a n d
democracy,
a n d s o o n ; it i n v o l v e s its o w n p s e u d o - H e g e l i a n ' c o n c r e t e u n i v e r s a l i t y ' o f a
THE
214
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
world o r d e r whose universal features o f m a r k e t , h u m a n rights a n d d e m o cracy allow e a c h specific
'lifestyle'
to flourish
tension inevitably e m e r g e s b e t w e e n 'concrete
universality',
and
the
in its p a r t i c u l a r i t y . S o a
this p o s t m o d e r n ,
earlier
'concrete
post-nation-state,
universality'
of
the
nation-state. T h e s t o r y o f t h e e m e r g e n c e o f t h e n a t i o n - s t a t e is t h e s t o r y o f t h e ( o f t e n extremely violent)
'transubstantiation'
o f local c o m m u n i t i e s a n d
their
t r a d i t i o n s i n t o t h e m o d e r n n a t i o n qua ' i m a g i n e d c o m m u n i t y ' ; t h i s p r o c e s s involved
and/or
their
reinscription into the new e n c o m p a s s i n g 'invented tradition'. In
the
repression
o f authentic
other
words, 'national tradition'
local
is a s c r e e n t h a t c o n c e a l s not t h e p r o c e s s o f
m o d e r n i z a t i o n b u t the true ethnic tradition W h a t c o m e s a f t e r is t h e
ways o f life
2
itself in its unbearable
factuality.*
(apparently) opposite 'postmodern'
process o f
r e t u r n i n g to m o r e local, s u b n a t i o n a l m o d e s o f identification;
however,
t h e s e n e w m o d e s o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n a r e n o l o n g e r e x p e r i e n c e d as d i r e c t l y substantial - they are already a m a t t e r o f the free c h o i c e o f o n e ' s s t y l e ' . N o n e t h e less, it is n o t e n o u g h t o o p p o s e t h e p r e v i o u s
'life
authentic
e t h n i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n to t h e p o s t m o d e r n a r b i t r a r y c h o i c e o f ' l i f e s t y l e s ' : t h i s o p p o s i t i o n fails to a c k n o w l e d g e t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h t h a t v e r y
previous
'authentic'
imposed
national
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n was a n
'artificial', violently
p h e n o m e n o n , based on the repression o f previous local traditions. F a r f r o m b e i n g a ' n a t u r a l ' u n i t y o f s o c i a l life, a b a l a n c e d f r a m e , a k i n d o f A r i s t o t e l i a n entelechia t o w a r d s w h i c h all p r e v i o u s d e v e l o p m e n t a d v a n c e d , the
universal
form
o f nation-state
is, r a t h e r ,
a precarious,
temporary
b a l a n c e b e t w e e n the r e l a t i o n s h i p to a p a r t i c u l a r e t h n i c T h i n g (patriotism, pro p atria mori, e t c . ) a n d t h e ( p o t e n t i a l l y ) u n i v e r s a l f u n c t i o n o f t h e m a r k e t . On
the
one
identification
hand, into
the
nation-state
universal
'sublates'
'patriotic'
organic
local
identification; on
the
forms
of
other,
it
p o s i t s i t s e l f as a k i n d o f p s e u d o - n a t u r a l b o u n d a r y o f t h e m a r k e t e c o n o m y , d e l i m i t i n g ' i n t e r n a l ' f r o m ' e x t e r n a l ' c o m m e r c e - e c o n o m i c activity is t h u s 'sublimated',
r a i s e d to t h e l e v e l o f t h e e t h n i c T h i n g , l e g i t i m a t e d as a
p a t r i o t i c c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e n a t i o n ' s g r e a t n e s s . T h i s b a l a n c e is c o n s t a n t l y t h r e a t e n e d from b o t h sides: f r o m the side o f previous ' o r g a n i c ' forms o f particular identification which do not simply disappear but continue their s u b t e r r a n e a n life o u t s i d e t h e u n i v e r s a l p u b l i c s p h e r e ; a n d f r o m t h e s i d e o f t h e i m m a n e n t l o g i c o f C a p i t a l , w h o s e ' t r a n s n a t i o n a l ' n a t u r e is i n h e r ently i n d i f f e r e n t to nation-state b o u n d a r i e s . A n d today's n e w
'fundamen
talist' e t h n i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s involve a k i n d o f ' d e s u b l i m a t i o n ' , a p r o c e s s o f d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f t h i s p r e c a r i o u s u n i t y o f t h e ' n a t i o n a l e c o n o m y ' i n t o its
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
215
two c o n s t i t u e n t parts, t h e t r a n s n a t i o n a l m a r k e t f u n c t i o n a n d t h e r e l a t i o n ship to the e t h n i c T h i n g . I t is t h e r e f o r e
4 3
o n l y today, in c o n t e m p o r a r y
'fundamentalist'
ethnic,
religious, lifestyle, a n d so o n , c o m m u n i t i e s , t h a t t h e split b e t w e e n
the
abstract form o f c o m m e r c e and the relationship to t h e particular e t h n i c T h i n g , i n a u g u r a t e d b y t h e E n l i g h t e n m e n t p r o j e c t , is fully r e a l i z e d : t o d a y ' s postmodern ethnic o r religious 'fundamentalism' and x e n o p h o b i a are not only n o t 'regressive' but, o n the contrary, offer the s u p r e m e p r o o f o f the final e m a n c i p a t i o n o f t h e e c o n o m i c l o g i c o f t h e m a r k e t f r o m t h e attach m e n t t o t h e e t h n i c T h i n g . T h a t is t h e h i g h e s t s p e c u l a t i v e e f f o r t o f t h e d i a l e c t i c o f s o c i a l life: n o t in d e s c r i b i n g t h e m e d i a t i o n
process o f the
p r i m o r d i a l i m m e d i a c y (say, t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f o r g a n i c c o m m u n i t y in ' a l i e n a t e d ' individualist society), b u t in e x p l a i n i n g h o w this very m e d i a t i o n process
characteristic o f modernity
can
give
birth
to
new
forms
' o r g a n i c ' i m m e d i a c y , like t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y ' c h o s e n ' o r ' i n v e n t e d ' m u n i t i e s ( ' l i f e s t y l e c o m m u n i t i e s ' : gays, e t c . ) .
of
com
4 4
Multiculturalism H o w , t h e n , d o e s the universe o f Capital r e l a t e to t h e f o r m o f nation-state i n o u r e r a o f g l o b a l c a p i t a l i s m ? P e r h a p s t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p is b e s t d e s i g n a t e d as ' a u t o c o l o n i z a t i o n ' : with t h e d i r e c t m u l t i n a t i o n a l f u n c t i o n i n g o f C a p i t a l , we are n o l o n g e r d e a l i n g with the s t a n d a r d o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n m e t r o p o l i s a n d c o l o n i z e d c o u n t r i e s ; a g l o b a l c o m p a n y , as it w e r e , c u t s its u m b i l i c a l c o r d w i t h its m o t h e r - n a t i o n
and
t r e a t s its c o u n t r y o f o r i g i n
as s i m p l y
a n o t h e r t e r r i t o r y t o b e c o l o n i z e d . T h i s is w h a t is s o d i s t u r b i n g t o p a t r i o t i cally o r i e n t a t e d right-wing populists, f r o m L e P e n to B u c h a n a n : t h e fact that the new multinationals have exactly the s a m e attitude towards
the
F r e n c h o r A m e r i c a n l o c a l p o p u l a t i o n as t o w a r d s t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f M e x i c o , B r a z i l o r T a i w a n . Is t h e r e n o t a k i n d o f p o e t i c j u s t i c e i n t h i s
self-
r e f e r e n t i a l t u r n o f t o d a y ' s g l o b a l c a p i t a l i s m , w h i c h f u n c t i o n s as a k i n d o f '
' n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' , a f t e r n a t i o n a l c a p i t a l i s m a n d its i n t e r n a t i o n a l i s t / c o l o n i a l i s t p h a s e ? At t h e b e g i n n i n g ( i d e a l l y , o f c o u r s e ) , t h e r e is c a p i t a l i s m within t h e c o n f i n e s o f a nation-state, a n d with t h e a c c o m p a n y i n g inter n a t i o n a l t r a d e ( e x c h a n g e b e t w e e n s o v e r e i g n n a t i o n - s t a t e s ) ; w h a t f o l l o w s is t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f c o l o n i z a t i o n , in w h i c h the c o l o n i z i n g c o u n t r y subordi nates
and
exploits
( e c o n o m i c a l l y , politically, culturally)
the
colonized
c o u n t r y ; t h e final m o m e n t o f t h i s p r o c e s s is t h e p a r a d o x o f c o l o n i z a t i o n , in w h i c h t h e r e a r e o n l y c o l o n i e s , n o c o l o n i z i n g c o u n t r i e s - t h e c o l o n i z i n g
THE
216
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
p o w e r is n o l o n g e r a n a t i o n - s t a t e b u t t h e g l o b a l c o m p a n y i t s e l f . I n
the
l o n g t e r m , w e s h a l l all n o t o n l y w e a r B a n a n a R e p u b l i c s h i r t s b u t a l s o live in b a n a n a republics. A n d , o f c o u r s e , t h e i d e a l f o r m o f i d e o l o g y o f t h i s g l o b a l c a p i t a l i s m is multiculturalism, the attitude which, from a kind o f empty global position, t r e a t s each l o c a l c u l t u r e as t h e
c o l o n i z e r treats c o l o n i z e d p e o p l e -
as
' n a t i v e s ' w h o s e mores a r e t o b e c a r e f u l l y s t u d i e d a n d ' r e s p e c t e d ' . T h a t is t o say: t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t r a d i t i o n a l i m p e r i a l i s t c o l o n i a l i s m a n d g l o b a l c a p i t a l i s t s e l f - c o l o n i z a t i o n is e x a c t l y t h e s a m e as t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n W e s t e r n c u l t u r a l i m p e r i a l i s m a n d m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s m - j u s t as g l o b a l c a p i t a l ism involves the p a r a d o x o f c o l o n i z a d o n without t h e c o l o n i z i n g nations t a t e m e t r o p o l i s , m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s m i n v o l v e s a p a t r o n i z i n g E u r o c e n t r i s t dis tance
and/or
particular
respect
culture.
In
for
local
other
cultures
words,
without
roots
multiculturalism
in
is
one's
a
own
disavowed,
i n v e r t e d , self-referential f o r m o f r a c i s m , a ' r a c i s m with a d i s t a n c e ' -
it
' r e s p e c t s ' t h e O t h e r ' s i d e n t i t y , c o n c e i v i n g t h e O t h e r as a s e l f - e n c l o s e d 'authentic'
community
towards
which
the
multiculturalist
maintains
a
distance m a d e possible by h i s / h e r privileged universal position. Multicul t u r a l i s m is a r a c i s m w h i c h e m p t i e s its o w n p o s i t i o n o f all p o s i t i v e c o n t e n t ( t h e m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t is n o t a d i r e c t r a c i s t ; h e o r s h e d o e s n o t o p p o s e t h e O t h e r t h e particular
to
values o f his o r h e r o w n c u l t u r e ) ; n o n e t h e less
h e o r s h e r e t a i n s t h i s p o s i t i o n as t h e p r i v i l e g e d empty point f r o m w h i c h o n e is a b l e t o a p p r e c i a t e
of
universality
(and depreciate) other
particular
c u l t u r e s p r o p e r l y - m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t r e s p e c t f o r t h e O t h e r ' s s p e c i f i c i t y is t h e very f o r m o f asserting o n e ' s own superiority. From
the
standpoint
p o l i t i c s as t h e
field
o f the
post-Marxist anti-essentialist n o t i o n
of
o f h e g e m o n i c struggle with n o pre-established rules
t h a t w o u l d d e f i n e its p a r a m e t e r s i n a d v a n c e , it is e a s y t o r e j e c t t h e v e r y notion o f the
' l o g i c o f C a p i t a l ' as p r e c i s e l y t h e r e m a i n d e r
o f the
old
essentialist stance: far from b e i n g r e d u c i b l e to an ideologico-cultural effect o f the e c o n o m i c process, the passage from standard cultural imperialism t o t h e m o r e t o l e r a n t m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s m w i t h its o p e n n e s s t o w a r d s t h e w e a l t h o f h y b r i d e t h n i c , s e x u a l , a n d s o o n , i d e n t i t i e s is t h e r e s u l t o f a l o n g a n d difficult
politico-cultural
struggle
whose
final
outcome
was
in
no
way
g u a r a n t e e d by the a priori co-ordinates o f the 'logic o f Capital'. . . . T h e crucial point,
h o w e v e r , is t h a t
this s t r u g g l e for the p o l i t i c i z a t i o n
and
a s s e r t i o n o f m u l t i p l e e t h n i c , s e x u a l , a n d o t h e r i d e n t i t i e s always t o o k p l a c e a g a i n s t t h e b a c k g r o u n d o f a n i n v i s i b l e y e t all t h e m o r e f o r b i d d i n g b a r r i e r : the
g l o b a l c a p i t a l i s t s y s t e m was a b l e
to i n c o r p o r a t e
the
gains o f
the
p o s t m o d e r n politics o f identities to t h e e x t e n t that they did n o t disturb
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
217
the s m o o t h circulation o f Capital - the m o m e n t some political interven tion
poses
a serious
threat
to
that,
an
elaborate
set o f
exclusionary
that the
multicultur-
m e a s u r e s q u a s h e s it. W h a t about the rather obvious counter-argument alist's
neutrality
is f a l s e ,
since
his
or
her
position
silently
privileges
E u r o c e n t r i s t c o n t e n t ? T h i s l i n e o f r e a s o n i n g is r i g h t , b u t f o r t h e
wrong
r e a s o n . T h e p a r t i c u l a r c u l t u r a l b a c k g r o u n d o r r o o t s w h i c h always s u p p o r t t h e u n i v e r s a l m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t p o s i t i o n a r e n o t its ' t r u t h ' , h i d d e n
beneath
t h e m a s k o f u n i v e r s a l i t y ( ' m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t u n i v e r s a l i s m is r e a l l y E u r o c e n t r ist. . . ' ) but, phantasmic
rather,
the opposite:
screen which
the
stain
o f particular
c o n c e a l s the fact that
r o o t s is
t h e s u b j e c t is
the
already
t h o r o u g h l y ' r o o t l e s s ' , t h a t h i s t r u e p o s i t i o n is t h e v o i d o f u n i v e r s a l i t y . L e t m e r e c a l l D a r i a n L e a d e r ' s e x a m p l e o f t h e m a n in a r e s t a u r a n t with his f e m a l e c o m p a n i o n , w h o , w h e n a s k i n g t h e w a i t e r f o r a t a b l e , says: ' B e d r o o m for two, p l e a s e ! ' i n s t e a d o f ' T a b l e for two, please!'. O n e reverse the
standard Freudian
explanation
should
( ' O f c o u r s e , his m i n d
was
already o n the n i g h t o f s e x h e p l a n n e d after t h e m e a l ! ' ) : this i n t e r v e n t i o n o f the subterranean
s e x u a l f a n t a s y is, r a t h e r , t h e s c r e e n w h i c h s e r v e s as
t h e d e f e n c e against t h e o r a l drive w h i c h actually m a t t e r s to h i m than sex.
I n h i s a n a l y s i s o f t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n o f 1 8 4 8 ( i n The Class in France),
Marx provides a similar e x a m p l e o f such a double
the Party o f O r d e r which ported
more
4 5
Struggles
deception:
t o o k over after the R e v o l u t i o n publicly
t h e R e p u b l i c , y e t s e c r e d y it b e l i e v e d i n R e s t o r a t i o n -
sup
members
used every o p p o r t u n i t y to m o c k R e p u b l i c a n rituals a n d to signal in every p o s s i b l e way w h e r e ' t h e i r h e a r t w a s ' . T h e p a r a d o x , h o w e v e r , was t h a t t h e t r u t h o f t h e i r activity l a y i n t h e e x t e r n a l f o r m t h e y p r i v a t e l y m o c k e d
and
d e s p i s e d : t h i s R e p u b l i c a n f o r m was n o t a m e r e s e m b l a n c e b e n e a t h w h i c h t h e R o y a l i s t d e s i r e l u r k e d - r a t h e r , it was t h e s e c r e t c l i n g i n g t o R o y a l i s m w h i c h e n a b l e d t h e m t o fulfil t h e i r a c t u a l h i s t o r i c a l f u n c t i o n : t o i m p l e m e n t b o u r g e o i s R e p u b l i c a n law a n d o r d e r . M a r x h i m s e l f m e n t i o n s h o w
mem
b e r s o f the Party o f O r d e r derived i m m e n s e pleasure from their o c c a s i o n a l R o y a l i s t 'slips o f t h e t o n g u e ' a g a i n s t t h e R e p u b l i c ( r e f e r r i n g t o F r a n c e as a K i r g d o m i n t h e i r p a r l i a m e n t a r y d e b a t e s , e t c . ) : t h e s e slips o f t h e
tongue
a r t i c u l a t e d t h e i r p h a n t a s m i c i l l u s i o n s w h i c h s e r v e d as t h e s c r e e n e n a b l i n g t h e m t o b l i n d t h e m s e l v e s t o t h e s o c i a l r e a l i t y o f w h a t was g o i n g o n on the surface. And,
mutatis
mutandis,
clings to s o m e p a r t i c u l a r
the s a m e g o e s for today's capitalist, w h o cultural
heritage, identifying
i t as t h e
still
secret
s o u r c e o f his s u c c e s s ( J a p a n e s e e x e c u t i v e s f o l l o w i n g t e a c e r e m o n i e s
or
THE TICKLISH
218
SUBJECT
B u s h i d o c o d e , e t c . ) , o r for t h e reverse c a s e o f t h e W e s t e r n j o u r n a l i s t in s e a r c h o f t h e p a r t i c u l a r s e c r e t o f J a p a n e s e s u c c e s s : this very r e f e r e n c e t o a p a r t i c u l a r c u l t u r a l f o r m u l a is a s c r e e n f o r t h e
universal
anonymity o f
Capital. T h e true h o r r o r lies n o t in t h e p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t h i d d e n b e n e a t h t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y o f g l o b a l C a p i t a l b u t , r a t h e r , i n t h e f a c t t h a t C a p i t a l is e f f e c t i v e l y a n a n o n y m o u s g l o b a l m a c h i n e b l i n d l y r u n n i n g its c o u r s e ; t h a t t h e r e is i n f a c t n o p a r t i c u l a r S e c r e t A g e n t a n i m a t i n g it. T h e h o r r o r is n o t the
( p a r t i c u l a r living) g h o s t in t h e
(dead universal) m a c h i n e , but
( d e a d universal) m a c h i n e in t h e very h e a r t o f e a c h ghost.
The
conclusion
multiculturalism
to b e
drawn
is t h u s
that
the
(particular living)
the
problematic
of
(the hybrid c o e x i s t e n c e o f diverse cultural life-worlds)
w h i c h i m p o s e s i t s e l f t o d a y is t h e f o r m o f a p p e a r a n c e o f its o p p o s i t e , o f t h e m a s s i v e p r e s e n c e o f c a p i t a l i s m as global w o r l d s y s t e m : it b e a r s w i t n e s s to the u n p r e c e d e n t e d h o m o g e n i z a t i o n o f today's world. It is i n f a c t as if, s i n c e t h e h o r i z o n o f s o c i a l i m a g i n a t i o n
no
longer
a l l o w s us t o e n t e r t a i n t h e i d e a o f a n e v e n t u a l d e m i s e o f c a p i t a l i s m - s i n c e , as we m i g h t p u t it, e v e r y b o d y t a c i t l y a c c e p t s t h a t capitalism
is here to stay -
c r i t i c a l e n e r g y h a s f o u n d a s u b s t i t u t e o u t l e t i n f i g h t i n g f o r c u l t u r a l dif ferences which leave the basic h o m o g e n e i t y o f the capitalist world-system i n t a c t . S o we a r e f i g h t i n g o u r P C b a t t l e s f o r t h e r i g h t s o f e t h n i c m i n o r i t i e s , o f gays a n d l e s b i a n s , o f d i f f e r e n t l i f e s t y l e s , a n d s o f o r t h , w h i l e c a p i t a l i s m p u r s u e s its t r i u m p h a n t m a r c h - a n d t o d a y ' s c r i t i c a l t h e o r y , i n t h e g u i s e o f ' c u l t u r a l s t u d i e s ' , is p e r f o r m i n g t h e u l t i m a t e s e r v i c e f o r t h e development
o f capitalism
by a c t i v e l y p a r t i c i p a t i n g
in
unrestrained
the
ideological
e f f o r t t o r e n d e r its m a s s i v e p r e s e n c e i n v i s i b l e : i n t h e p r e d o m i n a n t of postmodern
'cultural criticism', the very m e n t i o n
form
o f c a p i t a l i s m as a
w o r l d s y s t e m t e n d s t o give r i s e t o a c c u s a t i o n s o f ' e s s e n t i a l i s m ' ,
'fundamen
t a l i s m ' , a n d s o o n . T h e p r i c e o f t h i s d e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n o f t h e e c o n o m y is t h a t t h e d o m a i n o f p o l i t i c s i t s e l f is i n a way d e p o l i t i c i z e d : p o l i t i c a l struggleproper
is t r a n s f o r m e d
into the cultural struggle for the r e c o g n i t i o n o f
marginal identities and the tolerance o f differences. The
falsity
o f elitist multiculturalist
between content and ideological
4 6
liberalism
lies
in
the
form which already characterized the
project o f tolerant
universalism,
that
tension
first
o f Freemasonry:
great the
d o c t r i n e o f F r e e m a s o n r y (the universal b r o t h e r h o o d o f all m e n b a s e d o n the
light o f R e a s o n )
organization
clearly c l a s h e s with
its f o r m
o f expression
and
( a s e c r e t s o c i e t y w i t h its i n i t i a t i o n r i t u a l s ) ; t h a t is, i t is t h e
v e r y f o r m o f e x p r e s s i o n a n d a r t i c u l a t i o n o f F r e e m a s o n r y w h i c h b e l i e s its p o s i t i v e d o c t r i n e . I n a s t r i c t l y h o m o l o g o u s way, t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y ' p o l i t i cally c o r r e c t '
liberal attitude which
perceives itself
as s u r p a s s i n g
the
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
219
l i m i t a t i o n s o f its e t h n i c i d e n t i t y ( ' c i t i z e n o f t h e w o r l d ' w i t h o u t a n c h o r s i n any particular ethnic c o m m u n i t y ) functions, narrow
elidst
upper-middle-class
circle
within
its own society, as a
clearly opposing
itself
to the
m a j o r i t y o f c o m m o n p e o p l e , d e s p i s e d f o r b e i n g c a u g h t in t h e i r
narrow
e t h n i c o r c o m m u n i t y confines. N o w o n d e r liberal multiculturalist toler a n c e is c a u g h t in t h e v i c i o u s c y c l e o f s i m u l t a n e o u s l y c o n c e d i n g too much a n d not enough
to the particularity o f the O t h e r ' s culture:
• O n t h e o n e h a n d , it t o l e r a t e s t h e O t h e r i n s o f a r as it is n o t t h e real Other, b u t the aseptic O t h e r o f p r e m o d c r n ecological wisdom, fascinating r i t e s , a n d s o o n - t h e m o m e n t o n e is d e a l i n g w i t h t h e real O t h e r (say, o f c l i t o r i d e c t o m y , o f w o m e n c o m p e l l e d t o w e a r t h e veil, o f t o r t u r i n g e n e m i e s to d e a t h . . . ) , with jouissance,
t h e way t h e O t h e r
regulates
t h e s p e c i f i c i t y o f its
t o l e r a n c e stops. Significantly, t h e s a m e multiculturalists w h o
o p p o s e E u r o c e n t r i s m a l s o , as a r u l e , o p p o s e t h e d e a t h p e n a l t y , d i s m i s s i n g it as a r e m a i n d e r o f p r i m i t i v e b a r b a r i c c u s t o m s o f v e n g e a n c e - here, t h e i r h i d d e n true E u r o c e n t r i s m b e c o m e s visible ( t h e i r e n t i r e
argumentation
a g a i n s t t h e d e a t h p e n a l t y is s t r i c t l y ' E u r o c e n t r i s t ' , i n v o l v i n g t h e l i b e r a l notions o f h u m a n dignity a n d penalty, a n d relying o n an evolutionary s c h e m a from primitive \ i o l e n l sociedes to m o d e r n tolerant societies able to o v e r c o m e the principle o f v e n g e a n c e ) . • O n the o t h e r hand, the tolerant multiculturalist liberal sometimes t o l e r a t e s e v e n t h e m o s t b r u t a l v i o l a t i o n s o f h u m a n r i g h t s , o r is at l e a s t r e l u c t a n t to c o n d e m n
t h e m , afraid o f b e i n g a c c u s e d o f i m p o s i n g
one's
own values o n to t h e O t h e r . F r o m m y own youth, I recall Maoist students preaching
and
practising
the
'sexual
revolution';
when
they
were
r e m i n d e d that t h e C h i n a o f t h e Maoist Cultural R e v o l u t i o n involved an e x t r e m e l y 'repressive' attitude towards sexuality, they were quick to answer t h a t s e x u a l i t y plays a t o t a l l y d i f f e r e n t r o l e in t h e i r l i f e - w o r l d , s o w e s h o u l d n o t i m p o s e o n t h e m o u r s t a n d a r d s o f w h a t is ' r e p r e s s i v e ' - t h e i r a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s s e x u a l i t y a p p e a r s ' r e p r e s s i v e ' o n l y by o u r W e s t e r n s t a n d a r d s . . . . D o we n o t e n c o u n t e r t h e s a m e stance today w h e n multiculturalists warn us n o t t o i m p o s e o u r E u r o c e n t r i s t n o t i o n o f u n i v e r s a l h u m a n righLs o n t o t h e O t h v r ? F u r t h e r m o r e , is n o t t h i s k i n d o f f a l s e ' t o l e r a n c e ' o f t e n e v o k e d b y s p o k e s m e n f o r m u l t i n a t i o n a l C a p i t a l itself, i n o r d e r t o l e g i t i m i z e t h e f a c t t h a t ' b u s i n e s s c o m e s first'? T h e k e y p o i n t is t o a s s e r t t h e c o m p l e m e n t a r i t y o f t h e s e two e x c e s s e s , o f too much
a n d not enough:
s p e c i f i c c u l t u r a l jouissance
i f t h e first a t t i t u d e is u n a b l e
to perceive the
w h i c h e v e n a 'victim' c a n find in a p r a c t i c e o f
THE TICKLISH
220
SUBJECT
a n o t h e r c u l t u r e t h a t a p p e a r s c r u e l a n d b a r b a r i c t o us ( v i c t i m s o f c l i t o r i dectomy often
p e r c e i v e i t a s t h e way t o r e g a i n t h e p r o p e r l y
feminine
d i g n i t y ) , t h e s e c o n d a t t i t u d e fails t o p e r c e i v e t h e f a c t t h a t t h e O t h e r is split in itself - that m e m b e r s o f a n o t h e r c u l t u r e , far f r o m simply identify i n g with their c u s t o m s , c a n a c q u i r e a d i s t a n c e towards t h e m a n d against
them
-
in
such
cases, r e f e r e n c e
to
the
'Western'
revolt
notion
of
universal h u m a n rights c a n well serve as t h e catalyst w h i c h sets i n m o t i o n an authentic protest against the constraints o f one's own culture. In o t h e r w o r d s , t h e r e is n o h a p p y m e d i u m b e t w e e n ' t o o m u c h ' a n d ' n o t e n o u g h ' ; so w h e n a m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t r e p l i e s to o u r c r i t i c i s m with a d e s p e r a t e
plea:
' W h a t e v e r I d o is w r o n g - e i t h e r I a m t o o t o l e r a n t t o w a r d s t h e i n j u s t i c e t h e O t h e r suffers, o r I a m i m p o s i n g m y o w n values o n to t h e O t h e r - so w h a t d o y o u w a n t m e t o d o ? ' , o u r a n s w e r s h o u l d b e : ' N o t h i n g ! A s l o n g as you remain
stuck in y o u r false p r e s u p p o s i t i o n s ,
you can
do
nothing!'
W h a t t h e l i b e r a l m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t fails t o n o t i c e is t h a t e a c h o f t h e c u l t u r e s e n g a g e d i n ' c o m m u n i c a t i o n ' is c a u g h t i n its o w n which
has
prevented
it f r o m
fully
'becoming
itself
-
two
antagonism
and
a u t h e n t i c c o m m u n i c a t i o n is t h a t o f ' s o l i d a r i t y i n a c o m m o n
the
only
struggle',
w h e n I d i s c o v e r t h a t t h e d e a d l o c k w h i c h h a m p e r s m e is a l s o t h e d e a d l o c k which hampers the Other. D o e s this m e a n character
of each
that t h e s o l u t i o n lies in a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h e identity?
I t is e a s y t o
praise
the
hybridity
'hybrid' of
the
p o s t m o d e r n m i g r a n t s u b j e c t , n o l o n g e r a t t a c h e d to specific e t h n i c r o o t s , f l o a t i n g freely b e t w e e n d i f f e r e n t c u l t u r a l c i r c l e s . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , two totally different s o c i o p o l i t i c a l levels a r e c o n d e n s e d h e r e : o n t h e o n e h a n d
the
cosmopolitan upper- and
the
upper-middle-class
a c a d e m i c , always w i t h
p r o p e r visas e n a b l i n g h i m t o c r o s s b o r d e r s w i t h o u t a n y p r o b l e m i n o r d e r to carry o u t his (financial, a c a d e m i c . . .) business, a n d thus a b l e to ' e n j o y the difference'; o n the o t h e r h a n d the p o o r ( i m ) m i g r a n t worker
driven
f r o m his h o m e by p o v e r t y o r ( e t h n i c , r e l i g i o u s ) v i o l e n c e , f o r w h o m
the
c e l e b r a t e d 'hybridity' d e s i g n a t e s a very t a n g i b l e t r a u m a t i c e x p e r i e n c e o f n e v e r b e i n g able to settle d o w n p r o p e r l y a n d legalize his status, t h e s u b j e c t f o r w h o m s u c h s i m p l e t a s k s as c r o s s i n g a b o r d e r o r r e u n i t i n g w i t h
his
f a m i l y c a n b e a n e x p e r i e n c e full o f a n x i e t y , a n d d e m a n d i n g g r e a t e f f o r t . F o r t h i s s e c o n d s u b j e c t , b e i n g u p r o o t e d f r o m h i s t r a d i t i o n a l way o f life is a t r a u m a t i c s h o c k w h i c h destabilizes his e n t i r e e x i s t e n c e - to tell h i m that h e s h o u l d e n j o y t h e h y b r i d i t y a n d t h e l a c k o f fixed i d e n t i t y o f h i s d a i l y l i f e , t h e f a c t t h a t h i s e x i s t e n c e is m i g r a n t , n e v e r i d e n t i c a l - t o - i t s e l f , a n d s o o n , i n v o l v e s t h e s a m e c y n i c i s m as t h a t a t w o r k i n t h e ( p o p u l a r i z e d v e r s i o n of) Deleuze and Guattari's celebration o f the schizo-subject whose rhizo-
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
221
matic pulverized existence explodes the paranoiac 'proto-Fascist' protec tive s h i e l d
of
fixed
identity:
what
is, f o r
the
concerned
subject,
an
e x p e r i e n c e o f the u t m o s t suffering a n d despair, the stigma o f exclusion, o f b e i n g u n a b l e t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e affairs o f h i s c o m m u n i t y , is -
from
t h e p o i n t o f v i e w o f t h e e x t e r n a l a n d w e l l , ' n o r m a l ' , a n d fully a d a p t e d postmodern
theoretician -
c e l e b r a t e d as t h e u l t i m a t e
assertion o f the
subversive desiring m a c h i n e . . . .
F o r a Leftist Suspension o f the Law H o w , t h e n , d o L e f t i s t s w h o a r e a w a r e o f t h i s falsity o f m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t postmodernism
react
to
it? T h e i r r e a c t i o n
H e g e l i a n infinite judgement,
assumes
the
form
of
the
w h i c h p o s i t s t h e s p e c u l a t i v e i d e n t i t y o f two
t h o r o u g h l y i n c o m p a t i b l e t e r m s : ' A d o r n o ( t h e m o s t s o p h i s t i c a t e d "elitist" critical
theorist)
populism).'
4 7
is B u c h a n a n
(the
lowest p o i n t
o f American
T h a t is t o say: t h e s e c r i t i c s o f p o s t m o d e r n
rightist
multiculturalist
e l i t i s m ( f r o m C h r i s t o p h e r L a s c h t o P a u l P i c c o n e ) t a k e t h e risk o f e n d o r s ing
neo-conservative
populism,
with
its n o t i o n s
o f the
reassertion
of
c o m m u n i t y , l o c a l d e m o c r a c y a n d a c t i v e c i t i z e n s h i p , as t h e o n l y p o l i t i c a l l y r e l e v a n t a n s w e r t o t h e all-pervasive p r e d o m i n a n c e o f ' i n s t r u m e n t a l
Rea
son', o f the bureaucratization and instrumcntalization o f o u r life-world. O f c o u r s e , it is e a s y t o d i s m i s s t o d a y ' s p o p u l i s m
as a n o s t a l g i c r e a c t i v e
f o r m a t i o n a g a i n s t t h e p r o c e s s o f m o d e r n i z a t i o n , a n d as s u c h paranoiac,
48
inherently
in s e a r c h o f a n e x t e r n a l c a u s e o f m a l i g n a n c y , o f a s e c r e t a g e n t
w h o p u l l s t h e s t r i n g s a n d is t h u s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e w o e s o f m o d e r n i z a t i o n (Jews, i n t e r n a t i o n a l Capital, n o n - p a t r i o t i c m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t m a n a g e r s , state b u r e a u c r a c y . . . ) ; t h e p r o b l e m is, r a t h e r , t o c o n c e i v e o f t h i s n e w p o p u l i s m as a n e w f o r m o f ' f a l s e t r a n s p a r e n c y ' w h i c h , f a r f r o m p r e s e n t i n g a s e r i o u s o b s t a c l e t o c a p i t a l i s t m o d e r n i z a t i o n , p a v e s t h e way f o r it. W h a t t h e s e l e f t i s t a d v o c a t e s o f p o p u l i s m fail t o p e r c e i v e is t h u s t h e f a c t t h a t t o d a y ' s p o p u l i s m , f a r f r o m p r e s e n t i n g a t h r e a t t o g l o b a l c a p i t a l i s m , r e m a i n s its i n h e r e n t product. P a r a d o x i c a l l y , t o d a y ' s t r u e c o n s e r v a t i v e s a r e , r a t h e r , leftist ' c r i t i c a l t h e orists' w h o reject b o t h liberal multiculturalism a n d fundamentalist
popul
ism - w h o clearly p e r c e i v e t h e c o m p l i c i t y b e t w e e n g l o b a l capitalism a n d ethnic
fundamentalism.
They
point
towards
a
third
domain,
which
b e l o n g s n e i t h e r to the global m a r k e t society n o r to the new forms o f ethnic fundamentalism:
t h e d o m a i n o f t h e political,
the public space o f
civil s o c i e t y , o f a c t i v e r e s p o n s i b l e c i t i z e n s h i p ( t h e fight f o r h u m a n r i g h t s ,
THE
222
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
e c o l o g y , e t c . ) . H o w e v e r , t h e p r o b l e m is t h a t t h i s v e r y f o r m o f t h e p o l i t i c a l s p a c e is i n c r e a s i n g l y t h r e a t e n e d b y t h e o n s l a u g h t o f g l o b a l i z a t i o n ; c o n s e q u e n t l y , o n e c a n n o t s i m p l y r e t u r n t o it o r r e v i t a l i z e it: t h e
post-nation-
state logic o f Capital r e m a i n s t h e R e a l w h i c h lurks in t h e
background,
w h i l e all t h r e e m a i n leftist r e a c t i o n s t o t h e p r o c e s s o f g l o b a l i z a t i o n ( l i b e r a l m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s m ; t h e a t t e m p t to e m b r a c e p o p u l i s m by d i s c e r n i n g , b e n e a t h its f u n d a m e n t a l i s t attempt
appearance,
to k e e p o p e n
Although
resistance to 'instrumental
the space o f the political) s e e m
t h e last a p p r o a c h
is b a s e d
complicity between multiculturalism c r u c i a l q u e s t i o n : how are we to reinvent of globalization?
on
an
accurate
reason';
insight into
and fundamentalism, the political
the
inappropriate. the
it a v o i d s
space in today's
the
conditions
T h e politicization o f the series o f particular struggles which
l e a v e s t h e g l o b a l p r o c e s s o f C a p i t a l i n t a c t is c l e a r l y n o t s u f f i c i e n t . T h i s m e a n s that o n e should reject the opposition which, within the frame o f l a t e c a p i t a l i s t l i b e r a l d e m o c r a c y , i m p o s e s i t s e l f as t h e m a i n a x i s o f i d e o logical struggle: the tension b e t w e e n ' o p e n ' post-ideological universalist liberal t o l e r a n c e a n d the particularist 'new fundamentalisms'. Against the l i b e r a l C e n t r e w h i c h p r e s e n t s i t s e l f as n e u t r a l , p o s t - i d e o l o g i c a l , r e l y i n g o n t h e r u l e o f Law, o n e s h o u l d r e a s s e r t t h e o l d leftist m o t i f o f t h e n e c e s s i t y to s u s p e n d t h e n e u t r a l s p a c e o f Law. O f course, b o t h Left a n d R i g h t involve their own m o d e o f suspension o f the Law on behalf o f some higher or m o r e fundamental
interest. T h e
rightist suspension, from anti-Dreyfussards to Oliver N o r t h ,
acknowledges
its v i o l a t i o n o f t h e l e t t e r o f t h e L a w , b u t j u s t i f i e s it b y r e f e r e n c e t o s o m e h i g h e r n a t i o n a l i n t e r e s t : it p r e s e n t s its v i o l a t i o n as a p a i n f u l for the g o o d o f the N a t i o n .
4 9
m e n t i o n two films, Under Fire a n d Watch on the Rhine. during the Nicaraguan
self-sacrifice
A s f o r t h e l e f t i s t s u s p e n s i o n , it is e n o u g h
revolution, when
to
T h e first t a k e s p l a c e
an A m e r i c a n
photo-journalist
faces a t r o u b l e s o m e d i l e m m a : j u s t b e f o r e the victory o f the
revolution,
S o m o z i s t a s kill a c h a r i s m a t i c S a n d i n i s t a l e a d e r , s o t h e S a n d i n i s t a s a s k t h e j o u r n a l i s t t o f a k e a p h o t o o f t h e i r d e a d l e a d e r , p r e s e n t i n g h i m as still alive a n d t h u s b e l y i n g t h e S o m o z i s t a s ' c l a i m s a b o u t h i s d e a t h - i n t h i s way, h e would
contribute
t o a swift v i c t o r y f o r t h e r e v o l u t i o n
agony o f prolonged
bloodshed.
Professional
and
shorten
ethics, o f course,
the
strictly
p r o h i b i t s u c h a n a c t , s i n c e it v i o l a t e s t h e u n b i a s e d o b j e c t i v i t y ' o f r e p o r t i n g a n d m a k e s t h e j o u r n a l i s t a n i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e p o l i t i c a l fight; t h e j o u r n a l i s t nevertheless c h o o s e s the 'leftist' o p t i o n a n d fakes the p h o t o . . . . I n on the Rhine, more
a c u t e : in
emigrants
Watch
b a s e d o n a p l a y b y L i l l i a n H e l l m a n , t h i s d i l e m m a is e v e n the
involved
late in
the
1930s,
a fugitive
anti-Nazi
family o f G e r m a n
struggle
comes
political
t o stay w i t h
their
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S distant
relatives, an
idyllic a i l - A m e r i c a n small-town middle-class
223 family;
soon, however, the G e r m a n s face an u n e x p e c t e d threat in the f o r m o f an acquaintance
o f the
American
family,
a Rightist who
blackmails
the
e m i g r a n t s a n d , t h r o u g h his c o n t a c t s with t h e G e r m a n E m b a s s y , e n d a n g e r s members
o f the
Underground
in
Germany
itself. T h e
father
of
the
e m i g r a n t family d e c i d e s to kill h i m , a n d t h e r e b y puts t h e A m e r i c a n family in a difficult m o r a l d i l e m m a : t h e i r e m p t y m o r a l i z i n g solidarity with v i c t i m s o f N a z i s m is o v e r ; n o w t h e y a c t u a l l y h a v e t o t a k e s i d e s a n d
the dirty
t h e i r h a n d s with c o v e r i n g u p t h e killing. . . . H e r e also, the family d e c i d e s o n t h e ' l e f t i s t ' o p t i o n . ' L e f t ' is d e f i n e d b y t h i s r e a d i n e s s t o s u s p e n d abstract m o r a l frame - or, to p a r a p h r a s e k i n d of political
suspension
the
K i e r k e g a a r d , to a c c o m p l i s h a
of the Ethical/'"
T h e l e s s o n o f all t h i s , w h i c h g a i n e d a c t u a l i t y a p r o p o s o f t h e W e s t e r n r e a c t i o n t o t h e B o s n i a n w a r , is t h u s t h a t t h e r e is n o w a y t o a v o i d
being
partial, since the n e u t r a l s t a n c e itself involves taking sides (in t h e c a s e o f t h e B o s n i a n war, t h e ' b a l a n c e d ' t a l k a b o u t B a l k a n e t h n i c ' t r i b a l w a r f a r e ' already endorses the Serbian standpoint): humanitarian
liberal equidis
t a n c e c a n e a s i l y s l i p i n t o o r c o i n c i d e w i t h its o p p o s i t e a n d in e f f e c t t o l e r a t e the m o s t violent ' e t h n i c c l e a n s i n g ' . In short, the Leftist d o e s n o t simply v i o l a t e t h e L i b e r a l ' s i m p a r t i a l n e u t r a l i t y ; w h a t h e c l a i m s is t h a t there is no such neutrality:
t h a t t h e L i b e r a l ' s i m p a r t i a l i t y is a l w a y s - a l r e a d y b i a s e d . T h e
c l i c h e o f t h e l i b e r a l C e n t r e , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t b o t h s u s p e n s i o n s , t h e r i g h t i s t a n d t h e leftist, u l t i m a t e l y a m o u n t t o t h e s a m e : t o a t o t a l i t a r i a n t h r e a t t h e r u l e o f law. T h e e n t i r e c o n s i s t e n c y o f t h e L e f t h i n g e s o n p r o v i n g o n t h e c o n t r a r y , e a c h o f t h e two s u s p e n s i o n s f o l l o w s a d i f f e r e n t While
the
R i g h t l e g i t i m i z e s its s u s p e n s i o n
universalist stance -
o f the
logic.
E t h i c a l b y its
t h a t is, b y a r e f e r e n c e t o its p a r t i c u l a r
to
that, anti-
(religious,
patriotic) identity which overrules any universal m o r a l o r legal standards - t h e L e f t l e g i t i m i z e s its s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e E t h i c a l p r e c i s e l y b y m e a n s o f a r e f e r e n c e t o t h e t r u e U n i v e r s a l i t y t o c o m e . O r - t o p u t it a n o t h e r w a y
-
the Left simultaneously accepts the antagonistic c h a r a c t e r o f society (there is n o n e u t r a l
p o s i t i o n , s t r u g g l e is c o n s t i t u t i v e ) and r e m a i n s
univcrsalist
( s p e a k i n g o n b e h a l f o f u n i v e r s a l e m a n c i p a t i o n ) : i n t h e leftist p e r s p e c t i v e , a c c e p t i n g t h e r a d i c a l l y a n t a g o n i s t i c - t h a t is, political life,
accepting
effectively
the
necessity o f 'taking
- character o f social
s i d e s ' , is t h e
o n l y way
to
be
universal.
H o w a r e we to c o m p r e h e n d this p a r a d o x ? It c a n b e c o n c e i v e d o n l y i f the antagonism,
is inherent
split i n t o
'false'
division
the
o f the
to universality
itself
c o n c r e t e universality
W h o l e into
functional
t h a t is, i f u n i v e r s a l i t y i t s e l f is that
parts,
legitimizes the and
the
existing
impossible/real
THE
224 demand
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
o f ' a b s t r a c t ' u n i v e r s a l i t y ( B a l i b a r ' s egaliberte
p o l i t i c a l g e s t u r e par excellence
again). T h e
leftist
(in contrast to the rightist slogan 'to e a c h
h i s o r h e r o w n p l a c e ' ) is t h u s t o q u e s t i o n t h e c o n c r e t e e x i s t i n g u n i v e r s a l o r d e r o n b e h a l f o f its s y m p t o m , o f t h e p a r t w h i c h , a l t h o u g h i n h e r e n t t o t h e e x i s t i n g u n i v e r s a l o r d e r , h a s n o ' p r o p e r p l a c e ' w i t h i n it (say, i l l e g a l immigrants o r the h o m e l e s s in o u r societies). T h i s p r o c e d u r e o f
identifying
with the symptom is t h e e x a c t a n d n e c e s s a r y o b v e r s e o f t h e s t a n d a r d c r i t i c o ideological move o f recognizing a particular content b e h i n d some abstract u n i v e r s a l n o t i o n , t h a t is, o f d e n o u n c i n g n e u t r a l u n i v e r s a l i t y as f a l s e ( ' t h e " m a n " o f h u m a n r i g h t s is a c t u a l l y t h e w h i t e m a l e p r o p e r t y - o w n e r . . . ' ) : o n e p a t h e t i c a l l y a s s e r t s ( a n d i d e n t i f i e s w i t h ) the point exclusion,
the 'abject', of the concrete
positive
order,
of inherent
exception/
as the only point
of true
universality. I t is e a s y t o s h o w t h a t , say, t h e s u b d i v i s i o n o f t h e p e o p l e w h o live i n a c o u n t r y i n t o 'full' citizens a n d t e m p o r a r y i m m i g r a n t workers
privileges
'full' citizens a n d e x c l u d e s i m m i g r a n t s f r o m t h e p u b l i c s p a c e p r o p e r ( j u s t as m a n a n d w o m a n a r e n o t two s p e c i e s o f a n e u t r a l u n i v e r s a l g e n u s o f h u m a n i t y , s i n c e t h e c o n t e n t o f t h e g e n u s as s u c h i n v o l v e s s o m e m o d e o f ' r e p r e s s i o n ' o f t h e f e m i n i n e ) ; m u c h m o r e p r o d u c t i v e , t h e o r e t i c a l l y as well as p o l i t i c a l l y ( s i n c e it o p e n s u p t h e w a y f o r t h e ' p r o g r e s s i v e ' s u b v e r t i n g o f h e g e m o n y ) , is t h e o p p o s i t e o p e r a t i o n
o f identifying
universality
with the
point of exclusion - i n o u r c a s e , o f s a y i n g ' w e a r e all i m m i g r a n t w o r k e r s ' . I n a h i e r a r c h i c a l l y s t r u c t u r e d society, t h e m e a s u r e o f true universality lies in t h e way p a r t s r e l a t e t o t h o s e ' a t t h e b o t t o m ' , e x c l u d e d b y a n d f r o m all others
( i n e x - Y u g o s l a v i a , f o r e x a m p l e , u n i v e r s a l i t y was r e p r e s e n t e d
by
A l b a n i a n a n d B o s n i a n M u s l i m s , l o o k e d d o w n o n b y all o t h e r n a t i o n s ) . The
recent pathetic statement
o f s o l i d a r i t y ' S a r a j e v o is t h e c a p i t a l o f
E u r o p e ' was a l s o a n e x e m p l a r y c a s e o f s u c h a n o t i o n o f e x c e p t i o n as e m b o d y i n g u n i v e r s a l i t y : t h e way e n l i g h t e n e d l i b e r a l E u r o p e r e l a t e d
to
S a r a j e v o b o r e w i t n e s s t o t h e way it r e l a t e d t o itself, t o its u n i v e r s a l n o t i o n . T h e e x a m p l e s w e h a v e e v o k e d m a k e i t c l e a r t h a t leftist u n i v e r s a l i s m p r o p e r d o e s n o t involve any kind o f r e t u r n to s o m e neutral content
(a c o m m o n
notion
o f humanity,
etc.);
rather,
universal
it r e f e r s
to
a
universal w h i c h c o m e s to exist ( w h i c h b e c o m e s ' f o r i t s e l f , to p u t it in H e g e l e s e ) o n l y i n a p a r t i c u l a r e l e m e n t w h i c h is s t r u c t u r a l l y d i s p l a c e d , ' o u t o f j o i n t ' : w i t h i n a g i v e n s o c i a l W h o l e , it is p r e c i s e l y t h e e l e m e n t w h i c h is p r e v e n t e d f r o m a c t u a l i z i n g its full p a r t i c u l a r i d e n t i t y t h a t s t a n d s f o r its u n i v e r s a l d i m e n s i o n . T h e G r e e k demos s t o o d f o r u n i v e r s a l i t y n o t b e c a u s e it c o v e r e d t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n ,
n o r b e c a u s e it o c c u p i e d
l o w e s t p l a c e w i t h i n t h e s o c i a l h i e r a r c h y , b u t b e c a u s e it had no proper
the place
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S within this hierarchy, tions
-
or,
to put
contradictions
b u t was a s i t e o f c o n f l i c t i n g , s e l f - c a n c e l l i n g d e t e r m i n a it in
contemporary
(they were
addressed
terms,
a
site
as e q u a l s
-
participating
of
performative
c o m m u n i t y o f logos - i n o r d e r t o b e i n f o r m e d t h a t tiiey w e r e from
225
this c o m m u n i t y . . . ) . T o t a k e M a r x ' s c l a s s i c e x a m p l e ,
in
the
excluded
'proletariat'
s t a n d s f o r u n i v e r s a l h u m a n i t y n o t b e c a u s e it is t h e l o w e s t , m o s t e x p l o i t e d c l a s s , b u t b e c a u s e its v e r y e x i s t e n c e is a ' l i v i n g c o n t r a d i c t i o n ' - t h a t is, it gives b o d y t o t h e f u n d a m e n t a l i m b a l a n c e a n d i n c o n s i s t e n c y o f t h e c a p i t a l ist s o c i a l W h o l e . W e c a n s e e , n o w , i n w h a t p r e c i s e way t h e d i m e n s i o n o f t h e U n i v e r s a l is o p p o s e d
to g l o b a l i s m : t h e universal d i m e n s i o n
'shines
t h r o u g h ' the s y m p t o m a t i c d i s p l a c e d e l e m e n t w h i c h b e l o n g s to t h e W h o l e w i t h o u t b e i n g p r o p e r l y its p a r t . F o r t h i s r e a s o n , c r i t i c i s m o f t h e p o s s i b l e ideological
functioning
o f the
notion
o f hybridity
advocate the return to substantial identities a s s e r t hybridity as the site of the
should
in
no
way
t h e p o i n t is p r e c i s e l y t o
Universal.^
I n s o f a r as n o r m a t i v e h e t e r o s e x u a l i t y s t a n d s f o r t h e g l o b a l O r d e r w i t h i n w h i c h e a c h s e x is a s s i g n e d its p r o p e r p l a c e , q u e e r d e m a n d s a r e n o t s i m p l y demands
t h a t t h e i r s e x u a l p r a c t i c e a n d l i f e s t y l e b e r e c o g n i z e d in
their
specificity, a l o n g s i d e o t h e r p r a c t i c e s , b u t s o m e t h i n g that unsettles t h e very g l o b a l o r d e r a n d its e x c l u s i o n a r y h i e r a r c h i c a l l o g i c ; p r e c i s e l y as s u c h , as ' o u t o f j o i n t ' with r e g a r d
to the
existing order,
queers stand
for
the
d i m e n s i o n o f U n i v e r s a l i t y ( o r , r a t h e r , can s t a n d f o r it, s i n c e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n is n e v e r d i r e c t l y i n s c r i b e d i n t o o n e ' s o b j e c t i v e s o c i a l p o s i t i o n , b u t i n v o l v e s the gesture o f subjectivization). J u d i t h B u t l e r
5 2
develops a powerful
m e n t against the abstract a n d politically regressive opposition e c o n o m i c struggle
and
the
'merely cultural'
q u e e r struggle
argu
between
for
recog
nition: far from b e i n g ' m e r e l y cultural', the social f o r m o f sexual repro d u c t i o n i n h a b i t s t h e very c o r e o f t h e social r e l a t i o n s o f p r o d u c t i o n ;
that
is, t h e n u c l e a r h e t e r o s e x u a l f a m i l y is a k e y c o m p o n e n t a n d c o n d i t i o n o f t h e capitalist relations o f o w n e r s h i p , e x c h a n g e , a n d so o n ; for that reason, t h e way q u e e r
political practice questions
and
undermines
normative
heterosexuality poses a potential threat to the capitalist m o d e o f produc t i o n itself. . . . M y r e a c t i o n t o t h i s t h e s i s is t w o f o l d : I fully e n d o r s e
queer
p o l i t i c s i n s o f a r as it ' m e t a p h o r i c i z e s ' its s p e c i f i c s t r u g g l e as s o m e t h i n g t h a t - i f its o b j e c t i v e s w e r e t o b e r e a l i z e d - u n d e r m i n e s t h e v e r y p o t e n t i a l s o f capitalism. H o w e v e r , I t e n d to t h i n k that, in t h e c o u r s e o f t h e o n g o i n g transformation
into the
'post-political' tolerant multiculturalist
t o d a y ' s c a p i t a l i s t s y s t e m is a b l e t o n e u t r a l i z e q u e e r d e m a n d s , them
to
regime, absorb
as a s p e c i f i c 'way o f l i f e ' . Is n o t t h e h i s t o r y o f c a p i t a l i s m a l o n g
history o f how the p r e d o m i n a n t
i d e o l o g i c o - p o l i t i c a l f r a m e w o r k was a b l e
THE
226
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
to a c c o m m o d a t e ( a n d soften t h e subversive e d g e o f ) t h e m o v e m e n t s
and
d e m a n d s t h a t s e e m e d t o t h r e a t e n its v e r y survival? F o r a l o n g t i m e , s e x u a l l i b e r t a r i a n s t h o u g h t t h a t m o n o g a m o u s s e x u a l r e p r e s s i o n was n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e survival o f c a p i t a l i s m -
now we know that capitalism c a n n o t
only
t o l e r a t e , b u t even actively i n c i t e a n d e x p l o i t , f o r m s o f ' p e r v e r s e ' sexuality, n o t to m e n t i o n p r o m i s c u o u s i n d u l g e n c e in s e x u a l p l e a s u r e s . W h a t i f t h e s a m e d e s t i n y awaits q u e e r d e m a n d s ? " ' ent sexual practices and
identities
3
T h e r e c e n t p r o l i f e r a t i o n o f differ
(from sadomasochism
to bisexuality
a n d drag p e r f o r m a n c e s ) , far from posing a t h r e a t to the p r e s e n t r e g i m e of biopower
(to use
the
Foucauldian
t e r m s ) , is p r e c i s e l y t h e f o r m
of
s e x u a l i t y t h a t is g e n e r a t e d b y t h e p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n s o f g l o b a l c a p i t a l i s m , which clearly favour the m o d e o f subjectivity c h a r a c t e r i z e d by multiple shifting identifications. T h e k e y c o m p o n e n t o f t h e ' l e f t i s t ' p o s i t i o n is t h u s t h e e q u a t i o n o f t h e a s s e r t i o n o f Universalism
w i t h a m i l i t a n t , divisive
position o f o n e
engaged
in a struggle: true universalists are n o t t h o s e w h o p r e a c h g l o b a l t o l e r a n c e o f differences and passionate
fight
a l l - e n c o m p a s s i n g unity, b u t t h o s e w h o e n g a g e in
for
the
assertion
o f the
Truth
that
enthuses
a
them.
T h e o r e t i c a l , religious and political e x a m p l e s a b o u n d here: from St Paul, whose unconditional Christian universalism (everyone can b e
redeemed,
s i n c e , in t h e eyes o f Christ, t h e r e a r e n o J e w s a n d G r e e k s , n o m e n w o m e n . . .) m a d e
him into a proto-Leninist militant fighting
and
different
' d e v i a t i o n s ' , t h r o u g h M a r x ( w h o s e n o t i o n o f c l a s s s t r u g g l e is t h e n e c e s s a r y obverse o f the universalism o f his theory w h i c h aims at the
'redemption'
o f the whole o f humanity) a n d F r e u d , u p to great political
figures
- say,
w h e n D e G a u l l e , a l m o s t a l o n e i n E n g l a n d i n 1 9 4 0 , l a u n c h e d his c a l l f o r r e s i s t a n c e t o G e r m a n o c c u p a t i o n , h e was a t t h e s a m e t i m e p r e s u m i n g speak on
b e h a l f o f t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y o f F r a n c e , a n d , for
this very
to
reason,
i n t r o d u c i n g a r a d i c a l split, a f i s s u r e , b e t w e e n t h o s e w h o f o l l o w e d h i m a n d those who preferred the collaborationist 'Egyptian fleshpots'. T o p u t it i n B a d i o u ' s w o r d s , it is c r u c i a l h e r e n o t t o t r a n s l a t e t h e t e r m s o f this s t r u g g l e (set in m o t i o n b y t h e v i o l e n t a n d c o n t i n g e n t a s s e r t i o n o f t h e n e w u n i v e r s a l T r u t h ) i n t o t h e t e r m s o f t h e o r d e r o f B e i n g , w i t h its g r o u p s a n d s u b g r o u p s , c o n c e i v i n g it as t h e s t r u g g l e b e t w e e n two s o c i a l e n t i t i e s d e f i n e d b y a s e r i e s o f p o s i t i v e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s ; t h a t was t h e ' m i s t a k e ' of
Stalinism, which
reduced
the
class s t r u g g l e
to a struggle
between
' c l a s s e s ' d e f i n e d as s o c i a l g r o u p s w i t h a s e t o f p o s i t i v e f e a t u r e s ( p l a c e in the m o d e o f p r o d u c t i o n , e t c . ) . F r o m a truly r a d i c a l M a r x i s t p e r s p e c t i v e , although
t h e r e is a l i n k b e t w e e n
'proletariat'
' w o r k i n g c l a s s ' as a s o c i a l g r o u p
as t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e m i l i t a n t
fighting
for universal
and
Truth,
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
227
t h i s l i n k is n o t a d e t e r m i n i n g c a u s a l c o n n e c t i o n , a n d t h e two l e v e l s m u s t b e strictly d i s t i n g u i s h e d : to b e a ' p r o l e t a r i a n ' involves a s s u m i n g a c e r t a i n subjective
stance
( o f class s t r u g g l e d e s t i n e d
to achieve the
Redemption
t h r o u g h R e v o l u t i o n ) w h i c h , i n p r i n c i p l e , c a n b e a d o p t e d b y any i n d i v i d u a l -
to p u t
it in
religious terms,
irrespective o f his
( g o o d ) works,
any
i n d i v i d u a l c a n b e ' t o u c h e d b y G r a c e ' a n d i n t e r p e l l a t e d as a p r o l e t a r i a n s u b j e c t . T h e l i n e t h a t s e p a r a t e s t h e two o p p o s i n g s i d e s in t h e c l a s s s t r u g g l e is t h e r e f o r e n o t ' o b j e c t i v e ' , i t is n o t t h e l i n e s e p a r a t i n g two p o s i t i v e s o c i a l g r o u p s , b u t u l t i m a t e l y radically uals a s s u m e towards
subjective — it i n v o l v e s t h e p o s i t i o n i n d i v i d
the Truth-Event. Subjectivity and
universalism
are
t h u s n o t o n l y n o t e x c l u s i v e , b u t two s i d e s o f t h e s a m e c o i n : it is p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e 'class s t r u g g l e ' i n t e r p e l l a t e s individuals
to a d o p t t h e s u b j e c t i v e
s t a n c e o f a ' p r o l e t a r i a n ' t h a t its a p p e a l is u n i v e r s a l , a i m i n g at e v e r y o n e w i t h o u t e x c e p t i o n . T h e d i v i s i o n it m o b i l i z e s is n o t t h e d i v i s i o n b e t w e e n two w e l l - d e f i n e d s o c i a l g r o u p s , b u t t h e d i v i s i o n , w h i c h r u n s ' d i a g o n a l l y ' t o the social division in the O r d e r o f B e i n g , b e t w e e n t h o s e w h o r e c o g n i z e t h e m s e l v e s i n t h e c a l l o f t h e T r u t h - E v e n t , b e c o m i n g its f o l l o w e r s ,
and
those who
true
Universal
deny or ignore (as o p p o s e d
to
it. I n the
H e g e l e s e , the existence o f the
false
'concrete'
encompassing global Order o f Being) santly
divisive s t r u g g l e ;
Universality o f the
all-
is t h a t o f a n e n d l e s s a n d i n c e s
it is u l t i m a t e l y
the
division
between
the
two
notions ( a n d material practices) o f Universality: those who advocate the p o s i t i v i t y o f t h e O r d e r o f B e i n g as t h e u l t i m a t e h o r i z o n o f k n o w l e d g e a n d action, and those who a c c e p t the efficiency o f the d i m e n s i o n o f TruthE v e n t i r r e d u c i b l e to ( a n d u n a c c o u n t a b l e in the t e r m s o f ) t h e O r d e r o f Being. T h a t is t h e u l t i m a t e g a p t h a t s e p a r a t e s N a z i s m f r o m C o m m u n i s m : i n N a z i s m , a J e w is u l t i m a t e l y g u i l t y s i m p l y b e c a u s e h e is a J e w , b e c a u s e o f h i s d i r e c t n a t u r a l p r o p e r t i e s , b e c a u s e o f w h a t h e is; w h i l e e v e n in
the
d a r k e s t days o f S t a l i n i s m a m e m b e r o f t h e b o u r g e o i s i e o r a r i s t o c r a c y is n o t g u i l t y per se, t h a t is, d i r e c t l y b e c a u s e o f h i s s o c i a l s t a t u s -
t h e r e is
always a m i n i m u m o f s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n i n v o l v e d ; p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h e c l a s s s t r u g g l e r e l i e s o n t h e s u b j e c t i v e a c t o f d e c i s i o n . I n a p e r v e r t e d way, t h e very function
o f confession
in
the
Stalinist show
trial
attests
to
this
difference: for the guilt o f the traitor to b e effective, the a c c u s e d must c o n f e s s , t h a t is, s u b j e c t i v e l y a s s u m e h i s g u i l t , in c l e a r c o n t r a s t t o N a z i s m , w h e r e a n a n a l o g o u s c o n f e s s i o n b y a J e w t h a t h e was p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n a p l o t against
Germany would
be
m e a n i n g l e s s . It
revisionist historians' a r g u m e n t a t i o n caust
was
already
foreshadowed
by
is at
this
point
that
the
a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h t h e Nazi H o l o the
Leninist
liquidation
of
the
THE TICKLISH
228
SUBJECT
ex-ruling classes (in b o t h cases p e o p l e w e r e killed simply b e c a u s e o f what they were, n o t because o f their deeds) misses the point. F o r that reason, the a n t i - C o m m u n i s t revisionist historian's thesis a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h t h e N a z i H o l o c a u s t d i d n o t o n l y f o l l o w i n time t h e C o m m u n i s t p u r g e s o f t h e e n e m i e s o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n i n t h e S o v i e t U n i o n , b u t was a l s o c a u s a l l y c o n d i t i o n e d b y t h e m ( c o n c e i v e d as a r e a c t i o n o r , r a t h e r , a preventive strike against t h e m ) misses t h e point. T h e revisionists are quite right
to
stress
that
the
Nazi
struggle
repetition/copy o f the Communist
against
the Jewish plot
class struggle -
was
h o w e v e r , far
a
from
e x c u l p a t i n g t h e N a z i s , t h i s f a c t b r i n g s h o m e all t h e m o r e t h e d i f f e r e n c e between Nazism and
Communism:
what
for the
C o m m u n i s t s was
the
a n t a g o n i s m t h a t dwells in t h e very k e r n e l o f t h e social e d i f i c e was, in Nazi ideology,
'naturalized'
into
the
biological property
o f a specific race
( t h e J e w s ) . S o i n s t e a d o f t h e n o t i o n o f s o c i e t y as d i v i d e d / t r a v e r s e d b y t h e class struggle, in w h i c h the
notion
e v e r y b o d y is c o m p e l l e d t o t a k e s i d e s , w e
o f s o c i e t y as a c o r p o r a t e
body
threatened
by an
get
external
e n e m y : t h e J e w as t h e f o r e i g n i n t r u d e r . C o n s e q u e n t l y , it is t o t a l l y m i s guided
to c o n c e i v e t h e
Communist
revolutionary terror and
the
Nazi
H o l o c a u s t as t h e two m o d e s o f t h e s a m e t o t a l i t a r i a n v i o l e n c e ( i n t h e case
the
gap
between
Us
and
Them,
the
enemy,
and
the
first
enemy's
a n n i h i l a t i o n , w e r e j u s t i f i e d i n t e r m s o f c l a s s d i f f e r e n c e - it is l e g i t i m a t e t o destroy m e m b e r s o f t h e o p p o s i n g class - a n d in t h e s e c o n d , in t e r m s o f r a c i a l d i f f e r e n c e - it is l e g i t i m a t e t o kill J e w s ) : t h e t r u e h o r r o r o f N a z i s m lies i n t h e very way i t d i s p l a c e d / n a t u r a l i z e d s o c i a l a n t a g o n i s m i n t o r a c i a l difference, m a k i n g t h e J e w s guilty b e c a u s e o f the s i m p l e fact that
they
were Jews, i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f what they did, o f how they subjectivized their condition.
T h e Ambiguity o f E x c r e m e n t a l Identification F o r R a n c i e r e , s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n i n v o l v e s t h e a s s e r t i o n o f a singulier
universel,
t h e s i n g u l a r / e x c e s s i v e p a r t o f t h e s o c i a l e d i f i c e t h a t d i r e c t l y gives b o d y t o t h e d i m e n s i o n o f u n i v e r s a l i t y . P e r h a p s t h i s l o g i c o f singulier like
fiadiou's
thought,
profoundly
C h r i s t o l o g i c a l : is n o t
universel the
is,
ultimate
'universal singular', the singular individual standing for humanity, Christ himself? D o e s n o t t h e r e v o l u t i o n o f Christianity lie in t h e fact that,
in
a c c o r d a n c e with t h e l o g i c o f ' i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h t h e s y m p t o m ' , it o f f e r s as t h i s s i n g u l a r p o i n t , w h i c h s t a n d s f o r t h e t r u e U n i v e r s a l , n o t w h a t is ' t h e h i g h e s t o f M a n ' b u t t h e lowest e x c r e m e n t a l r e m a i n d e r - o n l y by identify-
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S i n g w i t h this r e m a i n d e r , b y imitatio
229
Christi, c a n a p e r s o n ' r e a c h e t e r n i t y '
a n d b e c o m e effectively universal. A n d p e r h a p s this C h r i s t o l o g i c a l refer e n c e also m a k e s p a l p a b l e a possible limitation o f the political efficiency o f the gesture o f 'identification with the s y m p t o m ' . Christianity's entire theological edifice relies o n such an e x c r e m e n t a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n - o n t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n with t h e p o o r
figure
o f the suffering
C h r i s t d y i n g i n p a i n b e t w e e n t h e two t h i e v e s . T h e a r t i f i c e b y m e a n s o f w h i c h C h r i s t i a n i t y b e c a m e t h e r u l i n g i d e o l o g y was t o c o m b i n e t h i s r a d i c a l e x c r e m e n t a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h full e n d o r s e m e n t o f t h e e x i s t i n g h i e r a r chical social order: 'rich and poor, h o n e s t m e n a n d sinners, masters and s l a v e s , m e n a n d w o m e n , n e i g h b o u r s a n d f o r e i g n e r s , w e a r e all u n i t e d i n Christ'. Although
this e x c r e m e n t a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n i m p o s e d
compassion
a n d merciful care for the p o o r (the 'do n o t forget that they are also G o d ' s c h i l d r e n ' m o d f ) b y r e m i n d i n g t h e r i c h a n d p o w e r f u l t h a t t h e i r p o s i t i o n is precarious
and
contingent,
it n o n e
the
less c o n f i r m e d
them
in
this
position, a n d even p r o c l a i m e d ever)' o p e n r e b e l l i o n against the existing p o w e r r e l a t i o n s a m o r t a l s i n . T h e p a t h e t i c a s s e r t i o n ' W e a r e all
[Jews,
B l a c k s , gays, r e s i d e n t s o f S a r a j e v o . . . ] ' c a n t h u s w o r k i n a n e x t r e m e l y a m b i g u o u s way: it c a n also i n d u c e a h a s t y c l a i m t h a t o u r o w n p r e d i c a m e n t is i n f a c t t h e s a m e as t h a t o f t h e t r u e v i c t i m s , t h a t is, a f a l s e m e t a p h o r i c univcrsalization o f the fate o f the e x c l u d e d . S o o n a f t e r t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f S o l z h e n i t s y n ' s Gulag t r i l o g y i n t h e W e s t , it b e c a m e f a s h i o n a b l e i n s o m e ' r a d i c a l ' leftist c i r c l e s t o e m p h a s i z e h o w ' o u r e n u r e c o n s u m e r i s t W e s t e r n s o c i e t y is a l s o o n e g i g a n t i c Gulag, i n w h i c h w e a r e i m p r i s o n e d b y t h e c h a i n s o f t h e r u l i n g i d e o l o g y - a n d o u r p o s i t i o n is e v e n w o r s e , s i n c e we a r e u n a w a r e o f o u r t r u e p r e d i c a m e n t ' . In a r e c e n t discussion about clitoridectomy, a 'radical' feminist pathetically claimed t h a t W e s t e r n w o m e n a r c i n a way a l s o t h o r o u g h l y c i r c u m c i s e d , h a v i n g to u n d e r g o stressful diets, r i g o r o u s b o d y t r a i n i n g a n d painful b r e a s t - o r face lifting o p e r a t i o n s in o r d e r to r e m a i n attractive t o m e n . . . . A l t h o u g h , o f c o u r s e , t h e r e is i n b o t h c a s e s , a n e l e m e n t o f t r u t h i n t h e c l a i m s m a d e , t h e r e is n o n e
t h e less s o m e t h i n g f u n d a m e n t a l l y
faked in the
pathetic
statement o f a radical upper-middle-class student that 'the Berkeley cam p u s is a l s o a g i g a n t i c Gulag.
Is i t n o t d e e p l y s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t t h e
best-
k n o w n e x a m p l e o f s u c h a p a t h e t i c identification with the o u t c a s t / v i c t i m is J . F . K e n n e d y ' s ' I c h b i n e i n B e r l i n e r ' f r o m 1 9 6 3 - a s t a t e m e n t w h i c h is definitely n o t w h a t R a n c i e r e h a d in m i n d
(and, incidentally, a statement
which, because o f a grammatical error, means, when
retranslated
into
English, 'I am a d o u g h n u t ' ) ? T h e way o u t o f t h i s p r e d i c a m e n t s e e m s e a s y e n o u g h : t h e m e a s u r e o f
THE TICKLISH
230 the
authenticity o f the pathetic
SUBJECT
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n l i e s i n its s o c i o p o l i t i c a l
e f f i c i e n c y . T o w h a t e f f e c t i v e m e a s u r e s d o e s it a m o u n t ? I n s h o r t , h o w d o e s t h i s p o l i t i c a l s t a n c e o f singulier
universel a f f e c t w h a t R a n c i e r e c a l l s t h e police
s t r u c t u r e ? Is t h e r e a l e g i t i m a t e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n two ' p o l i c e s ( o r d e r s o f b e i n g ) ' : t h e o n e w h i c h is ( o r t e n d s t o b e ) s e l f - c o n t a i n e d , a n d t h e
one
w h i c h is m o r e o p e n t o t h e i n c o r p o r a t i o n o f p r o p e r l y p o l i t i c a l d e m a n d s ? Is t h e r e s o m e t h i n g l i k e a
'police o f polities'? O f course, the
Kantian
answer ( s h a r e d even by B a d i o u ) w o u l d b e that any d i r e c t i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f police
(the Order o f Being)
with politics ( t h e T r u t h - E v e n t ) , a n y
pro
c e d u r e b y m e a n s o f w h i c h t h e T r u t h p o s i t s i t s e l f d i r e c t l y as t h e c o n s t i t u t i v e structuring
p r i n c i p l e o f t h e s o c i o p o l i t i c a l O r d e r o f B e i n g , l e a d s t o its
o p p o s i t e , to t h e 'politics o f t h e p o l i c e ' , to r e v o l u t i o n a r y T e r r o r , w h o s e e x e m p l a r y c a s e is t h e S t a l i n i s t desastre. T h e p r o b l e m is t h a t t h e we
try t o
provide
the
pathetic
a s s e r t i o n o f t h e universel
identification
singulier,
with
the
moment
symptom,
the
with a d e t e r m i n a t e c o n t e n t ( W h a t d o
p r o t e s t e r s w h o p a t h e t i c a l l y c l a i m ' W e a r e all i m m i g r a n t w o r k e r s ! ' a c t u a l l y want} W h a t is t h e i r demand
to the P o l i c e P o w e r ? ) , the o l d contrast b e t w e e n
t h e r a d i c a l u n i v e r s a l i s m o f egaliberte particular
identities reappears
and the
'postmodern'
assertion o f
w i t h a v e n g e a n c e , as is c l e a r f r o m
the
d e a d l o c k o f g a y p o l i t i c s , w h i c h f e a r s l o s i n g its s p e c i f i c i t y w h e n gays a r e a c k n o w l e d g e d by t h e p u b l i c d i s c o u r s e : d o y o u w a n t equal
rights o r
specific
rights t o s a f e g u a r d y o u r p a r t i c u l a r way o f life? T h e a n s w e r , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t t h e p a t h e t i c g e s t u r e o f singulier
universel
e f f e c t i v e l y f u n c t i o n s as a
h y s t e r i c a l g e s t u r e m a d e t o a v o i d t h e d e c i s i o n b y postponing i n d e f i n i t e l y . T h a t is to say: t h e g e s t u r e o f singulier bombarding
the
Police/Power
edifice
with
its s a t i s f a c t i o n
universel
impossible
flourishes on
demands,
d e m a n d s w h i c h a r e ' m a d e t o b e r e j e c t e d ' ; its l o g i c is t h a t o f ' I n i n g that y o u d o this, I a m actually d e m a n d i n g
with
demand
t h a t y o u d o n o t d o it,
b e c a u s e that's not it' T h e s i t u a t i o n h e r e is p r o p e r l y u n d e c i d a b l e : n o t o n l y is a r a d i c a l p o l i t i c a l p r o j e c t o f t e n ' b e t r a y e d ' b y a c o m p r o m i s e w i t h
the
Police Order
the
(the eternal c o m p l a i n t o f revolutionary radicals: o n c e
reformists take over, they c h a n g e only the f o r m a n d a c c o m m o d a t e t h e m selves to t h e o l d m a s t e r s ) , t h e r e c a n also b e t h e o p p o s i t e c a s e o f p s e u d o r a d i c a l i z a t i o n , w h i c h fits t h e e x i s t i n g p o w e r r e l a t i o n s m u c h b e t t e r t h a n a modest reformist proposal.
5 4
T h e f u r t h e r d i s t i n c t i o n t o b e m a d e h e r e is b e t w e e n t h e two subjects o f the singulier-
enunciation
o f the statement
that asserts the
is this s t a t e m e n t t h e d i r e c t s t a t e m e n t o f the excluded
opposed universel
victim
itself
( o f demos i n o l d A t h e n s ; o f t h e troisieme etat i n t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n ; o f Jews, Palestinians, Blacks, women,
gays . . .
today), which
proposes
its
POLITICAL SUBJECTIVIZATION AND ITS V I C I S S I T U D E S
231
p a r t i c u l a r p l i g h t as r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y o f ' h u m a n i t y ' , o r is it the s t a t e m e n t o f solidarity m a d e
b y others, t h e c o n c e r n e d
'enlightened
p u b l i c ' ? H o w d o t h e s e two m o d e s o f f u n c t i o n i n g r e l a t e to o n e
another?
T h e d i f f e r e n c e i n q u e s t i o n is t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e u n i v e r s a l P u b l i c c l a i m i n g : ' W e a r e all them ( t h e e x c l u d e d n o n - p a r t ) ! ' a n d t h e non-part
claiming:
Nation...!]'
-
this
'We
are
the
true
Universal
reversal, a l t h o u g h
[the
apparently
excluded
People,
purely
Society,
symmetrical,
n e v e r p r o d u c e s d i r e c t s y m m e t r i c a l e f f e c t s . W h a t w e e n c o u n t e r h e r e is a key feature o f t h e m e c h a n i s m that g e n e r a t e s ( i d e o l o g i c a l ) s e m b l a n c e : the s y m m e t r i c a l reversal that p r o d u c e s an a s y m m e t r i c a l result. In M a r x , for e x a m p l e , t h e s i m p l e i n v e r s i o n o f t h e ' d e v e l o p e d ' to t h e ' g e n e r a l ' f o r m o f e q u i v a l e n c e ( f r o m t h e s t a t e i n w h i c h c o m m o d i t y A e x p r e s s e s its v a l u e i n t h e s e r i e s o f c o m m o d i t i e s B , C, D , E , F . . ., t o t h e s t a t e i n w h i c h c o m m o d ity
A
itself
expresses
-
gives
body
to
-
the
value
of
commodities
B , C, D , E , F . . . ) g i v e s rise t o t h e e f f e c t o f f e t i s h i s m ; t h a t is, it c o n f e r s o n A the aura o f a c o m m o d i t y that has to possess s o m e mysterious
ingredient
e n a b l i n g it t o f u n c t i o n as t h e e q u i v a l e n t o f all t h e o t h e r s . H e g e l also o f t e n b r i n g s a b o u t t h e d e e p e s t speculative shift, a c h a n g e in t h e w h o l e terrain o f t h o u g h t , by m e a n s o f a s i m p l e s y m m e t r i c a l inversion. The
s t a t e m e n t ' T h e S e l f is t h e S u b s t a n c e ' is i n n o way e q u i v a l e n t t o t h e
s t a t e m e n t ' T h e S u b s t a n c e is t h e S e l f : t h e first a s s e r t s t h e s i m p l e s u b o r d i n a t i o n o f t h e S e l f t o t h e S u b s t a n c e ( ' I r e c o g n i z e m y s e l f as b e l o n g i n g t o my social S u b s t a n c e ' ) , while the s e c o n d involves the subjectivization o f t h e S u b s t a n c e i t s e l f . L o u i s X I V d i d n o t say: ' I a m t h e S t a t e ' ; w h a t h e s a i d was: 'L'Etat as t h e
e'est mot:
o n l y in t h e s e c o n d v e r s i o n is t h e f i n i t e S e l f p o s i t e d
t r u t h o f t h e S u b s t a n c e itself, s o t h a t w h e n
L o u i s X I V issues a
d e c r e e , it is n o t o n l y h i m ( t h i s finite i n d i v i d u a l ) w h o is s p e a k i n g , it is t h e S u b s t a n c e itself which speaks t h r o u g h h i m L a c a n i a n 'moi, la verite, parte).
(in the precise sense o f the
T h e r e i n , in t h e n e c e s s i t y o f this reversal,
lies o n e o f H e g e l ' s c r u c i a l i n s i g h t s : t h e a p p a r e n t l y asserting
the
subordination
(the
belonging)
s o o n e r o r l a t e r r e v e a l s i t s e l f as s t a n d i n g subjectivization
o f the
Substance
finite
to
gesture
of
Substance
f o r its e x a c t o p p o s i t e , f o r
itself. T h e r e i n
C h r i s t i a n i t y : n o t o n l y is m a n d i v i n e , God Himself the latter's
modest
o f subject
a l s o lies t h e
core
the of
has to become man ( w i t h all
a t t r i b u t e s ) . F o r t h a t s a m e r e a s o n , 'life is a n i l l u s i o n ' is
n o t t h e s a m e as ' i l l u s i o n is l i f e ' : 'life is a n i l l u s i o n ' s t a n d s f o r t h e B a r o q u e attitude o f the m e l a n c h o l i c awareness o f t h e illusory c h a r a c t e r o f terres t r i a l life (d la C a l d e r o n ) , w h i l e ' i l l u s i o n is l i f e ' i n v o l v e s a p o s i t i v e N i e t z s c h e a n a t t i t u d e o f fully e m b r a c i n g a n d a s s e r t i n g t h e g a m e o f a p p e a r a n c e s against the 'nihilist' search for a t r a n s c e n d e n t
'true'
r e a l i t y - o r , if we
THE
232
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
r e t u r n t o o u r e x a m p l e , ' W e [ t h e n a t i o n ] a r e a l l i m m i g r a n t w o r k e r s ' is n o t t h e s a m e as ' W e [ i m m i g r a n t w o r k e r s ] a r e t h e t r u e n a t i o n . '
Embracing the Act T h i s is p e r h a p s t h e m o m e n t t o r e t u r n t o o u r s t a r t i n g p o i n t , h o w w e l l a r e t h e a u t h o r s we have b e e n d e a l i n g with e q u i p p e d to a c c o m p l i s h this s t e p o f political universalization? H e r e , the
r e f e r e n c e t o A l t h u s s e r as
their
starting point again b e c o m e s crucial. As I have already emphasized, their t h e o r e t i c a l e d i f i c e s a r e t o b e c o n c e i v e d as f o u r d i f f e r e n t ways o f n e g a t i n g this c o m m o n starting p o i n t , o f m a i n t a i n i n g
( o r , r a t h e r , g a i n i n g ) a dis
t a n c e towards Althusser; p e r h a p s it w o u l d e v e n b e p o s s i b l e to c o n c e p t u a l i z e t h e i r d i f f e r e n c e s b y r e f e r e n c e t o t h e d i f f e r e n t ways o n e c a n n e g a t e / 'repress'
a
repression
traumatic stricto
sensu
kernel
in
psychoanalysis: denegation,
( c o i n c i d i n g with
the
return
o f the
disavowal, repressed),
f o r e c l o s u r e . . . why? A l t h o u g h t h e s e a u t h o r s m a d e i m p o r t a n t p r o g r e s s with r e g a r d to t h e i r Althusserian
starting
point
(their everlasting
merit
is t h a t
they
went
forward f r o m A l t h u s s e r w i t h o u t allowing t h e m s e l v e s to b e i m m e r s e d
in
t h e p o s t m o d e r n a n d / o r d e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s t m o r a s s ) , t h e y s e e m t o fall i n t o the trap o f 'marginalist' politics, a c c e p t i n g the logic o f m o m e n t a r y
out
bursts o f an 'impossible' radical politicization that contains the seeds o f its o w n f a i l u r e a n d h a s t o r e c e d e i n t h e f a c e o f t h e e x i s t i n g O r d e r
(the
c o u p l e s o f T r u t h - E v e n t versus O r d e r o f B e i n g ; o f politics versus police; o f egaliberte
v e r s u s i m a g i n a r y u n i v e r s a l i t y ) . T h i s c o m m o n f e a t u r e is c l o s e l y
l i n k e d to t h e r e d u c t i o n o f the s u b j e c t to t h e p r o c e s s o f
subjectivization.
W h a t R a n c i e r e a i m s at is t h e p r o c e s s b y m e a n s o f w h i c h a ' p a r t o f n o p a r t ' b e c o m e s i n v o l v e d i n l i t i g a t i o n f o r its p l a c e w i t h i n t h e s o c i a l visibility; w h a t B a d i o u a i m s at is e n g a g e m e n t g r o u n d e d what
B a l i b a r a i m s at is a p o l i t i c a l a g e n t
in fidelity to t h e T r u d i - E v e n t ; insisting o n
his
'impossible'
d e m a n d f o r egaliberte a g a i n s t a n y p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f its a c t u a l i z a t i o n . I n all t h e s e c a s e s , s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n , o f c o u r s e , is n o t t o b e c o n f u s e d w i t h Althusser had
in m i n d w h e n
he
what
elaborated the notion o f ideological
( m i s ) r e c o g n i t i o n a n d i n t e r p e l l a t i o n : h e r e s u b j e c t i v i t y is n o t d i s m i s s e d as a f o r m o f m i s r e c o g n i t i o n ; o n t h e c o n t r a r y , it is a s s e r t e d as t h e m o m e n t i n which
the
ontological gap/void
b e c o m e s palpable,
as a g e s t u r e
that
u n d e r m i n e s the positive o r d e r o f B e i n g , o f the differential structure o f S o c i e t y , o f p o l i t i c s as p o l i c e . I t is c r u c i a l t o p e r c e i v e t h e l i n k b e t w e e n t h i s r e d u c t i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t t o
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
233
s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n a n d t h e way t h e t h e o r e t i c a l e d i f i c e o f t h e s e a u t h o r s r e l i e s o n t h e b a s i c o p p o s i t i o n o f two l o g i c s : la politique/police
a n d le politique
in
R a n c i e r e ; B e i n g a n d T r u t h - E v e n t in B a d i o u ; even, p e r h a p s , t h e i m a g i n a r y u n i v e r s a l o r d e r v e r s u s egaliberte i n B a l i b a r . I n all t h e s e c a s e s , t h e s e c o n d p o i n t is p r o p e r l y p o l i t i c a l , i n t r o d u c e s t h e g a p in t h e p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f Being: a situation b e c o m e s 'politicized' when a particular d e m a n d to function
as a s t a n d - i n
for the
impossible Universal. T h u s we
starts have
various forms o f the opposition between Substance a n d Subject, between a positive
ontological order
(police, Being,
structure)
and
a gap
impossibility w h i c h p r e v e n t s a final c l o s u r e o f this o r d e r a n d / o r
of
disturbs
its b a l a n c e . T h e u l t i m a t e r e f e r e n c e o f t h e s e t h r e e f o r m s o f d u a l i t y s e e m s to b e t h e K a n t i a n o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n t h e c o n s t i t u t e d o r d e r o f o b j e c t i v e r e a l i t y a n d t h e I d e a o f F r e e d o m t h a t c a n f u n c t i o n o n l y as a r e g u l a t i v e p o i n t o f r e f e r e n c e , s i n c e it is n e v e r o n t o l o g i c a l l y fully a c t u a l i z e d . ' J u s t i c e ' , the rectificadon o f the fundamental a n d constitutive ontological injustice o f t h e u n i v e r s e , is p r e s e n t e d
as a n u n c o n d i t i o n a l
impossible
demand,
p o s s i b l e o n l y a g a i n s t t h e b a c k g r o u n d o f its o w n i m p o s s i b i l i t y : t h e m o m e n t a p o l i t i c a l m o v e m e n t p r e t e n d s fully t o r e a l i z e J u s t i c e , t o t r a n s l a t e i t i n t o a n a c t u a l s t a t e o f t h i n g s , t o p a s s f r o m t h e s p e c t r a l democratie
ci venir
to
'actual d e m o c r a c y ' , we a r e in totalitarian c a t a s t r o p h e - i n K a n t i a n t e r m s , t h e S u b l i m e c h a n g e s i n t o t h e M o n s t r o u s . . . . O f c o u r s e , t h e s e two l e v e l s a r e n o t s i m p l y e x t e r n a l : t h e s p a c e f o r t h e p o l i t i c a l T r u t h - E v e n t is o p e n e d up
by t h e s y m p t o m a t i c void in the
i n c o n s i s t e n c y i n its s t r u c t u r a l surnumfraire,
order
o f B e i n g , by t h e
necessary
order, by the constitutive p r e s e n c e o f a
o f a n e l e m e n t w h i c h is i n c l u d e d i n t h e t o t a l i t y o f O r d e r ,
a l t h o u g h tirere is n o p r o p e r p l a c e f o r it i n t h i s t o t a l i t y , a n d w h i c h , f o r t h i s v e r y r e a s o n - s i n c e it is a n e l e m e n t w i t h o u t f u r t h e r p a r t i c u l a r s p e c i f i c a tions - professes to b e t h e i m m e d i a t e e m b o d i m e n t o f t h e W h o l e . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , the properly political intervention endeavours to b r i n g a b o u t c h a n g e i n t h e o r d e r o f p o l i c e , its r e s t r u c t u r i n g ( s o t h a t w h a t was h i t h e r t o ' i n v i s i b l e ' a n d / o r ' n o n e x i s t e n t ' i n its s p a c e b e c o m e s v i s i b l e ) . Two Hegelian conclusions should
be drawn from
this: ( 1 ) t h e
very
n o t i o n o f politics involves c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n t h e political a n d a p o l i t i c a l / p o l i c e - t h a t is, p o l i t i c s is t h e a n t a g o n i s m b e t w e e n p o l i t i c s p r o p e r a n d t h e apolitical attitude ( ' d i s o r d e r ' a n d O r d e r ) ; ( 2 ) for this r e a s o n ,
p o l i t i c s ' is
a g e n u s w h i c h is iLs o w n s p e c i e s : w h i c h , u l t i m a t e l y , h a s two s p e c i e s , i t s e l f a n d its ' c o r p o r a t i s t ' / p o l i c e n e g a t i o n . D e s p i t e t h i s H e g e l i a n twist, h o w e v e r , we a r e d e a l i n g h e r e w i t h a l o g i c w h i c h i n c l u d e s its o w n f a i l u r e i n a d v a n c e , w h i c h c o n s i d e r s its full s u c c e s s as its u l t i m a t e f a i l u r e , w h i c h s t i c k s t o its marginal
c h a r a c t e r as t h e
ultimate
sign
o f its a u t h e n t i c i t y ,
and
thus
THE
234
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
e n t e r t a i n s a n a m b i g u o u s a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s its p o l i l i c o - o n t o l o g i c a l o p p o s i t e , t h e p o l i c e O r d e r o f B e i n g : i t h a s t o r e f e r t o it, it needs it as t h e b i g e n e m y ( ' P o w e r ' ) w h i c h m u s t b e t h e r e in o r d e r f o r us t o e n g a g e i n o u r m a r g i n a l / subversive activity - t h e very i d e a o f a c c o m p l i s h i n g a total s u b v e r s i o n o f t h i s O r d e r ( ' g l o b a l r e v o l u t i o n ' ) is d i s m i s s e d as p r o t o - t o t a l i t a r i a n . T h i s criticism should Hegelian opposition
not
be
misread
o f abstract and
as r e l y i n g o n
the
traditional
c o n c r e t e universality: against
the
a s s e r t i o n o f r a d i c a l n e g a t i v i t y as t h e o b v e r s e o f u n i v e r s a l i t y - o f t h e l o g i c of the
Ought
that indefinitely postpones
its a c t u a l i z a t i o n -
I am
not
a d v o c a t i n g t h e n e c e s s i t y o f e m b r a c i n g t h e ' c o n c r e t e ' p o s i t i v e o r d e r as t h e r e a l i z e d S u p r e m e G o o d . T h e H e g e l i a n m o v e h e r e is n o t a r e s i g n e d - h e r o i c a c c e p t a n c e o f the positive O r d e r
as t h e o n l y p o s s i b l e a c t u a l i z a t i o n o f
R e a s o n , b u t t o f o c u s o n , to reveal, h o w t h e p o l i c e / p o l i t i c a l O r d e r itself a l r e a d y r e l i e s o n a s e r i e s o f d i s a v o w e d / m i s r e c o g n i z e d political
a c t s , h o w its
f o u n d i n g g e s t u r e is p o l i t i c a l (in t h e r a d i c a l s e n s e o f t h e t e r m , as o p p o s e d t o p o l i c e ) - i n H e g e l e s e , h o w p o s i t i v e O r d e r is n o t h i n g b u t t h e p o s i t i v a tion o f the radical negativity. L e t us t a k e R a n c i e r e ' s c e n t r a l n o t i o n o f rnesentente
('misapprehension'),
w h i c h o c c u r s w h e n t h e e x c l u d e d / i n v i s i b l e ' p a r t o f n o p a r t ' p o l i t i c i z e s its p r e d i c a m e n t and disturbs the established police/political structure o f the s o c i a l s p a c e , its s u b d i v i s i o n i n p a r t s , b y a s s e r t i n g i t s e l f as t h e s t a n d - i n f o r the W h o l e and d e m a n d i n g that
is, a
new
mode
t h e r e a r t i c u l a t i o n o f its p a r t i c u l a r
o f its visibility
(say, a w o m a n
position,
'politicizes'
p r e d i c a m e n t t h e m o m e n t s h e p r e s e n t s h e r l i m i t a t i o n t o t h e private s p a c e as a c a s e o f political
her
family
injustice). Does not the ambiguous relationship
b e t w e e n t h e e x p l i c i t p o w e r / p o l i c e d i s c o u r s e a n d its o b s c e n e d o u b l e a l s o i n v o l v e a k i n d o f nwsentente?
Is n o t this o b s c e n e d o u b l e
disavowed message ' b e t w e e n the l i n e s ' ) the
(the
publicly
'invisible', non-public
con
d i t i o n o f p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e p o l i c e a p p a r a t u s ? P o w e r is t h u s n o t a u n i q u e / f l a t d o m a i n o f visibility, t h e s e l f - t r a n s p a r e n t t o w h i c h t h e ' p e o p l e ' o p p o s e s its d e m a n d public
discursive
s p a c e , its d e m a n d s
( n o n - ) i d e n t i c a l s t a t u s it e n j o y s w i t h i n
-
that
is, t o
to 'hear/understand'
reject/subvert
the power/police
( a l m o s t ) s y m m e t r i c a l o p p o s i t e to t h i s is the refusal discourse
machine
to reveal, to a c c e p t into discourse;
of the public
the the the
power/police
its own message between the lines, t h e o b s c e n e
s u p p o r t o f its f u n c t i o n i n g - c o n f r o n t e d w i t h it, it r e j e c t s it w i t h c o n t e m p t as u n w o r t h y o f its d i g n i t y . . . . What Power
'refuses
t o s e c ' is n o t s o m u c h
the
(non-)part
of
the
' p e o p l e ' e x c l u d e d f r o m the p o l i c e s p a c e but, r a t h e r , the invisible s u p p o r t o f its o w n p u b l i c p o l i c e a p p a r a t u s . ( I n t e r m s o f a v u l g a r c l a s s a n a l y s i s :
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
235
t h e r e is n o r u l e o f a r i s t o c r a c y w i t h o u t t h e h i d d e n - p u b l i c l y u n a c k n o w l e d ged
-
support
o f the
Lumpenproletariat.)
Our
point
is t h u s
that
the
m a r g i n a l i s t r a d i c a l r e f u s a l to a s s u m e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r P o w e r ( i n L a c a n e s e ; its h i d d e n d e m a n d f o r t h e M a s t e r i n t h e g u i s e o f his p u b l i c p r o v o c a t i o n
-
see Lacan's diagnosis o f the hysterical character o f the student rebellion o f M a y ' 6 8 ) is s t r i c t l y c o r r e l a t i v e t o ( o r t h e o b v e r s e o f ) P o w e r ' s h i d d e n l i n k with its o w n d i s a v o w e d o b s c e n e s u p p l e m e n t — w h a t a truly ' s u b v e r s i v e ' p o l i t i c a l i n t e r v e n t i o n h a s t o strive t o i n c l u d e i n t h e p u b l i c s p a c e is a b o v e all this o b s c e n e s u p p l e m e n t o n w h i c h t h e P o w e r / P o l i c e itself relies. T h e o r d e r o f p o l i c e is n e v e r s i m p l y a p o s i t i v e o r d e r : to f u n c t i o n a t all, it h a s to c h e a t , t o m i s n a m e , a n d s o o n - in short, to engage
in politics,
t o d o w h a t its
s u b v e r s i v e o p p o n e n t s a r e s u p p o s e d to d o . In K a n t ' s political thought, the basic p r i n c i p l e (the equivalent o f the m o r a l c a t e g o r i c a l i m p e r a t i v e ) is t h e ' t r a n s c e n d e n t a l p r i n c i p l e o f p u b l i c i t y ' : 'All a c t s w h i c h c o n c e r n t h e r i g h t s o f o t h e r p e o p l e a n d w h o s e m a x i m d o e s not
coincide, with
their
publicly
announced
aim,
are
w r o n g . . . . All
guiding principles which n e e d publicity (if they are not to miss their goal) a r e in a c c o r d with j u s t i c e a n d with p o l i t i c s . '
5 5
In the political
domain,
w r o n g o r evil is a n a c t w h o s e a c t u a l a i m c o n t r a d i c t s its p u b l i c l y a n n o u n c e d g o a l : as K a n t e m p h a s i z e s a g a i n a n d a g a i n , e v e n t h e w o r s t t y r a n t p u b l i c l y pretends
to work for the g o o d o f the p e o p l e , while p u r s u i n g his own
power and wealth. W e may put
this s a m e m a x i m i n a n e g a t i v e way: a
p o l i t i c s is ' w r o n g ( u n j u s t ) ' w h e n it h o l d s t h a t t h e p u b l i c d i s c l o s u r e o f its actual motives (or, rather, m a x i m s ) would be self-defeating: even a tyrant c a n n o t publicly say: ' I a m i m p o s i n g t h i s l a w i n o r d e r t o c r u s h m y e n e m i e s a n d i n c r e a s e m y w e a l t h . ' - I t is a g a i n s t t h i s b a c k g r o u n d t h a t o n e s h o u l d locate
the
thesis
on
the
superego
supplement
o f public
ideological
d i s c o u r s e : t h e s u p e r e g o o b s c e n e s u p p l e m e n t is p r e c i s e l y t h e s u p p o r t o f t h e p u b l i c i d e o l o g i c a l t e x t w h i c h , i n o r d e r t o b e o p e r a t i v e , has to publicly
disavowed:
its p u b l i c a v o w a l is s e l f - d e f e a t i n g . A n d
remain
our point
is
t h a t s u c h a d i s a v o w a l is c o n s t i t u t i v e o f w h a t R a n c i e r e c a l l s t h e o r d e r o f 'police'. T h e n o t i o n o f t h e I d e a l o f egaliberte as a r e a l / i m p o s s i b l e u n c o n d i t i o n a l d e m a n d b e t r a y e d i n its e v e r y p o s i t i v i z a t i o n , a d e m a n d w h i c h c a n a c t u a l i z e i t s e l f o n l y in t h o s e s h o r t i n t e r m e d i a r y m o m e n t s o f P o w e r / P o l i c e V a c u u m when
the
'people'
'spontaneously'
organizes itself outside
the
official
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e p o l i t i c a l m a c h i n e r y ( s e e t h e f a s c i n a t i o n o f m a n y L e f t i s t s for ' s p o n t a n e o u s c o u n c i l d e m o c r a c y ' in the early, ' a u t h e n t i c ' stages o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n ) , b r i n g s r a d i c a l r e v o l u t i o n a r y p u r i s t s u n c a n n i l y c l o s e to t h o s e conservatives who
endeavour
to p r o v e
the
necessary and
unavoidable
THE TICKLISH
236 betrayal o r
'regression into terror'
SUBJECT
o f e v e r y r e v o l u t i o n , as i f t h e
p o s s i b l e a c t u a l i z a t i o n o f egaliberte is t h e K h m e r R o u g e o r t h e Luminoso. O n e
is t e m p t e d
only
Sendero
t o c l a i m t h a t L e n i n i s t p o l i t i c s is t h e
true
c o u n t e r p o i n t t o this K a n t i a n m a r g i n a l i s t l e f t i s t a t t i t u d e w h i c h i n s i s t s o n its o w n i n h e r e n t i m p o s s i b i l i t y . T h a t is t o say: w h a t a t r u e L e n i n i s t a n d
a
p o l i t i c a l c o n s e r v a t i v e h a v e i n c o m m o n is t h e f a c t t h a t t h e y r e j e c t w h a t o n e c o u l d c a l l l i b e r a l leftist ' i r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y '
(advocating grand
projects o f
solidarity, f r e e d o m , a n d so o n , yet d u c k i n g o u t w h e n o n e has to pay t h e price
for
them
in
the
guise
of concrete
and
often
'cruel'
political
m e a s u r e s ) : l i k e a n a u t h e n t i c c o n s e r v a t i v e , a t r u e L e n i n i s t is n o t a f r a i d o f t h e passage
a I'arte, o f a c c e p t i n g all t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s , u n p l e a s a n t as t h e y
m a y b e , o f r e a l i z i n g his p o l i t i c a l p r o j e c t . K i p l i n g ( w h o m B r e c h t a d m i r e d very m u c h ) despised British liberals w h o a d v o c a t e d f r e e d o m a n d j u s t i c e , while silently c o u n t i n g o n t h e Conservatives to d o t h e n e c e s s a r y dirty w o r k for t h e m ; the s a m e c a n b e said f o r t h e liberal Leftist's ( o r ' d e m o c r a t i c Socialist's')
relationship
to L e n i n i s t C o m m u n i s t s : liberal Leftists
reject
s o c i a l - d e m o c r a t i c ' c o m p r o m i s e ' , they w a n t a true r e v o l u t i o n , yet they shirk t h e a c t u a l p r i c e t o b e p a i d f o r it, a n d t h u s p r e f e r t o a d o p t t h e a t t i t u d e o f a B e a u t i f u l S o u l a n d k e e p t h e i r h a n d s c l e a n . I n c o n t r a s t t o t h i s false l i b e r a l leftist p o s i t i o n
(they want
true d e m o c r a c y for the
people,
but
w i t h o u t s e c r e t p o l i c e t o fight c o u n t e r - r e v o l u t i o n , w i t h o u t t h e i r a c a d e m i c p r i v i l e g e s b e i n g t h r e a t e n e d . . . ) , a L e n i n i s t , l i k e a C o n s e r v a t i v e , is i n t h e s e n s e o f fully
assuming
the consequences
authentic
of his choice, o f b e i n g fully
a w a r e o f w h a t it a c t u a l l y m e a n s t o t a k e p o w e r a n d t o e x e r t it. I a m n o w in a p o s i t i o n t o s p e c i f y w h a t s e e m s t o m e t h e f a t a l w e a k n e s s o f the p r o t o - K a n t i a n o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n t h e positive o r d e r o f B e i n g ( o r of
service
des biens
or
unconditional
the
demand
f o r egaliberte w h i c h s i g n a l s t h e
o f the
p o l i t i c s as P o l i c e )
and
the
radical,
presence o f the
T r u t h - E v e n t ( o r t h e P o l i t i c a l ) , t h a t is, t h e o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n t h e
global
social o r d e r a n d the d i m e n s i o n o f Universality p r o p e r , which cuts a line o f s e p a r a t i o n i n t o t h i s g l o b a l o r d e r : w h a t it l e a v e s o u t o f c o n s i d e r a t i o n is the
'excess' o f the founding
gesture o f the Master without which
the
p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f t h e service des biens c a n n o t m a i n t a i n i t s e l f . W h a t w e a r e a i m i n g a t h e r e is t h e ' n o n - e c o n o m i c a l ' e x c e s s o f t h e
Master over
the
s m o o t h f u n c t i o n i n g o f the positive p o l i c e o r d e r o f B e i n g . I n a pluralist society, t h e m a r g i n a l ' r a d i c a l ' parties o r political a g e n t s are a b l e to play t h e g a m e o f u n c o n d i t i o n a l d e m a n d s , o f ' w e w a n t this [ h i g h e r s a l a r i e s f o r teachers a n d doctors, better r e t i r e m e n t a n d social security c o n d i t i o n s . . . ] , pereat
mundus,
demand
-
l e a v i n g it t o t h e M a s t e r t o f i n d a way o f m e e t i n g
this u n c o n d i t i o n a l
demand
targets the political M a s t e r
their not
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND I T S V I C I S S I T U D E S
237
s i m p l y i n h i s c a p a c i t y as t h e a d m i n i s t r a t o r o f t h e service des biens, b u t i n h i s c a p a c i t y as g u a r a n t o r o f t h e survival o f t h e O r d e r . T h a t is t h e o t h e r c r u c i a l aspect o f the Master's position: h e does not shirk the responsibility o f breaking
the
egg when
people
demand
an
omelette
-
of
imposing
u n p o p u l a r b u t n e c e s s a r y m e a s u r e s . I n s h o r t , t h e M a s t e r is t h e o n e w h o forever relinquishes the right to claim: ' B u t I d i d n ' t want this!'
when
things go wrong. O f c o u r s e , t h i s p o s i t i o n is u l t i m a t e l y t h a t o f a n i m p o s t o r : h i s m a s t e r y is a n i l l u s i o n ; n o n e t h e l e s s , t h e v e r y f a c t t h a t s o m e o n e is r e a d y t o o c c u p y this u n t e n a b l e p l a c e has a pacifying effect o n his s u b j e c t s - we c a n i n d u l g e i n o u r p e t t y n a r c i s s i s t i c d e m a n d s , w e l l a w a r e t h a t t h e M a s t e r is h e r e t o g u a r a n t e e t h a t t h e w h o l e s t r u c t u r e will n o t c o l l a p s e . T h e h e r o i s m o f a n authentic
Master
consists precisely in
his willingness
to
assume
this
i m p o s s i b l e p o s i t i o n o f u l t i m a t e responsibility, a n d to t a k e u p o n h i m s e l f the implementation
of unpopular measures which prevent
the
system
f r o m d i s i n t e g r a t i n g . T h a t was t h e g r e a t n e s s o f L e n i n a f t e r t h e B o l s h e v i k s t o o k power: in c o n t r a s t to hysterica] r e v o l u t i o n a r y fervour c a u g h t in the v i c i o u s c y c l e , t h e f e r v o u r o f t h o s e w h o p r e f e r t o stay i n o p p o s i t i o n prefer
(publicly or
secretly) to
avoid
the
burden
o f taking
and
over, o f
a c c o m p l i s h i n g t h e s h i f t f r o m s u b v e r s i v e activity t o r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r
the
s m o o t h r u n n i n g o f the social edifice, he heroically e m b r a c e d the o n e r o u s t a s k o f a c t u a l l y running
the State-
o f m a k i n g all t h e n e c e s s a r y c o m p r o m i s e s ,
b u t also taking t h e n e c e s s a r y harsh m e a s u r e s , to assure t h a t t h e B o l s h e v i k power would not collapse. S o w h e n R a n c i e r e o r B a d i o u d i s m i s s e s p o l i t i c s as a P o l i c e w h i c h m e r e l y t a k e s c a r e o f t h e s m o o t h service des biens, t h e y l e a v e o u t o f c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e s o c i a l O r d e r c a n n o t r e p r o d u c e i t s e l f i f it is c o n s t r a i n e d t o t h e t e r m s o f t h e service des biens: t h e r e m u s t b e O n e w h o a s s u m e s t h e ultimate
responsibility, inclusive o f a
necessary
compromises
or
break
the
ruthless letter
readiness
o f the
to
make
L a w in
order
the to
g u a r a n t e e t h e s y s t e m ' s survival; a n d i t is t o t a l l y e r r o n e o u s t o i n t e r p r e t t h i s f u n c t i o n as t h a t o f a n u n p r i n c i p l e d p r a g m a t i c s t i c k i n g t o p o w e r , w h a t e v e r t h e c o s t . T h e a d v o c a t e s o f t h e P o l i t i c a l as o p p o s e d t o P o l i c e fail to t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t this i n h e r e n t e x c e s s o f t h e M a s t e r which sustains the des biens itself: t h e y a r e u n a w a r e o f t h e f a c t t h a t w h a t t h e y a r e what
t h e y a r e p r o v o k i n g with
their unconditional
demand,
service fighting,
is not
the
'servicing o f goods', but the u n c o n d i t i o n a l responsibility o f the Master. In s h o r t , w h a t t h e y a r e u n a w a r e o f is t h a t t h e i r u n c o n d i t i o n a l d e m a n d egaliberte
for
remains within the confines o f the hysterical provocation a i m e d
THE TICKLISH
238
SUBJECT
at t h e M a s t e r , testing t h e limits o f his ability: ' C a n h e r e j e c t - o r m e e t
-
o u r d e m a n d s , a n d still m a i n t a i n t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f o m n i p o t e n c e ? ' . T h e t e s t o f t h e t r u e r e v o l u t i o n a r y , as o p p o s e d to t h i s g a m e o f h y s t e r i c a l p r o v o c a t i o n , is t h e
heroic readiness
to endure
the
conversion o f
the
subversive u n d e r m i n i n g o f the existing System into the p r i n c i p l e o f a n e w positive O r d e r w h i c h gives b o d y to this negativity - o r , in B a d i o u ' s t e r m s , the conversion o f Truth into B e i n g . ical terms,
the fear
5 6
T o p u t it i n m o r e a b s t r a c t p h i l o s o p h
of the impending
'ontologization'
of the
proper
p o l i t i c a l a c t , o f its c a t a s t r o p h i c t r a n s p o s i t i o n i n t o t h e p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f B e i n g , is a false f e a r t h a t r e s u l t s f r o m a k i n d o f p e r s p e c t i v e i l l u s i o n : it p u t s t o o m u c h t r u s t in t h e s u b s t a n t i a l p o w e r o f t h e p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f B e i n g , o v e r l o o k i n g t h e f a c t t h a t t h e o r d e r o f B e i n g is n e v e r s i m p l y g i v e n , b u t is itself g r o u n d e d positive
i n s o m e p r e c e d i n g A c t . There
ontologically
consistent
is no Order of Being
Whole, t h e false s e m b l a n c e o f s u c h a n
as a Order
relies o n the self-obliteration o f the Act. In o t h e r words, the gap o f the A c t is n o t i n t r o d u c e d i n t o t h e O r d e r o f B e i n g a f t e r w a r d s : it is t h e r e all t h e t i m e as t h e c o n d i t i o n t h a t a c t u a l l y sustains
every O r d e r o f B e i n g .
Perhaps the ultimate philosophical formulation o f the political oppo s i t i o n p o l i c e / p o l i t i c s is D e r r i d a ' s o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n o n t o l o g y a n d tology, t h e i m p o s s i b l e l o g i c o f s p e c t r a l i t y t h a t f o r e v e r
heaun-
prevents/differs/
displaces the closure o f the ontological edifice: the p r o p e r deconstructionist g e s t u r e is t o m a i n t a i n t h e s p e c t r a l o p e n i n g , t o r e s i s t t h e t e m p t a t i o n o f its o n t o l o g i c a l c l o s u r e . A g a i n , it is e a s y t o t r a n s l a t e t h i s i n t o L a c a n e s e : s p e c t r a l i t y is a n o t h e r n a m e f o r t h e p h a n t a s m i c s e m b l a n c e t h a t fills
the
irreducible ontological gap. T h e properly Hegelian gesture here would be t o t u r n a r o u n d t h i s n o t i o n o f s p e c t r a l i t y as t h e i r r e d u c i b l e
supplement
w h i c h is t h e c o n d i t i o n o f ( i m ) p o s s i b i l i t y o f a n y o n t o l o g y : w h a t i f t h e r e is a n e e d f o r a minimal
ontological
support
of the very dimension
of spectrality,
for
s o m e i n e r t pen de reel w h i c h s u s t a i n s t h e s p e c t r a l o p e n i n g ? I n a way, H e g e l a g r e e s with K a n t t h a t t h e d i r e c t a t t e m p t t o a c t u a l i z e t h e a b s t r a c t n e g a t i v i t y o f egaliberte ( w h a t K a n t w o u l d h a v e c h a r a c t e r i z e d as t h e p o l i t i c a l e q u i v a l e n t o f t h e e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l m i s t a k e o f t r e a t i n g r e g u l a t i v e i d e a s as c o n s t i t u t i v e ) n e c e s s a r i l y e n d s in t e r r o r . T h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e m is t h a t e a c h d r a w s t h e o p p o s i t e c o n c l u s i o n : f o r K a n t , i t m e a n s t h a t egaliberte s h o u l d a n i n a c c e s s i b l e I d e a l t o c o m e , democratie
remain
d venir, slowly a p p r o a c h e d
but
always k e p t at a d i s t a n c e i n o r d e r t o a v o i d t h e M o n s t r o s i t y o f t h e a b s t r a c t a b s o l u t e n e g a t i v i t y ; w h i l e f o r H e g e l , it m e a n s t h a t t h i s m o n s t r o u s
moment
o f a b s o l u t e a b s t r a c t n e g a t i v i t y , t h i s s e l f - d e s t r u c t i v e fury w h i c h w a s h e s away every positive
Order,
has
always-cdready
happened,
s i n c e it is t h e
very
foundation o f the positive rational o r d e r o f h u m a n society. In short, while,
POLITICAL
for
Kant,
future,
a
absolute future
SUBJECTIVIZATION
negativity
which
will
designates
never
turn
AND
an into
ITS VICISSITUDES
impossible the
moment
present,
for
239
of
Hegel
the it
d e s i g n a t e s a n i m p o s s i b l e m o m e n t o f t h e past, a p a s t w h i c h was n e v e r fully e x p e r i e n c e d as t h e p r e s e n t , the minimal
s i n c e its w i t h d r a w a l
o p e n s up
the space
(social) organization o f the Present. T h e r e are m a n y
for this e r u p t i o n o f a b s t r a c t negativity, f r o m A d a m ' s Fall, t h r o u g h a n d Christ's c r u c i f i x i o n , to t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n -
Socrates
in a l l t h e s e c a s e s , a
negative gesture corrosive o f the given (social) substantial order a higher, m o r e rational
for
names
grounded
order.
Notes 1. Is chis not also t h e version o f t h e L a c a n i a n 1SR ( I m a g i n a r y - S y m b o l i c - R c a l ) : tradition alism is c e n t r e d on imaginary G o o d e m b o d i e d in t h e c o m m u n i t y way o f life; m o d e r n i s m o n universal Duty; p o s t m o d e r n i s m o n t h e dissemination o f the Real? 2. What o n e e n c o u n t e r s in L y o t a r d is t h e ambiguity o f the L a c a n i a n Real as that which resists symbolization: o n t h e o n e h a n d , we have t h e dispersal o f t h e p u r e Multiple not yet t o t a l i z e d / h o m o g e n i z e d t h r o u g h s o m e form o f t h e symbolic O n e - e a c h such form o f symbolization is a l r e a d y exclusionary, it 'represses' t h e diffciend; o n t h e olhei h a n d , t h e ineffable has t h e form o f the absolute I n j u s t i c e / C r i m e , the Holocaust, t h e u n i q u e event which c a n n o t be put into words, w h e r e n o work o f symbolic m o u r n i n g c a n provide r e c o n c i l i a t i o n . (In ethical terms, this split is t h e split between t h e Real as pre-symbolic, p r e l a p s a r i a n , t h e i n n o c e n c e o f t h e multiple; a n d t h e Real as t h e singular, u n i q u e point o f absolute, ineffable Evil.) In t h e first c a s e , injustice is Ike net of symbolanlion of the pure Multiple itself which is by n a t u r e exclusionarv; in t h e s e c o n d case, injustice is t h e t r a u m a t i c p o i n t which, precisely, cnmiot b e symbolized. V i o l e n c e / i n j u s t i c e is thus simultaneouslv t h e act o f symbolization a n d that which eludes symbolization. . . . T h e solution t o this p a r a d o x is that between the primordial Real o f t h e p u r e Multiple a n d t h e symbolic universe t h e r e is a vanishing m e d i a t o r ' , t h e g e s t u r e o f / i n t h e Real that g r o u n d s symholization itself, the violent o p e n i n g itp o f a g a p in t h e Real which is not yet symbolic. 3. In his criticism o f D e r r i d a , L a c l a u e m p h a s i z e d t h e g a p between Derrida's global philosophical s t a n c e (differance, t h e u n a v o i d a b l e out-of-joinf of every identity, e t c . ) a n d his politics o f democratic a venir, o f o p e n n e s s towards t h e E v e n t o f irreducible O t h e r n e s s : why s h o u l d n ' t o n e draw, from t h e fact that identity is impossible, t h e opposite totalitarian' c o n c l u s i o n that, for that very r e a s o n , we n e e d a s t r o n g P o w e r t o prevent explosion a n d g u a r a n t e e a fragile m i n i m u m o f o r d e r ? ( S e e E r n e s t o L a c l a u , ' T h e T i m e is Orrt o f J o i n t ' , in Emnncipnl'wn(s), L o n d o n : V e r s o 1 9 9 6 . ) However, d o e s n o t t h e s a m e hold for L a c l a u himself.' Why shouldn't o n e , f r o m t h e notion o f a h e g e m o n y which involves t h e irreducible g a p between t h e Universal a n d t h e Particular, a n d thus t h e structural impossibility o f society, o p t for a 'strong' totalitarian politics that limits t h e effects o f this g a p as m u c h as possible.' 4. L a c l a u , ' T h e T i m e is O u t of Joint", p. 1 2 3 . 5. A n o t h e r n a m e f o r this short c i r c u i t between t h e Universal a n d the Particular, by m e a n s o f which a p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t h e g e m o n i z e s t h e Universal, is, o f c o u r s e , suture, t h e o p e r a t i o n of h e g e m o n v 'sutures' t h e e m p t v Universal to a particular c o n t e n t . F o r that r e a s o n , F.W.J. Sclrelliug must b e c o n s i d e r e d t h e o r i g i n a t o r o f t h e m o d e r n notion o f critique o f ideology: he was t h e first t o e l a b o r a t e t h e notion o f ' f a l s e ' unity a n d / o r universality. F o r him, 'evil' lies rrot irr t h e split (between (he Universal a n d t h e Particular) as such but, rather, irr
240
THE TICKLISH SUBJECT
t h e i r 'false'/distorted unity, that is, in a Universality that effectively privileges s o m e narrowp a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t a n d is i m p e n e t r a b l y ' a n c h o r e d ' in it. Schelling was thus the first to e l a b o r a t e t h e e l e m e n t a r y p r o c e d u r e o f the critique o f ideology: t h e gesture o f discerning, b e n e a t h t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f n e u t r a l universality (say, o f ' h u m a n rights'), the privileged p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t (say, white upper-middle-class m a l e s ) which ' h e g e m o n i z e s ' it. See P a r t I o f Slavoj Zizek, The Indivisible Remainder, L o n d o n : V e r s o 1 9 9 5 . 6. L a c l a u , ' T h e T i m e is O u t o f J o i n t ' , p p . 1 4 - 1 5 . 7. Ibid., p. 4 4 . 8. Ibid., p. 14. 9. L a c l a u develops this logic a p r o p o s o f t h e n o t i o n o f n a t i o n a l unity - see ibid., p p . 9 4 - 5 . 10. T h e p r o b l e m with J i i r g e n H a b e r m a s is that he a b a n d o n s this 'symptomal' a p p r o a c h to the Universal. J u s t recall his notion o f m o d e r n i t y as an 'unfinished project': what gets lost in H a b e r m a s ' s e n d e a v o u r t o realize the h i t h e r t o b l o c k e d potentials o f the E n l i g h t e n m e n t is the p r o p e r l y dialectical insight into how what look like e x t e r n a l e m p i r i c a l obstacles prevent ing the full realization o f t h e E n l i g h t e n m e n t p r o j e c t a r e actually inherent to the veiy notion of this project. T h e f u n d a m e n t a l H e g e l i a n move is to t r a n s p o s e e x t e r n a l into internal limit: t h e E n l i g h t e n m e n t is an 'unfinished project' n o t b e c a u s e o f c o n t i n g e n t e x t e r n a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s preventing its full i m p l e m e n t a t i o n , but 'in its very n o t i o n ' - t h e fully realized p r o j e c t o f E n l i g h t e n m e n t would u n d e r m i n e its very n o t i o n . 11. See Q u e n t i n Skinner, ' L a n g u a g e a n d Social C h a n g e ' , in Meaning and Context: Quentin Skinner and His Critics, O x f o r d : Polity Press 1 9 8 8 . 12. N o wonder' t h e e x a m p l e s which fit t h e o p e r a t i o n o f h e g e m o n y as d e s c r i b e d by L a c l a u m o s t perfectly a r e those o f rightist populism, from Fascism to P e r o n i s m : the royal e x a m p l e o f h e g e m o n y is t h e way a conservative attitude r e a p p r o p r i a t e s arrd inscribes p o p u l a r revolutionary motifs into its field. 13. L a c a n tries to d o almost t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e : in the last years o f his teaching, he desperately e n d e a v o u r e d to f o r m u l a t e the p r e c a r i o u s status o f an 'acephalous', desubjectivized knowledge which would n o l o n g e r rely on a previous T r u t h - E v e n t — L a c a n ' s n a m e for s u c h knowledge is drive. 14. This point is e l a b o r a t e d in detail in E t i e n n e Balibar, La crainle des masses, Paris: Galilee 1997. 15. This, p e r h a p s , expresses per negationem t h e f o r m u l a o f t r u e anti-Fascism today: t h e reversal o f t h e Fascist constellation, that is, t e c h n o l o g i c a l desacralization at t h e level o f ideology, s u p p l e m e n t e d by c o n c r e t e , ' m i c r o - p r a c t i c e ' , m o t i o n s to save a n d s t r e n g t h e n local ' o r g a n i c ' links. 16. H e r e I draw on J a c q u e s R a n c i e r e , La mesentenle, Paris: Galilee 1 9 9 5 . 17. O n e c a n see why tribal, pre-State societies, with all t h e i r a u t h e n t i c p r o t o - d e m o c r a t i c p r o c e d u r e s for d e c i d i n g c o m m o n m a t t e r s ( g a t h e r i n g o f all t h e p e o p l e , c o m m o n deliberation, discussion a n d vote, e t c . ) , a t e n o t yet democratic, n o t b e c a u s e politics as such involves society's self-alienation - n o t b e c a u s e politics is the s p h e r e elevated above c o n c r e t e social a n t a g o n i s m s (as the s t a n d a r d Marxist a r g u m e n t would c l a i m ) - but b e c a u s e t h e litigation in these prepolitical tribal g a t h e r i n g s lacks the p r o p e r l y political p a r a d o x o f singulier universel, o f the 'part of n o part' that p r e s e n t s itself as an i m m e d i a t e stand-in for universality as srrch. 18. T h e e x c r e m e n t a l identification o f t h e burakumin is crucial: when Sire Sumii saw h e r relative c h e r i s h i n g t h e E m p e r o r ' s e x c r e m e n t , h e r c o n c l u s i o n was that, in t h e s a m e way, following the tradition o f t h e 'king's two bodies' - o f the king's body standing for t h e social body as such - the burakumin, as t h e e x c r e m e n t o f t h e social body, should also be c h e r i s h e d . In o t h e r words, Sue Sumii took the structural h o m o l o g y between t h e two E m p e r o r ' s bodies m o r e literally a n d f u r t h e r than usual: even t h e lowest part ( e x c r e m e n t ) o f the E m p e r o r ' s body has to be r e d u p l i c a t e d in his o t h e r , sublime body, which stands for the body o f society. H e r p r e d i c a m e n t was similar to that o f P l a t o who, in I'armenides, bravely c o n f r o n t s t h e e m b a r r a s s i n g p r o b l e m o f the precise s c o p e o f the relationship between eternal f o r m s / i d e a s
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND
ITS V I C I S S I T U D E S
241
a n d t h e i r m a t e r i a l copies: which m a t e r i a l objects a r e 'ontologically c o v e r e d ' by e t e r n a l Ideas as their models? Is t h e r e also an e t e r n a l I d e a o f 'low' objects like m u d , filth o r e x c r e m e n t ? 19. T h i s para-politics, o f c o u r s e , has a series o f different successive versions: t h e m a i n r u p t u r e is t h e o n e between its classical a n d m o d e r n H o b b e s i a n f o r m u l a t i o n , which focuses o n t h e p r o b l e m a t i c o f t h e social c o n t r a c t , t h e alienation o f individual rights in t h e e m e r g e n c e o f sovereign power. H a b e r m a s i a n o r Rawlsian ethics a r e p e r h a p s the last philosophical vestiges o f this attitude: t h e a t t e m p t to d e - a n t a g o n i z e politics by f o r m u l a t i n g c l e a r rules to be o b e v e d so that t h e a g o n i c p r o c e d u r e o f litigation does not e x p l o d e into politics p r o p e r . 2 0 . M o r e precisely, M a r x i s m is m o r e a m b i g u o u s , since t h e very t e r m 'political e c o n o m y ' also o p e n s up the s p a c e for t h e o p p o s i t e g e s t u r e o f i n t r o d u c i n g politics into t h e very h e a r t o f t h e e c o n o m y , t h a t is, o f d e n o u n c i n g t h e very 'apolitical' c h a r a c t e r o f the e c o n o m i c processes as the s u p r e m e ideological illusion. Class struggle d o e s n o t 'express' s o m e objective e c o n o m i c c o n t r a d i c t i o n , it is t h e very form of existence o f this c o n t r a d i c t i o n . T h i s ambiguityc a n also be f o r m u l a t e d in t h e t e r m s o f L a c a n ' s 'formulas o f s e x u a t i o n ' : we c a n r e a d the s t a t e m e n t 'even-thing is political' as the universal s t a t e m e n t which involves its point o f e x c e p t i o n , t h e objective e c o n o m i c p r o c e s s (so that the ferocious d i s c e r n m e n t o f a h i d d e n political s t a n c e in apparently apolitical sublime artistic o r ideological p r o d u c t s c a n g o h a n d in h a n d with t h e assertion o f t h e e c o n o m i c p r o c e s s as t h e point o f suspension o f the political), o r a c c o r d i n g to t h e logic o f 'non-all', that is, in the sense o f ' t h e r e is n o t h i n g which is n o t political' - h e r e , 'everything is political' m e a n s precisely that t h e r e is no way o f f o r m u l a t i n g / d e f i n i n g t h e political itself in a univocal universal way, since every s t a t e m e n t a b o u t the political is itself already 'politicized'. F r e d r i c J a m e s o n boldly asserts t h e p a r a d o x i c a l c o i n c i d e n c e between the m o s t e x t r e m e version o f neo-liberalism - the universal modelling o f h u m a n behaviour as utility-maximization - a n d Marxist socialism with its e m p h a s i s on the e c o n o m i c o r g a n i z a t i o n o f society, on the 'administration o f things', in that b o t h d o away with t h e n e e d for any political t h o u g h t p r o p e r : t h e r e is a Marxist political p r a c t i c e , but there is n o Marxist political t h o u g h t . F r o m this standpoint, t h e traditional c o m p l a i n t against M a r x i s m ( t h a t it lacks an a u t o n o m o u s political r e f l e c t i o n ) a p p e a r s m o r e as a strength than as a weakness - o r , as J a m e s o n c o n c l u d e s : ' [ w ] e have m u c h in c o m m o n with t h e neo-liberals, in fact virtually everything save the essentials!' ( F r e d r i c J a m e s o n , Postmodernism, or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, L o n d o n : V e r s o 1 9 9 2 , p. 2 6 5 - would it be possible, in this sense, to define t h e s t a n c e towards neo-conservatist c o m m u n i t a r i a n i s m as t h e obverse o n e , in so far as a Marxist has in c o m m o n with it only t h e essentials [ t h e n e e d for a h a r m o n i o u s o r g a n i c society]?) T h e c o u n t e r a r g u m e n t would be that, p e r h a p s , this neglect o f the p r o p e r political d i m e n s i o n had very precise political c o n s e q u e n c e s for t h e history o f the C o m m u n i s t m o v e m e n t — d o n o t p h e n o m e n a like Stalinism indicate precisely a violent r e t u r n o f t h e r e p r e s s e d political dimension? 2 1 . T h e clearest indication o f this Schmittian disavowal o f the political is t h e p r i m a c y of e x t e r n a l politics (relations between sovereign states) o v e r internal politics ( i n n e r social a n t a g o n i s m s ) on which he insists: is n o t t h e relationship to an e x t e r n a l O t h e r as t h e E n e m y a w a y o f disavowing t h e internal struggle that traverses t h e social body? In c o n t r a s t to Schmitt, a leftist position s h o u l d insist o n t h e u n c o n d i t i o n a l p r i m a c y o f t h e i n h e r e n t a n t a g o n i s m as constitutive o f t h e political. 2 2 . T h e m e t a p h o r i c f r a m e we use in o r d e r to a c c o u n t for the political p r o c e s s is thus never i n n o c e n t a n d n e u t r a l : it 'schematizes' t h e c o n c r e t e m e a n i n g o f politics. Ultra-politics has r e c o u r s e to t h e m o d e l o f warfare, politics is c o n c e i v e d as a form o f social warfare, as t h e relationship to ' T h e m ' , to an E n e m y . Arche-politics prefers to refer to the medical m o d e l : society is a c o r p o r a t e body, a n o r g a n i s m ; social divisions a r e like illnesses o f this o r g a n i s m that is, what we should fight, o u r e n e m y , is a c a n c e r o u s i n t r u d e r , a pest, a foreign parasite to be e x t e r m i n a t e d if the health o f t h e social body is to be re-established. Para-politics uses t h e m o d e l o f agonistic c o m p e t i t i o n which follows s o m e c o m m o n l y a c c e p t e d rules, like a sporting
242
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
event. Meta-politics relies on t h e m o d e l o f s c i e n t i f i c t e c h n o l o g i c a l instrumental p r o c e d u r e , while post-politics involves the m o d e l o f business negotiation a n d strategic compromise. 2 3 . See C h a p t e r 2 o f Slavoj Zizek, The. Plague of Fantasies, L o n d o n : V e r s o 1 9 9 7 . 2 4 . Incidentally, this version o f ' f r e e d o m as c o n c e i v e d necessity', a l t h o u g h it may s o u n d 'Hegelian', is t h e very o p p o s i t e o f t h e p r o p e r l y H e g e l i a n speculative identification o f true F r e e d o m with Necessity: H e g e l i a n f r e e d o m is n o t t h e a c t o f freely a s s u m i n g t h e role o f the i n s t r u m e n t o f a p r e o r d a i n e d Necessity. 2 5 . See C l a u d e Lefort, I .invention dimoiraliijue, Paris: Fayard 1 9 8 1 . 2 6 . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e difference between capitalism a n d C o m m u n i s m is that C o m m u n i s m was p e r c e i v e d as an I d e a which t h e n failed in its realization, while capitalism f u n c t i o n e d 'spontaneously': t h e r e is n o Capitalist Manifesto. In t h e case o f C o m m u n i s m , we can thus play t h e g a m e o f finding the culprit, b l a m i n g t h e Party, Stalin, L e n i n , ultimately M a r x himself, for t h e millions o f d e a d , t h e i r 'lustration'; while in capitalism, t h e r e is n o b o d y o n w h o m o n e can pin guilt o r responsibility; things j u s t h a p p e n e d that way, a l t h o u g h capitalism has b e e n no less destructive in t e r m s o f h u m a n a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l costs, destroying aboriginal cultures, a n d so o n . 27. See R a n c i e r e , La mesentente, p p . 1 4 4 - G . 28. This crucial distinction between s i m u l a c r u m (overlapping with the R e a l ) a n d a p p e a r a n c e is easily discernible in the d o m a i n o f sexuality, as t h e distinction between p o r n o g r a p h y a n d seduction: p o r n o g r a p h y 'shows it all', 'real sex', a n d for that very r e a s o n p r o d u c e s the m e r e s i m u l a c r u m o f sexuality; while the p r o c e s s o f s e d u c t i o n consists entirely in t h e play o f a p p e a r a n c e s , hints and promises, a n d t h e r e b y evokes the elusive d o m a i n o f t h e suprasensihlc sublime T h i n g . 2 9 . In this sense, even N i x o n ' s visit to C h i n a a n d t h e ensuing e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f d i p l o m a t i c relations between t h e U S A a n d C h i n a was a kind o f political a c t , in so far as it actually c h a n g e d t h e p a r a m e t e r s o f what was c o n s i d e r e d 'possible' ( o r 'feasible') in the d o m a i n o f international relations - yes, o n e could d o t h e unthinkable, a n d talk normally with the ultimate e n e m y . 3 0 . See R a n c i e r e , La mesenlente, p. 1G2. 3 1 . See Balibar, ' L a violence: idealite et c r u a u t e ' , ill La trainte ties masses. 3 2 . F o r a f u r t h e r d e v e l o p m e n t o f this motif, see C h a p t e r 3 o f Slavoj Zizek, The Metastases of Enjoyment, L o n d o n : V e r s o 1 9 9 5 . 3 3 . See Balibar, La craivte des masses, p p . 4 2 - 3 . 3 4 . F o r a m o r e detailed a c c o u n t o f this reflected cynical attitude, see C h a p t e r 3 o f Zizek, The Indivisible Remainder. 3 5 . See M a r i o Vargas Llosa, 'Hooligans, t h e p r o d u c t o f a high civilisation', The Independent, 2 7 J u n e 1 9 9 8 , T h e W e e k e n d Review, p. 5. 3 6 . This logic was b r o u g h t t o its absurd e x t r e m e in ex-Yugoslavia, in which t h e very notion o f a workers' strike was i n c o m p r e h e n s i b l e , since, a c c o r d i n g to t h e ruling ideology, workers already rule in the s e l f - m a n a g e m e n t o f t h e i r c o m p a n i e s - against w h o m , then, c o u l d they possibly strike? 37. T h e interesting point h e r e is how, in this struggle within Socialism in decay, t h e very t e r m 'political' f u n c t i o n e d in an inverted way: it was the C o m m u n i s t Party ( s t a n d i n g for the police logic) which 'politicized' t h e situation (speaking o f ' c o u n t e r - r e v o l u t i o n a r y t e n d e n c i e s ' , e t c . ) , while the opposition m o v e m e n t insisted o n their f u n d a m e n t a l l y 'apolitical', civic-ethical c h a r a c t e r : they just stood for 'simple values' of dignity, f r e e d o m , e t c . - n o wonder their main signifier was t h e 'apolitical' notion o f solidarity. 3 8 . T o pirt it in yet a n o t h e r way: s u b s t a n c e is a n a m e for the inert resistance of the falsity; when, for e x a m p l e , rational subjective insight tells us that s o m e notion is wrong, that it hinges on o u r m i s p e r c e p t i o n , o n o u r 'blind, superstitious prejudices', a n d this n o t i o n nevertheless inexplicably persists, we a r e d e a l i n g with a s u b s t a n c e . F a r from designating the T r u t h , substance is the inert persistence o f t h e false a p p e a r a n c e . F o r this r e a s o n , J u n g i a n archetypes point towards the dimension o f t h e 'psychic substance': they designate the
P O L I T I C A L S U B J E C T I V I Z A T I O N AND
ITS V I C I S S I T U D E S
243
d i m e n s i o n o f inerl psychic formations that r e t u r n again a n d again, a l t h o u g h we theoretically u n d e r m i n e d t h e m long a g o . 3 9 . A b r a h a m L i n c o l n ' s c o m m e n t on spiritualism ( ' F o r those who like t h a t sort o f thing, I should think it is just about the sort o f thing they would like') e x p r e s s e s this tautological c h a r a c t e r o f nationalist self-enclosure perfectly, a n d , for this r e a s o n , works even better if o n e uses it to c h a r a c t e r i z e nationalists, while it d o e s noC work if o n e applies it to a u t h e n t i c radical d e m o c r a t s : o n e cannot say o f a u t h e n t i c d e m o c r a t i c e n g a g e m e n t : ' F o r those w h o like that sort o f thing, it is just a b o u t the sort o f thing they would like.' 4 0 . See, especially, 'Les universels', in Balibar, La crainle dcs masses, p p . 421—54. 4 1 . H e r e , the parallel with L a c l a u ' s opposition between the logic o f difference - society as a differential symbolic s t r u c t u r e - a n d t h e logic o f a n t a g o n i s m - society as 'impossible', thwarted by an antagonistic split - is c l e a r . T o d a y , t h e tension between the logic o f difference a n d t h e logic o f a n t a g o n i s m takes the f o r m o f t h e tension between t h e liberal-democratic universe o f negotiation and the 'fundamentalist' universe o f t h e fight to t h e death between G o o d a n d Evil, Us and T h e m . 4 2 . W h e n , at the beginning o f this c e n t u i y , B e t a B a r t o k t r a n s c r i b e d h u n d r e d s o f H u n g a r ian folk songs, he provoked the lasting animosity o f t h e partisans o f R o m a n t i c national revival precisely by literally e x e c u t i n g t h e i r p r o g r a m m e o f reviving a u t h e n t i c e t h n i c roots. . . . In Slovenia, the Catholic C h u r c h and nationalists paint an idyllic p i c t u r e o f the nineteenth-century countryside - so n o w o n d e r that when, a c o u p l e o f years a g o , the e t h n o l o g i c a l n o t e b o o k s o f a Slovene writer from that time (Janez 4 ' r d i n a ) w e r e published, they were largely ignored: they provide a p i c t u r e o f daily life in the c o u n t r y s i d e full of child fornication a n d rape, alcoholism, brutal violence. . . . 4 3 . O n e o f t h e m i n o r yet telltale events that b e a r witness to this 'withering-away' o f the nation-state is the slow spread o f the o b s c e n e institution o f private prisons in t h e USA a n d o t h e r W e s t e r n countries: the e x e r c i s e o f what should be the m o n o p o l y o f t h e State (physical violence and c o e r c i o n ) b e c o m e s the o b j e c t o f a c o n t r a c t between t h e State and a private c o m p a n y which e x e r t s c o e r c i o n on individuals for the sake o f profit — what we have h e r e is simply the e n d o f the m o n o p o l y on the legitimate use o f violence which ( a c c o r d i n g to Max W e b e r ) defines the m o d e r n State. 4 4 . See Scott Lash a n d J o h n Urry, Economies oj Signs and Space, L o n d o n : S a g e 1 9 9 4 . 4 5 . See Darian L e a d e r , Why Do Women Write More Letters Than They Post?, L o n d o n : F a b e r & F a b e r 1 9 9 6 , p p . 6 7 - 8 . T h e reversal at work in this a n e c d o t e q u o t e d by L e a d e r is beautifully illustrated in a r e c e n t G e r m a n publicity spot for M a g n u m , a b r a n d o f gigantic ice-cream-ona-stick. First we see a p o o r working-class c o u p l e passionately e m b r a c i n g ; w h e n they a g r e e to m a k e love, the girl sends the boy to t h e seaside shop nearby to buy a c o n d o m , so that they will be able to m a k e love safely. T h e boy goes into t h e c o r r i d o r with t h e c o n d o m vending m a c h i n e arrd notices a n o t h e r vending m a c h i n e close to it selling M a g n u m ; h e looks in his p o c k e t a n d n o t i c e s that he has only o n e 5-mark c o i n , e n o u g h for e i t h e r a c o n d o m or an ice c r e a m , n o t for b o t h . After s o m e m o m e n t s o f d e s p e r a t e hesitation, we see him passiorrarely licking t h e ice c r e a m , with the inscription o n t h e s c r e e n : ' S o m e t i m e s you have to get your priorities right!' O f special interest h e r e is t h e r a t h e r obvious phallic c o n n o t a t i o n o f the M a g n u m ice-cream-on-a-stick, the 'big' perris: when, irr t h e last shot, t h e boy is licking the ice c r e a m , his quick j e r k y gestures imitate an intense fellatio; so the m e s s a g e o f getting your priorities right c a n also be r e a d in a direel sexrral way: better t h e qtiasi-horrroerotic e x p e r i e n c e o f o r a l sex than the straight h e t e r o s e x u a l e x p e r i e n c e . . . . 4 6 . O n e can a r g u e , o f c o u r s e , that t h e c i r c u l a r m o v e m e n t o f Capital itself is already a symbolic p h e n o m e n o n , not s o m e t h i n g externally o p p o s e d to c u l t u r e (did rrot L a r a n e m p h a size that the first c h a p t e r of Capital I is a magisterial e x e r c i s e in the logic o f the signifierr); while, on the o t h e r hand, crrltrrral p h e n o m e n a themselves a r e rro less sites o f material p r o d u c t i o n , c a u g h t irr the web o f s o c i o e c o n o m i c p o w e r relations. While fully e n d o r s i n g both these points, o n e should n o n e the less insist that t h e s o c i o e c o n o m i c logic o f Capital provides the global framework which ( o v e r ) d e t e r r n i n e s the totality o f cultural processes.
244
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
4 7 . A n o t h e r e x a m p l e o f infinite j u d g e m e n t in o u r techno-New-Age is: ' T h e spirit (tran s c e n d e n t a l illumination, awareness) is a capsule ( t h e so-called "cognitive e n h a n c e r " pill).' 4 8 . See Paul P i c c o n e , ' P o s t m o d e r n Populism', Telos 103 (Spring 1 9 9 5 ) . W e should also n o t e h e r e by Elizabeth Fox-Genovese's a t t e m p t to o p p o s e to upper-middle-class feminism interested in the p r o b l e m s o f literary and c i n e m a theory, lesbian rights, e t c . , the 'family feminism' which focuses o n t h e actual c o n c e r n s o f ordinary working w o m e n , a n d articulates c o n c r e t e questions o f how to survive within t h e family, with c h i l d r e n a n d a c a r e e r . See Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Feminism Is Not the Stmy of My Life, New York: D o u b l e d a y 1 9 9 6 . 4 9 . T h e most c o n c i s e f o r m u l a t i o n o f t h e rightist suspension o f public (legal) n o r m s was provided by E a m o n de Valera: ' T h e p e o p l e has n o right to d o wrong.' 5 0 . T h i s a c c e p t a n c e o f violence, this 'political suspension o f t h e E t h i c a l ' , is t h e limit o f t h a t which even t h e m o s t ' t o l e r a n t ' liberal s t a n c e is u n a b l e to trespass - witness the uneasiness o f 'radical' post-colonialist A f r o - A m e r i c a n studies a p r o p o s o f Frantz F a n o n ' s f u n d a m e n t a l insight into the unavoidability o f violence in t h e p r o c e s s o f actual d e c o l o n i z a t i o n . 5 1 . T h e universality we a r e speaking a b o u t is thus not a positive universality with a d e t e r m i n a t e c o n t e n t but a n empty universality, a universality without a positive n o t i o n that would specify its c o n t o u r s , a universality that exists only in t h e guise o f t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e injustice d o n e to the p a r t i c u l a r subject who politicizes h i s / h e r p r e d i c a m e n t . T h e H a b e r m a sian answer to it would be, o f c o u r s e , that t h e very fact that subjects e x p e r i e n c e their p r e d i c a m e n t as 'unjust' points towards s o m e implicit n o r m a t i v e s t r u c t u r e that must be operative in their protest; R a n c i e r e ' s point, however, is that this is precisely t h e philosophical lure to be avoided: every translation o f this 'empty universality' into s o m e d e t e r m i n a t e positive c o n t e n t already betrays its radical c h a r a c t e r . 5 2 . See J u d i t h Butler, 'Merely Cultural', New Left Review 2 2 7 ( J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 1 9 9 8 ) , pp. 3 3 - 4 4 . 5 3 . B u t l e r e m p h a s i z e s that the difference which c h a r a c t e r i z e s a p a r t i c u l a r social move m e n t is not the e x t e r n a l difference from o t h e r m o v e m e n t s , but its internal self-difference following L a c l a u , I a m t e m p t e d to claim that this difference is the site o f the inscription o f the Universal - that Universality is, in its actual e x i s t e n c e , the violent, splitting self-difference, which prevents a p a r t i c u l a r m o m e n t from achieving its self-identity (say, t h e self-difference o f the q u e e r m o v e m e n t between its p a r t i c u l a r d e m a n d s a n d its universal anti-capitalist t h r u s t ) . B u t l e r says that Universality is t h e site o f violent e r a s u r e a n d exclusion, a n d emphasizes how, for that r e a s o n , it should be resisted - differing with h e r , I a m t e m p t e d to say that, for the same reason, it should be endorsed. 5 4 . T h e r e i n lies t h e grain o f truth o f R i c h a r d Rorty's r e c e n t p o l e m i c s against 'radical' cultural studies elitists (see R i c h a r d Rorty, Achieving Our America, C a m b r i d g e , MA: H a r v a r d University Press 1 9 9 8 ) : u n d e r t h e p r e t e n c e o f radically questioning the mythical s p e c t r e o f Power, they perfectly fit t h e r e p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e existing power relations, posing n o t h r e a t to t h e m whatsoever - o r , to p a r a p h r a s e W a l t e r B e n j a m i n ' s thesis, t h e i r d e c l a r e d attitude o f radical opposition to the existing social relations coexists with their p e r f e c t functioning within these relations, r a t h e r like t h e proverbial hysteric w h o perfectly fits the network o f exploita tion against which he c o m p l a i n s , a n d effectively e n d o r s e s its r e p r o d u c t i o n . 5 5 . I m m a n u e l Kant, ' P e r p e t u a l P e a c e : A Philosophical Sketch', in Kant's Political Writings, C a m b r i d g e : C a m b r i d g e University Press 1 9 9 1 , p. 1 2 9 . 5 6 . It was o n e o f t h e m e r i t s o f Carl S c h m i t t t h a t he clearly identified this u n c o n d i t i o n a l will to a s s u m e responsibility as t h e kernel o f political authority beyond - o r , r a t h e r , b e n e a t h - t h e typical liberal legitimization o f those who e x e r t p o w e r by r e f e r e n c e to the s m o o t h servicing o f g o o d s .
PART III
From Subjection to Subjective Destitution
5
Passionate (Dis)Attachments, or, Judith Butler as a Reader of Freud
Why Perversion Is N o t Subversion O n e o f t h e k e v c o n c l u s i o n s t o b e d r a w n f r o m t h e th e m c o f ' K a n t a v e c S a d e ' is t h a t t h o s e w h o , l i k e M i c h e l F o u c a u l t , a d v o c a t e t h e potential
o f perversions
are s o o n e r o r later l e d to t h e
subversive
denial
F r e u d i a n U n c o n s c i o u s . T h i s d e n i a l is t h e o r e t i c a l l y g r o u n d e d
of
the
in t h e f a c t ,
e m p h a s i z e d by F r e u d himself, that for psychoanalysis, hysteria a n d psycho sis - not pemersion
- o f f e r a way i n t o t h e U n c o n s c i o u s : t h e U n c o n s c i o u s is
not a c c e s s i b l e v i a p e r v e r s i o n s . F o l l o w i n g F r e u d , L a c a n r e p e a t e d l y i n s i s t e d t h a t p e r v e r s i o n is always a s o c i a l l y c o n s t r u c t i v e a t t i t u d e , w h i l e h y s t e r i a is m u c h m o r e subversive a n d t h r e a t e n i n g to the p r e d o m i n a n t h e g e m o n y . It m a y s e e m t h a t t h e s i t u a t i o n is t h e o p p o s i t e : d o n ' t p e r v e r t s o p e n l y r e a l i z e a n d p r a c t i s e w h a t h y s t e r i c s o n l y s e c r e t l y d r e a m a b o u t ? O r , w i t h r e g a r d to the Master: do hysterics n o t m e r e l y p r o v o k e the M a s t e r in an way w h i c h , in e f f e c t , a m o u n t s assert his undermine
authority
again
and
to a n a p p e a l a d d r e s s e d more
strongly,
while
ambiguous
to t h e M a s t e r to perverts
actually
t h e M a s t e r ' s p o s i t i o n ? ( T h i s is h o w o n e u s u a l l y u n d e r s t a n d s
F r e u d ' s t h e s i s t h a t p e r v e r s i o n is t h e n e g a t i v e o f n e u r o s i s . ) T h i s v e r y f a c t , h o w e v e r , c o n f r o n t s us w i t h t h e p a r a d o x o f t h e F r e u d i a n U n c o n s c i o u s : t h e U n c o n s c i o u s d o e s not c o n s i s t o f t h e s e c r e t p e r v e r s e s c e n a r i o s w e d a y d r e a m a b o u t a n d ( i n s o f a r as w e r e m a i n h y s t e r i c s ) s h i r k f r o m r e a l i z i n g , w h i l e perverts h e r o i c a l l y ' d o it'. W h e n we d o this, w h e n we realize ('act o u t ' ) o u r s e c r e t p e r v e r s e f a n t a s i e s , e v e r y t h i n g is d i s c l o s e d , y e t t h e U n c o n s c i o u s is s o m e h o w m i s s e d - w h y ? B e c a u s e t h e F r e u d i a n U n c o n s c i o u s is not t h e s e c r e t p h a n t a s m i c c o n t e n t , b u t s o m e t h i n g t h a t i n t e r v e n e s in between, in t h e p r o c e s s o f t h e t r a n s l a t i o n / transposition o f the secret phantasmic c o n t e n t into the text o f the dream ( o r t h e h y s t e r i c a l s y m p t o m ) . T h e U n c o n s c i o u s is t h a t w h i c h , p r e c i s e l y , is
THE
248 obfuscated
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
b y t h e p h a n t a s m i c s c e n a r i o s t h e p e r v e r t is a c t i n g o u t : t h e p e r
vert, with his c e r t a i n t y a b o u t w h a t b r i n g s e n j o y m e n t , o b f u s c a t e s t h e gap, the
'burning
question', the stumbling block, that
'is' the
core o f the
U n c o n s c i o u s . T h e p e r v e r t is t h u s t h e ' i n h e r e n t t r a n s g r e s s o r ' par
excellence.
h e b r i n g s to l i g h t , s t a g e s , p r a c t i s e s t h e s e c r e t f a n t a s i e s t h a t s u s t a i n predominant
public
discourse, while
the
hysterical position
the
precisely
d i s p l a y s d o u b t a b o u t w h e t h e r t h o s e s e c r e t p e r v e r s e f a n t a s i e s a r e ' r e a l l y it'. H y s t e r i a is n o t s i m p l y t h e b a t t l e g r o u n d b e t w e e n s e c r e t d e s i r e s a n d sym b o l i c p r o h i b i t i o n s ; it a l s o , a n d a b o v e a l l , a r t i c u l a t e s t h e g n a w i n g
doubt
w h e t h e r secret desires really c o n t a i n what they p r o m i s e - w h e t h e r inability to e n j o y really h i n g e s o n l y o n s y m b o l i c p r o h i b i t i o n s . In words,
the
pervert
precludes
a n s w e r ( t o w h a t b r i n g s puissance,
the
Unconscious because
he
knoxvs
to the O t h e r ) ; h e has n o doubts
it; h i s p o s i t i o n is u n s h a k e a b l e ; w h i l e t h e h y s t e r i c d o u b t s p o s i t i o n is t h a t o f a n e t e r n a l a n d c o n s t i t u t i v e
our
other the
about
t h a t is, h e r
(self-)questioning: W h a t
does the O t h e r want from m e ? W h a t a m I for the O t h e r ? . . . T h i s o p p o s i t i o n o f p e r v e r s i o n a n d h y s t e r i a is e s p e c i a l l y p e r t i n e n t t o d a y , in o u r e r a o f t h e ' d e c l i n e o f O e d i p u s ' , w h e n t h e p a r a d i g m a t i c m o d e o f s u b j e c t i v i t y is n o
l o n g e r the subject integrated
into
the
paternal
Law
through symbolic castration, but the 'polymorphously perverse' subject following t h e s u p e r e g o i n j u n c t i o n to enjoy. T h e q u e s t i o n o f h o w we a r e to hystericize t h e s u b j e c t c a u g h t in t h e c l o s e d l o o p o f p e r v e r s i o n ( h o w we are to i n c u l c a t e t h e d i m e n s i o n o f lack a n d q u e s t i o n i n g in h i m ) b e c o m e s m o r e u r g e n t in view o f today's p o l i t i c a l s c e n e : t h e s u b j e c t o f late capitalist m a r k e t r e l a t i o n s is p e r v e r s e , w h i l e t h e ' d e m o c r a t i c s u b j e c t ' ( t h e m o d e o f subjectivity i m p l i e d by t h e m o d e r n
d e m o c r a c y ) is i n h e r e n t l y
hysterical
(the abstract citizen correlative to the e m p t y place of P o w e r ) . In
other
w o r d s , t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e bourgeois c a u g h t u p i n m a r k e t m e c h a n i s m s a n d t h e citoyen e n g a g e d i n t h e u n i v e r s a l p o l i t i c a l s p h e r e is, in its subjective e c o n o m y , the relationship b e t w e e n perversion a n d hysteria. S o w h e n R a n c i e r e c a l l s o u r a g e ' p o s t - p o l i t i c a l ' , h e is a i m i n g p r e c i s e l y at t h i s shift in p o l i t i c a l d i s c o u r s e ( t h e s o c i a l l i n k ) f r o m h y s t e r i a to 'post-politics'
is t h e p e r v e r s e m o d e
of administering
perversion:
s o c i a l affairs,
the
m o d e deprived o f the 'hystericized' universal/out-of-joint dimension. O n e o f t e n h e a r s t h e c l a i m t h a t t o d a y h y s t e r i a is n o l o n g e r s c x u a l i z e d b u t is, r a t h e r , t o b e l o c a t e d i n t h e d o m a i n o f n o n - s e x u a l i z e d v i c t i m i z a t i o n , o f the w o u n d o f s o m e traumatic v i o l e n c e that cuts i n t o t h e very soul o f o u r b e i n g . H o w e v e r , w e a r e d e a l i n g w i t h h y s t e r i a o n l y i n s o f a r as t h e victimized s u b j e c t entertains an a m b i g u o u s attitude o f fascination towards t h e w o u n d , in so f a r as h e s e c r e t l y t a k e s ' p e r v e r s e ' p l e a s u r e in it, in s o f a r
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS
249
£1 the very s o u r c e o f p a i n e x e r t s a m a g n e t i s m - h y s t e r i a is p r e c i s e l y t h e name for this s t a n c e o f a m b i v a l e n t f a s c i n a t i o n i n t h e f a c e o f t h e o b j e c t (hat terrifies a n d r e p e l s u s . A n d t h i s e x c e s s o f p l e a s u r e in p a i n is a n o t h e r jttame for sexualization:
t h e m o m e n t i t is t h e r e , t h e s i t u a t i o n is s e x u a l i z e d ,
t h e s u b j e c t is c a u g h t i n t h e p e r v e r s e l o o p . I n o t h e r w o r d s , o n e s h o u l d n o n e the less s t i c k to t h e o l d F r e u d i a n t h e s i s o n t h e f u n d a m e n t a l l y s e x u a l character
o f hysteria: wasn't
Freud's
Dora,
the paradigmatic
case o f
hysteria, c o n t i n u a l l y c o m p l a i n i n g a b o u t b e i n g victimized by t h e m a n i p u lations o f h e r father a n d M r K? W h a t c o m p l i c a t e s t h e issue further
is t h a t o n e s h o u l d
definitely
not
d i r e c d y qualify h o m o s e x u a l i t y ( o r a n y o t h e r s e x u a l p r a c t i c e t h a t v i o l a t e s the h e t e r o s e x u a l n o r m ) a s a ' p e r v e r s i o n ' . T h e q u e s t i o n rather:
h o w is t h e f a c t o f h o m o s e x u a l i t y
t o b e a s k e d is,
inscribed into
the
subject's
s y m b o l i c u n i v e r s e ? W h a t s u b j e c t i v e a t t i t u d e s u s t a i n s it? T h e r e d e f i n i t e l y is a perverse h o m o s e x u a l i t y ( t h e m a s o c h i s t o r s a d i s t p r e t e n d i n g k n o w l e d g e a b o u t w h a t p r o v i d e s puissance
to possess
t o t h e O t h e r ) ; b u t t h e r e is a l s o
a hysterical h o m o s e x u a l i t y ( o p t i n g for it in o r d e r to c o n f r o n t t h e e n i g m a of ' W h a t a m I f o r t h e O t h e r ? W h a t d o e s t h e O t h e r w a n t ( f r o m m e ) ? ' , a n d so o n . S o , f o r L a c a n , t h e r e is n o d i r e c t c o r r e l a t i o n b e t w e e n
forms o f
sexual p r a c t i c e (gay, lesbian, straight) a n d t h e ' p a t h o l o g i c a l ' subjective symbolic
economy
(perverse,
hysterical,
p s y c h o t i c ) . L e t us
take
the
e x t r e m e c a s e o f c o p r o p h a g y ( e a t i n g e x c r e m e n t ) : e v e n s u c h a p r a c t i c e is n o t n e c e s s a r i l y ' p e r v e r s e ' , s i n c e it c a n w e l l b e i n s c r i b e d i n t o a h y s t e r i c a l economy -
that
is t o say, it c a n w e l l f u n c t i o n
as a n e l e m e n t
o f the
hysterical provocation a n d q u e s t i o n i n g o f t h e O t h e r ' s desire: what i f I e a t shit i n o r d e r t o t e s t h o w I s t a n d with r e g a r d t o t h e O t h e r ' s d e s i r e - will h e still l o v e m e w h e n h e s e e s m e d o i n g it? W i l l h e finally a b a n d o n m e as h i s o b j e c t ? I t c a n a l s o f u n c t i o n as p s y c h o t i c if, say, t h e s u b j e c t i d e n t i f i e s h i s p a r t n e r ' s s h i t as t h e m i r a c u l o u s D i v i n e s u b s t a n c e , s o t h a t by s w a l l o w i n g it he g e t s in t o u c h w i t h G o d , r e c e i v e s H i s e n e r g y . O r , o f c o u r s e , it c a n f u n c t i o n as p e r v e r s i o n i f t h e s u b j e c t , w h i l e d o i n g it, a s s u m e s t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e o b j e c t - i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e O t h e r ' s d e s i r e ( i f h e d o e s it i n o r d e r t o generate enjoyment in his p a r t n e r ) . On
a more
general
l e v e l , it is i n t e r e s t i n g
describes new p h e n o m e n a ,
lo note
how, when
o n e as a r u l e o v e r l o o k s t h e i r
one
predominant
hysterical functioning a n d prefers the allegedly m o r e 'radical' perverse o r psychotic functioning. Say, in t h e case o f cyberspace, we are
bombarded
with i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s w h i c h e m p h a s i z e h o w c y b e r s p a c e o p e n s u p t h e p o s s i bility o f p o l y m o r p h o u s p e r v e r s e p l a y i n g w i t h a n d p e r m a n e n t r e s h a p i n g o f o n e ' s symbolic identity, o r h o w it involves a r e g r e s s i o n to t h e psychotic
THE TICKLISH
250
SUBJECT
i n c e s t u o u s i m m e r s i o n i n t o t h e S c r e e n as t h e m a t e r n a l T h i n g t h a t swallows us, d e p r i v i n g us o f t h e c a p a c i t y o f s y m b o l i c d i s t a n c e a n d r e f l e c t i o n . I t c a n , h o w e v e r , b e a r g u e d t h a t t h e m o s t c o m m o n r e a c t i o n o f all o f us w h e n w e a r e c o n f r o n t e d w i t h c y b e r s p a c e is still t h a t o f h y s t e r i c a l p e r p l e x i t y , o f p e r m a n e n t q u e s t i o n i n g : ' H o w d o I s t a n d w i t h r e s p e c t t o this a n o n y m o u s O t h e r ? W h a t d o e s I t w a n t f r o m m e ? W h a t g a m e is it p l a y i n g w i t h m e ? ' . . . W i t h r e g a r d to this c r u c i a l o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n hysteria a n d p e r v e r s i o n , i t is i m p o r t a n t
to n o t e
t h a t A d o r n o ' s Philosophy
m a s t e r p i e c e o f the dialectical analysis o f the
of the New Music,
'class struggle in
that
music',
resorts to t h e clinical c a t e g o r i e s of, precisely, hysteria a n d p e r v e r s i o n in o r d e r t o e l a b o r a t e t h e o p p o s i t i o n o f t h e two f u n d a m e n t a l modern
music, designated
by the
names
tendencies in
Schoenberg and
Stravinsky:
S c h o e n b e r g ' s 'progressive' m u s i c displays the c l e a r features o f an e x t r e m e hysterical tension (anxiety-laden reactions to traumatic e n c o u n t e r s ) ; while S t r a v i n s k y , in h i s p a s t i c h e - l i k e t r a v e r s i n g o f a l l p o s s i b l e m u s i c a l styles, d i s p l a y s n o less c l e a r f e a t u r e s o f p e r v e r s i o n , t h a t is, o f r e n o u n c i n g
the
d i m e n s i o n o f subjectivity p r o p e r , o f a d o p t i n g t h e stance o f e x p l o i t i n g the polymorphous
m u l t i t u d e , with n o r e a l s u b j e c t i v e e n g a g e m e n t w i t h
any
specific c l e m e n t o r m o d e . A n d - to give this o p p o s i t i o n a p h i l o s o p h i c a l twist - o n e is t e m p t e d t o c l a i m that this
fidelity
t o t h e t r u t h o f h y s t e r i a a g a i n s t t h e p e r v e r t ' s false
t r a n s g r e s s i o n is w h a t l e d L a c a n , i n t h e l a s t y e a r s o f h i s t e a c h i n g , t o c l a i m p a t h e t i c a l l y : ' I r e b e l a g a i n s t p h i l o s o p h y [fe m'insurge
contre la
philosophie].'
A p r o p o s o f this g e n e r a l c l a i m , t h e L e n i n i s t q u e s t i o n s h o u l d
be
asked
i m m e d i a t e l y : w h i c h ( s i n g u l a r ) p h i l o s o p h y d i d L a c a n have in m i n d ; w h i c h p h i l o s o p h y was, f o r h i m , a s t a n d - i n f o r p h i l o s o p h y ' a s s u c h ' ? F o l l o w i n g a s u g g e s t i o n by F r a n c o i s R e g n a u l t ( w h o draws a t t e n t i o n
to the fact
that
L a c a n m a d e t h i s s t a t e m e n t i n 1 9 7 5 , i n t h e w a k e o f t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f Anti1
Oedipus ),
o n e could argue that the p h i l o s o p h y actually u n d e r
fire,
f r o m s t a n d i n g f o r s o m e t r a d i t i o n a l H e g e l i a n m e t a p h y s i c s , is n o n e
far
other
than that o f Gilles D e l e u z e , a p h i l o s o p h e r o f globalized perversion if ever there
was o n e . T h a t is t o say, is n o t
psychoanalysis an e x e m p l a r ) Against
the
7
Deleuze's critique o f
'Oedipal'
case o f t h e perverse rejection o f hysteria?
hysterical subject w h o
maintains
an
ambiguous
attitude
towards symbolic authority (like the psychoanalyst who acknowledges the p a t h o l o g i c a l c o n s e q u e n c e s o f ' r e p r e s s i o n ' , b u t n o n e the less c l a i m s that ' r e p r e s s i o n ' is t h e c o n d i t i o n o f c u l t u r a l p r o g r e s s , s i n c e o u t s i d e s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y t h e r e is o n l y t h e p s y c h o t i c v o i d ) , t h e p e r v e r t b r a v e l y g o e s t o t h e l i m i t i n u n d e r m i n i n g t h e v e r y f o u n d a t i o n s o f s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y a n d fully e n d o r s i n g the multiple productivity o f prc-symbolit libidinal flux . . . for
PASSIONATE ( D I S ) ATTACHMENTS
251
L a c a n , o f c o u r s e , t h i s ' a n t i - O e d i p a l ' r a d i c a l i z a t i o n o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s is t h e very m o d e l o f t h e
trap to b e a v o i d e d at a n y cost: t h e
m o d e l o f false
s u b v e r s i v e r a d i c a l i z a t i o n t h a t fits t h e e x i s t i n g p o w e r c o n s t e l l a t i o n p e r f e c t l y . In
other
words,
for L a c a n , the
philosopher's
i a d i c a l i t y ' , his
fearless
q u e s t i o n i n g o f all p r e s u p p o s i t i o n s , is t h e m o d e l o f t h e f a l s e t r a n s g r e s s i v e radicalily. F o r F o u c a u l t , a p e r v e r s e p h i l o s o p h e r i f e v e r t h e r e was o n e , t h e r e l a t i o n ship between
prohibition
and
desire
is c i r c u l a r , a n d
one
o f absolute
i m m a n e n c e : power a n d resistance (counter-power) presuppose and gen e r a t e e a c h o t h e r - t h a t is, t h e v e r y p r o h i b i t i v e m e a s u r e s t h a t c a t e g o r i z e and
r e g u l a t e illicit desires effectively g e n e r a t e
proverbial
figure
o f the
early
Christian
them. Simply recall the
ascetic who,
in
his
detailed
description o f situations to b e avoided, since they provoke sexual tempta tions, displays an e x t r a o r d i n a r y k n o w l e d g e o f b o w s e d u c t i o n works ( o f how a simple smile, a glance, a defensive gesture o f the hands, a d e m a n d f o r h e l p , c a n c a n y a s e x u a l i n n u e n d o . . . ) . T h e p r o b l e m h e r e is t h a t , a f t e r insisting that t h e disciplinary p o w e r m e c h a n i s m s p r o d u c e t h e very o b j e c t o n w h i c h t h e y e x e r t t h e i r f o r c e ( t h e s u b j e c t is n o t o n l y that w h i c h oppressed
by t h e
power
but
emerges
h i m s e l f as t h e
product
is
o f this
oppression) T h e man described for us, whom we are invited to free, is already in himself t h e effect of a subjection [assujetlissement] m u c h m o r e profound than himself. A 'soul' inhabits him and brings him to e x i s t e n c e , which is itself a factor in the mastery that power exercises over the bodv. T h e soul is the effect a n d instru ment o f a political autonomy; the soul is the prison o f the body.-
it is as i f F o u c a u l t h i m s e l f t a c i t l y a c k n o w l e d g e s
continuity
o f resistance to
power
is n o t
enough
to
that
this
absolute
ground
effective
resistance to power, a resistance that would not be 'part o f the g a m e ' but would allow the s u b j e c t to assume a position that e x e m p t s h i m from
the
disciplinary/confessional m o d e o f power practised from early Christianity t o p s y c h o a n a l y s i s . F o u c a u l i t h o u g h t t h a t h e l o c a t e d s u c h a n e x c e p t i o n in Antiquity: the A n t i q u e notions o f the 'use o f pleasures' a n d 'care for the S e l f d o n o t yet i n v o l v e r e f e r e n c e t o a u n i v e r s a l L a w . H o w e v e r , t h e i m a g e o f A n t i q u i t y d e p l o y e d i n F o u c a u l t ' s last two b o o k s is stricio
sensu
phantas
m i c , t h e f a n t a s y o f a d i s c i p l i n e w h i c h , e v e n i n its m o s t a s c e t i c v e r s i o n , n e e d s n o r e f e r e n c e to the symbolic L a w / P r o h i b i t i o n o f pleasures without sexuality. In his a t t e m p t to b r e a k o u t o f the vicious cycle o f p o w e r resistance, F o u c a u l t resorts to the myth o f a state ' b e f o r e the Fall' which
d i s c i p l i n e was s e l f - f a s h i o n e d , n o t
a procedure
imposed
by
and in the
THE TICKLISH
252 culpabilizing
universal
moral
order.
SUBJECT
In
this
phantasmic
Beyond,
one
e n c o u n t e r s t h e s a m e d i s c i p l i n a r y m e c h a n i s m s as l a t e r , o n l y i n a d i f f e r e n t modality, a kind o f correlate to Malinowski-Mead's mythical
description
o f non-repressed S o u t h Pacific sexuality. N o w o n d e r F o u c a u l t reads
pre-
C h r i s t i a n t e x t s i n a way w h i c h t o t a l l y d i f f e r s f r o m h i s u s u a l p r a c t i c e o f reading:
his l a s t t w o b o o k s a r e m u c h
closer to the standard
academic
' h i s t o r y o f i d e a s ' . I n o t h e r w o r d s , F o u c a u l t ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e S e l f in p r e C h r i s t i a n A n t i q u i t y is t h e n e c e s s a r y R o m a n t i c - n a i v e s u p p l e m e n t cynical description resistance overlap.
o f power
relations after the Fall, w h e r e
to
his
power
and
3
S o w h e n , i n Discipline
and Punish
a n d V o l u m e I o f The History
of
F o u c a u l t e n d l e s s l y v a r i e s t h e t h e m e o f p o w e r as p r o d u c t i v e , w i t h
Sexuality, respect
t o p o l i t i c a l a n d e d u c a t i o n a l p o w e r as well as p o w e r o v e r s e x u a l i t y ; w h e n he emphasizes again
and
again
h o w , in t h e c o u r s e o f t h e
nineteenth
c e n t u r y , 'repressive' a t t e m p t s to c a t e g o r i z e , discipline, e t c . sexuality, far from
constraining and limiting their object, 'natural'
sexuality, in fact
p r o d u c e d it a n d l e d t o its p r o l i f e r a t i o n ( s e x was a f f i r m e d as t h e
ultimate
' s e c r e t ' , t h e p o i n t o f r e f e r e n c e , o f h u m a n a c t i v i t y ) , is h e n o t , i n a way, asserting the H e g e l i a n thesis o n h o w reflexive p r o b i n g into a t r a n s c e n d e n t I n - i t s e l f p r o d u c e s t h e v e r y i n a c c e s s i b l e X t h a t s e e m s f o r e v e r t o e l u d e iLs final g r a s p ? ( T h i s p o i n t c a n b e m a d e v e r y c l e a r l y a p r o p o s o f t h e m y s t e r i ous 'dark c o n t i n e n t ' o f F e m i n i n e Sexuality allegedly eluding the grasp o f p a t r i a r c h a l d i s c o u r s e : is n o t t h i s m y s t e r i o u s B e y o n d t h e v e r y p r o d u c t m a l e d i s c o u r s e ? Is n o t F e m i n i n e M y s t e r y t h e u l t i m a t e male
of
fantasy?)
As f o r d i s c i p l i n i n g a n d c o n t r o l l i n g , F o u c a u l t ' s p o i n t is n o t o n l y h o w t h e o b j e c t t h e s e m e a s u r e s w a n t t o c o n t r o l a n d s u b d u e is a l r e a d y t h e i r (legal
and
criminal
measures
engender
their
own
forms
of
effect
criminal
t r a n s g r e s s i o n , e t c . ) : t h e very s u b j e c t w h o r e s i s t s t h e s e d i s c i p l i n a r y m e a s u r e s a n d t r i e s t o e l u d e t h e i r g r a s p is, i n his h e a r t o f h e a r t s , b r a n d e d b y t h e m , formed
by
them.
nineteenth-century
Foucault's
ultimate
example
workers' m o v e m e n t for the
would
have
been
the
'liberation o f work':
e a r l y l i b e r t a r i a n c r i t i c i s m s l i k e P a u l L a f a r g u e ' s Right
to Laziness
as
had already
p o i n t e d o u t , t h e W o r k e r w h o w a n t e d h i m s e l f l i b e r a t e d was t h e p r o d u c t o f d i s c i p l i n a r y e t h i c s , t h a t is, in h i s v e r y a t t e m p t t o g e t r i d o f t h e
domination
o f C a p i t a l , h e w a n t e d t o e s t a b l i s h h i m s e l f as t h e d i s c i p l i n e d w o r k e r
who
w o r k s f o r h i m s e l f , w h o is fully h i s o w n m a s t e r ( a n d t h u s l o s e s t h e r i g h t t o resist,
since
he
cannot
resist h i m s e l f . . . ) . O n
this
level, P o w e r
and
R e s i s t a n c e a r e e f f e c t i v e l y c a u g h t in a d e a d l y m u t u a l e m b r a c e : t h e r e is n o P o w e r without R e s i s t a n c e (in o r d e r to function, P o w e r n e e d s an X w h i c h e l u d e s its g r a s p ) ; t h e r e is n o R e s i s t a n c e w i t h o u t P o w e r ( P o w e r is a l r e a d y
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS
253
formative o f that very k e r n e l o n b e h a l f o f w h i c h the o p p r e s s e d
subject
resists t h e h o l d o f P o w e r ) . T h e r e is t h u s n o t h i n g m o r e m i s g u i d e d t h a n t o a r g u e t h a t F o u c a u l t , i n V o l u m e 1 o f h i s History
of Sexuality,
o p e n s u p t h e way f o r i n d i v i d u a l s
to
rearticulate-resignify-displace the p o w e r m e c h a n i s m s they are c a u g h t in: the whole point and strength
o f his f o r c e f u l a r g u m e n t a t i o n
lies i n
his
c l a i m that r e s i s t a n c e s t o p o w e r a r e g e n e r a t e d by t h e very m a t r i x they s e e m to oppose.
In
other
words,
the
point
o f his n o t i o n
o f 'biopower'
p r e c i s e l y t o give a n a c c o u n t o f h o w d i s c i p l i n a r y ' p o w e r m e c h a n i s m s c o n s t i t u t e i n d i v i d u a l s directly, b y p e n e t r a t i n g i n d i v i d u a l b o d i e s a n d ing
the level of
subjectivization'
( t h a t is, t h e w h o l e
problematic
is can
bypass of
how
individuals i d e o l o g i c a l l y subjectivize t h e i r p r e d i c a m e n t , h o w they relate to t h e i r c o n d i t i o n s o f e x i s t e n c e ) . I t is t h e r e f o r e m e a n i n g l e s s , i n a way, t o criticize h i m for n o t r e n d e r i n g
this subjectivization t h e m a t i c : his w h o l e
p o i n t is t h a t i f o n e is t o a c c o u n t f o r s o c i a l d i s c i p l i n e a n d
subordination,
o n e has t o b y p a s s it! L a t e r , h o w e v e r ( s t a r t i n g f r o m V o l u m e I I o f h i s of Sexuality),
History
h e is c o m p e l l e d t o r e t u r n t o t h i s v e r y o s t r a c i z e d t o p i c o f
subjectivization: how individuals
subjectivize their condition,
r e l a t e t o i t - o r , t o p u t it in A l t h u s s e r i a n
how
thev
terms, how they are not only
individuals c a u g h t in disciplinary state a p p a r a t u s e s , b u t also i n t e r p e l l a t e d subjects. H o w , t h e n , d o e s F o u c a u l t r e l a t e to H e g e l ? A c c o r d i n g t o J u d i t h B u t l e r , t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e two is t h a t H e g e l d o e s n o t t a k e t h e
4
proliferating
e f f e c t o f d i s c i p l i n a t o r y activity i n t o a c c o u n t : in H e g e l , f o r m a t i v e d i s c i p l i n i n g s i m p l y w o r k s o n t h e b o d y t h a t is p r e s u p p o s e d as a n I n - i t s e l f , g i v e n as p a r t o f i n e r t h u m a n n a t u r e , a n d g r a d u a l l y ' s u b l a t e s ' / m e d i a t e s its i m m e diacy; while F o u c a u l t e m p h a s i z e s how disciplining m e c h a n i s m s themselves s e t in m o t i o n a wild p r o l i f e r a t i o n o f w h a t t h e y e n d e a v o u r t o s u p p r e s s
and
r e g u l a t e : t h e v e r y ' r e p r e s s i o n ' o f s e x u a l i t y gives r i s e t o n e w f o r m s o f s e x u a l pleasure. . . ,
5
H o w e v e r , w h a t s e e m s t o b e m i s s i n g in F o u c a u l t , t h e
d i a l e c t i c i a n par excellence,
anti-
is p r e c i s e l y t h e p r o p e r l y H e g e l i a n s e l f - r e f e r e n t i a l
t u r n in t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n s e x u a l i t y a n d its d i s c i p l i n a t o r y c o n t r o l : n o t only does confessional self-probing unearth new forms o f sexuality the confessional
activity itself becomes sexualized,
gives rise to a satisfaction
of its
own: ' T h e r e p r e s s i v e law is n o t e x t e r n a l t o t h e l i b i d o t h a t it r e p r e s s e s , b u t the
repressive
law r e p r e s s e s
to the
extent
that
repression
becomes
a
1
l i b i d i n a l activity.' ' T a k e politically c o r r e c t p r o b i n g
into hate speech and
sexual
harass
m e n t : t h e t r a p i n t o w h i c h t h i s e f f o r t falls is n o t o n l y t h a t i t m a k e s aware o f ( a n d thus g e n e r a t e s ) new f o r m s a n d layers o f h u m i l i a t i o n
us and
254 harassment replaced
(we l e a r n
by
THE
TICKLISH
that
'fat',
SUBJECT
'stupid',
'weight-challenged',
etc.);
'short-sighted'
the
catch
. . . are
is, r a t h e r ,
to
that
be this
c e n s o r i n g activity itself, b y a k i n d o f d e v i l i s h d i a l e c t i c a l r e v e r s a l , s t a r t s t o p a r d c i p a t e i n w h a t it p u r p o r t s t o c e n s o r a n d fight — is it n o t i m m e d i a t e l y e v i d e n t h o w , in d e s i g n a t i n g s o m e b o d y as ' m e n t a l l y c h a l l e n g e d ' i n s t e a d o f ' s t u p i d ' , a n i r o n i c d i s t a n c e c a n always c r e e p i n a n d give rise to a n e x c e s s o f h u m i l i a t i n g a g g r e s s i v i t y - o n e a d d s i n s u l t t o i n j u r y , as it w e r e , b y t h e s u p p l e m e n t a r y p o l i t e p a t r o n i z i n g d i m e n s i o n (it is w e l l k n o w n t h a t a g g r e s sivity c o a t e d i n p o l i t e n e s s c a n b e m u c h m o r e p a i n f u l t h a n d i r e c t l y a b u s i v e w o r d s , s i n c e v i o l e n c e is h e i g h t e n e d by t h e a d d i t i o n a l c o n t r a s t b e t w e e n t h e aggressive c o n t e n t a n d the polite surface form . . . ) . In short, what F o u cault's a c c o u n t o f the discourses that discipline a n d
regulate
sexuality
l e a v e s o u t o f c o n s i d e r a t i o n is t h e p r o c e s s b y m e a n s o f w h i c h t h e mechanism
i t s e l f b e c o m e s e r o t i c i z e d , t h a t is, c o n t a m i n a t e d
power
by what
it
e n d e a v o u r s t o ' r e p r e s s ' . I t is n o t e n o u g h t o c l a i m t h a t t h e a s c e t i c C h r i s t i a n s u b j e c t w h o , i n o r d e r t o fight t e m p t a t i o n , e n u m e r a t e s a n d c a t e g o r i z e s t h e various forms o f temptation,
actually p r o l i f e r a t e s t h e o b j e c t h e tries to
c o m b a t ; t h e p o i n t is, r a t h e r , to c o n c e i v e o f h o w t h e a s c e t i c w h o f l a g e l l a t e s in o r d e r
t o resist t e m p t a t i o n
finds s e x u a l pleasure
in t h i s v e r y a c t o f
inflicting wounds o n himself. T h e p a r a d o x a t w o r k h e r e is t h a t t h e - v e r y f a c t t h a t t h e r e is n o existing
positive
B o d y in
which
one
could
pre
ontologically ground
our
resistance to disciplinary p o w e r m e c h a n i s m s m a k e s effective r e s i s t a n c e possible. T h a t Foucault and
is t o say: t h e
normative standard are
unable
to
standard
'post-structuralists'
Habermasian
ground
resistance
anisms themselves o p e n a surplus
against any
e x e m p t from the c o n t i n g e n t historical context, they to
the
F o u c a u l d i a n c o u n t e r - a r g u m e n t is t h a t t h e generate
argument
i n g e n e r a l is t h a t s i n c e t h e y d e n y
in
up their
F e m i n i n e Essence (from
existing
power
edifice.
t h e s p a c e f o r r e s i s t a n c e , in s o f a r a s object.
The
repressive' disciplinary m e c h
Although
the
reference
t h e E t e r n a l F e m i n i n e to m o r e
to
they some
contemporary
f e m i n i n e w r i t i n g ) s e e m s to g r o u n d w o m e n ' s r e s i s t a n c e t o t h e m a s c u l i n e s y m b o l i c o r d e r , t h i s r e f e r e n c e n o n e t h e less c o n f i r m s f e m i n i n i t y as t h e pre-given f o u n d a t i o n u p o n w h i c h the m a s c u l i n e discursive m a c h i n e works -
h e r e r e s i s t a n c e is s i m p l y t h e r e s i s t a n c e o f t h e p r e - s y m h o l i c
t o its s y m b o l i c w o r k i n g - t h r o u g h .
foundation
If, h o w e v e r , o n e p o s i t s t h a t t h e
patriar
chal e n d e a v o u r to contain a n d categorize femininity itself g e n e r a t e s forms o f r e s i s t a n c e , o n e o p e n s u p a s p a c e f o r a f e m i n i n e r e s i s t a n c e t h a t is n o l o n g e r r e s i s t a n c e o n b e h a l f o f t h e u n d e r l y i n g f o u n d a t i o n b u t r e s i s t a n c e as t h e a c t i v e p r i n c i p l e in e x c e s s o v e r t h e o p p r e s s i v e f o r c e .
PASSIONATE
(DIS) ATTACHMENTS
255
T o avoid the s t a n d a r d e x a m p l e o f sexuality, however, let us recall t h e formation o f national identity through
resistance to colonialist d o m i n a
t i o n : w h a t p r e c e d e s c o l o n i a l i s t d o m i n a t i o n is s e l f - e n c l o s e d e t h n i c a w a r e n e s s , w h i c h l a c k s t h e s t r o n g will t o r e s i s t a n d t o a s s e r t its i d e n t i t y f o r c e f u l l y a g a i n s t t h e O t h e r ; o n l y as a r e a c t i o n t o c o l o n i a l i s t d o m i n a t i o n awareness transformed
i n t o a c t i v e p o l i t i c a l will t o a s s e r t o n e ' s
is t h i s national
identity against the o p p r e s s o r - anti-colonialist n a t i o n a l liberation move m e n t s a r e stricto sensu g e n e r a t e d b y c o l o n i a l i s t o p p r e s s i o n ; t h a t is t o say, it is this o p p r e s s i o n w h i c h b r i n g s a b o u t t h e s h i f t f r o m p a s s i v e e t h n i c selfa w a r e n e s s g r o u n d e d i n m y t h i c a l t r a d i t i o n t o t h e e m i n e n t l y m o d e r n will t o a s s e r t o n e ' s e t h n i c i d e n t i t y in t h e f o r m o f a n a t i o n - s t a t e . O n e is t e m p t e d t o say t h a t t h e will t o g a i n p o l i t i c a l i n d e p e n d e n c e f r o m t h e c o l o n i z e r i n t h e g u i s e o f a n e w i n d e p e n d e n t n a t i o n - s t a t e is t h e u l t i m a t e p r o o f t h a t t h e colonized
ethnic
group
is t h o r o u g h l y
integrated
into
universe o f the c o l o n i z e r . W e a r e d e a l i n g h e r e with
the
the
ideological
contradiction
b e t w e e n t h e e n u n c i a t e d c o n t e n t a n d t h e p o s i t i o n o f e n u n c i a t i o n : as f o r the enunciated content, the
anti-colonialist m o v e m e n t , o f course, con
c e i v e s i t s e l f as a r e t u r n to p r e - c o l o n i a l r o o t s , a s a s s e r t i n g o n e ' s c u l t u r a l , etc., i n d e p e n d e n c e from t h e c o l o n i z e r - b u t t h e very f o r m o f this assertion is a l r e a d y t a k e n o v e r f r o m t h e c o l o n i z e r : it is t h e f o r m o f W e s t e r n n a t i o n state political a u t o n o m y - n o w o n d e r the C o n g r e s s Party in I n d i a , w h i c h l e d t o i n d e p e n d e n c e , was i n s t i g a t e d b y E n g l i s h l i b e r a l s a n d o r g a n i z e d b v I n d i a n i n t e l l e c t u a l s studying at O x f o r d . D o e s n o t t h e s a m e h o l d for t h e multitude o f quests for national sovereignty a m o n g the e t h n i c groups o f the ex-Soviet U n i o n ? A l t h o u g h
C h e c h e n s evoke their
hundred-year-old
s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t R u s s i a n d o m i n a t i o n , t o d a y ' s f o r m o f t h i s s t r u g g l e is c l e a r l y the o u t c o m e o f the
modernizing
effect
o f the Russian colonization o f
traditional C h e c h e n society. A g a i n s t B u t l e r , o n e is t h u s t e m p t e d t o e m p h a s i z e t h a t H e g e l was w e l l aware o f t h e r e t r o a c t i v e p r o c e s s by m e a n s o f w h i c h o p p r e s s i v e p o w e r itself g e n e r a t e s t h e f o r m o f r e s i s t a n c e - is n o t t h i s v e r y p a r a d o x c o n t a i n e d i n H e g e l ' s n o t i o n o f p o s i t i n g t h e p r e s u p p o s i t i o n s , t h a t is, o f h o w t h e a c t i v i t y of
positing-mediating
does
not
merely
elaborate
the
presupposed
i m m e d i a t e - n a t u r a l G r o u n d , b u t t h o r o u g h l y t r a n s f o r m s t h e very c o r e o f its identity? T h e very In-itself to w h i c h
Chechens endeavour
to return
is
already m e d i a t e d - p o s i t e d by the p r o c e s s o f m o d e r n i z a t i o n , w h i c h d e p r i v e d t h e m o f their ethnic roots. This argumentation ized
to repeat
the
may appear Eurocentrist, c o n d e m n i n g the colon
European
imperalist pattern
by m e a n s
o f t h e very-
g e s t u r e o f r e s i s t i n g it - h o w e v e r , it is a l s o p o s s i b l e t o g i v e it p r e c i s e l y t h e
THE TICKLISH
256
SUBJECT
o p p o s i t e r e a d i n g . T h a t is t o say: i f w e g r o u n d o u r r e s i s t a n c e t o i m p e r i a l i s t E u r o c e n t r i s m in t h e r e f e r e n c e to s o m e k e r n e l o f p r e v i o u s e t h n i c identity, we a u t o m a t i c a l l y a d o p t t h e p o s i d o n o f a victim resisting
modernization,
o f a p a s s i v e o b j e c t o n w h i c h i m p e r i a l i s t p r o c e d u r e s w o r k . If, h o w e v e r , w e conceive our
r e s i s t a n c e as a n
excess
that results from
t h e way
brutal
imperialist intervention disturbed o u r previous self-enclosed identity, o u r p o s i t i o n b e c o m e s m u c h s t r o n g e r , s i n c e w e c a n c l a i m t h a t o u r r e s i s t a n c e is grounded
in t h e i n h e r e n t d y n a m i c s o f the i m p e r i a l i s t system - t h a t
i m p e r i a l i s t s y s t e m itself, t h r o u g h its i n h e r e n t forces
t h a t will b r i n g
about
its d e m i s e .
the
antagonism, activates
( T h e situation
here
the
is s t r i c t l y
h o m o l o g o u s t o t h a t o f h o w t o g r o u n d f e m i n i n e r e s i s t a n c e : i f w o m a n is ' a s y m p t o m o f m a n ' , t h e locus at w h i c h t h e i n h e r e n t a n t a g o n i s m s o f the p a t r i a r c h a l s y m b o l i c o r d e r e m e r g e , t h i s i n n o way c o n s t r a i n s t h e s c o p e o f f e m i n i s t r e s i s t a n c e b u t p r o v i d e s it with a n e v e n s t r o n g e r d e t o n a t i n g f o r c e . ) Or -
to put
it i n y e t a n o t h e r
way -
the
premiss
according
to
which
r e s i s t a n c e t o p o w e r is i n h e r e n t a n d i m m a n e n t t o t h e p o w e r e d i f i c e ( i n the sense that
it is g e n e r a t e d
by the
inherent
dynamic
o f the
power
e d i f i c e ) i n n o way o b l i g e s us t o d r a w t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t e v e r y r e s i s t a n c e is c o - o p t e d i n a d v a n c e , i n c l u d e d i n t h e e t e r n a l g a m e P o w e r plays w i t h itself
-
the
producing
key point an
is t h a t
through
the
effect
o f proliferation,
e x c e s s o f r e s i s t a n c e , t h e very i n h e r e n t
antagonism
s y s t e m m a y well s e t i n m o t i o n a p r o c e s s w h i c h l e a d s t o its o w n downfall.
of
of a
ultimate
7
I t s e e m s t h a t s u c h a n o t i o n o f a n t a g o n i s m is w h a t F o u c a u l t l a c k s : f r o m t h e f a c t t h a t e v e r y r e s i s t a n c e is g e n e r a t e d ( ' p o s i t e d ' ) b y t h e P o w e r e d i f i c e itself, f r o m t h i s a b s o l u t e i n h e r e n c e o f r e s i s t a n c e to P o w e r , h e s e e m s t o d r a w t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t r e s i s t a n c e is c o - o p t e d i n a d v a n c e , t h a t it c a n n o t s e r i o u s l y u n d e r m i n e t h e s y s t e m - t h a t is, h e p r e c l u d e s t h e p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t t h e s y s t e m itself, o n a c c o u n t o f its i n h e r e n t i n c o n s i s t e n c y , m a y g i v e b i r t h t o a f o r c e w h o s e e x c e s s it is n o l o n g e r a b l e t o m a s t e r a n d w h i c h
thus
d e t o n a t e s its u n i t y , its c a p a c i t y t o r e p r o d u c e itself. I n s h o r t , F o u c a u l t d o e s n o t c o n s i d e r t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a n e f f e c t e s c a p i n g , o u t g r o w i n g its c a u s e , s o t h a t a l t h o u g h it e m e r g e s as a f o r m o f r e s i s t a n c e t o p o w e r a n d is as s u c h a b s o l u t e l y i n h e r e n t t o it, it c a n o u t g r o w a n d e x p l o d e it. ( T h e p h i l o s o p h i c a l p o i n t t o b e m a d e h e r e is t h a t t h i s is t h e f u n d a m e n t a l
feature o f the
d i a l e c t i c a l - m a t e r i a l i s t n o t i o n o f ' e f f e c t ' : t h e e f f e c t c a n ' o u t d o ' its c a u s e ; it can be ontologically 'higher' reverse
the
Foucauldian
than
notion
its c a u s e . ) O n e
o f an
is t h u s t e m p t e d
all-encompassing power
to
edifice
w h i c h a l w a y s - a l r c a d y c o n t a i n s its t r a n s g r e s s i o n , t h a t w h i c h a l l e g e d l y e l u d e s it: w h a t i f t h e p r i c e t o b e p a i d is t h a t t h e p o w e r m e c h a n i s m c a n n o t e v e n
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS
257
c o n t r o l itself, b u t h a s t o r e l y o n a n o b s c e n e p r o t u b e r a n c e a t its v e r y h e a r t ? I n o t h e r w o r d s : w h a t e f f e c t i v e l y e l u d e s t h e c o n t r o l l i n g g r a s p o f P o w e r is n o t s o m u c h t h e e x t e r n a l I n - i t s e l f it t r i e s t o d o m i n a t e b u t , r a t h e r , o b s c e n e s u p p l e m e n t w h i c h s u s t a i n s its o w n o p e r a t i o n . A n d t h i s is w h y F o u c a u l t l a c k s t h e a p p r o p r i a t e
the
8
n o d o n o f the subject:
the s u b j e c t is b y d e f i n i t i o n i n e x c e s s o v e r its c a u s e , a n d as s u c h it e m e r g e s with t h e reversal o f t h e r e p r e s s i o n o f sexuality i n t o t h e s e x u a l i z a t i o n o f the r e p r e s s i v e m e a s u r e s t h e m s e l v e s . T h i s i n s u f f i c i e n c y o f F o u c a u l t ' s t h e o r e t i c a l e d i f i c e c a n b e d i s c e r n e d i n t h e way, i n h i s e a r l y History
of
Madness,
h e is a l r e a d y o s c i l l a t i n g b e t w e e n two r a d i c a l l y o p p o s e d views: t h e view t h a t madness
is n o t s i m p l y a p h e n o m e n o n
that exists in itself a n d
is o n l y
s e c o n d a r i l y t h e o b j e c t o f d i s c o u r s e s , b u t is itself t h e p r o d u c t o f a m u l t i t u d e o f ( m e d i c a l , l e g a l , b i o l o g i c a l . . . ) d i s c o u r s e s a b o u t itself; a n d t h e o p p o s i t e view, a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h o n e s h o u l d
'liberate' madness from
the
hold
e x e r t e d o v e r it b y t h e s e d i s c o u r s e s , a n d ' l e t m a d n e s s i t s e l f s p e a k V
Ideological Interpellation T h e w o r k o f J u d i t h B u t l e r is o f s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t h e r e : w h i l e s h e t a k e s as h e r s t a r t i n g p o i n t t h e F o u c a u l d i a n a c c o u n t o f s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n as s u b j e c tion
through
performative
disciplinatory practices, she
none
p e r c e i v e s t h e a f o r e m e n t i o n e d flaws i n F o u c a u l t ' s e d i f i c e , a n d
the
less
endeavours
t o s u p p l e m e n t it by r e f e r e n c e t o a s e r i e s o f o t h e r t h e o r e t i c a l c o n c e p t s a n d e d i f i c e s , f r o m H e g e l via p s y c h o a n a l y s i s t o A l t h u s s e r ' s n o t i o n o f i d e o l o g i c a l i n t e r p e l l a t i o n as c o n s t i t u t i v e o f s u b j e c t i v i t y , c o m b i n i n g all i h e s e r e f e r e n c e s i n a way w h i c h is far f r o m t h e e c l e c t i c m o n s t r o s i t y u s u a l l y r e f e r r e d t o as 'creative synthesis'. In h e r reading o f the Hegelian dialectics o f lord and b o n d s m a n , Butler f o c u s e s o n t h e h i d d e n c o n t r a c t b e t w e e n t h e two: ' t h e i m p e r a t i v e to t h e b o n d s m a n consists in the f o l l o w i n g f o r m u l a t i o n : y o u b e m y b o d y for m e , 1
b u t d o n o t l e t m e k n o w t h a t t h e b o d y t h a t y o u a r e is m y b o d y ' . " T h e d i s a v o w a l o n t h e p a r t o f t h e l o r d is t h u s d o u b l e : first, t h e l o r d d i s a v o w s h i s o w n b o d y , h e p o s e s as a d i s e m b o d i e d d e s i r e a n d c o m p e l s t h e b o n d s m a n t o a c t as h i s b o d y ; s e c o n d l y , t h e b o n d s m a n h a s t o d i s a v o w t h e fact t h a t h e a c t s m e r e l y as t h e l o r d ' s b o d y a n d a c t as a n a u t o n o m o u s a g e n t , as i f t h e b o n d s m a n ' s b o d i l y l a b o u r i n g f o r t h e l o r d is n o t i m p o s e d o n b u t is h i s a u t o n o m o u s activity. . . self-effacing)
disavowal
also
him
This structure o f double (and thereby
expresses
the
patriarchal
matrix
of
the
r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n m a n a n d w o m a n : i n a first m o v e , w o m a n is p o s i t e d
THE TICKLISH
258
SUBJECT
as a m e r e p r o j e c t i o n / r e f l e c t i o n o f m a n , h i s i n s u b s t a n t i a l s h a d o w , h y s t e r i c a l l y i m i t a t i n g b u t n e v e r a b l e r e a l l y t o a c q u i r e t h e m o r a l s t a t u r e o f a fully c o n s t i t u t e d self-identical subjectivity; however, this status o f a m e r e reflec tion has itself to b e disavowed
and
the w o m a n
a u t o n o m y , as i f s h e a c t s as s h e d o e s w i t h i n
provided
with
a false
the logic o f patriarchy
on
a c c o u n t o f h e r own a u t o n o m o u s logic ( w o m e n are 'by nature' submissive, c o m p a s s i o n a t e , s e l f - s a c r i f i c i n g . . . ) . T h e p a r a d o x n o t t o b e m i s s e d h e r e is that the bondsman
( s e r v a n t ) is all t h e m o r e
the servant, the m o r e
he
( m i s ) p e r c e i v e s h i s p o s i t i o n as t h a t o f a n a u t o n o m o u s a g e n t ; a n d t h e s a m e g o e s f o r w o m a n - t h e u l t i m a t e f o r m o f h e r s e r v i t u d e is t o ( m i s ) p e r c e i v e h e r s e l f , w h e n s h e a c t s i n a ' f e m i n i n e ' s u b m i s s i v e - c o m p a s s i o n a t e way, as a n a u t o n o m o u s agent. For that reason, the W e i n i n g e r i a n ontological denigra t i o n o f w o m a n as a m e r e ' s y m p t o m ' o f m a n — as t h e e m b o d i m e n t o f m a l e f a n t a s y , as t h e h y s t e r i c a l i m i t a t i o n o f t r u e m a l e s u b j e c t i v i t y - is, w h e n it is o p e n l y a d m i t t e d a n d fully a c c e p t e d , f a r m o r e s u b v e r s i v e t h a n t h e false direct assertion o f feminine a u t o n o m y -
perhaps the ultimate
feminist
s t a t e m e n t is to p r o c l a i m o p e n l y : ' I d o n o t e x i s t i n m y s e l f , I a m m e r e l y t h e O t h e r ' s fantasy e m b o d i e d ' . T h e s a m e holds for the relationship b e t w e e n t h e subject a n d the Ins titution: the b u r e a u c r a t i c / s y m b o l i c Institution n o t only r e d u c e s the sub j e c t t o its m o u t h p i e c e , b u t a l s o w a n t s t h e s u b j e c t t o d i s a v o w t h e f a c t t h a t h e is m e r e l y its m o u t h p i e c e a n d t o ( p r e t e n d t o ) a c t as a n
autonomous
a g e n t - a p e r s o n with a h u m a n t o u c h a n d p e r s o n a l i t y , n o t j u s t a faceless b u r e a u c r a t . T h e p o i n t , o f c o u r s e , is n o t o n l y t h a t s u c h a n a u t o n o m i z a t i o n is d o u b l y f a l s e , s i n c e it i n v o l v e s a d o u b l e d i s a v o w a l , b u t a l s o t h a t t h e r e is n o subject prior to the Institution
(prior to language
as t h e
ultimate
i n s t i t u t i o n ) : s u b j e c t i v i t y is p r o d u c e d as t h e v o i d i n t h e v e r y s u b m i s s i o n o f t h e l i f e - s u b s t a n c e o f t h e R e a l t o t h e I n s t i t u t i o n . If, t h e n - as A l t h u s s e r w o u l d h a v e p u t it - t h e p e r c e p t i o n that, p r i o r to i n t e r p e l l a t i o n , the s u b j e c t is a l w a y s - a l r e a d y interpellation,
there
does
not
is p r e c i s e l y t h e the
interpellation/subjectivization
effect
and
Lacanian assertion repeat
p r o o f o f successful
o f a subject prior
the very ideological illusion
to that
A l l h u s s e r e n d e a v o u r s to d e n o u n c e ? O r - to take a n o t h e r a s p e c t o f the s a m e c r i t i c a l a r g u m e n t - in s o f a r as i d e o l o g i c a l i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s u c c e e d s p r e c i s e l y i n a s m u c h as I p e r c e i v e m y s e l f as a 'full h u m a n
person'
who
' c a n n o t b e r e d u c e d to a p u p p e t , to an i n s t r u m e n t o f s o m e ideological big O t h e r ' , is n o t t h e t h e s i s o n i n t e r p e l l a t i o n ' s n e c e s s a r y ' f a i l u r e t h e v e r y s i g n o f its u l t i m a t e s u c c e s s ? A n i n t e r p e l l a t i o n s u c c e e d s p r e c i s e l y w h e n I p e r c e i v e m y s e l f as ' n o t o n l y that.'
but a 'complex person who, among
other
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS things,
is a l s o
that'
-
in
short,
imaginary'
distance
259 towards
symbolic
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n is t h e v e r y s i g n o f its s u c c e s s . F o r L a c a n , however, the d i m e n s i o n o f subjectivity that eludes symbolic i d e n t i f i c a t i o n is not t h e i m a g i n a r y w e a l t h / t e x t u r e o f e x p e r i e n c e s w h i c h allows m e t o a s s u m e a n i l l u s o r y d i s t a n c e t o w a r d s m v s y m b o l i c i d e n t i t y : t h e L a c a n i a n ' b a r r e d s u b j e c t ' ( s ) is ' e m p t y '
n o t in t h e s e n s e o f s o m e
p s y c h o l o g i c o - e x i s t e n t i a l ' e x p e r i e n c e o f a void' but, r a t h e r , in t h e s e n s e o f a d i m e n s i o n o f self-relating negativity w h i c h a priori eludes the d o m a i n of vecu, o f lived e x p e r i e n c e . T h e o l d s t o r y o f t h e p r i n c e w h o d i s g u i s e s h i m s e l f as a s t a b l e b o y t o s e d u c e t h e p r i n c e s s , h i s b r i d e , in o r d e r t o b e s u r e t h a t s h e loves h i m f o r w h a t h e r e a l l y is, n o t f o r h i s t i t l e , is t h u s n o t a p p r o p r i a t e t o m a r k t h e d i s t i n c t i o n w e a r e d e a l i n g w i t h h e r e : t h e L a c a n i a n s u b j e c t qua S is n e i t h e r
the
title
phantasmic object, that
which
constitutes my symbolic identity
nor
the
s o m e t h i n g in m e ' b e y o n d m y s y m b o l i c identities
which makes m e worthy o f the Other's desire. A f u n n y t h i n g h a p p e n e d r e c e n t l y in a S l o v e n e t h e a t r e : a h a l f - e d u c a t e d nouveau
riche was l a t e f o r t h e p e r f o r m a n c e
a n d tried to r e a c h his seat
h a l f a n h o u r i n t o t h e s h o w ; q u i t e a c c i d e n t a l l y , at t h a t very m o m e n t ,
the
a c t o r o n t h e s t a g e h a d t o p r o n o u n c e , p a t h e t i c a l l y , t h e p h r a s e : ' W h o is d i s t u r b i n g m y s i l e n c e ? ' - t h e p o o r nouveau
riche,
w h o did n o t feel
quite
a t h o m e i n t h e t h e a t r e , o u t o f g u i l t f o r b e i n g l a t e , r e c o g n i z e d h i m s e l f as the
addressee
o f this p h r a s e
-
that
is, h e
interpreted
this p h r a s e
as
t h e o u t b u r s t o f t h e a c t o r ' s r a g e b e c a u s e o f t h e s u d d e n c o m m o t i o n in t h e f r o n t r o w - a n d a n s w e r e d l o u d l y , f o r e v e r y o n e t o h e a r : ' M y n a m e is X . S o r r y I was l a t e , b u t m y c a r b r o k e d o w n o n t h e way t o t h e t h e a t r e ! ' T h e t h e o r e t i c a l p o i n t o f this r i d i c u l o u s u n f o r t u n a t e
e v e n t is t h a t
a similar
' m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g ' d e f i n e s i n t e r p e l l a t i o n as such: w h e n e v e r we r e c o g n i z e ourselves
in
the
call
o f the
Other,
there
is a
minimum
o f such
a
m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g at w o r k ; o u r r e c o g n i t i o n in t h e c a l l is always a m i s r e c o g nition, an act o f falling into ridicule by boastfully assuming the place o f t h e a d d r e s s e e w h i c h is n o t r e a l l y o u r s . . . . D o e s n o t this gap, however, also i n d i c a t e an excess on the side o f the ' b i g O t h e r ' o f t h e s y m b o l i c i n s t i t u t i o n ? T h a t is t o say: is it n o t a f a c t t h a t t o d a y , m o r e t h a n e v e r , w e , as i n d i v i d u a l s , a r e i n t e r p e l l a t e d w i t h o u t e v e n b e i n g a w a r e o f it: o u r i d e n t i t y is c o n s t i t u t e d f o r t h e b i g O t h e r b y a s e r i e s o f d i g i t a l i z e d i n f o r m a t i o n a l ( m e d i c a l , p o l i c e , e d u c a t i o n a l . . . ) files we a r c m o s t l y n o t e v e n a w a r e of, s o t h a t i n t e r p e l l a t i o n f u n c t i o n s ( d e t e r m i n e s o u r p l a c e a n d a c t i v i t y in t h e s o c i a l s p a c e ) w i t h o u t a n y g e s t u r e o f r e c o g n i t i o n o n t h e p a r t o f t h e s u b j e c t c o n c e r n e d . T h i s , h o w e v e r , is n o t t h e p r o b l e m A l t h u s s e r is a d d r e s s i n g w i t h t h e n o t i o n o f i n t e r p e l l a t i o n ; his
problem,
THE
260
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
r a t h e r , is t h a t o f subject ivization: h o w d o i n d i v i d u a l s t h e m s e l v e s s u b j e c t i v i z e t h e i r c o n d i t i o n , h o w d o t h e y e x p e r i e n c e t h e m s e l v e s as s u b j e c t s ? I f I a m i n s c r i b e d i n t o a s e c r e t s t a t e file w i t h o u t
b e i n g a w a r e o f it, this
d o e s n ' t c o n c e r n m y s u b j e c t i v i t y . M u c h m o r e i n t e r e s t i n g is t h e
simply
opposite
case, in w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t r e c o g n i z e s h i m s e l f in t h e call o f a n O t h e r w h i c h is t h a t
my
r e c o g n i t i o n i n t h e i n t e r p e l l a t i v e c a l l o f t h e O t h e r is p e r f o r m a t i v e i n
'doesn't exist' -
say, in t h e
Call o f G o d : Althusser's p o i n t
the
s e n s e t h a t , i n t h e v e r y g e s t u r e o f r e c o g n i t i o n , it constitutes big O t h e r -
( o r ' p o s i t s ' ) this
G o d ' e x i s t s ' i n s o f a r as b e l i e v e r s r e c o g n i z e t h e m s e l v e s as
h e a r i n g a n d ( d i s ) o b e y i n g H i s C a l l ; t h e S t a l i n i s t p o l i t i c i a n e x e r t s his p o w e r i n s o f a r as h e r e c o g n i z e s h i m s e l f as i n t e r p e l l a t e d b y t h e b i g O t h e r o f History,
serving
its P r o g r e s s ; a
democratic
politician
who
'serves
the
p e o p l e ' constitutes the a g e n c y ( P e o p l e ) t h e r e f e r e n c e to w h i c h legitimizes h i s activity. If, t h e n , t o d a y , in t h e g u i s e o f d e t a i l e d d a t a b a s e s t h a t c i r c u l a t e i n t h e c o r p o r a t e c y b e r s p a c e a n d d e t e r m i n e what we effectively are for the O t h e r o f the power structure
1 2
-
big
t h a t is, h o w o u r s y m b o l i c i d e n t i t y is
c o n s t r u c t e d - a n d w e a r e i n this s e n s e ' i n t e r p e l l a t e d ' b y i n s t i t u t i o n s e v e n w i t h o u t b e i n g a w a r e o f it, o n e s h o u l d n e v e r t h e l e s s i n s i s t t h a t t h i s ' o b j e c t i v e i n t e r p e l l a t i o n ' actually affects m y subjectivity o n l y by m e a n s o f t h e t h a t / myself urn well aware of how, outside the grasp of my knowledge, circulate
which determine
my symbolic identity in the eyes of the social
fact
databases 'big Other'.
M y v e r y a w a r e n e s s o f t h e f a c t t h a t ' t h e t r u t h is o u t t h e r e ' , t h a t files o n m e circulate which,
even
if they are
performatively determine
factually
'inaccurate', none
the
less
m y s o c i o - s y m b o l i c s t a t u s , is w h a t gives r i s e t o
the specific proto-paranoiac
mode
o f subjectivization
characteristic o f
t o d a y ' s s u b j e c t : it c o n s t i t u t e s m e as a s u b j e c t i n h e r e n t l y r e l a t e d t o
and
h a s s l e d by a n e l u s i v e p i e c e o f d a t a b a s e i n w h i c h , b e y o n d m y r e a c h , ' m y f a t e is writ l a r g e ' .
F r o m Resistance to the Act T h e p o l i t i c a l f o c u s o f B u t l e r ' s t h e o r e t i c a l e n d e a v o u r is t h e o l d leftist o n e : h o w is it p o s s i b l e n o t o n l y a c t u a l l y t o r e s i s t , b u t a l s o t o u n d e r m i n e
and/
or displace the existing socio-symbolic network (the L a c a n i a n 'big O t h e r ' ) which p r e d e t e r m i n e s the space within which the subject can only exist? S h e is well a w a r e , o f c o u r s e , t h a t t h e s i t e o f t h i s r e s i s t a n c e c a n n o t
1 1
be
s i m p l y a n d d i r e c t l y i d e n t i f i e d as t h e U n c o n s c i o u s : t h e e x i s t i n g o r d e r o f P o w e r is a l s o s u p p o r t e d b y u n c o n s c i o u s ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t s ' - a t t a c h -
PASSIONATE
261
(DIS)ATTACHMENTS
m e r i t s t h a t m u s t r e m a i n p u b l i c l y n o n - a c k n o w l e d g e d i f t h e y a r e t o fulfil their role: I f the u n c o n s c i o u s escapes from a given normative injunction, to what o t h e r injunction does it form an a t t a c h m e n t ? W h a t m a k e s us think that the u n c o n scious is any less structured by the power relations that pervade cultural signifiers than is the language o f the subject? I f we find an a t t a c h m e n t to subjection at the level o f the u n c o n s c i o u s , what kind o f resistance is to be wrought from t h a t ?
11
T h e outstanding case o f such unconscious 'passionate attachments'
that
s u s t a i n P o w e r is p r e c i s e l y t h e i n h e r e n t r e f l e x i v e e r o t i c i z a t i o n o f r e g u l a t o r y p o w e r m e c h a n i s m s a n d p r o c e d u r e s t h e m s e l v e s : in a n o b s e s s i o n a l r i t u a l , t h e very p e r f o r m a n c e
o f the compulsive ritual
destined
to k e e p
illicit
t e m p t a t i o n a t b a y b e c o m e s t h e s o u r c e o f l i b i d i n a l s a t i s f a c t i o n . I t is t h u s t h e 'reflexivity' involved in the r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n r e g u l a t o r y p o w e r a n d s e x u a l i t y , t h e way r e p r e s s i v e r e g u l a t o r y p r o c e d u r e s t h e m s e l v e s a r e l i b i d i nally invested
and
function
as a s o u r c e
o f libidinal
satisfaction,
this
' m a s o c h i s t i c ' reflexive t u r n , w h i c h r e m a i n s u n a c c o u n t e d for in the stan d a r d notion o f the 'internalization' o f social n o r m s into psychic prohibi tions.
The
second
problem
with
the
quick
identification
of
the
U n c o n s c i o u s as t h e s i t e o f r e s i s t a n c e is t h a t e v e n i f w e c o n c e d e t h a t t h e U n c o n s c i o u s is t h e s i t e o f r e s i s t a n c e w h i c h f o r e v e r p r e v e n t s t h e
smooth
f u n c t i o n i n g o f p o w e r m e c h a n i s m s , t h a t is, t h a t i n t e r p e l l a t i o n — t h e s u b j e c t ' s r e c o g n i t i o n i n h i s / h e r a l l o t t e d s y m b o l i c p l a c e - is always u l t i m a t e l y i n c o m p l e t e , failed, 'does such resistance d o anything to alter o r the dominant short:
expand
injunctions or interpellations o f subject formation?'
1 5
In
[t]his resistance establishes the i n c o m p l e t e c h a r a c t e r o f any effort
to p r o d u c e
a s u b j e c t by d i s c i p l i n a r y m e a n s , b u t
rearticulate the d o m i n a n t terms o f productive T h a t is t h e
it r e m a i n s u n a b l e
to
power'."'
k e r n e l o f B u t l e r ' s criticism o f L a c a n : a c c o r d i n g to
her.
L a c a n reduces resistance to the imaginary m i s r e c o g n i t i o n o f the symbolic s t r u c t u r e ; s u c h a r e s i s t a n c e , a l t h o u g h it thwarts the full s y m b o l i c realiz a t i o n , n e v e r t h e l e s s d e p e n d s o n it a n d
a s s e r t s it in its v e r y
u n a b l e t o r e a r t i c u l a t e its t e r m s : ' F o r t h e L a c a n i a n , t h e n , t h e
opposition, imaginary
s i g n i f i e s t h e i m p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e d i s c u r s i v e - t h a t is, s y m b o l i c - c o n s t i t u t i o n of identity.'
1 7
Along these lines, she even qualifies the L a c a n i a n U n c o n
s c i o u s i t s e l f as i m a g i n a r y , t h a t is, as ' t h a t w h i c h t h w a r t s a n y e f f o r t o f t h e s y m b o l i c to c o n s t i t u t e s e x e d i d e n t i t y c o h e r e n t l y a n d fully, a n u n c o n s c i o u s i n d i c a t e d by t h e slips a n d i m a g i n a r y in l a n g u a g e ' .
1 8
gaps that
characterize the workings
of
the
A g a i n s t t h i s b a c k g r o u n d , it is t h e n p o s s i b l e t o
THE
262
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
c l a i m that, in L a c a n , 'psychic r e s i s t a n c e p r e s u m e s the c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e law i n its a n t e r i o r , s y m b o l i c f o r m a n d , i n t h a t s e n s e , c o n t r i b u t e s t o its status
quo.
defeat. •
In
such
a view,
resistance appears
doomed
to
perpetual
],>
T h e first t h i n g t o n o t e h e r e is t h a t B u t l e r s e e m s t o c o n f l a t e two r a d i c a l l y o p p o s e d u s e s o f t h e t e r m ' r e s i s t a n c e ' : o n e is t h e socio-criticaluse
(resistance
t o p o w e r , e t c . ) , t h e o t h e r t h e clinical use o p e r a t i v e i n p s y c h o a n a l y s i s ( t h e p a t i e n t ' s r e s i s t a n c e to a c k n o w l e d g i n g t h e u n c o n s c i o u s truth o f his symp t o m s , t h e m e a n i n g o f his d r e a m s , e t c . ) . W h e n L a c a n effectively d e t e r m i n e s resistance
as ' i m a g i n a r y ' ,
he
has
in
mind
the
misrecognition
of
the
s y m b o l i c n e t w o r k w h i c h d e t e r m i n e s us. O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , f o r L a c a n , radical rearticulation o f the p r e d o m i n a n t
s y m b o l i c O r d e r is a l t o g e t h e r
p o s s i b l e - t h i s is w h a t h i s n o t i o n o f point de capiton
(die 'quilting point' o r
t h e M a s t e r - S i g n i f i e r ) is a b o u t : w h e n a n e w point
de, ccipiton e m e r g e s , t h e
s o c i o - s y m b o l i c f i e l d is n o t o n l y d i s p l a c e d , its v e r y s t r u c t u r i n g
principle
c h a n g e s . O n e is t h u s t e m p t e d t o r e v e r s e t h e o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n L a c a n and
F o u c a u l t as e l a b o r a t e d
by B u t l e r ( L a c a n c o n s t r a i n s r e s i s t a n c e
to
imaginary thwarting, while F o u c a u l t , w h o has a m o r e pluralistic n o t i o n o f d i s c o u r s e as a h e t e r o g e n e o u s f i e l d o f m u l t i p l e p r a c t i c e s , a l l o w s f o r a m o r e thorough
symbolic subversion
and
r e a r t i c u l a t i o n ) : it is F o u c a u l t
who
insists o n t h e i m m a n e n c e o f r e s i s t a n c e t o P o w e r , w h i l e L a c a n l e a v e s o p e n t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a r a d i c a l r e a r t i c u l a t i o n o f t h e e n t i r e s y m b o l i c f i e l d by m e a n s o f a n net p r o p e r , a p a s s a g e t h r o u g h ' s y m b o l i c d e a t h ' . I n s h o r t , it is L a c a n w h o allows us t o c o n c e p t u a l i z e t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n i m a g i n a r y r e s i s t a n c e (false t r a n s g r e s s i o n t h a t r e a s s e r t s t h e s y m b o l i c s t a t u s q u o
and
e v e n s e r v e s as a p o s i t i v e c o n d i t i o n o f its f u n c t i o n i n g ) a n d a c t u a l s y m b o l i c r e a r t i c u l a t i o n via t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n o f t h e R e a l o f a n act. O n l y o n this l e v e l - i f w e t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t t h e L a c a n i a n n o t i o n s o f point
de capiton
a n d t h e a c t as r e a l — d o e s a m e a n i n g f u l
dialogue
with
B u t l e r b e c o m e p o s s i b l e . B u t l e r ' s m a t r i x o f s o c i a l e x i s t e n c e (as w e l l as L a c a n ' s ) is t h a t o f a f o r c e d c h o i c e : i n o r d e r t o e x i s t at all ( w i t h i n socio-symbolic s p a c e ) o n e has to a c c e p t t h e f u n d a m e n t a l
the
alienation, the
definition o f o n e ' s e x i s t e n c e in the terms o f the 'big O t h e r ' , the
predom
inant
to
structure
however,
o f the
this s h o u l d
socio-symbolic s p a c e . As she
not constrain
us
to
(what she
is q u i c k
perceives as)
add, the
L a c a n i a n view a c c o r d i n g l o w h i c h t h e s y m b o l i c O r d e r is a g i v e n t h a t c a n b e e f f e c t i v e l y t r a n s g r e s s e d o n l y i f t h e s u b j e c t pavs t h e p r i c e o f p s y c h o t i c e x c l u s i o n ; s o t h a t o n t h e o n e h a n d w e h a v e f a l s e i m a g i n a r y r e s i s t a n c e to t h e s y m b o l i c N o r m a n d , o n t h e o t h e r , p s y c h o t i c b r e a k d o w n , with t h e full
PASSIONATE (DIS ) ATTACHMENTS
263
a c c e p t a n c e o f a l i e n a t i o n in t h e s y m b o l i c O r d e r ( t h e goal o f p s y c h o a n a l y t i c t r e a t m e n t ) as t h e o n l y ' r e a l i s t i c ' o p t i o n . B u t l e r o p p o s e s to this L a c a n i a n dialectics o f presupposing
fixity
o f the Symbolic the
Hegelian
a n d p o s i t i n g : n o t o n l y is t h e s y m b o l i c O r d e r
always-already p r e s u p p o s e d
as
the
sole
milieu
o f the
subject's social
e x i s t e n c e ; t h i s O r d e r i t s e l f e x i s t s , is r e p r o d u c e d , o n l y i n s o f a r as s u b j e c t s r e c o g n i z e t h e m s e l v e s in it a n d , via r e p e a t e d p e r f o r m a t i v e g e s t u r e s , a g a i n and
again
assume
their
p l a c e s i n it -
this, o f c o u r s e , o p e n s
up
the
possibility o f c h a n g i n g t h e symbolic c o n t o u r s o f o u r socio-symbolic exist e n c e b y way o f its p a r o d i c a l l y d i s p l a c e d p e r f o r m a t i v e e n a c t i n g s . T h a t is the thrust o f Butler's anti-Kantianism: she rejects the L a c a n i a n symbolic a p r i o r i as a n e w v e r s i o n o f t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l f r a m e w o r k w h i c h
fixes
the
c o - o r d i n a t e s o f o u r e x i s t e n c e in a d v a n c e , leaving n o s p a c e f o r t h e r e t r o active d i s p l a c e m e n t o f these p r e s u p p o s e d
c o n d i t i o n s . S o w h e n , in a k e y
passage, B u t l e r asks W h a t w o u l d it m e a n f o r t h e s u b j e c t t o d e s i r e s o m e t h i n g o t h e r t h a n its c o n t i n u e d 'social e x i s t e n c e ' ? If s u c h a n e x i s t e n c e c a n n o t b e u n d o n e w i t h o u t falling i n t o some
kind
pursued,
in
of death, can order
existence nevertheless
to e x p o s e
and open
be
risked, death c o u r t e d o r
to t r a n s f o r m a t i o n t h e h o l d
o f social
p o w e r o n t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f life's p e r s i s t e n c e ? T h e s u b j e c t is c o m p e l l e d t o r e p e a t t h e n o r m s by w h i c h it is p r o d u c e d , b u t t h e r e p e t i t i o n e s t a b l i s h e s a d o m a i n
of
risk, f o r if o n e fails t o r e i n s l a l e t h e n o r m 'in lite r i g b l way,' o n e b e c o m e s s u b j e c t to f u r t h e r s a n c t i o n , o n e feels t h e p r e v a i l i n g c o n d i t i o n s o f e x i s t e n c e t h r e a t e n e d . A n d yet, w i t h o u t a r e p e t i t i o n t h a t risks life - in its c u r r e n t o r g a n i z a t i o n -
how
m i g h t we begin to i m a g i n e t h e c o n t i n g e n c y o f thai o r g a n i z a t i o n , a n d p e r i b n n a tively r e c o n f i g u r e t h e c o n t o u r s o f t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f life?-"
-
the
Lacanian
answer
is c l e a r :
'to
desire
something
other
than
its
c o n t i n u e d " s o c i a l e x i s t e n c e ' " , a n d t h u s t o fall ' i n t o s o m e k i n d o f d e a t h ' , t o risk a g e s t u r e b y m e a n s o f w h i c h d e a t h is ' c o u r t e d o r p u r s u e d ' , i n d i c a t e s p r e c i s e l y h o w L a c a n r c c o n c e p t u a l i z e d t h e F r e u d i a n d e a t h d r i v e as
the
e l e m e n t a r y f o r m o f t h e ethical act, t h e a c t as i r r e d u c i b l e t o a ' s p e e c h a c t ' which
r e l i e s f o r its p e r f o r m a t i v e
symbolic rules a n d / o r
power
on
the
pre-established
Is t h i s n o t t h e w h o l e p o i n t o f L a c a n ' s r e a d i n g o f Antigone. effectively
set o f
norms.
risks h e r e n t i r e s o c i a l e x i s t e n c e , d e f y i n g
Antigone
the socio-symbolic
p o w e r o f t h e City e m b o d i e d i n t h e r u l e r ( C r e o n ) , t h e r e b y ' f a l l i n g i n t o s o m e kind o f d e a t h ' (i.e. sustaining a symbolic death, e x c l u s i o n f r o m s o c i o - s y m b o l i c s p a c e ) . F o r L a c a n , t h e r e is n o e t h i c a l a c t p r o p e r
the
without
t a k i n g t h e risk o f s u c h a m o m e n t a r y - ' s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e b i g O t h e r " , o f t h e
THE
264
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
socio-symbolic n e t w o r k that g u a r a n t e e s t h e s u b j e c t ' s identity: a n a u t h e n t i c act o c c u r s o n l y w h e n t h e s u b j e c t risks a g e s t u r e t h a t is n o l o n g e r ' c o v e r e d u p ' b y t h e b i g O t h e r . L a c a n p u r s u e s all p o s s i b l e v e r s i o n s o f t h i s e n t e r i n g the
domain
'between
the
two
deaths':
not
only Antigone
after
her
e x p u l s i o n , b u t a l s o O e d i p u s at C o l o n n u s , K i n g L e a r , P o e ' s M r V a l d e m a r , and
so o n ,
up
to
Sygne from
Claudel's
Coufontaine
trilogy -
their
c o m m o n p r e d i c a m e n t is t h a t t h e y all f o u n d t h e m s e l v e s in t h i s d o m a i n o f the u n d e a d , ' b e y o n d d e a t h a n d life', in which the causality o f symbolic F a t e is s u s p e n d e d . O n e s h o u l d c r i t i c i z e B u t l e r f o r c o n f l a t i n g t h i s a c t i n its r a d i c a l d i m e n sion with the p e r f o r m a t i v e r e c o n f i g u r a t i o n o f o n e ' s s y m b o l i c c o n d i t i o n via its r e p e t i t i v e d i s p l a c e m e n t s : d i e two a r e n o t t h e s a m e - t h a t is t o say, o n e should maintain the crucial distinction between a m e r e 'performative reconfiguration', hegemonic
a subversive
field
displacement
which
remains
within
the
a n d , as it w e r e , c o n d u c t s a n i n t e r n a l g u e r r i l l a w a r o f
turning the terms o f the h e g e m o n i c
field
a g a i n s t itself, and t h e
m o r e r a d i c a l act o f a t h o r o u g h r e c o n f i g u r a t i o n o f t h e e n t i r e
much
field
which
r e d e f i n e s t h e v e r y c o n d i t i o n s o f s o c i a l l y s u s t a i n e d p e r f o r m a t i v i t y . I t is t h u s B u t l e r h e r s e l f w h o e n d s u p in a p o s i t i o n o f a l l o w i n g p r e c i s e l y f o r m a r g i n a l 'reconfigurations'
o f the
predominant
discourse -
who
remains
con
s t r a i n e d t o a p o s i t i o n o f ' i n h e r e n t t r a n s g r e s s i o n ' , w h i c h n e e d s as a p o i n t o f r e f e r e n c e t h e O t h e r in t h e guise o f a p r e d o m i n a n t d i s c o u r s e t h a t c a n 2
be only marginally displaced or transgressed. ' F r o m t h e L a c a n i a n s t a n d p o i n t , B u t l e r is t h u s s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t o o o p t i mistic
and
subversive
too
pessimistic. O n
potential
the
o f disturbing
one
the
hand
she
functioning
overestimates o f the
big
the
Other
t h r o u g h the practices o f performative r e c o n f i g u r a t i o n / d i s p l a c e m e n t : such practices ultimately s u p p o r t what they i n t e n d to subvert, since t h e very field
o f s u c h ' t r a n s g r e s s i o n s ' is a l r e a d y t a k e n i n t o a c c o u n t , e v e n
engen
d e r e d , by t h e h e g e m o n i c f o r m o f t h e big O t h e r - what L a c a n calls ' t h e big O t h e r '
are symbolic norms
and
their codified transgressions.
The
O e d i p a l o r d e r , this g a r g a n t u a n s y m b o l i c m a t r i x e m b o d i e d in a vast s e t o f i d e o l o g i c a l i n s t i t u t i o n s , r i t u a l s a n d p r a c t i c e s , is a m u c h t o o d e e p l y r o o t e d and
'substantial'
entity to b e effectively
undermined
by t h e
marginal
gestures o f performative displacement. O n the o t h e r hand, B u d e r does n o t allow for the radical gesture o f the t h o r o u g h h e g e m o n i c s y m b o l i c o r d e r i n its t o t a l i t y .
restructuring
o f the
PASSIONATE (DIS ) ATTACHMENTS
265
'Traversing the Fantasy' Is it p o s s i b l e a l s o t o u n d e r m i n e t h e m o s t f u n d a m e n t a l l e v e l o f s u b j e c t i o n , what B u t l e r calls 'passionate a t t a c h m e n t s ' ? T h e L a c a n i a n n a m e for
the
p r i m o r d i a l ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t s ' o n w h i c h t h e very c o n s i s t e n c y o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s b e i n g h i n g e s is, o f c o u r s e , fundamental
fantasy.
The
'attachment
t o s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n ' c o n s t i t u t i v e o f t h e s u b j e c t is t h u s n o n e o t h e r t h a n t h e primordial
' m a s o c h i s t ' s c e n e in w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t ' m a k e s / s e e s h i m s e l f
suffering',
that
minimum middle
is, a s s u m e s
la douleur
o f s u p p o r t to his b e i n g
term
' F a t h e r is b e a t i n g m e '
beaten'). This fundamental s c e n e o f passive suffering
d'exister,
and
thus
provides
(like Freud's primordially in
the
the
repressed
t r i a d o f ' A c h i l d is b e i n g
f a n t a s y is t h o r o u g h l y
inter-passive."
( s u b j e c t i o n ) is s t a g e d w h i c h
in it, a
simultaneously
sustains a n d t h r e a t e n s the s u b j e c t ' s b e i n g - w h i c h sustains this b e i n g only i n s o far as it r e m a i n s f o r e c l o s e d
(primordially
repressed). From
this
perspective, a new a p p r o a c h o p e n s u p to t h e r e c e n t artistic practices o f sadomasochistic foreclosure
performance:
is u l t i m a t e l y
assuming/staging
is it n o t a f a c t t h a t , i n t h e m ,
undone?
o f the
In
other
words,
what
phantasmic
scene
o f primordial
this very
if the
open
'passionate
a t t a c h m e n t s ' is far m o r e s u b v e r s i v e t h a n t h e d i a l e c t i c r e a r t i c u l a t i o n
and/
o r d i s p l a c e m e n t o f this s c e n e ? T h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n B u l l e t a n d L a c a n is t h a t f o r B u t l e r , t h e p r i m o r dial r e p r e s s i o n
(foreclosure) equals the foreclosure o f the
'passionate a t t a c h m e n t ' , while for L a c a n the f u n d a m e n t a l
primordial fantasy
(the
s t u f f " p r i m o r d i a l a t t a c h m e n t s ' a r e m a d e o f ) is a l r e a d y a f i l l e r , a f o r m a t i o n w h i c h c o v e r s u p a c e r t a i n g a p / v o i d . I t is h e r e , o n this v e r y p o i n t a t w h i c h t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n B u t l e r a n d L a c a n is a l m o s t i m p e r c e p t i b l e , t h a t w e e n c o u n t e r the ultimate gap that separates t h e m . B u t l e r again
interprets
t h e s e ' p r i m o r d i a l a t t a c h m e n t s ' as t h e s u b j e c t ' s p r e s u p p o s i t i o n s i n a p r o t o H e g e l i a n sense o f the term, a n d t h e r e f o r e c o u n t s o n the subject's ability dialectically to r e a r t i c u l a t e
these presuppositions
of his/her
being,
to
r e c o n f i g u r e / d i s p l a c e t h e m : t h e s u b j e c t ' s i d e n t i t y 'will r e m a i n always a n d f o r e v e r r o o t e d i n its i n j u r y as l o n g as it r e m a i n s a n i d e n t i t y , b u t it d o e s i m p l y t h a t t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f r e s i g n i f i c a t i o n will r e w o r k a n d u n s e t t l e
the
p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t to s u b j e c t i o n w i t h o u t w h i c h s u b j e c t f o r m a t i o n
-
a n d r e - f o r m a t i o n - c a n n o t s u c c e e d ' . ' " W h e n s u b j e c t s a r c c o n f r o n t e d with a f o r c e d c h o i c e in w h i c h r e j e c t i n g an i n j u r i o u s i n t e r p e l l a t i o n
amounts
t o n o t e x i s t i n g a t all - w h e n , u n d e r t h e t h r e a t o f n o n e x i s t e n c e , t h e y a r e , as it w e r e , e m o t i o n a l l y b l a c k m a i l e d i n t o i d e n t i f y i n g w i l h
the
imposed
THE TICKLISH
266
SUBJECT
s y m b o l i c i d e n t i t y ( ' n i g g e r ' , ' b i t c h ' , e t c . ) - i t is n e v e r t h e l e s s p o s s i b l e f o r t h e m t o d i s p l a c e t h i s i d e n t i t y , t o r e c o n t e x t u a l i z e it, t o m a k e it w o r k f o r other purposes,
t o t u r n it a g a i n s t its h e g e m o n i c m o d e
o f functioning,
s i n c e s y m b o l i c i d e n t i t y r e t a i n s its h o l d o n l y b y its i n c e s s a n t r e p e t i t i v e r e enacting. W h a t L a c a n d o e s h e r e is t o i n t r o d u c e a d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t w o t e r m s t h a t a r e i d e n t i f i e d in B u t l e r : t h e fundamental
fantasy
t h a t s e r v e s as t h e
u l t i m a t e s u p p o r t o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s b e i n g , a n d t h e symbolic identification
that
is a l r e a d y a s y m b o l i c r e s p o n s e t o t h e t r a u m a o f t h e p h a n t a s m i c ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t ' . T h e s y m b o l i c identity we a s s u m e in a f o r c e d c h o i c e , w h e n we r e c o g n i z e o u r s e l v e s i n i d e o l o g i c a l i n t e r p e l l a t i o n , avowal o f t h e p h a n t a s m i c ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t '
relies o n
the
dis
t h a t s e r v e s as its ulti
m a t e s u p p o r t . ( I n a r m y life, f o r e x a m p l e , s u c h a ' p a s s i o n a t e
attachment'
is p r o v i d e d b y t h e h o m o s e x u a l l i n k w h i c h h a s t o b e d i s a v o w e d i f it is t o 1
r e m a i n operative.- ) T h i s leads to a further distinction b e t w e e n symbolic rearticulations, o r variations
on
the
fundamental
fantasy
that
do
not
a c t u a l l y u n d e r m i n e its h o l d ( l i k e t h e v a r i a t i o n s o n ' F a t h e r is b e a t i n g m e ' i n F r e u d ' s ' A c h i l d is b e i n g b e a t e n ' f a n t a s y ) , a n d t h e p o s s i b l e ' t r a v e r s i n g ' of, g a i n i n g a d i s t a n c e t o w a r d s , t h e v e r y f u n d a m e n t a l f a n t a s y - t h e u l t i m a t e a i m o f p s y c h o a n a l y t i c t r e a t m e n t is f o r t h e s u b j e c t t o u n d o t h e
ultimate
'passionate attachment' that guarantees the consistency o f h i s / h e r being, a n d t h u s t o u n d e r g o w h a t L a c a n calls ' s u b j e c t i v e d e s t i t u t i o n ' . A t its m o s t fundamental,
the
primordial
'passionate
attachment'
to
the
scene o f
f u n d a m e n t a l f a n t a s y is n o t ' d i a l e c t i c i z a b l e ' : it c a n o n l y b e t r a v e r s e d . Clint Eastwood's
Dirty Harry'
series o f
films
provides
an
exemplary
case o f t h e d i a l e c t i c a l r e c o n f i g u r a t i o n / v a r i a t i o n o f the fantasy: in t h e film,
the
m a s o c h i s t fantasy
is a l m o s t
directly a c k n o w l e d g e d
in
all
a m b i g u i t y , w h i l e i n s u b s e q u e n t i n s t a l m e n t s it l o o k s as i f E a s t w o o d
first its self
c o n s c i o u s l y a c c e p t e d politically c o r r e c t criticism a n d displaced t h e fantasy to give t h e story a m o r e a c c e p t a b l e ' p r o g r e s s i v e ' flavour r e c o n f i g u r a t i o n s , h o w e v e r , the same fundamental
fantasy
i n all t h e s e
remains
operative.
W i t h all d u e r e s p e c t f o r t h e p o l i t i c a l e f f i c i e n c y o f s u c h r e c o n f i g u r a t i o n s , they thus d o n o t really disturb the hard p h a n t a s m i c c o r e , b u t even sustain it. A n d , i n c o n t r a s t t o B u t l e r , L a c a n ' s w a g e r is t h a t e v e n a n d
a l s o in
p o l i t i c s , it is p o s s i b l e t o a c c o m p l i s h a m o r e r a d i c a l g e s t u r e o f ' t r a v e r s i n g ' t h e very f u n d a m e n t a l
fantasy -
only such
gestures which disturb
this
1
p h a n t a s m i c c o r e a r e a u t h e n t i c acts.' '' T h i s c o m p e l s us t o r e d e f i n e t h e v e r y f u n d a m e n t a l
notion o f (social)
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n : b e c a u s e t h e p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t is o p e r a t i v e o n l y in so i a r as it is n o t o p e n l y a d m i t t e d ,
in s o far as w e m a i n t a i n o u r
distance
PASSIONATE (DIS ) ATTACHMENTS
267
t o w a r d s it, w h a t h o l d s a c o m m u n i t y t o g e t h e r is n o t t h e d i r e c t l y s h a r e d m o d e o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h t h e s a m e o b j e c t b u t , r a t h e r , its e x a c t o p p o s i t e : the s h a r e d m o d e o f disidenlification, love to a n o t h e r
agent
through
o f delegating
whom
the m e m b e r s ' hatred o r
they love o r h a t e . T h e Christian
c o m m u n i t y , f o r i n s t a n c e , is h e l d t o g e t h e r b y t h e s h a r e d d e l e g a t i o n o f t h e i r b e l i e f to s o m e s e l e c t e d individuals (saints, priests, m a y b e only Christ alone)
who are 'supposed
to really believe'. T h e function
of
symbolic
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n is t h u s t h e v e r y o p p o s i t e o f d i r e c t i m m e r s i o n in ( o r f u s i o n with) t h e o b j e c t o f i d e n t i f i c a t i o n : i t is t o m a i n t a i n towards
the object
( f o r this
reason,
the Church
t h e proper
distance
as I n s t i t u t i o n
always
p e r c e i v e d z e a l o t s as its u l t i m a t e e n e m i e s : b e c a u s e o f t h e i r d i r e c t i d e n t i f i cation a n d belief, they t h r e a t e n t h e distance t h r o u g h which t h e religious i n s t i t u t i o n m a i n t a i n s i t s e l f ) . A n o t h e r e x a m p l e : if, i n a l o v e
melodrama
d e p i c t i n g a c o u p l e m a k i n g l o v e , we w e r e a l l o f a s u d d e n t o p e r c e i v e t h a t the c o u p l e is a c t u a l l y h a v i n g s e x ( o r if, i n a s n u f f m o v i e , w c b e c o m e a w a r e that t h e v i c t i m is a c t u a l l y b e i n g t o r t u r e d t o d e a t h ) , t h i s t h o r o u g h l y the p r o p e r
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n with
the narrative
r e m e m b e r t h e P o l i s h s p e c t a c l e Pharaoh
reality. F r o m
ruins
my youth, 1
( 1 9 6 0 ) , i n w h i c h t h e r e is a s c e n e
w h e r e a h o r s e is s a c r i f i c e d : w h e n I , t h e s p e c t a t o r , n o t i c e d t h a t t h e h o r s e was a c t u a l l y b e i n g s t a b b e d t o d e a t h b v l a n c e s , this i n s t a n t l y o b s t r u c t e d m y i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h t h e n a r r a t i v e . . . . A n d t h e p o i n t is t h a t t h e s a m e g o e s f o r ' r e a l l i f e ' : o u r s e n s e o f r e a l i t y is always s u s t a i n e d b y a m i n i m u m o f disidendficalion
( f o r e x a m p l e , w h e n we e n g a g e i n c o m m u n i c a t i o n with
o t h e r p e o p l e , we ' r e p r e s s ' o u r a w a r e n e s s o f h o w they sweat, d e f e c a t e a n d urinate). B u t i e r is r i g h t t o e m p h a s i z e t h a t s u b j e c t i v i t y i n v o l v e s a two-level o p e r ation: a primordial an O t h e r ,
'passionate a t t a c h m e n t ' , a s u b m i s s i o n / s u b j e c t i o n to
and its d e n i a l -
t h a i is, t h e g a i n i n g o f a m i n i m a l
t o w a r d s it w h i c h o p e n s u p t h e s p a c e o f f r e e d o m
distance
and autonomy. T h e
p r i m o r d i a l ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t ' is t h u s - t o p u t it i n D e r r i d a n t e r m s the condition o f (im)possibility o f freedom subjectivity outside
a n d r e s i s t a n c e : t h e r e is n o
it, t h a t is, s u b j e c t i v i t y c a n a s s e r t i t s e l f o n l y as t h e
g a i n i n g o f a d i s t a n c e t o w a r d s its g r o u n d w h i c h c a n n e v e r b e fully ' s u h l a t e d ' . H o w e v e r , it is n o n e t h e l e s s t h e o r e t i c a l l y a n d p o l i t i c a l l y c r u c i a l t o distinguish
between
the primordial
phantasmic
'passionate
attachment'
t h a t t h e s u b j e c t is c o m p e l l e d t o r e p r e s s / d i s a v o w i n o r d e r t o g a i n s o c i o s y m b o l i c e x i s t e n c e , a n d s u b j e c t i o n t o t h i s very s o c i o - s y m b o l i c o r d e r , w h i c h p r o v i d e s the s u b j e c t w i t h a d e t e r m i n a t e s y m b o l i c ' m a n d a t e '
(a place o f
i n t e r p e l l a t o r y r e c o g n i t i o n / i d e n t i f i c a t i o n ) . W h i l e t h e two c a n n o t s i m p l y b e o p p o s e d as ' g o o d ' a n d ' b a d ' ( t h e v e r y s o c i o - s y m b o l i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n c a n
THE TICKLISH
268
SUBJECT
s u s t a i n i t s e l f o n l y i f it m a i n t a i n s a n o n - a c k n o w l e d g e d
phantasmic
sup
p o r t ) , they nevertheless function a c c o r d i n g to different logics. This confusion between phantasmic 'passionate attachments' and sociosymbolic identification also a c c o u n t s for the fact that -
surprisingly
-
B u d e r uses t h e c o u p l e o f s u p e r e g o a n d e g o i d e a l in a naive p r e - L a c a n i a n way, d e f i n i n g s u p e r e g o as t h e a g e n c y t h a t m e a s u r e s t h e g a p b e t w e e n t h e s u b j e c t ' s a c t u a l e g o a n d t h e e g o i d e a l t h e s u b j e c t is s u p p o s e d t o e m u l a t e , a n d finds t h e s u b j e c t g u i l t y o f f a i l u r e i n t h i s e n d e a v o u r . W o u l d it n o t b e much
more
productive
to follow L a c a n a n d
insist o n
the
opposition
b e t w e e n t h e two t e r m s - o n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e g u i l t m a t e r i a l i z e d i n
the
p r e s s u r e e x e r t e d o n t h e s u b j e c t b y t h e s u p e r e g o is n o t as s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d as it m a y s e e m : it is n o t t h e g u i l t c a u s e d b y t h e f a i l e d e m u l a t i o n o f t h e e g o ideal, but the m o r e fundamental guilt o f accepting the e g o ideal (the s o c i a l l y d e t e r m i n e d s y m b o l i c r o l e ) as t h e i d e a l t o b e f o l l o w e d i n t h e
first
place, a n d thus o f betraying o n e ' s m o r e fundamental desire (the primor d i a l ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t ' , as B u t l e r w o u l d h a v e p u t i t ) ? I f o n e f o l l o w s L a c a n , o n e can thus a c c o u n t for the basic p a r a d o x o f the superego, which lies i n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e m o r e I f o l l o w t h e o r d e r s o f t h e e g o i d e a l , t h e m o r e g u i l t y I a m - L a c a n ' s p o i n t is t h a t , i n f o l l o w i n g t h e d e m a n d s o f t h e e g o ideal, I a m in effect
guilty -
guilty o f betraying my
fundamental
p h a n t a s m i c 'passionate a t t a c h m e n t ' . In o t h e r words, far f r o m feeding o f f some
'irrational'
guilt,
the
b e t r a y a l o f his f u n d a m e n t a l to
pay
for
entering
the
superego
manipulates
the
subject's
actual
' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t ' as t h e p r i c e h e socio-symbolic space,
and
assuming
had
a
pre
d e t e r m i n e d p l a c e w i t h i n it. S o w h a t is s u p e r e g o i n its o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e s y m b o l i c L a w ? T h e p a r e n t a l f i g u r e w h o is s i m p l y ' r e p r e s s i v e ' i n t h e m o d e o f s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y tells a child: ' Y o u m u s t g o to G r a n d m a ' s b i r t h d a y parry a n d b e h a v e nicely, even i f y o u ' r e b o r e d t o d e a t h - I d o n ' t c a r e h o w y o u f e e l , j u s t d o it!' T h e s u p e r e g o f i g u r e , i n c o n t r a s t , tells t h e c h i l d : ' . A l t h o u g h y o u k n o w
how
m u c h G r a n d m a w o u l d l i k e t o s e e y o u , y o u s h o u l d visit h e r o n l y i f y o u r e a l l y w a n t t o - i f n o t , y o u s h o u l d stay a t h o m e ! ' T h e s u p e r e g o t r i c k lies i n t h i s false a p p e a r a n c e o f a f r e e c h o i c e , w h i c h , as e v e r y c h i l d k n o w s , is actually a f o r c e d c h o i c e that involves an even s t r o n g e r o r d e r - n o t o n l y ' Y o u m u s t visit G r a n d m a , h o w e v e r y o u f e e l ! ' , b u t ' Y o u m u s t visit G r a n d m a , a n d , f u r t h e r m o r e , you must be glad
to do U\' — t h e s u p e r e g o o r d e r s y o u t o
enjoy d o i n g w h a t y o u h a v e t o d o . T h e s a m e g o e s f o r t h e s t r a i n e d r e l a t i o n ship between
lovers or a m a r r i e d
couple: when
a spouse
says t o
p a r t n e r : ' W e s h o u l d visit m y s i s t e r o n l y i f y o u r e a l l y w a n t t o ! ' , t h e
his
order
b e t w e e n t h e l i n e s is, o f c o u r s e : ' N o t o n l y m u s t y o u a g r e e to visit m y s i s t e r ,
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS
269
b u t y o u m u s t d o i t g l a d l y , o f y o u r o w n f r e e will, f o r y o u r o w n
pleasure,
n o t as a f a v o u r t o me!" T h e p r o o f o f t h i s l i e s i n w h a t h a p p e n s i f t h e u n f o r t u n a t e p a r t n e r t a k e s t h e o f f e r as a n a c t u a l f r e e c h o i c e a n d says: ' N o ! ' - the p r e d i c t a b l e s p o u s e ' s a n s w e r t h e n i s : ' H o w c o u l d y o u say t h a t !
How
c a n y o u b e s o c r u e l ! W h a t h a s m y p o o r s i s t e r d o n e to y o u t h a t y o u d o n ' t
like her?'
T h e Melancholic Double-Bind In r e c e n t years, B u t l e r has e n d e a v o u r e d structionist'
to s u p p l e m e n t
criticism o f psychoanalysis by a
'positive'
h e r early 'con account
of
the
f o r m a t i o n o f ( m a s c u l i n e o r f e m i n i n e ) sexual identity, which draws o n the Freudian
mechanism of mourning
a n d m e l a n c h o l y . S h e relies h e r e
on
the o l d F r e u d i a n d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n f o r e c l o s u r e a n d r e p r e s s i o n : r e p r e s s i o n is a n a c t p e r f o r m e d b y t h e s u b j e c t , a n a c t b y m e a n s o f w h i c h a s u b j e c t ( w h o is a l r e a d y t h e r e as a n a g e n t ) r e p r e s s e s p a r t o f his p s y c h i c c o n t e n t ; w h i l e f o r e c l o s u r e is a n e g a t i v e g e s t u r e o f e x c l u s i o n w h i c h g r o u n d s
the
s u b j e c t , a g e s t u r e o n w h i c h t h e very c o n s i s t e n c y o f the s u b j e c t ' s identity h i n g e s : this g e s t u r e c a n n o t b e ' a s s u m e d '
by t h e s u b j e c t , s i n c e s u c h
an
a s s u m p t i o n would involve the subject's disintegration. B u t l e r links this p r i m o r d i a l a n d constitutive f o r e c l o s u r e to h o m o s e x u ality: it is t h e f o r e c l o s u r e o f t h e p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t to S a m e n e s s ( t o t h e p a r e n t o f t h e s a m e s e x ) w h i c h h a s t o b e s a c r i f i c e d i f t h e s u b j e c t is t o e n t e r t h e s p a c e o f t h e s o c i o - s y m b o l i c O r d e r a n d a c q u i r e a n i d e n t i t y i n it. T h i s leads to the m e l a n c h o l y constitutive o f t h e subject, i n c l u d i n g reflexive
turn which
defines subjectivity: o n e
represses the
the
primordial
a t t a c h m e n t - t h a t is, o n e s t a r t s t o h a t e t o l o v e t h e s a m e - s e x p a r e n t ;
then,
in a g e s t u r e o f reflexive reversal p r o p e r , this ' h a t e to love' t u r n s a r o u n d i n t o 'love to h a t e ' -
one
'loves to h a t e ' those w h o r e m i n d o n e o f the
p r i m o r d i a l l y l o s t o b j e c t s o f l o v e ( g a y s ) . . . . B u t l e r ' s l o g i c is i m p e c c a b l e i n its v e r y s i m p l i c i t y : F r e u d i n s i s t s t h a t t h e r e s u l t o f t h e l o s s o f a l i b i d i n a l object -
t h e way t o o v e r c o m e t h e m e l a n c h o l y a p r o p o s o f t h i s l o s s -
is
identification with the lost object: d o e s this n o t also h o l d for o u r s e x u a l i d e n t i t i e s ? Is n o t t h e ' n o r m a l ' h e t e r o s e x u a l i d e n t i t y t h e r e s u l t o f s u c c e s s fully o v e r c o m i n g m e l a n c h o l y b y i d e n t i f y i n g w i t h t h e l o s t o b j e c t o f t h e s a m e s e x , w h i l e t h e h o m o s e x u a l is t h e o n e w h o r e f u s e s fully t o c o m e t o t e r m s w i t h t h i s l o s s , a n d c o n t i n u e s t o c l i n g t o t h e l o s t o b j e c t ? B u t l e r ' s first r e s u l t is t h u s t h a t t h e p r i m o r d i a l
F o r e c l o s u r e is n o t t h e p r o h i b i t i o n o f
incest: the prohibition o f incest already presupposes the p r e d o m i n a n c e o f
THE TICKLISH
270
SUBJECT
t h e h e t e r o s e x u a l n o r m ( t h e r e p r e s s e d i n c e s t u o u s w i s h is f o r t h e p a r e n t o f the
opposite sex), and
this n o r m
itself c a m e into place t h r o u g h
the
foreclosure o f the h o m o s e x u a l a t t a c h m e n t : T h e oedipal conflict presumes that h e t e r o s e x u a l desire has already b e e n accom plished, that the distinction between h e t e r o s e x u a l and h o m o s e x u a l has b e e n e n f o r c e d . . .; in this sense, the prohibition on incest presupposes t h e prohibi tion on homosexuality, for it presumes the heterosexualization o f desire. " 2
T h e p r i m o r d i a l ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t ' t o t h e s a m e s e x is t h u s p o s i t e d as n o t o n l y r e p r e s s e d b u t f o r e c l o s e d in t h e r a d i c a l s e n s e o f s o m e t h i n g w h i c h n e v e r p o s i t i v e l y e x i s t e d , s i n c e it was e x c l u d e d f r o m t h e v e r y start: ' T o t h e e x t e n t that h o m o s e x u a l a t t a c h m e n t s remain u n a c k n o w l e d g e d within nor m a t i v e h e t e r o s e x u a l i t y , t h e y a r e n o t m e r e l y c o n s t i t u t e d as d e s i r e s w h i c h e m e r g e and subsequently b e c o m e prohibited; rather, these desires
are
p r o s c r i b e d f r o m t h e s t a r t . ' S o , p a r a d o x i c a l l y , it is t h e v e r y e x c e s s i v e a n d c o m p u l s i v e 'straight' i d e n t i f i c a t i o n which - i f we take i n t o a c c o u n t
the
fact that, for F r e u d , identification relies on the m e l a n c h o l i c i n c o r p o r a t i o n of
the lost object -
demonstrates
that
the primordial
attachment
was
homosexual: In this sense, the 'truest' lesbian m e l a n c h o l i c is the strictly straight woman, a n d the 'truest' gay male m e l a n c h o l i c is the strictly straight man. . . . T h e straight man becomes (mimes, cites, appropriates, assumes the status o f ) the man he 'never' loved and ' n e v e r ' grieved; the straight woman becomes the woman she 'never' loved and 'never' grieved.' 27
H e r e B u t l e r s e e m s t o g e t i n v o l v e d i n a k i n d o f J u n g i a n i s m a Verniers: m a n is l o n g i n g n o t f o r h i s c o m p l e m e n t a r y f e m i n i n e c o u n t e r p a r t f o r anima,
a
(animus
e t c . ) , b u t f o r s a m e n e s s - it is n o t s a m e n e s s w h i c h ' r e p r e s s e s '
d i f f e r e n c e , it is ( t h e d e s i r e f o r ) d i f f e r e n c e w h i c h f o r e c l o s e s ( t h e d e s i r e f o r ) s a m e n e s s . . . . H o w e v e r , what a b o u t the fact, q u o t e d by B u t l e r herself, t h a t t h e m a n , in r e m a i n i n g a t t a c h e d t o t h e c o m p u l s i v e m a l e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , fears b e i n g put in t h e
' p a s s i v e ' p o s i t i o n o f f e m i n i n i t y as t h e o n e
who
d e s i r e s ( a n o t h e r ) m a n ? W h a t w e h a v e h e r e is t h e o b v e r s e o f t h e m e l a n c h o l i c i n c o r p o r a t i o n : if, in t h e l a t t e r , o n e becomes w h a t o n e was c o m p e l l e d t o give u p - desiring as an object ( a m a n ) , t h e n , i n t h e first c a s e , o n e desires as an object w h a t o n e is a f r a i d t o become woman
he would
never
(a w o m a n ) : a m a n
be. He wouldn't be
caught
dead
'wants being
t h e r e f o r e h e w a n t s h e r . . . . I n d e e d , h e will n o t i d e n t i f y w i t h h e r , a n d
the her: he
will n o t d e s i r e a n o t h e r m a n . T h a t r e f u s a l t o d e s i r e , t h a t s a c r i f i c e o f d e s i r e under
t h e f o r c e o f p r o h i b i t i o n , will i n c o r p o r a t e
h o m o s e x u a l i t y as
an
PASSIONATE identification with m a s c u l i n i t y . '
271
(DIS)ATTACHMENTS 2 8
H e r e we e n c o u n t e r t h e key a m b i g u i t y o f
B u d e r ' s a r g u m e n t , an a m b i g u i t y w h i c h also affects t h e i n c o n c l u s i v e c h a r acter o f h e r i m p o r t a n t discussion o f transsexual drag dressing: h e r defini tion
of
the
foreclosed
primordial
b e t w e e n two s u b j e c t i v e p o s i t i o n s from it that o n e d e s i r e s a n o t h e r m a n
'passionate
attachment'
oscillates
which o n e d e s i r e s a n o t h e r m a n - is
as a man,
o r t h a t o n e desires to b e
a
ttioman d e s i r e d by ( a n d d e s i r i n g ) a n o t h e r m a n ? I n o t h e r w o r d s , is m y Straight m a s c u l i n e identification
the m e l a n c h o l i c incorporation
o f my
f o r e c l o s e d a t t a c h m e n t to a n o t h e r m a n , o r a d e f e n c e against a s s u m i n g t h e subjective position o f a w o m a n
(desiring a m a n ) ? Butler herself touches
u p o n this a m b i g u i t y l a t e r i n t h e t e x t , w h e n s h e asks:
1
D o c s it follow thai if o n e desires a woman, o n e is desiring from a m a s c u l i n e disposition, o r is that disposition retroactively attributed to the desiring position as a way o f retaining heterosexuality as the way o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g the separateness or alterity dial c o n d i t i o n s desire?-''
T h i s q u e s t i o n , o f c o u r s e , is r h e t o r i c a l - t h a t is, B u t l e r c l e a r l y o p t s f o r t h e s e c o n d c h o i c e . I n t h a t c a s e , h o w e v e r , why d o e s s h e , in t h e q u o t e d p a s s a g e , identify' d e s i r i n g a n o t h e r m a n w i t h a s s u m i n g a f e m i n i n e d i s p o s i t i o n , as i f a m a n ' w o u l d n ' t b e c a u g h t d e a d b e i n g h e r ' , since this w o u l d m e a n
that
h e d e s i r e s a n o t h e r m a n ? D o e s n o t all t h i s i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e p r i m o r d i a l l o s s c o n s t i t u t i v e o f s u b j e c t i v i t y c a n n o t b e d e f i n e d in t e r m s o f t h e f o r e c l o s u r e o f a homosexual a woman;
why
a t t a c h m e n t ? I n o t h e r w o r d s , why d o e s a m a n f e a r b e c o m i n g 'wouldn't
[he]
be caught
dead
b e i n g h e r ' ? Is it o n l y
b e c a u s e , as s u c h , h e w o u l d d e s i r e ( a n d b e d e s i r e d b y ) a n o t h e r m a n ? L e t us r e c a l l N e i l J o r d a n ' s
The
Crying
Game,
a
film
in w h i c h
we have
a
p a s s i o n a t e l o v e b e t w e e n two m e n , s t r u c t u r e d as a h e t e r o s e x u a l affair: t h e b l a c k t r a n s s e x u a l D i l is a m a n w h o d e s i r e s a n o t h e r m a n
as a woman.
It
t h u s s e e m s m o r e p r o d u c t i v e t o p o s i t as t h e c e n t r a l e n i g m a t h a t o f s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e - not as t h e a l r e a d y e s t a b l i s h e d s y m b o l i c d i f f e r e n c e ( h e t e r o s e x u a l n o r m a t i v i t y ) b u t , p r e c i s e l y , as t h a t w h i c h f o r e v e r e l u d e s t h e g r a s p o f normative symbolization. B u t l e r is r i g h t i n o p p o s i n g t h e P l a t o n i c - J u n g i a n n o t i o n t h a t t h e l o s s i n v o l v e d i n s e x u a l i o n is t h e l o s s o f t h e o t h e r s e x ( t h e n o t i o n w h i c h o p e n s u p t h e p a t h t o v a r i o u s o b s c u r a n t i s t a n d r o g y n o u s m y t h s o f t h e two h a l v e s , f e m i n i n e a n d m a s c u l i n e , j o i n e d i n a c o m p l e t e h u m a n b e i n g ) : it is w r o n g ' t o a s s u m e f r o m t h e o u t s e t t h a t we o n l y a n d always l o s e t h e o t h e r s e x , f o r it is as o f t e n t h e c a s e t h a t w c a r e o f t e n in t h e m e l a n c h o l i c b i n d o f lost our own sex in order, paradoxically,
to become if?"
having
In short, what
the
P l a t o n i c - J u n g i a n m v t h fails t o t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t is t h a t t h e o b s t a c l e o r
272
THE TICKLISH
SUBJECT
loss is s t r i c t l y inherent,
n o t e x t e r n a l : t h e loss a w o m a n
has to a s s u m e in
o r d e r t o b e c o m e o n e is n o t t h e r e n u n c i a t i o n o f m a s c u l i n i t y b u t , p a r a d o x ically, t h e l o s s o f s o m e t h i n g w h i c h , p r e c i s e l y , f o r e v e r p r e v e n t s h e r
from
fully b e c o m i n g a w o m a n - ' f e m i n i n i t y ' is a m a s q u e r a d e , a m a s k s u p p l e m e n t i n g a f a i l u r e t o b e c o m e a w o m a n . O r - t o p u t it i n L a c l a u ' s t e r m s s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e is t h e R e a l o f a n a n t a g o n i s m ,
-
not the Symbolic o f a
d i f f e r e n t i a l o p p o s i t i o n : s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e is n o t t h e o p p o s i t i o n a l l o c a t i n g t o e a c h o f t h e two s e x e s its p o s i t i v e i d e n t i t y d e f i n e d in o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e o t h e r sex (so that w o m a n
is w h a t
man
is n o t , a n d
vice versa), but
c o m m o n L o s s o n a c c o u n t o f w h i c h w o m a n is n e v e r fully a w o m a n
a
and
m a n is n e v e r fully a m a n - ' m a s c u l i n e ' a n d ' f e m i n i n e ' p o s i t i o n s a r e m e r e l y two m o d e s o f c o p i n g w i t h t h i s i n h e r e n t o b s t a c l e / l o s s . F o r that reason, the p a r a d o x o f 'having lost o u r own s e x in o r d e r
to
b e c o m e it' h o l d s even m o r e f o r s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e : what o n e has to lose in order
to assume sexual difference
qua
the
established set o f symbolic
o p p o s i t i o n s t h a t d e f i n e t h e c o m p l e m e n t a r y r o l e s o f ' m a n ' a n d ' w o m a n ' is s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e i t s e l f qua i m p o s s i b l e / r e a l . T h i s d i a l e c t i c a l p a r a d o x o f h o w a n e n t i t y c a n become X o n l y in s o f a r as i t h a s t o r e n o u n c e beingX
directly
is p r e c i s e l y w h a t L a c a n c a l l s ' s y m b o l i c c a s t r a t i o n ' : t h e g a p b e t w e e n
t h e s y m b o l i c p l a c e a n d t h e e l e m e n t w h i c h fills it, t h e g a p o n a c c o u n t o f w h i c h a n e l e m e n t c a n fill its p l a c e i n t h e s t r u c t u r e o n l y i n s o f a r as it is not directly this p l a c e . A l t h o u g h t h e title o f t h e r e c e n t b e s t s e l l e r Men are from Mars, from
Women are
Venus m a y a p p e a r t o p r o v i d e a v e r s i o n o f L a c a n ' s ' t h e r e is n o s e x u a l
relationship'
(no complementary
relationship
between
the
two
sexes,
since they are m a d e o f different, i n c o m p a t i b l e stuff), what L a c a n has in mind
is c o m p l e t e l y d i f f e r e n t :
men
and
women
are
not
incompatible
simply because they are 'from different planets', e a c h involving a different p s y c h i c e c o n o m y , a n d s o o n , b u t p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e t h e r e is a n i n e x t r i c a b l e a n t a g o n i s t i c l i n k b e t w e e n t h e m - t h a t is t o say, b e c a u s e t h e y a r e from
the
same planet
the
w h i c h is, as i t w e r e , s p l i t f r o m w i t h i n . I n o t h e r w o r d s ,
m i s t a k e o f t h e Men are from Mars,
Women are from Venus v e r s i o n o f ' t h e r e is
n o s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p ' is t h a t i t c o n c e i v e s o f e a c h o f t h e two s e x e s as a fully c o n s t i t u t e d p o s i t i v e e n t i t y , w h i c h is g i v e n i n d e p e n d e n d y o f t h e o t h e r s e x a n d is, as s u c h , ' o u t o f s y n c ' w i t h it. L a c a n , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , g r o u n d s t h e impossibility o f s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p in t h e fact that t h e identity o f e a c h o f t h e two s e x e s is h a m p e r e d f r o m w i t h i n b y t h e a n t a g o n i s t i c r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e o t h e r s e x w h i c h p r e v e n t s its full a c t u a l i z a t i o n . ' T h e r e is n o s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p ' n o t b e c a u s e t h e o t h e r s e x is t o o f a r away, t o t a l l y s t r a n g e to m e , b u t b e c a u s e it is too close to me, the f o r e i g n i n t r u d e r a t t h e v e r y h e a r t
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS
273
o f m y ( i m p o s s i b l e ) identity. C o n s e q u e n t l y , e a c h o f the two sexes f u n c t i o n s as t h e i n h e r e n t o b s t a c l e o n a c c o u n t o f w h i c h t h e o t h e r s e x is n e v e r 'fully itself: ' m a n ' is t h a t o n a c c o u n t o f w h i c h w o m a n c a n n e v e r fully r e a l i z e herself a s a w o m a n , a c h i e v e h e r f e m i n i n e s e l f - i d e n t i t y ; a n d , v i c e v e r s a , 'woman' m a t e r i a l i z e s t h e o b s t a c l e w h i c h p r e v e n t s m a n ' s s e l f - f u l f i l m e n t . S o when w e c l a i m t h a t , i n o r d e r t o b e c o m e a m a n , o n e m u s t first l o s e o n e s e l f as man, t h i s m e a n s t h a t s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e is a l r e a d y i n s c r i b e d i n t o t h e v e r y notion o f ' b e c o m i n g a m a n ' .
T h e Real o f Sexual Difference T h i s is t h e k e y p r o b l e m : w h e n p r i m a r y guarantor
B u t l e r r e j e c t s s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e as ' t h e
o f loss i n o u r p s y c h i c l i v e s ' - w h e n
s h e disputes the
p r e m i s s t h a t ' a l l s e p a r a t i o n a n d loss [ c a n ] b e t r a c e d b a c k t o t h a t s t r u c t u r i n g l o s s o f t h e o t h e r s e x b y w h i c h w e e m e r g e as this s e x e d b e i n g i n t h e 1
world', '
s h e silently e q u a t e s
sexual
difference
with
the
heterosexual
s y m b o l i c n o r m d e t e r m i n i n g w h a t i t is t o b e a ' m a n ' o r a ' w o m a n ' , w h i l e f o r L a c a n s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e is r e a l p r e c i s e l y i n t h e s e n s e t h a t it c a n n e v e r be
properly
symbolized,
transposed/translated
w h i c h fixes t h e s u b j e c t ' s s e x u a l identity -
into
a symbolic
norm
' t h e r e is n o s u c h t h i n g as a
s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p ' . W h e n L a c a n c l a i m s t h a t s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e is ' r e a l ' , h e is t h e r e f o r e f a r f r o m e l e v a t i n g a h i s t o r i c a l c o n t i n g e n t f o r m o f s e x u a t i o n into a transhistorical n o r m
('if you do n o t occupy your proper
preor
d a i n e d place in t h e h e t e r o s e x u a l o r d e r , as e i t h e r m a n o r w o m a n , y o u a r e e x c l u d e d , e x i l e d i n t o a p s y c h o t i c abyss o u t s i d e t h e s y m b o l i c d o m a i n ' ) : t h e c l a i m t h a t s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e is ' r e a l ' e q u a l s t h e c l a i m t h a t i t is ' i m p o s s i b l e ' -
impossible to symbolize, to formulate
as a s y m b o l i c n o r m .
In other
w o r d s , it is n o t t h a t w e h a v e h o m o s e x u a l s , f e t i s h i s t s , a n d o t h e r p e r v e r t s in spite of t h e n o r m a t i v e f a c t o f s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e - t h a t is, as p r o o f s o f t h e failure
o f sexual difference
to impose
its n o r m ;
it is n o t t h a t
sexual
d i f f e r e n c e is t h e u l t i m a t e p o i n t o f r e f e r e n c e w h i c h a n c h o r s t h e c o n t i n g e n t d r i f t i n g o f s e x u a l i t y ; i t is, o n t h e c o n t r a r y , o n a c c o u n t o f t h e g a p w h i c h f o r e v e r persists b e t w e e n t h e real o f s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e a n d t h e d e t e r m i n a t e forms
o f heterosexual
symbolic norms
that we have
the multitude
of
' p e r v e r s e ' f o r m s o f s e x u a l i t y . T h a t is a l s o t h e p r o b l e m w i t h t h e a c c u s a t i o n t h a t s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e i n v o l v e s ' b i n a r y l o g i c ' : in s o f a r as s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e is r e a l / i m p o s s i b l e , it is p r e c i s e l y not ' b i n a r y ' b u t , a g a i n , t h a t b e c a u s e o f w h i c h e v e r y ' b i n a r y ' a c c o u n t o f it ( e v e n - t r a n s l a t i o n o f s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e
THE TICKLISH
274
SUBJECT
into a c o u p l e o f o p p o s e d symbolic features: r e a s o n versus e m o t i o n , active v e r s u s p a s s i v e . . . ) always fails. S o w h e n B u t l e r c o m p l a i n s t h a t ' i t ' s a h e l l o f a t h i n g t o live i n t h e w o r l d b e i n g called the impossible real - b e i n g called the traumatic, the unthink able, the psychotic'/ 'outside':
1 2
t h e L a c a n i a n a n s w e r is t h a t , i n a s e n s e , everyone
is
those w h o think they are really 'inside' are, precisely, psychotics.
. . . I n s h o r t , L a c a n ' s w e l l - k n o w n d i c t u m a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h a m a d m a n is n o t o n l y a b e g g a r w h o t h i n k s h e is a k i n g b u t a l s o a k i n g w h o t h i n k s h e is a
king
(i.e. w h o
grounded
perceives
his
symbolic
mandate
'king'
as
directly
in t h e r e a l o f h i s b e i n g ) a p p l i e s a l s o t o h i s a s s e r t i o n o f t h e
i m p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p : a m a d m a n is t h e o n e w h o , f r o m t h e f a c t t h a t ' t h e r e is n o s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p ' , d r a w s t h e c o n c l u s i o n t h a t t h e s e x u a l a c t ( t h e a c t o f c o p u l a t i o n ) is i m p o s s i b l e i n r e a l i t y - h e t h e r e b y confuses
the symbolic void
(the absence o f the symbolic 'formula'
of
s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p ) w i t h a g a p i n r e a l i t y - t h a t is, h e c o n f u s e s t h e o r d e r o f ' w o r d s ' a n d t h e o r d e r o f ' t h i n g s ' , w h i c h , p r e c i s e l y , is t h e m o s t e l e m e n tary a n d s u c c i n c t d e f i n i t i o n o f p s y c h o s i s .
w
S o w h e n L a c a n e q u a t e s t h e R e a l with w h a t F r e u d calls ' p s y c h i c r e a l i t y ' , t h i s ' p s y c h i c r e a l i t y ' is n o t s i m p l y t h e i n n e r p s y c h i c life o f d r e a m s , w i s h e s , a n d s o o n , as o p p o s e d t o p e r c e i v e d e x t e r n a l r e a l i t y , b u t t h e h a r d c o r e o f primordial
' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t s ' , w h i c h a r e r e a l in t h e p r e c i s e s e n s e
o f resisting the m o v e m e n t o f symbolization a n d / o r dialectical mediation: . . . the expression 'psychical reality' itself is not simply synonymous with 'inter nal world', 'psychological d o m a i n ' , etc. I f taken in the most basic sense that it has tor Freud, this expression d e n o t e s a nucleus within that domain which is h e t e r o g e n e o u s and resistant and which is alone in b e i n g truly 'real' as c o m p a r e d with the majority o f psychical p h e n o m e n a . " I n w h a t s e n s e , t h e n , d o e s t h e O e d i p u s c o m p l e x t o u c h o n t h e R e a l ? L e t us a n s w e r t h i s via a n o t h e r q u e s t i o n : w h a t d o H e g e l a n d p s y c h o a n a l y s i s h a v e i n c o m m o n w h e n it c o m e s t o t h e n o t i o n o f s u b j e c t ? F o r b o t h o f t h e m , t h e 'free' subject, integrated into the symbolic network o f mutual recognition, is t h e r e s u l t o f a p r o c e s s i n w h i c h t r a u m a t i c c u t s , ' r e p r e s s i o n s ' , a n d p o w e r struggle i n t e r v e n e , n o t s o m e t h i n g primordially given. T h u s
the both
a i m at a k i n d o f ' m e t a - t r a n s c e n d e n t a l ' g e s t u r e o f a c c o u n t i n g f o r t h e v e r y genesis o f the a priori t r a n s c e n d e n t a l frame. Every 'historicization', every symbolization, h a s to ' r e - e n a c t ' the passage from the pre-symbolic X t o h i s t o r y . A p r o p o s o f O e d i p u s , f o r e x a m p l e , it is e a s y to p l a y t h e g a m e o f historicization,
and
to
demonstrate
bow
the
Oedipal
constellation
is
e m b e d d e d i n a s p e c i f i c p a t r i a r c h a l c o n t e x t ; it r e q u i r e s a f a r g r e a t e r e f f o r t
PASSIONATE
(DIS) A TTAGHMENTS
275
iiof t h o u g h t t o d i s c e r n , i n t h e v e r y h i s t o r i c a l c o n t i n g e n c y o f t h e
Oedipus
c o m p l e x , o n e o f the re-enactments o f the gap which o p e n s up the horizon !v'©f h i s t o r i c i t y . r\
I n h e r m o r e r e c e n t writings, B u t l e r h e r s e l f s e e m s to c o n c e d e this p o i n t ,
V h e n she accepts the key distinction b e t w e e n sexual difference a n d
the
'social construction
not
('direcdy
that
'difference
of gender':
of a contingent
indicates the
the
status
o f sexual difference
socio-symbolic formation;
enigmatic domain
which
rather,
is
sexual
lies i n b e t w e e n ,
no
J o n g e r biology a n d n o t yet the space o f socio-symbolic c o n s t r u c t i o n . O u r p o i n t h e r e w o u l d b e t o e m p h a s i z e h o w t h i s i n - b e t w e e n is t h e v e r y ' c u t ' w h i c h sustains the gap b e t w e e n t h e R e a l a n d t h e c o n t i n g e n t m u l t i t u d e o f the
modes
o f its s y m b o l i z a t i o n . I n
• s y m b o l i z e s e x u a l i t y is n o t d e t e r m i n e d
s h o r t : y e s , o f c o u r s e , t h e wav
we
by n a t u r e , it is t h e o u t c o m e o f a
c o m p l e x a n d c o n t i n g e n t s o c i o - s y m b o l i c p o w e r s t r u g g l e ; h o w e v e r , this v e r y s p a c e o f c o n t i n g e n t s y m b o l i z a t i o n , t h i s v e r y g a p b e t w e e n t h e R e a l a n d its i S y m b o l i z a t i o n , m u s t b e s u s t a i n e d b y a c u t , a n d ' s y m b o l i c c a s t r a t i o n ' is t h e L a c a n i a n n a m e f o r t h i s c u t . S o ' s y m b o l i c c a s t r a t i o n ' is n o t t h e
ultimate
p o i n t o f s y m b o l i c r e f e r e n c e w h i c h s o m e h o w l i m i t s t h e f r e e flow o f t h e . m u l t i t u d e o f s y m b o l i z a t i o n s : o n t h e c o n t r a r y , it is t h e very g e s t u r e w h i c h sustains, k e e p s o p e n , the s p a c e o f c o n t i n g e n t symbolizations.''' S o , to r e c a p i t u l a t e : t h e a t t r a c t i o n o f B u t l e r ' s a c c o u n t o f sexual differ e n c e is t h a t it m a k e s i t p o s s i b l e t o s e e t h e a p p a r e n t l y
'natural' state o f
t h i n g s ( p s y c h i c a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e ' n a t u r a l ' s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e ) as t h e r e s u l t of
a redoubled
'pathological' process -
o f repressing
the
'passionate
a t t a c h m e n t ' t o t h e s a m e s e x . T h e p r o b l e m w i t h it, h o w e v e r , is: i f w e a g r e e t h a t t h e e n t r y i n t o s y m b o l i c L a w t h a t r e g u l a t e s h u m a n s e x u a l i t y is p a i d f o r b y a f u n d a m e n t a l r e n u n c i a t i o n , is t h i s r e n u n c i a t i o n in f a c t t h a t o f t h e same-sex attachment? W h e n
B u t l e r asks t h e crucial q u e s t i o n
'Is
there
s o m e p a r t o f t h e b o d y w h i c h is n o t p r e s e r v e d i n s u b l i m a t i o n , s o m e p a r t o f t h e b o d y w h i c h r e m a i n s u n s u b l i m a t e d ? ' (i.e. n o t i n c l u d e d in the s y m b o l i c t e x t u r e ) , h e r a n s w e r is: ' T h i s b o d i l y r e m a i n d e r , I w o u l d s u g g e s t , s u r v i v e s f o r s u c h a s u b j e c t in t h e m o d e
o f a l r e a d y , i f n o t always, h a v i n g
been
d e s t r o y e d , i n a k i n d o f c o n s t i t u t i v e l o s s . T h e b o d y is n o t a site o n w h i c h a c o n s t r u c t i o n t a k e s p l a c e ; it is a d e s t r u c t i o n o n t h e o c c a s i o n o f w h i c h a 3 1
s u b j e c t is f o r m e d . ' ' D o e s this n o t b r i n g h e r c l o s e to t h e L a c a n i a n n o t i o n o f lamella,
o f the undeacl organ-without-body?
This organ must be called ' u n r e a l , ' in the sense that the unreal is not the imaginary and p r e c e d e s the subjective it conditions, being in direct contact with
THE TICKLISH
276
SUBJECT
the real. . . . My lamella represents h e r e the part o f a living b e i n g that is lost when that being is p r o d u c e d t h r o u g h the straits o f s e x . This organ-without-body
37
t h a t ' i s ' t h e n o n - s y m b o l i z e d l i b i d o is p r e c i s e l y
'asexual' - n e i t h e r masculine n o r f e m i n i n e but, rather, that which
both
s e x e s l o s e w h e n t h e y e n t e r s y m b o l i c s e x u a t i o n . L a c a n h i m s e l f p r e s e n t s his n o t i o n o f l a m e l l a as a m y t h o n a p a r w i t h P l a t o ' s m y t h ( i n Symposium)
on
the origins o f sexual difference, a n d o n e s h o u l d b e a r in m i n d the key d i f f e r e n c e : f o r L a c a n , w h a t t h e t w o s e x e s l o s e i n o r d e r t o b e O n e is n o t t h e c o m p l e m e n t a r y l o s t h a l f , b u t a n a s e x u a l t h i r d o b j e c t . O n e c o u l d say t h a t t h i s o b j e c t is m a r k e d b y a S a m e n e s s - h o w e v e r , t h i s S a m e n e s s is n o t the sameness o f the 'same sex,' but, rather, the mythical asexual S a m e n e s s , libido n o t yet m a r k e d by the c u t o f sexual d i f f e r e n c e . I n s o c i o e c o n o m i c t e r m s , o n e is t e m p t e d
; w
t o c l a i m t h a t C a p i t a l i t s e l f is
t h e R e a l o f o u r a g e . T h a t is t o say, w h e n M a r x d e s c r i b e s t h e m a d
self-
e n h a n c i n g c i r c u l a t i o n o f Capital, w h o s e solipsistic p a t h o f self-fecundation r e a c h e s its a p o g e e i n t o d a y ' s m e t a - r e f l e x i v e s p e c u l a t i o n s o n f u t u r e s , it is far t o o simplistic to claim t h a t the s p e c t r e o f this s e l f - e n g e n d e r i n g m o n s t e r w h i c h p u r s u e s its p a t h r e g a r d l e s s o f a n y h u m a n o r e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n c e r n is a n i d e o l o g i c a l a b s t r a c t i o n , a n d o n e s h o u l d n e v e r f o r g e t t h a t b e h i n d t h i s abstraction there are real p e o p l e a n d natural objects o n whose productive c a p a c i t i e s a n d r e s o u r c e s C a p i t a l ' s c i r c u l a t i o n is b a s e d , a n d o n w h i c h it f e e d s l i k e a g i g a n t i c p a r a s i t e . T h e p r o b l e m is t h a t t h i s ' a b s t r a c t i o n ' is n o t o n l y i n o u r ( f i n a n c i a l s p e c u l a t o r ' s ) m i s p e r c e p t i o n o f s o c i a l r e a l i t y - it is ' r e a l ' in t h e p r e c i s e s e n s e o f d e t e r m i n i n g
the structure o f the
material
social processes themselves: the fate o f w h o l e strata o f p o p u l a t i o n s ,
and
s o m e t i m e s o f whole countries, c a n b e d e c i d e d by the 'solipsistic' speculat ive d a n c e o f C a p i t a l , w h i c h p u r s u e s its g o a l o f p r o f i t a b i l i t y i n a b e n i g n indifference
to
how
its m o v e m e n t
will a f f e c t
social reality.
Here
we
e n c o u n t e r the L a c a n i a n difference b e t w e e n reality a n d t h e Real: 'reality' is t h e s o c i a l r e a l i t y o f t h e a c t u a l p e o p l e i n v o l v e d in i n t e r a c t i o n a n d i n t h e p r o d u c t i v e p r o c e s s e s , w h i l e t h e R e a l is t h e i n e x o r a b l e ' a b s t r a c t '
spectral
logic o f Capital w h i c h d e t e r m i n e s w h a t g o e s o n in social reality. This
reference
to
the
Real
also
enables
us
to
answer
one
of
the
r e c u r r e n t c r i t i c i s m s o f L a c a n a c c o r d i n g to w h i c h h e is a f o r m a l i s t w h o , i n a K a n t i a n way, a s s e r t s a n a p r i o r i ' t r a n s c e n d e n t a l ' v o i d a r o u n d w h i c h t h e symbolic universe
is s t r u c t u r e d ,
a void which
can
then
b e filled by a
3
c o n t i n g e n t p o s i t i v e o b j e c t . ' ' S o is L a c a n a c t u a l l y a k i n d o f s t r u c t u r a l i s t Kantian, asserting the ontological priority o f the symbolic o r d e r over the c o n t i n g e n t m a t e r i a l e l e m e n t s w h i c h o c c u p y its p l a c e s ( c l a i m i n g , say, t h a t
PASSIONATE
277
(DIS) ATTACHMENTS
t h e ' r e a l ' f a t h e r is n o t h i n g b u t a c o n t i n g e n t b e a r e r o f t h e p u r e l y f o r m a l s t r u c t u r a l f u n c t i o n o f s y m b o l i c p r o h i b i t i o n ) ? W h a t b l u r s this c l e a r distinc t i o n b e t w e e n t h e e m p t y s y m b o l i c f o r m a n d its c o n t i n g e n t p o s i t i v e c o n t e n t is p r e c i s e l y t h e Real: a s t a i n w h i c h s u t u r e s t h e e m p t y f r a m e o n t o a p a r t o f its c o n t e n t , t h e ' i n d i v i s i b l e r e m a i n d e r ' o f s o m e ' p a t h o l o g i c a l ' c o n t i n g e n t m a t e r i a l i t y w h i c h , as it w e r e , ' c o l o u r s ' t h e a l l e g e d l y n e u t r a l u n i v e r s a l i t y o f the
symbolic frame,
and
thus functions
as a k i n d
o f umbilical
cord
t h r o u g h w h i c h t h e e m p t y f r a m e w o r k o f t h e s y m b o l i c f o r m is a n c h o r e d i n its c o n t e n t . T h i s s h o r t c i r c u i t b e t w e e n f o r m
and c o n t e n t provides
the
m o s t s u c c i n c t r e j e c t i o n o r subversion o f (what o n e usually perceives as) ' K a n t i a n f o r m a l i s m ' : t h e very t r a n s c e n d e n t a l - f o r m a l f r a m e w h i c h the h o r i z o n , the c o n d i t i o n o f possibility, o f the c o n t e n t w h i c h w i t h i n it is e n f r a m e d
forms appears
b y a p a r t o f its c o n t e n t , s i n c e it is a t t a c h e d t o a
p a r t i c u l a r p o i n t w i t h i n its c o n t e n t . W h a t w e a r e d e a l i n g w i t h h e r e is t h e paradox o f a kind o f ' p a t h o l o g i c a l a priori': a pathological (in the Kantian sense o f innerworldly c o n t i n g e n c y ) e l e m e n t that sustains t h e c o n s i s t e n c y o f t h e f o r m a l f r a m e w i t h i n w h i c h it o c c u r s . T h i s is a l s o o n e o f t h e p o s s i b l e d e f i n i t i o n s o f t h e L a c a n i a n sinthome real: the
pathological contingent formation
that
sustains
u n i v e r s a l f r a m e . I n this p r e c i s e s e n s e , t h e L a c a n i a n sinthome
the
a
as
priori
is a ' k n o t ' : a
p a r t i c u l a r i n n e r w o r l d l y p h e n o m e n o n w h o s e e x i s t e n c e is e x p e r i e n c e d as c o n t i n g e n t - h o w e v e r , t h e m o m e n t o n e t o u c h e s it o r a p p r o a c h e s i t t o o c l o s e l y , t h i s ' k n o t ' u n r a v e l s a n d , with it, o u r e n t i r e u n i v e r s e - t h a t is, t h e v e r y p l a c e f r o m w h i c h we s p e a k a n d literally lose the
ground
from
p e r c e i v e reality d i s i n t e g r a t e s ; we
beneath
o u r feet. . . . P e r h a p s
the
i l l u s t r a t i o n is t h e p a t r i a r c h a l m e l o d r a m a t i c t h e m e o f ' g o i n g i n
best
through
t h e w r o n g d o o r ' ( t h e wife w h o a c c i d e n t a l l y r e a c h e s i n t o t h e p o c k e t o f h e r h u s b a n d ' s j a c k e t a n d finds his c o n f i d e n t i a l love letter, thus r u i n i n g
her
e n t i r e f a m i l y l i f e ) , w h i c h is r a i s e d t o a m u c h h i g h e r p o w e r i n its s c i e n c e fiction
version (you accidentally o p e n
the w r o n g d o o r a n d witness
the
s e c r e t m e e t i n g o f t h e a l i e n s ) . H o w e v e r , t h e r e is n o n e e d t o g e t i n v o l v e d in such eccentricities; simply think o f the e l e m e n t a r y case o f the fragile b a l a n c e o f a s i t u a t i o n i n w h i c h o n e is f o r m a l l y a l l o w e d t o d o (ask a certain
question, perform
a certain
something
a c t ) , b u t is n o n e
the
less
e x p e c t e d not t o d o it, as i f s o m e u n w r i t t e n r u l e p r o h i b i t e d i t - i f o n e a c t u a l l y d o e s it, t h e w h o l e s i t u a t i o n e x p l o d e s . A p r o p o s o f this point, we c a n e l a b o r a t e the line o f s e p a r a t i o n
between
M a r x and the standard 'bourgeois' sociologists o f modernity who empha size t h e u n i v e r s a l f e a t u r e s o f p o s t - t r a d i t i o n a l l i f e ( t h e m o d e r n
individual
is n o l o n g e r d i r e c t l y i m m e r s e d i n a p a r t i c u l a r t r a d i t i o n , b u t e x p e r i e n c e s
THE TICKLISH
278
SUBJECT
h i m s e l f as a u n i v e r s a l a g e n t c a u g h t i n a c o n t i n g e n t p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e x t a n d f r e e t o c h o o s e h i s way o f life; h e t h u s e n t e r t a i n s a r e f l e c t e d r e l a t i o n s h i p t o w a r d s his l i f e - w o r l d , r e l y i n g e v e n i n h i s m o s t ' s p o n t a n e o u s * a c t i v i t i e s ( s e x u a l i t y , l e i s u r e ) o n ' h o w - t o - d o - i t ' m a n u a l s . N o w h e r e is t h i s p a r a d o x o f r e f l e x i v i t y m o r e e v i d e n t t h a n in d e s p e r a t e a t t e m p t s t o b r e a k o u t o f t h e r e f l e c t e d ways o f m o d e r n i t y a n d r e t u r n t o a m o r e s p o n t a n e o u s ' h o l i s t i c ' life: i n a t r a g i c o m i c way, t h e s e very a t t e m p t s a r e s u p p o r t e d b y a h o s t o f specialists There
w h o t e a c h us h o w t o d i s c o v e r o u r
is a l s o p r o b a b l y
nothing
more
true spontaneous
scientific
than
the
' o r g a n i c f o o d ' : it t a k e s h i g h s c i e n c e t o b e a b l e t o subtract
Self. . . .
growing the
of
harmful
e f f e c t s o f i n d u s t r i a l a g r i c u l t u r e . ' O r g a n i c a g r i c u l t u r e ' is t h u s a k i n d o f H e g e l i a n ' n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' , t h e t h i r d l i n k i n t h e t r i a d w h o s e first t w o links are pre-industrial
' n a t u r a l ' a g r i c u l t u r e a n d its n e g a t i o n / m e d i a t i o n ,
i n d u s t r i a l i z e d a g r i c u l t u r e : it is a r e t u r n t o n a t u r e , to a n o r g a n i c way o f d o i n g t h i n g s ; b u t this v e r y r e t u r n is ' m e d i a t e d ' b y s c i e n c e . Standard
sociologists o f modernity
c o n c e i v e o f t h i s ' r e f l e x i v i t y ' as a
q u a s i - t r a n s c e n d e n t a l u n i v e r s a l f e a t u r e w h i c h e x p r e s s e s i t s e l f in a s p e c i f i c way in d i f f e r e n t d o m a i n s o f s o c i a l life: in p o l i t i c s as t h e r e p l a c e m e n t o f the traditional o r g a n i c authoritarian structure by m o d e r n formal d e m o c racy
(and
its i n h e r e n t
counterpoint,
the
formalist
insistence on
p r i n c i p l e o f a u t h o r i t y f o r its o w n s a k e ) ; in e c o n o m y as t h e of
commodification
and
'alienated'
market
relations
the
predominance
over
the
more
o r g a n i c f o r m s o f t h e c o m m u n a l p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s ; in t h e e t h i c a l d o m a i n as t h e
split o f t r a d i t i o n a l
mores
into
formal
external
legality a n d
an
i n d i v i d u a l ' s i n n e r m o r a l i t y ; i n l e a r n i n g as t h e r e p l a c e m e n t o f t r a d i t i o n a l initiatory wisdom by the reflected forms o f scientific k n o w l e d g e
transmit
t e d b y t h e s c h o o l s y s t e m ; i n a r t as t h e a r t i s t ' s f r e e d o m t o c h o o s e f r o m t h e multitude
o f available 'styles'; a n d
so on.
'Reflexivity'
( o r its
various
i n c a r n a t i o n s , u p t o t h e F r a n k f u r t S c h o o l ' s ' i n s t r u m e n t a l R e a s o n ' ) is t h u s c o n c e i v e d as a k i n d o f h i s t o r i c a l a p r i o r i , a f o r m w h i c h
'constitutes',
m o u l d s i n t o t h e s a m e u n i v e r s a l s h a p e , d i f f e r e n t l a y e r s o f s o c i a l life. M a r x , however, adds to this a crucial s u p p l e m e n t a r y t u r n o f t h e screw: for h i m , all p a r t i c u l a r ' e m p i r i c a l ' d o m a i n s o f s o c i a l life d o n o t e n t e r t a i n t h e s a m e r e l a t i o n s h i p t o w a r d s t h i s u n i v e r s a l f r a m e ; t h e y a r e n o t all c a s e s o f a p a s s i v e positive stuff
formed
innervvorldly
particular
by it -
there
content
in
is o n e which
exceptional the
very
'pathological',
universal
form
of
r e f l e x i v i t y is g r o u n d e d , t o w h i c h it is a t t a c h e d b y a k i n d o f u m b i l i c a l c o r d , b y w h i c h t h e f r a m e o f t h i s f o r m i t s e l f is e n f r a m e d ; f o r M a r x , o f c o u r s e , 4
this p a r t i c u l a r c o n t e n t is t h e s o c i a l u n i v e r s e o f c o m m o d i t y e x c h a n g e . " And
a r e we n o t d e a l i n g w i t h
the same p a r a d o x
in t h e
case o f
the
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS Lacanian
notion
supplement
to
o f fantasy
the
(nbjet petit
a qua
nonexistence o f the
279
phantasmic
sexual
object)
as
a
relationship? Precisely
b e c a u s e t h e r e is n o u n i v e r s a l s y m b o l i c f o r m ( u l a ) o f a
complementary
r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e two s e x e s , a n y r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e m h a s t o ,:be s u p p l e m e n t e d b y a ' p a t h o l o g i c a l ' p a r t i c u l a r s c e n a r i o , a k i n d o f p h a n tasmic c r u t c h w h i c h c a n sustain o n l y o u r ' h a v i n g a c t u a l s e x with a n o t h e r p e r s o n ' - i f t h e k n o t o f t h e f a n t a s y is d i s s o l v e d , t h e s u b j e c t l o s e s h i s / h e r u n i v e r s a l c a p a c i t y t o e n g a g e i n s e x u a l activity. S o t h e c r i t i c i s m t h a t L a c a n <s a p r o t o - K a n t i a n f o r m a l i s t s h o u l d b e t u r n e d b a c k o n its p e r p e t r a t o r s - i t i s t h e ' s o c i a l c o n s t r u c t i o n i s t s ' w h o a r e all t o o ' f o r m a l i s t ' : i n a n i m p e c c a b l y K a n t i a n way, t h e y p r e s u p p o s e
t h e c o n t i n g e n t s p a c e o f s y m b o l i z a t i o n as
simply given, a n d d o n o t ask H e g e l ' s key post-Kantian m e t a - t r a n s c e n d e n t a l question:
h o w d o e s this very s p a c e o f historicity, o f t h e m u l t i t u d e
c o n t i n g e n t m o d e s o f symbolization, sustain itself?
of
41
Masochistic Deception B u t l e r ' s e l a b o r a t i o n o f the l o g i c o f m e l a n c h o l i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n with
the
l o s t o b j e c t i n f a c t p r o v i d e s a t h e o r e t i c a l m o d e l w h i c h a l l o w s us t o a v o i d t h e ill-fated n o t i o n o f t h e ' i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n ' o f e x t e r n a l l y i m p o s e d s o c i a l n o r m s : w h a t t h i s s i m p l i s t i c n o t i o n o f ' i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n ' m i s s e s is t h e r e f l e x ive t u r n b y m e a n s o f w h i c h , i n t h e e m e r g e n c e o f t h e s u b j e c t , e x t e r n a l power
( t h e p r e s s u r e it e x e r t s o n t h e s u b j e c t ) is n o t s i m p l y i n t e r n a l i z e d
b u t v a n i s h e s , is l o s t ; a n d t h i s l o s s is i n t e r n a l i z e d in t h e g u i s e o f t h e ' v o i c e o f c o n s c i e n c e ' , t h e i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n w h i c h gives b i r t h to t h e i n t e r n a l s p a c e itself: In the a b s e n c e o f explicit regulation, the subject e m e r g e s as o n e for whom power has b e c o m e voice, and voice, the regulatory instrument o f the psyche . . . the subject is p r o d u c e d , paradoxically, t h r o u g h this withdrawal o f power, its dissimulation a n d tabulation o f the psyche as a speaking topos.' 1
T h i s r e v e r s a l is e m b o d i e d i n K a n t , the p h i l o s o p h e r o f m o r a l
autonomy,
w h o identifies this a u t o n o m y with a c e r t a i n m o d e o f s u b j e c t i o n , n a m e l y , t h e s u b j e c t i o n to ( e v e n t h e h u m i l i a t i o n in t h e face o f ) t h e universal m o r a l L a w . T h e k e y p o i n t h e r e is t o b e a r i n m i n d t h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n t h e t w o f o r m s o f this Law: far f r o m b e i n g a m e r e e x t e n s i o n o r i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n o f t h e e x t e r n a l law, t h e i n n e r L a w ( C a l l o f C o n s c i e n c e ) e m e r g e s w h e n
the
e x t e r n a l law fails t o a p p e a r , in o r d e r t o c o m p e n s a t e f o r its a b s e n c e . I n this perspective, liberation f r o m the e x t e r n a l pressure o f n o r m s e m b o d i e d
THE TICKLISH
280
SUBJECT
i n o n e ' s s o c i a l c o n d i t i o n i n g ( i n t h e E n l i g h t e n m e n t v e i n ) is s t r i c t l y i d e n t i c a l t o s u b m i s s i o n t o t h e u n c o n d i t i o n a l i n n e r C a l l o f C o n s c i e n c e . T h a t is t o say: t h e o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n e x t e r n a l s o c i a l r e g u l a t i o n s a n d
internal
m o r a l L a w is t h a t b e t w e e n r e a l i t y a n d t h e R e a l : s o c i a l r e g u l a t i o n s c a n still b e j u s t i f i e d ( o r p r e t e n d to b e j u s t i f i e d ) by o b j e c t i v e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f social c o e x i s t e n c e (they b e l o n g to the d o m a i n o f the 'reality p r i n c i p l e ' ) ; while t h e d e m a n d o f t h e m o r a l L a w is u n c o n d i t i o n a l , b r o o k i n g n o e x c u s e 'You can, because you must!',
as K a n t p u t
-
it. F o r t h a t r e a s o n , s o c i a l
r e g u l a t i o n s m a k e p e a c e f u l c o e x i s t e n c e p o s s i b l e , w h i l e m o r a l L a w is a t r a u m a t i c i n j u n c t i o n t h a t d i s r u p t s it. O n e is t h u s t e m p t e d t o g o a s t e p further a n d to invert o n c e m o r e t h e relationship b e t w e e n ' e x t e r n a l ' social n o r m s a n d the i n n e r m o r a l Law: what if the subject invents e x t e r n a l social n o r m s precisely in o r d e r to e s c a p e t h e u n b e a r a b l e p r e s s u r e o f t h e m o r a l L a w ? I s n ' t it m u c h e a s i e r t o h a v e a n e x t e r n a l M a s t e r w h o c a n b e d u p e d , towards w h o m o n e can m a i n t a i n a m i n i m a l distance a n d private space, t h a n t o h a v e a n e x - t i m a t e M a s t e r , a s t r a n g e r , a f o r e i g n b o d y in t h e v e r y heart o f one's being? D o e s n ' t the minimal definition o f Power (the agency e x p e r i e n c e d by t h e s u b j e c t as t h e f o r c e t h a t e x e r t s its p r e s s u r e o n
him
from
rely
the
Outside,
opposing
p r e c i s e l y o n t h i s externalization the
Law, o f that which
his i n c l i n a t i o n s , thwarting
his goals)
o f the ex-timate inherent compulsion o f
is ' i n y o u
more
than
yourself?
This
tension
b e t w e e n e x t e r n a l n o r m s a n d t h e i n n e r L a w , w h i c h c a n a l s o give r i s e to s u b v e r s i v e e f f e c t s (say, o f o p p o s i n g p u b l i c a u t h o r i t y o n b e h a l f o f o n e ' s i n n e r m o r a l s t a n c e ) , is n e g l e c t e d b y F o u c a u l t . A g a i n , t h e c r u c i a l p o i n t is t h a t t h i s s u b j e c t i o n t o t h e i n n e r L a w d o e s n o t s i m p l y ' e x t e n d ' o r ' i n t e r n a l i z e ' e x t e r n a l p r e s s u r e ; r a t h e r , it is c o r r e l a t ive t o t h e s u s p e n s i o n which
o f external pressure,
creates so-called 'free
p r o b l e m a t i c o f fundamental
inner
fantasy:
to the
withdrawal-into-self
s p a c e ' . T h i s l e a d s us b a c k to
the
w h a t t h e f u n d a m e n t a l f a n t a s y s t a g e s is
precisely the s c e n e o f constitutive s u b m i s s i o n / s u b j e c t i o n that sustains the subject's 'inner freedom'. This primordial 'passionate attachment' is, t h e s c e n e o f passive s u b m i s s i o n s t a g e d i n t h e f u n d a m e n t a l
that
fantasy
-
m u s t b e distinguished from m a s o c h i s m in t h e strict, n a r r o w clinical sense: as it was e l a b o r a t e d i n d e t a i l b y D e l e u z e ,
4 3
t h i s m a s o c h i s m strictv
sensu
already involves an i n t r i c a t e attitude o f disavowal towards t h e f r a m e o f O e d i p a l symbolic reality. T h e m a s o c h i s t ' s suffering d o e s n o t attest to s o m e p e r v e r s e e n j o y m e n t o f p a i n as s u c h , b u t is t h o r o u g h l y i n t h e s e r v i c e o f p l e a s u r e - its e x q u i s i t e s p e c t a c l e ( m a s q u e r a d e )
o f torture and pain, o f
h u m i l i a t i o n to w h i c h t h e m a s o c h i s t s u b j e c t s u b m i t s itself, serves to d u p e t h e a t t e n t i v e g u a r d o f t h e s u p e r e g o . I n s h o r t , c l i n i c a l m a s o c h i s m is a way
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS
281
for the subject to attain pleasure by a c c e p t i n g the p u n i s h m e n t f o r it b y t h e s u p e r e g o i n a d v a n c e - t h e f a k e d s p e c t a c l e o f
required
punishment
serves to d e m o n s t r a t e the u n d e r l y i n g R e a l o f p l e a s u r e . Just picture
the
standard
scene of moral
masochism:
the
everyday
m a s o c h i s t i c s u b j e c t o f t e n f i n d s it d e e p l y s a t i s f y i n g t o i m a g i n e t h a t a p e r s o n t o w h o m h e is d e e p l y a t t a c h e d will w r o n g l y a c c u s e h i m o f s o m e m i s d e e d ! o r a c c o m p l i s h s o m e s i m i l a r a c t o f m i s t a k e n a c c u s a t i o n ; t h e s a t i s f a c t i o n is p r o v i d e d by i m a g i n i n g t h e future s c e n e in w h i c h t h e b e l o v e d o t h e r , w h o h a s u n k n o w i n g l y i n j u r e d h i m , will d e e p l y r e g r e t h i s u n j u s t a c c u s a t i o n . . . . I t is t h e s a m e in m a s o c h i s t i c t h e a t r e : t h e m a s o c h i s t ' s passivity c o n c e a l s h i s activity ( h e is t h e d i r e c t o r w h o a r r a n g e s t h e s c e n e a n d t e l l s t h e
domina
w h a t to d o to h i m ) ; his m o r a l p a i n b a r e l y c o n c e a l s his active p l e a s u r e in t h e m o r a l victory that h u m i l i a t e s the o t h e r . S u c h an intricate s c e n e c a n take p l a c e o n l y within a s p a c e already o r g a n i z e d by the s y m b o l i c o r d e r : m a s o c h i s t i c t h e a t r e r e l i e s o n t h e contract b e t w e e n t h e m a s o c h i s t a n d h i s master (domina). T h e crucial question to b e raised h e r e c o n c e r n s the role o f d e c e p t i o n in the m a s o c h i s m o f the f u n d a m e n t a l
f a n t a s y : w h o m d o e s this s c e n e o f
s u f f e r i n g a n d s u b m i s s i o n s e r v e t o d e c e i v e ? T h e L a c a n i a n a n s w e r is t h a t t h e r e is a d e c e p t i o n a t w o r k o n t h i s l e v e l t o o : t h e f u n d a m e n t a l
fantasy
p r o v i d e s t h e s u b j e c t w i t h t h e m i n i m u m o f b e i n g , it s e r v e s as a s u p p o r t f o r h i s e x i s t e n c e - in s h o r t , its d e c e p t i v e g e s t u r e is ' L o o k , I s u f f e r , t h e r e f o r e I a m , I e x i s t , I p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e p o s i t i v e o r d e r o f b e i n g . ' I t is t h u s n o t g u i l t a n d / o r p l e a s u r e , b u t e x i s t e n c e i t s e l f w h i c h is at s t a k e i n t h e
fundamental
f a n t a s y , a n d it is p r e c i s e l y t h i s d e c e p t i o n o f t h e f u n d a m e n t a l f a n t a s y t h a t t h e a c t o f ' t r a v e r s i n g t h e f a n t a s y ' s e r v e s t o d i s p e l : by t r a v e r s i n g t h e f a n t a s y , the subject accepts the void o f bis n o n e x i s t e n c e . A n i c e L a c a n i a n e x a m p l e o f m a s o c h i s t i c d e c e p t i o n is t h a t o f t h e c i t i z e n o f a c o u n t r y i n w h i c h o n e ' s h e a d is c u t o f f i f o n e says p u b l i c l y t h a t
the
k i n g is s t u p i d ; i f t h i s s u b j e c t d r e a m s t h a t h i s h e a d is t o b e c u t off, t h i s d r e a m has n o t h i n g w h a t s o e v e r to d o with a n y k i n d o f d e a t h wish, e t c . , it simply m e a n s
that
t h e s u b j e c t t h i n k s h i s k i n g is s t u p i d -
t h a t is, t h e
p r e d i c a m e n t o f suffering masks the pleasure o f attacking the dignity o f the king. . . .
4 4
H e r e , pain a n d suffering are clearly the m a s q u e r a d e in t h e
service o f pleasure, destined to d u p e s u p e r e g o censorship. S u c h a strategy o f d e c e p t i o n , h o w e v e r , i n w h i c h a s c e n e o f p a i n a n d s u f f e r i n g is p u t i n the service o f the pleasure o f deceiving the superego, can function only o n t h e b a s i s o f a m o r e f u n d a m e n t a l ' s a d o m a s o c h i s t i c ' s t a n c e in w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t e n g a g e s in fantasizing
a b o u t b e i n g e x p o s e d t o passive
painful
THE TICKLISH
282
SUBJECT
e x p e r i e n c e s a n d is t h u s r e a d y t o a c c e p t , o u t s i d e a n y d e c e p t i v e s t r a t e g y , pain
itself as the source of libidinal
45
satisfaction.
Along these lines, o n e should reread L a p l a n c h e ' s old classic ideas a b o u t t h e p r i m a l s e d u c t i o n fantasy in w h i c h t h e reflexive i n w a r d t u r n , 'fantasization',
sexualization
generated
in o n e
and
and
masochism
all
coincide -
that
is, a r e
the same gesture o f 'turning around'.
detailed c o m m e n t a r y on
the three phases o f the Freudian
4 6
In
all his
' A c h i l d is
b e i n g b e a t e n ' f a n t a s y ( 1 : ' M y f a t h e r is b e a t i n g t h e c h i l d w h o m I h a t e ' ; 2 : 'I a m b e i n g b e a t e n b y m y f a t h e r ' ; 3 : ' A c h i l d is b e i n g b e a t e n ' ) , L a p l a n c h e insists o n t h e c r u c i a l d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e first p h a s e a n d t h e s e c o n d : t h e y a r e b o t h u n c o n s c i o u s , t h a t is, t h e y r e p r e s e n t t h e s e c r e t g e n e s i s o f t h e f i n a l , c o n s c i o u s p h a s e o f t h e f a n t a s y ( ' A c h i l d is b e i n g b e a t e n ' ) ; h o w e v e r , w h i l e t h e first p h a s e is s i m p l y t h e r e p r e s s e d m e m o r y o f s o m e r e a l e v e n t w i t n e s s e d b y t h e c h i l d ( t h e p a r e n t b e a t i n g h i s b r o t h e r ) , a n d c a n as s u c h b e r e m e m b e r e d i n t h e c o u r s e o f p s y c h o a n a l y t i c t r e a t m e n t , t h e s e c o n d is p r o p e r l y p h a n t a s m i c a n d , f o r t h a t very r e a s o n , ' p r i m o r d i a l l y
repressed'.
T h i s p h a s e was n e v e r c o n s c i o u s l y i m a g i n e d , b u t was f o r e c l o s e d f r o m
the
v e r y b e g i n n i n g ( h e r e we h a v e a p e r f e c t c a s e o f t h e f o r e c l o s e d s a m e - s e x p r i m o r d i a l ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t ' B u t l e r f o c u s e s o n ) ; f o r t h i s r e a s o n , it c a n n e v e r b e r e m e m b e r e d ( i . e . s u b j e c t i v e l y a s s u m e d by t h e s u b j e c t ) ,
but
s i m p l y r e t r o a c t i v e l y r e c o n s t r u c t e d as t h e R e a l w h i c h h a s t o b e p r e s u p p o s e d i f o n e is to a c c o u n t f o r t h e final, c o n s c i o u s p h a s e o f t h e f a n t a s y : '. . . what is repressed
is not the memory but the fantasy
derived from it or subtending
this case, n o t t h e actual s c e n e in w h i c h t h e father w o u l d have a n o t h e r child, b u t the fantasy o f b e i n g b e a t e n by the f a t h e r ' . S o the passage from the initial, outward-directed
it
in
beaten
4 7
aggressivity (satisfac
t i o n f o u n d in b e a t i n g a n o t h e r c h i l d o r o b s e r v i n g a p a r e n t b e a t i n g
him/
h e r ) t o t h e f o r e c l o s e d p h a n t a s m i c s c e n e in w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t i m a g i n e s himself ' b e i n g b e a t e n b y t h e p a r e n t is c r u c i a l - t h e r o l e o f t h e first p h a s e is t h a t o f t h e p r o v e r b i a l ' g r a i n o f s a n d ' , t h e little p i e c e o f reality ( a s c e n e w i t n e s s e d in reality by t h e c h i l d ) , w h i c h triggers t h e p h a n t a s m i c f o r m a t i o n o f a scene that provides the co-ordinates o f the primordial
'passionate
a t t a c h m e n t ' . A g a i n , w h a t is p r i m o r d i a l l y r e p r e s s e d a n d , as s u c h , f o r e v e r i n a c c e s s i b l e to subjectivization (since subjectivization itself relies o n
this
r e p r e s s i o n ) is t h e s e c o n d p h a s e . S e v e r a l t h i n g s o c c u r s i m u l t a n e o u s l y i n t h e p a s s a g e f r o m t h e first p h a s e t o t h e s e c o n d : •
as F r e u d h i m s e l f e m p h a s i z e s , o n l y i n t h e s e c o n d p h a s e is t h e s i t u a t i o n p r o p e r l y sexualized - t h a t is, t h e p a s s a g e f r o m p h a s e 1 t o p h a s e 2 is t h e
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS
283
passage f r o m pre-sexual aggressivity to p r o p e r l y s e x u a l i z e d ' p l e a s u r e in pain'; •
t h i s s e x u a l i z a t i o n is s t r i c t l y c o n s u b s t a n t i a l w i t h t h e r e f l e x i v e g e s t u r e o f 'introjection': instead o f actually attacking a n o t h e r
human
being I
f a n t a s i z e a b o u t it, I i m a g i n e a s c e n e o f s u b m i s s i o n a n d p a i n ; i n s t e a d o f b e i n g an a g e n t in real i n t e r a c t i o n , I b e c o m e an impassive o b s e r v e r o f an ' i n n e r ' s c e n e that fascinates m e ; •
furthermore,
as f o r its c o n t e n t ,
this s c e n e s t a g e s a s i t u a t i o n
w h i c h I a s s u m e a passive p o s i t i o n o f b e i n g s u b j e c t e d to
within
humiliation
a n d pain, o r at least the position o f an impassive, i m p o t e n t observer. T h e c r u c i a l p o i n t is t h a t t h e s e t h r e e f e a t u r e s a r e s t r i c t i y c o n s u b s t a n t i a l : a t its m o s t r a d i c a l , s e x u a l i z a t i o n equals p h a n t a s m i z a t i o n , w h i c h equals
assum
ing t h e passive p o s i t i o n o f i m p o t e n c e , h u m i l i a t i o n a n d pain: . . . the process o f turning-around is not to b e t h o u g h t o f only at the level o f the c o n t e n t o f the fantasy, but in the very movement of fantasmatization. T h e shift to the reflexive is not only or even necessarily to give a reflexive c o n t e n t to the ' s e n t e n c e ' o f the fantasy; it is also and above all to reflect the action, internalize it, m a k e it e n t e r into o n e s e l f as fantasy. T o fantasize aggression is to turn it a r o u n d upon oneself, to aggress oneself: such is the m o m e n t o f autoerotism, in which the indissoluble b o n d between fantasy as such, sexuality, and the u n c o n scious is c o n f i r m e d . 18
T h e p o i n t o f t h e r e f l e x i v e t u r n is t h u s n o t s i m p l y a s y m m e t r i c a l r e v e r s a l of
aggressivity
(destroying/attacking
an
external
object)
into
being
a t t a c k e d by a n e x t e r n a l o b j e c t ; r a t h e r , it l i e s i n t h e a c t o f ' i n t e r n a l i z i n g ' passivity, a c t i v e l y i m a g i n i n g t h e s c e n e o f o n e ' s i m p a s s i v e s u b m i s s i o n . T h u s i n f a n t a s i z i n g , t h e c l e a r - c u t o p p o s i t i o n o f a c t i v i t y a n d passivity is s u b v e r t e d : in ' i n t e r n a l i z i n g ' a s c e n e o f b e i n g b e a t e n by a n o t h e r , I i m m o b i l i z e m y s e l f in a d o u b l e s e n s e (instead o f b e i n g active in reality, I a s s u m e t h e passive s t a n c e o f a f a s c i n a t e d o b s e r v e r w h o m e r e l y i m a g i n e s / f a n t a s i z e s a s c e n e in which h e participates; within
t h e very c o n t e n t o f this s c e n e , I i m a g i n e
m y s e l f in a p a s s i v e , i m m o b i l e p o s i t i o n o f s u f f e r i n g h u m i l i a t i o n a n d p a i n ) - h o w e v e r , p r e c i s e l y t h i s d o u b l e passivity p r e s u p p o s e s m y a c t i v e e n g a g e m e n t - t h a t is t o say, t h e a c c o m p l i s h m e n t o f a r e f l e x i v e t u r n b y m e a n s o f w h i c h , i n a n a u t o e r o t i c way, I m y s e l f , n o t a n e x t e r n a l a g e n t , t h w a r t m y external
activity, t h e
spontaneous
outflow
o f energy,
and
'dominate
m y s e l f , r e p l a c i n g a c t i v i t y in r e a l i t y by t h e o u t b u r s t o f f a n t a s i z i n g . A p r o p o s o f h i s d e f i n i t i o n o f drive (as o p p o s e d t o i n s t i n c t ) , L a c a n m a d e this p o i n t n i c e l y by e m p h a s i z i n g
how
drive
always a n d
by d e f i n i t i o n
involves
a
THE TICKLISH
284 p o s i t i o n o f ' se faire.
SUBJECT
. . ' , o f ' m a k i n g o n e s e l f . . .': s c o p i c d r i v e is n e i t h e r a
voyeuristic t e n d e n c y to s e e n o r t h e e x h i b i t i o n i s t i c t e n d e n c y t o b e s e e n by a n o t h e r , to e x p o s e o n e s e l f to a n o t h e r ' s eyes, b u t t h e ' m i d d l e v o i c e ' , t h e attitude o f ' m a k i n g o n e s e l f visible', o f deriving libidinal satisfaction from actively s u s t a i n i n g
the
scene o f one's own
passive s u b m i s s i o n .
Conse
quently, f r o m the L a c a n i a n standpoint, this p r i m o r d i a l g e s t u r e o f 'fantasm a t i z a t i o n ' is t h e v e r y b i r t h p l a c e a n d t h e u l t i m a t e m y s t e r y o f w h a t K a n t a n d t h e e n t i r e t r a d i t i o n o f G e r m a n I d e a l i s m r e f e r s t o as
'transcendental
i m a g i n a t i o n ' , this abyssal c a p a c i t y o f f r e e d o m t h a t e n a b l e s t h e s u b j e c t to d i s e n g a g e i t s e l f f r o m its i m m e r s i o n i n its s u r r r o u n d i n g s . L a t e r in his work, L a p l a n c h e e l a b o r a t e d this g e s t u r e o f reflexive 'fantasmatization'
into a theory o f the
original seduction
s c e n e as t h e
true
'primordial s c e n e ' o f psychoanalysis: a child impotently witnessing a s c e n e o f sexual interaction, or b e i n g h i m s e l f s u b m i t t e d to gestures (from parents o r o t h e r a d u l t s ) w h i c h p o s s e s s s o m e m y s t e r i o u s s e x u a l c o n n o t a t i o n t h a t is impenetrable
t o h i m . I t is i n t h i s g a p
that
human
sexuality a n d
the
U n c o n s c i o u s o r i g i n a t e : i n t h e f a c t t h a t a c h i l d ( e v e r y o n e o f u s ) is at s o m e point the i m p o t e n t observer, c a u g h t in s o m e sexualized situation
which
remains impenetrable to him, which he c a n n o t symbolize, integrate into the universe o f m e a n i n g
(observing parental coitus, being submitted
to
e x c e s s i v e m a t e r n a l c a r e s s i n g , e t c . ) . W h e r e , h o w e v e r , is t h e U n c o n s c i o u s i n all t h i s ? T h e U n c o n s c i o u s e n c o u n t e r e d h e r e , i n t h i s p r i m o r d i a l s c e n e o f s e d u c t i o n , is the adult's
(parent's)
Unconscious, not the child's: when
c h i l d is e x p o s e d t o e x c e s s i v e m a t e r n a l c a r e s s i n g , say, h e o b s e r v e s
a
that
M o t h e r h e r s e l f d o e s s o m e t h i n g t h a t g o e s b e y o n d w h a t s h e is fully a w a r e of, t h a t s h e d e r i v e s f r o m f o n d l i n g h i m a s a t i s f a c t i o n w h o s e b a s i s is b e y o n d h e r g r a s p . L a c a n ' s d i c t u m ' t h e U n c o n s c i o u s is t h e d i s c o u r s e o f t h e O t h e r ' is t h e r e f o r e t o b e t a k e n q u i t e l i t e r a l l y , b e y o n d t h e s t a n d a r d
platitudes
a b o u t h o w I a m n o t t h e s u b j e c t / m a s t e r o f m y s p e e c h , s i n c e it is t h e b i g O t h e r who speaks through m e , a n d so on: the primordial e n c o u n t e r o f t h e U n c o n s c i o u s is t h e e n c o u n t e r w i t h t h e O t h e r ' s i n c o n s i s t e n c y , w i t h t h e f a c t t h a t t h e [ p a r e n t a l ] O t h e r is n o t a c t u a l l y t h e m a s t e r o f h i s a c t s a n d w o r d s , t h a t h e e m i t s s i g n a l s o f w h o s e m e a n i n g h e is u n a w a r e , t h a t
he
p e r f o r m s a c t s w h o s e t r u e l i b i d i n a l t e n o r is i n a c c e s s i b l e t o h i m . O n e is thus t e m p t e d to r e p e a t h e r e H e g e l ' s f a m o u s d i c t u m t h a t t h e secrets o f the Egyptians ( t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e i r rituals a n d m o n u m e n t s , i m p e n e t r a b l e to o u r m o d e r n W e s t e r n gaze) were also secrets for the Egyptians themselves: the
whole
construction
o f the
scene
o f primordial
seduction
as
the
o r i g i n a l site o f s e x u a l i z a t i o n h o l d s o n l y i f w e p r e s u p p o s e t h a t it is n o t o n l y t h e o b s e r v i n g a n d / o r v i c t i m i z e d c h i l d f o r w h o m t h e s c e n e is i m p e n e t r a b l e
PASSIONATE (DIS ) A T T A C H M E N T S
285
a n d e n i g m a t i c - w h a t b a f f l e s t h e o b s e r v i n g / v i c t i m i z e d c h i l d is t h e
fact
t h a t h e is w i t n e s s i n g a s c e n e w h i c h is o b v i o u s l y i m p e n e t r a b l e a l s o t o t h e active adult p e r p e t r a t o r s
themselves -
that they, too, ' d o n ' t k n o w
what
they're doing'. T h i s c o n s t e l l a t i o n also e n a b l e s us to t h r o w n e w light o n L a c a n ' s c l a i m ( m e n t i o n e d a b o v e ) t h a t ' t h e r e is n o s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p ' : i f t h e and
confusion
were
to
be
only
on
the
side
of
the
enigma
child,
in
his
( m i s ) p e r c e p t i o n as s o m e t h i n g m y s t e r i o u s o f w h a t , f o r t h e p a r e n t s
them
s e l v e s , is a t h o r o u g h l y
there
natural
and
unproblematic
activity, t h e n
definitely would b e a ' n o r m a l ' sexual relationship. However, the worn-out p h r a s e ' d e e p i n s i d e e v e r y a d u l t , t h e r e is a c h i l d w h o is still a l i v e ' is n o t without foundation,
i f it is p r o p e r l y u n d e r s t o o d
as m e a n i n g t h a t
even
w h e n t h e p r o v e r b i a l two c o n s e n t i n g a d u l t s e n g a g e i n ' n o r m a l a n d h e a l t h y ' s e x in the privacy o f t h e i r b e d r o o m , they are n e v e r q u i t e a l o n e in t h e r e : t h e r e is always a ' f a n t a s m a t i z e d '
child's
gaze o b s e r v i n g t h e m ,
a gaze
-
u s u a l l y ' i n t e r n a l i z e d ' - o n a c c o u n t o f w h i c h t h e i r a c t i v i t y is u l t i m a t e l y i m p e n e t r a b l e t o t h e m s e l v e s . O r - t o p u t it i n y e t a n o t h e r way - t h e p o i n t o f t h e s c e n e o f p r i m o r d i a l s e d u c t i o n is n o t t h a t a d u l t s a c c i d e n t a l l y i n f r i n g e upon
the
child, disturbing
his fragile b a l a n c e with
a display o f their
jouissance
- t h e p o i n t , r a t h e r , is t h a t t h e c h i l d ' s g a z e is i n c l u d e d , c o m p r e
hended,
from
the
very b e g i n n i n g
in
the
situation
o f adult
parental
s e x u a l i t y , r a t h e r l i k e K a f k a ' s p a r a b l e o f t h e D o o r o f t h e L a w : j u s t as t h e m a n f r o m t h e c o u n t r y d i s c o v e r s at t h e e n d t h a t t h e s c e n e o f t h e m a j e s t i c entrance
to the
palace o f the
L a w was s t a g e d o n l y for his gaze,
p a r e n t a l s e x u a l display, far f r o m
unintentionally disturbing
the
the
child's
e q u i l i b r i u m , is i n a way ' t h e r e o n l y f o r t h e c h i l d ' s g a z e ' . Is n o t t h e u l t i m a t e paradisiacal fantasy t h a t o f p a r e n t s c o p u l a t i n g in f r o n t o f t h e i r child, w h o observes
them
and
makes
comments? We
are
thus
dealing
with
the
s t r u c t u r e o f a t e m p o r a l l o o p : t h e r e is s e x u a l i t y n o t o n l y b e c a u s e o f a g a p between adult sexuality a n d the child's u n p r e p a r e d
gaze t r a u m a t i z e d by
its d i s p l a y , b u t b e c a u s e t h i s c h i l d ' s p e r p l e x i t y c o n t i n u e s t o s u s t a i n 4
adult
1
s e x u a l activity i t s e l f . ' T h i s p a r a d o x a l s o e x p l a i n s t h e b l i n d s p o t o f t h e t o p i c o f s e x u a l h a r a s s m e n t : there is no sex without
an element of
( o f the p e r p l e x e d gaze violently s h o c k e d , traumatized,
c h a r a c t e r o f w h a t is g o i n g o n ) . T h e p r o t e s t a g a i n s t s e x u a l a g a i n s t v i o l e n t l y i m p o s e d s e x , is t h u s u l t i m a t e l y the protest such,
if o n e subtracts from
'harassment'
by t h e
uncanny
harassment, against
t h e s e x u a l i n t e r p l a y its p a i n f u l l y
sex as
traumatic
c h a r a c t e r , t h e r e m a i n d e r is s i m p l y n o l o n g e r s e x u a l . ' M a t u r e ' s e x b e t w e e n the proverbial c o n s e n t i n g adults, deprived o f the traumatic e l e m e n t o f
THE
286
TICKLISH
s h o c k i n g i m p o s i t i o n , is b y d e f i n i t i o n
SUBJECT
desexualized,
turned into m e c h a n i c
coupling. F r o m m y y o u t h , I r e m e m b e r o b s c e n e r h y m i n g s o n g s five-year-old chil dren used to recite to each other, songs o f ridiculous sexual exploits w h o s e h e r o was a m y t h i c a l a n o n y m o u s
'cowboy'. O n e
o f these
songs
( w h i c h , o f c o u r s e , r h y m e s o n l y i n S l o v e n e ) w e n t as f o l l o w s : ' T h e c o w b o y w i t h o u t a h a t / is s c r e w i n g a w o m a n b e h i n d a t r e e . / H o w e v e r , w h e n s h e t r i e s t o e s c a p e h i m a n d r u n s away / h e f o r a b r i e f m o m e n t s e e s [ c a t c h e s a g l i m p s e o f ] h e r n a k e d a s s . ' T h e c h a r m - i f w e m a y p u t it t h a t w a y - o f t h i s c h i l d h o o d s o n g lies i n t h e f a c t t h a t , i n its p e r s p e c t i v e , t h e r e is n o t h i n g e s p e c i a l l y e x c i t i n g i n t h e a c t o f c o p u l a t i o n ; t h i s a c t s p e a k s f o r itself— w h a t is t r u l y e x c i t i n g , r a t h e r , is t h e b r i e f m o m e n t o f c a t c h i n g s i g h t o f a w o m a n ' s n a k e d ass. . . .
0 H
A n d , o f c o u r s e , m y p o i n t is t h a t t h i s c h i l d i s h s o n g is
b a s i c a l l y r i g h t : c o n t r a r y t o t h e s t a n d a r d view, w h i c h d e p i c t s c o p u l a t i o n as t h e m o s t e x c i t i n g , c l i m a c t i c m o m e n t o f s e x u a l activity, o n e s h o u l d i n s i s t t h a t , i n o r d e r f o r t h e s u b j e c t t o b e a r o u s e d in t h e first p l a c e a n d b e a b l e to p e r f o r m the act o f copulation, s o m e particular 'partial' e l e m e n t m u s t f a s c i n a t e h i m ( o r h e r ) - as, in t h e c a s e o f this s o n g , t h e b r i e f g l a n c e o f t h e n a k e d ass. ' T h e r e is n o s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p ' a l s o m e a n s t h a t t h e r e is no direct representation o f the act o f copulation which would immediately ' t u r n u s o n ' , t h a t s e x u a l i t y m u s t b e s u p p o r t e d b y p a r t i a l puissances
-
a
g l a n c e h e r e , a s q u e e z e o r t o u c h t h e r e - w h i c h i n f a c t s u s t a i n it. A g a i n , t h e a n s w e r t o t h e o b v i o u s c r i t i c i s m t h a t it is children
who have n o
proper
r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e a c t o f c o p u l a t i o n i t s e l f - t h a t is, t h e i r h o r i z o n o f s e x u a l i t y is l i m i t e d
to e x p e r i e n c e s like c a t c h i n g a glance o f
p e r s o n ' s ass - is t h a t , a t a c e r t a i n p h a n t a s m i c l e v e l , we r e m a i n a n d n e v e r r e a l l y ' g r o w u p ' , i n s o f a r a s , f o r a truly g r o w n - u p a n d
another children mature
p e r s o n , t h e r e w o u l d b e a s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p - i n s o f a r , t h a t is, as h e o r s h e was a b l e t o c o p u l a t e ' d i r e c t l y ' , w i t h o u t t h e p h a n t a s m i c s u p p o r t o f s o m e s c e n e involving a partial o b j e c t .
5 1
Is n o t t h e s u p r e m e c a s e o f s u c h a p a r t i c u l a r f e a t u r e t h a t s u s t a i n s impossible sexual relationship
the
curling blonde
the
hair in H i t c h c o c k ' s
Vertigo? W h e n , i n t h e l o v e s c e n e i n t h e b a r n t o w a r d s t h e e n d o f t h e f i l m , Scottie passionately e m b r a c e s J u d y refashioned into the dead M a d e l e i n e , d u r i n g t h e i r f a m o u s 3 6 0 - d e g r e e kiss, h e s t o p s k i s s i n g h e r j u s t l o n g e n o u g h t o s t e a l a l o o k at h e r n e w l y b l o n d e h a i r , as i f t o r e a s s u r e h i m s e l f t h a t t h e p a r t i c u l a r f e a t u r e w h i c h m a k e s h e r i n t o t h e o b j e c t o f d e s i r e is still t h e r e . . . . Here
the opposition between
the vortex that threatens
to swallow
Scottie (the 'vertigo' o f the tide, t h e deadly T h i n g ) a n d the curl o f the b l o n d e hair that imitates the vertigo o f the T h i n g , but in a miniaturized,
PASSIONATE
287
(DIS)ATTACHMENTS
g e n t r i f i e d f o r m . T h i s c u r l is t h e objet petit a w h i c h c o n d e n s e s t h e i m p o s s i b l e d e a d l y T h i n g , s e r v i n g as its s t a n d - i n a n d t h u s e n a b l i n g us t o e n t e r t a i n a l i v a b l e r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h it w i t h o u t b e i n g s w a l l o w e d b y it. O r s o n W e l l e s ' s film The Immortal
Story, b a s e d o n K a r e n B l i x e n ' s n o v e l , is
o f i n t e r e s t n o t o n l y b e c a u s e it f o c u s e s o n
the ambiguous
relationship
b e t w e e n m y t h a n d reality: the r i c h o l d m e r c h a n t wants to a c t o u t
the
sailors' m y t h i c narrative o f a rich o l d h u s b a n d w h o pays a y o u n g sailor t o spend
t h e n i g h t with his y o u n g wife, a n d thus p r o c u r e a n h e i r to his
w e a l t h - h e w a n t s , as it w e r e , t o c l o s e t h e g a p b e t w e e n m y t h a n d r e a l i t y , t h a t is, t o p r o d u c e a s a i l o r w h o will finally b e a b l e t o r e l a t e t h i s m y t h i c n a r r a t i v e as s o m e t h i n g t h a t a c t u a l l y h a p p e n e d
to him
(the attempt, o f
c o u r s e , fails: t h e s a i l o r a n n o u n c e s t h a t n o a m o u n t o f m o n e y will i n d u c e him
to
tell a n y o n e w h a t
happened
to h i m ) . M o r e interesting
is
the
phantasmic staging o f the scene o f lovemaking: b e h i n d a half-transparent c u r t a i n , o n a b r i g h t l y lit b e d , t h e c o u p l e a r e m a k i n g l o v e , w h i l e t h e o l d m e r c h a n t sits h a l f - c o n c e a l e d i n a d e e p a r m c h a i r i n t h e d a r k n e s s n e a r b y , a n d o v e r h e a r s t h e i r a c t o f l o v e - h e r e w e h a v e t h e T h i r d G a z e as t h e u l t i m a t e g u a r a n t e e o f t h e s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p . T h a t is t o say, it is t h e v e r y p r e s e n c e o f the silent witness w h o listens to the c o u p l e m a k i n g love that t r a n s u b s t a n t i a t e s w h a t is u l t i m a t e l y a n e n c o u n t e r b e t w e e n a p a i d s a i l o r a n d a n a g e d p r o s t i t u t e i n t o a m y t h i c e v e n t t h a t t r a n s c e n d s its m a t e r i a l c o n d i t i o n s . I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e m i r a c l e t h a t o c c u r s is n o t t h a t t h e
two
lovers s o m e h o w t r a n s c e n d t h e i r m i s e r a b l e real-life situation, f o r g e t a b o u t the ridiculous c o n d i t i o n s o f their e n c o u n t e r , get i m m e r s e d in e a c h o t h e r a n d thus p r o d u c e an a u t h e n t i c l o v e - e n c o u n t e r ; they s u c c e e d in
transub
stantiating t h a t m i s e r a b l e situation into the m i r a c l e o f a n a u t h e n t i c lovee n c o u n t e r p r e c i s e l y because
t h e y a r e a w a r e t h a t t h e y a r e d o i n g it f o r a
s i l e n t w i t n e s s , t h a t t h e y a r e ' r e a l i z i n g a m y t h ' - t h e two l o v e r s b e h a v e as i f they are n o person's
dream.
l o n g e r m i s e r a b l e real p e o p l e , but The
silent witness, far f r o m
actors/agents
intruding
in
in an
another intimate
s i t u a t i o n a n d s p o i l i n g it, is its k e y c o n s t i t u e n t . I t is a s t a n d a r d c l i c h e t h a t , s i m p l e a n d a u s t e r e as it is, The Immortal
Story is W e l l e s ' s u l t i m a t e e x e r c i s e
in self-reflection - that t h e o l d m e r c h a n t who stages t h e s c e n e o f lovem a k i n g ( p l a y e d , o f c o u r s e , b y W e l l e s h i m s e l f ) is t h e o b v i o u s s t a n d - i n f o r W e l l e s h i m s e l f as d i r e c t o r - p e r h a p s this c l i c h e s h o u l d b e t u r n e d a r o u n d , a n d t h e o l d m e r c h a n t o b s e r v i n g t h e s c e n e is t h e s t a n d - i n f o r t h e s p e c t a t o r . T h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n L a c a n a n d L a p l a n c h e is n e v e r t h e l e s s c r u c i a l h e r e : f o r L a p l a n c h e , d r i v e is c o n s u b s t a n t i a l w i t h f a n t a s y - t h a t is t o say, it is t h e v e r y r e f l e x i v e t u r n i n t o p h a n t a s m i c ' i n t e r n a l i z a t i o n ' w h i c h
brings
a b o u t t h e t r a n s f o r m a t i o n o f instinct into drive; for L a c a n , o n t h e contrary,
THE
288
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
t h e r e is a d r i v e b e y o n d f a n t a s y . W h a t d o e s t h i s d r i v e b e y o n d f a n t a s y m e a n ? P e r h a p s a n o t h e r d i f f e r e n c e a l l o w s us t o t h r o w s o m e l i g h t o n point: while o n e
c o u l d claim that, for L a c a n also, the
p s y c h o a n a l y s i s is t h e c h i l d ' s t r a u m a t i c e x p e r i e n c e w i t h t h e ' d a r k s p o t ' o f t h e O t h e r ' s jouissance
this k e y
'birthplace' o f impenetrable
w h i c h disturbs the c a l m o f his psychic
h o m e o s t a s i s , L a c a n d e t e r m i n e s f a n t a s y as a n answer to t h e e n i g m a o f t h i s ' d a r k s p o t ' ( d e s i g n a t e d , i n h i s ' g r a p h o f d e s i r e ' , b y t h e q u e s t i o n Che
vuoi?
- ' W h a t d o e s t h e O t h e r want f r o m m e ? W h a t [as a n o b j e c t ] a m I for t h e 5 2
O t h e r , for his d e s i r e ? ' ) . T h e p r e - p h a n t a s m i c drive w o u l d t h e n d e s i g n a t e the stance o f exposing oneself to the 'dark spot' o f the O t h e r ' s e n i g m a w i t h o u t f i l l i n g it w i t h a p h a n t a s m i c a n s w e r . . . . T h u s f o r L a c a n f a n t a s y is a m i n i m a l ' d e f e n c e - f o r m a t i o n ' , a s t r a t a g e m to e l u d e - what? H e r e , o n e should return to the F r e u d i a n n o t i o n o f the original
Hilflosig-
heit ( h e l p l e s s n e s s / d i s t r e s s ) o f t h e i n f a n t . T h e first f e a t u r e t o b e n o t e d is t h a t t h i s ' d i s t r e s s ' c o v e r s two i n t e r c o n n e c t e d b u t n o n e t h e l e s s d i f f e r e n t levels: p u r e l y o r g a n i c h e l p l e s s n e s s ( t h e s m a l l c h i l d ' s i n a b i l i t y to survive, to satisfy h i s / h e r m o s t e l e m e n t a r y n e e d s , w i t h o u t t h e p a r e n t s ' h e l p ) , as w e l l as t h e t r a u m a t i c p e r p l e x i t y w h i c h o c c u r s w h e n t h e c h i l d is t h r o w n the position o f a helpless witness to sexual interplay b e t w e e n parents o r o t h e r adults, o r b e t w e e n a d u l t ( s )
into
his/her
a n d h i m s e l f : t h e c h i l d is
h e l p l e s s , w i t h o u t ' c o g n i t i v e m a p p i n g ' , w h e n h e o r s h e is c o n f r o n t e d t h e e n i g m a o f t h e O t h e r ' s jouissance, sexual gestures and innuendos
by
u n a b l e to s y m b o l i z e t h e m y s t e r i o u s
h e is w i t n e s s i n g . C r u c i a l f o r
'becoming
h u m a n ' is t h e o v e r l a p p i n g o f t h e two l e v e l s - t h e i m p l i c i t ' s e x u a l i z a t i o n ' o f t h e way a p a r e n t s a t i s f i e s a c h i l d ' s b o d i l y n e e d s (say, w h e n t h e m o t h e r feeds the child while caressing h i m excessively a n d the c h i l d detects in this e x c e s s t h e mystery o f s e x u a l
jouissance).
S o , back to Butler: the crucial question
c o n c e r n s the
s t a t u s o f t h i s o r i g i n a l a n d c o n s t i t u t i v e Hilflosigkeit: f o r t h e g a p o f t h e p r i m o r d i a l dis-aUachment phantasmic primordial we
turn
the
philosophical
is it n o t a n o t h e r
name
that triggers the n e e d for the
'passionate a t t a c h m e n t ' ? In o t h e r words, what if
perspective
around
and
conceive o f the
obstacle
which
p r e v e n t s t h e i n f a n t f r o m fully f i t t i n g i n t o its e n v i r o n m e n t , o f t h i s o r i g i n a l ' o u t - o f - j o i n t ' , a l s o in its p o s i t i v e a s p e c t , as a n o t h e r n a m e f o r t h e v e r y a b y s s o f freedom, for that gesture o f 'disconnecting' which liberates a subject f r o m its d i r e c t i m m e r s i o n i n its s u r r o u n d i n g s ? O r - t o p u t it i n y e t a n o t h e r way — t r u e , t h e s u b j e c t is, as it w e r e , ' b l a c k m a i l e d ' i n t o p a s s i v e l y s u b m i t t i n g to s o m e f o r m o f p r i m o r d i a l ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t ' , s i n c e , o u t s i d e o f this, h e s i m p l y d o e s n o t e x i s t - h o w e v e r , t h i s n o n e x i s t e n c e is n o t d i r e c t l y t h e a b s e n c e o f e x i s t e n c e , b u t a c e r t a i n g a p o r void in t h e o r d e r o f b e i n g
PASSIONATE which
'is' the
s u b j e c t itself. T h e
provide for a m i n i m u m negativity' ment -
(DIS)ATTACHMENTS need
for
289
'passionate
attachment'
o f b e i n g i m p l i e s t h a t t h e s u b j e c t qua
to
'abstract
t h e p r i m o r d i a l g e s t u r e o f d i s - a t t a c h m e n t f r o m its e n v i r o n
is already
there. F a n t a s y is t h u s a d e f e n c e - f o r m a t i o n a g a i n s t
the
p r i m o r d i a l abyss o f d i s - a t t a c h m e n t , o f t h e loss o f ( t h e s u p p o r t i n ) b e i n g , w h i c h 'is' t h e s u b j e c t itself. A t this p r e c i s e p o i n t , t h e n , B u t l e r s h o u l d
be
s u p p l e m e n t e d : t h e e m e r g e n c e o f t h e s u b j e c t is n o t s t r i c t i y e q u i v a l e n t t o s u b j e c t i o n (in t h e s e n s e o f ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t ' , o f s u b m i s s i o n to s o m e figure o f t h e O t h e r ) , s i n c e f o r ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t ' to take p l a c e t h e g a p t h a t ' i s ' t h e s u b j e c t m u s t a l r e a d y b e t h e r e . O n l y i f t h i s g a p is a l r e a d y t h e r e c a n w e e x p l a i n h o w it is p o s s i b l e f o r t h e s u b j e c t t o e s c a p e t h e h o l d o f the fundamental
fantasy.
O n e c o u l d also link this o p p o s i t i o n o f a t t a c h m e n t a n d
dis-attachment
t o t h e o l d F r e u d i a n m e t a p s y c h o l o g i c a l o p p o s i t i o n o f life a n d d e a t h d r i v e : in
The Ego and
the Id, F r e u d h i m s e l f d e f i n e s
them
as t h e
opposition
between the forces o f c o n n e c t i o n / u n i t y and the forces o f d i s c o n n e c t i o n / d i s u n i t y . D i s - a t t a c h m e n t is t h u s t h e d e a t h d r i v e at its p u r e s t , t h e g e s t u r e o f ontological 'derailment' which throws t h e o r d e r o f B e i n g 'out o f j o i n t ' , the
gesture
o f dis-investment,
o f 'contraction'/withdrawal
i m m e r s e d i n t h e w o r l d , a n d p r i m o r d i a l a t t a c h m e n t is t h e to this n e g a t i v e g e s t u r e .
In
t h e last r e s o r t ,
from
being
counter-move
this n e g a t i v e
tendency
to
d i s r u p t i o n is n o n e o t h e r t h a n libido i t s e l f : w h a t t h r o w s a ( f u t u r e ) s u b j e c t ' o u t o f j o i n t ' is n o n e o t h e r t h a n t h e t r a u m a t i c e n c o u n t e r w i t h A p r o p o s o f this p r i m o r d i a l c o n c e i v e o f it as t h e e f f e c t
jouissance.™
gap, o n e s h o u l d avoid the t e m p t a t i o n o f the intervention
o f the
paternal
Prohibition that disturbs the incestuous dyad o f the child a n d
to
Law/
his/her
M o t h e r , c o m p e l l i n g t h e c h i l d to e n t e r t h e d i m e n s i o n o f symbolic castra tion/distance: the gap, the
experience o f the
'dismembered
b o d y ' , is
p r i m o r d i a l ; it is t h e e f f e c t o f t h e d e a t h d r i v e , o f t h e i n t r u s i o n o f s o m e e x c e s s i v e / t r a u m a t i c puissance pleasure
principle, and
that disturbs
the paternal
Law -
the
smooth
not unlike
b a l a n c e o f the the
imaginary
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h t h e m i r r o r - i m a g e - is a n a t t e m p t t o g e n t r i f y / s t a b i l i z e this g a p . O n e s h o u l d n e v e r f o r g e t that, f o r L a c a n , t h e O e d i p a l L a w is u l t i m a t e l y in the service of the 'pleasure principle': pacification-normalization
which,
far
from
paternal
it is t h e a g e n c y o f
disturbing
the
b a l a n c e of
pleasure, 'stabilizes t h e i m p o s s i b l e ' , b r i n g i n g a b o u t the m i n i m a l c o n d i tions
f o r t h e t o l e r a b l e c o e x i s t e n c e o f s u b j e c t s . ( M i s r e a d i n g s l i k e this sustain
t h e t e m p t a t i o n to write a k i n d o f n e g a t i v e i n t r o d u c t i o n to L a c a n , taking as t h e s t a r t i n g p o i n t a f a l s e c l i c h e a b o u t h i m , a n d t h e n d e s c r i b i n g h i s a c t u a l p o s i t i o n t h r o u g h its r e c t i f i c a t i o n . A p a r t f r o m t h e a b o v e - m e n t i o n e d
THE
290
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
c l i c h e o n t h e p a t e r n a l L a w as t h e a g e n c y t h a t i n t r o d u c e s t h e g a p , t h e r e a r e t h e c l i c h e s o n t h e p i e c e o f w o o d i n t h e Fort-Da
g a m e as s i g n i f y i n g
M o t h e r ' s p r e s e n c e / a b s e n c e ; o n ' e m p t y s p e e c h ' as i n a u t h e n d c b a b b l e ; o n jouissance
feminine
as t h e m y s t i c a l a b y s s o u t s i d e t h e s y m b o l i c d o m a i n ;
on
g a z e as t h e m a l e s u b j e c t ' s l o o k w h i c h c o n f i n e s w o m a n t o t h e r o l e o f its object; etc.)
F r o m Desire to Drive . . . and B a c k O u r c r i t i c a l r e m a r k s o n B u t l e r a r e b a s e d o n a full e n d o r s e m e n t o f h e r basic insight into the p r o f o u n d link b e t w e e n - even the ultimate identity of -
the
two
aspects o r
modes
o f reflexivity: reflexivity in
the
strict
p h i l o s o p h i c a l s e n s e o f n e g a t i v e s e l f - r e l a t i n g , w h i c h is c o n s t i t u t i v e o f s u b j e c tivity i n t h e t r a d i t i o n o f G e r m a n I d e a l i s m f r o m K a n t t o H e g e l ( t h e f a c t e m p h a s i z e d e s p e c i a l l y b y , a m o n g r e c e n t i n t e r p r e t e r s , R o b e r t P i p p i n : i n its r e l a t i n g t o its O t h e r , d i e s u b j e c t a l w a y s - a l r e a d y r e l a t e s t o itself, t h a t is, c o n s c i o u s n e s s is a l w a y s - a l r e a d y s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s ) , a n d r e f l e x i v i t y i n t h e psychoanalytic sense o f the
reflexive turn
that defines
the
gesture o f
'primordial repression' (the reversal o f the regulation o f desire into the 4
d e s i r e f o r r e g u l a t i o n , e t c . ) . " ' T h i s r e f l e x i v e t u r n is a l r e a d y c l e a r l y d i s c e r n i b l e i n w h a t is a r g u a b l y t h e p a r a d i g m a t i c n a r r a t i v e o f t h e d e f e n c e a g a i n s t e x c e s s i v e jouissance,
that o f Ulysses m e e t i n g t h e S i r e n s ; t h e o r d e r h e gives
h i s s a i l o r s p r i o r t o t h e m e e t i n g is: ' Y o u m u s t tie m e h a r d i n h u r t f u l b o n d s , t o h o l d m e fast in p o s i t i o n u p r i g h t a g a i n s t t h e m a s t , with t h e r o p e s ' e n d s f a s t e n e d a r o u n d it; b u t i f I s u p p l i c a t e y o u a n d i m p l o r e y o u t o s e t m e f r e e , t h e n y o u m u s t tie m e fast w i t h e v e n m o r e l a s h i n g s . ' hard
in
hurtful
bonds'
is c l e a r l y e x c e s s i v e i n
i n s t r u c t i o n s : we p a s s f r o m jouissance
bonding
5 r >
the
T h e o r d e r to 'tie m e context o f Circe's
as a d e f e n c e a g a i n s t t h e e x c e s s i v e
o f the Sirens' song to b o n d i n g
i t s e l f as t h e s o u r c e o f e r o t i c
satisfaction. T h i s reflexiviry n o n e t h e less a s s u m e s d i f f e r e n t m o d a l i t i e s - n o t o n l y between philosophy and
psychoanalysis, b u t also within
psychoanalysis
itself: t h e r e f l e x i v i t y o f drive vie h a v e f o c u s e d o n i n t h i s c h a p t e r is n o t t h e s a m e as t h e h y s t e r i c a l r e f l e x i v i t y o f desire w e d i s c u s s e d i n C h a p t e r 2 ( i . e . t h e f a c t t h a t h y s t e r i a is d e f i n e d
by t h e reversal o f t h e impossibility to
satisfy d e s i r e i n t o t h e d e s i r e t o k e e p d e s i r e i t s e l f u n s a t i s f i e d , e t c . ) .
How
a r e t h e s e two r e f l e x i v i t i e s r e l a t e d ? T h e o p p o s i t i o n h e r e is b e t w e e n p e r v e r s i o n a n d h y s t e r i a : i f d e s i r e ' a s s u c h ' is h y s t e r i c a l , d r i v e ' a s s u c h ' is p e r v e r s e . T h a t is to say, h y s t e r i a a n d p e r v e r s i o n
a r e c a u g h t in a k i n d o f c l o s e d
PASSIONATE
(DIS)ATTACHMENTS
291
d e a d l y l o o p w i t h i n w h i c h e a c h o f t h e t w o c a n b e c o n c e i v e d o f as
the
r e a c t i o n t o its o p p o s i t e . D r i v e d e f i n e s t h e m a s o c h i s t i c p a r a m e t e r s o f t h e primordial
'passionate attachment',
o f the fundamental
fantasy
which
g u a r a n t e e s the m i n i m u m o f b e i n g to the subject; subjectivity p r o p e r e m e r g e s t h r o u g h the hysterical disavowal o f this p r i m o r d i a l
then
'passionate
a t t a c h m e n t ' - t h r o u g h t h e s u b j e c t ' s refusal to a s s u m e t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e o b j e c t - i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e O t h e r ' s jouissance
- the hysterical subject inces
s a n t l y q u e s t i o n s h i s / h e r p o s i t i o n ( h i s / h e r b a s i c q u e s t i o n is ' W h a t a m I f o r the
Other? Why am I what
the
O t h e r says I a m ? ' ) .
S o not only
h y s t e r i c a l d e s i r e b e c o n c e i v e d o f as t h e d i s a v o w a l o f t h e
can
fundamental
fantasy e n d o r s e d by the pervert; perversion itself ( a s s u m i n g the position o f t h e o b j e c t - i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e O t h e r ' s jouissance)
c a n also b e c o n c e i v e d
o f as t h e e s c a p e i n t o s e l f - o b j e c t i v i z a t i o n w h i c h e n a b l e s m e t o a v o i d
the
d e a d l o c k o f t h e r a d i c a l u n c e r t a i n t y o f w h a t I a m as a n o b j e c t — t h e p e r v e r t , b y d e f i n i t i o n , knows w h a t , as a n o b j e c t , h e is f o r t h e O t h e r . D e s i r e a n d d r i v e a r e c l e a r l y o p p o s e d w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e way t h e y r e l a t e t o jouissance.
F o r L a c a n , t h e t r o u b l e w i t h jouissance
is n o t o n l y t h a t it is
u n a t t a i n a b l e , a l w a y s - a l r e a d y l o s t , t h a t it f o r e v e r e l u d e s o u r g r a s p , b u t , e v e n m o r e , t h a t one can never get rid of it, t h a t its s t a i n d r a g s o n f o r e v e r - t h a t is t h e p o i n t o f L a c a n ' s c o n c e p t o f s u r p l u s - e n j o y m e n t : t h e very r e n u n c i a t i o n o f jouissance
b r i n g s a b o u t a r e m a i n d e r / s u r p l u s o f jouissance.
Desire stands
f o r t h e e c o n o m y i n w h i c h w h a t e v e r o b j e c t w e g e t h o l d o f is ' n e v e r it', t h e ' R e a l T h i n g ' , t h a t w h i c h t h e s u b j e c t is f o r e v e r t r y i n g t o a t t a i n b u t w h i c h e l u d e s h i m again a n d again, while drive stands for the o p p o s i t e e c o n o m y , w i t h i n w h i c h t h e s t a i n o f jouissance explains
the
difference
in
the
always a c c o m p a n i e s o u r a c t s . T h i s a l s o reflexivity o f drive
and
desire:
desire
r e f l e x i v e l y d e s i r e s its o w n u n s a t i s f a c t i o n , t h e p o s t p o n e m e n t o f t h e e n c o u n t e r w i t h jouissance to turn the
- t h a t is, t h e b a s i c f o r m u l a o f t h e r e f l e x i v i t y o f d e s i r e is
i m p o s s i b i l i t y o f satisfying
desire
into
the
desire for
non-
satisfaction; drive, o n the contrary, finds satisfaction in (i.e. b e s m i r c h e s with t h e stain o f satisfaction) the very m o v e m e n t d e s t i n e d to
'repress'
satisfaction. W h a t , t h e n , is d r i v e , e s p e c i a l l y i n its m o s t r a d i c a l f o r m , t h a t o f t h e d e a t h drive? A l o o k at W a g n e r i a n h e r o e s c a n be o f s o m e h e l p h e r e : from first
their
p a r a d i g m a t i c case, the Flying D u t c h m a n , they a r e possessed by an
u n c o n d i t i o n a l passion for dying, for finding ultimate p e a c e a n d
redemp
t i o n i n d e a t h . T h e i r p r e d i c a m e n t is t h a t at s o m e t i m e in t h e p a s t t h e y h a v e c o m m i t t e d s o m e u n s p e a k a b l e evil d e e d , s o t h a t t h e y a r e c o n d e m n e d t o p a y f o r it n o t b y d e a t h , b u t b y b e i n g c o n d e m n e d t o a life o f e t e r n a l s u f f e r i n g , o f h e l p l e s s l y w a n d e r i n g a r o u n d , u n a b l e t o fulfil t h e i r s y m b o l i c
THE
292
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
f u n c t i o n . W h e r e is t h e d e a t h d r i v e h e r e ? I t p r e c i s e l y d o e s not l i e i n t h e i r l o n g i n g t o d i e , t o find p e a c e i n d e a t h : t h e d e a t h d r i v e , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , is the very opposite of dying, i t is a n a m e f o r t h e ' u n d e a d ' e t e r n a l life i t s e l f , f o r the
horrible
wandering
fate
of being
around
in
caught
guilt
and
in
pain.
the
endless
repetitive
cycle
of
final
passing-away
of
the
The
Wagnerian hero (the death o f the Dutchman, Wotan, Tristan, Amfortas) is t h e r e f o r e t h e m o m e n t o f t h e i r liberation f r o m t h e c l u t c h e s o f t h e d e a t h d r i v e . T r i s t a n i n A c t I I I is n o t d e s p e r a t e b e c a u s e o f h i s f e a r o f d y i n g : w h a t m a k e s h i m s o d e s p e r a t e is t h e f a c t t h a t , w i t h o u t I s o l d e , h e cannot is c o n d e m n e d
to eternal l o n g i n g -
die a n d
h e a n x i o u s l y awaits h e r a r r i v a l
so
t h a t h e c a n d i e . T h e p r o s p e c t h e d r e a d s is n o t t h a t o f d y i n g w i t h o u t I s o l d e ( t h e s t a n d a r d c o m p l a i n t o f a l o v e r ) b u t , r a t h e r , t h a t o f e n d l e s s life w i t h o u t her. . . . This
gives u s
a
clue
to
p r e c i s e l y , is t h e complaint
the
paradigmatic
[Klage]
Wagnerian
song,
which,
o f t h e h e r o , e x p r e s s i n g his h o r r o r
at
b e i n g c o n d e m n e d to a life o f e t e r n a l suffering, to w a n d e r i n g a r o u n d
or
l i v i n g as t h e ' u n d e a d ' m o n s t e r , l o n g i n g f o r p e a c e in d e a t h
( f r o m its first
e x a m p l e , t h e D u t c h m a n ' s g r e a t i n t r o d u c t o r y m o n o l o g u e , to t h e of
the
dying
Tristan
and
the
two
great
complaints
o f the
lament
suffering
A m f o r t a s ) . A l t h o u g h t h e r e is n o g r e a t c o m p l a i n t b y W o t a n , B r t i n n h i l d e ' s f i n a l f a r e w e l l t o h i m - 'Ruhe,
rulie, du GotlF - p o i n t s i n t h e s a m e d i r e c t i o n :
w h e n t h e g o l d is r e t u r n e d t o t h e R h i n e , W o t a n is finally a l l o w e d t o d i e i n peace. T h e standard c o m m e n t a r y which emphasizes the alleged 'contra d i c t i o n ' i n t h e p l o t o f t h e Ring
( w h y d o t h e g o d s still p e r i s h ,
although r
t h e i r d e b t is p a i d , t h a t is, t h e g o l d is r e t u r n e d t o t h e R h i n e ? W a s n ' t t h i s unpaid d e b t the cause o f the gods' downfall?) therefore misses die point: the u n p a i d debt, the 'original sin' o f disturbing the natural
equilibrium,
is w h a t prevents W o t a n f r o m d y i n g - h e c a n d i e a n d find p e a c e o n l y a f t e r h e s e t t l e s h i s d e b t . O n e c a n a l s o s e e w h y Tannhduser
a n d Lohengrin
are
5 1
n o t truly W a g n e r i a n o p e r a s : ' t h e y lack a p r o p e r W a g n e r i a n h e r o . T a n n hauser
is ' t o o c o m m o n ' , s i m p l y s p l i t b e t w e e n
Elisabeth)
and
the
excess
o f earthly
erotic
p u r e spiritual enjoyment
love
(provided
(for by
V e n u s ) , u n a b l e to r e n o u n c e e a r t h l y pleasures while l o n g i n g to g e t rid o f them; Lohengrin, on
t h e c o n t r a r y , is ' t o o c e l e s t i a l ' , a d i v i n e
creature
( a r t i s t ) l o n g i n g t o live l i k e a c o m m o n m o r t a l w i t h a f a i t h f u l w o m a n
who
will t r u s t h i m a b s o l u t e l y . N e i t h e r o f t h e two is i n t h e p o s i t i o n o f a p r o p e r 7
W agnerian suffering.
hero,
condemned
to
the
'undead'
existence
of
eternal
5 7
S o W a g n e r i a n h e r o e s d o suffer f r o m 'sickness u n t o d e a t h ' , b u t in t h e strict K i e r k e g a a r d i a n s e n s e o f t h e t e r m . In his n o t i o n o f 'sickness u n t o
PASSIONATE (DIS ) ATTACHMENTS
293
d e a t h ' , K i e r k e g a a r d i n v e r t e d t h e s t a n d a r d d e s p a i r o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l w h o is s p l i t b e t w e e n t h e c e r t a i n t y t h a t d e a t h is t h e e n d , t h a t t h e r e is n o B e v o n d o f e t e r n a l l i f e , a n d t h e u n q u e n c h a b l e d e s i r e t o b e l i e v e t h a t d e a t h is n o t t h e l a s t t h i n g : t h a t t h e r e is a n o t h e r l i f e , w i t h its p r o m i s e o f r e d e m p t i o n a n d e t e r n a l bliss: K i e r k e g a a r d ' s ' s i c k n e s s u n t o d e a t h ' i n v o l v e s t h e o p p o s i t e p a r a d o x o f t h e s u b j e c t w h o k n o w s t h a t d e a t h is n o t t h e e n d , t h a t h e h a s an i m m o r t a l soul, b u t c a n n o t face the e x o r b i t a n t d e m a n d s (the
necessity to a b a n d o n
vain
aesthetic pleasures
and
salvation), a n d d e s p e r a t e l y wants to b e l i e v e that d e a t h
o f this fact
work
for
his
is t h e e n d ,
that
t h e r e is n o d i v i n e u n c o n d i t i o n a l d e m a n d e x e r t i n g its p r e s s u r e u p o n h i m . ...
S o we have h e r e
the
individual
who
desperately wants
to die,
to
d i s a p p e a r f o r e v e r , b u t k n o w s t h a t h e c a n n o t d o it, s i n c e h e is c o n d e m n e d t o e t e r n a l life: i m m o r t a l i t y , n o t d e a t h , b e c o m e s t h e u l t i m a t e h o r r o r . I n a way this r e v e r s a l
is a n a l o g o u s
to t h e
one
we just m e n t i o n e d ,
to
the
L a c a n i a n s h i f t f r o m d e s i r e t o d r i v e : d e s i r e d e s p e r a t e l y strives t o a c h i e v e puissance,
its u l t i m a t e o b j e c t w h i c h f o r e v e r e l u d e s it; w h i l e d r i v e , o n
contrary, involves the o p p o s i t e impossibility a t t a i n i n g jouissance,
the
the impossibility o f
b u t t h e i m p o s s i b i l i t y o f g e t t i n g rid of it.
T h e l e s s o n o f d r i v e is t h a t we are condemned jouissance
not
to jouissance.
w h a t e v e r we d o ,
will s t i c k t o it; w e s h a l l n e v e r g e t r i d o f it; e v e n i n o u r
most
t h o r o u g h e n d e a v o u r t o r e n o u n c e it, it will c o n t a m i n a t e t h e v e r y e f f o r t t o g e t r i d o f it ( l i k e t h e a s c e t i c w h o p e r v e r s e l y e n j o y s f l a g e l l a t i n g h i m s e l f ) . A n d the p r o s p e c t o f c o n t e m p o r a r y g e n e t i c t e c h n o l o g y s e e m s to involve a h o m o l o g o u s K i e r k e g a a r d i a n h o r r o r : it r a i s e s t h e t e r r i f y i n g p r o s p e c t n o t o f d e a t h , b u t o f i m m o r t a l i t y . T h a t is t o say: w h a t m a k e s g e n e t i c m a n i p u l a t i o n s o u n c a n n y is n o t o n l y t h a t it will b e p o s s i b l e t o o b j e c t i v i z e o u r e x i s t e n c e e n t i r e l y ( i n t h e g e n o m e , I will b e c o n f r o n t e d w i t h t h e f o r m u l a o f w h a t I ' o b j e c t i v e l y a m ' , t h a t is, a g e n o m e will f u n c t i o n as t h e u l t i m a t e v e r s i o n o f t h e o l d I n d i a n m y s t i c a l f o r m u l a 'Ta twarn atsi' - ' T h o u a r t t h a t ! ' ) b u t a l s o that,
in
a way, I will b e c o m e i m m o r t a l
r e p r o d u c i b l e , with m y d o u b l e s p o p p i n g 5
and
indestructible,
endlessly-
u p all a r o u n d m e t h r o u g h
clo
1
n i n g . ' A g a i n , t h i s d o m a i n is t h a t o f d r i v e s : o f a s e x u a l i m m o r t a l i t y t h r o u g h e n d l e s s r e p e t i t i v e c l o n i n g . T h a t is t o say: t h e c r u c i a l p o i n t t o b e
made
h e r e is t o o p p o s e g e n e t i c c l o n i n g t o s e x u a l r e p r o d u c t i o n : g e n e t i c c l o n i n g s i g n a l s t h e e n d o f s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e as t h e i m p o s s i b l e / r e a l w h i c h s t r u c t u r e s o u r lives, a n d , as s u c h , a l s o t h e e n d o f t h e s y m b o l i c u n i v e r s e w h i c h we d w e l l as f i n i t e , m o r t a l
beings-of-language. This notion
s p e c t r a l u n d e a d e x i s t e n c e also allows us to a c c o u n t f o r t h e
in
of a
fundamental
p a r a d o x o f the F r e u d i a n / L a c a n i a n d e a t h drive: like the K i e r k e g a a r d i a n s i c k n e s s u n t o d e a t h , t h e d e a t h d r i v e is n o t t h e m a r k o f h u m a n
finitude,
THE
294
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
b u t its v e r y o p p o s i t e , t h e n a m e f o r ' e t e r n a l ( s p e c t r a l ) l i f e ' , t h e i n d e x o f a d i m e n s i o n in h u m a n e x i s t e n c e that persists for ever, b e y o n d o u r physical death, a n d o f which we c a n never rid ourselves. We
can
n o w s e e i n w h a t p r e c i s e s e n s e L a c a n is t o b e o p p o s e d
H e i d e g g e r : f o r L a c a n , t h e d e a t h d r i v e is p r e c i s e l y t h e u l t i m a t e name
for the dimension
immortality
traditional
metaphysics designated
to
Freudian as t h a t o f
- for a drive, a 'thrust', w h i c h persists b e y o n d t h e ( b i o l o g i c a l )
c y c l e o f g e n e r a t i o n a n d c o r r u p t i o n , b e y o n d t h e 'way o f a l l f l e s h ' . I n o t h e r words, in t h e d e a t h drive, t h e c o n c e p t ' d e a d ' s a m e way as 'heimlich'
in the F r e u d i a n
negation:
drive'
fiction
the
'death
calls the
designates
functions in e x a c d y
unheimlich, the
dimension
'undead', a strange, immortal,
the
as c o i n c i d i n g w i t h its o f what
indestructible
horror life
that
p e r s i s t s b e y o n d d e a t h . T h i s is t h e ' i n f i n i t y ' c o m p a t i b l e w i t h t h e L a c a n i a n t h e o r e t i c a l edifice: n o t t h e 'spurious ( b a d ) infinity' o f endlessly striving to a c h i e v e the final G o a l o r I d e a l t h a t forever e l u d e s o u r grasp, b u t a n e v e n worse i n f i n i t y o f jouissance
w h i c h persists f o r ever, s i n c e we c a n n e v e r g e t
r i d o f it. L a c a n ' s a n s w e r t o ' b a d i n f i n i t y ' is t h u s n o t t h e i d e a l i s t p s e u d o H e g e l i a n assertion o f a true positive infinity o f the Idea, but a gesture o f ' f r o m b a d t o w o r s e ' : t h e a s s e r t i o n o f a n even worse i n f i n i t y o f a n ' i n d i v i s i b l e r e m a i n d e r ' of jouissance
w h i c h always s t i c k s t o e v e r y t h i n g w e d o . . . .
H o w is s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e r e l a t e d t o t h i s ' u n d e a d ' d r i v e ? J a c q u e s - A l a i n 3
M i l l e r " e n d e a v o u r s to i n t r o d u c e s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e i n t o t h e c o n c l u s i o n o f psychoanalytic treatment: w o m e n
a r e n o t s o fully i d e n t i f i e d w i t h
their
f a n t a s y , ' n o t a l l ' o f t h e i r b e i n g is c a u g h t i n it; t h i s is w h y , f o r t h e m , i t is e a s i e r t o a c q u i r e a d i s t a n c e t o w a r d s f a n t a s y , t o t r a v e r s e it; w h i l e m e n , as a rule, c o m e up against a c o n d e n s e d phantasmic symptom',
the
basic
formula
o f jouissance
kernel, a
that
they
'fundamental
are
unable
to
r e n o u n c e , s o t h a t all t h e y c a n d o is a c c e p t it as a n i m p o s e d n e c e s s i t y . I n s h o r t , ' t r a v e r s i n g t h e f a n t a s y ' is c o n c e i v e d as f e m i n i n e , a n d
'identification
w i t h t h e s y m p t o m ' as m a s c u l i n e . ™ M i l l e r tackles t h e u n r e s o l v e d t e n s i o n b e t w e e n desire a n d drive discern i b l e i n this s o l u t i o n i n a n o t h e r V apparole
el
,
a sa limite dans l-interpretation, o f - d i a l o g u e ' as I'apparole, jouissance,
o f his c o n f e r e n c e s , ' L e m o n o l o g u e
w h e r e h e focuses o n L a c a n ' s o b s c u r e c l a i m 'le
de
pas-de-dialogue
par ou s'assure le reel'. M i l l e r r e a d s t h i s ' l a c k -
t h e s p e e c h t h a t f u n c t i o n s as t h e a p p a r a t u s o f
n o l o n g e r as t h e
means
of communicating
some
meaning;
apparole d o e s n o t i n v o l v e i n t e r s u b j e c t i v i t y , n o t e v e n as t h e e m p t y b i g O t h e r t h a t is p r e s e n t w h e n w e s p e a k i n a n ' i n t e r i o r m o n o l o g u e ' , t r y i n g t o c l a r i f y o u r t h o u g h t s ; n o t e v e n as t h e jouis-sense
o f h u r t i n g t h e O t h e r in t h e c o r e
of
injurious
h i s / h e r b e i n g , as is t h e c a s e w i t h
speech -
it i n v o l v e s
a
PASSIONATE
radically
(DIS)ATTACHMENTS
self-enclosed assertion
o f puissance
of
empty
s p e e c h . ( I n s h o r t , Vapparole is t o la parole w h a t lalangue I n s o f a r a s , i n Vapparole,
295 (meaningless)
is t o le
we a r e thus d e a l i n g with an
c i r c u i t o f t h e a p p a r a t u s w h i c h p r o d u c e s puissance,
langage.) idiotic-happy
is t h i s n o t t h e v e r y
d e f i n i t i o n o f drive} H o w , t h e n , d o e s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n l i m i t t h i s s e l f - e n c l o s e d c i r c u i t b y i n t r o d u c i n g t h e d i m e n s i o n o f t h e R e a l ? T h e R e a l h e r e is t h e impossible, the impossibility o f sexual relationship: the h a p p y b a b b l e o f Vapparole is a s e x u a l ; as s u c h , i t d o e s n o t i n v o l v e a n y e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e R e a l qua i m p o s s i b l e - t h a t is, o f s o m e t r a u m a t i c i n h e r e n t L i m i t . I n t e r p r e t a t i o n m u s t t h e r e f o r e ' s o b e r ' t h e s u b j e c t d o w n f r o m his blissful i m m e r s i o n in t h e b a b b l e o f I'apparole, a n d c o m p e l h i m t o c o n f r o n t t h e i m p o s s i b l e R e a l o f t h e h u m a n c o n d i t i o n . I n t e r p r e t a t i o n is c o n c e i v e d h e r e n o t a s u n l i m ited/infinite
('there
is always a n e w w a y t o r e a d
a t e x t ' ) but, o n
c o n t r a r y , as t h e v e r y g e s t u r e o f i n t r o d u c i n g a limit t o t h e
the
unconstrained
p l a y o f I'apparole. . . . T h e p r o b l e m w i t h t h i s r e a d i n g is t h a t i t i d e n t i f i e s I'apparole
with t h e u n c o n s t r a i n e d r e i g n o f t h e ' p l e a s u r e p r i n c i p l e ' w h i c h
p r e c l u d e s t h e d i m e n s i o n o f t h e R e a l . I n t h i s c a s e , h o w e v e r , I'apparole c o u l d nor b e i d e n t i f i e d with d r i v e , s i n c e d r i v e i n v o l v e s t h e R e a l o f t h e c o m p u l s i o n t o r e p e a t t h a t is b y d e f i n i t i o n ' b e y o n d t h e p l e a s u r e p r i n c i p l e ' . T h e p r o b l e m M i l l e r is s t r u g g l i n g w i t h is t h e c e n t r a l o n e i n l a t e L a c a n : after p e n e t r a t i n g b e n e a t h the ( O e d i p u s ) c o m p l e x o f L a w / d e s i r e , o f desire g r o u n d e d in p r o h i b i t i o n , t o t h e e n i g m a t i c ' d a r k c o n t i n e n t ' o f d r i v e its
satisfaction
in
the
repeated
circuit
( r e ) i n t r o d u c e a L i m i t , a n d t h u s return communication of/and t h a t I'apparole introduction
of
puissance,
how
and
do
we
to t h e d o m a i n o f p r o h i b i t i o n / L a w ,
m e a n i n g ? T h e o n l y c o n s i s t e n t s o l u t i o n h e r e is
(the L a c a n i a n version o f 'primary narcissism' prior lo the o f the
symbolic Law)
is n o t
'primordial';
that
there
is
s o m e t h i n g w h i c h ( l o g i c a l l y , a t l e a s t ) p r e c e d e s it - t h i s , p r e c i s e l y , is w h a t we h a v e c a l l e d t h e v i o l e n c e o f p r e - s y n t h e t i c i m a g i n a t i o n , w h i c h is not t o b e i d e n t i f i e d with t h e blissful c i r c u i t o f self-satisfied drive. T h i s c i r c u i t o f d r i v e is t h e
u l t i m a t e m a t r i x o f self-affection,
o f self-affective c i r c u l a t i o n
( L a c a n h i m s e l f e v o k e s lips k i s s i n g t h e m s e l v e s as t h e drive; his very f o r m u l a
o f drive -
'se faire.
. .' -
perfect figure
already
of
e v o k e s self-
a f f e c t i o n ) ; w h i l e p r e - s y n t h e t i c i m a g i n a t i o n is t h e v e r y o p p o s i t e o f selfaffection: it stands for a k i n d o f o n t o l o g i c a l ' B i g B a n g ' , f o r t h e p r i m o r d i a l 'violence' o f breaking out o f the i m m e r s i o n a n d enclosure, exploding the closed
circuit, tearing
apart
any
unity
o f Life
into
the
free-floating
multiplicity o f spectral a n d m o n s t r o u s 'partial objects'. E v e n L a c a n ' s o w n p o s i t i o n o n t h i s p o i n t is n o t w i t h o u t its a m b i g u i t i e s . H i s ' o f f i c i a l ' s t a n c e is b e s t e x e m p l i f i e d b y t h e s h o r t b u t c r u c i a l t e x t a t t h e
THE TICKLISH
296 e n d o f h i s Ecrits,
SUBJECT
' F r o m t h e F r e u d i a n Trieb t o t h e D e s i r e o f t h e A n a l y s t ' : ' '
2
w h a t is t h e a n a l y s a n d to d o w h e n h e r e a c h e s t h e e n d o f t h e a n a l y t i c c u r e , t h a t is, w h e n h e ' r e g r e s s e s ' f r o m d e s i r e ( s u s t a i n e d b y f a n t a s y ) t o d r i v e ? I s h e to a b a n d o n
h i m s e l f to t h e s e l f - e n c l o s e d c i r c u i t o f drive?
mystical a n d p h i l o s o p h i c a l traditions, from
Different
Christian mysticism to Nie
t z s c h e , s e e m t o a d v o c a t e t h i s way: a c c e p t t h e c i r c u i t o f t h e ' e t e r n a l r e t u r n o f t h e s a m e ' , find satisfaction n o t in r e a c h i n g a G o a l b u t in t h e very p a t h which
leads
t o it, t h a t is, i n
repeatedly
missing
the
Goal. . . . Lacan,
h o w e v e r , i n s i s t s t h a t ' g o i n g t h r o u g h t h e f a n t a s y ' is n o t s t r i c t l y e q u i v a l e n t t o t h e shift f r o m d r i v e t o d e s i r e : t h e r e is a d e s i r e t h a t r e m a i n s e v e n a f t e r we h a v e t r a v e r s e d o u r f u n d a m e n t a l
fantasy, a desire n o t sustained by a
f a n t a s y , a n d this d e s i r e , o f c o u r s e , is the desire of the analyst — n o t t h e d e s i r e t o b e c o m e a n a n a l y s t , b u t t h e d e s i r e w h i c h fits t h e s u b j e c t i v e p o s i t i o n o f t h e analyst, t h e d e s i r e o f s o m e o n e w h o h a s u n d e r g o n e 'subjective destitu tion' a n d a c c e p t e d the role o f the e x c r e m e n t a l abject, desire delivered o f t h e p h a n t a s m i c n o t i o n t h a t ' t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g i n m e m o r e t h a n m y s e l f , a secret treasure which makes m e worthy
o f the
Other's
desire. T h i s
u n i q u e d e s i r e is w h a t , e v e n a f t e r I h a v e fully a s s u m e d ' t h e b i g nonexistence'
-
that
is, t h e
fact
that
the
symbolic order
Other's
is a
mere
s e m b l a n c e - p r e v e n t s m e f r o m i m m e r s i n g m y s e l f in t h e s e l f - e n c l o s u r e o f d r i v e ' s c i r c u i t a n d its d e b i l i t a t i n g s a t i s f a c t i o n . T h e d e s i r e o f t h e a n a l y s t is thus s u p p o s e d to sustain the analytic c o m m u n i t y in t h e a b s e n c e o f any p h a n t a s m i c s u p p o r t ; it is s u p p o s e d
to m a k e p o s s i b l e a c o m m u n a l
'big
O t h e r ' that avoids t h e transferential effect o f t h e ' s u b j e c t s u p p o s e d to . . . [ k n o w , b e l i e v e , e n j o y ] ' . I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e d e s i r e o f t h e a n a l y s t is L a c a n ' s tentative answer to t h e q u e s t i o n : after we have traversed t h e fantasy, a n d a c c e p t e d t h e ' n o n e x i s t e n c e o f t h e big O t h e r ' , h o w d o we n o n e t h e less r e t u r n to s o m e ( n e w ) f o r m o f t h e b i g O t h e r that again m a k e s c o l l e c t i v e coexistence possible? W h a t o n e s h o u l d a l s o n o t l o s e s i g h t o f is t h e f a c t t h a t , f o r L a c a n , d r i v e is n o t ' p r i m o r d i a l ' , a f o u n d a t i o n o u t o f w h i c h , b y m e a n s o f t h e i n t e r v e n tion
o f the symbolic Law, desire emerges. A close reading o f L a c a n ' s
'graph
o f desire'"
3
shows h o w drive
is a m o n t a g e
o f elements
which
e m e r g e s as a k i n d o f ' n e c e s s a r y b y - p r o d u c t ' o f t h e i n s t i n c t u a l b o d y g e t t i n g c a u g h t in t h e w e b o f t h e s y m b o l i c o r d e r . T h e fact that an i n s t i n c t u a l n e e d is c a u g h t i n t h e s i g n i f i e r ' s w e b m e a n s t h a t t h e o b j e c t t h a t s a t i s f i e s t h i s n e e d starts t o f u n c t i o n as t h e s i g n o f t h e ( M ) O t h e r ' s l o v e ; c o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e o n l y way to b r e a k o u t o f t h e d e a d l o c k o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s e n s l a v e m e n t t o t h e O t h e r ' s d e m a n d is v i a t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n o f t h e s y m b o l i c P r o h i b i t i o n / L a w w h i c h m a k e s t h e full s a t i s f a c t i o n o f d e s i r e f o r e v e r i m p o s s i b l e . All t h e
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS
297
w e l l - k n o w n p a r a d o x e s o f d e s i r e a r e e n g e n d e r e d i n t h i s way, f r o m ' I c a n ' t l o v e y o u u n l e s s I give y o u u p '
t o ' D o n ' t give m e w h a t I a s k y o u
for,
b e c a u s e t h a t ' s n o t it - d e s i r e is d e f i n e d b y t h i s ce nest pas ca: t h a t is, its m o s t e l e m e n t a r y a n d u l t i m a t e a i m is t o s u s t a i n i t s e l f as d e s i r e , i n its s t a t e o f non-satisfaction.
6 4
Drive, on the o t h e r hand, stands for the paradoxical
possibility that t h e s u b j e c t , forever p r e v e n t e d
from
a c h i e v i n g his G o a l
( a n d t h u s fully satisfying h i s d e s i r e ) , c a n n e v e r t h e l e s s f i n d s a t i s f a c t i o n i n t h e v e r y c i r c u l a r m o v e m e n t o f r e p e a t e d l y m i s s i n g its o b j e c t , o f c i r c u l a t i n g a r o u n d it: t h e g a p c o n s t i t u t i v e o f d e s i r e is t h u s c l o s e d ; t h e s e l f - e n c l o s e d l o o p o f a c i r c u l a r repetitive m o v e m e n t r e p l a c e s infinite striving. I n this p r e c i s e s e n s e , d r i v e e c j u a l s jouissartce,
s i n c e puissance
is, a t its m o s t e l e m e n
tary, ' p l e a s u r e in p a i n ' , t h a t is, a p e r v e r t e d p l e a s u r e p r o v i d e d b y t h e v e r y painful e x p e r i e n c e o f repeatedly missing o n e ' s g o a l .
6 5
T h e f a c t t h a t d r i v e is a ' b y - p r o d u c t ' is a l s o t o b e t a k e n a l s o i n t h e p r e c i s e m e a n i n g this t e r m h a s a c q u i r e d i n t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y t h e o r y o f r a t i o n a l action:
6 6
i n c o n t r a s t t o d e s i r e , w h i c h c a n b e c h a r a c t e r i z e d as a n i n t e n t i o n a l
attitude,
d r i v e is s o m e t h i n g i n w h i c h
acephalous
force which
persists
i n its
t h e s u b j e c t is c a u g h t , a k i n d o f repetitive
movement.
For
that
r e a s o n , o n e c a n p r o p o s e as t h e e t h i c a l m o t t o o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s t h e f a m o u s ne pas
ceder
sur
son
desir,
complementary motto,
'don't
compromise
your
desire"; while
the
' d o n ' t c o m p r o m i s e y o u r d r i v e ' , is m e a n i n g l e s s ,
s i n c e it is s u p e r f l u o u s : t h e p r o b l e m with d r i v e is n o t h o w n o t to b e t r a y it b u t , r a t h e r , h o w t o b r e a k its l o o p , t h e h o l d o f its i n e r t p o w e r o v e r u s . . . . F o r t h e s a m e r e a s o n , L a c a n s p e a k s o f t h e 'desire
o f t h e a n a l y s t ' , never o f
t h e 'drive o f t h e a n a l y s t ' : i n s o f a r a s t h e a n a l y s t is d e f i n e d by a c e r t a i n subjective attitude - that o f 'subjective destitution' - the specificity o f his position
can be determined
o n l y at t h e
l e v e l o f d e s i r e . D r i v e is p r e -
s u b j e c t i v e / a c e p h a l o u s , i t is n o t t h e n a m e of a s u b j e c t i v e a t t i t u d e : o n e c a n o n l y a s s u m e a n a l t i t u d e towards
drive.
I n r e l i g i o u s t e r m s , t h i s p r o b l e m is t h e p r o b l e m o f d i f f e r e n t heresies. T h e C h r i s t i a n C h u r c h as a s o c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n e f f e c t i v e l y f u n c t i o n s as t h e
guar
a n t e e o f h u m a n desire, which c a n thrive only u n d e r the p r o t e c t i o n o f the paternal
Law
(the
Name-of-the-Father):
far
from
prohibiting
bodily
p a s s i o n s ( s e x u a l i t y ) , t h e C h u r c h e n d e a v o u r s t o r e g u l a t e t h e m . I n its l o n g h i s t o r y , it h a s a l s o d e v e l o p e d a s e r i e s o f s t r a t e g i e s f o r ' d o m e s t i c a t i n g ' t h e e x c e s s o f puissance
w h i c h c a n n o t b e c o n t a i n e d i n t h e p a t e r n a l L a w (say,
t h e o p t i o n o p e n e d u p t o w o m e n t o b e c o m e n u n s a n d t h u s e n g a g e in a puissance
feminine
o f mystical e x p e r i e n c e s ) . T h e a c h i e v e m e n t o f the Cathar
h e r e s y (the h e r e s y i f e v e r t h e r e was o n e ) was p r e c i s e l y t o u n d e r m i n e
this
strategic
role
role
o f the
Church
in
regulating
sexual pleasure
(the
THE
298
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
e m p h a s i z e d b y F o u c a u l t ) - t h a t is, t o t a k e d i s r e g a r d f o r t h e b o d y l i t e r a l l y , t o p r e a c h a n d p r a c t i s e t r u e c h a s t i t y ( s i n c e , as t h e C a t h a r s p u t it, every s e x u a l r e u n i o n is i n c e s t u o u s ) .
6 7
T h e p a r a d o x , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t t h i s r a d i c a l
renunciation o f sexual pleasure n o t only does n o t deprive the subject o f jouissance,
but
jouissance
that
even
a m p l i f i e s it
is m u c h
more
(the
intense
ascetic mystic has than
the
usual
an
access
standard
to
sexual
p l e a s u r e ) . T h a t is t h e c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e C a t h a r h e r e s y a n d c o u r t l y love: w h e n , i n s t e a d o f b e i n g allowed s e x u a l p l e a s u r e within t h e c o n f i n e s o f t h e L a w , b o d i l y s e x u a l i t y is t o t a l l y p r o h i b i t e d , t h i s p r o h i b i t i o n o f t h e f i n a l s e x u a l u n i f i c a t i o n , t h i s s t r u c t u r e o f amor infinitum,
prolonged
ad
gives b i r t h t o c o u r d y l o v e i n w h i c h d e s i r e shifts i n t o d r i v e -
interruptus
in
w h i c h s a t i s f a c t i o n is p r o v i d e d b y t h e v e r y i n d e f i n i t e p o s t p o n e m e n t o f t h e sexual u n i o n that would bring a b o u t 'actual' satisfaction. Christian crusad e r s a g a i n s t t h e C a t h a r s w e r e t h e r e f o r e , i n a way, r i g h t i n t h e i r s u s p i c i o n t h a t t h e a s c e t i c r e n u n c i a t i o n o f e a r t h l y p l e a s u r e s a m o n g t h e C a t h a r s was d e e p l y a m b i g u o u s , s i n c e it e n g e n d e r e d a m u c h m o r e i n t e n s e
jouissance
t h a t u n d e r m i n e d t h e very r e g u l a t i n g p o w e r o f t h e p a t e r n a l s y m b o l i c Law. O u r u l t i m a t e r e s u l t is t h u s t h a t d e s i r e a n d d r i v e , i n a way, presuppose another,
one
o n e c a n n o t d e d u c e o n e f r o m t h e o t h e r . D r i v e is n o t s i m p l y t h e
l o o p o f s e l f - s a t i s f a c t i o n t h a t e m e r g e s as a b y - p r o d u c t desire the result o f shrinking back from
o f desire, nor
is
t h e c i r c u i t o f d r i v e . W h a t if,
c o n s e q u e n t l y , d e s i r e a n d d r i v e a r e t h e t w o ways o f a v o i d i n g t h e d e a d l o c k o f negativity that 'is' the subject: by
finding
satisfaction in the repetitive
c i r c u l a r m o v e m e n t o f drive or, alternatively, by o p e n i n g u p t h e u n e n d i n g m e t o n y m i c s e a r c h f o r t h e l o s t o b j e c t o f d e s i r e ? T h e s e t w o ways - t h a t o f desire a n d t h a t o f drive subjectivity. S i n c e e n o u g h the notorious
i n v o l v e two t h o r o u g h l y d i f f e r e n t n o t i o n s o f theoretical eulogies have b e e n written
'subject o f desire'
(the subject divided/thwarted
s y m b o l i c L a w / P r o h i b i t i o n , t h e V o i d o f negativity c a u g h t in t h e
about by
the
eternal
s e a r c h f o r its l o s t o b j e c t - c a u s e - s a y i n g T a m a d e s i r i n g s u b j e c t ' e q u a l s s a y i n g ' I a m t h e l a c k , t h e g a p , i n t h e o r d e r o f B e i n g ' . . . ) , it is p e r h a p s time
to f o c u s o n t h e m u c h m o r e m y s t e r i o u s subjectivity b r o u g h t a b o u t by
t h e c i r c u l a r m o v e m e n t o f drive. L a c a n ' s f u n d a m e n t a l doxa a b o u t d r i v e is c l e a r e n o u g h , as w e h a v e s e e n : drive involves a k i n d o f self-reflexive t u r n , n o t a s i m p l e reversal o f the a c t i v e i n t o t h e p a s s i v e m o d e : say, i n t h e s c o p i c d r i v e , t h e d e s i r e ' t o s e e it a l l ' is n o t s i m p l y t u r n e d a r o u n d i n t o t h e p r o c l i v i t y t o b e s e e n b y
the
O t h e r , b u t i n t o t h e m o r e a m b i g u o u s m i d d l e w a y o f se faire voir, o f m a k i n g oneself-seen.
6 S
( T h i s reversal o f desire i n t o drive c a n also b e specified
a p r o p o s o f c h o i c e : a t t h e l e v e l o f t h e s u b j e c t o f d e s i r e , t h e r e is c h o i c e —
PASSIONATE (DIS)ATTACHMENTS
inclusive o f the fundamental
299
f o r c e d c h o i c e - t h a t is, t h e s u b j e c t
chooses,
w h i l e w e g o o n t o t h e l e v e l o f d r i v e w h e n t h e a c t o f c h o i c e is i n v e r t e d i n t o se [aire choisir, ' m a k i n g - o n e s e l f - c h o s e n ' , as i n p r e d e s t i n a t i o n , i n w h i c h t h e religious subject does n o t simply c h o o s e G o d , b u t ' m a k e s h i m s e l f c h o s e n ' b y H i m . O r - t o p u t i t a n o t h e r way - t h e o n l y - b u t c r u c i a l a n d h i g h e s t f r e e d o m I a m g r a n t e d i n d r i v e is t h e f r e e d o m t o c h o o s e t h e i n e v i t a b l e , freely
t o e m b r a c e m y D e s t i n y , w h a t will h a p p e n
H o w e v e r , w h a t k i n d - i f a n y - o f subjectivity
to m e
in any
case.)
d o e s this reversal o f d e s i r e
6
i n t o d r i v e involve? '-' T w o s e r i e s o f c i n e m a t i c a n d / o r l i t e r a r y e x a m p l e s a r e p e r h a p s b e s t suited to illustrate t h e p a r a d o x o f drive: • T h a t o f the time-loop in s c i e n c e
fiction
( t h e s u b j e c t travels i n t o t h e
past - o r the future - w h e r e h e e n c o u n t e r s a certain mysterious entity that e l u d e s h i s g a z e a g a i n a n d a g a i n , u n t i l it o c c u r s t o h i m t h a t t h i s ' i m p o s s i b l e ' e n t i t y is tlie subject himself, o r - t h e o p p o s i t e c a s e - t h e s u b j e c t t r a v e l s i n t o t h e p a s t with t h e e x p r e s s p u r p o s e o f e n g e n d e r i n g h i m s e l f , o r i n t o t h e future
to witness his own
death . . . ) . In order
e x a m p l e s l i k e Back to the Future, crucial ingredient
to avoid the
standard
l e t us r e c a l l D a v i d L y n c h ' s Lost Highway.
o f Lynch's universe
is a p h r a s e ,
a signifying
A
chain,
w h i c h r e s o n a t e s as a R e a l t h a t p e r s i s t s a n d always r e t u r n s - a k i n d o f b a s i c f o r m u l a t h a t s u s p e n d s a n d c u t s a c r o s s t h e l i n e a r f l o w o f t i m e : i n Dune, is ' T h e s l e e p e r m u s t a w a k e ' , i n Twin Peaks, ' T h e owls a r e n o t w h a t s e e m ' , i n Blue Velvet, ' D a d d y w a n t s t o f u c k ' ; a n d , o f c o u r s e , in Lost
it
they
Highway,
t h e p h r a s e w h i c h c o n t a i n s t h e first a n d t h e l a s t s p o k e n w o r d s i n t h e f i l m , ' D i c k L a u r e n t is d e a d ' , a n o u n c i n g t h e d e a t h o f t h e o b s c e n e figure
( M r Eddy) - the entire narrative o f the
film
paternal
takes place in
the
s u s p e n s i o n o f time b e t w e e n t h e s e two m o m e n t s . A t t h e b e g i n n i n g , F r e d , the h e r o , h e a r s these words o n t h e i n t e r p h o n e in his h o u s e ; at the
end,
j u s t b e f o r e r u n n i n g away, h e h i m s e l f s p e a k s t h e m i n t o t h e i n t e r p h o n e s o w e h a v e a c i r c u l a r s i t u a t i o n - first a m e s s a g e w h i c h is h e a r d b u t
-
not
u n d e r s t o o d by the h e r o , t h e n t h e h e r o h i m s e l f p r o n o u n c i n g this m e s s a g e . In
short,
the
whole
e n c o u n t e r i n g himself
film
is b a s e d
as i n t h e f a m o u s
on
the
impossibility o f the
time-warp
hero
s c e n e in s c i e n c e - f i c t i o n
novels w h e r e t h e h e r o , travelling b a c k in t i m e , e n c o u n t e r s h i m s e l f in an earlier time. . . . D o we n o t have h e r e a situation
like the o n e in psychoanalysis, in
w h i c h , a t t h e b e g i n n i n g , t h e p a t i e n t is t r o u b l e d b y s o m e o b s c u r e , i n d e cipherable but persistent message -
the symptom -
w h i c h , as it w e r e ,
b o m b a r d s h i m from outside; t h e n , at the c o n c l u s i o n o f the t r e a t m e n t , the p a t i e n t is a b l e t o a s s u m e t h i s m e s s a g e as h i s o w n , t o p r o n o u n c e it i n t h e
THE TICKLISH
300
SUBJECT
first p e r s o n s i n g u l a r ? T h e t e m p o r a l l o o p t h a t s t r u c t u r e s Lost Highway
is
thus the very l o o p o f psychoanalytic t r e a t m e n t in which, after a l o n g d e t o u r , we r e t u r n to o u r starting p o i n t f r o m a n o t h e r p e r s p e c t i v e . I n his v e r y first
Seminar,
Lacan
invokes
this
temporal-loop
structure
of
the
s y m p t o m w h e n h e e m p h a s i z e s t h a t t h e F r e u d i a n s y m p t o m is l i k e a s i g n a l b e a r i n g a m e s s a g e t h a t c o m e s not, as o n e w o u l d e x p e c t , f r o m t h e 'deeplyb u r i e d p a s t ' o f a n c i e n t t r a u m a s , b u t f r o m t h e ( S u b j e c t ' s ) future future
in
which,
through
the
work
o f psychoanalytic
m e a n i n g o f t h i s s y m p t o m will b e r e a l i z e d .
7 0
- from the
treatment,
(In this s e n s e , t h e
the
above-
m e n t i o n e d 360-degree shot o f the passionately e m b r a c i n g couple
from
H i t c h c o c k ' s Vertigo, i n t h e c o u r s e o f w h i c h t h e b a c k g r o u n d b e h i n d
them
t r a n s p o s e s us f r o m
the present -
M a d e l e i n e in h e r ordinary
Scottie kissing J u d y r e f a s h i o n e d
hotel room -
to the past -
Scottie
into
kissing
M a d e l e i n e h e r s e l f j u s t b e f o r e h e r s u i c i d a l l e a p f r o m t h e o l d b a r n at t h e J u a n Bautista Mission - a n d t h e n b a c k to the present, perfectly illustrates d r i v e ' s t e m p o r a l l o o p , t h e way its m o v e m e n t is f o l d e d i n t o i t s e l f . P e r h a p s , t h e n , t h e ' v e r t i g o ' o f t h e f i l m ' s t i d e u l t i m a t e l y i n d i c a t e s t h e way S c o t t i e is c a u g h t up in drive's endless l o o p . ) • T h a t o f t h e n a r r a t i v e in w h i c h , i n t h e first m o m e n t , w e ( t h e s u b j e c t f r o m w h o s e v i e w p o i n t t h e s t o r y is t o l d ) c o n f r o n t s o m e h o r r i f y i n g
object
( A l i e n T h i n g , M o n s t e r , M u r d e r e r . . . ) , p r e s e n t e d as t h e p o i n t w i t h w h i c h n o i d e n t i f i c a t i o n is p o s s i b l e - all o f a s u d d e n , h o w e v e r , w e , t h e s p e c t a t o r s , a r e violently t h r o w n i n t o t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f this very A l i e n T h i n g . R e c a l l e x a m p l e s l i k e Frankenstein
( t h e n o v e l ) , in w h i c h , after
the
M o n s t e r is
p r e s e n t e d t o us as t h e A l i e n H o r r o r T h i n g , w e a r e t h r o w n all o f a s u d d e n i n t o his p e r s p e c t i v e - t h a t is, he is a l l o w e d to t e l l h i s s i d e o f t h e s t o r y . Wes Craven's supreme
Wlien a Stranger
sudden into the standpoint
7 1
In
Calls, a l s o , w e a r e t h r o w n all o f a
o f the pathological compulsive killer pre
s e n t e d i n t h e first p a r t o f t h e f i l m as a b s o l u t e O t h e r n e s s - n o t t o m e n t i o n Hitchcock's
Psycho,
in w h i c h , after
the
Mother
is c o n s t r u c t e d
as
the
horrifying T h i n g , we are, in s o m e shots (like t h e killing o f t h e d e t e c t i v e A r b o g a s t ) , v i e w i n g t h e a c t i o n f r o m its p e r s p e c t i v e .
7 2
I n all t h e s e c a s e s , t h e i n a c c e s s i b l e / t r a u m a t i c T h i n g - b e y o n d - r e p r e s e n t a t i o n i t s e l f b e c o m e s ' s u b j e c t i v i z e d ' : this s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n d o e s n o t
'humanize'
t h e T h i n g , d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h a t w h a t w e t h o u g h t was a M o n s t e r is in f a c t a n o r d i n a r y , v u l n e r a b l e p e r s o n - t h e T h i n g r e t a i n s its u n b e a r a b l e O t h e r n e s s , it is as such t h a t it s u b j e c t i v i z e s i t s e l f . O r , t o p u t it i n t h e t e r m s o f v i s i o n : t h e T h i n g is first c o n s t r u c t e d as t h e i n a c c e s s i b l e X a r o u n d w h i c h m y d e s i r e c i r c u l a t e s , as t h e b l i n d s p o t I w a n t t o s e e b u t
simultaneously
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS
301
d r e a d a n d a v o i d s e e i n g , t o o s t r o n g f o r m y e y e s ; t h e n , i n t h e shift
towards
d r i v e , I ( t h e s u b j e c t ) ' m a k e m y s e l f s e e n ' as t h e T h i n g - i n a r e f l e x i v e t u r n , I s e e myself as It, t h e t r a u m a t i c o b j e c t - T h i n g I d i d n ' t w a n t t o s e e . A g a i n , d o we n o t find t h e u l t i m a t e e x a m p l e o f this i m p o s s i b l e T h i n g t h a t 'is' ourselves in t h e s c i e n c e - f i c t i o n t h e m e o f t h e s o - c a l l e d /rf-Machine, a mechanism
that
directly materializes
( f r o m F r e d W i l c o x ' s The Forbidden
Planet
our
unacknowledged
fantasies
to Andrei Tarkovsky's
T h e l a t e s t v a r i a t i o n o n t h i s t h e m e is B a r r y L e v i n s o n ' s Sphere
Solaris)?
( 1 9 9 7 ) , in
w h i c h , b e n e a t h t h e o c e a n surface in t h e m i d s t o f t h e Pacific, a g i g a n t i c s p a c e c r a f t is s u d d e n l y d i s c o v e r e d , h a v i n g s a t t h e r e o n t h e o c e a n f l o o r f o r three
hundred
years. T h e
three
scientists who
penetrate
it
gradually
discover that the mysterious S p h e r e in the middle o f the spacecraft can r e a c h i n t o y o u r m i n d : it k n o w s y o u r w o r s t f e a r s a n d s t a r t s t o m a k e c o m e true, to m a t e r i a l i z e t h e m . . . ,
them
7 S
U n i n t e r e s t i n g as Sphere is, it n o n e t h e l e s s d e s e r v e s a t t e n t i o n f o r its t i t l e : as L a c a n s h o w e d in t h e c h a p t e r o f his S e m i n a r o n T r a n s f e r e n c e d e d i c a t e d 4
to this very t h e m e ( ' L a d e r i s i o n de la s p h e r e ' ' ) , t h e fascination e x e r t e d o n us b y t h e u n t o u c h a b l e , i m p e n e t r a b l e , s e l f - e n c l o s e d a n d s e l f - c o n t a i n e d form
o f a sphere
lies in
the
fact
that
it e x p r e s s e s perfectly,
on
i m a g i n a r y level, the f o r e c l o s u r e o f castration, o f a c u t that would the presence o f a lack a n d / o r
the
signal
an excess. A n d , paradoxically, since o u r
a c c e s s t o r e a l i t y is c o n d i t i o n e d by t h e c u t o f c a s t r a t i o n , t h e s t a t u s o f t h i s s p h e r e , far f r o m ontological:
the
embodying
o n t o l o g i c a l p e r f e c t i o n , is stricto
Sphere-Thing
appears
to
us
as s o m e t h i n g
sensu
pre-
which,
in
c i n e m a t i c t e r m s , o n e c o u l d d e s i g n a t e as a b l u r r e d o b j e c t , a n o b j e c t t h a t is b y d e f i n i t i o n , a p r i o r i , o u t o f f o c u s . " ' T h i s is n i c e l y c o n v e y e d i n L e v i n s o n ' s f i l m , i n w h i c h t h e S p h e r e is p e r f e c t l y r o u n d y e t s i m u l t a n e o u s l y s o m e h o w a l i v e , u n d u l a t i n g a n d v i b r a t i n g , as i f its s u r f a c e c o n s i s t s o f t h e i n f i n i t y o f m i c r o s c o p i c waves. T h e S p h e r e is t h u s l i k e t h e s u r f a c e o f T a r k o v s k y ' s S o l a r i s - O c e a n in its c o i n c i d e n c e o f g l o b a l , o v e r a l l c a l m a n d i n f i n i t e m o b i l i t y - a l t h o u g h i t is p e r f e c t l y at p e a c e , it is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y e x t r e m e l y a g i t a t e d , s c i n t i l l a t i n g all the
time,
s o t h a t it is i m p o s s i b l e t o fix it, t o g e t h o l d o f i t i n its p o s i t i v e
e x i s t e n c e . As s u c h , t h e S p h e r e is n o t h i n g
in itself - a p u r e m e d i u m ,
a
perfect m i r r o r that does not m i r r o r / m a t e r i a l i z e reality b u t only the R e a l of the subject's fundamental
fantasies. W h e n , in
the
film,
the
Dustin
Hoffman character angrily rebukes S a m u e l J a c k s o n (playing the AfricanA m e r i c a n m a t h e m a t i c i a n ) b e c a u s e h e d o e s n o t w a n t t o d i v u l g e w h a t is i n the s p h e r e to others, J a c k s o n retorts angrily: ' B u t you also have b e e n in
THE
302
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
it! Y o u k n o w v e r y w e l l t h a t there is nothing
in the sphere!'
T h a t is t o say:
n o t h i n g but what the subject h i m s e l f puts t h e r e - or, to q u o t e
Hegel's
c l a s s i c f o r m u l a t i o n a b o u t t h e c o n t e n t o f t h e s u p r a s e n s i b l e B e y o n d : ' I t is m a n i f e s t t h a t b e h i n d t h e s o - c a l l e d c u r t a i n w h i c h is s u p p o s e d t o c o n c e a l the i n n e r world,
there
o u r s e l v e s , as m u c h
in
is n o t h i n g order
that
to b e s e e n unless
we g o b e h i n d
w e m a y s e e , as t h a t
something behind there which can be seen.'
there
may
7 6
S o it is c r u c i a l t o b e a r i n m i n d t h a t p r e c i s e l y as R e a l , as t h e s i b l e T h i n g , t h e S p h e r e is a n e n d t y o f pure
it be
semblance,
impos
a n e n t i t y t h a t is ' i n
i t s e l f a n a m o r p h i c a l l y distorted, a n u n d u l a t i n g , scintillating, out-of-focus s u r f a c e c o n c e a l i n g ( o r s u s t a i n e d b y ) N o t h i n g - as such,
it is t h e p e r f e c t
n e u t r a l m e d i u m f o r f u n d a m e n t a l f a n t a s i e s . Sphere a l s o m a k e s it c l e a r h o w t h e n o t i o n o f a Z o n e o r T h i n g i n w h i c h o u r d e s i r e s a r e d i r e c t l y r e a l i z e d is t o b e l o c a t e d in t h e l i n e a g e o f t h e o l d fairy-tale t h e m e o f t h r e e wishes analysed by F r e u d
(the peasant
to w h o m
a fairy g r a n t s
three
wishes
w i s h e s f o r a s a u s a g e ; h i s wife w i s h e s t h a t t h e s a u s a g e s h o u l d b e s t u c k t o his n o s e f o r the stupidity o f s u c h a wish; t h e n t h e y use t h e o n l y r e m a i n i n g wish to g e t the s a u s a g e b a c k f r o m
the nose on
to t h e t a b l e . . . ) . T h e
i n s i g h t b e n e a t h t h i s t h e m e is, o f c o u r s e , t h a t o f t h e i n c o m m e n s u r a b i l i t y b e t w e e n t h e s u b j e c t ' s t r u e d e s i r e a n d its f o r m u l a t i o n i n a
determinate
d e m a n d : o u r d e s i r e is n e v e r a c t u a l l y i n t h e e x p l i c i t w i s h w e a r e a b l e t o f o r m u l a t e - t h a t is, w e n e v e r t r u l y d e s i r e w h a t w e wish f o r o r will -
for
t h a t r e a s o n , t h e r e is n o t h i n g m o r e h o r r i b l e - m o r e u n d e s i r a b l e , p r e c i s e l y -
than a T h i n g that inexorably actualizes o u r true desire. . . . F o r
reason,
the
immediately
o n l y way t o e v o k e d e s i r e
is t o o f f e r
the
object
retract it, as i n t h e n i c e s e d u c t i o n s c e n e f r o m Brassed
and
that then
Off, w h e n ,
i n f r o n t o f h e r h o u s e l a t e i n t h e e v e n i n g , t h e g i r l says t o t h e m i n e r w h o m s h e i n t e n d s to s e d u c e : ' W o u l d y o u c a r e to c o m e i n t o m y p l a c e f o r a c u p of coffee?' any!'
' W e l l , I d o n ' t d r i n k c o f f e e . . . .' ' N o p r o b l e m , I h a v e n ' t
got
7 7
T h u s t h e c o i n c i d e n c e o f u t t e r a l t e r i t y w i t h a b s o l u t e p r o x i m i t y is c r u c i a l f o r t h e T h i n g : t h e T h i n g is e v e n m o r e ' o u r s e l v e s ' , o u r o w n i n a c c e s s i b l e kernel, than
the
Unconscious -
i t is a n
Otherness which
directly 'is'
ourselves, staging the p h a n t a s m i c c o r e o f o u r being. T h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h t h e T h i n g t h u s fails n o t b e c a u s e i t is t o o a l i e n , t h e h a r b i n g e r o f a n Intellect infinitely surpassing o u r limited abilities, playing s o m e perverse g a m e s with us w h o s e r a t i o n a l e r e m a i n s f o r e v e r o u t s i d e o u r g r a s p , b e c a u s e it b r i n g s us t o o c l o s e t o w h a t , i n o u r s e l v e s , m u s t r e m a i n
but at a
d i s t a n c e i f we a r e t o s u s t a i n t h e c o n s i s t e n c y o f o u r s y m b o l i c u n i v e r s e . I n its v e r y O t h e r n e s s , t h e T h i n g g e n e r a t e s s p e c t r a l p h e n o m e n a t h a t o b e y o u r
PASSIONATE
(DIS)ATTACHMENTS
303
i n n e r m o s t i d i o s y n c r a t i c w h i m s ; i f t h e r e is a p u p p e t - m a s t e r w h o p u l l s t h e s t r i n g s , it is o u r s e l v e s , ' t h e T h i n g t h a t t h i n k s ' i n o u r h e a r t . A n d is n o t t h e u l t i m a t e e x a m p l e o f t h i s c o i n c i d e n c e o f t h e v e r y k e r n e l o f m y b e i n g with the u l t i m a t e e x t e r n a l i t y o f t h e A l i e n T h i n g
Oedipus
himself, w h o , in s e a r c h o f t h e m u r d e r e r o f his father, discovers t h a t h e h i m s e l f is t h e
perpetrator?
F r e u d ' s t e r m Triebschicksale,
In
this p r e c i s e s e n s e , o n e
can claim
that
t h e ' d e s t i n i e s / v i c i s s i t u d e s o f d r i v e ' , is d e e p l y
j u s t i f i e d , e v e n t a u t o l o g i c a l ; t h e F r e u d i a n ' d r i v e ' is u l t i m a t e l y a n o t h e r n a m e for 'Destiny', for the reversal t h r o u g h which t h e circle o f Destiny a c c o m p l i s h e s / c l o s e s i t s e l f ( w h e n D e s t i n y c a t c h e s u p w i t h O e d i p u s , h e is c o n f r o n t e d w i t h t h e f a c t t h a t h e is t h e m o n s t e r h e is l o o k i n g f o r ) . A n d o r d e r t o b r i n g h o m e h o w this d i m e n s i o n o f D e s t i n y o v e r l a p s w i t h temporal
loop,
recall
the
standard
tragic science-fiction t h e m e
of
s c i e n t i s t w h o t r a v e l s i n t o t h e p a s t i n o r d e r t o i n t e r v e n e i n it a n d retroactively c h a n g e
(undo)
the
catastrophic present;
all o f a
in the
sudden
( w h e n i t is a l r e a d y t o o l a t e ) , h e b e c o m e s a w a r e n o t o n l y t h a t t h e
result
( t h e p r e s e n t c a t a s t r o p h e ) is t h e s a m e , b u t t h a t his very attempt to change present through his retroactive intervention he wanted
in the past produced
the very
a
thus
the
catastrophe
to undo - h i s i n t e r v e n t i o n was i n c l u d e d i n t h e c o u r s e o f t h i n g s
f r o m t h e very outset. I n this p r o p e r l y d i a l e c t i c a l reversal, t h e a l t e r n a t i v e reality t h e a g e n t w a n t e d to b r i n g a b o u t turns o u t to b e the very p r e s e n t c a t a s t r o p h i c reality. T o t h o s e v e r s e d i n H e g e l i a n p h i l o s o p h y , t h e s e two f e a t u r e s o f d r i v e
-
its t e m p o r a l l o o p ; t h e p i t i l e s s a n d i n e x o r a b l e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t with t h e i n a c c e s s i b l e T h i n g w h o s e l a c k o r withdrawal sustains t h e s p a c e o f desire -
c a n n o t b u t e v o k e two f u n d a m e n t a l
features
o f the
Hegelian
dialectical process: does not Hegel reiterate again and again how
the
dialectical p r o c e s s displays t h e c i r c u l a r structure o f a l o o p ( t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e p r o c e s s , t h e a b s o l u t e I d e a , is n o t g i v e n i n a d v a n c e , b u t is g e n e r a t e d by t h e p r o c e s s itself - s o , in a p a r a d o x i c a l t e m p o r a l s h o r t circuit, t h e final R e s u l t r e t r o a c t i v e l y causes
itself, g e n e r a t e s its o w n c a u s e s ) ; a n d ,
further
m o r e , h o w t h e b a s i c m a t r i x o f t h e d i a l e c t i c a l p r o c e s s is t h a t o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s s e l f - r e c o g n i t i o n i n t h e I n - i t s e l f o f its a b s o l u t e O t h e r n e s s ( r e c a l l t h e s t a n d a r d figure o f H e g e l a c c o r d i n g to w h i c h I have to r e c o g n i z e m y
own
s u b s t a n c e in t h e very f o r c e t h a t s e e m s to resist a n d t h w a r t m y e n d e a v o u r ) . D o e s t h i s m e a n t h a t ' d r i v e ' is i n h e r e n t l y m e t a p h y s i c a l , t h a t i t p r o v i d e s the
elemental-)' matrix
o f the
closed circle
o f teleology and
o f self-
r e c o g n i t i o n i n O t h e r n e s s ? Y e s , b u t w i t h a twist: it is as if, i n d r i v e , t h i s c l o s e d l o o p o f t e l e o l o g y is m i n i m a l l y d i s p l a c e d o n a c c o u n t o f t h e f a i l u r e t h a t s e t s i t i n m o t i o n . I t m a y a p p e a r t h a t d r i v e is t h e p a r a d i g m a t i c c a s e o f
THE
304
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
the closed circle o f auto-affection, o f the subject's b o d y affecting
itself
v d t h i n t h e d o m a i n o f S a m e n e s s - as w e h a v e s e e n , d o e s n o t L a c a n h i m s e l f s u g g e s t , as t h e s u p r e m e m e t a p h o r o f d r i v e , l i p s k i s s i n g t h e m s e l v e s ? O n e s h o u l d b e a r in m i n d , h o w e v e r , t h a t this reflexive r e v e r s a l - i n t o - s e l f c o n s t i tutive o f drive relies o n succinct definition
a fundamental,
c o n s t i t u t i v e failure.
o f the reversal constitutive o f drive
The
is t h e
most
moment
w h e n , in o u r e n g a g e m e n t in a p u r p o s e f u l activity (activity d i r e c t e d
towards
s o m e g o a l ) , t h e w a y t o w a r d s t h i s g o a l , t h e g e s t u r e s w e m a k e t o a c h i e v e it, s t a r t t o f u n c t i o n as a g o a l i n i t s e l f , as its o w n a i m , as s o m e t h i n g t h a t b r i n g s its o w n
satisfaction.
This closed
repetitive m o v e m e n t that
finds
loop
o f circular satisfaction,
of
the
s a t i s f a c t i o n i n its o w n c i r c u l a r l o o p , t h u s
n o n e t h e l e s s r e l i e s o n t h e f a i l u r e t o a c h i e v e t h e g o a l w e w e r e a i m i n g at: d r i v e ' s s e l f - a f f e c t i o n is n e v e r fully s e l f - e n c l o s e d , it r e l i e s o n s o m e r a d i c a l l y i n a c c e s s i b l e X t h a t f o r e v e r e l u d e s its g r a s p - t h e d r i v e ' s r e p e t i t i o n is t h e r e p e t i t i o n o f a f a i l u r e . A n d - b a c k t o G e r m a n I d e a l i s m - is n o t t h e s a m e failure
clearly discernible in
Bewusstsein,
the
very f u n d a m e n t a l
structure
of
Selbst-
o f s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s ? Is it n o t c l e a r a l r e a d y i n K a n t t h a t t h e r e
is transcendental
s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s , that I a m aware o f ' m y s e l f o n l y in so
f a r as I a m u l t i m a t e l y i n a c c e s s i b l e to m y s e l f i n m y n o u m e n a l
(transcendent)
d i m e n s i o n , as t h e T o r H e o r I t ( t h e T h i n g ) t h a t t h i n k s ' ( K a n t ) ? S o t h e b a s i c l e s s o n o f t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t a l s e l f - c o n s c i o u s n e s s is t h a t it is t h e v e r y o p p o s i t e o f full s e l f - t r a n s p a r e n c e a n d s e l f - p r e s e n c e : I a m a w a r e o f m y s e l f , I a m c o m p e l l e d t o t u r n r e f l e x i v e l y o n t o m y s e l f , o n l y i n s o f a r as I c a n never
' e n c o u n t e r m y s e l f in m y n o u m e n a l
actually a m .
dimension,
as t h e T h i n g
W e can now pinpoint the opposition between the subject o f desire the
I
7 8
subject o f drive: while
the
subject o f desire
is g r o u n d e d
in
and the
c o n s t i t u t i v e lack ( i t ex-sists i n s o f a r as it is i n s e a r c h o f t h e m i s s i n g O b j e c t C a u s e ) , t h e s u b j e c t o f d r i v e is g r o u n d e d i n a c o n s t i t u t i v e surplus
- t h a t is
t o say, in t h e e x c e s s i v e p r e s e n c e o f s o m e T h i n g t h a t is i n h e r e n t l y ' i m p o s s i b l e ' a n d s h o u l d n o t b e h e r e , in o u r p r e s e n t reality - the T h i n g w h i c h , o f c o u r s e , is u l t i m a t e l y attraction'
the subject
itself. T h e
standard
heterosexual
'fatal
s c e n e is t h a t o f m a l e d e s i r e c a p t i v a t e d a n d f a s c i n a t e d b y a
d e a d l y jouissance
feminine,
a w o m a n is d e s u b j e c t i v i z e d , c a u g h t i n t h e self-
e n c l o s e d cycle o f a c e p h a l o u s drive, i g n o r a n t o f the fascination she exerts o n m a n , a n d it is p r e c i s e l y t h i s s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t i g n o r a n c e w h i c h m a k e s h e r i r r e s i s t i b l e ; t h e p a r a d i g m a t i c m y t h i c a l e x a m p l e o f t h i s s c e n e , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t o f U l y s s e s c a p t i v a t e d by t h e S i r e n s ' s o n g , t h i s p u r e jouis-sense.
What
happens, however, when the W o m a n - T h i n g herself b e c o m e s subjectivized? T h i s , p e r h a p s , is t h e m o s t m y s t e r i o u s l i b i d i n a l i n v e r s i o n o f all: t h e m o m e n t
PASSIONATE (DIS) ATTACHMENTS
305
a t w h i c h t h e ' i m p o s s i b l e ' T h i n g s u b j e c t i v i z e s itself. I n his s h o r t e s s a v o n t h e ' S i l e n c e o f t h e S i r e n s ' , F r a n z K a f k a a c c o m p l i s h e d s u c h a r e v e r s a l : his p o i n t is t h a t U l y s s e s was i n f a c t s o a b s o r b e d i n h i m s e l f , i n h i s o w n l o n g i n g , that h e did n o t n o d c e that the Sirens did n o t sing, b u t j u s t stared at h i m , 7 1
t r a n s f i x e d b v h i s i m a g e . ' A n d a g a i n , t h e c r u c i a l p o i n t h e r e is t h a t t h i s r e v e r s a l is n o t s y m m e t r i c a l : t h e s u b j e c t i v i t y o f t h e s u b j e c t i v i z e d S i r e n s is not
t h e s a m e as t h e
subjectivity o f the m a l e 7
irresistible l o o k o f the W o m a n - T h i n g . W hen
desire desire
transfixed
by
the
s u b j e c t i v i z e s itself,
w h e n it is s u b j e c t i v e l y a s s u m e d , t h e f l o w o f w o r d s is s e t i n m o t i o n , s i n c e t h e s u b j e c t is f i n a l l y a b l e to a c k n o w l e d g e it, t o i n t e g r a t e it i n t o its s y m b o l i c u n i v e r s e ; w h e n d r i v e s u b j e c t i v i z e s itself, w h e n t h e s u b j e c t s e e s i t s e l f as t h e d r e a d f u l T h i n g , t h i s o t h e r s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n is, o n t h e c o n t r a r y , s i g n a l l e d b y t h e s u d d e n o n s e t o f silence t h e s u b j e c t disengages
- t h e i d i o t i c b a b b l e o f jouissance
is i n t e r r u p t e d ,
i t s e l f f r o m its flow. T h e s u b j e c t i v i z a t i o n o f d r i v e is
t h i s v e r y w i t h d r a w a l , t h i s p u l l i n g away f r o m t h e T h i n g t h a t I m y s e l f a m , t h i s r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t the Monster
out there is myself.
T h e s u b j e c t o f d r i v e is t h u s r e l a t e d t o t h e s u b j e c t o f d e s i r e , as O e d i p u s at C o l o n n u s is r e l a t e d t o t h e ' s t a n d a r d ' O e d i p u s w h o u n k n o w i n g l y k i l l e d his f a t h e r a n d m a r r i e d h i s m o t h e r : h e is t h e s u b j e c t w h o g o t b a c k his o w n m e s s a g e f r o m t h e O t h e r a n d was c o m p e l l e d t o a s s u m e h i s a c t , t h a t is, t o i d e n t i f y h i m s e l f as t h e Evil T h i n g h e was l o o k i n g f o r . W a s t h i s r e c o g n i t i o n r e a s o n e n o u g h f o r h i m t o b l i n d h i m s e l f ? I t is h e r e t h a t s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e is t o b e t a k e n i n t o a c c o u n t : p e r h a p s a w o m a n is m o r e a b l e t o e n d u r e t h i s identification
o f the
core o f one's
b e i n g with
the
L o u v r e , a c o u p l e o f y a r d s t o t h e l e f t o f t h e Mono among much head
of John
Evil T h i n g . I n Lisa,
m o r e a c c l a i m e d p a i n t i n g s , is L u i n i ' s Salome the Baptist.
Bernardino
Luini
(1480-1532),
the
inconspicuous is brought
the
a follower o f
L e o n a r d o i n M i l a n , s e n t i m e n t a l i z e d L e o n a r d o ' s style: h e is k n o w n f o r h i s s e r i e s o f p o r t r a i t s o f t h e V i r g i n M a r y , p a i n t e d as a b e a u t i f u l ,
somewhat
d r e a m y f i g u r e . T h e s u r p r i s e o f b i s ' S a l o m e ' is t h a t S a l o m e h e r s e l f is d r a w n i n t h e s a m e style as h i s V i r g i n M a r y s : a l t h o u g h t h e m o m e n t d e p i c t e d is a b h o r r e n t ( S a l o m e is b r o u g h t J o h n ' s h e a d o n a p l a t t e r , a n d t h e is d o m i n a t e d
painting
b y t h e two h e a d s , S a l o m e ' s a n d J o h n ' s , a g a i n s t t h e
dark
b a c k g r o u n d ) , t h e e x p r e s s i o n o n S a l o m e ' s f a c e is f a r f r o m e c s t a t i c . S h e is n o t o n t h e v e r g e o f e m b r a c i n g t h e h e a d a n d k i s s i n g it wildly - t h e
finally
obtained
here'
partial
o b j e c t (a strict e q u i v a l e n t
to t h e
m e n t i o n e d i n t h e p a s s a g e q u o t e d f r o m H e g e l ' s Jenaer
'bloody head Realphilosophie).
e x p r e s s i o n is r a t h e r m e l a n c h o l i c , c o n s t r a i n e d , h e r g a z e unspecified distant point for, the
finally
n o w that s h e has g o t what
fixed
Her on
s h e was
some asking
o b t a i n e d o b j e c t is n o t ' s w a l l o w e d ' b u t m e r e l y e n c i r c l e d ,
306
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
r e n d e r e d i n d i f f e r e n t . . . . P e r h a p s t h i s p a i n t i n g is t h e c l o s e s t o n e c a n to t h e d e p i c t i o n
o f the unique m o m e n t
o f the e m e r g e n c e o f the
get
subject
o f drive.
Notes 1. F r a n c o i s Regnault, Conferences d'e.slhe.lxque. lacaniennr, Paris: A g a l m a 1 9 9 7 . 2. Michel F o u c a u l t , Discipline, and Punish, New Y o r k : V i n t a g e 1 9 7 9 , p. 3 0 . H e r e F o u c a u l t enables us to specify Althusser's definition o f interpellation as t h e p r o c e s s which t r a n s f o r m s individuals into subjects: these mysterious individuals whose status r e m a i n s unspecified in Allhusser a r e t h e objects a n d the p r o d u c t o f disciplinary m i c r o - p r a c t i c e s ; they a r e the bodily 'stuff o n which these p r a c t i c e s work. In o t h e r words, interpellation is t o t h e subject what individuals a r e to t h e disciplinary m i c r o - p r a c t i c e s . 3. O f c o u r s e , in the above criticism we have f o c u s e d o n the specific F o u c a u t d i a n n o t i o n o f poweT a n d resistance f r o m Discipline, and Punish a n d V o l u m e ] o f History of Sexuality: in these two books, the notion o f P o w e r r e m a i n s c o n f i n e d to the p r o c e d u r e o f d i s c i p l i n e c o n f e s s i o n - c o n t r o l that took s h a p e in early Christianity. W h e n , in his later interviews, F o u c a u l t speaks a b o u t power a n d c o u n t e r - p o w e r , h e imperceptibly c h a n g e s t h e t e r r a i n and m o v e s to a kind o f Nietzschean g e n e r a l o n t o l o g y o f power: p o w e r is everywhere a n d everything; it is t h e very air we b r e a t h e , the very stuff o f o u r lives. T h i s g e n e r a l o n t o l o g y o f p o w e r also involves a different n o t i o n o f subject as the 'fold' o f power; this subject is n o l o n g e r t h e Self which, while waiting to be liberated f r o m the repressive power, is effectively c o n s t i t u t e d by it. 4. Judith B u t l e r , The Psychic Life of Power, S t a n f o r d , CA: Stanford Universitv Press 1 9 9 7 , p. 4 3 . ' 5. Is not this bodily excess g e n e r a t e d by t h e disciplinatory m e c h a n i s m s t h e L a c a n i a n phis-de-jouh* Is the fact that H e g e l d o e s n o t take this e x c e s s into a c c o u n t , t h e n , n o t c o r r e l a t i v e to t h e fact, e m p h a s i z e d by L a c a n , that H e g e l misses t h e surplus-enjoyment which keeps t h e servant in t h e position o f servitude? 6. Butler, The Psychic Life of Power, p. 4 9 . 7. M a r x m a d e t h e s a m e point about capitalism: it will m e e t its e n d n o t b e c a u s e o f resistance to it from e x t e r n a l forces o f pre-capitalist tradition, but b e c a u s e o f its u l t i m a t e inability to m a s t e r a n d restrain its own i n h e r e n t a n t a g o n i s m - as M a r x put it, t h e limit o f capitalism is Capital itself, n o t the islands o f resistance that still e l u d e its c o n t r o l (sexuality, n a t u r e , old cultural traditions). 8. O n this o b s c e n e s u p p l e m e n t o f Power, see C h a p t e r s 1 a n d 2 o f Slavoj Zizek, The Plague, of Fantasies, L o n d o n : V e r s o 1 9 9 7 . 9. Is this oscillation n o t discernible also in F o u c a u l t ' s shifting from o n e political e x t r e m e t o its opposite: from fascination with the I r a n i a n Revolution to i m m e r s i o n in t h e radical lifestyle o f the San F r a n c i s c o gay c o m m u n i t y ? 10. Butler, The, Psychic Life, of Power, p. 4 7 . 11. Do we n o t e n c o u n t e r h e r e t h e s a m e d o u b l e disavowal as in M a r x i a n c o m m o d i t y fetishism? First, a c o m m o d i t y is deprived o f its bodily a u t o n o m y a n d r e d u c e d to a m e d i u m which e m b o d i e s social relations; t h e n this n e t w o r k o f social relations is p r o j e c t e d i n t o a c o m m o d i t y as its direct m a t e r i a l property, as if a c o m m o d i t y has a c e r t a i n value in itself, o r as if m o n e y is in itself a universal equivalent. 12. This point has already b e e n m a d e by Mark P o s t e r in The Second Media Age, C a m b r i d g e : Polity Press 1 9 9 5 . 13. Significantly, B u t l e r identifies 'subject' with t h e symbolic position o c c u p i e d within this
PASSIONATE
(DIS)ATTACHMENTS
307
s p a c e , while she reserves t h e t e r m 'psyche' for the l a r g e r unity also e n c o m p a s s i n g what, in t h e individual, resists being i n c l u d e d in t h e symbolic s p a c e . 14. Butler, The Psychic Life of Power, p. 8 8 . 15. Ibid. 16. Ibid., p. 8 9 . 17. Ibid., p p . 9 6 - 7 . 18. Ibid., p. 9 7 . H e r e B u t l e r blatantly c o n t r a d i c t s L a c a n , for w h o m t h e U n c o n s c i o u s is 'the O t h e r ' s discourse', that is, symbolic, vol imaginary - isn't L a c a n ' s best-known single line 'the U n c o n s c i o u s is s t r u c t u r e d like a l a n g u a g e ' ? 'Slips a n d gaps' a r e t h o r o u g h l y symbolic for L a c a n ; they c o n c e r n the ( m i s ) f u n c t i o n i n g o f the signifying network. T h e situation is t h e r e f o r e t h e e x a c t obverse o f what B u t l e r claims: it is not t h e U n c o n s c i o u s which is t h e imaginary resistance to the symbolic Law; on the c o n t r a r y , it is consciousness, the conscious ego, which is the a g e n c y o f the i m a g i n a r y m i s r e c o g n i t i o n o f a n d resistance to t h e u n c o n s c i o u s symbolic Law! 19. Ibid., p. 9 8 . 2 0 . Ibid., p p . 2 8 - 9 . 2 1 . Is this n o t also the p r o b l e m o f t h e ' m a r g i n a l ' h o m o s e x u a l position, which functions only as t h e transgression o f the h e t e r o s e x u a l p r e d o m i n a n t n o r m , a n d thus needs, relies o n , this n o r m as its i n h e r e n t presupposition? Witness Butler's obviously e x a g g e r a t e d insistence o n how h o m o s e x u a l i t y is an e x p e r i e n c e which, for m o s t individuals, involves t h e loss o f one's identity, as if t o i m a g i n e o n e s e l f e n g a g e d in a h o m o s e x u a l act is still an u n h e a r d - o f t r a u m a t i c e x p e r i e n c e today; witness t h e uneasiness e x p e r i e n c e d by q u e e r s when they a r e t h r e a t e n e d n o t by c e n s o r s h i p , but by t h e permissive attitude o f being simply a n d indifferently a c c e p t e d , n o l o n g e r e x p e r i e n c e d as a t r a u m a t i c subversion - as if the)- a r e s o m e h o w deprived o f their subversive sting. . . . 22. F o r an e x p l a n a t i o n o f this t e r m , see C h a p t e r 3 o f Ziz.ek, The PUigue of Fantasies. 2 3 . Butler, The Psychic Life of Power, p. 1 0 5 . 24. See C h a p t e r 2 o f Zizek, The Plague of Fantasies. 2 5 . T h e s t a n d a r d L a c a n i a n n o t i o n o f the act focuses on t h e g e s t u r e o f retroactively c h a n g i n g its own discursive ( p r e ) c o n d i t i o n s , t h e 'big O t h e r ' on which it relies, the back g r o u n d against which it o c c u r s : a n act p r o p e r 'miraculously' c h a n g e s the very s t a n d a r d by which we m e a s u r e a n d value o u r activity; that is, it is synonymous with what Nietzsche called 'transvaluation o f values'. In this p r e c i s e sense, an a c t involves t h e c h o i c e o f 'the W o r s t [If phe}': t h e a c t o c c u r s when the c h o i c e o f (what, within the situation, a p p e a r s as) the W o r s t c h a n g e s t h e very s t a n d a r d s o f what is g o o d o r bad. In politics, for e x a m p l e , the usual form o f the p r a g m a t i c liberal centrists' c o m p l a i n t is that o n e should n o t be t o o radical a n d g o t o o far in advocating gay rights o r minority rights o r . . . ; that o n e should take into a c c o u n t what majority opinion is still able to swallow, and so on; in such a c o n t e x t , o n e a c c o m p l i s h e s an act p r o p e r when o n e m a k e s precisely what t h e p r a g m a t i c centrist c o n s i d e r s a c a t a s t r o p h i c c h o i c e o f t h e 'impossible', a n d w h e n this g e s t u r e miraculously affects the f r a m e o f what is c o n s i d e r e d a c c e p t a b l e ' . However, t h e later L a c a n goes a step f u r t h e r a n d locates t h e act at an even m o t e radical level, that o f disturbing the very f u n d a m e n t a l fantasy as the ultimate framework of our world-experience. 2 6 . Butler, The Psychic Lift: of Power, p. 1 3 5 . 27. Ibid., pp. 1 4 7 , 1 4 6 - 7 . 2 8 . Ibid., p p . 1 3 7 - 8 . 29. Ibid., p. 1 6 5 . 30. Ibid., p. 1 6 6 . 3 1 . Ibid., p. 1 6 5 . 32. See Butler's interview with P e t e r O s b o r n e in ,4 Critical Sense, ed. P e t e r O s b o r n e , L o n d o n : R o u t l e d g e 1 9 6 6 , p. 8 3 . 3 3 . A n o t h e r way o f putting it is that for the psychotic, as for t h e C a t h a r heretics, e v e w sexual act is incestuous.
308
THE TICKLISH SUBJECT
3 4 . J . L a p l a n c h e a n d J . - B . Pontalis, The Language
of Psychoanalysis,
London: Karnac 1988,
p. 3 1 5 . 3 5 . Symbolic c a s t r a t i o n is thus s o m e h o w t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e o f t h e well-known p a t h o l o g i c a l p h e n o m e n o n o f a p e r s o n w h o feels a limb he n o l o n g e r has (like the proverbial soldier w h o still feels t h e pain in t h e leg h e lost in b a t t l e ) : symbolic castration designates, r a t h e r , t h e stale in which o n e d o e s n o t feel ( o r r a t h e r , m o r e precisely, o n e d o e s nol m a n i p u l a t e freely a n d m a s t e r ) t h e o r g a n ( p e n i s ) o n e actually still possesses. . . . 3 6 . Butler, The Psychic Life of Power, p. 9 2 . 37. J a c q u e s L a c a n , 'Positions o f the U n c o n s c i o u s ' , in Reading Seminar XI, e d . R i c h a r d Feldstein, B r u c e Fink a n d M a i r e J a a n u s , Albany, NY: S U N Y Press 1 9 9 5 , p. 2 7 4 . 3 8 . Incidentally, in psychoanalysis t h e status o f t h e body is n o t merely 'psychosomatic', that is, the body is n o t t r e a t e d m e r e l y as t h e m e d i u m o f the inscription o f s o m e symbolic impasse, as in t h e c a s e o f c o n v e r s i o n hysteria: a l t h o u g h psychoanalysis rejects a d i r e c t bodily causality o f psychic troubles (such an a p p r o a c h r e d u c e s psychoanalysis to t h e constraints o f the medical o r d e r ) , it n o n e t h e less insists o n how a p a t h o l o g i c a l psychic p r o c e s s always refers to the Real o f s o m e o r g a n i c d i s t u r b a n c e , which functions as the proverbial grain o f sand triggering t h e p r o c e s s o f t h e crystallization o f t h e s y m p t o m . W h e n I have a violent t o o t h a c h e , t h e t o o t h itself s o o n b e c o m e s t h e o b j e c t o f narcissistic libidinat investment: I suck it, e n c i r c l e it with my t o n g u e , t o u c h a n d inspect it with my fingers, look at it with t h e aid o f a m i r r o r , a n d so on - in short, the pain o f t h e t o o t h a c h e itself turns into t h e s o u r c e o f jimLssiince. Along the s a m e lines, S a n d o r F e r c n c z i r e p o r t e d the e x t r e m e c a s e o f a m a n whose testicle had to be r e m o v e d b e c a u s e o f a d a n g e r o u s infection: this r e m o v a l ('real' c a s t r a t i o n ) triggered the o n s l a u g h t o f p a r a n o i a , since it resuscitated - actualized, gave a s e c o n d life to l o n g - d o r m a n t h o m o s e x u a l fantasies ( t h e s a m e often goes for rectal c a n c e r ) . In cases like these, the cause o f p a r a n o i a lies not in the subject's inability to sustain the loss o f his virility, o f his phallic m a l e posture; what he is in fact unable to sustain is, r a t h e r , the c o n f r o n t a t i o n with his f u n d a m e n t a l passive fantasy, which forms t h e 'primordially r e p r e s s e d ' ( f o r e c l o s e d ) ' o t h e r s c e n e ' o f his subjective identity, a n d was all o f a s u d d e n actualized in his very physical reality. See P a u l - L a u r e n t Assoun, Corps el Sympldme, vol. I: Cliniifue du Corps, Paris: A n t h r o p o s 1997,'pp. 3 4 - 4 3 . 3 9 . This criticism o f formalism is usually c o u p l e d with the opposite criticism: with t h e critical notion that L a c a n is t o o b r a n d e d by a specific historical c o n t e n t , t h e p a t r i a r c h a l Oedipal m o d e o f socialization, elevating it into a t r a n s c e n d e n t a l a priori o f h u m a n history. 4 0 . It was Alfred S o h n - R e t h e l , a 'fellow-traveller' o f the Frankfurt School, w h o d e s c r i b e d in detail this idea o f the c o m m o d i t y f o r m as t h e s e c r e t g e n e r a t o r o f t h e universal form o f t r a n s c e n d e n t a l subjectivity. S e e Alfred S o h n - R e t h e l , Geistige und kbrperliche. Arbeit, Frankfurt: Suhrkamp 1970. 4 1 . In his criticism o f L a c a n , H e n r y Staten p r o p o s e s a specific version o f this point (see Eros in Mourning, B a l t i m o r e , MD: J o h n s H o p k i n s University Press 1 9 9 5 ) . A c c o r d i n g to Staten, L a c a n inscribes h i m s e l f into t h e Platonic—Christian lineage which devalues all positiveempirical objects subjected to t h e cycle o f g e n e r a t i o n a n d c o r r u p t i o n : f o r L a c a n , as for Plato, every finite positive o b j e c t is a m e r e s e m b l a n c e / l u r e which betrays t h e truth o f desire. L a c a n s merit consists in t h e fact that h e brings this P l a t o n i c rejection o f all finite material objects as worthy o f love to its truth, c o n c e a l e d by Plato: finite e m p i r i c a l objects a r e noi fragile copies o f ( o r stand-ins f o r ) t h e i r e t e r n a l Models - b e n e a t h o r b e y o n d t h e m t h e r e is nothing, that is, they a r e place-holders o f a p r i m o r d i a l Void, o f N o t h i n g n e s s . T o put it in Nietzsche's terms, L a c a n thus reveals t h e nihilistic e s s e n c e o f the metaphysical longing for eternal Objects b e y o n d the earthly cycle o f g e n e r a t i o n a n d c o r r u p t i o n : t h e desire for these Objects is the desire for Nothingness, that is, t h e s e O b j e c t s a r e m e t a p h o r s o f D e a t h . H e r e Staten r e d u c e s L a c a n to a p o s t m o d e r n a d v o c a t e o f the impossibility o f the a u t h e n t i c e n c o u n t e r with a T h i n g : n o positive o b j e c t ever adequately fills in o r fits the structural void which sustains desire; all we ever get a r e furtive s e m b l a n c e s , so we a r e c o n d e m n e d to the r e p e a t e d e x p e r i e n c e o f ce n'est pas (o. . . . W h a t is missing h e r e is t h e obverse o f this logic o f
PASSIONATE
(DIS)ATTACHMENTS
309
t h e p r i m o r d i a l Void which c a n never be filled by an a d e q u a t e object: t h e correlative notion o f an excessive, sumumeraire object for which t h e r e is n o p l a c e in t h e symbolic s t r u c t u r e . If, for L a c a n , desire is effectively sustained by a Void which c a n never be filled, libido, on the c o n t r a r y , is t h e Real o f an excessive object which r e m a i n s forever o u t o f j o i n t , in s e a r c h o f its p r o p e r place'. 4 2 . B u t l e r , The Psychic Life of Power, pp. 1 9 7 - 8 . 4 3 . S e e Gilles Deletize, Coldness and Cruelty, New York: Z o n e 1 9 9 1 . 4 4 . In an otherwise critical review o f my first book, J e a n j a c q u e s L e c e t c l e c l a i m e d , if he [Zizek] d o e s not know a b o u t c o n t e m p o r a r y philosophy, I [ L e c e r c l e ] a m the bishop o f Ulan B a t o r ' . Now let us imagine a follower o f m i n e who, d u e to an a t t a c h m e n t to m e , is unable openly to a d m i t to himself that h e has n o t i c e d s o m e serious faults in my knowledge o f c o n t e m p o r a r y philosophy - if this disciple fantasizes a b o u t L e c e r c l e dressed u p as t h e bishop o f U l a n B a t o r , this simply m e a n s that he thinks m y knowledge o f c o n t e m p o r a r y philosophyis flawed. . . . 4 5 . In a m o r e detailed e l a b o r a t i o n , o n e s h o u l d also distinguish f u r t h e r between t h e two m o d e s o f clinical m a s o c h i s m : o n the o n e h a n d the p r o p e r l y p e r v e r s e ' c o n t r a c t u a l ' maso chism, that is, the masochism o f a subject who is able to 'externalize' his fantasv. to pass to t h e a c t a n d realize his masochistic s c e n a r i o in an actual interactioir with a n o t h e r subject; orr t h e o t h e r h a n d , the (hysterical) secret m a s o c h i s t i c d a y d r e a m i n g which is u n a b l e to e n d u r e its actualization - when the c o n t e n t o f such s e c r e t masochistic d a y d r e a m i n g s is i m p o s e d on t h e subject irr reality, t h e resrrlt can be c a t a s t r o p h i c : from u t t e r humiliation a n d s h a m e to t h e disintegration o f his self-identity. 4 6 . See J e a n L a p l a n c h e , Life and Death in. Psychoanalysts, B a l t i m o r e , MD: J o h n s H o p k i n s Lmiversily Press 1 9 7 6 . 47. Q u o t e d from Jean L a p l a n c h e , 'Aggressiveness arrd S a d o m a s o c h i s m ' , in Essential Papers on Masai hism, ed. Margaret A.F. Hanly, New York: New York L niversitv Press 1 9 9 5 . p. 122. 4 8 . Ibid. 4 9 . D o e s n o t this constellation also provide t h e e l e m e n t a r y m a t r i x of the p r o b l e m a t i c o f (religious) predestination} W h e n the child asks himself 'Whv was I b o r n ? W h y did thev want m e ? ' , o n e c a n n o t satisfy him by simply answering: ' B e c a u s e we loved you a n d warned to have you!' H o w could my p a r e n t s love m e when I did not yet exist? Is it not that they have to love m e ( o r hate m e - in short, p r e d e s t i n e my fate) a n d then c r e a t e m e , just as t h e P r o t e s t a n t G o d decides t h e fate o f a h u m a n being p r i o r to his birth? 5 0 . Incidentally, why is t h e cowboy without a hat} A p a r t from t h e fact that, in Slovene, 'without a hat' rhymes with 'is fucking', o n e c o u l d p r o p o s e as the reason for this e n i g m a t i c f e a t u r e that, in t h e perspective o f m a l e c h i l d r e n , fucking a w o m a n is c o n s i d e r e d a n o n manly, subservient activity - by d o i n g it, o n e humiliates o n e s e l f by "servicing' t h e w o m a n , a n d it is this humiliating aspect, this loss o f m a l e dignity, that is signalled by losing orre's hat. Seeing the w o m a n ' s ass is thus perceived as a kind o f r e v e n g e for h e r humiliation o f the m a n : now it's h e r t u r n to pay for enticing him t o firck h e r . . . . 5 1 . This glimpse at the naked ass, which is t o be read in exactly the s a m e way as Freud's f a m o u s e x a m p l e o f the 'glance on the nose' f r o m his article on fetishism, tells us w h e r e the mistake o f t h e fetishist pervert lies: this mistake is correlative to t h e mistake o f t h e s t a n d a r d h e t e r o s e x u a l stance that dismisses partial objects as m e r e foreplays to t h e real thing' ( t h e sexual act itself). F r o m the c o r r e c t insight that t h e r e is n o ( d i r e c t ) sexual relationship - thai all we have as supports o f orrr e n j o y m e n t a r e fetishistic partial objects that fill the void ot the impossible sexual relationship - the fetishist draws t h e mistaken c o n c l u s i o n that these partial objects a r e directly- t h e thing itself, that o n e c a n get rid o f the r e f e r e n c e to t h e impossible sexual a c t a n d slick to t h e partial objects themselves. T h e solution is thus to maintain the tension between the void o f the sexiral relationship a n d t h e partial objects that s u p p o r t o u r e n j o y m e n t : a l t h o u g h all we have a r e these partial o b j e c t s / s c e n e s , they n o n e the less rely on the tension with the absent sexual act - they p r e s u p p o s e t h e r e f e r e n c e to t h e void o f the (impossible) act. T
310
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
5 2 . See J a c q u e s L a c a n , ' T h e Subversion o f the Subject a n d t h e Dialectics o f Desire', in Ecrits: A Selection, New York: N o r t o n 1 9 7 7 . 5 3 . It would also be very p r o d u c t i v e t o link the F r e u d i a n Hilflosigkeit t o t h e Kantian n o t i o n o f the Sublime, especially t h e d y n a m i c Sublime, which also expresses s o m e t h i n g like t h e Kantian s c e n e o f p r i m o r d i a l s e d u c t i o n : t h e s c e n e o f a m a n r e d u c e d to a particle o f dust with w h o m e n o r m o u s powers o f n a t u r e a r e playing, yet observing this fascinating s p e c t a c l e from t h e safety o f a m i n i m a l d i s t a n c e , a n d thus enjoying it as a passive observer - isn't this t h e satisfaction provided by t h e fact that I observe myself r e d u c e d to an i m p o t e n t particle o f dust, that I see myself r e d u c e d t o a helpless e l e m e n t o v e r w h e l m e d by gigantic forces b e y o n d my c o m p r e h e n s i o n ? 5 4 . T h i s topic o f reflexivity is already a n n o u n c e d a n d f o r m u l a t e d in B u t l e r ' s first book, h e r e x c e l l e n t essay on H e g e l Subjects of Desire (New York: C o l u m b i a University Press 1 9 8 7 ) . 5 5 . The Odyssey of Homer, X I I , 1 6 0 - 6 4 , trans. R i c h m o n d L a t t i m o r e , New York: H a r p e r 1991. 5 6 . See Michael T a n n e r , Wagner, L o n d o n : F l a m i n g o 1 9 9 7 . 5 7 . A f u r t h e r opposition c a n be m a d e h e r e between two ultimate W a g n e r i a n l a m e n t s , that o f t h e dying Tristan a n d that o f A m f o r t a s in Parsifal - this opposition c o n c e r n s t h e i r different relation to t h e O e d i p a l t r i a n g u l a t i o n . Tristan r e p r o d u c e s t h e s t a n d a r d O e d i p a l situation (stealing Isolde, a w o m a n w h o belongs to a n o t h e r m a n , from t h e p a t e r n a l figure o f King M a r k ) , while - as C l a u d e Levi-Strauss p o i n t e d o u t - t h e underlying s t r u c t u r e o f Parsifal is anti-Oedipal, t h e reversal o f O e d i p u s . In 1'arsifal, t h e l a m e n t is p e r f o r m e d by the paternal figure o f Amfortas, finally delivered by Parsifal. In Tristan, t h e dignified Mark forgives T r i s t a n at the e n d for his transgressive passion, while in Parsifal, t h e 'asexual' y o u n g Parsifal, this 'pure fool', delivers the p a t e r n a l A m f o r t a s from t h e painful c o n s e q u e n c e s o f his transgressive sin (allowing himself to be s e d u c e d by K u n d r y ) . This reversal, this d i s p l a c e m e n t o f the stain o f transgression from son to f a t h e r , is what makes Parsifal a properly modern work o f a r t , leaving behind t h e traditional O e d i p a l p r o b l e m a t i c of t h e son transgressing t h e p a t e r n a l prohibition, rebelling against p a t e r n a l authority. 5 8 . O n a m u c h m o r e m o d e s t level o f everyday life, t h e s a m e h o r r o r is often e n c o u n t e r e d by anyone who works with a P C : what r e m a i n s so u n c a n n y a b o u t a P C is not only that, d u e to a virus o r s o m e m a l f u n c t i o n , we c a n lose o r inadvertently e r a s e the result o f h o u r s a n d days o f work, but also t h e o p p o s i t e p r o s p e c t : o n c e you have written s o m e t h i n g a n d it is registered in your P C , it is practically impossible really to e r a s e it: as we all know, even if you d o apply the delete function to s o m e text, t h e t e x t r e m a i n s in the c o m p u t e r ; it is just that it is n o l o n g e r registered - for that r e a s o n , c o m p u t e r s have t h e function undelete, which gives you a fair c h a n c e o f r e c o v e r i n g t h e t e x t you stupidly d e l e t e d . A simple P C thus c o n t a i n s a kind o f ' u n d e a d ' spectral d o m a i n o f d e l e t e d texts which nevertheless c o n t i n u e t o lead a shadowy e x i s t e n c e between the two d e a t h s ' , officially deleted but still t h e r e , waiting to be r e c o v e r e d . T h a t is t h e ultimate h o r r o r o f t h e digital universe: in it, everything r e m a i n s f o r e v e r inscribed; it is practically impossible really to g e t rid of, to e r a s e , a text. . . . 5 9 . See Jacques-Alain Miller, 'Des semblants d a n s la relation e n t r e les sexes', La Cause freudienne 3 6 , Paris 1 9 9 7 , p p . 7 - 1 5 . 6 0 . H e r e Miller s e e m s to r e n o u n c e the notion o f s y m p t o m as sinthome, t h e knot o f jouissance beyond fantasy, which persists even when t h e subject traverses h i s / h e r f u n d a m e n t a l fantasy, a n d to r e d u c e t h e s y m p t o m to a ' c o n d e n s e d ' kernel o f fantasy that regulates the subject's access to jouissance. 6 1 . Jacques-Alain Miller, ' L e m o n o l o g u e d e Y apparole', pp. 7 - 1 8 .
La Cause freudienne
3 4 , Paris 1 9 9 6 ,
6 2 . See J a c q u e s L a c a n , 'Du "Trieb" d e F r e u d an desir du psychanalyste', in EcnLs, Paris: Editions du Seuil 1 9 6 6 , pp. 8 5 1 - 4 . 6 3 . See J a c q u e s L a c a n , Ecrits: A Selection.
T h e Subversion o f the Subject a n d the Dialectics o f Desire', in
6 4 . J e n n y Holzer's f a m o u s truism ' P r o t e c t m e from what I want' expresses very precisely
PASSIONATE
(DIS) ATTACHMENTS
311
t h e f u n d a m e n t a l ambiguity involved in t h e fact that desire is always t h e desire o f t h e O t h e r . It c a n be r e a d e i t h e r as ' P r o t e c t m e f r o m t h e excessive self-destructive desire in m e that I myself a m n o t able to d o m i n a t e ' - that is, as a n i r o n i c r e f e r e n c e to the s t a n d a r d m a l e chauvinist wisdom that a w o m a n , left to herself, gets c a u g h t in self-destructive furv, so t h a t she must be p r o t e c t e d from h e r s e l f by b e n e v o l e n t m a l e d o m i n a t i o n ; o r in a m o r e radical way, as indicating t h e fact that in today's p a t r i a r c h a l society w o m a n ' s desire is radically alienated, that s h e desires what m e n e x p e c t h e r to desire, that she desires to be desired, a n d so o n - in this case, ' P r o t e c t m e from what I want' m e a n s ' W h a t ] want is already i m p o s e d on m e by t h e p a t r i a r c h a l socio-symbolic o r d e r that tells m e what to desire, so t h e first c o n d i t i o n o f my liberation is t h a t I break u p the vicious cycle o f my a l i e n a t e d desire a n d learn to f o r m u l a t e my desire in a n a u t o n o m o u s way.' T h e p r o b l e m , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t this s e c o n d r e a d i n g implies a r a t h e r naive opposition between ' n e l e r o n o m o u s ' a l i e n a t e d desire a n d truly a u t o n o m o u s desire - what if desire as such is desire o f t h e o t h e r ' , so that t h e r e is ultimately n o way to break o u t o f t h e hysterical d e a d l o c k o f 'I d e m a n d o f you t o refuse what I d e m a n d o f you, b e c a u s e t h a t is n o t «'/'? 6 5 . Even if drive is thus c o n c e i v e d as a s e c o n d a r y by-product o f desire, o n e c a n still maintain that desire is a d e f e n c e against drive: t h e p a r a d o x is that desire functions as a defence against its own product, against its own 'pathological' o u t g r o w t h , t h a t is, against the suffocating jouissance provided by drive's self-enclosed c i r c u l a r m o v e m e n t . 6 6 . See J o n Elster, Sour Grapes, C a m b r i d g e : C a m b r i d g e University Press 1 9 8 2 . 67. A c c o r d i n g to C a t h a r t e a c h i n g , o u r terrestrial world was c r e a t e d by t h e Devil, that is, t h e C r e a t o r who, at the b e g i n n i n g o f the Bible, forms t h e world we know ( t h e o n e who says 'Let t h e r e be light!', e t c . ) is n o n e o t h e r than t h e Devil himself 6 8 . See C h a p t e r X I V o f J a c q u e s L a c a n , The Four Fundamental Concepts of Psycho-Analysis, New York: N o r t o n 1 9 7 9 . 6 9 . H e r e I draw on Alenka Z u p a n c i c ' s unpublished p a p e r , ' L a subjectivation sans sujet'. 70. '. . what we see in t h e r e t u r n o f t h e repressed is t h e effaced signal o f s o m e t h i n g which only takes on its value in t h e future, t h r o u g h its symbolic realization, its integration into t h e history o f the subject' ( T h e Seminar of Jacques Lacan, Book I: Freud's Papers on Technique, New York: N o r t o n 1 9 8 8 , p. 1 5 9 ) . 7 1 . C o n c e r n i n g t h e ultimate e x a m p l e o f t h e M o n s t r o u s T h i n g in c o n t e m p o r a r y p o p u l a r culture, that o f t h e Alien, Ridley Scott m e n t i o n s in a n interview that if he w e r e t o be allowed to film the sequel to his Alien, h e would tell the story from t h e Alien's perspective. 72. F o r a closer analysis o f this subjectivization o f t h e T h i n g in Psycho, see Slavoj Zizek, ' H i t c h c o c k ' s Universe', in Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Lacan (But Were Afraid lo Ask Hitchcock), e d . Slavoj Zizek, L o n d o n : V e r s o 1 9 9 3 . 7 3 . A l t h o u g h it m a y a p p e a r difficult to i m a g i n e a m o r e different film t h a n Levinson's own Wag the Dog from t h e s a m e year, a r e n o t t h e two films n o n e t h e less c o n n e c t e d ? Is n o t the S p h e r e the Z o n e in which, o n c e we e n t e r it, t h e tail itself ( o u r p h a n t a s m i c shadows) wags t h e dog ( o u r Selves that a r e s u p p o s e d to c o n t r o l o u r personalities)? Wag the Dog, t h e story o f t h e public relations specialists who c o n c o c t t h e m e d i a s p e c t a c l e o f a war with Albania in o r d e r t o distract public a t t e n t i o n f r o m t h e sexual s c a n d a l in which the P r e s i d e n t got involved j u s t weeks before his re-election, a n d Sphere thus b o t h deal with t h e p o w e r o f the p u r e p h a n t a s m i c s e m b l a n c e , with the way p h a n t a s m i c s e m b l a n c e c a n s h a p e o u r ( e x p e r i e n c e of) reality itself. 74. J a c q u e s L a c a n , Le Siminaire, livre VIII: Le transfert, Paris: Seuil 1 9 9 1 , pp. 9 7 - 1 1 6 . 7 5 . W e find a r o u g h equivalent to it in W o o d y Allen's Deconstructing Hairy, in which Robin Williams plays t h e c h a r a c t e r who is, as it were, ontologically a blob, b l u r r e d , out o f focus: his c o n t o u r s a r e o u t of focus n o t only for the subject who looks at him, not only w h e n he is part o f the generally blurred b a c k g r o u n d - they a r e also b l u r r e d when he stands a m o n g p e o p l e whom we can perceive quite clearly. This i d e a (unfortunately a hapax, a n o t i o n that c a n in fact be used only o n c e ) o f a p e r s o n who is in himself a n a m o r p h i c , for w h o m t h e r e is n o p r o p e r perspective that would m a k e his c o n t o u r s c l e a r (even when he h i m s e l f looks at his
312
THE TICKLISH SUBJECT
hands, they a p p e a r blurred to h i m ) , expresses, in a naive but a d e q u a t e way, the L a c a n i a n n o t i o n o f a stain constitutive o f reality itself. 7 6 . Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit, O x f o r d : O x f o r d University Press 1 9 7 7 , p. 1 0 3 . 77. Unfortunately, Sphere m a r s the purity o f its insight by retranslating it into c o m m o n New A g e wisdom: at the e n d , the t h r e e surviving h e r o e s d e c i d e that since even for t h e m , t h r e e highly e d u c a t e d civilized h u m a n s , c o n t a c t with the S p h e r e (i.e. the o p p o r t u n i t y to translate into reality, to materialize, t h e i r i n n e r m o s t fears a n d d r e a m s ) led to s u c h (self-) destructive results, it is b e t t e r for t h e m to f o r g e t ( e r a s e f r o m their m e m o r i e s ) their e n t i r e e x p e r i e n c e o f the S p h e r e - humanity is n o t yet spiritually m a t u r e e n o u g h for such a device. T h e ultimate message o f the film is thus the r e s i g n e d conservative thesis that, in o u r imperfect state, it is b e t t e r not to p e n e t r a t e t o o d e e p into o u r i n n e r m o s t secrets - if we did so, we m i g h t unleash t r e m e n d o u s destructive forces. . . . 7 8 . See C h a p t e r 1 o f Slavoj Zizek, Turning With the Negative, D u r h a m , NC: Duke University Press 1 9 9 3 . 7 9 . See Franz Kafka, ' T h e Silence o f the Sirens', in Homer: A Collection of Critical Essays, ed. G e o r g e Steiner a n d R o b e r t Fagles, E n g l e w o o d Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall 1 9 6 3 . F o r a L a c a n i a n r e a d i n g o f this Kafka text, see R e n a t a Salecl, ' T h e Silence o f the F e m i n i n e jou'issnnce, in Slavoj Zizek, ed., Cogito and the Unconscious, D u r h a m , N C : D u k e University Press 1 9 9 8 .
6
Whither Oedipus?
The Three Fathers 1
F r o m t h e e a r l y days o f h i s Complexes familiaux,
Lacan foc\_
l s e
d on
the
historicity o f t h e O e d i p u s c o m p l e x itself, as w e l l as o f its discover).- b y F r e u d . I n t h e m o d e r n b o u r g e o i s n u c l e a r f a m i l y , t h e two f u n c t i o n s o f t h e f a t h e r w h i c h w e r e p r e v i o u s l y s e p a r a t e d , t h a t is, e m b o d i e d i n d i f f e r e n t (the
pacifying
Ego
Ideal,
the
point
o f ideal
identification
people and
the
ferocious superego, the agent o f cruel prohibition; the symbolic function o f t o t e m a n d t h e h o r r o r o f t a b o o ) , a r e united
in one and the same
person.
( T h e p r e v i o u s s e p a r a t e p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n o f t h e two f u n c t i o n s a c c o u n t s f o r the apparent
stupidity'
o f some aborigines who thought
that the
true
f a t h e r o f a c h i l d is a s t o n e o r a n a n i m a l o r a s p i r i t : t h e a b o r i g i n e s w e r e w e l l a w a r e t h a t t h e m o t h e r was i n s e m i n a t e d b y t h e
'real' father;
they
m e r e l y s e p a r a t e d t h e r e a l f a t h e r f r o m its s y m b o l i c f u n c t i o n . ) T h e a m b i g u o u s rivalry with t h e f a t h e r
figure,
w h i c h e m e r g e d with t h e U n i f i c a t i o n o f
t h e two f u n c t i o n s i n t h e b o u r g e o i s n u c l e a r f a m i l y , c r e a t e d t h e p s y c h i c c o n d i t i o n s for m o d e r n same
time, however,
Western dynamic it s o w e d
the
seeds
creative individualism; o f the
O e d i p u s ' ( o r , m o r e g e n e r a l l y , with r e g a r d t o
figures
subsequent
at
the
'crisis o f
o f a u t h o r i t y as s u c h , 2
o f t h e 'crisis o f investiture' that e r u p t e d in t h e late n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y ) : s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y was m o r e a n d m o r e s m e a r e d b y t h e m a r k .
Q
f obscenity
a n d t h u s , as it w e r e , u n d e r m i n e d f r o m w i t h i n . L a c a n ' s p o i n t ,
Q
f c o u r s e , is
t h a t t h i s i d e n t i t y is t h e ' t r u t h ' o f t h e O e d i p u s c o m p l e x : it c a n
'function
n o r m a l l y ' a n d a c c o m p l i s h its j o b o f t h e c h i l d ' s i n t e g r a t i o n i n t o t h e s o c i o s y m b o l i c o r d e r o n l y i n so far as t h i s i d e n t i t y r e m a i n s c o n c e a l e d m o m e n t it is p o s i t e d as s u c h , t h e t u r n s i n t o a n o b s c e n e jouisseur
figure
the
o f paternal authority potentially
( t h e G e r m a n w o r d is Luripr)
in
whom
i m p o t e n c e a n d e x c e s s i v e r a g e c o i n c i d e , a ' h u m i l i a t e d l a t h e r ' c a u g h t in i m a g i n a r y rivalry with h i s s o n . H e r e we h a v e t h e p a r a d i g m a t i c c a s e o f a p r o p e r l y h i s t o r i c a l d i a l e c t i c :
314
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e F r e u d was ' t h e s o n o f h i s V i c t o r i a n t i m e s ' — as
many
h i s t o r i c i s t c r i t i c s o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s a r e n e v e r t i r e d o f r e p e a t i n g - h e was a b l e t o e x p r e s s its u n i v e r s a l f e a t u r e , w h i c h r e m a i n s i n v i s i b l e i n its ' n o r m a l ' f u n c t i o n i n g . T h e o t h e r g r e a t e x a m p l e o f t h e state o f crisis as t h e historical m o m e n t
which
allows f o r a n
insight into
universality
only is, o f
course, that o f Marx, w h o articulated the universal logic o f t h e historical d e v e l o p m e n t o f h u m a n i t y o n t h e b a s i s o f h i s a n a l y s i s o f c a p i t a l i s m as t h e e x c e s s i v e ( i m b a l a n c e d ) s y s t e m o f p r o d u c t i o n . C a p i t a l i s m is a c o n t i n g e n t m o n s t r o u s f o r m a t i o n w h o s e v e r y ' n o r m a l ' s t a t e is p e r m a n e n t
dislocation,
a kind o f 'freak o f history', a social system c a u g h t in the vicious s u p e r e g o c y c l e o f i n c e s s a n t e x p a n s i o n - y e t p r e c i s e l y as s u c h , it is t h e ' t r u t h ' o f t h e entire preceding 'normal' history.
3
In his early theory o f the historicity o f the O e d i p u s c o m p l e x , L a c a n thus already establishes the c o n n e c t i o n between the psychoanalytic prob lematic
of Oedipus
subject's integration psychological
as t h e into
topoi o n
elementary
form
the symbolic order,
how modernity
c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s - o n how, in m o d e r n
o f 'socialization', o f and
the standard
is c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y
individualist
societies, subjects are n o
longer
fully i m m e r s e d i n ( a n d i d e n t i f i e d w i t h ) t h e p a r t i c u l a r s o c i a l p l a c e which
they were b o r n ,
but
can -
in p r i n c i p l e , at least -
the
socio-
move
into freely
b e t w e e n different ' r o l e s ' . T h e e m e r g e n c e o f t h e m o d e r n 'abstract' individ u a l w h o r e l a t e s t o h i s p a r t i c u l a r 'way o f l i f e ' as t o s o m e t h i n g w i t h w h i c h h e is n o t d i r e c t l y i d e n t i f i e d - w h i c h , t h a t is, d e p e n d s o n a s e t o f c o n t i n g e n t c i r c u m s t a n c e s ; this f u n d a m e n t a l
e x p e r i e n c e that the particularities o f my
b i r t h a n d social status ( s e x , r e l i g i o n , wealth, e t c . ) d o n o t d e t e r m i n e
me
fully, d o n o t c o n c e r n m y i n n e r m o s t i d e n t i t y - r e l i e s o n m u t a t i o n i n t h e f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e O e d i p u s c o m p l e x : o n t h e u n i f i c a t i o n o f t h e two s i d e s o f paternal authority ( E g o Ideal a n d the prohibitive s u p e r e g o ) in o n e a n d the same person o f the 'real father' described above. A n o t h e r a s p e c t o f t h i s d u a l i t y is t h e c r u c i a l d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e ' b i g O t h e r ' qua t h e s y m b o l i c o r d e r , t h e a n o n y m o u s c i r c u i t r y w h i c h
mediates
any intersubjective c o m m u n i c a t i o n and induces an irreducible 'alienation' as t h e p r i c e f o r e n t e r i n g its c i r c u i t , a n d t h e s u b j e c t ' s ' i m p o s s i b l e ' r e l a t i o n s h i p t o a n O t h e r n e s s w h i c h is n o t y e t t h e s y m b o l i c b i g O t h e r b u t
the
O t h e r qua t h e R e a l T h i n g . T h e p o i n t is t h a t o n e s h o u l d n o t i d e n t i f y t h i s Real T h i n g
t o o hastily with
the
incestuous object o f desire
rendered
i n a c c e s s i b l e by s y m b o l i c p r o h i b i t i o n (i.e. t h e m a t e r n a l T h i n g ) ; this T h i n g is, r a t h e r , Father himself, n a m e l y , t h e o b s c e n e YdXhvc-jouissance
p r i o r to his
m u r d e r and subsequent elevation into the agency o f symbolic
authority
(Name-of-the-Father).
narrative,
T h i s is why,
on
the
level o f mythical
WHITHER OEDIPUS?
315
F r e u d felt the c o m p u l s i o n to s u p p l e m e n t the O e d i p a l myth with a n o t h e r mythical narrative, that o f the 'primordial father' [ T&T])
( i n Totem
and
Taboo
- t h e l e s s o n o f t h i s m y t h is t h e e x a c t o b v e r s e o f t h a t o f O e d i p u s ;
t h a t is t o say, h e r e , f a r f r o m h a v i n g t o d e a l w i t h t h e f a t h e r w h o i n t e r v e n e s as t h e T h i r d , t h e a g e n t w h o p r e v e n t s d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h t h e i n c e s t u o u s o b j e c t ( a n d s o s u s t a i n s t h e i l l u s i o n t h a t h i s a n n i h i l a t i o n w o u l d give u s f r e e a c c e s s t o t h i s o b j e c t ) , it is t h e k i l l i n g o f t h e F a t h e r - T h i n g ( t h e o f t h e O e d i p a l wish) w h i c h gives rise to s y m b o l i c p r o h i b i t i o n f a t h e r r e t u r n s as h i s N a m e ) . A n d w h a t o c c u r s i n t o d a y ' s 'decline o f Oedipus' the
return
of
figures
realization (the
dead
much-decried
( d e c l i n e o f p a t e r n a l s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y ) is p r e c i s e l y which
'primordial father', from
function
according
to
the
logic
'totalitarian' political L e a d e r s to the
s e x u a l h a r a s s e r - why? W h e n t h e
of
the
paternal
' p a c i f y i n g ' s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y is sus
p e n d e d , t h e o n l y w a y t o a v o i d t h e d e b i l i t a t i n g d e a d l o c k o f d e s i r e , its inherent
i m p o s s i b i l i t y , is t o l o c a t e t h e
c a u s e o f its i n a c c e s s i b i l i t y in
d e s p o t i c figure w h i c h s t a n d s f o r t h e p r i m o r d i a l jouisseur.
a
we c a n n o t e n j o y
b e c a u s e lie a p p r o p r i a t e s all e n j o y m e n t . . . . We
c a n n o w s e e , in what,
O e d i p u s t o T&T:
precisely, consists the
c r u c i a l shift
from
in the ' O e d i p u s c o m p l e x ' , the parricide (and the incest
with the m o t h e r ) has t h e status o f t h e u n c o n s c i o u s desire - we, o r d i n a r y ( m a l e ) s u b j e c t s , all d r e a m a b o u t it, s i n c e t h e p a t e r n a l
figure
prevents our
a c c e s s t o t h e m a t e r n a l o b j e c t , d i s t u r b s o u r s y m b i o s i s w i t h it; w h i l e O e d i p u s h i m s e l f is t h e e x c e p t i o n a l f i g u r e , t h e O n e w h o a c t u a l l y did it. I n T&T,
on
t h e c o n t r a r y , t h e p a r r i c i d e is n o t t h e o b j e c t o f o u r d r e a m s , t h e g o a l o f o u r u n c o n s c i o u s wish - i t is, as F r e u d e m p h a s i z e s a g a i n a n d a g a i n , a p r e h i s t o r i c f a c t w h i c h ' r e a l l y h a d t o h a p p e n ' : t h e m u r d e r o f t h e f a t h e r is a n e v e n t w h i c h h a d to take p l a c e in reality in o r d e r f o r t h e passage
from
a n i m a l s t a t e t o C u l t u r e t o t a k e p l a c e . O r - t o p u t it i n y e t a n o t h e r way i n t h e s t a n d a r d O e d i p u s m y t h , O e d i p u s is the exception
who did w h a t w e all
m e r e l y d r e a m a b o u t ( k i l l h i s f a t h e r , e t c . ) ; w h i l e i n T&fT this universally s h a r e d c r i m e g r o u n d e d
we all did it, a n d
h u m a n community. . . . In short,
t h e t r a u m a t i c e v e n t is n o t s o m e t h i n g w e d r e a m a b o u t , e n t e r t a i n i n g its f u t u r e p r o s p e c t , b u t n e v e r r e a l l y h a p p e n s a n d t h u s , v i a its p o s t p o n e m e n t , sustains the state o f C u l t u r e
( s i n c e t h e r e a l i z a t i o n o f this wish, i.e. t h e
c o n s u m m a t i o n o f the i n c e s t u o u s link with the m o t h e r , would abolish the symbolic d i s t a n c e / p r o h i b i t i o n that defines the universe o f Culture); the t r a u m a t i c e v e n t is, r a t h e r , w h a t ahvays-already
had to happen
the
moment
we a r e within t h e o r d e r o f C u l t u r e . S o h o w a r e we t o e x p l a i n t h a t , a l t h o u g h w e d i d a c t u a l l y kill t h e f a t h e r , the
outcome
is n o t
the
longed-for
incestuous
union?
T h e r e , in
this
THE
316
TICKLISH
p a r a d o x , lies t h e c e n t r a l t h e s i s o f T&fT:
SUBJECT
the actual bearer o f prohibition,
w h a t p r e v e n t s o u r a c c e s s t o t h e i n c e s t u o u s o b j e c t , is n o t t h e l i v i n g b u t t h e dead f a t h e r , t h e f a t h e r w h o , a f t e r h i s d e a t h , r e t u r n s as h i s N a m e , t h a t is, as t h e e m b o d i m e n t o f t h e s y m b o l i c L a w / P r o h i b i t i o n . W h a t t h e m a t r i x o f T&T
a c c o u n t s f o r is t h u s t h e s t r u c t u r a l n e c e s s i t y o f t h e p a r r i c i d e :
the
passage from direct brutal force to the rule o f symbolic authority, o f the p r o h i b i t o r y L a w , is always g r o u n d e d
in a (disavowed) act o f primordial
c r i m e . T h a t is t h e d i a l e c t i c o f ' Y o u c a n p r o v e t h a t y o u l o v e m e o n l y b y b e t r a y i n g m e ' : t h e f a t h e r is e l e v a t e d i n t o t h e v e n e r a t e d s y m b o l o f L a w o n l y after his betrayal a n d m u r d e r . T h i s p r o b l e m a t i c also o p e n s u p
the
vagaries o f i g n o r a n c e - n o t the subject's, b u t the big O t h e r ' s : 'the father is d e a d , b u t h e is n o t a w a r e o f i t ' , t h a t is, h e d o e s n ' t k n o w t h a t h i s l o v i n g followers have
(always-already) b e t r a y e d h i m . O n
the other hand,
this
m e a n s t h a t t h e f a t h e r ' r e a l l y t h i n k s t h a t h e is a f a t h e r ' , t h a t h i s a u t h o r i t y e m a n a t e s directly from his p e r s o n , n o t m e r e l y from the e m p t y symbolic p l a c e h e o c c u p i e s a n d / o r fills. W h a t t h e f a i t h f u l f o l l o w e r s h o u l d c o n c e a l f r o m t h e p a t e r n a l f i g u r e o f t h e L e a d e r is p r e c i s e l y t h i s g a p b e t w e e n
the
L e a d e r in the i m m e d i a c y o f his p e r s o n a l i t y a n d the s y m b o l i c p l a c e
he
occupies, the gap on
account o f which father
qua e f f e c t i v e
person
is
u t t e r l y i m p o t e n t a n d r i d i c u l o u s ( e x e m p l a r y h e r e , o f c o u r s e , is t h e f i g u r e o f K i n g L e a r , w h o was c o n f r o n t e d v i o l e n t l y w i t h t h i s b e t r a y a l a n d
the
e n s u i n g u n m a s k i n g o f his i m p o t e n c e - d e p r i v e d o f his s y m b o l i c tide, h e is r e d u c e d t o a r a g i n g o l d i m p o t e n t f o o l ) . T h e h e r e t i c l e g e n d a c c o r d i n g to w h i c h C h r i s t h i m s e l f o r d e r e d J u d a s t o b e t r a y h i m ( o r a t l e a s t , l e t h i m k n o w h i s w i s h e s b e t w e e n t h e l i n e s . . . ) is t h e r e f o r e w e l l f o u n d e d : t h e r e , i n this necessity o f the betrayal o f t h e G r e a t M a n w h i c h a l o n e c a n assure his f a m e , lies t h e u l t i m a t e mystery o f P o w e r . T h e relationship between Michael Collins a n d E a m o n de Valera in the fight
for Irish i n d e p e n d e n c e illustrates a n o t h e r aspect o f this necessity o f
b e t r a y a l . I n 1 9 2 1 , D e V a l e r a ' s p r o b l e m w a s t h a t h e saw t h e n e c e s s i t y o f c o n c l u d i n g a d e a l w i t h t h e B r i t i s h g o v e r n m e n t , as w e l l as t h e c a t a s t r o p h i c results o f t h e r e t u r n to a state o f war, yet h e did n o t w a n t to c o n c l u d e this d e a l h i m s e l f , a n d t h u s t a k e full p u b l i c r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r it, b e c a u s e t h i s w o u l d f o r c e h i m to display his i m p o t e n c e , his l i m i t a t i o n , publicly ( h e was well aware that t h e British g o v e r n m e n t would
n e v e r c o n c e d e two k e y
d e m a n d s : t h e separate status o f the six U l s t e r c o u n t i e s a n d the r e n u n c i a t i o n o f I r e l a n d a s a R e p u b l i c , t h a t is, t h e r e c o g n i t i o n o f t h e B r i t i s h K i n g as s o v e r e i g n o v e r t h e C o m m o n w e a l t h , a n d
thus also over I r e l a n d ) . I n
o r d e r to retain his charisma, h e h a d to m a n i p u l a t e a n o t h e r (Collins) into concluding
the
deal, reserving for himself
the freedom
to disavow
it
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
317
p u b l i c l y , w h i l e l a t e r s i l e n t l y a c c e p t i n g its t e r m s - in this way, t h e s e m b l a n c e o f h i s c h a r i s m a w o u l d b e s a v e d . D e V a l e r a h i m s e l f was h e a r d t o say o f C o l l i n s a n d o t h e r m e m b e r s o f the Irish delegation to t h e L o n d o n n e g o 4
t i a t i o n s : ' W e m u s t h a v e s c a p e g o a t s ' . C o l l i n s ' s t r a g e d y was t h a t h e r e a d i l y a s s u m e d this r o l e o f ' v a n i s h i n g m e d i a t o r ' , o f the subject w h o s e c o m p r o m i s i n g p r a g m a t i c s t a n c e e n a b l e s t h e M a s t e r to retain h i s m e s s i a n i c c h a r i s m a : "You m i g h t say t h e t r a p is s p r u n g , '
5
h e wrote a f t e r h e h a d
agreed
to h e a d the L o n d o n d e l e g a t i o n , while after signing the treaty h e said, with dark premonition:
'I m a y have s i g n e d m y actual d e a t h - w a r r a n t . '
0
The
c l i c h e o f t h e post-revolutionary p r a g m a t i c l e a d e r who betrays the revol u t i o n a r y i d e a l i s t is t h u s r e v e r s e d : it is t h e p a s s i o n a t e n a t i o n a l i s t i d e a l i s t (De V a l e r a ) who exploits a n d t h e n betrays the pragmatic realist, the true founding
7
figure.
H o w , h o w e v e r , is t h i s r e v e r s a l p o s s i b l e ? I n t h e T c V T m a t r i x , t h e r e is still s o m e t h i n g m i s s i n g : it is n o t e n o u g h t o h a v e t h e m "
1 < j
e r e d father return
i n g as t h e a g e n c y o f s y m b o l i c p r o h i b i t i o n - i n o r d e r f o r t h i s p r o h i b i t i o n t o b e e f f e c t u a l , a c t u a l l y to e x e r t its p o w e r ,
it m u s t
D
e
sustained
by a
p o s i t i v e a c t o f W i l l i n g . T h i s i n s i g h t p a v e d t h e way f o r t h e f u r t h e r a n d last F r e u d i a n v a r i a t i o n o n t h e O e d i p a l m a t r i x , t h e o n e in Moses
[MafM],
in w h i c h w e a r e
also d e a l i n g with
d u a l i t y , h o w e v e r , is n o t t h e s a m e as t h e o n e i n T&Tare not the pre-symbolic o b s c e n e / n o n - c a s t r a t e d (dead)
father
qua
the
and
two p a t e r n a l
Monotheism figures;
h e r e , t h e two
father-Jouissartce
bearer o f symbolic authority
(the
this figures
and
the
Name-of-the-
F a t h e r ) , but the old Egyptian Moses, the o n e who imposed m o n o t h e i s m who
dispensed
with
old polytheistic superstitions
and
introduced
n o t i o n o f a universe d e t e r m i n e d a n d r u l e d bv a u n i q u e rational
-
the
Order,
a n d t h e S e m i t i c M o s e s , w h o is a c t u a l l y n o n e o t h e r t h a n J e h o v a h ( Y a h w c h ) , t h e j e a l o u s G o d w h o d i s p l a y s v e n g e f u l r a g e w h e n H e f e e l s b e t r a y e d by H i s people. In short, who
MofM
is ' b e t r a y e d '
and
reverses the m a t r i x o f
p r i m o r d i a l Father-Jouissance symbolic
authority,
TcfT
yet again: the father
k i l l e d b y h i s f o l l o w e r s / s o n s is not t h e
the
obscene
b u t t h e very 'rational' f a t h e r w h o e m b o d i e s figure
which
s t r u c t u r e o f t h e u n i v e r s e [logos].
personifies
the
unified
rational
Instead o f the o b s c e n e primordial
pre-
s y m b o l i c f a t h e r r e t u r n i n g a f t e r h i s m u r d e r i n t h e g u i s e o f its N a m e , o f s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y , we n o w h a v e t h e s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y [logos]
betrayed,
k i l l e d by h i s f o l l o w e r s / s o n s , a n d t h e n r e t u r n i n g i n t h e g u i s e o f t h e j e a l o u s a n d unforgiving superego
figure
o f G o d full o f m u r d e r o u s r a g e .
s
I t is
o n l y h e r e , after this s e c o n d reversal o f the O e d i p a l m a t r i x , that we r e a c h the well-known Pascalian distinction between t h e (God
qua
the universal structure
o f logos,
tk>d o f P h i l o s o p h e r s
identified
w i t
h
the
rational
THE TICKLISH
318
SUBJECT
structure o f the universe) a n d the G o d o f Theologists (the G o d o f love and
hate,
the
inscrutable
'dark
God'
of
capricious
'irrational'
Predestination). A g a i n , t h e c r u c i a l p o i n t is t h a t t h i s G o d is not t h e s a m e as t h e o b s c e n e p r i m o r d i a l Father-Jouisseur. w i t h a knowledge
in contrast to the primordial father
o f jouissance,
m i s i n g G o d is t h a t H e says ' N o ! ' t o jouissance ferocious ignorance
endowed
the f u n d a m e n t a l feature o f this u n c o m p r o
{'laferoce
ignorance
— t h i s is a G o d p o s s e s s e d b y J
de Yahvf' ),
by an a t t i t u d e o f 'I
refuse to k n o w , I d o n o t w a n t t o h e a r , a n y t h i n g a b o u t y o u r dirty s e c r e t ways o f jouissance
and
\ a G o d who banishes the universe o f traditional
s e x u a l i z e d w i s d o m , a u n i v e r s e i n w h i c h t h e r e is still a s e m b l a n c e o f t h e ultimate jouissance,
harmony the
between
the
big O t h e r
(the
n o t i o n o f m a c r o c o s m as r e g u l a t e d
symbolic order) by s o m e
and
underlying
s e x u a l t e n s i o n b e t w e e n m a l e a n d f e m a l e ' p r i n c i p l e s ' {Yin a n d Yang,
Light
a n d D a r k n e s s , E a r t h a n d H e a v e n ) . T h i s is t h e p r o t o - e x i s t e n t i a l i s t G o d whose e x i s t e n c e — to apply to H i m anachronistically Sartre's definition o f m a n - d o e s n o t s i m p l y c o i n c i d e w i t h H i s e s s e n c e (as w i t h t h e m e d i e v a l G o d o f St T h o m a s Aquinas), but precedes His essence; for that reason, H e s p e a k s i n t a u t o l o g i e s , n o t o n l y c o n c e r n i n g H i s o w n quidditas w h a t I a m ' ) , b u t a l s o a n d a b o v e a l l i n w h a t c o n c e r n s logos,
('I a m
t h e reasons
for
w h a t H e is d o i n g - o r , m o r e p r e c i s e l y , f o r H i s i n j u n c t i o n s , f o r w h a t H e is asking us to d o o r p r o h i b i t i n g us to d o : the i n e x o r a b l e i n s i s t e n c e o f His o r d e r s is u l t i m a t e l y g r o u n d e d i n a n ' I t is s o because
I say it is so\'. I n s h o r t ,
t h i s G o d is t h e G o d o f p u r e W i l l , o f t h e c a p r i c i o u s abyss t h a t l i e s b e y o n d a n y g l o b a l r a t i o n a l o r d e r o f logos,
a G o d w h o d o e s n o t h a v e t o account
for
anything H e does. I n the history o f p h i l o s o p h y , this c r a c k in the g l o b a l r a t i o n a l e d i f i c e o f t h e m a c r o c o s m i n w h i c h t h e D i v i n e W i l l a p p e a r s was first o p e n e d u p b y D u n s S c o t u s ; b u t it was F . W . J . S c h e l l i n g t o w h o m w e o w e t h e m o s t p i e r c i n g d e s c r i p t i o n s o f this h o r r i f y i n g abyss o f Will. S c h e l l i n g o p p o s e d t h e W i l l to t h e ' p r i n c i p l e o f s u f f i c i e n t r e a s o n ' : p u r e W i l l i n g is always s e l f - i d e n t i c a l , it r e l i e s o n l y o n its o w n a c t - ' I w a n t it b e c a u s e I w a n t i t ! ' . I n h i s d e s c r i p t i o n s , radiating an awesome poetic beauty, Schelling emphasizes how people
are horrified when
they e n c o u n t e r a person
whose
ordinary behaviour
d i s p l a y s s u c h a n u n c o n d i t i o n a l W i l l : t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g f a s c i n a t i n g , p r o p e r l y h y p n o t i c , a b o u t it; o n e is as i f b e w i t c h e d b y it. . . . S c h e l l i n g ' s e m p h a s i s on
t h e abyss o f p u r e W i l l i n g , o f c o u r s e , t a r g e t s H e g e l ' s a l l e g e d
l o g i c i s m ' : w h a t S c h e l l i n g w a n t s t o p r o v e is t h a t t h e H e g e l i a n l o g i c a l s y s t e m is i n i t s e l f impotent
'pan-
universal
- it is a s y s t e m o f p u r e potentialities
and,
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
319
as s u c h , i n n e e d o f d i e s u p p l e m e n t a r y ' i r r a t i o n a l ' a c t o f p u r e W i l l i n o r d e r t o actualize
itself.
T h i s G o d is t h e G o d w h o speaks
to His f o l l o w e r s / s o n s , to His ' p e o p l e '
-
t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n o f voice is c r u c i a l h e r e . A s L a c a n p u t it i n h i s u n p u b l i s h e d S e m i n a r o n Anxiety
(from 1 9 6 0 - 6 1 ) , the voice (the actual 'speech act')
b r i n g s a b o u t t h e passage
a I'acte
o f t h e s i g n i f y i n g n e t w o r k , its ' s y m b o l i c
e f f i c i e n c y ' . T h i s v o i c e is i n h e r e n t l y m e a n i n g l e s s - n o n s e n s i c a l , e v e n ; it is just a negative gesture which
gives e x p r e s s i o n t o G o d ' s m a l i c i o u s
and
v e n g e f u l a n g e r ( a l l m e a n i n g is a l r e a d y t h e r e i n t h e s y m b o l i c o r d e r w h i c h s t r u c t u r e s o u r u n i v e r s e ) , b u t it is p r e c i s e l y as s u c h t h a t it a c t u a l i z e s t h e p u r e l y s t r u c t u r a l m e a n i n g , t r a n s f o r m i n g it i n t o a n e x p e r i e n c e o f S e n s e .
1 0
T h i s , o f c o u r s e , is a n o t h e r way o f s a y i n g t h a t t h r o u g h this u t t e r i n g o f t h e V o i c e w h i c h m a n i f e s t s H i s W i l l , G o d subjectivizes
Himself. T h e old Egyptian
M o s e s b e t r a y e d a n d k i l l e d b y h i s p e o p l e was t h e a l l - i n c l u s i v e O n e o f
logos,
the rational substantial structure o f the universe, the 'writing' accessible to those w h o know h o w to r e a d the ' G r e a t B o o k o f N a t u r e ' , n o t yet the all-exclusive O n e o f subjectivity w h o i m p o s e s His u n c o n d i t i o n a l Will
on
H i s c r e a t i o n . A n d , a g a i n , t h e c r u c i a l p o i n t n o t t o b e m i s s e d is t h a t t h i s G o d , a l t h o u g h a l o g i c a l , ' c a p r i c i o u s ' , v e n g e f u l , ' i r r a t i o n a l ' , is not t h e p r e s y m b o l i c ' p r i m o r d i a l ' Father-Jouissance
but, o n the contrary, the a g e n t o f
p r o h i b i t i o n c a r r i e d b y a ' f e r o c i o u s i g n o r a n c e ' o f t h e ways o f
jouissance.
T h e p a r a d o x o n e h a s t o b e a r i n m i n d h e r e is t h a t t h i s G o d o f g r o u n d l e s s W i l l i n g a n d f e r o c i o u s ' i r r a t i o n a l ' r a g e is t h e G o d w h o , b y m e a n s o f H i s Prohibition, accomplishes the destruction o f the old sexualized Wisdom, and thus o p e n s up the space for the de-sexualized 'abstract' knowledge o f m o d e r n s c i e n c e : t h e r e is ' o b j e c t i v e ' s c i e n t i f i c k n o w l e d g e ( i n t h e
modern,
post-Cartesian sense o f the t e r m ) only i f the universe o f scientific knowl e d g e i t s e l f is s u p p l e m e n t e d figure
o f the
'real father'.
and
s u s t a i n e d by t h i s e x c e s s i v e ' i r r a t i o n a l '
In short, Descartes's 'voluntarism'
(see his
i n f a m o u s s t a t e m e n t that 2 + 2 would b e 5 if such were G o d ' s Will -
there
a r e n o e t e r n a l t r u t h s d i r e c t l y c o n s u b s t a n t i a l w i t h D i v i n e N a t u r e ) is t h e necessary obverse o f m o d e r n scientific knowledge. P r e m o d e r n Aristotelian a n d m e d i e v a l k n o w l e d g e was n o t y e t ' o b j e c t i v e ' r a t i o n a l s c i e n t i f i c k n o w l e d g e p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e it l a c k e d t h i s e x c e s s i v e e l e m e n t o f G o d qua
the
subjectivity o f p u r e ' i r r a t i o n a l ' Willing: in Aristotle, ' G o d ' directly e q u a l s His own eternal rational Nature; H e 'is' n o t h i n g b u t the logical O r d e r o f T h i n g s . T h e f u r t h e r p a r a d o x is t h a t t h i s ' i r r a t i o n a l ' G o d as t h e p r o h i b i t o r y paternal figure also o p e n s up the space for the entire d e v e l o p m e n t of m o d e r n i t y , u p t o t h e d e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s t n o t i o n t h a t o u r s e x u a l i d e n t i t y is a c o n t i n g e n t s o c i o - s y m b o l i c f o r m a t i o n : t h e m o m e n t this p r o h i b i t o r y figure
THE
32U
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
r e c e d e s , we a r e b a c k i n t o t h e J u n g i a n n e o - o b s c u r a n t i s t n o t i o n
o f the
m a s c u l i n e a n d f e m i n i n e e t e r n a l a r c h e t y p e s w h i c h thrives today. T h i s p a r a d o x is c r u c i a l i f w e a r e n o t t o m i s u n d e r s t a n d c o m p l e t e l y t h e gap that separates the p r o p e r authority o f the symbolic L a w / P r o h i b i d o n from mere
'regulation by rules': t h e d o m a i n
actually to
count
as s u c h ,
has
to b e
o f s y m b o l i c r u l e s , i f i t is
grounded
in
some
tautological
a u t h o r i t y beyond rules, w h i c h says ' I t is s o b e c a u s e I say it is s o ! ' . " I n s h o r t , b e y o n d d i v i n e R e a s o n t h e r e is t h e a b y s s o f G o d ' s W i l l , o f H i s c o n t i n g e n t Decision
which
sustains
even
the
Eternal Trutiis. Above and
beyond
o p e n i n g u p t h e space for m o d e r n reflexive f r e e d o m , this s a m e g a p also o p e n s up the s p a c e for m o d e r n tragedy. I n political t e r m s , the d i f f e r e n c e between classical tragedy a n d m o d e r n ( t r a d i t i o n a l ) tyranny
t r a g e d y is t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n 12
a n d ( m o d e r n ) terror.'
T h e t r a d i t i o n a l hero s a c r i f i c e s
h i m s e l f for the C a u s e ; h e resists t h e p r e s s u r e o f t h e T y r a n t a n d a c c o m p l i s h e s h i s D u t y , c o s t w h a t it m a y ; as s u c h , h e is a p p r e c i a t e d , h i s s a c r i f i c e confers on
h i m a sublime aura,
h i s a c t is i n s c r i b e d i n t h e r e g i s t e r o f
T r a d i t i o n as a n e x a m p l e t o b e f o l l o w e d . W e e n t e r t h e d o m a i n o f m o d e r n tragedy when
t h e very l o g i c o f s a c r i f i c e f o r t h e T h i n g c o m p e l s u s
to
s a c r i f i c e t h i s T h i n g itself; t h e r e i n lies t h e p r e d i c a m e n t o f P a u l C l a u d e l ' s S y g n c , w h o is c o m p e l l e d to b e t r a y h e r f a i t h in o r d e r t o p r o v e h e r a b s o l u t e f i d e l i t y t o G o d . S y g n e d o e s n o t s a c r i f i c e h e r e m p i r i c a l life f o r w h a t m a t t e r s t o h e r m o r e t h a n h e r l i f e , s h e s a c r i f i c e s p r e c i s e l y t h a t w h i c h is ' i n
her
m o r e t h a n h e r s e l f , a n d t h u s survives as a m e r e s h e l l o f h e r f o r m e r s e l f , d e p r i v e d o f h e r agalma — w e t h e r e b y e n t e r t h e d o m a i n o f t h e monstrosity heroism,
when
our
fidelity t o t h e
Cause
c o m p e l s us
to transgress
of
the
t h r e s h o l d o f o u r ' h u m a n i t y ' . Is it n o t p r o o f o f t h e h i g h e s t , m o s t a b s o l u t e f a i t h t h a t , f o r t h e l o v e o f G o d , I a m r e a d y t o l o s e , to e x p o s e t o e t e r n a l d a m n a t i o n , m y e t e r n a l S o u l itself? I t is e a s y t o s a c r i f i c e o n e ' s life w i t h t h e c e r t a i n t y o f t h e r e b y r e d e e m i n g o n e ' s e t e r n a l S o u l - h o w m u c h w o r s e is i t to sacrifice o n e ' s very soul for G o d ! P e r h a p s t h e u l t i m a t e h i s t o r i c a l i l l u s t r a t i o n o f this p r e d i c a m e n t - o f t h e g a p w h i c h s e p a r a t e s t h e h e r o (his r e s i s t a n c e to tyranny) f r o m t h e victim o f t e r r o r - is p r o v i d e d b y t h e S t a l i n i s t v i c t i m : t h i s v i c t i m is n o t s o m e o n e who
finally
becomes
learns
aware
that
o f the
Communism
was
an
positivity o f a s i m p l e
ideological mirage,
and
ethical
the
life
outside
ideological Cause - the Stalinist victim c a n n o t retreat into a simple ethical life,
since h e
has already forsaken
it f o r his C o m m u n i s t
Cause. This
p r e d i c a m e n t a c c o u n t s for t h e i m p r e s s i o n that a l t h o u g h the fate o f the v i c t i m s o f t h e g r e a t S t a l i n i s t s h o w trials ( f r o m B u k h a r i n t o S l a n s k y ) was h o r r i b l e b e y o n d d e s c r i p t i o n , t h e p r o p e r l y t r a g i c d i m e n s i o n is m i s s i n g
-
WHITHER t h a t is, t h e y w e r e
OEDIPUS?
321
not t r a g i c h e r o e s , b u t s o m e t h i n g m o r e h o r r i b l e
and
s i m u l t a n e o u s l y m o r e c o m i c a l : they w e r e d e p r i v e d o f t h e very dignity t h a t w o u l d c o n f e r o n t h e i r f a t e its p r o p e r l y t r a g i c d i m e n s i o n . F o r t h a t r e a s o n , A n t i g o n e c a n n o t s e r v e as t h e m o d e l f o r r e s i s t a n c e t o S t a l i n i s t p o w e r : i f w e use h e r like this, we r e d u c e t h e Stalinist t e r r o r to j u s t a n o t h e r version o f tyranny. A n t i g o n e m a i n t a i n s the r e f e r e n c e to the big O t h e r ' s desire
(to
a c c o m p l i s h the s y m b o l i c ritual a n d bury h e r d e c e a s e d b r o t h e r properly) as o p p o s e d t o t h e t y r a n t ' s ( p s e u d o - ) L a w - t h e r e f e r e n c e w h i c h , p r e c i s e l y , is lacking i n t h e S t a l i n i s t s h o w t r i a l s . I n h u m i l i a t i n g t h e v i c t i m , t h e S t a l i n i s t t e r r o r deprives h i m o f t h e very d i m e n s i o n w h i c h c o u l d c o n f e r s u b l i m e b e a u t y o n h i m : t h e v i c t i m g o e s b e y o n d a c e r t a i n t h r e s h o l d , h e 'loses his d i g n i t y ' a n d is r e d u c e d
t o a p u r e s u b j e c t b e r e f t o f agalma,
'destitute',
u n a b l e t o r e c o m p o s e t h e n a r r a t i v e o f his l i f e . T h u s t e r r o r is n o t t h e p o w e r o f c o r r u p t i o n t h a t u n d e r m i n e s t h e e t h i c a l a t t i t u d e f r o m o u t s i d e ; r a t h e r , it u n d e r m i n e s it f r o m w i t h i n , b y m o b i l i z i n g a n d e x p l o i t i n g t o its u t m o s t t h e i n h e r e n t g a p o f t h e e t h i c a l p r o j e c t itself, the
gap
that
separates
symbolic dimension
the
ethical Cause
qua
real from
Cause
in
its
( v a l u e s , e t c . ) o r - t o p u t it i n p o l i t i c o - l e g a l t e r m s
-
the gap that separates the G o d o f the p u r e act o f decision from the G o d o f positive P r o h i b i t i o n s a n d C o m m a n d m e n t s . D o e s n o t the K i e r k e g a a r d ian suspension
o f the
( s y m b o l i c ) E t h i c a l also involve a m o v e
beyond
t r a g e d y ? T h e e t h i c a l h e r o is t r a g i c , w h e r e a s t h e k n i g h t o f F a i t h d w e l l s i n t h e h o r r i b l e d o m a i n b e y o n d o r b e t w e e n t h e t w o d e a t h s , s i n c e h e (is r e a d y t o ) s a c r i f i c e ( s ) w h a t is m o s t p r e c i o u s t o h i m , h i s objet petit a (in t h e c a s e o f Abraham,
his s o n ) . I n
other
words,
Kierkegaard's
point
is n o t
that
A b r a h a m is f o r c e d t o c h o o s e b e t w e e n h i s d u t y t o G o d a n d h i s d u t y t o h u m a n i t y (such a c h o i c e r e m a i n s simply t r a g i c ) , b u t that h e has to c h o o s e b e t w e e n t h e two f a c e t s o f duty' t o G o d , a n d t h e r e b y t h e two f a c e t s o f G o d H i m s e l f : G o d as u n i v e r s a l ( t h e s y s t e m o f s y m b o l i c n o r m s ) a n d G o d as t h e point o f absolute singularity that suspends the d i m e n s i o n o f the Universal. F o r this p r e c i s e r e a s o n , D e r r i d a ' s r e a d i n g o f ( K i e r k e g a a r d ' s r e a d i n g o f ) A b r a h a m ' s g e s t u r e i n Donner
la mart,™ w h e r e
he interprets
Abraham's
s a c r i f i c e n o t as a h y p e r b o l i c e x c e p t i o n b u t as s o m e t h i n g w h i c h all o f us p e r f o r m a g a i n a n d a g a i n , e v e r y day, i n o u r m o s t c o m m o n e t h i c a l e x p e r i e n c e , s e e m s t o fall s h o r t . A c c o r d i n g t o D e r r i d a , e v e r y t i m e we c h o o s e to o b e y a d u t y t o s o m e i n d i v i d u a l , w e n e g l e c t - f o r g e t - o u r d u t y t o all o t h e r s ( s i n c e tout autre est tout autre, e v e r y o t h e r p e r s o n is w h o l l y o t h e r ) — i f I a t t e n d to m y own c h i l d r e n , I sacrifice t h e c h i l d r e n o f o t h e r m e n ; i f I h e l p t o f e e d a n d c l o t h e this o t h e r p e r s o n , I a b a n d o n o t h e r o t h e r s , a n d so o n . W h a t gets lost in this r e d u c t i o n o f A b r a h a m ' s p r e d i c a m e n t to a k i n d o f
THE
322
TICKLISH
H e i d e g g e r i a n c o n s t i t u t i v e g u i l t o f Dasein
SUBJECT
which can never use/actualize
all its p o s s i b i l i t i e s is t h e s e l f - r e f e r e n t i a l n a t u r e o f t h i s p r e d i c a m e n t : A b r a h a m ' s d e a d l o c k d o e s n o t l i e i n t h e f a c t t h a t , o n b e h a l f o f t h e u l t i m a t e tout autre ( G o d ) , h e h a s t o s a c r i f i c e a n o t h e r tout autre, h i s m o s t b e l o v e d e a r t h l y c o m p a n i o n (his s o n ) but, r a t h e r , in the fact that, o n b e h a l f o f his L o v e f o r G o d , h e h a s t o s a c r i f i c e w h a t the very religion grounded
in his faith
orders
him to love. T h e s p l i t is t h u s i n h e r e n t i n f a i t h itself; i t is t h e s p l i t b e t w e e n t h e S y m b o l i c a n d t h e R e a l , b e t w e e n t h e symbolic e d i f i c e o f f a i t h a n d p u r e , u n c o n d i t i o n a l act o f f a i t h - the only way to prove your faith what this very faith
the
is to betray
orders you to love.
T h e Demise o f Symbolic Efficiency O n e c a n n o w s e e w h y L a c a n c a l l s t h i s p r o h i b i t i n g G o d t h e ' r e a l f a t h e r ' as t h e ' a g e n t o f c a s t r a t i o n ' : s y m b o l i c c a s t r a t i o n is a n o t h e r n a m e f o r t h e g a p b e t w e e n t h e b i g O t h e r a n d puissance, be
'synchronized'. O n e
f o r t h e f a c t t h a t t h e two c a n n e v e r
c a n also see in w h a t p r e c i s e sense
perversion
e n a c t s the disavowal o f castration: the f u n d a m e n t a l illusion o f the p e r v e r t is t h a t h e p o s s e s s e s a ( s y m b o l i c ) k n o w l e d g e t h a t e n a b l e s h i m t o r e g u l a t e h i s a c c e s s t o puissance
- t h a t is, t o p u t i t i n m o r e c o n t e m p o r a r y t e r m s , t h e
p e r v e r t ' s d r e a m is t o t r a n s f o r m s e x u a l activity i n t o a n i n s t r u m e n t a l p u r p o s e o r i e n t a t e d activity t h a t c a n b e p r o j e c t e d a n d e x e c u t e d a c c o r d i n g to a welldefined
plan.
So when,
today, o n e
speaks o f the decline o f
paternal
a u t h o r i t y , it is this f a t h e r , t h e f a t h e r o f t h e u n c o m p r o m i s i n g ' N o ! ' , w h o is effectively in retreat; in t h e a b s e n c e o f his p r o h i b i t o r y ' N o ! ' , n e w f o r m s o f t h e p h a n t a s m i c h a r m o n y b e t w e e n t h e s y m b o l i c o r d e r a n d puissance
can
thrive again - this r e t u r n to the substantial n o t i o n o f Reason-as-Life at t h e e x p e n s e o f t h e p r o h i b i t o r y ' r e a l f a t h e r ' is w h a t t h e s o - c a l l e d N e w A g e ' h o l i s t i c ' a t t i t u d e is u l t i m a t e l y a b o u t ( t h e E a r t h o r m a c r o c o s m i t s e l f as a living e n t i t y ) .
1 4
W h a t t h e s e d e a d l o c k s i n d i c a t e is t h a t t o d a y , i n a s e n s e ,
' t h e b i g O t h e r n o l o n g e r e x i s t s ' - b u t i n tuhat s e n s e ? O n e s h o u l d b e v e r y s p e c i f i c a b o u t w h a t t h i s n o n e x i s t e n c e a c t u a l l y a m o u n t s t o . I n a way, it is t h e s a m e w i t h t h e b i g O t h e r as it is with G o d a c c o r d i n g t o L a c a n ( i t is n o t t h a t G o d is d e a d t o d a y ; G o d was d e a d f r o m t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g , o n l y H e d i d n ' t k n o w i t . . . ) : it never existed in the first place, t h a t is, t h e n o n e x i s t e n c e o f t h e b i g O t h e r is u l t i m a t e l y e q u i v a l e n t t o t h e f a c t t h a t t h e b i g O t h e r is t h e symbolic o r d e r , t h e o r d e r o f s y m b o l i c fictions w h i c h o p e r a t e o n a l e v e l different f r o m that o f d i r e c t m a t e r i a l causality. (In this sense, t h e o n l y s u b j e c t f o r w h o m t h e b i g O t h e r does e x i s t is t h e p s y c h o t i c , t h e o n e w h o
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
323
attributes direct m a t e r i a l efficacy to words.) In short, the ' n o n e x i s t e n c e o f t h e b i g O t h e r ' is s t r i c t l y c o r r e l a t i v e t o t h e n o t i o n o f b e l i e f , o f s y m b o l i c t r u s t , o f c r e d e n c e , o f t a k i n g w h a t o t h e r s say ' a t f a c e v a l u e ' . In o n e o f the M a r x B r o t h e r s '
films,
G r o u c h o M a r x , c a u g h t in a lie,
answers angrily: ' W h o m d o you believe, y o u r eyes o r my words?' T h i s a p p a r e n t l y a b s u r d l o g i c e x p r e s s e s p e r f e c t l y t h e f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e sym b o l i c o r d e r , in w h i c h t h e s y m b o l i c m a s k - m a n d a t e m a t t e r s m o r e t h a n t h e d i r e c t reality o f the individual w h o wears this m a s k a n d / o r a s s u m e s this m a n d a t e . T h i s f u n c t i o n i n g involves t h e s t r u c t u r e o f fetishistic disavowal: T k n o w v e r y w e l l t h a t t h i n g s a r e t h e way I s e e t h e m
[ t h a t t h i s p e r s o n is a
c o r r u p t w e a k l i n g ] , b u t n o n e t h e less I treat h i m with r e s p e c t , s i n c e h e w e a r s t h e i n s i g n i a o f a j u d g e , s o t h a t w h e n h e s p e a k s , it is t h e L a w i t s e l f w h i c h s p e a k s t h r o u g h h i m . ' S o , i n a way, I a c t u a l l y b e l i e v e h i s w o r d s , n o t m y e y e s - t h a t is t o say, I b e l i e v e i n A n o t h e r S p a c e ( t h e d o m a i n o f p u r e s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y ) w h i c h m a t t e r s m o r e t h a n t h e r e a l i t y o f its s p o k e s m e n . T h e c y n i c a l r e d u c t i o n t o r e a l i t y t h e r e f o r e falls s h o r t : w h e n a j u d g e s p e a k s , t h e r e is i n a way m o r e t r u t h i n h i s w o r d s ( t h e w o r d s o f t h e I n s t i t u t i o n o f Law) t h a n in t h e d i r e c t reality o f t h e p e r s o n o f t h e j u d g e - i f o n e limits o n e s e l f t o w h a t o n e s e e s , o n e s i m p l y m i s s e s t h e p o i n t . T h i s p a r a d o x is w h a t L a c a n is a i m i n g a t w i t h h i s 'fcs non-dupes
errent': t h o s e w h o d o n o t l e t
themselves b e c a u g h t in the symbolic d e c e p t i o n / f i c t i o n a n d c o n t i n u e to b e l i e v e t h e i r eyes a r e t h e o n e s w h o e r r m o s t . W h a t a cynic w h o ' b e l i e v e s o n l y h i s e y e s ' m i s s e s is t h e e f f i c i e n c y o f t h e s y m b o l i c fiction
fiction,
t h e way t h i s
structures o u r e x p e r i e n c e o f reality.
T h e s a m e g a p is a t w o r k i n o u r m o s t i n t i m a t e r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h
our
n e i g h b o u r s : w e b e h a v e as if w e d o n o t k n o w t h a t t h e y a l s o s m e l l b a d , s e c r e t e e x c r e m e n t , a n d so o n - a m i n i m u m o f idealization, o f fetishizing d i s a v o w a l , is t h e b a s i s o f o u r c o e x i s t e n c e . A n d d o e s n o t t h e s a m e d i s a v o w a l account for the sublime beauty o f the idealizing gesture discernible from A n n e F r a n k to A m e r i c a n C o m m u n i s t s w h o believed in the Soviet U n i o n ? A l t h o u g h we k n o w t h a t Stalinist C o m m u n i s m was a n a p p a l l i n g t h i n g , we nevertheless admire the victims o f the M c C a r t h y witch-hunt who heroically persisted in their b e l i e f in C o m m u n i s m a n d s u p p o r t for the Soviet U n i o n . T h e l o g i c h e r e is t h e s a m e as t h a t o f A n n e F r a n k w h o , i n h e r d i a r i e s , expresses b e l i e f in horrors perpetrated assertion o f belief
the ultimate
goodness of mankind
in s p i t e o f t h e
against J e w s in W o r l d W a r II: w h a t m a k e s s u c h (in the essential g o o d n e s s o f m a n k i n d ; in the
an
truly
h u m a n c h a r a c t e r o f t h e S o v i e t r e g i m e ) s u b l i m e is t h e v e r y g a p b e t w e e n it a n d t h e o v e r w h e l m i n g f a c t u a l e v i d e n c e a g a i n s t it, t h a t is, t h e a c t i v e will to disavow
t h e a c t u a l s t a t e o f t h i n g s . P e r h a p s t h e r e i n lies t h e m o s t e l e m e n t a r y
THE
324 meta-physical
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
g e s t u r e : i n t h i s r e f u s a l t o a c c e p t t h e R e a l i n its i d i o c y , t o
d i s a v o w it a n d t o s e a r c h f o r A n o t h e r W o r l d b e h i n d i t .
1 3
I n his r e a d i n g o f F r e u d ' s article o n fetishism, P a u l - L a u r e n t A s s o u n
1 6
s u g g e s t s t h a t s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e is r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t w o d i f f e r e n t a p p r o a c h e s to the g a p b e t w e e n w h a t my eyes tell m e a n d the s y m b o l i c fiction - to the g a p that s e p a r a t e s the visible f r o m t h e invisible. W h e n a small b o y sees a n a k e d girl, h e c h o o s e s n o t to believe his eyes ( a n d a c c e p t t h e fact t h a t girls a r e fiction,
different); he
continues
to believe the
'word',
the
symbolic
w h i c h l e d h i m t o e x p e c t a p e n i s i n t h e g i r l as w e l l , s o h e d i s a v o w s
h i s i m m e d i a t e p e r c e p t i o n , i n t e r p r e t s i t as a s u p e r f i c i a l l u r e , a n d s t a r t s t o s e a r c h , to f o r m h y p o t h e s e s that w o u l d a c c o u n t for this g a p (girls have a smaller,
a l m o s t i n v i s i b l e p e n i s ; t h e i r p e n i s will g r o w
l a t e r ; it was
cut
o f f . . .) - in s h o r t , t h e boy's disavowal p r o p e l s h i m in t h e d i r e c t i o n o f a ' s p o n t a n e o u s metaphysician', a believer in A n o t h e r W o r l d b e n e a t h
the
visible facts. T h e girl, o n t h e c o n t r a r y , 'believes h e r eyes', s h e a c c e p t s t h e f a c t t h a t s h e d o e s n o t p o s s e s s ' i t ' , s o a d i f f e r e n t s e t o f o p t i o n s is o p e n e d to h e r , f r o m t h e n o t o r i o u s 'penis envy' a n d t h e s e a r c h f o r substitutes child, etc.) to the cynical attitude o f a fundamental
distrust towards
(a the
s y m b o l i c o r d e r ( w h a t i f m a l e p h a l l i c p o w e r is a m e r e s e m b l a n c e ? ) . In the history o f philosophy, there are three great a n e c d o t a l e x a m p l e s o f 'believe my words, n o t your eyes': D i o g e n e s the Cynic, w h o refuted
the
E l e a t i c t h e s i s t h a t t h e r e is n o m o v e m e n t b y s i m p l y t a k i n g a w a l k ,
and
t h e n , as H e g e l e m p h a s i z e s , b e a t h i s p u p i l w h o a p p l a u d e d t h e M a s t e r t h a t is, b e l i e v e d h i s e y e s m o r e t h a n t h e w o r d s o f a r g u m e n t a t i o n
-
(Dio
g e n e s ' p o i n t was t h a t s u c h a d i r e c t r e f e r e n c e t o e x p e r i e n c e , t o ' w h a t y o u r e y e s t e l l y o u ' , d o e s n o t c o u n t i n p h i l o s o p h y - t h e t a s k o f p h i l o s o p h y is t o d e m o n s t r a t e , by m e a n s o f a r g u m e n t a t i o n , t h e truth o r u n t r u t h o f w h a t we s e e ) ; the medieval story o f scholastic m o n k s w h o discussed h o w
many
teeth a d o n k e y has, a n d were t h e n s h o c k e d at t h e p r o p o s a l by a y o u n g e r m e m b e r o f t h e i r g r o u p t h a t t h e y s h o u l d s i m p l y g o t o a stall o u t s i d e t h e i r house and count;
finally,
t h e story o f H e g e l insisting that t h e r e are only
eight planets a r o u n d the S u n even after the discovery o f the ninth. T o d a y , with the n e w digitalized t e c h n o l o g i e s e n a b l i n g perfectly f a k e d documentary
images,
not
to
mention
Virtual
Reality, the
injunction
' B e l i e v e m y w o r d s ( a r g u m e n t a t i o n ) , n o t t h e f a s c i n a t i o n o f y o u r e y e s ! ' is more pertinent
t h a n e v e r . T h a t is t o say, t h e l o g i c o f ' W h o m d o
b e l i e v e , y o u r e y e s o r m y w o r d s ? ' - t h a t is, o f ' I k n o w v e r y w e l l , b u t
you none
t h e less . . . [ I b e l i e v e ] ' - c a n f u n c t i o n i n two d i f f e r e n t ways, t h a t o f t h e s y m b o l i c fiction a n d t h a t o f t h e i m a g i n a r y simulacrum. efficient symbolic
fiction
In the case o f the
o f the j u d g e w e a r i n g his insignia, T k n o w very
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
325
w e l l t h a t t h i s p e r s o n is a c o r r u p t w e a k l i n g , b u t I n o n e t h e less t r e a t h i m as i f [ I b e l i e v e t h a t ] t h e s y m b o l i c b i g O t h e r s p e a k s t h r o u g h h i m ' : I d i s a v o w w h a t m y eyes tell m e , a n d c h o o s e to b e l i e v e t h e s y m b o l i c
fiction.
In the
c a s e o f t h e s i m u l a c r u m o f virtual reality, o n t h e c o n t r a r y , T k n o w very well t h a t w h a t I s e e is a n i l l u s i o n g e n e r a t e d b y d i g i t a l m a c h i n e r y , b u t I n o n e t h e l e s s a g r e e t o i m m e r s e m y s e l f i n it, t o b e h a v e as i f I b e l i e v e i t ' - h e r e , I disavow w h a t m y ( s y m b o l i c ) k n o w l e d g e tells m e , a n d c h o o s e to b e l i e v e m y eyes only. In
the
history o f m o d e r n
philosophy,
the
logic o f ' W h o m
do
you
b e l i e v e , y o u r e y e s o r m y w o r d s ? ' f o u n d its s t r o n g e s t e x p r e s s i o n i n M a l e b r a n c h e ' s o c c a s i o n a l i s m : n o t o n l y is t h e r e n o s e n s i b l e p r o o f f o r o c c a s i o n a l i s m ' s c e n t r a l t e n e t ( a c c o r d i n g t o w h i c h G o d is t h e o n l y c a u s a l a g e n t ) , t h i s t e n e t is e v e n d i r e c t l y c o n t r a r y t o all s e n s i b l e e x p e r i e n c e , w h i c h l e a d s us t o b e l i e v e t h a t e x t e r n a l o b j e c t s a c t d i r e c d y o n
our senses,
causing
sensations in o u r m i n d . W h e n M a l e b r a n c h e thus endeavours to c o n v i n c e his r e a d e r s to b e l i e v e his words, n o t t h e i r eyes, t h e c e n t r a l e n i g m a h e h a s t o e x p l a i n is: xuhy d i d G o d c r e a t e t h e u n i v e r s e i n s u c h a way t h a t w e , m o r t a l h u m a n s , n e c e s s a r i l y fall p r e y t o t h e i l l u s i o n t h a t s e n s i b l e o b j e c t s a c t d i r e c t l y o n o u r s e n s e s ? H i s e x p l a n a t i o n is m o r a l : i f w e w e r e to b e a b l e to perceive the true state o f things directly, we w o u l d love G o d invincibly, t h r o u g h i n s t i n c t , n o t o n a c c o u n t o f o u r f r e e will a n d
rational
insight
g a i n e d t h r o u g h l i b e r a t i o n f r o m t h e t y r a n n y o f o u r s e n s e s ; t h a t is, t h e r e w o u l d b e n o p l a c e f o r o u r m o r a l activity, f o r o u r s t r u g g l e t o u n d o
the
c o n s e q u e n c e s o f the Fall a n d regain the lost G o o d n e s s . T h u s M a l e b r a n c h e delineates
the
contours
o f the
philosophical
position
which
explains
m a n ' s e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l l i m i t a t i o n ( t h e f a c t t h a t m a n ' s k n o w l e d g e is l i m i t e d to p h e n o m e n a ,
that
the
true state
o f things
is o u t
o f his r e a c h )
by
r e f e r e n c e to m o r a l g r o u n d s : o n l y a b e i n g m a r k e d by s u c h a n e p i s t e m o l o g i c a l l i m i t a t i o n c a n b e a m o r a l b e i n g , t h a t is, c a n a c q u i r e G o o d n e s s as t h e result o f free decision and i n n e r struggle against temptation. T h i s attitude (later
adopted
by
Kant)
runs
directly
equation o f Knowledge and Goodness
against
the
standard
Platonic
(evil is t h e c o n s e q u e n c e o f o u r
i g n o r a n c e , t h a t is t o say, o n e c a n n o t k n o w t h e t r u t h a n d c o n t i n u e t o b e b a d , s i n c e t h e m o r e we k n o w , the c l o s e r we a r e to b e i n g g o o d ) : a c e r t a i n r a d i c a l i g n o r a n c e is t h e p o s i t i v e c o n d i t i o n o f o u r b e i n g m o r a l . S o w h a t is s y m b o l i c e f f i c i e n c y ? W e all k n o w t h e o l d , w o r n - o u t j o k e a b o u t t h e m a d m a n w h o t h o u g h t h e was a g r a i n o f c o r n ; a f t e r finally b e i n g c u r e d and sent h o m e , he returned
i m m e d i a t e l y to t h e m e n t a l institution
and
e x p l a i n e d his p a n i c to the d o c t o r : T m e t a h e n o n t h e r o a d , a n d I was a f r a i d it w o u l d e a t m e ! ' T o t h e d o c t o r ' s s u r p r i s e d e x c l a m a t i o n ' B u t w h a t s
326
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
the p r o b l e m now? Y o u know you're n o t a grain o f c o r n but a h u m a n b e i n g who c a n ' t b e swallowed by a hen!', the m a d m a n k n o w I ' m n o l o n g e r a g r a i n o f c o r n , b u t does the hen?'
answered: 'Yes, / . . . T h i s story,
n o n s e n s i c a l at t h e level o f factual reality, w h e r e you are e i t h e r a g r a i n o r n o t , is a b s o l u t e l y s e n s i b l e i f o n e r e p l a c e s ' a g r a i n ' w i t h s o m e f e a t u r e
that
d e t e r m i n e s m y symbolic i d e n t i t y . D o n o t s i m i l a r t h i n g s h a p p e n all t h e t i m e in o u r dealings with d i f f e r e n t levels o f b u r e a u c r a c y ? Say a high-level office c o m p l i e s with m y d e m a n d a n d gives m e a h i g h e r tide; h o w e v e r , it takes s o m e time for the d e c r e e to b e properly e x e c u t e d a n d r e a c h the lowerlevel a d m i n i s t r a t i o n w h i c h actually takes c a r e o f t h e b e n e f i t s f r o m
this
t i t l e ( h i g h e r s a l a r y , e t c . ) — w e all k n o w t h e f r u s t r a t i o n c a u s e d b y a l o w e r b u r e a u c r a t w h o casts a g l a n c e at t h e d e c r e e we c o n f r o n t h i m with
and
retorts indifferently: 'Sorry, I h a v e n ' t b e e n p r o p e r l y i n f o r m e d a b o u t this n e w m e a s u r e yet, so I c a n ' t h e l p y o u . . .'. I s n ' t this a bit l i k e t e l l i n g you: ' S o r r y , t o us y o u ' r e still a g r a i n o f c o r n , n o t y e t a h u m a n b e i n g ' ? I n s h o r t , t h e r e is a c e r t a i n m y s t e r i o u s m o m e n t a t w h i c h a m e a s u r e o r a d e c r e e actually b e c o m e s operative, registered by t h e big O t h e r o f the symbolic institution. T h e mysterious c h a r a c t e r o f this m o m e n t c a n b e s t b e illustrated by a funny t h i n g that h a p p e n e d d u r i n g t h e last e l e c t i o n c a m p a i g n in S l o v e n i a , w h e n a m e m b e r o f t h e r u l i n g p o l i t i c a l p a r t y was a p p r o a c h e d b y a n e l d e r l y lady f r o m his local c o n s t i t u e n c y , a s k i n g h i m f o r h e l p . S h e was c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h e s t r e e t n u m b e r o f h e r h o u s e ( n o t t h e s t a n d a r d 1 3 , b u t 2 3 ) was b r i n g i n g h e r b a d l u c k - t h e m o m e n t h e r h o u s e g o t this n e w n u m b e r , d u e to s o m e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e o r g a n i z a t i o n , m i s f o r t u n e s s t a r t e d t o afflict
her
(burglars b r o k e in, a s t o r m t o r e t h e r o o f off, n e i g h b o u r s b e g a n to a n n o y h e r ) , s o s h e a s k e d t h e c a n d i d a t e t o b e s o k i n d as t o a r r a n g e w i t h
the
municipal authorities for the n u m b e r to b e c h a n g e d . T h e c a n d i d a t e m a d e a s i m p l e s u g g e s t i o n t o t h e lady: w h y d i d n ' t s h e d o it a l o n e ? W h y d i d n ' t s h e simply r e p a i n t o r r e p l a c e t h e p l a t e with t h e s t r e e t n u m b e r h e r s e l f by, f o r e x a m p l e , a d d i n g a n o t h e r n u m b e r o r l e t t e r (say, 2 3 A o r 2 3 1 i n s t e a d o f 2 3 ) ? T h e o l d lady a n s w e r e d : ' O h , I tried t h a t a c o u p l e o f weeks a g o ; I m y s e l f r e p l a c e d t h e o l d p l a t e w i t h a n e w o n e w i t h t h e n u m b e r 2 3 A , b u t it didn't
work - m y b a d l u c k is still w i t h m e ; y o u c a n ' t c h e a t it, it h a s t o b e
d o n e p r o p e r l y , by t h e r e l e v a n t state i n s t i t u t i o n . ' T h e 'it' w h i c h c a n n o t b e d u p e d i n t h i s way is t h e L a c a n i a n b i g O t h e r , t h e s y m b o l i c i n s t i t u t i o n . T h i s , t h e n , is w h a t s y m b o l i c e f f i c i e n c y is a b o u t : i t c o n c e r n s t h e m i n i mum
o f 'reification' on
a c c o u n t o f w h i c h i t is n o t e n o u g h
f o r u s , all
c o n c e r n e d individuals, to k n o w s o m e fact in o r d e r to b e o p e r a t i v e -
'it',
t h e s y m b o l i c i n s t i t u t i o n , m u s t also k n o w / ' r e g i s t e r ' this fact i f t h e p e r f o r -
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
327
m a t i v e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f s t a t i n g it a r e t o e n s u e . U l t i m a t e l y t h i s ' i t ' , o f course, can b e e m b o d i e d in the gaze o f the absolute big O t h e r ,
God
H i m s e l f . T h a t is t o say: d o w e n o t e n c o u n t e r e x a c t l y t h e s a m e p r o b l e m as that o f t h e u n f o r t u n a t e o l d lady with t h o s e C a t h o l i c s w h o d o n o t practise d i r e c t c o n t r a c e p t i o n b u t h a v e i n t e r c o u r s e o n l y o n days w i t h n o o v u l a t i o n ? W h o m d o t h e y c h e a t i n t h i s way? A s i f G o d c a n n o t r e a d t h e i r
thoughts
a n d k n o w t h a t t h e y r e a l l y w a n t t o h a v e s e x f o r t h e m e r e p l e a s u r e o f it, with
no
offspring
in
mind?
The
Church
has
always
been
extremely
s e n s i t i v e a b o u t t h i s g a p b e t w e e n m e r e e x i s t e n c e a n d its p r o p e r tion/registration:
inscrip
children who died before being christened were
not
allowed to b e buried properly o n c o n s e c r a t e d g r o u n d , since they were not yet properly inscribed into the c o m m u n i t y o f believers. 'Symbolic
effi
c i e n c y ' thus c o n c e r n s the p o i n t at which, w h e n the O t h e r o f the symbolic institution c o n f r o n t s m e with the c h o i c e o f ' W h o m d o you believe, my word
or
your
eyes?',
I choose
the
Other's
dismissing the factual testimony o f my eyes.
word
without
hesitation,
1 7
T h e notion o f the blockbuster provides an e x c e l l e n t e x a m p l e o f the r e d o u b l i n g o f t h e o r d e r o f p o s i t i v e b e i n g in t h e o r d e r o f n a m i n g , t h a t is, o f t h e s y m b o l i c i n s c r i p t i o n i n t h e b i g O t h e r . F i r s t , t h e t e r m f u n c t i o n e d as a d i r e c t d e s c r i p t i o n o f a f i l m w h i c h e a r n e d a l o t o f m o n e y ; t h e n it s t a r t e d t o b e u s e d t o d e s c r i b e a f i l m m a d e as a b i g p r o d u c t i o n , w i t h t h e p r o s p e c t o f a h u g e publicity c a m p a i g n a n d b i g box-office r e c e i p t s - such a film, o f c o u r s e , c a n l a t e r a c t u a l l y fail a t t h e b o x o f f i c e . S o , w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e two Postmans,
t h e I t a l i a n / / Postino
quite consistent to designate Postino
a n d t h e f a i l u r e w i t h K e v i n C o s t n e r , it is The Postman
as a failed
blockbuster,
while //
is n o t a b l o c k b u s t e r , a l t h o u g h i t e a r n e d a l o t m o r e m o n e y
The Postman.
than
T h i s gap can, o f c o u r s e , also g e n e r a t e r a t h e r droll conse
q u e n c e s . I n t h e Y u g o s l a v i a o f t h e 1 9 7 0 s t h e s u b t i t l e s , as a r u l e ,
undertran-
slated t h e v u l g a r e x p r e s s i o n s t h a t a b o u n d i n t h e H o l l y w o o d f i l m s o f t h e p e r i o d - say, w h e n a c h a r a c t e r o n s c r e e n says ' F u c k y o u u p y o u r a s s ! ' , t h e subtitle in S l o v e n e read: ' G o to the Devil!' o r s o m e d i i n g similarly m o d e r a t e . I n t h e l a t e 1 9 8 0 s , h o w e v e r , w h e n all c e n s o r s h i p b a r r i e r s c a m e d o w n in Yugoslavia, while H o l l y w o o d b e c a m e slightly m o r e restrained
(perhaps
u n d e r the i n f l u e n c e o f R e a g a n - e r a M o r a l Majority p r e s s u r e s ) , the transla t o r s , as i f t o t a k e r e v e n g e f o r t h e l o n g y e a r s o f r e p r e s s i o n , s t a r t e d overtranslate
the vulgar expressions -
say, w h e n
a character on
to
screen
uttered a simple ' G o to hell!', the subtitle read: 'Screw your m o t h e r down h e r throat!', o r s o m e t h i n g similar. . . . T o p u t it in p h i l o s o p h i c a l t e r m s : s y m b o l i c i n s c r i p t i o n m e a n s t h a t very In-itself, t h e way a t h i n g
a c t u a l l y is, is a l r e a d y
there
f o r us,
the the
THE
328 observers. T a k e
the
two
TICKLISH
dead
SUBJECT
celebrities Princess Diana and
Mother
T e r e s a . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e c l i c h e , D i a n a , e v e n w h e n s h e was e n g a g e d i n h e r c h a r i t i e s , was b a s k i n g i n m e d i a a t t e n t i o n , c a r e f u l l y m a n i p u l a t i n g m e d i a t i c dissemination
o f the
innermost
d e t a i l s o f h e r p r i v a t e life
(her secret
patronage o f the M o r t o n b i o g r a p h y ) ; while M o t h e r T e r e s a , a true saint, was silently d o i n g h e r c h a r i t a b l e j o b o u t s i d e t h e m e d i a l i m e l i g h t , in t h e h e l l i s h s l u m s o f C a l c u t t a . . . . T h e p r o b l e m with this o p p o s i t i o n , h o w e v e r , is t h a t we all knew about Mother
Teresa silently doing her work outside the focus
of the media — t h i s , p r e c i s e l y , is w h a t s h e w a s f a m o u s f o r ; t h i s i m a g e o f h e r c r e a t e d b y t h e m e d i a is w h y s h e w a s r e c e i v e d b y h e a d s o f s t a t e a n d h a d a state funeral. . . . S o the very o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n D i a n a o n a
shopping
s p r e e with h e r n e w b o y f r i e n d a n d M o t h e r T e r e s a t a k i n g c a r e o f m o r t a l l y ill b e g g a r s i n h e r
g r e y C a l c u t t a h o s p i t a l is a m e d i a t i c o p p o s i t i o n
par
excellence. H e r e t h e g a p b e t w e e n r e a l i t y a n d t h e o r d e r o f its s y m b o l i c r e g i s t r a t i o n is c r u c i a l - t h e g a p o n a c c o u n t o f w h i c h s y m b o l i c r e g i s t r a t i o n is u l t i m a t e l y c o n t i n g e n t . L e t m e m e n t i o n the r e c e n t t r e n d to portray the President o f t h e U S A as a b r u t a l m u r d e r e r (Absolute
Power, Murder
at 1600):
this t r e n d
f l o u t s a p r o h i b i t i o n t h a t was i n f o r c e u n t i l q u i t e r e c e n t l y : e v e n a c o u p l e o f y e a r s a g o , a film l i k e t h i s w o u l d h a v e b e e n u n t h i n k a b l e . I t is l i k e t h e detective in a T V series who, s o m e t i m e in the r e q u i r e d to b e a n o b l e
figure:
1 9 6 0 s , was n o
longer
h e c o u l d b e a c r i p p l e , a gay, a w o m a n . . . .
T h i s s u d d e n a p p e r c e p t i o n t h a t t h e p r o h i b i t i o n d o e s n ' t m a t t e r is c r u c i a l : y o u c a n h a v e a P r e s i d e n t w h o is a m u r d e r e r ,
b u t t h e p r e s i d e n c y still
r e t a i n s its c h a r i s m a . . . . T h i s d o e s n o t m e a n t h a t it was s i m p l y ' l i k e t h i s a l l the
time':
it w a s l i k e t h i s in itself, b u t n o t for i t s e l f . I f o n e h a d m a d e a
film
l i k e Absolute Power i n t h e 1 9 5 0 s , t h e i d e o l o g i c a l i m p a c t w o u l d h a v e b e e n t o o t r a u m a t i c ; a f t e r t h e s h i f t in t h e s y s t e m o f s y m b o l i c p r o h i b i t i o n ,
the
personal
has
honesty o f the
President
no
longer matters,
the
system
a c c o m m o d a t e d to the c h a n g e . . . . W i t h e v e r y s o c i a l shift, o n e s h o u l d l o o k f o r t h i s c r u c i a l s y m b o l i c c h a n g e : in the hippie era, b u s i n e s s m e n c o u l d wear j e a n s , b e bearded, a n d so on, b u t n e v e r t h e l e s s b e r u t h l e s s p r o f i t e e r s . T h i s m o m e n t o f c h a n g e is t h e crucial m o m e n t accommodate
at w h i c h t h e system restructures
its r u l e s i n o r d e r
itself to new c o n d i t i o n s by i n c o r p o r a t i n g
the
to
originally
s u b v e r s i v e m o m e n t . T h i s , t h e n , is t h e t r u e u n d e r l y i n g s t o r y b e n e a t h
the
d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f t h e Hayes C o d e o f self-censorship in H o l l y w o o d - within a b r i e f s p a n i n t h e 1 9 6 0 s , all o f a s u d d e n , ' e v e r y t h i n g b e c a m e p o s s i b l e ' , t h e t a b o o s w e r e falling a l m o s t day by day ( e x p l i c i t r e f e r e n c e s to drugs, t o t h e s e x u a l act, to h o m o s e x u a l i t y , to racial t e n s i o n , u p t o t h e s y m p a t h e t i c
WHITHER OEDIPUS? portrayal nothing
o f Communists); none really c h a n g e d . H e r e
the
329
less, ' t h e s y s t e m ' s u r v i v e d
c a p i t a l i s m is m u c h
more
intact:
flexible
than
C o m m u n i s m , w h i c h was u n a b l e t o a f f o r d s u c h r a d i c a l a l l e v i a t i o n s : w h e n G o r b a c h e v gradually tried to e a s e t h e constraints in o r d e r to s t r e n g t h e n the system, t h e system disintegrated. T h e b i g O t h e r is t h u s t h e o r d e r o f t h e l i e , o f l y i n g s i n c e r e l y . T a k e B i l l C l i n t o n a n d M o n i c a L e w i n s k y : w e all k n o w ( o r at l e a s t s u r m i s e ) t h a t t h e y d i d it; n e v e r t h e l e s s we s u p p o r t C l i n t o n as l o n g as this c a n b e c o n c e a l e d f r o m t h e big O t h e r ' s g a z e . . . . S o h e r e we have the p a r a d o x o f t h e big O t h e r a t its p u r e s t . T h e m a j o r i t y o f p e o p l e b e l i e v e t h e r e was s o m e t h i n g b e t w e e n t h e t w o o f t h e m ; t h e y b e l i e v e t h a t C l i n t o n was l y i n g w h e n
he
d e n i e d it; n o n e t h e less, t h e y s u p p o r t h i m . A l t h o u g h ( t h e y a s s u m e d t h a t ) C l i n t o n l i e d w h e n h e d e n i e d his s e x u a l affair with ' t h a t w o m a n ' , M o n i c a L e w i n s k y , h e lied sincerely, w i t h i n n e r c o n v i c t i o n , s o m e h o w b e l i e v i n g in h i s very lie, taking
it s e r i o u s l y -
s e r i o u s l y , s i n c e it d e s i g n a t e s ideological
statement.
this p a r a d o x the
i t s e l f is t o b e
key e l e m e n t o f the
taken
efficiency
quite of
I n o t h e r w o r d s , as l o n g as C l i n t o n ' s l i e is
an not
p e r c e i v e d / r e g i s t e r e d b y t h e b i g O t h e r , as l o n g as it is p o s s i b l e f o r h i m to k e e p u p a p p e a r a n c e s ( o f p r e s i d e n t i a l ' d i g n i t y ' ) , t h e very f a c t t h a t we all know (or presume)
t h a t h e is l y i n g s e r v e s as a f u r t h e r g r o u n d
p u b l i c ' s i d e n t i f i c a t i o n with h i m - n o t o n l y d o e s the p u b l i c ' s
for
the
awareness
t h a t h e is l y i n g , a n d t h a t t h e r e a c t u a l l y was s o m e t h i n g g o i n g o n b e t w e e n h i m a n d M o n i c a L e w i n s k y , n o t h u r t h i s p o p u l a r i t y , it e v e n a c t i v e l y b o o s t s it. O n e s h o u l d n e v e r f o r g e t t h a t t h e L e a d e r ' s c h a r i s m a is s u s t a i n e d b y t h e very f e a t u r e s (signs o f w e a k n e s s , o f c o m m o n ' h u m a n i t y ' ) t h a t m a y s e e m t o u n d e r m i n e it. T h i s t e n s i o n was d e f t l y m a n i p u l a t e d a n d b r o u g h t t o its e x t r e m e b y H i t l e r : i n h i s s p e e c h e s in f r o n t o f l a r g e c r o w d s , h e r e g u l a r l y s t a g e d t h e a c t o f ' l o s i n g h i s c o o l ' , o f e n g a g i n g in a h y s t e r i c a l a c t i n g o u t , helplessly s h o u t i n g a n d waving his h a n d s , like a s p o i l t c h i l d f r u s t r a t e d
by
t h e fact t h a t his d e m a n d s a r e n o t i m m e d i a t e l y gratified - a g a i n , t h e s e very features which s e e m e d to c o n t r a d i c t the L e a d e r ' s i m p a s s i o n e d
dignity
s u s t a i n e d the c r o w d ' s i d e n t i f i c a t i o n with h i m . All t h e s e p a r a d o x e s h a v e a f u n d a m e n t a l b e a r i n g o n t h e w a y c y b e r s p a c e affects the s u b j e c t ' s s y m b o l i c identity. T h e p o o r m a d m a n w h o m e t a h e n a d o p t e d t h e a t t i t u d e o f 'I k n o w very well that I a m a m a n , b u t . . . [ d o c s t h e b i g O t h e r k n o w i t ? ] ' - i n s h o r t , h e b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e c h a n g e in i d e n t i t y h a d n o t yet b e e n registered by the big O t h e r , that for the big O t h e r
he
was still a g r a i n o f c o r n . N o w , l e t u s i m a g i n e a r a t h e r c o m m o n c a s e o f a shy a n d
inhibited
man
c o m m u n i t y in w h i c h
who,
in
cyberspace, participates
he adopts the screen persona
of a
in
a
virtual
promiscuous
THE
330
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
w o m a n ; h i s s t a n c e , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t o f T k n o w v e r y w e l l I a m r e a l l y j u s t a shy, m o d e s t
guy,
promiscuous
woman,
so why
shouldn't
doing
things
I briefly indulge I could
never do
in
posing
in
real life?' —
as
a
however, are things really so simple a n d straightforward? W h a t i f this m a n ' s real-life p e r s o n a
( t h e S e l f h e a d o p t s , t h e way h e b e h a v e s i n h i s
a c t u a l s o c i a l i n t e r a c d o n ) is a k i n d o f s e c o n d a r y ' d e f e n c e - f o r m a d o n ' ,
an
i d e n t i t y h e a d o p t s as a m a s k i n o r d e r t o ' r e p r e s s ' o r k e e p a t b a y h i s t r u e ' i n n e r S e l f , t h e h a r d c o r e o f his p h a n t a s m i c identity, w h i c h lies in b e i n g a p r o m i s c u o u s w o m a n , a n d for w h i c h h e c a n find an o u t l e t o n l y in his private d a y d r e a m i n g o r in a n o n y m o u s virtual c o m m u n i t y s e x u a l g a m e s ? I n Seminar
XI, L a c a n m e n t i o n s t h e o l d C h i n e s e p a r a d o x o f T c h u a n g - T z e ,
w h o a w a k e n s a f t e r d r e a m i n g t h a t h e is a b u t t e r f l y , a n d t h e n a s k s h i m s e l f : ' H o w d o I k n o w I a m n o t a b u t t e r f l y w h o is n o w d r e a m i n g t h a t h e is a m a n ? ' D o e s n o t t h e s a m e h o l d f o r o u r shy v i r t u a l c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r : is h e n o t i n f a c t a p r o m i s c u o u s w o m a n d r e a m i n g t h a t s h e is a n
inhibited
man? T h e t e m p t a t i o n t o b e a v o i d e d h e r e is t h e e a s y ' p o s t m o d e r n ' c o n c l u s i o n that we d o n o t possess a n y u l t i m a t e
fixed
socio-symbolic identity, but are
drifting, m o r e o r less freely, a m o n g a n i n c o n s i s t e n t m u l t i t u d e o f Selves, e a c h o f t h e m displaying a partial aspect o f m y personality, without unifying a g e n t g u a r a n t e e i n g t h e u l t i m a t e c o n s i s t e n c y o f this
any
'pandemon
i u m ' . T h e L a c a n i a n h y p o t h e s i s o f t h e b i g O t h e r i n v o l v e s t h e c l a i m t h a t all t h e s e d i f f e r e n t partial i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s a r e n o t e q u i v a l e n t in t h e i r s y m b o l i c s t a t u s : t h e r e is o n e l e v e l a t w h i c h s y m b o l i c e f f i c i e n c y s e t s i n , a l e v e l w h i c h d e t e r m i n e s m y s o c i o - s y m b o l i c p o s i t i o n . T h i s l e v e l is n o t t h a t o f ' r e a l i t y ' as o p p o s e d t o t h e p l a y o f m y i m a g i n a t i o n - L a c a n ' s p o i n t is n o t t h a t , b e h i n d t h e m u l t i p l i c i t y o f p h a n t a s m i c i d e n t i t i e s , t h e r e is a h a r d c o r e o f s o m e ' r e a l S e l f ; we a r e d e a l i n g with a symbolic
fiction,
c o n t i n g e n t reasons that have nothing
to d o with
but a
fiction
which,
its i n h e r e n t
for
nature,
p o s s e s s e s p e r f o r m a t i v e p o w e r - is s o c i a l l y o p e r a t i v e , s t r u c t u r e s t h e s o c i o s y m b o l i c reality i n w h i c h I p a r t i c i p a t e . T h e status o f t h e s a m e
person,
inclusive o f h i s / h e r very 'real' features, c a n a p p e a r in a n entirely different light the m o m e n t the modality o f h i s / h e r relationship to the big O t h e r changes. S o t h e p r o b l e m t o d a y is n o t t h a t s u b j e c t s a r e m o r e d i s p e r s e d t h a n t h e y w e r e b e f o r e , i n t h e a l l e g e d g o o d o l d days o f t h e s e l f - i d e n t i c a l E g o ; t h e fact that 'the big O t h e r n o l o n g e r exists' implies, rather, that the symbolic fiction
w h i c h c o n f e r s a p e r f o r m a t i v e status o n o n e level o f m y identity,
determining
which
o f m y a c t s will d i s p l a y
'symbolic efficiency',
is
no
l o n g e r fully o p e r a t i v e . P e r h a p s t h e s u p r e m e e x a m p l e o f t h i s shift is p r o -
WHITHER
331
OEDIPUS?
vided by t h e r e c e n t t r e n d s in Christianity. Christianity p r o p e r - t h e b e l i e f i n C h r i s t ' s R e s u r r e c t i o n - is t h e h i g h e s t r e l i g i o u s e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e p o w e r o f symbolic
fiction
as t h e m e d i u m o f u n i v e r s a l i t y : t h e d e a t h o f t h e ' r e a l '
C h r i s t is ' s u b l a t e d ' i n t h e H o l y S p i r i t , t h a t is, i n t h e s p i r i t u a l
community
o f b e l i e v e r s . T h i s a u t h e n t i c k e r n e l o f C h r i s t i a n i t y , first a r t i c u l a t e d b y S t P a u l , is u n d e r a t t a c k t o d a y : t h e d a n g e r c o m e s i n d i e g u i s e o f t h e N e w A g e G n o s t i c / d u a l i s t ( m i s ) r e a d i n g , w h i c h r e d u c e s t h e R e s u r r e c t i o n to a m e t a p h o r o f t h e ' i n n e r ' s p i r i t u a l g r o w t h o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l s o u l . W h a t is l o s t t h e r e b y is t h e v e r y c e n t r a l t e n e t o f C h r i s t i a n i t y , a l r e a d y e m p h a s i z e d H e g e l : t h e b r e a k with t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t l o g i c o f S i n a n d
by
Punishment,
t h a t is, t h e b e l i e f i n t h e miracle o f G r a c e w h i c h r e t r o a c t i v e l y ' u n d o e s '
our
p a s t s i n s . T h i s is t h e ' g o o d n e w s ' o f t h e N e w T e s t a m e n t : t h e m i r a c l e o f the
creatio
ex nihilo,
o f a N e w B e g i n n i n g , o f s t a r t i n g a n e w life
n o t h i n g ' , is p o s s i b l e . (Creatio
'from
ex nihilo, o f c o u r s e , is f e a s i b l e o n l y w i t h i n a
s y m b o l i c u n i v e r s e , as t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a n e w s y m b o l i c f i c t i o n w h i c h e r a s e s t h e p a s t o n e . ) A n d t h e c r u c i a l p o i n t is t h a t t h i s N e w B e g i n n i n g is p o s s i b l e o n l y t h r o u g h D i v i n e G r a c e - its i m p e t u s m u s t c o m e f r o m
outside;
i t is n o t t h e r e s u l t o f m a n ' s i n n e r e f f o r t t o o v e r c o m e h i s / h e r l i m i t a t i o n s a n d elevate h i s / h e r soul a b o v e e g o t i s t i c m a t e r i a l interests; in this p r e c i s e s e n s e , t h e p r o p e r l y C h r i s t i a n N e w B e g i n n i n g is a b s o l u t e l y i n c o m p a t i b l e with t h e p a g a n G n o s t i c p r o b l e m a t i c o f the ' p u r i f i c a t i o n o f the soul'. S o w h a t is a c t u a l l y a t s t a k e i n r e c e n t N e w A g e p o p - G n o s t i c e n d e a v o u r s reassert a k i n d o f 'Christ's s e c r e t t e a c h i n g ' b e n e a t h t h e official
to
Pauline
d o g m a is t h e e f f o r t t o u n d o t h e ' E v e n t - C h r i s t ' , r e d u c i n g i t t o a c o n t i n u a tion o f the preceding Gnostic lineage. A n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t a s p e c t o f t h i s G n o s t i c ( m i s ) r e a d i n g o f C h r i s t i a n i t y is the growing
obsession o f popular
Christ's alleged t o m b a n d / o r
p s e u d o - s c i e n c e with
progeny
the
mystery o f
( f r o m his a l l e g e d m a r r i a g e
with
M a r y M a g d a l e n e ) - b e s t s e l l e r s l i k e The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, o r The Tomb of God, w h i c h f o c u s o n t h e r e g i o n a r o u n d R e n n e s - l e - C h a t e a u i n t h e south o f F r a n c e , weaving into a large c o h e r e n t narrative the Grail myth, Cathars, Templars, F r e e m a s o n s . . . : these narratives endeavour
to sup
p l a n t t h e d i m i n i s h i n g p o w e r o f t h e symbolic fiction o f t h e H o l y S p i r i t ( t h e c o m m u n i t y o f b e l i e v e r s ) w i t h t h e bodily Reed o f C h r i s t a n d / o r h i s d e s c e n d ants. A n d again, t h e fact that C h r i s t left his b o d y o r bodily b e h i n d serves the p u r p o s e o f u n d e r m i n i n g
descendants
the Christian-Pauline
narra
tive o f R e s u r r e c t i o n : C h r i s t ' s b o d y was n o t a c t u a l l y r e s u r r e c t e d ; ' t h e t r u e m e s s a g e o f J e s u s was l o s t with t h e R e s u r r e c t i o n ' . a l l e g e d l y l i e s in p r o m o t i n g
1 8
This 'true message'
'the path o f self-determination, 1
as
distinct
f r o m o b e d i e n c e to t h e written w o r d ' : " r e d e m p t i o n results f r o m t h e soul's
332
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
i n n e r j o u r n e y , n o t f r o m a n a c t o f p a r d o n c o m i n g f r o m o u t s i d e ; t h a t is, ' R e s u r r e c t i o n ' is t o b e u n d e r s t o o d as t h e i n n e r r e n e w a l / r e b i r t h o f t h e s o u l o n its j o u r n e y o f s e l f - p u r i f i c a t i o n . A l t h o u g h
the advocates o f this
' r e t u r n o f / i n t h e R e a l ' p r o m o t e t h e i r d i s c o v e r y as t h e u n e a r t h i n g o f t h e h e r e t i c a n d s u b v e r s i v e s e c r e t l o n g r e p r e s s e d by t h e C h u r c h as I n s t i t u t i o n , o n e c o u l d c o u n t e r this c l a i m with t h e q u e s t i o n : w h a t i f this very u n e a r t h i n g o f t h e ' S e c r e t ' is i n t h e s e r v i c e o f ' u n d o i n g ' , o f g e t t i n g r i d o f t h e t r u l y t r a u m a t i c , s u b v e r s i v e c o r e o f C h r i s t i a n t e a c h i n g , t h e skandalon
o f Resurrec
t i o n a n d t h e r e t r o a c t i v e f o r g i v e n e s s o f s i n s - t h a t is, t h e u n i q u e c h a r a c t e r o f the Event o f Resurrection? These
reversals signal that today, the big O t h e r ' s n o n e x i s t e n c e
has
a t t a i n e d a m u c h m o r e r a d i c a l d i m e n s i o n : w h a t is i n c r e a s i n g l y u n d e r m i n e d is p r e c i s e l y t h e s y m b o l i c tmsl
w h i c h p e r s i s t s a g a i n s t all s c e p t i c a l
data.
P e r h a p s t h e m o s t e y e - c a t c h i n g f a c e t o f this n e w s t a t u s o f t h e n o n e x i s t e n c e o f t h e b i g O t h e r is t h e s p r o u t i n g o f ' c o m m i t t e e s ' d e s t i n e d t o d e c i d e u p o n t h e so-called ethical d i l e m m a s which c r o p up w h e n t e c h n o l o g i c a l devel o p m e n t s ever-increasingly affect o u r life-world:
20
not only cyberspace but
a l s o d o m a i n s as d i v e r s e as m e d i c i n e a n d b i o g e n e t i c s o n t h e o n e
hand,
a n d the rules o f sexual c o n d u c t a n d the p r o t e c t i o n o f h u m a n rights o n t h e o t h e r , c o n f r o n t us w i t h t h e n e e d t o i n v e n t t h e b a s i c r u l e s o f p r o p e r e t h i c a l c o n d u c t , s i n c e we l a c k any f o r m o f big O t h e r , a n y s y m b o l i c p o i n t o f r e f e r e n c e t h a t w o u l d s e r v e as a s a f e a n d u n p r o b l e m a t i c m o r a l a n c h o r . I n all t h e s e d o m a i n s , t h e differend
s e e m s t o b e i r r e d u c i b l e - t h a t is t o
say, s o o n e r o r l a t e r w e f i n d o u r s e l v e s i n a g r e y z o n e w h o s e m i s t c a n n o t b e dispelled
by t h e
application
of some
single
universal
rule.
Here
we
e n c o u n t e r a kind o f c o u n t e r p o i n t to the 'uncertainty principle' o f quan t u m p h y s i c s ; t h e r e is, f o r e x a m p l e , a s t r u c t u r a l d i f f i c u l t y i n
determining
w h e t h e r s o m e c o m m e n t was a c t u a l l y a c a s e o f s e x u a l h a r a s s m e n t o r o n e of
racist h a t e
speech.
Confronted
with
such
a
dubious
statement,
a
'politically c o r r e c t ' radical a priori tends to believe the c o m p l a i n i n g victim ( i f t h e v i c t i m e x p e r i e n c e d i t as h a r a s s m e n t , t h e n h a r a s s m e n t i t w a s . . . ) , while a d i e h a r d
orthodox
liberal tends
to believe the
accused
(if he
s i n c e r e l y d i d n o t m e a n i t as h a r a s s m e n t , t h e n h e s h o u l d b e a c q u i t t e d . . . ) . T h e p o i n t , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t t h i s u n d e c i d a b i l i t y is s t r u c t u r a l a n d u n a v o i d a b l e , s i n c e it is t h e b i g O t h e r ( t h e s y m b o l i c n e t w o r k i n w h i c h v i c t i m a n d offender are both e m b e d d e d ) which ultimately 'decides' on meaning, a n d t h e o r d e r o f t h e b i g O t h e r is, by d e f i n i t i o n , o p e n ; n o b o d y c a n d o m i n a t e a n d r e g u l a t e its e f f e c t s . T h a t is t h e p r o b l e m w i t h r e p l a c i n g a g g r e s s i v e w i t h ' p o l i t i c a l l y c o r r e c t ' e x p r e s s i o n s : w h e n o n e r e p l a c e s ' s h o r t - s i g h t e d ' with 'visually c h a l l e n g e d ' ,
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
333
o n e c a n n e v e r b e s u r e t h a t t h i s r e p l a c e m e n t i t s e l f will n o t g e n e r a t e n e w e f f e c t s o f p a t r o n i z i n g a n d / o r i r o n i c o f f e n s i v e n e s s , all t h e m o r e h u m i l i a t i n g i n a s m u c h as i t is m a s k e d as b e n e v o l e n c e . T h e m i s t a k e o f t h i s ' p o l i t i c a l l y c o r r e c t ' s t r a t e g y is t h a t l a n g u a g e we a c t u a l l y s p e a k
it u n d e r e s t i m a t e s
to t h e
the
resistance o f
conscious regulation
o f its
the
effects,
especially effects that involve p o w e r r e l a t i o n s . S o to resolve t h e d e a d l o c k , o n e c o n v e n e s a c o m m i t t e e t o f o r m u l a t e , i n a n u l t i m a t e l y a r b i t r a r y way, the
precise rules
o f conduct. . . .
I t is t h e
same
with
medicine
and
b i o g e n e t i c s (at what p o i n t d o e s an a c c e p t a b l e a n d even desirable g e n e t i c e x p e r i m e n t o r i n t e r v e n t i o n t u r n i n t o u n a c c e p t a b l e m a n i p u l a t i o n ? ) , in t h e application o f universal h u m a n rights (at what p o i n t d o e s the p r o t e c t i o n o f the victim's rights turn i n t o an sexual
mores
( w h a t is t h e p r o p e r ,
imposition
o f W e s t e r n v a l u e s ? ) , in
non-patriarchal
procedure
o f seduc
t i o n ? ) , n o t t o m e n t i o n t h e o b v i o u s c a s e o f c y b e r s p a c e ( w h a t is t h e s t a t u s o f sexual h a r a s s m e n t in a virtual c o m m u n i t y ? H o w d o e s o n e
distinguish
h e r e between 'mere words' and 'deeds'?). T h e work o f these committees is c a u g h t i n a s y m p t o m a l v i c i o u s c y c l e : o n
the one
h a n d , t h e y try t o
l e g i t i m a t e t h e i r d e c i s i o n s by r e f e r e n c e t o t h e m o s t a d v a n c e d
scientific
k n o w l e d g e ( w h i c h , in t h e case o f a b o r t i o n , tells us t h a t a f o e t u s d o e s n o t y e t p o s s e s s s e l f - a w a r e n e s s a n d e x p e r i e n c e p a i n ; w h i c h , in t h e c a s e o f a m o r t a l l y ill p e r s o n , d e f i n e s t h e t h r e s h o l d b e y o n d w h i c h e u t h a n a s i a is t h e only meaningful s o l u t i o n ) ; o n the o t h e r h a n d , they have to evoke s o m e non-scientific ethical criterion in o r d e r to direct a n d posit a limitation to i n h e r e n t scientific drive. T h e k e y p o i n t h e r e is n o t t o c o n f u s e t h i s n e e d t o i n v e n t s p e c i f i c r u l e s w i t h t h e s t a n d a r d n e e d o f phronesis
- t h a t is, w i t h t h e i n s i g h t , f o r m u l a t e d
by Aristotle, into how direct application o f universal n o r m s to c o n c r e t e s i t u a t i o n s is n o t p o s s i b l e - t h e r e is always a n e e d to t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t t h e 'twist'
given
standard
to
the
universal
case, we d o
have
norm
at o u r
by t h e
specific
disposal s o m e
situation.
universally
In
this
accepted
' s a c r e d ' T e x t w h i c h p r o v i d e s t h e h o r i z o n o f o u r c h o i c e s (say, t h e B i b l e i n the Christian
t r a d i t i o n ) , so t h a t
the problem
o f 'interpretation'
is t o
reactualize the T e x t o f tradition in e a c h new situation, to discover h o w t h i s T e x t still ' s p e a k s t o u s ' - t o d a y , it is p r e c i s e l y t h i s u n i v e r s a l l y a c c e p t e d p o i n t o f r e f e r e n c e w h i c h is m i s s i n g , s o t h a t w e a r e t h r o w n i n t o a p r o c e s s of
radically
(re)invention
open without
and even
unending the
symbolic
(re) negotiation
semblance o f some
preceding
and set o f
p r e s u p p o s e d n o r m s . O r - to p u t it in H e g e l e s e - w h e n I s p e a k a b o u t the 'rules to b e followed', I already p r e s u p p o s e a reflected attitude o f strate gically a d a p t i n g m y s e l f to a situation by i m p o s i n g c e r t a i n rules o n m y s e l f
334
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
( a n d o t h e r s ) - w h a t g e t s l o s t i n a d o p t i n g s u c h a n a t t i t u d e is w h a t H e g e l c a l l e d s o c i a l Substance,
t h e ' o b j e c t i v e S p i r i t ' as t h e t r u e S u b s t a n c e o f m y
b e i n g w h i c h is a l w a y s - a l r e a d y t h e r e as t h e g r o u n d o n w h i c h
individuals
t h r i v e , a l t h o u g h i t is k e p t alive o n l y t h r o u g h t h e i n c e s s a n t a c t i v i t y o f t h o s e individuals. S o w h e n t h e p r o p o n e n t s o f virtual c o m m u n i t y e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y describe the c h a l l e n g e that cyberspace poses to o u r capacity for ethical i n v e n t i o n , f o r t e s t i n g n e w r u l e s o f p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n all a s p e c t s o f v i r t u a l c o m m u n i t y l i f e , w e s h o u l d always b e a r i n m i n d t h a t t h e s e r u l e s supplant
the lack of a fundamental
Law /Prohibition:
(re)invented
they e n d e a v o u r
provide the viable frame o f i n t e r a c t i o n for narcissistic post-Oedipal jects.
I t is as i f t h e
lack o f the
big O t h e r
c o m m i t t e e s ' as s o m a n y s u b s t i t u t e
is s u p p l a n t e d
'small big Others' on
by
to
sub
'ethical
to which
the
subject transposes his responsibility a n d from w h i c h h e e x p e c t s to receive a f o r m u l a t h a t will r e s o l v e h i s d e a d l o c k . I t is c r u c i a l t o d i s t i n g u i s h b e t w e e n t h i s d e c l i n e o f t h e s y m b o l i c p a t e r n a l authority and the standard O e d i p a l gap that forever separates the
real
p e r s o n o f t h e f a t h e r f r o m its s y m b o l i c p l a c e / f u n c t i o n - t h e f a c t t h a t t h e r e a l f a t h e r always t u r n s o u t t o b e a n i m p o s t o r , u n a b l e a c t u a l l y t o live u p t o h i s s y m b o l i c m a n d a t e . A s is w e l l k n o w n , t h e r e lies t h e p r o b l e m o f t h e h y s t e r i c : t h e c e n t r a l f i g u r e o f h i s u n i v e r s e is t h e ' h u m i l i a t e d f a t h e r ' , is, h e is o b s e s s e d w i t h t h e s i g n s o f t h e r e a l f a t h e r ' s w e a k n e s s a n d
that
failure,
a n d criticizes h i m incessantly for n o t living u p to his s y m b o l i c m a n d a t e
-
b e n e a t h the hysteric's rebellion a n d c h a l l e n g e to paternal authority t h e r e is t h u s a h i d d e n c a l l f o r a r e n e w e d p a t e r n a l a u t h o r i t y , f o r a f a t h e r would
really b e
a
'true
father'
and
adequately
embody
his
who
symbolic
m a n d a t e . T o d a y , h o w e v e r , i t is t h e v e r y s y m b o l i c f u n c t i o n o f t h e
father
w h i c h is i n c r e a s i n g l y u n d e r m i n e d - t h a t is, w h i c h is l o s i n g its p e r f o r m a t i v e e f f i c i e n c y ; f o r t h a t r e a s o n , a f a t h e r is n o l o n g e r p e r c e i v e d as o n e ' s Ego Ideal,
t h e ( m o r e o r less failed, i n a d e q u a t e ) b e a r e r o f s y m b o l i c authority,
b u t as o n e ' s ideal ego, i m a g i n a r y c o m p e t i t o r - w i t h t h e r e s u l t t h a t s u b j e c t s n e v e r really ' g r o w u p ' , t h a t we a r e d e a l i n g t o d a y with individuals in t h e i r thirties
and
forties
who
remain,
in
terms
o f their
' i m m a t u r e ' adolescents c o m p e t i n g with their fathers.
psychic
economy,
2 1
T h e Risk Society a n d Its E n e m i e s T h e fundamental d e a d l o c k e m b o d i e d in t h e e x i s t e n c e o f different 'ethical committees' society'.
2 2
is t h e
focus
o f the
recently popular
theory
o f the
'risk
T h e p a r a d i g m a t i c e x a m p l e s o f risks to w h i c h this t h e o r y refers
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
335
are global warming, the h o l e in the o z o n e layer, m a d cow disease,
the
danger
the
o f using
unforeseen
nuclear
power
plants
as
the
source
o f energy,
c o n s e q u e n c e s o f the application o f genetics to
agriculture,
a n d s o o n . A l l t h e s e c a s e s e x e m p l i f y w h a t a r e u s u a l l y r e f e r r e d t o as ' l o w p r o b a b i l i t y - h i g h c o n s e q u e n c e ' r i s k s : n o o n e k n o w s h o w g r e a t t h e risks a r e ; t h e p r o b a b i l i t y o f t h e g l o b a l c a t a s t r o p h e is s m a l l - h o w e v e r , i f t h e c a t a s t r o p h e d o e s o c c u r , it will b e r e a l l y t e r m i n a l . B i o l o g i s t s w a r n us the i n c r e a s e d use o f chemicals in o u r food
and
that
drugs can m a k e
the
h u m a n race extinct not because o f a direct ecological catastrophe,
but
s i m p l y b y r e n d e r i n g u s i n f e r t i l e - t h i s o u t c o m e s e e m s i m p r o b a b l e , y e t it w o u l d b e c a t a s t r o p h i c . T h e n e x t c r u c i a l f e a t u r e is t h a t t h e s e n e w are so-called 'manufactured
risks': they result
from
human
threats
economic,
t e c h n o l o g i c a l a n d scientific i n t e r v e n t i o n s i n t o n a t u r e , w h i c h disrupt nat ural
processes so radically that
i t is n o
responsibility by letting nature itself
find
longer
elude
the
a way t o r e - e s t a b l i s h t h e
possible
to
lost
b a l a n c e . I t is a l s o a b s u r d t o r e s o r t t o a N e w A g e t u r n a g a i n s t s c i e n c e , s i n c e these threats are, for the m o s t part, invisible, u n d e t e c t a b l e , without
the
diagnostic tools o f science. All today's
notions o f ecological threat, from
the h o l e in the
ozone
layer to h o w fertilizers a n d c h e m i c a l f o o d additives are t h r e a t e n i n g fertility, a r e strictly d e p e n d e n t o n scientific i n s i g h t (usually o f t h e
our most
a d v a n c e d k i n d ) . A l t h o u g h t h e effects o f t h e ' h o l e in t h e o z o n e layer' a r e o b s e r v a b l e , t h e i r c a u s a l e x p l a n a t i o n t h r o u g h r e f e r e n c e t o t h i s ' h o l e ' is a s c i e n t i f i c h y p o t h e s i s : t h e r e is n o d i r e c t l y o b s e r v a b l e ' h o l e ' u p t h e r e i n t h e sky. T h e s e r i s k s a r e t h u s g e n e r a t e d b y a k i n d o f s e l f - r e f l e x i v e l o o p , t h a t is, t h e y a r e n o t e x t e r n a l risks ( l i k e a g i g a n t i c c o m e t f a l l i n g o n E a r t h ) b u t t h e u n f o r e s e e n o u t c o m e o f individuals' our
t o c o n t r o l t h e i r lives a n d
supreme scientific
technological and scientific endeav
increase their productivity.
Perhaps
e x a m p l e o f the dialectical reversal by m e a n s o f which insight,
instead
o f simply
magnifying
our
the
a
new
domination
over
n a t u r e , g e n e r a t e s n e w risks a n d u n c e r t a i n t i e s is p r o v i d e d b y t h e p r o s p e c t that, in a d e c a d e
o r two, g e n e t i c s will n o t o n l y b e a b l e t o i d e n t i f y
individual's c o m p l e t e genetic inheritance, but even manipulate
an
individual
g e n e s t e c h n o l o g i c a l l y to effect t h e d e s i r e d results a n d c h a n g e s (to eradi c a t e a t e n d e n c y towards c a n c e r , a n d so o n ) . F a r f r o m resulting in
total
predictability a n d certainty, however, this very radical self-objectivization ( t h e s i t u a t i o n i n w h i c h , i n t h e g u i s e o f t h e g e n e t i c f o r m u l a , I will b e a b l e to
confront
what
I 'objectively a m ' )
will g e n e r a t e
even
more
radical
u n c e r t a i n t i e s a b o u t what the actual psychosocial effects o f s u c h k n o w l e d g e a n d its a p p l i c a t i o n s will b e . ( W h a t will b e c o m e o f t h e n o t i o n s o f f r e e d o m
336
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
a n d r e s p o n s i b i l i t y ? W h a t will b e t h e u n f o r e s e e n c o n s e q u e n c e s o f m e d d l i n g with g e n e s ? ) T h i s c o n j u n c t i o n o f low probability a n d high c o n s e q u e n c e m a k e s the s t a n d a r d Aristotelian strategy o f avoiding b o t h e x t r e m e s virtually imposs i b l e : it is as i f it is i m p o s s i b l e t o d a y t o a s s u m e a m o d e r a t e r a t i o n a l p o s i t i o n between scaremongering (ecologists who depict an i m p e n d i n g
universal
catastrophe) and covering u p (downplaying the dangers). T h e downplay i n g s t r a t e g y c a n always e m p h a s i z e t h e f a c t t h a t s c a r e m o n g e r i n g a t b e s t t a k e s as c e r t a i n c o n c l u s i o n s w h i c h a r e n o t fully g r o u n d e d
in scientific
o b s e r v a t i o n s ; w h i l e t h e s c a r e m o n g e r i n g s t r a t e g y , o f c o u r s e , is fully j u s t i f i e d i n r e t o r t i n g t h a t o n c e i t is p o s s i b l e t o p r e d i c t t h e c a t a s t r o p h e w i t h
full
c e r t a i n t y , it will b e , b y d e f i n i t i o n , a l r e a d y t o o l a t e . T h e p r o b l e m is t h a t t h e r e is n o o b j e c t i v e s c i e n t i f i c o r o t h e r way t o a c q u i r e c e r t a i n t y
about
e x i s t e n c e a n d e x t e n t : it is n o t s i m p l y a m a t t e r o f e x p l o i t a t i v e c o r p o r a t i o n s o r g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c i e s d o w n p l a y i n g t h e d a n g e r s - t h e r e is i n f a c t n o way to establish t h e e x t e n t o f t h e risk with certainty; scientists a n d s p e c u l a t o r s t h e m s e l v e s are u n a b l e to provide
the final answer; we are
bombarded
d a i l y b y n e w d i s c o v e r i e s w h i c h r e v e r s e p r e v i o u s c o m m o n views. W h a t i f it t u r n s o u t t h a t fat r e a l l y p r e v e n t s c a n c e r ? W h a t i f g l o b a l w a r m i n g is a c t u a l l y t h e result o f a n a t u r a l cycle, a n d we s h o u l d p u m p e v e n m o r e
carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere? T h e r e is a p r i o r i n o p r o p e r m e a s u r e mongering and
between
the
'excess' o f scare
the indecisive procrastination o f ' D o n ' t let's p a n i c , we
d o n ' t yet have conclusive results'. F o r e x a m p l e , a p r o p o s o f global warm i n g , t h e l o g i c o f ' l e t us a v o i d b o t h e x t r e m e s , t h e c a r e l e s s f u r t h e r e m i s s i o n o f c a r b o n d i o x i d e as w e l l as t h e q u i c k s h u t t i n g - d o w n factories,
and
proceed
gradually'
o f thousands
is c l e a r l y m e a n i n g l e s s . '
2 3
Again,
of this
i m p e n e t r a b i l i t y is n o t s i m p l y a m a t t e r o f ' c o m p l e x i t y ' , b u t o f r e f l e x i v i t y : t h e n e w o p a q u e n e s s a n d i m p e n e t r a b i l i t y ( t h e r a d i c a l u n c e r t a i n t y as t o t h e u l t i m a t e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f o u r a c t i o n s ) is n o t d u e t o t h e f a c t t h a t w e a r e puppets in the h a n d s o f s o m e t r a n s c e n d e n t global P o w e r (Fate, Historical N e c e s s i t y , t h e M a r k e t ) ; o n t h e c o n t r a r y , i t is d u e t o t h e f a c t t h a t ' n o b o d y is i n c h a r g e ' , t h a t there is no such power, n o ' O t h e r o f t h e O t h e r '
pulling
t h e s t r i n g s - o p a q u e n e s s is g r o u n d e d i n t h e v e r y f a c t t h a t t o d a y ' s s o c i e t y is t h o r o u g h l y ' r e f l e x i v e ' , t h a t t h e r e is n o N a t u r e o r T r a d i t i o n p r o v i d i n g a firm f o u n d a t i o n o n w h i c h o n e c a n r e l y , t h a t e v e n o u r i n n e r m o s t i m p e t u s e s ( s e x u a l o r i e n t a t i o n , e t c . ) a r e m o r e a n d m o r e e x p e r i e n c e d as s o m e t h i n g to b e c h o s e n . H o w to f e e d a n d e d u c a t e a c h i l d , h o w to p r o c e e d in s e x u a l seduction, h o w a n d what to eat, h o w to r e l a x a n d a m u s e o n e s e l f -
all
t h e s e s p h e r e s a r e i n c r e a s i n g l y ' c o l o n i z e d ' b y r e f l e x i v i t y , t h a t is, e x p e r i -
WHITHER OEDIPUS?
337
e n c e d as s o m e t h i n g t o b e l e a r n e d a n d d e c i d e d u p o n . Is n o t t h e u l t i m a t e e x a m p l e o f r e f l e x i v i t y i n t o d a y ' s a r t t h e c r u c i a l r o l e o f t h e curator} is n o t l i m i t e d t o m e r e s e l e c t i o n - t h r o u g h h i s s e l e c t i o n , h e
His role
(re)defmes
w h a t a r t is t o d a y . T h a t is t o say: t o d a y ' s a r t e x h i b i t i o n s d i s p l a y o b j e c t s w h i c h , at least f o r t h e t r a d i t i o n a l a p p r o a c h , h a v e n o t h i n g to d o with art, u p to h u m a n e x c r e m e n t a n d d e a d a n i m a l s - s o w h y is t h i s t o b e p e r c e i v e d as art? Because
what we see is the curator's choice. W h e n we visit a n e x h i b i t i o n
today, we are thus n o t directly o b s e r v i n g works o f art - w h a t we
are
o b s e r v i n g is t h e c u r a t o r ' s n o t i o n o f w h a t a r t is; i n s h o r t , t h e u l t i m a t e a r t i s t is n o t t h e p r o d u c e r b u t t h e c u r a t o r , his activity o f s e l e c t i o n . The
ultimate
deadlock
o f the
risk s o c i e t y lies in
the gap
between
knowledge and decision, between the chain o f reasons and the act which resolves the d i l e m m a (in L a c a n e s e : b e t w e e n S
a n d S , ) : t h e r e is n o
2
one
w h o 'really knows' the global o u t c o m e - o n t h e level o f positive knowl e d g e , t h e s i t u a t i o n is r a d i c a l l y ' i n d e c i d a b l e ' ; b u t w e n o n e t h e l e s s have to decide. O f c o u r s e , t h i s g a p was t h e r e all t h e t i m e : w h e n a n a c t o f d e c i s i o n g r o u n d s i t s e l f i n a c h a i n o f r e a s o n s , it always r e t r o a c t i v e l y ' c o l o u r s ' t h e s e r e a s o n s s o t h a t tiiey s u p p o r t t h i s d e c i s i o n — j u s t t h i n k o f t h e b e l i e v e r w h o is w e l l a w a r e t h a t t h e r e a s o n s f o r h i s b e l i e f a r e c o m p r e h e n s i b l e o n l y t o t h o s e w h o have already d e c i d e d to b e l i e v e . . . . W h a t we e n c o u n t e r in t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y risk s o c i e t y , h o w e v e r , is s o m e t h i n g m u c h m o r e r a d i c a l : t h e o p p o s i t e o f t h e s t a n d a r d f o r c e d c h o i c e a b o u t w h i c h L a c a n s p e a k s , t h a t is, o f a s i t u a t i o n in w h i c h I a m f r e e t o c h o o s e o n c o n d i t i o n t h a t I m a k e
the
r i g h t c h o i c e , s o t h a t t h e o n l y t h i n g left f o r m e t o d o is to a c c o m p l i s h t h e empty gesture
o f pretending
imposed on me.-
4
to a c c o m p l i s h freely what
is i n a n y c a s e
I n t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y risk society, we a r e d e a l i n g with
s o m e t h i n g e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t : t h e c h o i c e is r e a l l y ' f r e e ' a n d is, f o r t h i s v e r y r e a s o n , e x p e r i e n c e d as e v e n m o r e f r u s t r a t i n g
- we find ourselves c o n
s t a n t l y i n t h e p o s i t i o n o f h a v i n g t o d e c i d e a b o u t m a t t e r s t h a t will f u n d a m e n t a l l y a f f e c t o u r lives, b u t w i t h o u t a p r o p e r f o u n d a t i o n i n k n o w l e d g e . W T i a t U l r i c h B e c k c a l l s t h e ' s e c o n d E n l i g h t e n m e n t ' is t h u s , w i t h
regard
t o t h i s c r u c i a l p o i n t , t h e e x a c t r e v e r s a l o f t h e a i m o f t h e 'first E n l i g h t e n m e n t ' : to bring a b o u t a society in which f u n d a m e n t a l decisions would lose t h e i r ' i r r a t i o n a l ' c h a r a c t e r a n d b e c o m e fully g r o u n d e d
in g o o d
reasons
(in a c o r r e c t insight i n t o the state o f t h i n g s ) : the ' s e c o n d E n l i g h t e n m e n t ' i m p o s e s o n e a c h o f us the b u r d e n o f m a k i n g
crucial decisions
which
m a y a f f e c t o u r v e r y survival w i t h o u t a n y p r o p e r f o u n d a t i o n in K n o w l e d g e — all t h e e x p e r t g o v e r n m e n t p a n e l s a n d e t h i c a l c o m m i t t e e s , a n d s o o n , a r e t h e r e t o c o n c e a l this r a d i c a l o p e n n e s s
and
uncertainty. Again,
far
f r o m b e i n g e x p e r i e n c e d as l i b e r a t i n g , t h i s c o m p u l s i o n to d e c i d e f r e e l y is
338
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
e x p e r i e n c e d as a n a n x i e t y - p r o v o k i n g o b s c e n e g a m b l e , a k i n d o f i r o n i c reversal o f predestination: I a m h e l d a c c o u n t a b l e for decisions which I was f o r c e d
to m a k e without
proper
knowledge
o f the
situation.
The
f r e e d o m o f d e c i s i o n e n j o y e d b y t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e ' r i s k s o c i e t y ' is n o t t h e f r e e d o m o f s o m e o n e w h o c a n freely c h o o s e his destiny, b u t the anxietyprovoking freedom
o f s o m e o n e w h o is c o n s t a n t l y c o m p e l l e d t o
d e c i s i o n s w i t h o u t b e i n g a w a r e o f t h e i r c o n s e q u e n c e s . T h e r e is n o tee
that
the
involvement
democratic of
politicization
thousands
of
o f crucial decisions, the
concerned
individuals,
will
make
guaran active
necessarily
i m p r o v e the quality a n d a c c u r a c y o f decisions, a n d thus effectively lessen t h e risks - h e r e o n e is t e m p t e d t o e v o k e t h e a n s w e r o f a d e v o u t C a t h o l i c t o t h e a t h e i s t l i b e r a l c r i t i c i s m t h a t t h e y , C a t h o l i c s , a r e s o s t u p i d as t o believe in t h e infallibility o f the P o p e : ' W e C a t h o l i c s at least b e l i e v e in t h e i n f a l l i b i l i t y o f one a n d o n l y o n e p e r s o n ; d o e s n o t d e m o c r a c y r e l y o n
a
m u c h m o r e risky n o t i o n t h a t t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e p e o p l e , m i l l i o n s o f t h e m , are infallible?' T h e s u b j e c t thus finds h i m s e l f in a K a f k a e s q u e situation o f b e i n g guilty o f n o t even haunted
knowing what
(if anything)
h e is g u i l t y o f : I a m
forever
b y t h e p r o s p e c t t h a t I h a v e a l r e a d y m a d e d e c i s i o n s w h i c h will
e n d a n g e r m e a n d e v e r y o n e I l o v e , b u t I will l e a r n t h e t r u t h o n l y - i f e v e r - w h e n i t is a l r e a d y t o o l a t e . H e r e l e t u s r e c a l l t h e figure o f F o r r e s t G u m p , that perfect 'vanishing mediator',
t h e very o p p o s i t e o f t h e M a s t e r
(the
o n e w h o s y m b o l i c a l l y r e g i s t e r s a n e v e n t b y n o m i n a t i n g it, b y i n s c r i b i n g i t i n t o t h e b i g O t h e r ) : G u m p is p r e s e n t e d as t h e i n n o c e n t b y s t a n d e r w h o , simply by d o i n g what h e does, u n k n o w i n g l y
sets in m o t i o n
a shift o f
h i s t o r i c p r o p o r t i o n s . W h e n h e visits B e r l i n t o p l a y f o o t b a l l , a n d
inadver
tently throws the ball a c r o s s t h e wall, h e t h e r e b y starts the p r o c e s s w h i c h b r i n g s d o w n t h e wall; w h e n h e visits W a s h i n g t o n a n d is g i v e n a r o o m i n the W a t e r g a t e c o m p l e x , h e notices s o m e strange things going o n in the r o o m s across t h e yard in t h e m i d d l e o f t h e n i g h t , calls t h e g u a r d , a n d sets i n m o t i o n t h e e v e n t s w h i c h c u l m i n a t e d i n N i x o n ' s d o w n f a l l - is t h i s n o t t h e ultimate m e t a p h o r for the situation at w h i c h t h e p r o p o n e n t s o f the n o t i o n o f 'risk society' aim, a situation in w h i c h we are f o r c e d to m a k e moves whose ultimate effects are b e y o n d o u r grasp? I n w h a t p r e c i s e way d o e s t h e n o t i o n o f t h e ' r i s k s o c i e t y ' i n v o l v e
the
n o n e x i s t e n c e o f the big O t h e r ? T h e m o s t obvious p o i n t would b e the fact - e m p h a s i z e d a g a i n a n d a g a i n b y B e c k a n d G i d d e n s - t h a t t o d a y w e live in
a society which
comes
after
Nature
and
Tradition:
in
our
active
e n g a g e m e n t with t h e w o r l d a r o u n d us, we c a n n o l o n g e r rely e i t h e r o n N a t u r e as t h e p e r m a n e n t f o u n d a t i o n
a n d r e s o u r c e o f o u r activity ( t h e r e
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
339
is always t h e d a n g e r t h a t o u r activity will d i s r u p t a n d d i s t u r b t h e s t a b l e c y c l e o f n a t u r a l r e p r o d u c t i o n ) , o r o n T r a d i t i o n as t h e s u b s t a n t i a l f o r m o f c u s t o m s t h a t p r e d e t e r m i n e o u r lives. H o w e v e r , t h e b r e a k is m o r e r a d i c a l . A l t h o u g h t h e d i s s o l u t i o n o f all t r a d i d o n a l l i n k s is t h e s t a n d a r d t h e m e o f nineteenth-century Marx
capitalist
modernization,
repeatedly
described
by
( t h e ' a l l t h a t is s o l i d m e l t s i n t o a i r ' t h e m e ) , t h e w h o l e p o i n t o f
M a r x ' s a n a l y s i s is t h a t t h i s u n h e a r d - o f d i s s o l u t i o n o f a l l t r a d i t i o n a l f o r m s , far f r o m
bringing a b o u t a society in which individuals
run
t h e i r lives
c o l l e c t i v e l y a n d f r e e l y , e n g e n d e r s its o w n f o r m o f a n o n y m o u s D e s t i n y i n the guise o f m a r k e t relations. O n the o n e h a n d , t h e m a r k e t does involve a f u n d a m e n t a l d i m e n s i o n o f risk: it is a n i m p e n e t r a b l e m e c h a n i s m w h i c h c a n , i n a w h o l l y u n p r e d i c t a b l e way, r u i n t h e e f f o r t o f a n h o n e s t w o r k e r a n d m a k e a sleazy s p e c u l a t o r r i c h - n o b o d y k n o w s w h a t t h e final o u t c o m e o f s p e c u l a t i o n will b e . H o w e v e r , a l t h o u g h o u r a c t s c a n h a v e and unintended ordinated
unforeseen
c o n s e q u e n c e s , t h e n o t i o n still p e r s i s t s t h a t t h e y a r e c o
by t h e
infamous
'invisible h a n d
o f the
market',
the
p r e m i s s o f f r e e - m a r k e t i d e o l o g y : e a c h o f us p u r s u e s h i s / h e r interests, a n d
the
ultimate
result o f this c l a s h a n d
basic
particular
interaction
of
the
m u l t i p l i c i t y o f i n d i v i d u a l a c t s a n d c o n f l i c t i n g i n t e n d o n s is g l o b a l w e l f a r e . I n t h i s n o t i o n o f t h e ' c u n n i n g o f R e a s o n ' , t h e b i g O t h e r s u r v i v e s as t h e s o c i a l S u b s t a n c e i n w h i c h w e all p a r t i c i p a t e b y o u r a c t s , as t h e m y s t e r i o u s spectral a g e n c y that s o m e h o w re-establishes the b a l a n c e . T h e fundamental
M a r x i s t i d e a , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t t h i s
figure
o f the big
O t h e r , o f t h e a l i e n a t e d s o c i a l S u b s t a n c e - t h a t is, t h e a n o n y m o u s
market
as t h e m o d e r n f o r m o f F a t e - c a n b e s u p e r s e d e d , a n d s o c i a l life
brought
u n d e r the control o f humanity's
' c o l l e c t i v e i n t e l l e c t ' . I n t h i s way, M a r x
r e m a i n e d w i t h i n t h e c o n f i n e s o f t h e 'first m o d e r n i z a t i o n ' , w h i c h a i m e d a t t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a s e l f - t r a n s p a r e n t s o c i e t y r e g u l a t e d by t h e ' c o l l e c t i v e i n t e l l e c t ' ; n o w o n d e r t h i s p r o j e c t f o u n d its p e r v e r t e d r e a l i z a t i o n i n a c t u a l l y existing S o c i a l i s m , w h i c h - despite the e x t r e m e u n c e r t a i n t y o f a n individ u a l ' s f a t e , a t l e a s t i n t h e times o f p a r a n o i a c p o l i t i c a l p u r g e s - was p e r h a p s the
most radical attempt
to s u s p e n d
the
uncertainty
that
pertains
to
c a p i t a l i s t m o d e r n i z a t i o n . R e a l S o c i a l i s m ' s ( m o d e s t ) a p p e a l is b e s t e x e m plified by the e l e c t i o n slogan o f S l o b o d a n Milosevic's Socialist Party in the first
'free'
elections in
Serbia: 'With
us,
there
is n o
uncertainty!'
a l t h o u g h life was p o o r a n d d r a b , t h e r e was n o n e e d t o w o r r y a b o u t
the
f u t u r e ; e v e r y o n e ' s m o d e s t e x i s t e n c e was g u a r a n t e e d ; t h e P a r t y t o o k c a r e o f e v e r y t h i n g - t h a t is, all d e c i s i o n s w e r e m a d e b y T h e m . D e s p i t e
their
c o n t e m p t for t h e r e g i m e , p e o p l e n o n e t h e less h a l f - c o n s c i o u s l y t r u s t e d ' T h e m ' , r e l i e d o n ' T h e m ' , b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e r e was s o m e b o d y h o l d i n g all
THE
340
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
t h e r e i n s a n d t a k i n g c a r e o f e v e r y t h i n g . T h e r e was a c t u a l l y a p e r v e r s e k i n d o f l i b e r a t i o n in this possibility o f shifting the b u r d e n o f responsibility o n to the O t h e r . In h e r report o n a voyage through post-Communist P o l a n d , the country o f h e r youth, Eva Hoffman relates how the infamous desolate g r e y n e s s o f t h e s o c i a l i s t e n v i r o n s , with d e p r e s s i n g c o n c r e t e b u i l d i n g s o n b r o a d streets without posters o r n e o n lights, l o o k e d different, even m o r e oppressive, in 1 9 9 0 : I know this grayness; I even used to love it, as part o f the m o o d and w e a t h e r with which o n e grew up h e r e , and which sank into the b o n e s with a c o m f o r t i n g m e l a n c h o l y . Why, then, d o e s it s e e m so m u c h m o r e desolate than before? I guess I ' m looking at it with different a n t e n n a e , without t h e protective filters o f the system, which was the justification, the explanation for so m u c h : even for the gray. I n d e e d , the drabness was partly T h e i r doing, a matter not only o f e c o n o m i c s but o f deliberate puritanism . . . now this n e i g h b o u r h o o d is j u s t what it is, bareness stripped o f s i g n i f i c a n c e . 25
W h a t we h a v e h e r e is t h e p e r v e r s e l y l i b e r a t i n g a s p e c t o f a l i e n a t i o n actually existing Socialism:
r e a l i t y was n o t
really 'ours'
p e o p l e ' s ) , it b e l o n g e d t o T h e m ( t h e P a r t y nomenklatura);
(the
in
ordinary
its g r e y n e s s b o r e
w i t n e s s t o T h e i r o p p r e s s i v e r u l e a n d , p a r a d o x i c a l l y , t h i s m a d e it
much
e a s i e r t o e n d u r e life; j o k e s c o u l d b e t o l d a b o u t e v e r y d a y t r o u b l e s , a b o u t t h e lack o f ordinary objects like s o a p a n d
toilet p a p e r - a l t h o u g h
we
suffered the material c o n s e q u e n c e s o f these troubles, the j o k e s w e r e at T h e i r e x p e n s e , we t o l d t h e m f r o m an e x e m p t , l i b e r a t e d p o s i t i o n . Now, with T h e m o u t o f p o w e r , we are s u d d e n l y a n d violently c o m p e l l e d to 7
assume
t h i s d r a b g r e y n e s s : it is n o l o n g e r T h e i r s , it is o u r s . . . . W h a t
happens
today, with t h e
'Invisible H a n d ' establishes
the
'postmodern'
risk s o c i e t y , is t h a t t h e r e is
w h o s e m e c h a n i s m , b l i n d as it m a y balance; no
properly kept, n o
fictional
Other
Scene
in
which
no
be, somehow
re
the
are
accounts
O t h e r P l a c e in w h i c h , f r o m t h e p e r s p e c t i v e o f
t h e L a s t J u d g e m e n t , o u r a c t s will b e p r o p e r l y l o c a t e d a n d a c c o u n t e d f o r . N o t o n l y d o w e n o t k n o w w h a t o u r a c t s will i n f a c t a m o u n t t o , t h e r e is e v e n n o g l o b a l m e c h a n i s m r e g u l a t i n g o u r i n t e r a c t i o n s - this is w h a t properly 'postmodern'
the
n o n e x i s t e n c e o f the big O t h e r means. Foucault
s p o k e o f t h e ' s t r a t e g i e s w i t h o u t s u b j e c t ' t h a t P o w e r u s e s i n its r e p r o d u c tion -
h e r e we have a l m o s t t h e e x a c t o p p o s i t e : s u b j e c t s c a u g h t in
the
u n p r e d i c t a b l e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t h e i r acts, but n o g l o b a l strategy d o m i n a t i n g a n d r e g u l a t i n g t h e i r i n t e r p l a y . I n d i v i d u a l s w h o a r e still c a u g h t i n t h e traditional
modernist
agency which
one
paradigm
are
desperately
c o u l d legitimately elevate into
looking the
for
position
another of
the
WHITHER
341
OEDIPUS?
S u b j e c t S u p p o s e d to K n o w , a n d w h i c h w o u l d s o m e h o w g u a r a n t e e c h o i c e : e t h i c a l c o m m i t t e e s , t h e s c i e n t i f i c c o m m u n i t y itself,
our
government
authority, up to the p a r a n o i a c big O t h e r , the s e c r e t invisible M a s t e r o f conspiracy theories. S o w h a t is w r o n g w i t h t h e t h e o r y o f t h e r i s k s o c i e t y ? D o e s it n o t fullv e n d o r s e t h e n o n e x i s t e n c e o f t h e b i g O t h e r , a n d d r a w all e t h i c o - p o l i t i c a l c o n s e q u e n c e s f r o m t h i s ? T h e p r o b l e m is t h a t , p a r a d o x i c a l l y , t h i s t h e o r y is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t o o s p e c i f i c a n d t o o g e n e r a l : w i t h a l l its e m p h a s i s o n h o w t h e ' s e c o n d m o d e r n i z a t i o n ' f o r c e s us to t r a n s f o r m old n o t i o n s o f h u m a n a g e n c y , s o c i a l o r g a n i z a t i o n , a n d s o o n , u p t o t h e m o s t i n t i m a t e ways o f r e l a t i n g to o u r s e x u a l identity, the t h e o r y o f the risk society n e v e r t h e l e s s u n d e r e s t i m a t e s t h e i m p a c t o f t h e e m e r g i n g n e w societal l o g i c o n t h e very fundamental
status o f subjectivity; o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , in c o n c e i v i n g o f
r i s k a n d m a n u f a c t u r e d u n c e r t a i n t y as a u n i v e r s a l f e a t u r e o f c o n t e m p o r a r y life, this t h e o r y o b f u s c a t e s t h e c o n c r e t e s o c i o e c o n o m i c r o o t s o f t h e s e risks. And
it is m y c o n t e n t i o n
that
psychoanalysis a n d
M a r x i s m , as a
rule
d i s m i s s e d b y t h e o r i s t s o f t h e r i s k s o c i e t y as o u t d a t e d e x p r e s s i o n s o f t h e first-wave m o d e r n i z a t i o n
(the
fight
o f the rational agency to bring
the
i m p e n e t r a b l e U n c o n s c i o u s to light; the idea o f a self-transparent society c o n t r o l l e d by t h e ' c o m m o n i n t e l l e c t ' ) , c a n c o n t r i b u t e to a c r i t i c a l clarifi c a t i o n o f t h e s e two p o i n t s .
T h e Unbehagen
in t h e R i s k S o c i e t y
P s y c h o a n a l y s i s is n e i t h e r a t h e o r y w h i c h b e m o a n s t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f t h e o l d m o d e s o f traditional stability a n d wisdom, l o c a t i n g in t h e m
the
c a u s e o f m o d e r n n e u r o s e s a n d c o m p e l l i n g us to discover o u r r o o t s in o l d archaic wisdom or profound
self-knowledge (the J u n g i a n version), n o r
j u s t a n o t h e r version o f reflexive m o d e r n penetrate
k n o w l e d g e t e a c h i n g us h o w to
a n d m a s t e r t h e i n n e r m o s t s e c r e t s o f o u r p s y c h i c life -
what
p s y c h o a n a l y s i s f o c u s e s o n , its p r o p e r o b j e c t , c o n s i s t s , r a t h e r , i n t h e u n e x pected c o n s e q u e n c e s o f the disintegration o f traditional structures
that
r e g u l a t e d l i b i d i n a l life. W h y d o e s t h e d e c l i n e o f p a t e r n a l a u t h o r i t y
and
fixed social a n d g e n d e r roles g e n e r a t e new anxieties, instead o f o p e n i n g up a B r a v e N e w W'otid o f individuals e n g a g e d in t h e creative ' c a r e o f t h e Self
a n d enjoying the perpetual process o f shifting a n d reshaping
f l u i d m u l t i p l e i d e n t i t i e s ? W h a t p s y c h o a n a l y s i s c a n d o is t o f o c u s o n Unbehagen
their the
i n t h e risk s o c i e t y : o n t h e n e w a n x i e t i e s g e n e r a t e d b y t h e r i s k
s o c i e t y , w h i c h c a n n o t b e s i m p l y d i s m i s s e d as t h e r e s u l t o f t h e t e n s i o n o r
THE TICKLISH
342
SUBJECT
gap b e t w e e n the subjects' sticking to the o l d notions o f personal responsi bility a n d identity (like f i x e d g e n d e r r o l e s a n d t h e family s t r u c t u r e )
and
t h e n e w situation o f fluid, shifting i d e n t i t i e s a n d c h o i c e s . W h a t t h e a d v e n t o f t h e ' r i s k s o c i e t y ' a f f e c t s is n o t s i m p l y T r a d i t i o n o r s o m e o t h e r reliable symbolic frame o f r e f e r e n c e , b u t t h e symbolic Insti tution itself in the m u c h m o r e f u n d a m e n t a l sense o f t h e f u n c t i o n i n g o f t h e s y m b o l i c o r d e r : with t h e a d v e n t o f t h e risk society, t h e
performative
d i m e n s i o n o f s y m b o l i c t r u s t a n d c o m m i t m e n t is p o t e n t i a l l y
undermined.
T h e p r o b l e m w i t h t h e o r i s t s o f t h e r i s k s o c i e t y is t h u s t h a t t h e y u n d e r e s t i m a t e t h e r a d i c a l c h a r a c t e r o f t h i s c h a n g e : w i t h all t h e i r i n s i s t e n c e o n h o w , in today's
r i s k s o c i e t y , r e f l e x i v i t y is u n i v e r s a l i z e d , s o t h a t N a t u r e
and
T r a d i t i o n n o l o n g e r exist, in all t h e i r talk a b o u t the ' s e c o n d E n l i g h t e n m e n t ' d o i n g away w i t h t h e n a i v e c e r t a i n t i e s o f t h e first w a v e o f m o d e r n i zation, they leave intact t h e subject's f u n d a m e n t a l their subject remains
the
modern
m o d e o f subjectivity:
subject, able to reason
and
reflect
freely, to d e c i d e o n a n d s e l e c t h i s / h e r set o f n o r m s , a n d so o n . H e r e , t h e e r r o r is t h e s a m e as t h a t o f f e m i n i s t s w h o w a n t
to d o
away w i t h
the
O e d i p u s c o m p l e x , a n d so o n , a n d n e v e r t h e l e s s e x p e c t the basic f o r m o f s u b j e c t i v i t y t h a t was g e n e r a t e d b y t h e O e d i p u s c o m p l e x ( t h e s u b j e c t f r e e t o r e a s o n a n d d e c i d e , e t c . ) t o survive i n t a c t . I n s h o r t , w h a t i f it is n o t t h e p o s t m o d e r n pessimists w h o c o m e to their c a t a s t r o p h i c c o n c l u s i o n b e c a u s e t h e y m e a s u r e t h e n e w w o r l d w i t h o l d s t a n d a r d s ; w h a t if, o n t h e c o n t r a r y , i t is t h e o r i s t s o f t h e risk s o c i e t y t h e m s e l v e s w h o u n p r o b l e m a t i c a l l y r e l y o n t h e fact that, in the c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f s y m b o l i c T r u s t , t h e reflexive s u b j e c t o f t h e E n l i g h t e n m e n t s o m e h o w , i n e x p l i c a b l y , survives intact? T h i s d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f t h e b i g O t h e r is t h e d i r e c t r e s u l t o f u n i v e r s a l i z e d reflexivity:
notions
like
'trust'
all r e l y o n
a minimum
of
non-reflected
a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e s y m b o l i c I n s t i t u t i o n - u l t i m a t e l y , t r u s t always i n v o l v e s a l e a p o f faith: w h e n I trust s o m e b o d y , I trust h i m b e c a u s e I simply take h i m at his word, n o t f o r r a t i o n a l r e a s o n s w h i c h tell m e t o trust h i m . T o say ' I t r u s t y o u b e c a u s e I h a v e d e c i d e d , u p o n r a t i o n a l r e f l e c t i o n , t o t r u s t y o u , ' i n v o l v e s t h e s a m e p a r a d o x as t h e s t a t e m e n t ' H a v i n g w e i g h e d u p t h e reasons for a n d against, I d e c i d e d to o b e y m y father.' S y m p t o m a t i c o f this disintegration o f fundamental
T r u s t is t h e r e c e n t r i s e o f a U S C h r i s t i a n
revival g r o u p t h a t q u i t e a d e q u a t e l y c a l l s i t s e l f ' t h e P r o m i s e - K e e p e r s ' : t h e i r p l e a is a d e s p e r a t e a p p e a l t o m e n t o a s s u m e a g a i n t h e i r s y m b o l i c m a n d a t e o f responsibility, o f the b u r d e n o f decision, against the weak a n d hysterical f e m a l e s e x u n a b l e t o c o p e w i t h t h e s t r e s s e s o f c o n t e m p o r a r y life.
The
p o i n t t o b e m a d e a g a i n s t this is n o t o n l y t h a t w e a r e d e a l i n g w i t h
the
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
343
c o n s e r v a t i v e p a t r i a r c h a l r e i n s c r i p t i o n o f t h e s e x u a l d i f f e r e n c e ( w e a k hys terical w o m e n versus m e n w h o s e W o r d s h o u l d again b e c o m e t h e i r B o n d ) , b u t t h a t t h e way i n w h i c h t h i s v e r y e x p l i c i t e m p h a s i s o n p r o m i s e s t o b e k e p t is a l r e a d y p a r t o f a h y s t e r i c a l e c o n o m y - a t r u s t w h i c h h a s t o b e r e a s s e r t e d i n t h i s p u b l i c r i t u a l i z e d way, as i t w e r e , u n d e r m i n e s
its o w n
credentials. T h e inability o f risk s o c i e t y t h e o r y t o t a k e all t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f g l o b a l r e f l e x i v i z a t i o n i n t o a c c o u n t is c l e a r l y d i s c e r n i b l e i n its t r e a t m e n t o f t h e f a m i l y . T h i s t h e o r y is r i g h t t o e m p h a s i z e h o w t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p
between
p a r e n t s a n d c h i l d r e n i n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l f a m i l y was t h e l a s t b a s t i o n o f l e g a l s l a v e r y in o u r W e s t e r n s o c i e t i e s : a l a r g e s t r a t u m o f s o c i e t y - m i n o r s - w e r e d e n i e d full r e s p o n s i b i l i t y a n d a u t o n o m y , a n d r e t a i n e d i n a slave s t a t u s w i t h r e g a r d t o t h e i r p a r e n t s ( w h o c o n t r o l l e d t h e i r lives a n d w e r e r e s p o n sible for their acts). W i t h reflexive m o d e r n i z a t i o n , c h i l d r e n a r e t r e a t e d as r e s p o n s i b l e s u b j e c t s w i t h f r e e d o m
themselves
o f c h o i c e (in divorce
procedures, they are allowed to influence the decision o n which o f the two p a r e n t s t h e y will live w i t h ; t h e y c a n s t a r t a c o u r t p r o c e d u r e
against
their parents i f they feel that their h u m a n rights have b e e n violated; e t c . ) -
in short,
parenthood
is n o
l o n g e r a natural-substantial
notion,
but
b e c o m e s i n a way p o l i t i c i z e d ; it t u r n s i n t o a n o t h e r d o m a i n o f r e f l e x i v e choice.
However,
is n o t
the
obverse
o f this
reflexivization o f family
r e l a t i o n s , i n w h i c h t h e f a m i l y l o s e s its c h a r a c t e r o f i m m e d i a t e - s u b s t a n t i a l entity whose
members
'familialization'
of public
are
not
professional
autonomous
subjects, the
progressive
life itself? I n s t i t u t i o n s w h i c h w e r e
sup
p o s e d t o f u n c t i o n as a n a n t i d o t e t o t h e f a m i l y s t a r t t o f u n c t i o n as s u r r o g a t e families, allowing us s o m e h o w to p r o l o n g o u r family d e p e n d e n c e immaturity: schools - even universities - increasingly assume functions;
corporations
provide
a new family h o m e ,
and
and
therapeutic so o n .
standard situation in which, after the p e r i o d o f e d u c a t i o n a n d
The
depend
ency, I a m allowed to e n t e r the adult universe o f maturity a n d responsi b i l i t y is t h u s d o u b l y t u r n e d a r o u n d : as a c h i l d I a m a l r e a d y r e c o g n i z e d as a mature
r e s p o n s i b l e b e i n g ; a n d , s i m u l t a n e o u s l y , m y c h i l d h o o d is p r o
l o n g e d i n d e f i n i t e l y , t h a t is, I a m n e v e r r e a l l y c o m p e l l e d t o ' g r o w
up',
s i n c e a l l t h e i n s t i t u t i o n s w h i c h f o l l o w t h e f a m i l y f u n c t i o n as ersatz f a m i l i e s , providing caring s u r r o u n d i n g s for my Narcissistic endeavours. . . . I n o r d e r t o g r a s p a l l t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t h i s shift, o n e w o u l d h a v e t o r e t u r n t o H e g e l ' s t r i a d o f f a m i l y , civil s o c i e t y ( f r e e i n t e r a c t i o n o f i n d i v i d u a l s w h o e n j o y t h e i r r e f l e x i v e f r e e d o m ) a n d S t a t e : H e g e l ' s c o n s t r u c t i o n is b a s e d o n the distinction b e t w e e n the private s p h e r e o f family a n d
the
p u b l i c s p h e r e o f civil s o c i e t y , a d i s t i n c t i o n w h i c h is v a n i s h i n g t o d a y , i n s o
THE
344
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
f a r as f a m i l y life i t s e l f b e c o m e s p o l i t i c i z e d , is t u r n i n g i n t o p a r t o f t h e public
domain;
'familialized',
on
the
other
hand,
public
t h a t is, s u b j e c t s p a r t i c i p a t e
professional
life
becomes
in it as m e m b e r s o f a
large
f a m i l y , n o t as r e s p o n s i b l e ' m a t u r e ' i n d i v i d u a l s . S o t h e p r o b l e m h e r e is n o t p a t r i a r c h a l a u t h o r i t y a n d t h e e m a n c i p a t o r y s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t it, as
most
f e m i n i s t s c o n t i n u e t o c l a i m ; t h e p r o b l e m , r a t h e r , is t h e n e w f o r m s o f dependency
that
arise f r o m
the
very decline o f patriarchal
symbolic
authority. It was M a x H o r k h e i m e r , in his study o n a u t h o r i t y a n d family in the
1930s, who drew attention
to t h e a m b i g u o u s c o n s e q u e n c e s o f the
gradual disintegration o f p a t e r n a l authority in m o d e r n
capitalist society:
far from b e i n g simply the e l e m e n t a r y cell a n d g e n e r a t o r o f authoritarian p e r s o n a l i t i e s , t h e m o d e r n n u c l e a r f a m i l y was s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t h e s t r u c t u r e that generated predominant
the
'autonomous'
critical subject a b l e to c o n f r o n t
the
social o r d e r o n a c c o u n t o f h i s / h e r ethical convictions, so
that the i m m e d i a t e result o f the disintegration also t h e rise o f w h a t s o c i o l o g i s t s call t h e
o f p a t e r n a l a u t h o r i t y is
conformist
'other-orientated'
21
p e r s o n a l i t y . ' T o d a y , with t h e shift towards t h e narcissistic p e r s o n a l i t y , this p r o c e s s is e v e n s t r o n g e r , a n d h a s e n t e r e d a n e w p h a s e . W i t h r e g a r d t o t h e ' p o s t m o d e r n ' c o n s t e l l a t i o n ( o r to w h a t t h e theorists o f t h e risk s o c i e t y call reflexive m o d e r n i z a t i o n c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e s e c o n d modernity a n d / o r the s e c o n d E n l i g h t e n m e n t - perhaps their overinsistent e m p h a s i s o n h o w t h e y a r e o p p o s e d t o p o s t m o d e r n i s m is t o b e r e a d as a 2 7
disavowal o f t h e i r u n a c k n o w l e d g e d p r o x i m i t y to i t ) , in w h i c h p a t r i a r c h y is fatally u n d e r m i n e d ,
s o t h a t t h e s u b j e c t e x p e r i e n c e s h i m s e l f as
freed
from any traditional constraints, lacking any internalized symbolic Prohi bition, bent on
e x p e r i m e n t i n g with
h i s life a n d
on
p u r s u i n g his
life-
project, a n d so on, we have t h e r e f o r e to raise the m o m e n t o u s question o f the disavowed 'passionate a t t a c h m e n t s ' which support the n e w reflexive freedom o f the subject delivered from the constraints o f Nature
and/or
Tradition: what if the disintegration o f the public ('patriarchal') symbolic a u t h o r i t y is p a i d f o r ( o r c o u n t e r b a l a n c e d ) b y a n e v e n s t r o n g e r d i s a v o w e d ' p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t ' t o s u b j e c t i o n , as - a m o n g o t h e r p h e n o m e n a - t h e growth o f sado-maso lesbian couples where the relationship between
the
two w o m e n follows t h e strict a n d severely e n a c t e d M a s t e r / S l a v e m a t r i x s e e m s t o i n d i c a t e : t h e o n e w h o g i v e s t h e o r d e r s is t h e ' t o p ' , t h e o n e w h o o b e y s is t h e ' b o t t o m ' , a n d i n o r d e r t o b e c o m e t h e ' t o p ' o n e h a s t o g o t h r o u g h a n a r d u o u s p r o c e s s o f a p p r e n t i c e s h i p . W h i l e it is w r o n g t o r e a d t h i s ' t o p / b o t t o m ' d u a l i t y as a s i g n o f d i r e c t ' i d e n t i f i c a t i o n w i t h t h e ( m a l e ) a g g r e s s o r ' , it is n o l e s s w r o n g patriarchal
relations
t o p e r c e i v e i t as a p a r o d i c i m i t a t i o n o f
of domination;
we
are
dealing,
rather,
with
the
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
345
g e n u i n e p a r a d o x o f the freely c h o s e n M a s t e r / S l a v e form o f c o e x i s t e n c e which provides a d e e p libidinal sadsfacdon. T h u s t h e s t a n d a r d s i t u a t i o n is r e v e r s e d : w e n o l o n g e r h a v e t h e p u b l i c O r d e r o f hierarchy, repression a n d severe regulation, subverted by secret acts o f l i b e r a t i n g t r a n s g r e s s i o n (as w h e n we l a u g h at o u r p o m p o u s M a s t e r privately, b e h i n d his b a c k ) ; o n t h e c o n t r a r y , we have p u b l i c social r e l a t i o n s a m o n g free a n d e q u a l individuals, w h e r e the 'passionate a t t a c h m e n t ' some
extreme
becomes
the
form secret
o f stricdy regulated
domination
and
transgressive
o f libidinal
satisfaction,
source
to
submission the
o b s c e n e s u p p l e m e n t to t h e p u b l i c s p h e r e o f f r e e d o m a n d equality. T h e r i g i d l y c o d i f i e d M a s t e r / S l a v e r e l a t i o n s h i p t u r n s u p as t h e v e r y f o r m o f ' i n h e r e n t t r a n s g r e s s i o n ' o f s u b j e c t s l i v i n g i n a s o c i e t y i n w h i c h all f o r m s o f l i f e a r e e x p e r i e n c e d as a m a t t e r o f t h e f r e e c h o i c e o f a l i f e s t y l e . A n d t h i s p a r a d o x i c a l r e v e r s a l is t h e p r o p e r t o p i c o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s : p s y c h o a n a l y s i s d e a l s n o t w i t h t h e s e v e r e a u t h o r i t a r i a n f a t h e r w h o f o r b i d s y o u to e n j o y , b u t with t h e o b s c e n e f a t h e r w h o e n j o i n s y o u t o e n j o y , a n d t h u s r e n d e r s y o u i m p o t e n t o r f r i g i d m u c h m o r e e f f e c t i v e l y . T h e U n c o n s c i o u s is n o t s e c r e t r e s i s t a n c e a g a i n s t t h e L a w ; t h e U n c o n s c i o u s is t h e p r o h i b i t i v e L a w itself. S o t h e a n s w e r o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s t o t h e r i s k s o c i e t y topos o f t h e g l o b a l r e f l e x i v i z a t i o n o f o u r lives is n o t t h a t t h e r e is n o n e t h e less s o m e p r e r e f l e x i v e s u b s t a n c e c a l l e d t h e U n c o n s c i o u s w h i c h resists r e f l e x i v e m e d i a tion;
the
a n s w e r is t o e m p h a s i z e
another
mode
o f reflexivity that
is
n e g l e c t e d by theorists o f t h e risk society, t h e reflexivity at the very c o r e o f the F r e u d i a n subject. T h i s reflexivity spoils the g a m e o f the
postmodern
s u b j e c t free to c h o o s e a n d r e s h a p e his identity. As we h a v e a l r e a d y s e e n , there are n u m e r o u s
variations o n
this reflexivity in psychoanalysis: in
h y s t e r i a , t h e i m p o s s i b i l i t y o f s a t i s f y i n g d e s i r e is r e f l e x i v e l y i n v e r t e d
into
t h e desire for n o n s a t i s f a c t i o n , the desire to m a i n t a i n desire itself unsatis fied; in o b s e s s i o n a l n e u r o s i s , we a r e
d e a l i n g with
'repressive' regulation
o f desire into
the
'masochistic'
turn,
which
reflexive
through
desire the
the
for
reversal o f the
regulation
repressive
-
this
regulatory
p r o c e d u r e s t h e m s e l v e s a r e l i b i d i n a l l y i n v e s t e d a n d f u n c t i o n as a s o u r c e o f libidinal satisfaction, provides the key to h o w power m e c h a n i s m s function: r e g u l a t o r y p o w e r m e c h a n i s m s r e m a i n o p e r a t i v e o n l y i n s o far as t h e y a r e secretly sustained by t h e very e l e m e n t they e n d e a v o u r to 'repress'. P e r h a p s t h e ultimate e x a m p l e o f the universalized reflexivity o f o u r lives ( a n d t h e r e b y o f t h e r e t r e a t o f t h e b i g O t h e r , t h e loss o f s y m b o l i c efficiency)
is a p h e n o m e n o n
known
to m o s t psychoanalysts today:
g r o w i n g i n e f f i c i e n c y o f p s y c h o a n a l y t i c interpretation.
the
Traditional psycho-
THE
346
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
a n a l y s i s still r e l i e d o n a s u b s t a n t i a l n o t i o n o f t h e U n c o n s c i o u s as t h e n o n reflected 'dark continent', the impenetrable 'decentred' Substance o f the s u b j e c t ' s b e i n g to b e a r d u o u s l y p e n e t r a t e d , r e f l e c t e d , m e d i a t e d , by inter pretation.
Today, however,
the
formations
o f the
Unconscious
(from
d r e a m s to hysterical s y m p t o m s ) have definitely lost t h e i r i n n o c e n c e : t h e 'free a s s o c i a t i o n s ' o f a typical e d u c a t e d a n a l y s a n d consist for t h e m o s t p a r t o f attempts to provide a psychoanalytic explanation o f their disturbances, s o t h a t o n e is q u i t e j u s t i f i e d i n s a y i n g t h a t w e h a v e n o t o n l y J u n g i a n , Kleinian, Lacanian . . . interpretations o f the symptoms, but
symptoms
w h i c h a r e t h e m s e l v e s J u n g i a n , K l e i n i a n , L a c a n i a n . . . , t h a t is, w h o s e reality involves implicit r e f e r e n c e unfortunate
to s o m e
psychoanalytic theory.
result o f this g l o b a l r e f l e x i v i z a t i o n o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n
The
(every
t h i n g b e c o m e s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , t h e U n c o n s c i o u s i n t e r p r e t s i t s e l f . . . ) is, o f c o u r s e , that the analyst's i n t e r p r e t a t i o n
l o s e s its p e r f o r m a t i v e
'symbolic
e f f i c i e n c y ' a n d l e a v e s t h e s y m p t o m i n t a c t i n its i d i o t i c jouissance.
In o t h e r
w o r d s , w h a t h a p p e n s i n p s y c h o a n a l y t i c t r e a t m e n t is s i m i l a r t o t h e p a r a d o x ( a l r e a d y n o t e d ) o f a n e o - N a z i s k i n h e a d w h o , w h e n r e a l l y p r e s s e d t o give t h e r e a s o n s for his v i o l e n c e , s u d d e n l y starts to talk like s o c i a l w o r k e r s , sociologists and social psychologists, q u o t i n g diminished social mobility, rising insecurity, the disintegration o f paternal authority, lack o f m a t e r n a l l o v e i n h i s e a r l y c h i l d h o o d - w h e n t h e b i g O t h e r qua t h e s u b s t a n c e o f o u r s o c i a l b e i n g d i s i n t e g r a t e s , t h e u n i t y o f p r a c t i c e a n d its i n h e r e n t r e f l e c t i o n d i s i n t e g r a t e s i n t o r a w v i o l e n c e a n d its i m p o t e n t , i n e f f i c i e n t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n . T h i s i m p o t e n c e o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n is a l s o o n e o f t h e n e c e s s a r y o b v e r s e s o f t h e u n i v e r s a l i z e d r e f l e x i v i t y h a i l e d b y r i s k s o c i e t y t h e o r i s t s : it is as i f o u r r e f l e x i v e p o w e r c a n f l o u r i s h o n l y i n s o f a r as it d r a w s its s t r e n g t h and
relies o n
some
minimal
'pre-reflexive' substantial
support
from which
e l u d e s its g r a s p , s o t h a t its u n i v e r s a l i z a t i o n is p a i d f o r by its i n e f f i c i e n c y , t h a t is, by t h e p a r a d o x i c a l r e - e m e r g e n c e o f t h e b r u t e R e a l o f ' i r r a t i o n a l ' violence, i m p e r m e a b l e a n d insensitive to reflexive interpretation. A n d the tragedy
is t h a t ,
interpretative
faced
with
interventions,
this d e a d l o c k even
some
o f the
inefficiency o f
psychoanalysts
who
their
otherwise
resist the obvious false solution o f a b a n d o n i n g the d o m a i n o f p s y c h o a n a l ysis p r o p e r
and
taking
refuge
in
biochemistry or
body
training
are
t e m p t e d t o t a k e t h e d i r e c t way o f t h e R e a l : t h e y e m p h a s i z e t h a t s i n c e t h e U n c o n s c i o u s is a l r e a d y its o w n i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , all t h e p s y c h o a n a l y s t c a n d o is act - s o , i n s t e a d o f t h e p a t i e n t a c t i n g (say, p r o d u c i n g actes mancfues) t h e analyst i n t e r p r e t i n g t h e p a t i e n t ' s acts, we g e t a p a t i e n t
and
interpreting
a n d his analyst i n t r o d u c i n g a c u t i n t o this flow o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n with a n a c t (say, o f c l o s i n g t h e s e s s i o n ) .
2 8
WHITHER
347
OEDIPUS?
S o , in terms o f the Frankfurt S c h o o l , the c h o i c e we are facing
apropos
o f t h e s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y is a g a i n t h a t b e t w e e n A d o r n o / H o r k h e i m e r
and
H a b e r m a s . H a b e r m a s ' s c r u c i a l b r e a k w i t h A d o r n o a n d H o r k h e i m e r is t o reject
their fundamental
notion
of the
dialectic
of Enlightenment:
for
H a b e r m a s , p h e n o m e n a like totalitarian political r e g i m e s o r the so-called alienation o f modern
life a r e u l t i m a t e l y g e n e r a t e d n o t b y t h e
inherent
d i a l e c t i c s o f t h e v e r y p r o j e c t o f m o d e r n i t y a n d E n l i g h t e n m e n t , b u t b y its n o n c o n s e q u e n t realization - they b e a r witness to t h e fact that remained
an unfinished
project. In contrast, A d o r n o a n d
modernity
Horkheimer
r e m a i n faithful to t h e o l d H e g e l i a n a n d M a r x i s t d i a l e c t i c a l p r o c e d u r e o f r e a d i n g t h e t r o u b l i n g e x c e s s t h a t o c c u r s in t h e r e a l i z a t i o n o f s o m e g l o b a l p r o j e c t as t h e s y m p t o m a l p o i n t at w h i c h t h e t r u t h o f t h e e n t i r e p r o j e c t e m e r g e s : t h e o n l y way t o r e a c h t h e t r u t h o f s o m e n o t i o n o r p r o j e c t is t o f o c u s o n w h e r e this p r o j e c t w e n t w r o n g .
It's t h e Political As
for
the
'postmodern'
E c o n o m y , Stupid!
socioeconomic relations
of domination
that
go
with
the
c o n s t e l l a t i o n , t h e p u b l i c i m a g e o f B i l l G a t e s is w o r t h y o f 2
s o m e c o m m e n t ; ' ' w h a t m a t t e r s is n o t f a c t u a l a c c u r a c y (is G a t e s r e a l l y l i k e t h a t ? ) b u t t h e v e r y f a c t t h a t a c e r t a i n figure s t a r t e d t o f u n c t i o n as a n i c o n , filling s o m e p h a n t a s m i c slot - i f the features d o n o t c o r r e s p o n d ' t r u e ' G a t e s , t h e y a r e all t h e m o r e i n d i c a t i v e o f t h e u n d e r l y i n g
to
the
phantasmic
s t r u c t u r e . G a t e s is n o t o n l y n o l o n g e r t h e p a t r i a r c h a l F a t h e r - M a s t e r , h e is also n o l o n g e r the c o r p o r a t e B i g B r o t h e r r u n n i n g a rigid empire,
dwelling o n
secretaries and
bureaucratic
the
i n a c c e s s i b l e t o p floor, g u a r d e d by a h o s t o f
deputees.
H e is, r a t h e r , a k i n d o f little brother, h i s v e r y
o r d i n a r i n e s s f u n c t i o n s as t h e i n d i c a t i o n o f its o p p o s i t e , o f s o m e m o n s t r o u s d i m e n s i o n s o u n c a n n y t h a t it c a n n o l o n g e r b e r e n d e r e d p u b l i c i n
the
g u i s e o f s o m e s y m b o l i c t i t l e . W h a t w e e n c o u n t e r h e r e , m o s t v i o l e n t l y , is t h e d e a d l o c k o f t h e D o u b l e w h o is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y l i k e o u r s e l v e s and
the
h a r b i n g e r o f an u n c a n n y , p r o p e r l y m o n s t r o u s d i m e n s i o n - i n d i c a t i v e o f t h i s is t h e way t i t l e - p a g e s , d r a w i n g s o r p h o t o m o n t a g e s p r e s e n t G a t e s : as a n o r d i n a r y guy, w h o s e d e v i o u s s m i l e n o n e t h e less i m p l i e s a w h o l l y d i f f e r e n t underlying dimension o f monstrosity beyond representation which threat e n s t o s h a t t e r his o r d i n a r y - g u y i m a g e .
3 0
I n t h i s r e s p e c t , it is a l s o a c r u c i a l
f e a t u r e o f G a t e s - a s - i c o n t h a t h e is ( p e r c e i v e d a s ) t h e e x - h a c k e r w h o
made
it - o n e s h o u l d c o n f e r o n t h e t e r m ' h a c k e r ' all its s u b v e r s i v e / m a r g i n a l / anti-establishment c o n n o t a t i o n s o f those who want to disturb the
smooth
THE
348
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
functioning o f large b u r e a u c r a t i c corporations. At the p h a n t a s m i c level, t h e u n d e r l y i n g n o t i o n h e r e is t h a t G a t e s is a s u b v e r s i v e m a r g i n a l h o o l i g a n w h o h a s t a k e n o v e r a n d d r e s s e s h i m s e l f u p as a r e s p e c t a b l e c h a i r m a n . I n Bill G a t e s , t h e Littie B r o t h e r , t h e a v e r a g e ugly guy, thus c o i n c i d e s w i t h a n d c o n t a i n s t h e f i g u r e o f t h e Evil G e n i u s w h o a i m s f o r t o t a l c o n t r o l of our
lives. I n o l d J a m e s B o n d m o v i e s t h i s Evil G e n i u s w a s still
an
e c c e n t r i c figure, dressed u p extravagantly o r in a p r o t o - C o m m u n i s t Maoist g r e y u n i f o r m - in t h e c a s e o f G a t e s , t h i s r i d i c u l o u s c h a r a d e is n o l o n g e r n e e d e d ; t h e Evil G e n i u s t u r n s o u t t o b e t h e o b v e r s e o f t h e o r d i n a r y g u y n e x t d o o r . I n o t h e r w o r d s , w h a t w e e n c o u n t e r i n t h e i c o n o f B i l l G a t e s is a k i n d o f reversal o f t h e t h e m e o f t h e h e r o e n d o w e d with s u p e r n a t u r a l p o w e r s , b u t i n h i s e v e r y d a y life a c o m m o n , c o n f u s e d , c l u m s y g u y ( S u p e r m a n , w h o i n h i s o r d i n a r y e x i s t e n c e is a c l u m s y b e s p e c t a c l e d j o u r n a l i s t ) : h e r e it is t h e b a d g u y w h o is c h a r a c t e r i z e d b y t h i s k i n d o f s p l i t .
31
The
o r d i n a r i n e s s o f B i l l G a t e s is t h u s n o t o f t h e s a m e o r d e r as t h e e m p h a s i s o n the so-called ordinary h u m a n features o f the traditional
patriarchal
M a s t e r . T h e fact t h a t this t r a d i t i o n a l M a s t e r n e v e r lived u p to his m a n d a t e - t h a t h e was always i m p e r f e c t , m a r k e d b y s o m e f a i l u r e o r w e a k n e s s -
not
o n l y d i d n o t i m p e d e h i s s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y , b u t e v e n s e r v e d as its s u p p o r t , bringing h o m e the constitutive gap b e t w e e n the purely formal
function
o f s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y a n d t h e e m p i r i c a l i n d i v i d u a l w h o o c c u p i e s its p o s t . I n c o n t r a s t t o this g a p , B i l l G a t e s ' s o r d i n a r i n e s s p o i n t s t o a
different
n o t i o n o f authority, that o f the o b s c e n e s u p e r e g o that operates in
the
Real. T h e r e is a n o l d E u r o p e a n f a i r y - t a l e t h e m e o f d i l i g e n t d w a r v e s
(usually
c o n t r o l l e d b y a n evil m a g i c i a n ) w h o d u r i n g t h e n i g h t , w h i l e p e o p l e asleep, e m e r g e from their hiding-place a n d accomplish their work
are (put
the h o u s e in order, c o o k the meals . . .) so that when p e o p l e wake up in the m o r n i n g , they find their work magically d o n e . T h i s t h e m e t h r o u g h R i c h a r d W a g n e r ' s Rhinegold,
persists
( t h e N i b e l u n g s w h o w o r k in
their
u n d e r g r o u n d caves, driven by t h e i r c r u e l m a s t e r , the d w a r f A l b e r i c h ) to F r i t z L a n g ' s Metropolis,
i n w h i c h t h e e n s l a v e d i n d u s t r i a l w o r k e r s live a n d
work d e e p b e n e a t h the earth's surface to p r o d u c e wealth for the
ruling
c a p i t a l i s t s . T h i s m a t r i x o f ' u n d e r g r o u n d ' slaves d o m i n a t e d b y a m a n i p u l a tive evil M a s t e r b r i n g s u s b a c k t o t h e o l d d u a l i t y o f t h e two m o d e s o f t h e Master, the public symbolic Master a n d
t h e s e c r e t Evil M a g i c i a n
who
actually pulls the strings a n d d o e s his w o r k d u r i n g t h e night: a r e n o t t h e two B i l l s w h o n o w r u n t h e U S A , C l i n t o n a n d G a t e s , t h e u l t i m a t e e x e m p l i fications
o f this duality? WTien t h e
s u b j e c t is e n d o w e d
with
symbolic
a u t h o r i t y , h e a c t s as a n a p p e n d i x t o h i s s y m b o l i c t i t l e - t h a t is t o say,
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
349
i t is t h e b i g O t h e r , t h e s y m b o l i c I n s t i t u t i o n , w h i c h a c t s t h r o u g h h i m : r e c a l l o u r previous example o f a j u d g e , who may be a miserable a n d
corrupt
p e r s o n , b u t the m o m e n t h e puts o n his r o b e a n d o t h e r insignia, his words a r e t h e w o r d s o f t h e L a w itself. O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e ' i n v i s i b l e ' M a s t e r (whose paradigmatic
c a s e is t h e
and-Semitic
figure
o f the
'Jew' who,
i n v i s i b l e t o t h e p u b l i c e y e , p u l l s t h e s t r i n g s o f s o c i a l l i f e ) is a k i n d o f u n c a n n y d o u b l e o f p u b l i c authority: h e h a s to act in s h a d o w , irradiating a phantom-like, spectral o m n i p o t e n c e .
3 2
T h i s , t h e n , is t h e c o n c l u s i o n t o b e d r a w n f r o m t h e B i l l G a t e s i c o n : h o w the disintegration o f the patriarchal symbolic authority, o f the Name-oft h e - F a t h e r , gives r i s e t o a n e w
figure
o f t h e M a s t e r w h o is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y
o u r c o m m o n peer, o u r fellow-creature, o u r imaginary d o u b l e , and -
for
this very reason - p h a n t a s m i c a l l y e n d o w e d w i t h a n o t h e r d i m e n s i o n o f t h e Evil G e n i u s . I n L a c a n i a n t e r m s : t h e s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e E g o I d e a l , o f t h e f e a t u r e o f s y m b o l i c i d e n t i f i c a t i o n - t h a t is, t h e r e d u c t i o n o f t h e M a s t e r to a n i m a g i n a r y i d e a l - n e c e s s a r i l y g i v e s r i s e t o its m o n s t r o u s o b v e r s e , t o t h e superego
figure
o f t h e o m n i p o t e n t Evil G e n i u s w h o c o n t r o l s o u r lives. I n
this figure, t h e i m a g i n a r y ( s e m b l a n c e ) a n d t h e real ( o f p a r a n o i a ) overlap, owing to the suspension o f the p r o p e r symbolic efficiency. T h e p o i n t o f i n s i s t i n g t h a t w e a r e d e a l i n g w i t h B i l l G a t e s as a n i c o n is t h a t i t w o u l d b e m y s t i f y i n g t o e l e v a t e t h e ' r e a l ' G a t e s i n t o a k i n d o f Evil Genius who masterminds
a p l o t t o a c h i e v e g l o b a l c o n t r o l o v e r us all.
H e r e , m o r e t h a n e v e r , i t is c r u c i a l t o r e m e m b e r t h e l e s s o n o f t h e M a r x i s t dialectic o f fetishization: the 'reification' o f relations b e t w e e n people (the fact that they assume the form o f p h a n t a s m a g o r i c a l
'relations
between
t h i n g s ' ) is always r e d o u b l e d b y t h e a p p a r e n d y o p p o s i t e p r o c e s s - b y t h e false ' p e r s o n a l i z a t i o n '
( ' p s y c h o l o g i z a t i o n ' ) o f what are in fact objective
s o c i a l p r o c e s s e s . I t was i n t h e 1 9 3 0 s t h a t t h e first g e n e r a t i o n o f F r a n k f u r t S c h o o l t h e o r e t i c i a n s d r e w a t t e n t i o n to h o w - at t h e very m o m e n t
when
g l o b a l m a r k e t r e l a t i o n s s t a r t e d t o e x e r t t h e i r full d o m i n a t i o n , m a k i n g t h e individual p r o d u c e r ' s success o r failure d e p e n d e n t o n m a r k e t cycles totally o u t his o f c o n t r o l - t h e n o t i o n o f a c h a r i s m a t i c ' b u s i n e s s g e n i u s ' r e a s s e r t e d itself in 'spontaneous capitalist ideology', attributing the success o r failure o f a b u s i n e s s m a n t o s o m e m y s t e r i o u s je ne sais quoi w h i c h h e p o s s e s s e s . " A n d d o e s n o t t h e s a m e h o l d even m o r e today, w h e n t h e a b s t r a c t i o n ot m a r k e t r e l a t i o n s t h a t r u n o u r lives is b r o u g h t t o a n e x t r e m e ? T h e b o o k m a r k e t is o v e r f l o w i n g w i t h p s y c h o l o g i c a l m a n u a l s a d v i s i n g us o n h o w t o s u c c e e d , h o w t o o u t d o o u r p a r t n e r o r c o m p e t i t o r - in s h o r t , m a k i n g o u r success d e p e n d e n t o n our proper S o , i n a way, o n e is t e m p t e d
'attitude'. to reverse M a r x ' s f a m o u s formula:
in
350
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
c o n t e m p o r a r y c a p i t a l i s m , the objective market assume the phantasmagorical
'relations between things' tend to
form of pseudo-personalized
'relations between
people'.
N o , B i l l G a t e s is n o g e n i u s , g o o d o r b a d , h e is j u s t a n o p p o r t u n i s t
who
k n e w h o w t o s e i z e t h e m o m e n t a n d , as s u c h , t h e r e s u l t o f t h e c a p i t a l i s t s y s t e m r u n a m o k . T h e q u e s d o n is n o t ' H o w d i d G a t e s d o i t ? ' b u t ' H o w is t h e c a p i t a l i s t s y s t e m s t r u c t u r e d , w h a t is w r o n g w i t h it, t h a t a n can
achieve such disproportionate
power?' A p h e n o m e n o n
individual
like that o f
B i l l G a t e s t h u s s e e m s t o i n d i c a t e its o w n s o l u t i o n : o n c e w e a r e
dealing
with a g i g a n t i c g l o b a l n e t w o r k f o r m a l l y o w n e d by a single individual
or
c o r p o r a t i o n , is it n o t a f a c t t h a t o w n e r s h i p b e c o m e s , i n a way, i r r e l e v a n t t o its f u n c t i o n i n g ( t h e r e is n o l o n g e r a n y w o r t h w h i l e c o m p e t i t i o n ; p r o f i t is g u a r a n t e e d ) , s o t h a t it b e c o m e s p o s s i b l e s i m p l y t o c u t o f f t h i s h e a d a n d t o s o c i a l i z e t h e e n t i r e n e t w o r k w i t h o u t g r e a t l y d i s t u r b i n g its f u n c t i o n i n g ? D o e s n o t such an act a m o u n t to a purely formal conversion that simply b r i n g s t o g e t h e r w h a t , de facto, a l r e a d y b e l o n g s t o g e t h e r - t h e c o l l e c t i v e o f individuals a n d t h e g l o b a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n a l n e t w o r k they a r e all u s i n g
-
a n d w h i c h t h u s f o r m s t h e s u b s t a n c e o f t h e i r s o c i a l lives? T h i s a l r e a d y b r i n g s us t o t h e s e c o n d a s p e c t o f o u r c r i t i c a l d i s t a n c e t o w a r d s risk s o c i e t y t h e o r y : t h e way i t a p p r o a c h e s t h e r e a l i t y o f c a p i t a l i s m . Is it n o t t h a t , o n c l o s e r e x a m i n a t i o n , its n o t i o n o f ' r i s k ' i n d i c a t e s a n a r r o w a n d p r e c i s e l y d e f i n e d d o m a i n i n w h i c h risks a r e g e n e r a t e d : t h e d o m a i n o f the
u n c o n t r o l l e d use
o f science and
t e c h n o l o g y in the
conditions o f
c a p i t a l i s m ? T h e p a r a d i g m a t i c c a s e o f ' r i s k ' , w h i c h is n o t s i m p l y o n e a m o n g m a n y b u t r i s k ' a s s u c h ' , is t h a t o f a n e w s c i e n t i f i c - t e c h n o l o g i c a l i n v e n t i o n p u t to use by a private c o r p o r a t i o n without p r o p e r debate
and
control, then
generating
the
spectre
public
democratic
of unforeseen
cata
s t r o p h i c l o n g - t e r m c o n s e q u e n c e s . H o w e v e r , is n o t t h i s k i n d o f risk r o o t e d i n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e l o g i c o f m a r k e t a n d p r o f i t a b i l i t y is d r i v i n g p r i v a t e l y o w n e d c o r p o r a t i o n s to pursue their c o u r s e a n d use scientific a n d t e c h n o logical innovations ( o r simply e x p a n d their p r o d u c t i o n ) without actually t a k i n g a c c o u n t o f t h e l o n g - t e r m e f f e c t s o f s u c h activity o n t h e
environ
m e n t , as w e l l as t h e h e a l t h o f h u m a n k i n d itself? T h u s - d e s p i t e all t h e t a l k a b o u t a ' s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y ' w h i c h c o m p e l s us to leave t h e o l d i d e o l o g i c a l d i l e m m a s o f Left a n d R i g h t , o f capitalism v e r s u s s o c i a l i s m , a n d s o o n , b e h i n d - is n o t t h e c o n c l u s i o n t o b e d r a w n that in the p r e s e n t global situation, in which private c o r p o r a t i o n s outside p u b l i c p o l i t i c a l c o n t r o l a r e m a k i n g d e c i s i o n s w h i c h c a n a f f e c t us a l l , e v e n u p t o o u r c h a n c e s o f survival, t h e o n l y s o l u t i o n l i e s i n a k i n d o f d i r e c t socialization o f t h e p r o d u c t i v e p r o c e s s - in m o v i n g towards a society in which
global decisions about
the
fundamental
orientation
o f how
to
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
351
d e v e l o p a n d use productive capacities at t h e disposal o f society would s o m e h o w b e m a d e by the e n t i r e collective o f the p e o p l e affected by such decisions? T h e o r i s t s o f t h e risk society often e v o k e the n e e d to c o u n t e r a c t the r e i g n o f t h e ' d e p o l i t i c i z e d ' g l o b a l m a r k e t with a m o v e towards radical repoliticization,
w h i c h will t a k e c r u c i a l d e c i s i o n s away f r o m s t a t e
planners
a n d experts a n d put t h e m into the h a n d s o f the individuals a n d concerned
themselves
(through
groups
the revitalization o f active citizenship,
b r o a d public d e b a t e , a n d so o n ) - however, they stop short o f putting in q u e s t i o n t h e very basics o f t h e a n o n y m o u s logic o f m a r k e t r e l a t i o n s a n d global
capitalism, which
'neutral'
Real
depoliticized.
imposes
itself
a c c e p t e d b y all p a r t i e s
today m o r e and,
and
as s u c h ,
more
more
as
and
the
more
3 4
Two recent English
films,
b o t h stories a b o u t the traumatic
disintegra
t i o n o f old-style w o r k i n g - c l a s s m a l e i d e n t i t y , e x p r e s s two o p p o s i n g v e r s i o n s o f t h i s d e a d l o c k o f d e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n . Brassed
O/ffocuses on the relationship
between 'real' political struggle (the miners' struggle against pit
closures legitimized in
terms
threatened
o f technological progress)
and
the
idealized symbolic expression o f the m i n e r s ' c o m m u n i t y , their brass band. A t first, t h e two a s p e c t s s e e m t o b e o p p o s e d : t o t h e m i n e r s c a u g h t u p i n t h e s t r u g g l e f o r e c o n o m i c survival, t h e ' O n l y m u s i c m a t t e r s ! ' a l t i t u d e o f t h e i r old b a n d m a s t e r dying o f l u n g c a n c e r l o o k s like a vain
fetishized
i n s i s t e n c e o n t h e e m p t y s y m b o l i c f o r m d e p r i v e d o f its s o c i a l s u b s t a n c e . O n c e the m i n e r s lose their political struggle, however, the 'Music matters' attitude, t h e i r i n s i s t e n c e o n playing a n d p a r t i c i p a t i n g in a n a t i o n a l c o m petition, turns into a defiant symbolic gesture, a p r o p e r act o f asserting fidelity
t o t h e i r p o l i t i c a l s t r u g g l e — as o n e o f t h e m p u t s it, w h e n t h e r e ' s n o
h o p e , t h e r e a r e o n l y p r i n c i p l e s t o f o l l o w . . . . I n s h o r t , t h e act o c c u r s w h e n we r e a c h this crisscross or, r a t h e r , s h o r t c i r c u i t o f levels, so that i n s i s t e n c e on
the
empty
form
itself
(we'll c o n t i n u e
playing
in o u r
brass
band,
w h a t e v e r h a p p e n s . . . ) b e c o m e s t h e s i g n o f fidelity t o t h e c o n t e n t ( t o t h e s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t t h e c l o s u r e s , f o r t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e m i n e r s ' way o f life). T h e m i n e r s ' c o m m u n i t y b e l o n g s to a t r a d i t i o n c o n d e m n e d to disap p e a r - n o n e t h e l e s s , it is p r e c i s e l y h e r e t h a t o n e s h o u l d a v o i d t h e t r a p o f accusing the miners o f standing for the old reactionary male-chauvinist w o r k i n g - c l a s s way o f life: t h e p r i n c i p l e o f c o m m u n i t y d i s c e r n i b l e h e r e is well worth
fighting
The Full Monty, Lights
f o r , a n d s h o u l d b y n o m e a n s b e left t o t h e e n e m y . o u r s e c o n d e x a m p l e , is - l i k e Dead
Poets Society o r City
- o n e o f t h o s e f i l m s w h o s e e n t i r e n a r r a t i v e l i n e m o v e s t o w a r d s its
f i n a l c l i m a c t i c m o m e n t - i n t h i s c a s e , t h e five u n e m p l o y e d m e n ' s
'full
M o n t y ' a p p e a r a n c e i n t h e s t r i p t e a s e c l u b . T h e i r final g e s t u r e - ' g o i n g t o
352
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
the e n d ' , revealing t h e i r p e n i s e s to the p a c k e d hall - involves a n act w h i c h - a l t h o u g h i n a way o p p o s i t e t o t h a t o f Brassed
Off - u l t i m a t e l y a m o u n t s t o
t h e s a m e thing: to t h e a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e loss. T h e h e r o i s m o f t h e final g e s t u r e i n The Full
Monty
is n o t t h a t o f p e r s i s t i n g i n t h e s y m b o l i c f o r m
( p l a y i n g i n t h e b a n d ) w h e n its s o c i a l s u b s t a n c e d i s i n t e g r a t e s b u t , o n
the
contrary, o f a c c e p t i n g what, from the perspective o f the m a l e workingc l a s s e t h i c , c a n n o t b u t a p p e a r as t h e u l t i m a t e h u m i l i a t i o n : r e a d i l y g i v i n g away f a l s e m a l e d i g n i t y .
(Recall the
famous
bit o f dialogue
near
b e g i n n i n g , w h e n o n e o f t h e h e r o e s says t h a t a f t e r s e e i n g w o m e n
the
urinating
in a s t a n d i n g position, h e finally u n d e r s t a n d s t h a t they a r e lost; t h a t t h e i r - m e n ' s - t i m e is o v e r . ) T h e t r a g i c o m i c d i m e n s i o n o f t h e i r p r e d i c a m e n t lies i n t h e f a c t t h a t t h e c a r n i v a l e s q u e s p e c t a c l e ( o f s t r i p p i n g ) is p e r f o r m e d n o t by t h e u s u a l w e l l - e n d o w e d s t r i p t e a s e d a n c e r s b u t b y o r d i n a r y d e c e n t a n d shy m i d d l e - a g e d m e n w h o a r e d e f i n i t e l y n o t b e a u t i f u l - t h e i r
heroism
is t h a t t h e y a g r e e t o p e r f o r m t h e a c t , a l t h o u g h t h e y a r e a w a r e t h a t t h e i r physical
appearance
is n o t
appropriate
t o it. T h i s g a p
between
the
performance and the obvious inappropriateness o f the performers confers o n t h e a c t its p r o p e r l y s u b l i m e d i m e n s i o n - f r o m t h e v u l g a r
amusement
o f stripping, their act b e c o m e s a kind o f spiritual exercise in
abandoning
false
pride.
(Although
informed, just
prior
to
the
oldest
their
among
show,
that
them, he
their
has
got
ex-foreman,
is
new j o b ,
he
a
n e v e r t h e l e s s d e c i d e s t o j o i n h i s m a t e s i n t h e a c t o u t o f fidelity: t h e p o i n t o f t h e s h o w is t h u s n o t m e r e l y t o e a r n t h e m u c h - n e e d e d m o n e y , b u t a matter o f principle.) What one should Brassed
b e a r i n m i n d , h o w e v e r , is t h a t b o t h
acts, t h a t o f
Off a n d t h a t o f The Full Monty, a r e t h e a c t s o f l o s e r s - t h a t is t o say,
two m o d e s o f c o m i n g t o t e r m s w i t h t h e c a t a s t r o p h i c loss: i n s i s t i n g o n t h e e m p t y f o r m as fidelity t o t h e l o s t c o n t e n t ( ' W h e n t h e r e ' s n o h o p e , o n l y p r i n c i p l e s r e m a i n ' ) ; h e r o i c a l l y r e n o u n c i n g t h e last vestiges o f false n a r c i s sistic d i g n i t y a n d
accomplishing the
act for which
o n e is g r o t e s q u e l y
i n a d e q u a t e . A n d t h e s a d t h i n g is t h a t , i n a way, t h i s is o u r s i t u a t i o n t o d a y : today, after t h e b r e a k d o w n
o f the Marxist n o t i o n that capitalism itself
g e n e r a t e s t h e f o r c e t h a t will d e s t r o y i t i n t h e g u i s e o f t h e p r o l e t a r i a t , n o n e o f the critics o f capitalism, n o n e o f those who describe so convincingly the
deadly vortex into which
drawing
us,
has
the
any well-defined
s o - c a l l e d p r o c e s s o f g l o b a l i z a t i o n is notion
o f how
we
can
get
rid
of
capitalism. I n short, I a m n o t p r e a c h i n g a s i m p l e r e t u r n to t h e o l d n o t i o n s o f c l a s s s t r u g g l e a n d s o c i a l i s t r e v o l u t i o n : t h e q u e s t i o n o f h o w i t is r e a l l y p o s s i b l e t o u n d e r m i n e t h e g l o b a l c a p i t a l i s t s y s t e m is n o t a r h e t o r i c a l o n e - m a y b e it is not r e a l l y p o s s i b l e , a t l e a s t n o t i n t h e f o r e s e e a b l e f u t u r e .
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
353
S o t h e r e a r e two a t t i t u d e s : e i t h e r t o d a y ' s L e f t n o s t a l g i c a l l y e n g a g e s i n t h e r i t u a l i s t i c i n c a n t a t i o n o f o l d f o r m u l a s , b e it t h o s e o f r e v o l u t i o n a r y C o m m u n i s m o r those o f welfare state r e f o r m i s t Social D e m o c r a c y , dismiss i n g all talk o f n e w p o s t m o d e r n obfuscates
the
harsh
s o c i e t y as e m p t y f a s h i o n a b l e p r a t t l e
reality o f today's
capitalism; o r it accepts
that
global
c a p i t a l i s m as ' t h e o n l y g a m e i n t o w n ' , a n d f o l l o w s t h e d o u b l e t a c t i c s o f p r o m i s i n g t h e e m p l o y e e s t h a t t h e m a x i m u m p o s s i b l e w e l f a r e s t a t e will b e maintained,
a n d the employers that the rules o f the
g a m e will b e fully r e s p e c t e d
and
the
employees'
(global capitalist)
'irrational'
demands
f i r m l y c e n s o r e d . S o , i n t o d a y ' s leftist p o l i t i c s , w e s e e m i n e f f e c t
to
be
r e d u c e d to the c h o i c e between the 'solid' o r t h o d o x attitude o f proudly, o u t o f p r i n c i p l e , sticking to t h e o l d ( C o m m u n i s t o r S o c i a l D e m o c r a t i c ) t u n e , a l t h o u g h w e k n o w its t i m e h a s p a s s e d , a n d t h e N e w L a b o u r ' r a d i c a l c e n t r e ' a t t i t u d e o f g o i n g t h e 'full M o n t y ' i n s t r i p p i n g , g e t t i n g r i d of, t h e last vestiges o f p r o p e r victim
o f the
demise
historical o p p o n e n t
leftist d i s c o u r s e . . . . P a r a d o x i c a l l y , t h e o f R e a l l y E x i s t i n g S o c i a l i s m was
throughout
most of our
century,
ultimate
thus
its
reformist
great Social
D e m o c r a c y itself. T h e b i g n e w s o f t o d a y ' s p o s t - p o l i t i c a l a g e o f t h e ' e n d o f i d e o l o g y ' is t h u s t h e r a d i c a l d e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n o f t h e s p h e r e o f t h e e c o n o m y : t h e way t h e economy
f u n c t i o n s ( t h e n e e d t o c u t s o c i a l w e l f a r e , e t c . ) is a c c e p t e d as
a s i m p l e i n s i g h t i n t o t h e o b j e c t i v e s t a t e o f t h i n g s . H o w e v e r , as l o n g as t h i s fundamental
d e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n o f t h e e c o n o m i c s p h e r e is a c c e p t e d , all t h e
t a l k a b o u t a c t i v e c i t i z e n s h i p , a b o u t p u b l i c d i s c u s s i o n l e a d i n g to s i b l e c o l l e c t i v e d e c i s i o n s , a n d so o n , will r e m a i n l i m i t e d t o t h e
respon 'cultural'
i s s u e s o f r e l i g i o u s , s e x u a l , e t h n i c a n d o t h e r way-of-life d i f f e r e n c e s , w i t h o u t actually e n c r o a c h i n g u p o n
t h e level at w h i c h l o n g - t e r m
decisions
that
a f f e c t us all a r e m a d e . I n s h o r t , t h e o n l y way e f f e c t i v e l y t o b r i n g a b o u t a s o c i e t y i n w h i c h risky l o n g - t e r m d e c i s i o n s w o u l d e n s u e f r o m p u b l i c d e b a t e i n v o l v i n g all c o n c e r n e d is s o m e k i n d o f r a d i c a l l i m i t a t i o n o f C a p i t a l ' s f r e e d o m , the subordination o f the process o f p r o d u c t i o n to social c o n t r o l -
t h e r a d i c a l repoliticization
with
today's
post-politics
increasingly undermines undermining
of the economy. T h a t is t o say: i f t h e ('administration the
o f social affairs')
possibility o f a p r o p e r
problem is t h a t
political act,
it
this
is d i r e c d y d u e t o t h e d e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n o f e c o n o m i c s , t o t h e
c o m m o n a c c e p t a n c e o f C a p i t a l a n d m a r k e t m e c h a n i s m s as n e u t r a l t o o l s / p r o c e d u r e s to b e e x p l o i t e d . W e c a n n o w see why today's post-politics c a n n o t attain the
properly
p o l i t i c a l d i m e n s i o n o f u n i v e r s a l i t y : b e c a u s e it s i l e n t l y p r e c l u d e s t h e s p h e r e o f e c o n o m y from politicization. T h e domain
o f global capitalist
market
354
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
r e l a t i o n s is t h e O t h e r S c e n e o f t h e s o - c a l l e d r e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n o f civil s o c i e t y advocated by the partisans o f 'identity politics' a n d
other
postmodern
f o r m s o f p o l i t i c i z a t i o n : all t h e t a l k a b o u t n e w f o r m s o f p o l i t i c s o u t all o v e r , f o c u s e d
on
particular
issues
bursting
(gay rights, ecology,
ethnic
m i n o r i t i e s . . . ) , all this i n c e s s a n t a c t i v i t y o f f l u i d , s h i f t i n g i d e n t i t i e s , o f b u i l d i n g m u l t i p l e ad hoc c o a l i t i o n s , a n d s o o n , h a s s o m e t h i n g
inauthentic
a b o u t it, a n d u l t i m a t e l y r e s e m b l e s t h e o b s e s s i o n a l n e u r o t i c w h o t a l k s all t h e t i m e a n d is o t h e r w i s e f r a n t i c a l l y a c t i v e p r e c i s e l y i n o r d e r t o t h a t s o m e t h i n g - w h a t really matters — will not b e d i s t u r b e d , remain immobilized.
3 5
ensure
t h a t it will
So, instead o f celebrating the new freedoms
r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s b r o u g h t a b o u t by t h e ' s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y ' , i t is m u c h crucial
to focus o n
what
remains
the same
in
and more
this g l o b a l fluidity
and
r e f l e x i v i t y , o n w h a t s e r v e s as t h e v e r y m o t o r o f t h i s f l u i d i t y : t h e i n e x o r a b l e l o g i c o f C a p i t a l . T h e s p e c t r a l p r e s e n c e o f C a p i t a l is t h e f i g u r e o f t h e b i g O t h e r w h i c h n o t o n l y r e m a i n s o p e r a t i v e w h e n all t h e t r a d i t i o n a l
embodi
m e n t s o f t h e s y m b o l i c b i g O t h e r disintegrate, b u t e v e n directly c a u s e s this d i s i n t e g r a t i o n : far f r o m b e i n g c o n f r o n t e d with t h e abyss o f t h e i r
freedom
- t h a t is, l a d e n w i t h t h e b u r d e n o f r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t h a t c a n n o t b e a l l e v i a t e d b y t h e h e l p i n g h a n d o f T r a d i t i o n o r N a t u r e - t o d a y ' s s u b j e c t is p e r h a p s m o r e t h a n ever c a u g h t in a n i n e x o r a b l e c o m p u l s i o n t h a t effectively r u n s his life. T h e i r o n y o f h i s t o r y is t h a t , in t h e E a s t e r n E u r o p e a n
ex-Communist
c o u n t r i e s , t h e ' r e f o r m e d ' C o m m u n i s t s w e r e t h e first t o l e a r n t h i s l e s s o n . W h y did m a n y o f t h e m
r e t u r n to p o w e r via f r e e e l e c t i o n s in t h e
mid
1 9 9 0 s ? T h i s v e r y r e t u r n o f f e r s t h e u l t i m a t e p r o o f t h a t t h e s e s t a t e s h a v e in f a c t e n t e r e d c a p i t a l i s m . T h a t is t o say: w h a t d o e x - C o m m u n i s t s s t a n d f o r today? D u e to t h e i r privileged links with t h e newly e m e r g i n g capitalists ( m o s d y m e m b e r s o f t h e o l d nomenklatura
'privatizing' the c o m p a n i e s they
o n c e r a n ) , t h e y a r e first a n d f o r e m o s t t h e p a r t y o f b i g C a p i t a l ; m o r e , t o e r a s e t h e t r a c e s o f t h e i r b r i e f b u t n o n e t h e less r a t h e r
further
traumatic
e x p e r i e n c e w i t h p o l i t i c a l l y a c t i v e civil s o c i e t y , t h e y as a r u l e f e r o c i o u s l y advocate
a
quick
deideologization,
a retreat
from
a c t i v e civil
society
e n g a g e m e n t i n t o p a s s i v e , a p o l i t i c a l c o n s u m e r i s m - t h e v e r y two f e a t u r e s which characterize c o n t e m p o r a r y capitalism. S o dissidents are astonished t o d i s c o v e r t h a t t h e y p l a y e d t h e r o l e o f ' v a n i s h i n g m e d i a t o r s ' o n t h e way f r o m s o c i a l i s m t o c a p i t a l i s m , i n w h i c h t h e s a m e c l a s s as b e f o r e r u l e s u n d e r a n e w g u i s e . I t is t h e r e f o r e w r o n g t o c l a i m t h a t t h e e x - C o m m u n i s t s ' r e t u r n to p o w e r shows h o w p e o p l e a r e d i s a p p o i n t e d by capitalism a n d l o n g for t h e o l d s o c i a l i s t s e c u r i t y - i n a k i n d o f H e g e l i a n ' n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' , it is o n l y w i t h
the
ex-Communists'
return
to
power
that
socialism
was
WHITHER
355
OEDIPUS?
e f f e c t i v e l y n e g a t e d - t h a t is t o say, w h a t t h e p o l i t i c a l a n a l y s t s ( m i s ) p e r c e i v e as ' d i s a p p o i n t m e n t
w i t h c a p i t a l i s m ' is i n f a c t d i s a p p o i n t m e n t
with
the
e t h i c o - p o l i t i c a l e n t h u s i a s m f o r w h i c h t h e r e is n o p l a c e i n ' n o r m a l ' c a p i t a l 3
ism. '' W e should thus reassert the old Marxist critique o f today, e m p h a s i z i n g
'reifkation':
the depoliticized 'objective' e c o n o m i c logic against
allegedly 'outdated'
forms
o f ideological passions
is
the
predominant
i d e o l o g i c a l f o r m , s i n c e i d e o l o g y is always s e l f - r e f e r e n t i a l , t h a t is, it always defines
itself
through
a
distance
d e n o u n c e d as ' i d e o l o g i c a l ' . icized economy is the disavoiued
3 7
towards
an
Other
dismissed
and
F o r t h a t p r e c i s e r e a s o n - b e c a u s e the depolit 'fundamental
fantasy'
of postmodern
politics — a
p r o p e r l y p o l i t i c a l act w o u l d n e c e s s a r i l y e n t a i l t h e r e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n o f t h e e c o n o m y : w i t h i n a g i v e n s i t u a t i o n , a g e s t u r e c o u n t s as a n act o n l y i n s o f a r as i t d i s t u r b s ( ' t r a v e r s e s ' ) its f u n d a m e n t a l
fantasy.
I n s o f a r as t o d a y ' s m o d e r a t e L e f t , f r o m B l a i r t o C l i n t o n , fully a c c e p t s t h i s d e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n , we a r e w i t n e s s i n g a s t r a n g e r e v e r s a l o f r o l e s : t h e o n l y serious political f o r c e which c o n t i n u e s to question the u n r e s t r a i n e d
rule
o f t h e m a r k e t is t h e p o p u l i s t e x t r e m e R i g h t ( B u c h a n a n i n t h e U S A ; L e P e n in F r a n c e ) . W h e n
W a l l S t r e e t r e a c t e d n e g a t i v e l y t o a fall in
the
u n e m p l o y m e n t r a t e , t h e o n l y o n e t o m a k e t h e o b v i o u s p o i n t t h a t w h a t is g o o d f o r C a p i t a l is o b v i o u s l y n o t w h a t is g o o d f o r t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e population
was B u c h a n a n . I n c o n t r a s t t o t h e o l d w i s d o m
w h i c h t h e e x t r e m e R i g h t o p e n l y says w h a t t h e m o d e r a t e
according
to
Right secretly
t h i n k s , b u t d o e s n ' t d a r e say i n p u b l i c ( t h e o p e n a s s e r t i o n o f r a c i s m , o f t h e n e e d for strong authority and the cultural h e g e m o n y o f 'Western values', e t c . ) , we a r e t h e r e f o r e
approaching
a situation
in w h i c h
the
extreme
R i g h t o p e n l y says w h a t t h e m o d e r a t e Left s e c r e t l y t h i n k s , b u t d o e s n ' t d a r e say i n p u b l i c ( t h e n e c e s s i t y t o c u r b t h e f r e e d o m o f C a p i t a l ) . O n e s h o u l d a l s o n o t f o r g e t t h a t t o d a y ' s r i g h t i s t survivalist m i l i t i a s o f t e n l o o k like a c a r i c a t u r i z e d v e r s i o n o f t h e e x t r e m e m i l i t a n t leftist groups
o f the
1960s: in
institutional logic -
both
cases we
t h a t is, t h e u l t i m a t e
are
d e a l i n g with
splinter
radical
anti-
e n e m y is t h e r e p r e s s i v e
State
apparatus (the F B I , the Army, the judicial system) which threatens g r o u p ' s v e r y survival, a n d t h e g r o u p is o r g a n i z e d as a t i g h t
the
disciplined
b o d y in o r d e r to b e a b l e to w i t h s t a n d this p r e s s u r e . T h e e x a c t c o u n t e r p o i n t t o this is a L e f t i s t l i k e P i e r r e B o u r d i e u , w h o d e f e n d s t h e i d e a o f a u n i f i e d E u r o p e as a s t r o n g ' s o c i a l s t a t e ' , g u a r a n t e e i n g social
rights
difficult
and
welfare
to abstain f r o m
against
the
irony when
onslaught one
the m i n i m u m
o f globalization:
sees a radical Leftist
of
it is
raising
barriers against the corrosive global power o f Capital, so fervently
cel
e b r a t e d b y M a r x . S o , a g a i n , it is as i f t h e r o l e s a r e r e v e r s e d t o d a y : L e f t i s t s
THE TICKLISH
356
SUBJECT
s u p p o r t a s t r o n g S t a t e as t h e l a s t g u a r a n t e e
o f s o c i a l a n d civil l i b e r t i e s
a g a i n s t C a p i t a l ; w h i l e R i g h t i s t s d e m o n i z e t h e S t a t e a n d its a p p a r a t u s e s
as
the ultimate terrorist m a c h i n e . O f course, one should impact o f the postmodern
fully a c k n o w l e d g e
the
tremendous
liberating
politicization o f domains which were
hitherto
c o n s i d e r e d apolitical (feminism, gay a n d lesbian politics, ecology, e t h n i c a n d o t h e r so-called m i n o r i t y i s s u e s ) : t h e fact that t h e s e issues n o t o n l y b e c a m e p e r c e i v e d as i n h e r e n t l y p o l i t i c a l b u t also gave b i r t h to n e w f o r m s o f political subjectivization thoroughly r e s h a p e d o u r entire political a n d cultural landscape.
S o t h e p o i n t is n o t
to play d o w n this
tremendous
a d v a n c e in f a v o u r o f t h e r e t u r n t o s o m e n e w v e r s i o n o f s o - c a l l e d e c o n o m i c e s s e n t i a l i s m ; t h e p o i n t is, r a t h e r , t h a t t h e d e p o l i t i c i z a t i o n o f t h e e c o n o m y g e n e r a t e s t h e p o p u l i s t N e w R i g h t w i t h its M o r a l M a j o r i t y i d e o l o g y , w h i c h today
is
the
main
obstacle
to
the
realization
o f the
very
(feminist,
e c o l o g i c a l . . .) d e m a n d s o n w h i c h p o s t m o d e r n f o r m s o f p o l i t i c a l subjectiv ization focus. In short, I a m pleading for a 'return to the primacy o f the e c o n o m y ' n o t to t h e d e t r i m e n t o f t h e issues raised by p o s t m o d e r n
forms
o f politicization, b u t p r e c i s e l y in o r d e r to c r e a t e t h e c o n d i t i o n s f o r
the
m o r e effective realization o f feminist, e c o l o g i c a l , a n d so on, d e m a n d s . A further indicator o f the necessity for some kind o f politicization o f t h e e c o n o m y is t h e o v e r t l y ' i r r a t i o n a l ' p r o s p e c t o f c o n c e n t r a t i n g m o n o p o l i s t i c p o w e r in the h a n d s o f a single individual
or
quasi-
corporation,
like R u p e r t M u r d o c h o r Bill Gates. I f the n e x t d e c a d e brings the unifica tion
o f the
reuniting
multitude
the
features
of communicative o f interactive
media
computer,
in
a single
apparatus
T V , video- a n d
audio-
p h o n e , \ i d e o a n d C D p l a y e r , a n d i f M i c r o s o f t a c t u a l l y s u c c e e d s in b e c o m ing
the
quasi-monopolistic
owner
of
this
new
universal
medium,
c o n t r o l l i n g n o t o n l y t h e l a n g u a g e u s e d i n it b u t a l s o t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f its application, t h e n we obviously a p p r o a c h the absurd situation in which a s i n g l e a g e n t , e x e m p t f r o m p u b l i c c o n t r o l , will i n e f f e c t d o m i n a t e t h e b a s i c c o m m u n i c a t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e o f o u r lives a n d will t h u s , i n a way, b e s t r o n g e r than any government. This o p e n s up the prospect o f paranoiac scenarios: s i n c e t h e d i g i t a l l a n g u a g e w e s h a l l a l l u s e will n o n e t h e l e s s b e m a n - m a d e , c o n s t r u c t e d b y p r o g r a m m e r s , is it n o t p o s s i b l e t o i m a g i n e t h e c o r p o r a t i o n that owns it installing in it s o m e s p e c i a l s e c r e t p r o g r a m i n g r e d i e n t w h i c h will e n a b l e i t t o c o n t r o l u s , o r a v i r u s w h i c h t h e c o r p o r a t i o n c a n t r i g g e r , a n d thus bring o u r c o m m u n i c a t i o n to a halt? W h e n b i o g e n e t i c c o r p o r a tions assert their ownership o f o u r g e n e s t h r o u g h patenting
them,
they
a l s o give r i s e t o a s i m i l a r p a r a d o x o f o w n i n g t h e i n n e r m o s t p a r t s o f o u r
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
357
body, so that we are already o w n e d by a c o r p o r a t i o n without even b e i n g a w a r e o f it. T h e p r o s p e c t w e a r e c o n f r o n t i n g is t h u s t h a t b o t h t h e c o m m u n i c a t i o n a l n e t w o r k w e u s e a n d t h e g e n e t i c l a n g u a g e w e a r e m a d e o f will b e o w n e d a n d c o n t r o l l e d by c o r p o r a d o n s
(or even a corporation) out o f public
c o n t r o l . A g a i n , d o e s n o t t h e very absurdity o f this p r o s p e c t - t h e private c o n t r o l o f t h e very public base o f o u r c o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d
reproduction,
t h e v e r y n e t w o r k o f o u r s o c i a l b e i n g - i m p o s e a k i n d o f s o c i a l i z a t i o n as t h e o n l y s o l u t i o n ? I n o t h e r w o r d s , is n o t
the impact o f the so-called
information revolution on capitalism the ultimate exemplification o f the old M a r x i a n thesis that
'at a certain stage o f their d e v e l o p m e n t ,
the
m a t e r i a l p r o d u c t i v e forces o f society c o m e i n t o conflict with the existing r e l a t i o n s o f p r o d u c t i o n , o r - w h a t is b u t a l e g a l e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e s a m e t h i n g - w i t h t h e p r o p e r t y r e l a t i o n s w i t h i n w h i c h t h e y h a v e b e e n at w o r k hitherto'?
1 8
D o n o t t h e two p h e n o m e n a w e h a v e m e n t i o n e d ( t h e u n p r e
d i c t a b l e g l o b a l c o n s e q u e n c e s o f d e c i s i o n s m a d e by private c o m p a n i e s ; the patent absurdity o f 'owning' a p e r s o n ' s g e n o m e o r the m e d i a individuals u s e f o r c o m m u n i c a t i o n ) , t o w h i c h o n e s h o u l d a d d at l e a s t t h e a n t a g o n i s m c o n t a i n e d i n t h e n o t i o n o f o w n i n g ( s c i e n t i f i c ) knowledge
(since knowledge
is b y n a t u r e n e u t r a l t o its p r o p a g a t i o n , t h a t is, i t is n o t w o r n o u t b y its s p r e a d a n d universal u s e ) , e x p l a i n why today's capitalism h a s to r e s o r t to m o r e a n d m o r e a b s u r d s t r a t e g i e s t o sustain sphere
of information,
property inventing
and
and
market
ever
new
the economy
thus to contain within
relations modes
the
demon
o f preventing
it has the
of scarcity
the frame
free
in the
o f private
unleashed copying
(say, byof
digit-
alized i n f o r m a t i o n ) ? In short, does n o t the p r o s p e c t o f the informational ' g l o b a l v i l l a g e ' s i g n a l d i e end o f m a r k e t r e l a t i o n s ( w h i c h a r e b y d e f i n i t i o n , based
on
the
logic o f scarcity),
at least in
the
sphere
of
digitalized
information? A f t e r t h e d e m i s e o f S o c i a l i s m , t h e u l t i m a t e f e a r o f W e s t e r n c a p i t a l i s m is t h a t a n o t h e r n a t i o n o r e t h n i c g r o u p will b e a t t h e W e s t o n its o w n c a p i t a l i s t t e r m s , c o m b i n i n g t h e p r o d u c t i v i t y o f c a p i t a l i s m w i t h a f o r m o f s o c i a l mores f o r e i g n t o us in t h e W e s t : in t h e 1 9 7 0 s , t h e o b j e c t o f f e a r a n d f a s c i n a t i o n was J a p a n ; w h i l e n o w , a f t e r a s h o r t i n t e r l u d e o f f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h S o u t h East Asia, attention
is f o c u s i n g m o r e a n d m o r e o n C h i n a as t h e
next
s u p e r p o w e r , c o m b i n i n g capitalism with the C o m m u n i s t political structure. S u c h f e a r s u l t i m a t e l y give r i s e t o p u r e l y p h a n t a s m i c f o r m a t i o n s , l i k e t h e image o f C h i n a surpassing authoritarian phantasmic
t h e W e s t i n p r o d u c t i v i t y w h i l e r e t a i n i n g its
s o c i o p o l i t i c a l s t r u c t u r e - o n e is t e m p t e d t o d e s i g n a t e combination
the
'Asiatic m o d e
of
capitalist
this
production'.
358
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
A g a i n s t t h e s e f e a r s , o n e s h o u l d e m p h a s i z e t h a t C h i n a will, s o o n e r o r l a t e r , pay t h e p r i c e f o r t h e u n b r i d l e d d e v e l o p m e n t o f capitalism in n e w f o r m s of
social unrest
and
instability: t h e
'winning
formula'
of
combining
c a p i t a l i s m w i t h t h e A s i a t i c ' c l o s e d ' e t h i c a l c o m m u n i t y l i f e - w o r l d is d o o m e d to e x p l o d e . Now, m o r e than ever, o n e should reassert M a r x ' s o l d f o r m u l a that
the
limit
o f capitalism
capitalism c o m e s n o t from
is C a p i t a l
itself: the
outside, from
the
danger
to
Western
Chinese or some
other
m o n s t e r b e a t i n g u s a t o u r o w n g a m e w h i l e d e p r i v i n g us o f W e s t e r n l i b e r a l i n d i v i d u a l i s m , b u t f r o m t h e i n h e r e n t l i m i t o f its o w n p r o c e s s o f c o l o n i z i n g ever new (not only g e o g r a p h i c but also cultural, psychic, etc.) domains, o f e r o d i n g t h e last r e s i s t a n t s p h e r e s o f n o n - r e f l e c t e d substantial
being,
w h i c h h a s t o e n d i n s o m e k i n d o f i m p l o s i o n , w h e n C a p i t a l will n o l o n g e r have any substantial c o n t e n t outside itself to feed on.™ O n e s h o u l d
take
M a r x ' s m e t a p h o r o f C a p i t a l as a v a m p i r e - l i k e e n t i t y l i t e r a l l y : it n e e d s s o m e k i n d o f pre-rcflexive ' n a t u r a l productivity' (talents in d i f f e r e n t d o m a i n s o f a r t , i n v e n t o r s i n s c i e n c e , e t c . ) i n o r d e r t o f e e d o n its o w n b l o o d , a n d t h u s t o r e p r o d u c e i t s e l f - w h e n t h e c i r c l e c l o s e s itself, w h e n r e f l e x i v i t y b e c o m e s t h o r o u g h l y u n i v e r s a l , t h e w h o l e s y s t e m is t h r e a t e n e d . A n o t h e r s i g n w h i c h p o i n t s i n t h i s d i r e c t i o n is h o w , i n t h e s p h e r e o f w h a t A d o r n o a n d H o r k h e i m e r c a l l e d Kulturindustrie,
the
desubstantializa-
tion a n d / o r reflexivity o f the p r o d u c t i o n process has r e a c h e d a level that t h r e a t e n s d i e w h o l e s y s t e m w i t h g l o b a l i m p l o s i o n . E v e n i n h i g h art,
the
r e c e n t f a s h i o n f o r e x h i b i t i o n s i n w h i c h ' e v e r y t h i n g is p e r m i t t e d ' a n d c a n p a s s as a n a r t o b j e c t , u p t o m u t i l a t e d a n i m a l b o d i e s , b e t r a y s t h i s d e s p e r a t e n e e d o f c u l t u r a l C a p i t a l t o c o l o n i z e a n d i n c l u d e i n its c i r c u i t e v e n
the
m o s t e x t r e m e a n d p a t h o l o g i c a l strata o f h u m a n subjectivity. P a r a d o x i c a l l y -
and
not without irony -
t h e first m u s i c a l t r e n d w h i c h was i n a way
' f a b r i c a t e d ' , e x p l o i t e d f o r a s h o r t t i m e a n d very s o o n f o r g o t t e n , s i n c e it l a c k e d t h e m u s i c a l s u b s t a n c e t o survive a n d a t t a i n t h e s t a t u s o f ' c l a s s i c s ' l i k e t h e e a r l y r o c k o f t h e B e a d e s a n d R o l l i n g S t o n e s , was n o n e o t h e r t h a n punk,
which
simultaneously
marked
the
strongest
intrusion
o f violent
working-class p r o t e s t i n t o m a i n s t r e a m p o p c u l t u r e - in a k i n d o f m o c k i n g version o f the H e g e l i a n infinite j u d g e m e n t , in which opposites
directly
c o i n c i d e , the raw e n e r g y o f social p r o t e s t c o i n c i d e d with t h e n e w level o f c o m m e r c i a l p r e f a b r i c a t i o n w h i c h , as it w e r e , c r e a t e s t h e o b j e c t i t sells o u t of
itself, w i t h
no
need
for
some
'natural
talent'
to
emerge
and
be
s u b s e q u e n t l y e x p l o i t e d , like B a r o n M u n c h h a u s e n saving h i m s e l f f r o m t h e s w a m p b y p u l l i n g h i m s e l f u p b y his o w n h a i r s . . . . D o w e n o t e n c o u n t e r t h e s a m e l o g i c i n p o l i t i c s , w h e r e t h e p o i n t is l e s s a n d less t o f o l l o w a c o h e r e n t g l o b a l p r o g r a m m e
but, rather,
to try t o
WHITHER
359
OEDIPUS?
guess, by m e a n s o f o p i n i o n p o l l s , 'what t h e p e o p l e want', a n d offer t h e m that? E v e n in t h e o r y , d o e s n ' t t h e s a m e h o l d f o r cultural studies in A n g l o - S a x o n d o m a i n , o r for t h e very t h e o r y o f t h e risk s o c i e t y ? are
less a n d
less involved
themselves to writing
in
short
substantial
theoretical work,
'interventions'
which
4 0
the
Theorists
restraining
mostly display
their
anxiety to follow the latest t h e o r e t i c a l t r e n d s (in f e m i n i s m , for e x a m p l e , perspicacious theorists soon realized that radical social constructionism g e n d e r as p e r f o r m a t i v e l y e n a c t e d , a n d s o o n -
is o u t ; t h a t p e o p l e
-
are
g e t t i n g t i r e d o f it; s o t h e y s t a r t t o r e d i s c o v e r p s y c h o a n a l y s i s , t h e U n c o n s c i o u s ; i n p o s t c o l o n i a l s t u d i e s , t h e l a t e s t t r e n d is t o o p p o s e m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s m as a false s o l u t i o n . . . ) . T h e p o i n t is t h u s n o t s i m p l y t h a t
cultural
s t u d i e s o r risk s o c i e t y t h e o r y is i n s u f f i c i e n t o n a c c o u n t o f its c o n t e n t : a n i n h e r e n t c o m m o d i f i c a t i o n is d i s c e r n i b l e i n t h e v e r y f o r m o f t h e s o c i a l m o d e o f f u n c t i o n i n g o f w h a t are s u p p o s e d to b e t h e latest f o r m s o f t h e American or European
a c a d e m i c Left.
This
r e f l e x i v i t y , w h i c h is a l s o a
c r u c i a l p a r t o f t h e ' s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y , ' is w h a t t h e t h e o r i s t s o f t h e r e f l e x i v e 4
risk s o c i e t y t e n d t o l e a v e o u t o f c o n s i d e r a t i o n . '
R e t u r n s in t h e R e a l The
fundamental
l e s s o n o f Dialectic
of Enlightenment
is t h e r e f o r e
still
r e l e v a n t t o d a y : it b e a r s d i r e c t l y o n w h a t t h e o r i s t s o f t h e risk s o c i e t y a n d r e f l e x i v e m o d e r n i z a t i o n p r a i s e as t h e a d v e n t o f t h e ' s e c o n d E n l i g h t e n ment'. Apropos from
the
o f this s e c o n d E n l i g h t e n m e n t , with s u b j e c t s d e l i v e r e d
weight
o f Nature
and/or
Tradition,
the
question
of
their
unconscious 'passionate attachments' must b e raised again - the so-called 'dark
phenomena'
(burgeoning
fundamentalisms,
neo-racisms,
etc.)
w h i c h a c c o m p a n y t h i s ' s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y ' c a n i n n o way b e d i s m i s s e d as s i m p l e r e g r e s s i v e p h e n o m e n a , as r e m a i n d e r s o f t h e p a s t t h a t will s i m p l y vanish
when
individuals
assume
the
full
i m p o s e d o n t h e m by the s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y .
freedom
and
responsibility
4 2
P r o p o n e n t s o f the ' s e c o n d E n l i g h t e n m e n t ' praise Kant - so the question o f ' K a n t a v e c S a d e ' a r i s e s a g a i n . S a d e ' s a c h i e v e m e n t was t o e x t e n d
the
utilitarian logic o f instrumentalization
to t h e very i n t i m a t e relations o f
s e x : s e x is n o
c o n f i n e d to the private
longer a phenomenon
sphere,
e x e m p t f r o m t h e u t i l i t a r i a n c r u e l t y o f p u b l i c p r o f e s s i o n a l life; it m u s t a l s o b e m a d e part o f the utilitarian rules o f equivalent e x c h a n g e that structure w h a t H e g e l c a l l e d civil s o c i e t y . W i t h t h e s o - c a l l e d s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y ,
the
a t t i t u d e t h a t was h i t h e r t o r e s e r v e d f o r p u b l i c as o p p o s e d
life
to private
THE TICKLISH
3b0
SUBJECT
( r e f l e x i v i t y , t h e r i g h t t o c h o o s e o n e ' s w a y o f l i f e i n s t e a d o f a c c e p t i n g i t as i m p o s e d by tradition, e t c . ) h a s a l s o p e n e t r a t e d t h e m o s t i n t i m a t e private s p h e r e o f s e x u a l i t y - n o w o n d e r t h e p r i c e o f t h i s s t e p is t h e i n c r e a s e i n ' s a d i s t i c ' p r a c t i c e s t h a t s t a g e s e x u a l i t y as t h e d o m a i n
of contract
and
m u t u a l e x p l o i t a t i o n . A n d it is p r e c i s e l y a t this p o i n t t h a t w e c a n s e e h o w o u r two c r i t i c i s m s o f risk s o c i e t y t h e o r y -
t h a t i t is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y
too
general
(avoiding l o c a t i n g t h e key risk-generating f a c t o r in t h e specificity
of
capitalist m a r k e t
the
economy) and
too particular
(not taking
into
a c c o u n t t h e way t h e n o n e x i s t e n c e o f t h e b i g O t h e r a f f e c t s t h e s t a t u s o f s u b j e c t i v i t y ) - c o n v e r g e : i t is t h e v e r y ' s p e c i f i c ' l o g i c o f r e f l e x i v e c o m m o d i f i c a l i o n o f i n t i m a t e s p h e r e s w h i c h , i n t h e way it a f f e c t s s u b j e c t i v i t y , u n d e r m i n e s the standard figure o f the m o d e r n free a u t o n o m o u s s u b j e c t .
4 3
O n e should therefore reject the narrative o f the process that leads from the
patriarchal
Oedipal
order
to
postmodern
(or second
modernity)
m u l t i p l e c o n t i n g e n t i d e n t i t i e s : w h a t this narrative o b l i t e r a t e s a r e t h e n e w f o r m s o f d o m i n a t i o n g e n e r a t e d b y t h e ' d e c l i n e o f O e d i p u s ' itself; f o r t h i s r e a s o n , t h o s e w h o c o n t i n u e to l o c a t e t h e e n e m y in O e d i p u s a r e o b l i g e d to insist o n h o w p o s t m o d e r n i t y r e m a i n s an u n f i n i s h e d p r o j e c t , o n
how
O e d i p a l p a t r i a r c h y c o n t i n u e s t o l e a d its s u b t e r r a n e a n life a n d p r e v e n t s us from
realizing
the
full
potential
of postmodern
self-fashioning
viduality. T h i s p r o p e r l y hysterical e n d e a v o u r to b r e a k with t h e
indi
Oedipal
past m i s l o c a t e s the d a n g e r : it lies n o t in t h e r e m a i n d e r s o f t h e past, b u t in the o b s c e n e n e e d for d o m i n a t i o n a n d s u b j e c t i o n e n g e n d e r e d by t h e new 'post-Oedipal' forms o f subjectivity themselves. In o t h e r words, today we a r e witnessing a shift n o less r a d i c a l t h a n
t h e shift f r o m
the
pre-
m o d e r n patriarchal o r d e r direcdy legitimized by the sexualized c o s m o l o g y ( M a s c u l i n e a n d F e m i n i n e as t h e t w o c o s m i c p r i n c i p l e s ) t o t h e patriarchal o r d e r that i n t r o d u c e d
modern
the abstract-universal notion o f m a n ;
as is always t h e c a s e w i t h s u c h r u p t u r e s , o n e s h o u l d b e v e r y c a r e f u l t o avoid t h e trap o f m e a s u r i n g
the new standards against the old -
b l i n d n e s s leads e i t h e r to c a t a s t r o p h i c visions o f total d i s i n t e g r a t i o n vision
o f the
emerging
s o c i e t y as
that
o f proto-psychotic
such (the
narcissists
l a c k i n g any n o t i o n o f trust a n d o b l i g a t i o n ) o r t o a n o less false c e l e bration the
o f the new post-Oedipal
new forms o f domination
s u b j e c t i v i t y t h a t fails t o a c c o u n t
emerging from
postmodern
for
subjectivity
itself. What
psychoanalysis e n a b l e s us
to d o
is t o f o c u s o n
this o b s c e n e ,
disavowed ' s u p p l e m e n t ' o f the reflexive s u b j e c t freed from the constraints o f N a t u r e a n d T r a d i t i o n : as L a c a n p u t it, t h e s u b j e c t o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s is n o n e o t h e r t h a n t h e s u b j e c t o f m o d e r n s c i e n c e . L e t us b e g i n w i t h t h e s o -
WHITHER called "culture o f c o m p l a i n t ' ,
4 4
OEDIPUS?
361
w i t h its u n d e r l y i n g l o g i c o f ressentiment
far
from cheerfully assuming the n o n e x i s t e n c e o f the big O t h e r , the subject b l a m e s t h e O t h e r f o r its f a i l u r e a n d / o r i m p o t e n c e , as i f the Other is guilty of the fact that it doesn't exist, t h a t is, as i f i m p o t e n c e is n o e x c u s e - t h e b i g O t h e r is r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e v e r y f a c t t h a t i t w a s n ' t a b l e t o d o t h e m o r e t h e s u b j e c t ' s s t r u c t u r e is ' n a r c i s s i s t i c ' , d i e m o r e
anything:
h e puts
the
b l a m e o n t h e b i g O t h e r , a n d tims a s s e r t s h i s d e p e n d e n c e o n it. T h e b a s i c f e a t u r e o f t h e ' c u l t u r e o f c o m p l a i n t ' is a c a l l , a d d r e s s e d t o t h e b i g O t h e r , to intervene and put things right (to c o m p e n s a t e the d a m a g e d sexual o r e t h n i c m i n o r i t y , e t c . ) - h o w , e x a c t l y , t h i s is t o b e d o n e is a g a i n a m a t t e r for various ethico-legal ' c o m m i t t e e s ' . T h e s p e c i f i c f e a t u r e o f t h e ' c u l t u r e o f c o m p l a i n t ' is its l e g a l i s t i c twist, the e n d e a v o u r to translate the c o m p l a i n t into the legal obligation o f the Other
(usually t h e
unfathomable
State)
to indemnify
surplus-enjoyment
me
-
for what? F o r the
very
I a m d e p r i v e d of, w h o s e l a c k m a k e s
f e e l u n d e r p r i v i l e g e d . Is n o t t h e ' c u l t u r e o f c o m p l a i n t ' t h e r e f o r e
me
today's
version o f hysteria, o f the hysterical impossible d e m a n d addressed to the O t h e r , a d e m a n d t h a t a c t u a l l y wants to be rejected, s i n c e t h e s u b j e c t g r o u n d s h i s / h e r e x i s t e n c e i n h i s / h e r c o m p l a i n t : ' I a m in s o f a r as I m a k e
the
O t h e r r e s p o n s i b l e for a n d / o r guilty o f m y misery'? I n s t e a d of u n d e r m i n ing the position o f the O t h e r , the complaining underprivileged
address
t h e m s e l v e s t o it: b y t r a n s l a t i n g t h e i r d e m a n d i n t o t h e t e r m s o f l e g a l i s t i c c o m p l a i n t , t h e y confirm
the Other in its position
in the very gesture
of
attaching
it. T h e r e is a n i n s u r m o u n t a b l e g a p b e t w e e n t h i s l o g i c o f c o m p l a i n t a n d t h e t m e ' r a d i c a l ' ( ' r e v o l u t i o n a r y ' ) a c t w h i c h , i n s t e a d o f c o m p l a i n i n g to t h e O t h e r a n d e x p e c t i n g it t o a c t - t h a t is, d i s p l a c i n g d i e n e e d t o a c t o n t o it - s u s p e n d s t h e e x i s t i n g l e g a l f r a m e a n d Consequently,
this
'culture
of complaint'
accomplishes
is c o r r e l a t i v e t o
p r a c t i c e s o f s e l f - m u t i l a t i o n : t h e y f o r m t h e two o p p o s e d b u t tary a s p e c t s o f t h e d i s t u r b e d
relationship towards
4
the act
itself '
sado-maso
complemen
the Law, relating
to
e a c h o t h e r as d o h y s t e r i a a n d p e r v e r s i o n . T h e s a d o - m a s o p r a c t i c e acts out the phantasmic traumatize
scenarios
the hysterical
( o f humiliation,
rape,
v i c t i m i z a t i o n . . .)
which
subject. W h a t m a k e s t h i s p a s s a g e f r o m h y s t e r i a t o
p e r v e r s i o n p o s s i b l e is t h e c h a n g e i n t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n L a w a n d jouissance.
for the
h y s t e r i c a l s u b j e c t , t h e L a w is still t h e
p r o h i b i t s a c c e s s t o jouissance jouissance
agency which
(so h e can only fantasize a b o u t the o b s c e n e
h i d d e n b e n e a t h the figure o f the L a w ) ; while for the
t h e L a w e m a n a t e s f r o m t h e v e r y f i g u r e t h a t e m b o d i e s jouissance directly assume jouissance)
the
r o l e o f this o b s c e n e O t h e r
as t h e
pervert,
(so h e c a n
instrument
of
THE
362
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
T h e p a r a d o x i c a l result o f t h e m u t a t i o n in the n o n e x i s t e n c e o f t h e b i g Other -
o f the growing
collapse o f symbolic efficiency -
p r o l i f e r a d o n o f d i f f e r e n t v e r s i o n s o f a big Other that actually
is t h u s
the
exists, in the
Real, n o t m e r e l y as a s y m b o l i c f i c t i o n . T h e b e l i e f i n t h e b i g O t h e r w h i c h e x i s t s i n t h e R e a l is, o f c o u r s e , t h e m o s t s u c c i n c t d e f i n i t i o n o f p a r a n o i a ; f o r this r e a s o n , two f e a t u r e s w h i c h c h a r a c t e r i z e today's i d e o l o g i c a l s t a n c e - c y n i c a l d i s t a n c e a n d full r e l i a n c e o n p a r a n o i a c f a n t a s y - a r e s t r i c t l y c o d e p e n d e n t : the
t y p i c a l s u b j e c t t o d a y is t h e o n e w h o , w h i l e
cynical
o f any
distrust
public
ideology, indulges
without
p a r a n o i a c fantasies a b o u t conspiracies, threats, a n d
displaying
restraint
in
excessive forms o f
e n j o y m e n t o f the O t h e r . T h e distrust o f the big O t h e r
(the order o f
s y m b o l i c f i c t i o n s ) , t h e s u b j e c t ' s refusal to 'take it seriously', relies o n t h e b e l i e f t h a t t h e r e is a n ' O t h e r o f t h e O t h e r ' , t h a t a s e c r e t , i n v i s i b l e a n d allpowerful a g e n t actually 'pulls the strings' a n d runs the show: b e h i n d v i s i b l e , p u b l i c P o w e r t h e r e is a n o t h e r o b s c e n e , i n v i s i b l e p o w e r
the
structure.
T h i s o t h e r , h i d d e n a g e n t acts t h e p a r t o f t h e ' O t h e r o f t h e O t h e r ' in t h e Lacanian sense, the part o f the meta-guarantee o f the consistency o f the big O t h e r (the symbolic order that regulates social life). It is h e r e t h a t w e s h o i d d l o o k f o r t h e r o o t s o f t h e r e c e n t i m p a s s e o f n a r r a t i v i z a t i o n , t h a t is, o f t h e t h e m e o f t h e ' e n d o f g r e a t n a r r a t i v e s ' : i n o u r e r a , w h e n - i n p o l i t i c s a n d i d e o l o g y as w e l l as i n l i t e r a t u r e a n d c i n e m a - global, all-encompassing narratives ('the struggle o f liberal d e m o c r a c y with t o t a l i t a r i a n i s m ' , e t c . ) n o l o n g e r s e e m p o s s i b l e , t h e o n l y way t o a c h i e v e a k i n d o f g l o b a l ' c o g n i t i v e m a p p i n g ' is t h r o u g h t h e p a r a n o i a c n a r r a t i v e o f a ' c o n s p i r a c y t h e o r y ' . I t is all t o o s i m p l i s t i c t o d i s m i s s c o n s p i r a c y n a r r a t i v e s as t h e p a r a n o i a c p r o t o - F a s c i s t r e a c t i o n o f t h e i n f a m o u s ' m i d d l e which feel t h r e a t e n e d by the p r o c e s s o f m o d e r n i z a t i o n : they rather,
as a k i n d
of
floating
signifier which
can
classes'
function,
be appropriated
by
different political options, e n a b l i n g t h e m to obtain a m i n i m a l cognitive m a p p i n g - n o t only by right-wing p o p u l i s m a n d f u n d a m e n t a l i s m , b u t also 4 7
b y t h e l i b e r a l c e n t r e ( t h e ' m y s t e r y ' o f K e n n e d y ' s a s s a s s i n a t i o n ) a n d leftwing o r i e n t a t i o n s (recall the old o b s e s s i o n o f t h e A m e r i c a n Left with t h e n o t i o n t h a t s o m e m y s t e r i o u s g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c y is e x p e r i m e n t i n g
with
n e r v e g a s e s w h i c h w o u l d give t h e m t h e p o w e r t o r e g u l a t e t h e b e h a v i o u r o f the p o p u l a t i o n ) .
4 8
A n o t h e r v e r s i o n o f t h e O t h e r ' s r e t u r n i n t h e R e a l is d i s c e r n i b l e i n t h e guise o f the New Age J u n g i a n resexualization o f the universe ( ' m e n from
Mars, w o m e n
are
from
Venus'):
according
to t h i s , t h e r e
is
are an
underlying, deeply a n c h o r e d archetypal identity which provides a kind o f safe h a v e n i n t h e f l u r r y o f c o n t e m p o r a r y c o n f u s i o n o f r o l e s a n d i d e n t i t i e s ;
WHITHER from
this p e r s p e c t i v e , t h e
OEDIPUS?
ultimate
origin
363
o f today's
c r i s i s is n o t
the
d i f f i c u l t y i n o v e r c o m i n g t h e t r a d i t i o n o f f i x e d s e x u a l r o l e s , b u t t h e dis turbed b a l a n c e in m o d e r n m a n , w h o puts excessive emphasis o n the malerational-conscious
aspect,
neglecting the
female-compassionate
aspect.
A l t h o u g h t h i s t e n d e n c y s h a r e s its a n t i - C a r t e s i a n a n d a n t i - p a t r i a r c h a l b i a s with
feminism,
it rewrites
the
feminist
agenda
into
a
reassertion
of
a r c h e t y p a l f e m i n i n e r o o t s r e p r e s s e d in o u r c o m p e t i t i v e m a l e m e c h a n i s t i c u n i v e r s e . A f u r t h e r v e r s i o n o f t h e real O t h e r is t h e
figure
o f t h e f a t h e r as
s e x u a l harasser o f his y o u n g d a u g h t e r s , t h e focal p o i n t o f so-called False M e m o r y S y n d r o m e : h e r e , also, the suspended
father
symbolic authority -
o f a symbolic fiction
that
is, t h e e m b o d i m e n t
as t h e
agent o f -
' r e t u r n s i n t h e R e a l ' ( w h a t c a u s e s s u c h c o n t r o v e r s y is t h e c o n t e n t i o n o f those who advocate r e m e m o r a t i o n o f c h i l d h o o d sexual abuses that sexual h a r a s s m e n t by t h e f a t h e r is n o t m e r e l y f a n t a s i z e d o r , at l e a s t , a n i n d i s s o l u b l e m i x t u r e o f fact a n d fantasy, b u t a plain fact, s o m e t h i n g which, in the majority o f families, 'really h a p p e n e d '
in t h e d a u g h t e r ' s c h i l d h o o d -
obstinacy
less o b s t i n a t e
murder
comparable of
the
to F r e u d ' s
'primordial
no
father'
as
a
real
insistence on
event
in
an the
humanity's
prehistory). I t is e a s y t o d i s c e r n h e r e t h e l i n k b e t w e e n F a l s e M e m o r y S y n d r o m e a n d a n x i e t y : F a l s e M e m o r y S y n d r o m e is a s y m p t o m a t i c f o r m a t i o n t h a t e n a b l e s t h e s u b j e c t to e s c a p e a n x i e t y by taking r e f u g e in t h e a n t a g o n i s t i c r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e p a r e n t a l O t h e r - h a r a s s e r . T h a t is t o say: o n e s h o u l d b e a r i n m i n d t h a t f o r L a c a n , a n d i n c o n t r a s t t o t h e F r e u d i a n doxa, a n x i e t y d o e s n o t e m e r g e w h e n t h e o b j e c t - c a u s e o f d e s i r e is l o s t (as w h e n w e s p e a k o f ' c a s t r a t i o n - a n x i e t y ' , u s u a l l y e x p r e s s i n g t h e f e a r t h a t t h e m a l e s u b j e c t will b e d e p r i v e d o f his virile m e m b e r , o r e v e n o f b i r t h a n x i e t y e x p r e s s i n g t h e fear o f being separated emerges when
from
the m o t h e r )
-
on
the contrary, anxiety
( a n d s i g n a l s t h a t ) t h e o b j e c t - c a u s e o f d e s i r e is t o o c l o s e ,
w h e n a n d i f w e c o m e t o o n e a r it. W e c a n a p p r e c i a t e L a c a n ' s finesse h e r e : in c o n t r a s t to t h e s t a n d a r d n o t i o n a c c o r d i n g to w h i c h f e a r h a s a d e t e r m i n a t e o b j e c t ( o f w h i c h w e a r e a f r a i d ) , w h i l e a n x i e t y is a d i s p o s i t i o n
that
l a c k s a n y p o s i t i v e / d e t e r m i n a t e o b j e c t s e r v i n g as its c a u s e , f o r L a c a n it is fear
which, contraiy to misleading
appearances,
is a c t u a l l y w i t h o u t
a
d e t e r m i n a t e o b j e c t - c a u s e ( w h e n I h a v e a d o g p h o b i a , say, I d o n o t f e a r t h e d o g as s u c h , b u t t h e i r r e p r e s e n t a b l e ' a b s t r a c t ' v o i d b e h i n d h i m ) ; w h i l e a n x i e t y does h a v e a d e t e r m i n a t e o b j e c t - c a u s e - i t is t h e v e r y o v e r p r o x i m i t y o f t h i s o b j e c t t h a t t r i g g e r e d it. . . .
4 W
T o g e t this p o i n t c l e a r , w e h a v e t o b e a r i n m i n d o n c e m o r e t h a t i n the
Lacanian perspective
desire
is u l t i m a t e l y t h e
Other's
desire:
the
364
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
q u e s t i o n - e n i g m a o f d e s i r e is u l t i m a t e l y n o t ' W h a t d o I r e a l l y w a n t ? ' , b u t ' W h a t does the O t h e r really want from
m e ? W h a t , as a n o b j e c t , a m
I
m y s e l f f o r t h e O t h e r ? ' - I myself ( t h e s u b j e c t ) , as t h e o b j e c t - c a u s e o f t h e O t h e r ' s desire, am the object whose overproximity triggers anxiety: that is, a n x i e t y e m e r g e s w h e n
1 am
reduced
to the position o f the
object
e x c h a n g e d / u s e d by the O t h e r . A l o n g t h e s a m e lines, in t h e case o f F a l s e Memory
Syndrome,
the
antagonistic
relationship
with
the
parental
h a r a s s e r e n a b l e s m e t o a v o i d a n x i e t y g e n e r a t e d b y t h e f a c t t h a t I am t h e d i r e c t ( i n c e s t u o u s ) o b j e c t o f p a r e n t a l d e s i r e ; t h a t I desire m y s e l f as s u c h . O n e last e x a m p l e : in his u n p u b l i s h e d
paper
'Ideology and
its P a r a
d o x e s ' , Glyn Daly draws attention to the topic o f ' c r a c k i n g the c o d e ' in today's p o p u l a r ideology, from New Age pseudo-scientific attempts to use c o m p u t e r t e c h n o l o g y to c r a c k s o m e s o r t o f f u n d a m e n t a l c o d e w h i c h g i v e s access
to
the
future
destiny
o f humanity
(the
Bible
code,
the
code
c o n t a i n e d in the Egyptian pyramids . . .) up to the paradigmatic s c e n e o f cyberspace thrillers in which the h e r o (or, m o r e often, the h e r o i n e , like S a n d r a B u l l o c k i n The Net),
h u n c h e d over a c o m p u t e r , frantically works
a g a i n s t time t o o v e r c o m e t h e o b s t a c l e o f ' A c c e s s D e n i e d ' a n d g a i n a c c e s s to
the
ultra-secret
information
(say, a b o u t
the
workings
of a
secret
g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c y involved in a p l o t against f r e e d o m a n d d e m o c r a c y , o r s o m e e q u a l l y s e v e r e c r i m e ) . D o e s this t o p i c n o t r e p r e s e n t a
desperate
a t t e m p t t o r e a s s e r t t h e b i g O t h e r ' s e x i s t e n c e , t h a t is, to p o s i t s o m e s e c r e t C o d e o r O r d e r that bears witness to the p r e s e n c e o f s o m e A g e n t w h i c h a c t u a l l y p u l l s t h e s t r i n g s o f o u r c h a o t i c s o c i a l life?
The Empty Law Y e t a n o t h e r , m u c h m o r e u n c a n n y a s s e r t i o n o f t h e b i g O t h e r is d i s c e r n i b l e , however, in the allegedly 'liberating' n o t i o n o f the subjects c o m p e l l e d to ( r e ) i n v e n t the rules o f their c o e x i s t e n c e without any g u a r a n t e e in s o m e m e t a - n o r m ; K a n t ' s e t h i c a l p h i l o s o p h y c a n already serve as its p a r a d i g m a t i c c a s e . I n Coldness and Cruelty, D e l e u z e p r o v i d e s a n u n s u r p a s s a b l e tion
formula
o f Kant's radically new c o n c e p t i o n o f the m o r a l Law:
. . . the law is n o l o n g e r regarded as d e p e n d e n t on the G o o d , but on the contrary, the G o o d itself is m a d e to d e p e n d on the law. T h i s m e a n s that the law n o l o n g e r has its foundation in s o m e h i g h e r p r i n c i p l e from which it would derive its authority, but that it is self-grounded a n d valid solely by virtue o f its own form. . . . Kant, by establishing T H E LAW as an ultimate g r o u n d o r principle, added an essential dimension to m o d e r n thought: the o b j e c t o f the
WHITHER
365
OEDIPUS?
law is by definition unknowable a n d elusive. . . . Clearly T H E LAW, as defined by its pure form, without substance o r object o f any d e t e r m i n a t i o n whatsoever, is such that n o o n e knows n o r can know what it is. It o p e r a t e s without m a k i n g itself known. It defines a realm o f transgression where o n e is already guilty, a n d where o n e oversteps the b o u n d s without knowing what they are, as in t h e case o f O e d i p u s . Even guilt and p u n i s h m e n t do not tell us what the law is, but leave it in a state o f indeterminacy equalled only by the e x t r e m e specificity o f t h e punishment. " 5
T h e K a n t i a n L a w is t h u s n o t m e r e l y a n e m p t y f o r m a p p l i e d t o a r a n d o m e m p i r i c a l c o n t e n t in o r d e r to a s c e r t a i n i f this c o n t e n t m e e t s t h e c r i t e r i a o f e t h i c a l a d e q u a c y - t h e e m p t y f o r m o f t h e L a w , r a t h e r , f u n c t i o n s as t h e promise o f an
absent content
( n e v e r ) t o c o m e . T h i s f o r m is n o t
the
neutral-universal m o u l d o f t h e plurality o f different e m p i r i c a l c o n t e n t s ; it bears witness to the persisting uncertainty a b o u t the c o n t e n t o f our acts we never know i f the d e t e r m i n a t e c o n t e n t that a c c o u n t s for t h e specificity o f o u r a c t s is t h e r i g h t o n e , t h a t is, i f w e h a v e a c t u a l l y a c t e d i n a c c o r d a n c e with t h e L a w a n d have n o t b e e n g u i d e d by s o m e h i d d e n motives. K a n t thus a n n o u n c e s
pathological
the n o t i o n o f Law which culminates
in
Kafka a n d the e x p e r i e n c e o f m o d e r n political 'totalitarianism': since, in t h e c a s e o f t h e L a w , its Dass-Sein
( t h e f a c t o f t h e L a w ) p r e c e d e s its Was-
Sein ( w h a t t h i s L a w i s ) , t h e s u b j e c t finds h i m s e l f i n a s i t u a t i o n i n w h i c h , a l t h o u g h h e k n o w s t h e r e is a L a w , h e n e v e r k n o w s ( a n d a p r i o r i
cannot
k n o w ) what t h i s L a w is — a g a p f o r e v e r s e p a r a t e s the L a w f r o m its p o s i t i v e i n c a r n a t i o n s . T h e s u b j e c t is t h u s a p r i o r i , in h i s v e r y e x i s t e n c e , g u i l t y : guilty w i t h o u t
knowing what
he
is g u i l t y o f ( a n d g u i l t y f o r t h a t
very
r e a s o n ) , i n f r i n g i n g t h e law w i t h o u t k n o w i n g its e x a c t r e g u l a t i o n s . . . .
5 1
W h a t w e h a v e h e r e , f o r t h e first t i m e i n t h e h i s t o r y o f p h i l o s o p h y , is t h e assertion o f the
L a w as unconscious:
the
experience o f Form
without
c o n t e n t is always t h e i n d e x o f a r e p r e s s e d c o n t e n t - t h e m o r e i n t e n s e l y t h e s u b j e c t sticks to t h e e m p t y f o r m , t h e m o r e t r a u m a t i c t h e
repressed
content becomes. T h e gap t h a t separates this K a n t i a n version o f the s u b j e c t r e i n v e n t i n g t h e rules o f his e t h i c a l c o n d u c t f r o m t h e p o s t m o d e r n F o u c a u l d i a n version is e a s i l y d i s c e r n i b l e : a l t h o u g h
they both
assert that ethical j u d g e m e n t
u l t i m a t e l y displays t h e s t r u c t u r e o f a e s t h e t i c j u d g e m e n t (in w h i c h , i n s t e a d o f simply applying a universal rule to a particular situation, o n e has to (re)invent
the
universal
rule
in e a c h
unique
concrete situation),
for
F o u c a u l t t h i s s i m p l y m e a n s t h a t t h e s u b j e c t is t h r o w n i n t o a s i t u a t i o n i n w h i c h h e has to s h a p e his e t h i c a l p r o j e c t with n o s u p p o r t in a n y t r a n s c e n d e n t a l ) L a w ; w h i l e f o r K a n t t h i s v e r y a b s e n c e o f L a w - in t h e s p e c i f i c s e n s e
366
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
o f a d e t e r m i n a t e s e t o f p o s i t i v e u n i v e r s a l n o r m s - r e n d e r s all t h e
more
s e n s i b l e t h e u n b e a r a b l e p r e s s u r e o f t h e m o r a l L a w qua t h e p u r e
empty
i n j u n c t i o n t o d o o n e ' s D u t y . S o , f r o m t h e L a c a n i a n p e r s p e c d v e , it is h e r e that we e n c o u n t e r t h e crucial distinction b e t w e e n rules to b e and
their underlying
Law/Prohibidon: only when
invented
t h e L a w qua s e t o f
p o s i t i v e u n i v e r s a l s y m b o l i c n o r m s fails t o a p p e a r - d o w e e n c o u n t e r L a w a t its m o s t r a d i c a l , t h e L a w i n its a s p e c t o f t h e R e a l o f a n
the
uncondi
tional i n j u n c t i o n . T h e p a r a d o x to b e e m p h a s i z e d h e r e lies in t h e precise n a t u r e o f t h e P r o h i b i t i o n e n t a i l e d b y t h e m o r a l L a w : at its m o s t f u n d a m e n tal, t h i s P r o h i b i t i o n is n o t t h e p r o h i b i t i o n t o a c c o m p l i s h s o m e p o s i t i v e a c t that would violate the Law, b u t the self-referential p r o h i b i t i o n to confuse the
'impossible'
L a w with
any
positive
symbolic prescription
and/or
p r o h i b i t i o n , t h a t is, t o c l a i m f o r a n y p o s i t i v e s e t o f n o r m s t h e s t a t u s o f the l a w - u l t i m a t e l y , t h e P r o h i b i t i o n m e a n s t h a t the place of the Lazu itself remain
must
empty.
T o p u t it i n c l a s s i c F r e u d i a n t e r m s : i n F o u c a u l t , w e g e t a s e t o f r u l e s regulating
the
'care o f the S e l f
reasonable application o f the (re)invention
o f rules
in his 'use o f pleasures'
'pleasure
follows
an
(in short,
a
p r i n c i p l e ' ) ; while in Kant, the
injunction
which
comes
from
the
'beyond o f the pleasure principle'. O f course, the F o u c a u l d i a n / D e l e u z i a n a n s w e r t o t h i s w o u l d b e t h a t K a n t is u l t i m a t e l y t h e v i c t i m o f a p e r s p e c t i v e illusion which
leads
him
to
(mis)perceive the
radical i m m a n e n c e
of
ethical n o r m s ( t h e fact that t h e s u b j e c t has to i n v e n t t h e n o r m s r e g u l a t i n g his c o n d u c t a u t o n o m o u s l y , at his own e x p e n s e a n d o n his own responsi bility, w i t h n o b i g O t h e r t o t a k e t h e b l a m e f o r i t ) as its e x a c t o p p o s i t e : as a radical t r a n s c e n d e n c e , presupposing
the existence o f an
inscrutable
t r a n s c e n d e n t O t h e r w h i c h t e r r o r i z e s u s w i t h its u n c o n d i t i o n a l i n j u n c t i o n , s i m u l t a n e o u s l y p r o h i b i t i n g us a c c e s s t o it - we a r e u n d e r a c o m p u l s i o n to d o o u r Duty, b u t f o r e v e r p r e v e n t e d f r o m clearly k n o w i n g w h a t this D u t y is. . . . T h e F r e u d i a n a n s w e r is t h a t s u c h a s o l u t i o n ( t h e t r a n s l a t i o n o f t h e big
Other's
disavowal
inscrutable
of the Unconscious:
Call o f Duty into
immanence)
relies o n
the
t h e f a c t w h i c h u s u a l l y g o e s u n n o t i c e d is t h a t
F o u c a u l t ' s r e j e c t i o n o f t h e p s y c h o a n a l y t i c a c c o u n t o f sexuality also involves a thorough
rejection o f the F r e u d i a n U n c o n s c i o u s . I f we read Kant in
psychoanalytic terms, the gap b e t w e e n self-invented rules and their under l y i n g L a w is n o n e o t h e r t h a n t h e g a p b e t w e e n ( c o n s c i o u s l y p r e c o n s c i o u s ) r u l e s we f o l l o w a n d t h e L a w qua u n c o n s c i o u s : t h e b a s i c l e s s o n o f p s y c h o a n a l y s i s is t h a t t h e U n c o n s c i o u s is, at its m o s t r a d i c a l , n o t t h e w e a l t h o f i l l i c i t ' r e p r e s s e d ' d e s i r e s b u t the fundamental
Law itself.
S o even in t h e case o f a narcissistic s u b j e c t d e d i c a t e d to t h e ' c a r e o f t h e
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
367
S e l f , h i s ' u s e o f p l e a s u r e s ' is s u s t a i n e d b y t h e u n c o n s c i o u s
unconditional
s u p e r e g o i n j u n c t i o n t o e n j o y - is n o t t h e u l t i m a t e p r o o f t h e f e e l i n g o f g u i l t w h i c h h a u n t s h i m w h e n h e fails i n h i s p u r s u i t o f p l e a s u r e ? D o e s n o t t h e f a c t t h a t - a c c o r d i n g t o m o s t o p i n i o n p o l l s - p e o p l e f i n d less a n d less a t t r a c t i o n i n s e x u a l activity p o i n t i n t h i s d i r e c t i o n ? T h i s u n c a n n y e n c e towards
intense sexual pleasure
ideology of our postmodern
c o n t r a s t s starkly with
indiffer
the
official
s o c i e t y as b e n t o n i n s t a n t g r a t i f i c a t i o n
and
p l e a s u r e - s e e k i n g : t o d a y ' s s u b j e c t d e d i c a t e s h i s life t o p l e a s u r e a n d g e l s so d e e p l y involved in t h e p r e p a r a t o r y activities ( j o g g i n g , m a s s a g i n g , t a n n i n g , applying c r e a m a n d l o t i o n s . . .) t h a t t h e a t t r a c t i o n o f t h e official G o a l o f h i s e f f o r t s f a d e s away. I n t h e c o u r s e o f a b r i e f s t r o l l a l o n g
Christopher
S t r e e t o r i n C h e l s e a , o n e e n c o u n t e r s h u n d r e d s o f gays p u t t i n g e x t r a o r d i nary e n e r g y i n t o body-building, obsessed with the dreadful getting
old, dedicated
prospect o f
to p l e a s u r e , yet obviously living in
permanent
anxiety and u n d e r the shadow o f their ultimate failure. W h a t is u n d e r m i n e d t o d a y , i n o u r p o s t - O e d i p a l ' p e r m i s s i v e ' s o c i e t i e s , is s e x u a l puissance
as
the
foundational
'passionate
attachment',
as
the
d e s i r e d / p r o h i b i t e d f o c a l p o i n t a r o u n d w h i c h our life r e v o l v e s . ( F r o m t h i s p e r s p e c t i v e , e v e n t h e f i g u r e o f t h e p a t e r n a l ' s e x u a l h a r a s s e r ' looks l i k e a n o s t a l g i c i m a g e o f s o m e o n e w h o is still fully a b l e t o e n j o y ' i t ' . ) O n c e a g a i n t h e s u p e r e g o h a s a c c o m p l i s h e d its t a s k s u c c e s s f u l l y : t h e d i r e c t i n j u n c t i o n ' E n j o y ! ' is a m u c h m o r e e f f e c t i v e way t o h i n d e r
the subject's access to
e n j o y m e n t t h a n t h e e x p l i c i t P r o h i b i t i o n w h i c h s u s t a i n s t h e s p a c e f o r its t r a n s g r e s s i o n . T h e l e s s o n is t h a t n a r c i s s i s t i c ' c a r e o f t h e S e l f , n o t 'repressive' intense
network
sexual
o f social prohibitions,
experiences. T h e
is t h e
Utopia o f a
ultimate
new
the
enemy
of
post-psychoanalytic
s u b j e c t i v i t y e n g a g e d in t h e p u r s u i t o f n e w i d i o s y n c r a t i c b o d i l y p l e a s u r e s b e y o n d s e x u a l i t y h a s r e v e r t e d t o its o p p o s i t e : w h a t w e a r e g e t t i n g i n s t e a d is d i s i n t e r e s t e d b o r e d o m - a n d i t s e e m s t h a t t h e d i r e c t i n t e r v e n t i o n
of
p a i n ( s a d o - m a s o c h i s t i c s e x u a l p r a c t i c e s ) is t h e o n l y r e m a i n i n g p a t h t o t h e intense experience o f pleasure. I n t h e v e r y l a s t p a g e o f Seminar
XI, L a c a n c l a i m s t h a t ' a n y s h e l t e r i n
which may b e established a viable, t e m p e r a t e relation o f o n e sex to the o t h e r n e c e s s i t a t e s t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n - t h i s is w h a t p s y c h o a n a l y s i s t e a c h e s us - o f t h a t m e d i u m k n o w n as t h e p a t e r n a l m e t a p h o r ' : its r e a l i z a t i o n , t h e p a t e r n a l
Law guarantees
5 2
far f r o m
hindering
its c o n d i t i o n s . N o
wonder,
then, that the retreat o f the big O t h e r , o f t h e symbolic Law, entails the m a l f u n c t i o n i n g o f ' n o r m a l ' sexuality a n d the rise o f s e x u a l i n d i f f e r e n c e . As D a r i a n L e a d e r has p o i n t e d o u t , happen
5 1
t h e f a c t t h a t , i n X Files, so many
'out there' ( w h e r e t h e t r u t h d w e l l s : a l i e n s t h r e a t e n i n g
things
us, e t c . ) is
368
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
s t r i c t l y c o r r e l a t i v e t o t h e f a c t t h a t nothing
happens
'down here', b e t w e e n t h e
two h e r o e s ( G i l l i a n A n d e r s o n a n d D a v i d D u c h o v n y ) - t h a t t h e r e is n o s e x between
them.
T h e suspended
paternal
Law (which would
make
sex
b e t w e e n t h e two h e r o e s p o s s i b l e ) ' r e t u r n s i n t h e R e a l ' , i n t h e g u i s e o f t h e multitude o f ' u n d e a d ' spectral apparitions which intervene in o u r
ordi
n a r y lives. T h i s d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f p a t e r n a l a u t h o r i t y h a s two f a c e t s . O n
the
h a n d , symbolic p r o h i b i t i v e n o r m s a r e i n c r e a s i n g l y r e p l a c e d b y ideals ( o f social success, o f bodily
fitness
s y m b o l i c p r o h i b i t i o n is s u p p l e m e n t e d
one
imaginary
. . . ) ; on the other, the lack o f
by the r e - e m e r g e n c e o f ferocious
s u p e r e g o f i g u r e s . S o w e h a v e a s u b j e c t w h o is e x t r e m e l y n a r c i s s i s t i c - w h o p e r c e i v e s e v e r y t h i n g as a p o t e n t i a l
threat
to his p r e c a r i o u s
imaginary
b a l a n c e ( t a k e t h e u n i v e r s a l i z a t i o n o f t h e l o g i c o f victim; every c o n t a c t with a n o t h e r h u m a n b e i n g is e x p e r i e n c e d as a p o t e n t i a l t h r e a t : i f t h e
other
p e r s o n s m o k e s , i f h e c a s t s a c o v e t o u s g l a n c e a t m e , h e is a l r e a d y h u r t i n g m e ) ; far f r o m allowing h i m to float freely in his u n d i s t u r b e d b a l a n c e , however, this narcissistic self-enclosure leaves t h e s u b j e c t to t h e ( n o t s o ) t e n d e r m e r c i e s o f the s u p e r e g o i n j u n c t i o n to enjoy. S o - c a l l e d ' p o s t m o d e r n ' s u b j e c t i v i t y t h u s i n v o l v e s a k i n d o f direct, 'superegoization'
of the imaginary
Prohibition;
Ideal, c a u s e d b y t h e l a c k o f t h e p r o p e r s y m b o l i c
paradigmatic
here
are
the
'postmodern'
hackers-
p r o g r a m m e r s , t h e s e e x t r a v a g a n t e c c e n t r i c s h i r e d by l a r g e c o r p o r a t i o n s to p u r s u e t h e i r p r o g r a m m i n g h o b b i e s in a n i n f o r m a l e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e y a r e under
the
injunction
to b e what
they are, to follow their
idiosyncrasies, a l l o w e d to i g n o r e social n o r m s
o f dress a n d
innermost behaviour
(they obey only s o m e e l e m e n t a r y rules o f polite tolerance o f e a c h other's i d i o s y n c r a s i e s ) ; t h e y t h u s s e e m t o r e a l i z e a k i n d o f p r o t o - S o c i a l i s t Utopia o f overcoming the opposition between alienated business, where you earn money, and
the private hobby-activity that you p u r s u e for pleasure
at
w e e k e n d s . I n a way, t h e i r j o b is t h e i r h o b b y , w h i c h is w h y t h e y s p e n d l o n g h o u r s at w e e k e n d s in their workplace b e h i n d t h e c o m p u t e r screen: w h e n o n e is p a i d f o r i n d u l g i n g i n o n e ' s h o b b y , t h e r e s u l t is t h a t o n e is e x p o s e d to a s u p e r e g o p r e s s u r e i n c o m p a r a b l y s t r o n g e r t h a n t h a t o f t h e g o o d o l d 'Protestant
work
postmodern
ethic'. Therein
lies t h e
unbearable
paradox
of
this
' d i s a l i e n a t i o n ' : t h e t e n s i o n is n o l o n g e r b e t w e e n m y i n n e r
m o s t idiosyncratic creative impulses and
the Institution
that does
not
a p p r e c i a t e t h e m o r wants to c r u s h t h e m in o r d e r to ' n o r m a l i z e ' m e : w h a t the
like
Microsoft
t a r g e t s is p r e c i s e l y t h i s c o r e o f m y i d i o s y n c r a t i c c r e a t i v i t y -
superego
injunction
o f a postmodern
corporation
I became
useless for t h e m t h e m o m e n t I start losing this ' i m p o f perversity',
the
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
369
m o m e n t I lose m y ' c o u n t e r c u l t u r a l ' subversive e d g e a n d start to b e h a v e l i k e a ' n o r m a l ' m a t u r e s u b j e c t . W h a t w e a r e d e a l i n g w i t h h e r e is t h u s a strange alliance b e t w e e n the r e b e l l i o u s subversive c o r e o f my personality, my 'imp o f perversity', a n d the external corporation.
F r o m Phallus to the A c t T h e r e t r e a t o f t h e b i g O t h e r t h u s h a s two i n t e r c o n n e c t e d , a l b e i t o p p o s e d , consequences:
on
the
one
hand,
tiiis
failure
o f the
symbolic fiction
i n d u c e s t h e s u b j e c t t o c l i n g i n c r e a s i n g l y t o i m a g i n a r y simulacra,
to
the
s e n s u a l s p e c t a c l e s w h i c h b o m b a r d u s t o d a y f r o m all s i d e s ; o n t h e o t h e r , it triggers the n e e d for v i o l e n c e in the Real o f the body itself (piercing the flesh, i n s e r t i n g p r o s t h e t i c s u p p l e m e n t s
into the body). H o w does
this
b o d i l y v i o l e n c e r e l a t e t o t h e s t r u c t u r e o f c a s t r a t i o n as t h e c o n d i t i o n o f symbolic
empowerment?
In
our
popular
narratives
and
myths,
from
R o b o c o p to S t e p h e n H a w k i n g , a p e r s o n b e c o m e s a s u p e r n a t u r a l l y power ful h e r o o n l y a f t e r b e i n g t h e v i c t i m o f s o m e t r a u m a t i c a c c i d e n t o r i l l n e s s w h i c h literally shatters his body: R o b o c o p b e c o m e s t h e p e r f e c t m a c h i n e c o p w h e n h i s b o d y is a r t i f i c i a l l y r e c o m p o s e d a n d s u p p l e m e n t e d a f t e r a n a l m o s t d e a d l y a c c i d e n t ; H a w k i n g ' s i n s i g h t i n t o ' t h e m i n d o f G o d ' is c l e a r l y c o r r e l a t e d to his crippling illness. . . . T h e standard analyses o f R o b o c o p e n d e a v o u r to o p p o s e 'progressive' e l e m e n t s - a cyborg which
suspends
the disdnction between h u m a n and a m a c h i n e - and 'regressive' elements — the obvious 'phallic', aggressive-penetrating n a t u r e o f his m e t a l equip m e n t , w h i c h s e r v e s as a p r o s t h e s i s t o h i s m u d l a t e d b o d y ; t h e s e a n a l y s e s , h o w e v e r , miss the point, w h a t is ' p h a l l i c ' in t h e s t r i c t L a c a n i a n s e n s e is t h e very structure o f t h e a r t i f i c i a l - m e c h a n i c a l prosthesis that s u p p l e m e n t s wound
to
prosthesis,
our
body,
since
empowering
its
the
phallus
bearer
at
itself the
qua
price
signifier of
some
is s u c h
the a
traumatic
mutilation. H e r e it is c r u c i a l t o m a i n t a i n signified
s i g n i f i e d is t h e p a r t o f puissance order
t h e d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e p h a l l u s as
( t h e ' m e a n i n g o f t h e p h a l l u s ' ) a n d t h e p h a l l i c signifier. t h e p h a l l i c integrated into the paternal
symbolic
( p h a l l u s as t h e s y m b o l o f virility, p e n e t r a t i n g p o w e r , t h e f o r c e o f
f e r t i l i t y a n d i n s e m i n a t i o n , e t c . ) ; w h i l e t h e p h a l l u s as s i g n i f i e r s t a n d s f o r t h e p r i c e t h e m a l e s u b j e c t h a s t o p a y i f h e is t o a s s u m e t h e ' m e a n i n g o f t h e p h a l l u s ' , its s i g n i f i e d . L a c a n s p e c i f i e s t h i s ' m e a n i n g o f t h e p h a l l u s ' as the 'imaginary' n u m b e r (the square r o o t o f — 1 ) , an ' i m p o s s i b l e ' n u m b e r w h o s e v a l u e c a n n e v e r b e p o s i t i v i z e d , b u t w h i c h n o n e t h e less ' f u n c t i o n s ' :
THE TICKLISH
370
SUBJECT
we e n c o u n t e r ' t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e p h a l l u s ' w h e n , a p r o p o s o f s o m e n o t i o n , w e e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y f e e l t h a t ' t h i s is it, t h e r e a l t h i n g , t h e t r u e m e a n i n g ' , a l t h o u g h w e a r e n e v e r a b l e t o e x p l a i n what, p r e c i s e l y , t h i s m e a n i n g is. S a y , i n a p o l i t i c a l d i s c o u r s e , t h e M a s t e r - S i g n i f i e r ( O u r N a t i o n ) is t h i s k i n d o f e m p t y signifier w h i c h stands for t h e i m p o s s i b l e fullness o f m e a n i n g , that is, its m e a n i n g is ' i m a g i n a r y ' i n t h e s e n s e t h a t its c o n t e n t is i m p o s s i b l e t o p o s i t i v i z e - w h e n y o u a s k a m e m b e r o f t h e N a t i o n to d e f i n e i n w h a t t h e i d e n t i t y o f h i s N a t i o n c o n s i s t s , h i s u l t i m a t e a n s w e r will always b e : ' I c a n ' t say, y o u m u s t f e e l it, i t ' s it, w h a t o u r lives a r e r e a l l y a b o u t ' . . . . S o w h y is it n e c e s s a r y , i n o u r
postmodern
age, for
the
'wound
of
c a s t r a t i o n ' to i n s c r i b e i t s e l f a g a i n i n t o t h e b o d y , as a w o u n d i n its v e r y flesh? In the g o o d o l d times o f m o d e r n subjectivity, an individual h a d n o n e e d to sacrifice p a r t o f his flesh
(circumcision, a ritualized
initiatory
o r d e a l o f risking o n e ' s life, t a t t o o i n g . . .) in o r d e r to g a i n s y m b o l i c status: t h e s a c r i f i c e was p u r e l y s y m b o l i c , t h a t is, a s y m b o l i c a c t o f r e n u n c i a t i o n o f all p o s i t i v e s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t e n t .
5 4
T h i s r e n u n c i a t i o n displays t h e p r e c i s e
structure o f t h e 'loss o f a loss' t h a t d e f i n e s t h e m o d e r n tragedy.
Yanez,a.
r e c e n t S e r b film, d e a l s w i t h t h e f a t e o f a n o f f i c e r i n t h e Y u g o s l a v A r m y o f S l o v e n e e t h n i c o r i g i n , m a r r i e d to a M a c e d o n i a n w o m a n , c a u g h t in turmoils o f the disintegration between
o f Yugoslavia: when
Slovenia proclaiming i n d e p e n d e n c e
and
the
the
conflict erupts
the Yugoslav Army,
which e n d e a v o u r e d to k e e p S l o v e n i a within Yugoslavia, t h e officer sacri f i c e s h i s p a r t i c u l a r ( S l o v e n e ) e t h n i c r o o t s , t h a t is, t h e v e r y s u b s t a n c e o f his b e i n g , for
fidelity
to the universal Cause
(Yugoslav u n i t y ) , o n l y to
d i s c o v e r l a t e r t h a t t h e s a d r e a l i t y o f this u n i v e r s a l C a u s e , f o r w h i c h sacrificed
everything
that
mattered
to
him
m o s t , is t h e
corrupt
he and
deprived S e r b i a o f the nationalist r e g i m e o f S l o b o d a n Milosevic - so, at t h e e n d , we see t h e h e r o a l o n e a n d d r u n k , totally at a loss. . . . A s i m i l a r d o u b l e m o v e m e n t o f r e n u n c i a t i o n - o f first s a c r i f i c i n g e v e r y t h i n g , t h e very s u b s t a n c e o f o u r b e i n g , f o r s o m e universal C a u s e , a n d t h e n b e i n g c o m p e l l e d to c o n f r o n t t h e v a c u o u s n e s s o f this C a u s e itself -
is
5
c o n s t i t u t i v e o f m o d e r n subjectivity."' T o d a y , h o w e v e r , t h i s d o u b l e m o v e ment o f renunciation increasingly stick to sacrifice
it f o r
some
seems n o l o n g e r to b e operative, since subjects their
particular
universal
Cause
substantial (this
identity,
is w h a t
unwilling
so-called
to
'identity
p o l i t i e s ' , as w e l l as t h e s e a r c h f o r e t h n i c ' r o o t s ' , a r e a b o u t ) - s o is t h i s w h y the cut o f symbolic castration h a d again to b e inscribed o n to the body, i n t h e g u i s e o f s o m e h o r r i f y i n g m u t i l a t i o n as t h e p r i c e o f t h e s u b j e c t ' s symbolic e m p o w e r m e n t ? C r u c i a l h e r e is t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l ( p r e m o d e r n )
cut
WHITHER
371
OEDIPUS?
in the body (circumcision, etc.) a n d the p o s t m o d e r n c u t :
5 6
although
the
two m a y b e s u p e r f i c i a l l y a l i k e - t h a t is, a l t h o u g h t h e p o s t m o d e r n c u t m a y l o o k like t h e ' r e t u r n to p r e m o d e r n
procedures o f marking the body'
-
t h e i r i n h e r e n t l i b i d i n a l e c o n o m i e s a r e o p p o s e d - as w i t h p o s t m o d e r n i s m , which m a y l o o k like the r e t u r n o f t h e p r e m o d e r n
a r c h a i c f o r m s , b u t in
reality t h e s e f o r m s a r e a l r e a d y ' m e d i a t e d ' , c o l o n i z e d by m o d e r n i t y , so t h a t postmodernism
signals the m o m e n t w h e n m o d e r n i t y n o l o n g e r has
to
fight traditional forms, b u t c a n use t h e m directly - today's astrologist o r f u n d a m e n t a l i s t p r e a c h e r , i n h i s v e r y m o d e o f activity, is a l r e a d y
marked
b y m o d e r n i t y . O n e o f t h e d e f i n i t i o n s o f m o d e r n i t y is t h e a p p e a r a n c e o f the
'natural'
naked
body w i t h i n
the symbolic space: nudism
and
other
f o r m s o f t h e c e l e b r a t i o n o f n a k e d n e s s - n o t as p a r t o f s e c r e t i n i t i a t o r ) ' transgressive rituals
(as i n p r e m o d e r n
pagan
s o c i e t i e s ) , b u t as
finding
pleasure in asserting the ' i n n o c e n t ' beauty o f o n e ' s natural body distinctly m o d e r n
phenomena.
are
5 7
H e r e o n e has to r e p e a t t h e g e s t u r e a c c o m p l i s h e d by H e g e l a p r o p o s o f t h e s u d d e n r i s e o f n a t u r e as t h e t o p o s i n s e v e n t e e n t h - c e n t u r y a r t : p r e c i s e l y because the Spirit has r e t u r n e d directly a n d
no
longer needs
t o i t s e l f , t h a t is, is a b l e t o g r a s p nature
as t h e
medium
itself
o f its s y m b o l i c
e x p r e s s i o n , n a t u r e b e c o m e s p e r c e p t i b l e i n its i n n o c e n c e , as it is i n i t s e l f , as a
beautiful
object
of contemplation,
struggle; along the same lines, w h e n
not
as a s y m b o l o f
the m o d e r n
spiritual
subject 'internalizes'
s y m b o l i c castration i n t o t h e 'loss o f a loss', t h e b o d y n o l o n g e r h a s to b e a r t h e b u r d e n o f c a s t r a t i o n a n d is t h u s r e d e e m e d , f r e e t o b e c e l e b r a t e d as an object o f pleasure and beauty. This appearance o f the
unmutilated
n a k e d b o d y is s t r i c t l y c o r r e l a t i v e t o t h e i m p o s i t i o n o f t h e
disciplinary
p r o c e d u r e s d e s c r i b e d in detail by M i c h e l F o u c a u l t : with t h e a d v e n t o f modernity,
when
the
body
is n o
longer
marked,
inscribed
upon,
it
b e c o m e s t h e o b j e c t o f s t r i c t d i s c i p l i n a r y r e g u l a t i o n s d e s t i n e d t o m a k e it fit. W e c a n thus distinguish four stages in the logic o f the ' c u t in the body'. First, in p r e - J u d a e a n p a g a n tribal s o c i e t i e s , 'I a m m a r k e d , t h e r e f o r e I a m ' , t h a t is, t h e c u t i n m y b o d y ( t a t t o o , e t c . ) s t a n d s f o r m y i n s c r i p t i o n i n t o t h e s o c i o - s y m b o l i c s p a c e - o u t s i d e it I a m n o t h i n g , m o r e l i k e a n a n i m a l t h a n a m e m b e r o f a h u m a n society. T h e n c o m e s the Jewish logic o f circumci s i o n , ' a c u t t o e n d all c u t s ' , t h a t is, t h e e x c e p t i o n a l / n e g a t i v e c u t s t r i c t l y correlative to the p r o h i b i t i o n o f the p a g a n multitude o f cuts: 'You shall n o t m a k e any gashes in your flesh for the d e a d o r tattoo any m a r k s u p o n you: I a m the L O R D ' ( L e v i t i c u s 19: 2 8 ) .
5 8
Finally, with Christianity, this
e x c e p t i o n a l c u t is itself ' i n t e r n a l i z e d ' , t h e r e a r e n o c u t s . W h e r e , t h e n , l i e s
THE
372
TICKLISH
the difference between the p r e m o d e r n
SUBJECT
p l e t h o r a o f ways t o s h a p e
one's
body (tattooing, piercing, mutilation o f organs . . .) a n d t h e fourth stage, the p o s t m o d e r n 'neo-tribal' cut in the body? T o p u t it i n s o m e w h a t s i m p l i f i e d t e r m s : t h e t r a d i t i o n a l c u t r a n i n t h e d i r e c t i o n from the Real to the Symbolic, w h i l e t h e p o s t m o d e r n c u t r u n s i n t h e o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n , from the Symbolic to the Real. T h e a i m o f t h e t r a d i t i o n a l c u t was t o i n s c r i b e t h e s y m b o l i c f o r m o n t o r a w f l e s h , t o ' g e n t r i f y '
raw
f l e s h , t o m a r k its i n c l u s i o n i n t o t h e b i g O t h e r , its s u b j e c t i o n t o it; t h e a i m of postmodern
s a d o - m a s o p r a c t i c e s o f b o d i l y m u t i l a t i o n is, r a t h e r ,
the
o p p o s i t e o n e - to g u a r a n t e e , to give a c c e s s to, t h e ' p a i n o f e x i s t e n c e ' , t h e minimum
o f the bodily Real in the universe o f symbolic simulacra. In
o t h e r words, the function o f today's ' p o s t m o d e r n ' s e r v e n o t as t h e m a r k
c u t i n t h e b o d y is t o
o f symbolic castration but,
opposite: to designate
rather,
as its e x a c t
the body's resistance against submission
to
the
s o c i o - s y m b o l i c L a w . W h e n a g i r l h a s h e r e a r s , c h e e k s a n d v a g i n a l lips p i e r c e d w i t h r i n g s , t h e m e s s a g e is n o t o n e o f s u b m i s s i o n b u t o n e o f t h e 'defiance o f the mode
flesh':
o f submission
s h e c h a n g e s w h a t , i n a t r a d i t i o n a l s o c i e t y , was t h e to the
symbolic big O t h e r
o f Tradition
into
its
o p p o s i t e , into the idiosyncratic display o f h e r individuality. O n l y i n t h i s way is r e f l e x i v i z a t i o n t h o r o u g h l y g l o b a l : w h e n - t o p u t i t i n H e g e l e s e - it ' r e m a i n s b y i t s e l f i n its o t h e r n e s s ' , t h a t is, w h e n p r e v i o u s l y ) its v e r y o p p o s i t e s t a r t s t o f u n c t i o n postmodern
( w h a t was
as its e x p r e s s i o n - as i n
a r c h i t e c t u r e , in w h i c h a faked r e t u r n
to traditional
d i s p l a y s t h e f a n c i e s o f r e f l e x i v e i n d i v i d u a l i t y . T h e o l d m o t t o plus ca
styles change,
plus c'est la merne chose s h o u l d b e s u p p l e m e n t e d b y its o p p o s i t e , plus c'est la mime chose, plus (a change:
t h e s i g n o f t h i s r a d i c a l h i s t o r i c a l c h a n g e is t h e
fact that t h e very f e a t u r e s that o n c e d e f i n e d p a t r i a r c h a l s e x u a l e c o n o m y a r e a l l o w e d t o stay, s i n c e t h e y n o w f u n c t i o n i n a n e w way. S i m p l y r e c a l l the p h e n o m e n o n
o f ' R u l e Girls':™ we a r e a p p a r e n d y d e a l i n g with
an
a t t e m p t to re-establish the old rules o f s e d u c t i o n ( w o m e n are c h a s e d a n d h a v e t o m a k e t h e m s e l v e s i n a c c e s s i b l e , t h a t is, t o r e t a i n t h e s t a t u s o f t h e elusive o b j e c t a n d n e v e r display an active i n t e r e s t in the m a n
they are
a t t r a c t e d t o , e t c . ) ; h o w e v e r , a l t h o u g h t h e content of t h e s e ' r u l e s ' is, f o r all practical
purposes,
'patriarchal'
the
same
as t h a t
o f the
old
rules
p r o c e s s o f s e d u c t i o n , t h e s u b j e c t i v e position
differs r a d i c a l l y : w e a r e d e a l i n g w i t h t h o r o u g h l y
regulating of
the
enunciation
'postmodern'
emanci
p a t e d subjects w h o , in o r d e r to e n h a n c e t h e i r p l e a s u r e , reflexively a d o p t a
set
o f rules.
So here
'transubstantiated'
and
again
the
s e r v e s as t h e
adoption means
opposite, o f 'postmodern' reflexive freedom.''"
of a
past
procedure
o f expression
o f its
is very
WHITHER OEDIPUS?
373
T h i s b r i n g s u s t o w h a t o n e is t e m p t e d t o c a l l t h e a n t i n o m y o f p o s t m o d e r n individuality: t h e i n j u n c t i o n to ' b e y o u r s e l f , to d i s r e g a r d t h e p r e s s u r e o f your surroundings
a n d a c h i e v e s e l f - r e a l i z a t i o n b y fully a s s e r t i n g y o u r
u n i q u e creative potential, stumbles s o o n e r or later u p o n the paradox that i f y o u a r e c o m p l e t e l y i s o l a t e d f r o m y o u r s u r r o u n d i n g s , y o u a r e left w i t h n o t h i n g whatsoever, with a void o f i d i o c y p u r e a n d s i m p l e . T h e i n h e r e n t obverse o f ' B e your true
S e l f ! ' is t h e r e f o r e t h e i n j u n c t i o n t o c u l t i v a t e
p e r m a n e n t r e f a s h i o n i n g , i n a c c o r d a n c e with t h e p o s t m o d e r n p o s t u l a t e o f t h e subject's indefinite plasticity . . . in short, e x t r e m e reverts
to its o p p o s i t e , l e a d i n g
individualization
to t h e u l t i m a t e i d e n t i t y crisis: s u b j e c t s
e x p e r i e n c e t h e m s e l v e s as r a d i c a l l y u n s u r e , w i t h n o ' p r o p e r f a c e ' , c h a n g i n g f r o m o n e i m p o s e d m a s k t o a n o t h e r , s i n c e w h a t is b e h i n d t h e m a s k is u l t i m a t e l y nothing, with
a h o r r i f y i n g v o i d t h e y a r e f r a n t i c a l l y t r y i n g t o fill in
t h e i r c o m p u l s i v e activity o r b y s h i f t i n g b e t w e e n
idiosyncratic hobbies
o r ways o f d r e s s i n g ,
meant
more
and
more
to a c c e n t u a t e
their
individual identity. H e r e we c a n see h o w e x t r e m e individualization
(the
e n d e a v o u r to b e true to o n e ' s S e l f o u t s i d e i m p o s e d fixed socio-symbolic roles)
uncanny,
anxiety-
p r o v o k i n g f e e l i n g o f t h e l o s s o f o n e ' s i d e n t i t y - is t h i s n o t t h e
tends
to overlap
with
its o p p o s i t e , w i t h
the
ultimate
confirmation o f L a c a n ' s insight into how o n e can achieve a m i n i m u m o f identity a n d ' b e o n e s e l f o n l y by a c c e p t i n g t h e f u n d a m e n t a l a l i e n a t i o n in the symbolic network? T h e p a r a d o x i c a l r e s u l t o f o u t - a n d - o u t n a r c i s s i s t i c h e d o n i s m is t h u s t h a t e n j o y m e n t i t s e l f is i n c r e a s i n g l y e x t e r n a l i z e d : i n t h e t h o r o u g h r e f l e x i v i t y o f o u r lives, a n y d i r e c t a p p e a l t o o u r e x p e r i e n c e is i n v a l i d a t e d - t h a t is t o say, I n o l o n g e r t r u s t m y o w n d i r e c t e x p e r i e n c e , b u t e x p e c t t h e O t h e r t o tell m e
h o w 1 r e a l l y f e e l , as i n t h e
anecdote
about
the
conversation
b e t w e e n two b e h a v i o u r i s t s : ' T e l l m e h o w I f e e l t o d a y . ' ' G o o d - w h a t a b o u t m e ? ' M o r e precisely, this d i r e c t e x t e r n a l i z a t i o n o f my i n n e r m o s t e x p e r i e n c e is m u c h m o r e u n c a n n y t h a n t h e u s u a l b e h a v i o u r i s t r e d u c t i o n :
the
p o i n t is n o t s i m p l y t h a t w h a t c o u n t s is t h e w a y I b e h a v e i n o b s e r v a b l e e x t e r n a l reality, n o t m y i n n e r feelings; in c o n t r a s t to t h e
behaviourist
r e d u c t i o n o f i n n e r s e l f - e x p e r i e n c e , I d o r e t a i n m y f e e l i n g s , b u t these themselves are externalized.
T h e ultimate paradox o f individuation,
feelings
however,
is t h a t t h i s c o m p l e t e d e p e n d e n c e o n o t h e r s - I a m w h a t I a m o n l y t h r o u g h m y relations with
others
(see the
postmodern
o b s e s s i o n with
quality
'relationships') - g e n e r a t e s the opposite effect o f drug d e p e n d e n c e ,
in
which I a m d e p e n d e n t not o n a n o t h e r subject but on a drug that directly p r o v i d e s e x c e s s i v e jouissance. figure o f surplus-enjoyment:
Is n o t t h e d u s t o f h e r o i n o r c r a c k t h e u l t i m a t e an object o n which I am
hooked,
which
THE TICKLISH
374
SUBJECT
t h r e a t e n s t o s w a l l o w m e u p i n t h e e x c e s s i v e jouissance
that suspends
the
b i g O t h e r , t h a t is, all s y m b o l i c l i n k s ? I s n o t t h e d r u g u s e r ' s r e l a d o n s h i p t o the drug therefore the ultimate exemplification o f Lacan's formula s-a? T h i s a n t i n o m y c a n also b e f o r m u l a t e d simulacruvi
( o f the
masks I wear, o f the
i n t e r s u b j e c t i v e r e l a t i o n s h i p s ) a n d t h e Real
as t h e a n t i n o m y b e t w e e n r o l e s I play i n t h e
game
the of
( o f traumatic bodily violence
a n d c u t s ) . T h e k e y p o i n t h e r e is a g a i n t o a s s e r t t h e H e g e l i a n ' s p e c u l a t i v e i d e n t i t y ' b e t w e e n t h e s e two o p p o s i t e s : t h e p r i c e o f t h e g l o b a l r e i g n o f simulacra
is e x t r e m e
v i o l e n c e to
the
bodily Real.
(Long ago,
Lacan
p r o v i d e d the f o r m u l a f o r this p a r a d o x i c a l c o i n c i d e n c e o f o p p o s i t e s : w h e n s y m b o l i c e f f i c i e n c y is s u s p e n d e d ,
t h e I m a g i n a r y falls i n t o t h e R e a l . ) S o
h o w are we to b r e a k o u t o f this vicious cycle? Any a t t e m p t t o r e t u r n to O e d i p a l s y m b o l i c a u t h o r i t y is c l e a r l y s e l f - d e f e a t i n g , a n d c a n l e a d o n l y t o r i d i c u l o u s s p e c t a c l e s l i k e t h o s e o f t h e P r o m i s e - K e e p e r s . W h a t is n e e d e d is the assertion o f a Real which, instead o f b e i n g caught in the vicious cycle with
its i m a g i n a r y
counterpart,
(re)introduces
the
dimension
of
the
i m p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t s h a t t e r s t h e I m a g i n a r y ; i n s h o r t , w h a t is n e e d e d is a n act as o p p o s e d t o m e r e activity - t h e a u t h e n t i c a c t t h a t i n v o l v e s
disturbing
('traversing') t h e fantasy. W h e n e v e r a s u b j e c t is ' a c t i v e ' ( e s p e c i a l l y w h e n h e is d r i v e n i n t o f r e n e t i c h y p e r a c t i v i t y ) , t h e q u e s t i o n t o b e a s k e d is: w h a t is t h e u n d e r l y i n g f a n t a s y s u s t a i n i n g t h i s activity? T h e a c t - as o p p o s e d t o activity - o c c u r s o n l y w h e n t h i s p h a n t a s m i c b a c k g r o u n d i t s e l f is d i s t u r b e d . I n this p r e c i s e s e n s e , a c t f o r L a c a n is o n t h e s i d e o f t h e o b j e c t qua r e a l as o p p o s e d t o s i g n i f i e r ( t o ' s p e e c h a c t ' ) : we can p e r f o r m accepted
the
fundamental
s p e e c h a c t s o n l y in s o f a r as we, h a v e
alienation
in
the
symbolic order
and
the
p h a n t a s m i c s u p p o r t necessary for the f u n c t i o n i n g of this o r d e r , while t h e a c t as r e a l is a n e v e n t w h i c h o c c u r s ex nihilo,
without any
phantasmic
s u p p o r t . A s s u c h , t h e a c t as o b j e c t is a l s o t o b e o p p o s e d t o t h e s u b j e c t , a t least in the standard L a c a n i a n sense o f the 'alienated' divided subject: the c o r r e l a t e t o t h e a c t is a d i v i d e d s u b j e c t , b u t n o t i n t h e s e n s e t h a t , b e c a u s e o f this d i v i s i o n , t h e a c t is always f a i l e d , d i s p l a c e d , a n d s o o n - o n
the
c o n t r a r y , t h e a c t i n its t r a u m a t i c tuche is t h a t w h i c h d i v i d e s t h e s u b j e c t w h o c a n n e v e r s u b j c c t i v i z c it, a s s u m e it as ' h i s o w n ' , p o s i t h i m s e l f as its a u t h o r - a g e n t - t h e a u t h e n t i c a c t t h a t I a c c o m p l i s h is always b y d e f i n i t i o n a foreign body, an intruder which simultaneously attracts/fascinates and r e p e l s m e , s o t h a t i f a n d w h e n I c o m e t o o c l o s e t o it, t h i s l e a d s t o m y apkanisis,
s e l f - e r a s u r e . I f t h e r e is a s u b j e c t t o t h e a c t , it is n o t t h e s u b j e c t
o f subjectivization, o f integrating the act into the universe o f symbolic i n t e g r a t i o n a n d r e c o g n i t i o n , o f a s s u m i n g t h e a c t as ' m y o w n ' , b u t , r a t h e r ,
WHITHER
375
OEDIPUS?
a n u n c a n n y ' a c e p h a l o u s ' s u b j e c t t h r o u g h w h i c h t h e a c t t a k e s p l a c e as t h a t w h i c h is ' i n h i m m o r e t h a n h i m s e l f . T h e a c t t h u s d e s i g n a t e s t h e l e v e l a t which
the
fundamental
divisions a n d
d i s p l a c e m e n t s usually associated
with t h e ' L a c a n i a n s u b j e c t ' ( t h e split b e t w e e n the s u b j e c t o f t h e e n u n c i a tion a n d the subject o f the e n u n c i a t e d / s t a t e m e n t ; the subject's 'decentrement'
with
regard
to the
symbolic big O t h e r ;
etc.) are
momentarily
s u s p e n d e d - i n t h e a c t , t h e s u b j e c t , as L a c a n p u t s it, posits himself
as his
own cause, a n d is n o l o n g e r d e t e r m i n e d b y t h e d e c e n t r e d o b j e c t - c a u s e . F o r that reason, Kant's description o f how a direct insight into
the
T h i n g i n i t s e l f ( t h e n o u m e n a l G o d ) w o u l d d e p r i v e us o f o u r f r e e d o m a n d t u r n us i n t o l i f e l e s s p u p p e t s i f w e s u b t r a c t f r o m it t h e s c e n i c i m a g e r y ( f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h t h e D i v i n e M a j e s t y ) a n d r e d u c e it t o t h e e s s e n t i a l ( a n e n t i t y p e r f o r m i n g what it d o e s ' a u t o m a t i c a l l y ' , w i t h o u t a n y i n n e r t u r m o i l and
s t r u g g l e ) , p a r a d o x i c a l l y fits
the
description
o f the
(ethical)
act
p e r f e c t l y - this a c t is p r e c i s e l y s o m e t h i n g w h i c h u n e x p e c t e d l y j u s t o c c u r s ' , it is a n o c c u r r e n c e w h i c h a l s o ( a n d e v e n m o s t ) s u r p r i s e s its a g e n t i t s e l f ( a f t e r a n a u t h e n t i c a c t , m y r e a c t i o n is always ' E v e n I d o n ' t k n o w h o w I was a b l e t o d o t h a t , it j u s t h a p p e n e d ! ' ) . T h e p a r a d o x is t h u s t h a t , i n a n a u t h e n t i c act, the highest f r e e d o m
c o i n c i d e s with t h e u t m o s t passivity,
w i t h a r e d u c t i o n t o a l i f e l e s s a u t o m a t o n w h o b l i n d l y p e r f o n n s its g e s t u r e s . T h e p r o b l e m a t i c o f t h e a c t t h u s c o m p e l s us t o a c c e p t t h e r a d i c a l s h i f t o f perspective involved in the m o d e r n n o t i o n o f to
a c c e p t is n o t
the
fact that
the
true
finitude:
w h a t is s o d i f f i c u l t
a c t in w h i c h
noumenal
and
p h e n o m e n a l d i m e n s i o n s c o i n c i d e is f o r e v e r o u t o f o u r r e a c h ; t h e
true
t r a u m a l i e s in t h e o p p o s i t e a w a r e n e s s t h a t there are acts, t h a t t h e y do
occur,
a n d that we have to c o m e to t e r m s with t h e m . I n t h e c r i t i c i s m o f K a n t i m p l i c i t i n t h i s n o t i o n o f t h e a c t , L a c a n is t h u s close to H e g e l , w h o also c l a i m e d that t h e unity o f the n o u m e n a l a n d t h e phenomenal adjourned every
time
an
ad infinitum
authentic
act
i n K a n t is p r e c i s e l y w h a t t a k e s p l a c e
is a c c o m p l i s h e d .
Kant's
mistake
was
to
p r e s u p p o s e t h a t t h e r e is a n a c t o n l y in s o f a r as it is a d e q u a t e l y ' s u b j e c t i v i z e d ' , t h a t is, a c c o m p l i s h e d w i t h a p u r e W i l l ( a W i l l f r e e o f a n y ' p a t h o l o g i c a l ' m o t i v a t i o n s ) ; a n d , s i n c e o n e c a n n e v e r b e s u r e t h a t w h a t I d i d was i n fact p r o m p t e d
b y t h e m o r a l L a w as its s o l e m o t i v e
(i.e. since t h e r e
is
always a l u r k i n g s u s p i c i o n t h a t I a c c o m p l i s h e d a m o r a l a c t i n o r d e r t o f i n d pleasure
in
the
esteem
o f my peers, etc.),
the
moral
act turns
into
s o m e t h i n g w h i c h in fact n e v e r h a p p e n s ( t h e r e are n o saints o n this e a r t h ) , but
can only be posited
as t h e
final
point
o f an
infinite
asymptotic
a p p r o a c h o f d i e p u r i f i c a t i o n o f t h e s o u l - f o r t h a t r e a s o n , t h a t is, i n o r d e r n o n e t h e less to g u a r a n t e e t h e u l t i m a t e possibility o f t h e act, K a n t h a d to
376
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
p r o p o s e h i s p o s t u l a t e o f t h e i m m o r t a l i t y o f t h e s o u l ( w h i c h , as c a n
be
s h o w n , e f f e c t i v e l y a m o u n t s t o its v e r y o p p o s i t e , t o t h e S a d e i a n f a n t a s y o f 6
t h e i m m o r t a l i t y o f t h e body ^) - o n l y i n s u c h a way c a n o n e h o p e t h a t a f t e r e n d l e s s a p p r o x i m a t i o n , o n e will r e a c h t h e p o i n t o f b e i n g a b l e t o a c c o m plish a true moral act. T h e p o i n t o f L a c a n ' s c r i t i c i s m is t h u s t h a t a n a u t h e n t i c a c t d o e s not-
as
K a n t a s s u m e s o n m i s l e a d i n g s e l f - e v i d e n c e - p r e s u p p o s e its a g e n t ' o n t h e l e v e l o f t h e a c t ' ( w i t h h i s will p u r i f i e d o f a l l p a t h o l o g i c a l m o t i v a t i o n s , e t c . ) - i t is n o t o n l y p o s s i b l e , e v e n i n e v i t a b l e , t h a t t h e a g e n t is not ' o n t h e l e v e l o f its a c t ' , t h a t h e h i m s e l f is u n p l e a s a n t l y s u r p r i s e d b y t h e ' c r a z y t h i n g h e h a s j u s t d o n e ' , a n d u n a b l e fully t o c o m e t o t e r m s w i t h it. T h i s , i n c i d e n t a l l y , is t h e u s u a l s t r u c t u r e o f h e r o i c a c t s : s o m e b o d y w h o , f o r a l o n g t i m e , h a s led
an
opportunistic
life
of manoeuvring
and
c o m p r o m i s e s , all o f a
s u d d e n , i n e x p l i c a b l y e v e n t o h i m s e l f , r e s o l v e s t o s t a n d f i r m , c o s t w h a t it may -
t h i s , p r e c i s e l y , was h o w G i o r d a n o B r u n o , a f t e r a l o n g h i s t o r y o f
r a t h e r cowardly attacks a n d retreats, u n e x p e c t e d l y d e c i d e d to stick to his views. T h e p a r a d o x o f t h e a c t t h u s lies i n t h e f a c t t h a t a l t h o u g h it is n o t ' i n t e n t i o n a l ' i n t h e u s u a l s e n s e o f t h e t e r m o f c o n s c i o u s l y w i l l i n g it, i t is n e v e r t h e l e s s a c c e p t e d as s o m e t h i n g f o r w h i c h its a g e n t is fully r e s p o n s i b l e - T c a n n o t d o o t h e r w i s e , y e t I a m n o n e t h e l e s s fully f r e e i n d o i n g i t . ' C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h i s L a c a n i a n n o t i o n o f a c t a l s o e n a b l e s us t o b r e a k w i t h the deconstructionist ethics o f the irreducible
finitude,
o f h o w o u r situ
a t i o n is always t h a t o f a d i s p l a c e d b e i n g c a u g h t i n a c o n s t i t u t i v e l a c k , s o t h a t all we c a n d o is h e r o i c a l l y a s s u m e t h i s l a c k , t h e f a c t t h a t o u r s i t u a t i o n 1
2
is t h a t o f b e i n g t h r o w n i n t o a n i m p e n e t r a b l e finite c o n t e x t ; ' t h e c o r o l l a r y o f t h i s e t h i c s , o f c o u r s e , is t h a t t h e u l t i m a t e s o u r c e o f t o t a l i t a r i a n
and
other
this
catastrophes
condition o f
is m a n ' s
finitude,
presumption
that
he
can
overcome
lack a n d d i s p l a c e m e n t , a n d 'act like G o d ' , in a total
transparency, o v e r c o m i n g his constitutive division. L a c a n ' s answer to this is t h a t a b s o l u t e / u n c o n d i t i o n a l
a c t s d o o c c u r , b u t n o t in t h e
(idealist)
guise o f a self-transparent g e s t u r e p e r f o r m e d by a s u b j e c t with a p u r e Will who
fully
intends
them
-
they
occur,
on
the
contrary,
as
a
totally
u n p r e d i c t a b l e tuche, a m i r a c u l o u s e v e n t w h i c h s h a t t e r s o u r lives. T o p u t i t i n s o m e w h a t p a t h e t i c t e r m s , t h i s is h o w t h e ' d i v i n e ' d i m e n s i o n is p r e s e n t i n o u r lives, a n d t h e d i f f e r e n t m o d a l i t i e s o f e t h i c a l b e t r a y a l r e l a t e p r e c i s e l y t o t h e d i f f e r e n t ways o f b e t r a y i n g t h e a c t - e v e n t : t h e t r u e s o u r c e o f E v i l is n o t a finite m o r t a l m a n w h o acts like G o d , b u t a m a n who d e n i e s divine miracles o c c u r a n d r e d u c e s h i m s e l f to j u s t a n o t h e r
finite
that
mortal
being. O n e s h o u l d r e r e a d L a c a n ' s m a t r i x o f t h e f o u r d i s c o u r s e s as t h e
three
WHITHER
377
OEDIPUS?
0 3
to these
the
fourth,
m o d e s o f c o m i n g to t e r m s with the t r a u m a o f t h e (analyst's) a c t ; three
strategies
o f disavowal
o f the
act, o n e
should
add
p r o p e r l y psychotic o n e : since a n a u t h e n t i c act involves t h e c h o i c e o f t h e W o r s e , s i n c e i t is b y d e f i n i t i o n u n i v e r s e ) , let us t h e n
catastrophic
directly provoke
(for the existing discursive
a catastrophe
and
t h e a c t will
s o m e h o w o c c u r . . . ( t h e r e i n lies t h e d e s p e r a t e 'terrorist' a c t o f trying to 'sober'
the masses lulled into ideological sleep, from
the R A F in
G e r m a n y o f the early 1 9 7 0 s to t h e U n a b o m b e r ) . W h i l e this
the
temptation
m u s t , o f c o u r s e , b e r e s i s t e d , o n e s h o u l d n o less firmly r e s i s t t h e o p p o s i t e temptation
o f the different
modalities o f dissociating the
act from
its
inherent 'catastrophic' consequences. I n s o f a r as t h e p o l i t i c a l a c t par excellence
is a r e v o l u t i o n , two
opposing
strategies arise h e r e : o n e c a n e n d e a v o u r to separate the n o b l e I d e a o f the R e v o l u t i o n f r o m its a b o m i n a b l e r e a l i t y ( r e c a l l K a n t ' s c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e s u b l i m e f e e l i n g t h e F r e n c h R e v o l u t i o n e v o k e d in t h e e n l i g h t e n e d p u b l i c all o v e r E u r o p e , w h i c h g o e s h a n d i n h a n d w i t h u t t e r d i s d a i n f o r t h e r e a l i t y o f the revolutionary events t h e m s e l v e s ) , o r o n e can idealize the a u t h e n t i c r e v o l u t i o n a r y a c t itself, a n d b e m o a n its r e g r e t t a b l e b u t u n a v o i d a b l e
later
betrayal (recall t h e nostalgia o f Trotskyite a n d o t h e r radical Leftists for the
e a r l y days
'spontaneously' ossification
o f the
R e v o l u t i o n , with
everywhere,
against
the
workers'
councils popping
Thermidor,
that
is, t h e
o f the R e v o l u t i o n i n t o a new h i e r a r c h i c a l state
structure).
A g a i n s t all t h e s e t e m p t a t i o n s , o n e s h o u l d i n s i s t o n t h e u n c o n d i t i o n a l t o e n d o r s e t h e a c t fully i n all its c o n s e q u e n c e s . F i d e l i t y is n o t
up
later need
fidelity
to
t h e p r i n c i p l e s b e t r a y e d by t h e c o n t i n g e n t facticity o f t h e i r a c t u a l i z a t i o n , but
fidelity
to the
consequences
e n t a i l e d b y t h e full a c t u a l i z a t i o n o f t h e
(revolutionary) principles. Within the h o r i z o n o f what p r e c e d e s the act, t h e a c t always a n d b y d e f i n i t i o n a p p e a r s as a c h a n g e ' f r o m B a d t o W o r s e ' ( t h e u s u a l c r i t i c i s m o f c o n s e r v a t i v e s a g a i n s t r e v o l u t i o n a r i e s : y e s , t h e situ a t i o n is b a d , b u t y o u r s o l u t i o n is e v e n w o r s e . . . ) . T h e p r o p e r h e r o i s m o f t h e a c t is fully t o a s s u m e t h i s W o r s e .
Beyond the G o o d T h i s m e a n s t h a t t h e r e is n o n e t h e less s o m e t h i n g i n h e r e n t l y
'terroristic'
i n e v e r y a u t h e n t i c a c t , i n its g e s t u r e o f t h o r o u g h l y r e d e f i n i n g t h e ' r u l e s o f t h e g a m e ' , i n c l u s i v e o f t h e v e r y b a s i c s e l f - i d e n t i t y o f its p e r p e t r a t o r
-
a
p r o p e r political act u n l e a s h e s t h e f o r c e o f negativity that shatters t h e very foundations
o f our being. So, when
a L e f t i s t is a c c u s e d o f l a y i n g
the
THE TICKLISH
378
SUBJECT
g r o u n d for t h e Stalinist o r M a o i s t t e r r o r t h r o u g h his otherwise s i n c e r e a n d b e n e v o l e n t proposals, h e s h o u l d learn to avoid the liberal trap o f a c c e p t i n g t h i s a c c u s a t i o n at f a c e v a l u e a n d t h e n t r y i n g t o d e f e n d h i m s e l f by pleading
S o c i a l i s m will b e d e m o c r a d c ,
respecting
h u m a n r i g h t s , d i g n i t y , h a p p i n e s s ; t h e r e will b e n o u n i v e r s a l
n o t guilty ( ' O u r
obligatory
Party L i n e . . . ' ) :
n o , L i b e r a l D e m o c r a c y is n o t
our
ultimate
horizon;
u n e a s y as it m a y s o u n d , t h e h o r r i b l e e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e S t a l i n i s t p o l i t i c a l t e r r o r s h o u l d not l e a d us i n t o a b a n d o n i n g t h e p r i n c i p l e o f t e r r o r i t s e l f o n e should search even m o r e stringently for the
' g o o d t e r r o r ' . Is t h e
s t r u c t u r e o f a t r u e political a c t o f l i b e r a t i o n n o t , by d e f i n i t i o n , t h a t o f a forced
choice and,
as s u c h ,
'terroristic'? W h e n ,
in
1940, the
French
R e s i s t a n c e c a l l e d o n i n d i v i d u a l s t o j o i n its r a n k s a n d a c t i v e l y o p p o s e
the
G e r m a n o c c u p a t i o n o f F r a n c e , t h e i m p l i c i t s t r u c t u r e o f its a p p e a l was n o t ' Y o u a r e f r e e to c h o o s e b e t w e e n us a n d
the Germans', but
'You
must
c h o o s e us! I f y o u c h o o s e c o l l a b o r a t i o n , y o u r e n o u n c e y o u r v e r y f r e e d o m ! ' I n a n a u t h e n t i c c h o i c e o f f r e e d o m , I c h o o s e w h a t I k n o w I have to d o . I t was B e r t o l t B r e c h t w h o , in h i s ' l e a r n i n g '
p l a y The Measure
Taken
( 1 9 3 0 ) , fully d e p l o y e d t h i s ' t e r r o r i s t i c ' p o t e n t i a l o f t h e a c t , d e f i n i n g
the
a c t as t h e r e a d i n e s s t o a c c e p t o n e ' s t h o r o u g h s e l f - o b l i t e r a t i o n ( ' s e c o n d d e a t h ' ) : the youth who j o i n s the revolutionaries, then endangers
them
t h r o u g h his h u m a n i s t c o m p a s s i o n for t h e suffering workers, a g r e e s to b e t h r o w n i n t o a p i t w h e r e h i s b o d y will d i s i n t e g r a t e , w i t h n o t r a c e o f h i m left b e h i n d .
( A
H e r e , t h e r e v o l u t i o n is e n d a n g e r e d
by t h e r e m a i n d e r o f
n a i v e h u m a n i t y - t h a t is, b y p e r c e i v i n g o t h e r p e o p l e n o t o n l y as t h e class struggle b u t also, a n d
p r i m a r i l y , as s u f f e r i n g
figures
human
in
beings.
A g a i n s t this r e l i a n c e o n o n e ' s d i r e c t s e n t i m e n t s o f c o m p a s s i o n , B r e c h t offers t h e ' e x c r e m e n t a l ' i d e n t i f i c a t i o n o f the r e v o l u t i o n a r y s u b j e c t with t h e t e r r o r n e e d e d t o e r a s e t h e l a s t t r a c e s o f t e r r o r itself, t h u s a c c e p t i n g t h e n e e d f o r its o w n u l t i m a t e s e l f - o b l i t e r a t i o n : ' W h o a r e y o u ? S t i n k i n g , b e g o n e f r o m the r o o m that has b e e n c l e a n e d ! W o u l d that y o u w e r e t h e last o f t h e filth w h i c h y o u h a d t o r e m o v e ! ' * ' I n h i s f a m o u s s h o r t p l a y Mauser
5
0
(1970 ''), H e i n e r Midler
t o write a d i a l e c t i c a l r e b u t t a l o f B r e c h t , c o n f r o n t i n g this
endeavoured figure
o f the
betrayal o f the revolution o n a c c o u n t o f h u m a n i s t c o m p a s s i o n ('I c a n n o t kill
the
enemies o f revolution,
because
I also see
in
them
ignorant
suffering h u m a n beings, helpless victims c a u g h t in the historical p r o c e s s ' ) with t h e o p p o s i n g
figure
o f the revolutionary e x e c u t i o n e r w h o identifies
e x c e s s i v e l y w i t h h i s b r u t a l w o r k ( i n s t e a d o f e x e c u t i n g e n e m i e s with
the
n e c e s s a r y i m p a s s i v i t y , a w a r e t h a t h i s m u r d e r o u s w o r k is t h e p a i n f u l
but
n e c e s s a r y m e a s u r e d e s t i n e d t o b r i n g a b o u t a s t a t e i n w h i c h k i l l i n g will n o
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
379
l o n g e r b e necessary, h e elevates the destruction o f the e n e m i e s o f the revolution into an end-in-itself, finding fulfilment in t h e destructive orgy as s u c h ) . A t t h e e n d o f t h e p l a y , it is t h u s t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y e x e c u t i o n e r t u r n e d i n t o a k i l l i n g m a c h i n e , n o t t h e c o m p a s s i o n a t e h u m a n i s t , w h o is p r o c l a i m e d t h e e n e m y o f t h e revolution a n d c o n d e m n e d to e x e c u t i o n bv t h e P a r t y C h o r u s . F a r f r o m s i m p l y u n d e r m i n i n g The Measure
Taken w i t h its
dialectical counter-example, however, the e x e c u t i o n o f the
revolutionary
e x e c u t i o n e r h i m s e l f i n Mauser
offers a p e r f e c t e x a m p l e o f t h e 'last o f t h e
filth w h i c h h a d t o b e r e m o v e d ' . A r e v o l u t i o n is a c h i e v e d (not
betrayed)
w h e n it ' e a t s its o w n c h i l d r e n ' , t h e e x c e s s t h a t w a s n e c e s s a r y t o s e t it i n m o t i o n . I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h e u l t i m a t e r e v o l u t i o n a r y e t h i c a l s t a n c e is n o t that o f simple devotion a n d willingly a c c e p t i n g t h e
role
fidelity
to the Revolution but, rather, that o f
o f 'vanishing
mediator',
o f the
excessive
e x e c u t i o n e r to b e e x e c u t e d ( a s t h e ' t r a i t o r ' ) s o t h a t t h e R e v o l u t i o n c a n a c h i e v e its u l t i m a t e g o a l . More
precisely, in
Mauser
the
e x e c u t i o n e r h i m s e l f is n o t
executed
s i m p l y f o r e n j o y i n g h i s k i l l i n g o n b e h a l f o f t h e R e v o l u t i o n as a n
end-in-
itself; h e is n o t c a u g h t i n s o m e k i n d o f p s e u d o - B a t a i l l e a n o r g y o f (self-) d e s t r u c t i o n ; t h e p o i n t i s , r a t h e r , t h a t h e w a n t s t o 'kill t h e d e a d t h e m s e l v e s again', to obliterate t h e d e a d totally f r o m historical m e m o r y , to disperse t h e i r very b o d i e s , to m a k e t h e m d i s a p p e a r c o m p l e t e l y , so that t h e n e w a g e will s t a r t f r o m t h e z e r o - p o i n t , w i t h a c l e a n s l a t e - in s h o r t , t o b r i n g a b o u t what
L a c a n , following
Sade, called the
'second death'.
Paradoxically,
h o w e v e r , it is p r e c i s e l y t h i s t h a t t h e t h r e e r e v o l u t i o n a r i e s i n B r e c h t ' s The Measure
Taken
a i m at: t h e i r y o u n g c o m r a d e m u s t n o t o n l y b e k i l l e d , h i s
very d i s a p p e a r a n c e
must
annihilation must be 1
totally'. '
7
disappear,
no
trace
o f it m u s t
total — t h e y o u n g c o m r a d e
be
left,
'must disappear,
S o w h e n t h e t h r e e r e v o l u t i o n a r i e s ask t h e i r y o u n g c o m r a d e to
say ' Y e s ! ' t o h i s f a t e , t h e y w a n t
him
freely to e n d o r s e
this t o t a l
o b l i t e r a t i o n , t h a t is, h i s s e c o n d d e a t h i t s e l f . T h i s is t h e a s p e c t o f Measure
his and
Taken t h a t is n o t c o v e r e d i n M i d l e r ' s Mauser,
self
1
The
the problem Brecht
is s t r u g g l i n g w i t h is n o t t h e t o t a l a n n i h i l a t i o n , t h e ' s e c o n d d e a t h ' , o f t h e enemies o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n , b u t t h e h o r r i b l e t a s k o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y
himself.
t o a c c e p t a n d e n d o r s e his own 'second death', t o ' e r a s e h i m s e l f t o t a l l y f r o m t h e p i c t u r e ' . F o r t h a t r e a s o n , a l s o , o n e c a n n o l o n g e r o p p o s e (as M u l l e r does)
the destructive
total o b l i t e r a t i o n o f the victim to the
respectful
t a k i n g c a r e o f t h e d e a d , t o fully a s s u m i n g t h e b u r d e n o f t h e k i l l i n g , o n c e t h e v i c t i m is k i l l e d o n b e h a l f o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n : w h e n , at t h e e n d o f The Measure
Taken,
i n a s c e n e r e m i n i s c e n t o f a pietd, t h e t h r e e c o m r a d e s g e n t l y
t a k e t h e i r y o u n g f r i e n d in t h e i r a r m s , t h e y a r e e a r n i n g h i m t o w a r d s
the
380
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
p r e c i p i c e t h e y will t h r o w h i m i n t o - t h a t is, t h e y a r e p r e c i s e l y e f f e c t i n g h i s total o b l i t e r a t i o n , t h e d i s a p p e a r a n c e o f his d i s a p p e a r a n c e itself. . . . S o is t h e r e a t h i r d way b e t w e e n h u m a n i s t h y s t e r i c a l s h i r k i n g t h e a c t a n d t h e p e r v e r s e o v e r i d e n t i f i c a t i o n with t h e act, o r a r e we c a u g h t in t h e vicious cycle o f v i o l e n c e in w h i c h t h e very r e v o l u t i o n a r y a t t e m p t to b r e a k radically w i t h t h e p a s t r e p r o d u c e s its w o r s t f e a t u r e s ? T h e r e i n l i e s M i d l e r ' s d i s p l a c e m e n t with
regard
to B r e c h t : t h e
revolutionary
act o f self-obliteration
p r e a c h e d by B r e c h t d o e s n ' t w o r k ; t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y n e g a t i o n o f t h e p a s t gets c a u g h t in t h e l o o p o f r e p e a t i n g
what
it n e g a t e s , s o t h a t
history
a p p e a r s to b e d o m i n a t e d by a d e a d l y c o m p u l s i o n to r e p e a t . T h e t h i r d way a d v o c a t e d b y t h e P a r t y C h o r u s i n Mauser
involves a n i c e p a r a d o x : y o u c a n
maintain a distance towards your act o f revolutionary violence (killing the e n e m i e s o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n ) i n s o f a r as y o u c o n c e i v e o f y o u r s e l f as t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e b i g O t h e r , t h a t is, i n s o f a r as y o u i d e n t i f y y o u r s e l f a s the o n e t h r o u g h w h o m the big O t h e r itself - History - directly acts. T h i s opposition
between direct overidentification
(in which
the violent act
t u r n s i n t o t h e ( s e l f - ) d e s t r u c t i v e o r g y as a n e n d - i n - i t s e l f ) a n d
identifying
o n e s e l f as t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e b i g O t h e r o f H i s t o r y ( i n w h i c h t h e v i o l e n t a c t l o o k s l i k e t h e m e a n s o f c r e a t i n g c o n d i t i o n s in w h i c h s u c h a c t s will n o l o n g e r b e n e c e s s a r y ) , far from b e i n g exhaustive, designates precisely the two ways o f e s c h e w i n g t h e p r o p e r d i m e n s i o n o f t h e e t h i c a l a c t . W h i l e t h e a c t s h o u l d n o t b e c o n f u s e d w i t h t h e (self-) d e s t r u c t i v e o r g y as a n
end-in-
itself, it is a n ' e n d - i n - i t s e l f i n t h e s e n s e t h a t i t is d e p r i v e d o f a n y g u a r a n t e e i n t h e b i g O t h e r ( a n a c t is, b y d e f i n i t i o n , ' a u t h o r i z e d o n l y b y i t s e l f , i t precludes any self-instrumentalization, any justification t h r o u g h r e f e r e n c e t o s o m e f i g u r e o f t h e b i g O t h e r ) . F u r t h e r m o r e , i f t h e r e is a l e s s o n t o be. l e a r n e d f r o m p s y c h o a n a l y s i s , it is t h a t d i r e c t o v e r i d e n t i f i c a t i o n a n d selfinstrumentalization ultimately coincide: perverse
self-instrumentalization
( p o s i t i n g o n e s e l f as t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e b i g O t h e r ) n e c e s s a r i l y b e c o m e s v i o l e n c e as a n e n d - i n - i t s e l f - t o p u t it i n H e g e l i a n t e r m s , t h e ' t r u t h ' o f t h e p e r v e r t ' s c l a i m t h a t h e is a c c o m p l i s h i n g his a c t s as t h e i n s t r u m e n t o f t h e b i g O t h e r is its e x a c t o p p o s i t e : h e is s t a g i n g t h e in o r d e r t o c o n c e a l t h e jouissance
fiction
o f the big O t h e r
h e derives from the destructive orgy o f
his a c t s . S o w h e r e is Evil t o d a y ? T h e p r e d o m i n a n t i d e o l o g i c a l s p a c e p r o v i d e s two o p p o s e d answers, the fundamentalist o n e a n d t h e liberal o n e . A c c o r d i n g to t h e first a n s w e r , C l i n t o n is S a t a n (as s o m e o n e r e c e n t l y c l a i m e d a t a CNN
round
table) -
n o t o v e r t l y evil, b u t s u b d y c o r r o d i n g o u r
moral
s t a n d a r d s as i r r e l e v a n t : w h a t d o e s it m a t t e r i f o n e l i e s , c o m m i t s p e r j u r y , o b s t r u c t s j u s t i c e , as l o n g as t h e
e c o n o m y is b o o m i n g
. . .? F r o m
this
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
381
p e r s p e c t i v e , t h e t r u e m o r a l c a t a s t r o p h e is n o t a d i r e c t o u t b u r s t o f c r u e l v i o l e n c e b u t t h e subtle loss o f m o r a l a n c h o r s in a n affluent
consumerist
s o c i e t y w h e r e t h i n g s j u s t r u n s m o o t h l y - t h e h o r r o r o f Evil is t h a t it d o e s n o t l o o k h o r r i b l e a t a l l , t h a t it l u l l s us i n t o a m e a n i n g l e s s life o f p l e a s u r e s . I n s h o r t , f o r a c o n s e r v a t i v e f u n d a m e n t a l i s t , C l i n t o n is i n a way w o r s e t h a n H i t l e r , b e c a u s e H i t i e r ( N a z i s m ) was a n Evil d i r e c t l y e x p e r i e n c e d as s u c h a n d p r o v o k i n g m o r a l o u t r a g e , while with C l i n t o n ' s sleaze we are drawn i n t o m o r a l l a s s i t u d e w i t h o u t e v e n b e i n g a w a r e o f it. . . . Although
this a t t i t u d e
may appear
utterly foreign
to a lefdst liberal
s t a n c e , is it n o t t r u e t h a t , as I h a v e a l r e a d y n o t e d , e v e n t o d a y ' s
leftist
l i b e r a l s e x p e r i e n c e a s t r a n g e r e l i e f a t f i g u r e s l i k e B u c h a n a n in t h e U S A o r L e P e n in F r a n c e : h e r e , a t l e a s t , w e h a v e s o m e o n e w h o o p e n l y b r e a k s t h e liberal consensus stalemate and, by passionately advocating a
repulsive
s t a n c e , e n a b l e s u s t o e n g a g e i n a n a u t h e n t i c p o l i t i c a l s t r u g g l e (it is e a s y t o d i s c e r n i n t h i s s t a n c e t h e r e p e t i t i o n o f t h e o l d leftist s t a n c e a p r o p o s o f Hitler's takeover: for the G e r m a n
C o m m u n i s t Party, Nazis w e r e
better
than the bourgeois parliamentary r e g i m e or even the Social Democrats, b e c a u s e with t h e m , at l e a s t w e k n e w w h e r e w e s t o o d , t h a t is, t h e y f o r c e d t h e w o r k i n g c l a s s t o g e t r i d o f t h e last p a r l i a m e n t a r y l i b e r a l i l l u s i o n
and
a c c e p t class s t r u g g l e as t h e u l t i m a t e r e a l i t y ) . I n c o n t r a s t t o t h i s p o s i t i o n , the
liberal version locates the
fundamentalist,
figure
o f Evil i n t h e
G o o d itself in
f a n a t i c a l a s p e c t : Evil is t h e a t d t u d e o f a
its
fundamentalist
w h o e n d e a v o u r s t o e x t i r p a t e , p r o h i b i t , c e n s o r , a n d so o n , all attitudes a n d p r a c t i c e s t h a t d o n o t fit h i s f r a m e o f G o o d n e s s a n d T r u t h . T h e s e two o p p o s e d v e r s i o n s c a n s o m e t i m e s also b e u s e d to t h e s a m e e v e n t as ' e v i l ' -
condemn
recall the case o f Mary Kay L e t o u r n e a u ,
thirty-six-year-old s c h o o l t e a c h e r i m p r i s o n e d
for a passionate love
the
affair
with h e r f o u r t e e n - y e a r - o l d p u p i l , o n e o f t h e g r e a t r e c e n t love stories in w h i c h s e x is still l i n k e d t o a u t h e n t i c s o c i a l t r a n s g r e s s i o n : t h i s a f f a i r w a s c o n d e m n e d by Moral Majority fundamentalists affair)
(as a n o b s c e n e i l l e g i t i m a t e
as well as b y p o l i t i c a l l y c o r r e c t l i b e r a l s (as a c a s e o f c h i l d s e x u a l
molestation). T h e o l d a n d o f t e n - q u o t e d H e g e l i a n m o t t o t h a t Evil is i n t h e e y e o f t h e b e h o l d e r , t h a t it lies in t h e p o i n t o f view w h i c h o b s e r v e s Evil all has thus found
a d o u b l e c o n f i r m a t i o n t o d a y : e a c h o f t h e two
stances, liberal a n d
c o n s e r v a t i v e , u l t i m a t e l y d e f i n e s Evil as a
around, opposed reflected
c a t e g o r y , as d i e g a z e t h a t w r o n g l y p r o j e c t s / p e r c e i v e s Evil i n its o p p o n e n t . Is n o t Evil f o r t o d a y ' s m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s t t o l e r a n t l i b e r a l s t h e v e r y r i g h t e o u s c o n s e r v a t i v e g a z e t h a t p e r c e i v e s m o r a l c o r r u p t i o n all a r o u n d ? Is n o t Evil for M o r a l Majority conservatives this very multiculturalist t o l e r a n c e w h i c h ,
THE TICKLISH
382
SUBJECT
a p r i o r i , c o n d e m n s e v e r y p a s s i o n a t e t a k i n g s i d e s a n d e n g a g e d s t r u g g l e as e x c l u s i v e a n d p o t e n t i a l l y t o t a l i t a r i a n ? A g a i n , it is t h e act t h a t e n a b l e s us t o c u t t h e G o r d i a n k n o t o f this m u t u a l i n t e r w e a v i n g o f G o o d a n d Evil, o f E v i l r e f l e c t i v e l y r e s i d i n g i n t h e v e r y e y e o f t h e b e h o l d e r w h o p e r c e i v e s it. A s l o n g as we d e f i n e e t h i c s i n t e r m s o f t h e G o o d , t h i s G o r d i a n k n o t is o u r fate, and, if we want to b e 'radical', we e n d up s o o n e r o r later in s o m e d e l u s i v e , f a l s e l y R o m a n t i c f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h r a d i c a l o r d i a b o l i c a l Evil o n l y way o u t is t o e n f o r c e a disjunction
between the Good and
the
the domain
of
8
the ethical act.'' A s L a c a n p u t it, a n e t h i c a l a c t p r o p e r b y d e f i n i t i o n i n v o l v e s a move 'beyond
the G o o d ' -
n o t ' b e y o n d G o o d a n d Evil', but
simply
beyond the G o o d . T h e f a c t t h a t a c t s a r e still p o s s i b l e t o d a y is d e m o n s t r a t e d b y t h e c a s e o f M a r y Kay L e t o u r n e a u . I n o r d e r to d i s c e r n t h e t r u e c o n t o u r s o f M a r y Kay's a c t , o n e s h o u l d l o c a t e it w i t h i n t h e g l o b a l c o - o r d i n a t e s t h a t d e t e r m i n e
the
fate o f sexual love. T o d a y , t h e o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n reflexivization a n d n e w i m m e d i a c y is t h a t b e t w e e n s e x u a l i t y u n d e r t h e r e g i m e o f s c i e n c e a n d N e w A g e spontaneity. B o t h terms ultimately l e a d to the e n d o f sexuality proper, o f s e x u a l p a s s i o n . T h e first o p t i o n - d i r e c t s c i e n t i f i c - m e d i c a l i n t e r v e n t i o n i n t o s e x u a l i t y - is b e s t e x e m p l i f i e d b y t h e n o t o r i o u s V i a g r a , t h e p o t e n c y pill that p r o m i s e s to restore t h e capacity o f m a l e e r e c t i o n in a
purely
b i o c h e m i c a l way, b y p a s s i n g all p r o b l e m s w i t h p s y c h o l o g i c a l i n h i b i t i o n s . W h a t will b e t h e p s y c h i c e f f e c t s o f V i a g r a i f it a c t u a l l y fulfils its p r o m i s e ? T o t h o s e w h o c l a i m that f e m i n i s m u n l e a s h e d a t h r e a t to m a s c u l i n i t y ( m e n ' s s e l f - c o n f i d e n c e was s e r i o u s l y u n d e r m i n e d
by b e i n g u n d e r a t t a c k
all t h e t i m e f r o m e m a n c i p a t e d w o m e n w h o w a n t e d t o b e l i b e r a t e d patriarchal d o m i n a t i o n , a n d retain the initiative in sexual c o n t a c t , simultaneously d e m a n d e d
full s e x u a l s a t i s f a c t i o n f r o m
from and
their male
part
n e r s ) V i a g r a o p e n s u p a n e a s y way o u t o f t h i s s t r e s s f u l p r e d i c a m e n t :
men
n o l o n g e r h a v e t o w o r r y ; t h e y k n o w t h e y will b e a b l e t o p e r f o r m
properly.
O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , f e m i n i s t s c a n c l a i m t h a t V i a g r a finally d e p r i v e s m a l e p o t e n c y o f its m y s t i q u e , a n d t h u s i n e f f e c t m a k e s m e n e q u a l t o w o m e n . . . h o w e v e r , t h e l e a s t o n e c a n say a g a i n s t t h i s s e c o n d a r g u m e n t
is t h a t i t
s i m p l i f i e s t h e way m a l e p o t e n c y a c t u a l l y f u n c t i o n s : w h a t a c t u a l l y c o n f e r s a m y t h i c a l s t a t u s o n it is t h e t h r e a t o f i m p o t e n c e . I n t h e m a l e s e x u a l p s y c h i c e c o n o m y , the e v e r - p r e s e n t s h a d o w o f i m p o t e n c e , t h e t h r e a t that, in
the
n e x t s e x u a l e n c o u n t e r , m y p e n i s will r e f u s e t o e r e c t is c r u c i a l t o t h e v e r y d e f i n i t i o n o f w h a t m a l e p o t e n c y is. Let m e recall h e r e my own description
o f the paradox
erection depends entirely o n m e , o n my m i n d
o f erection:
(as t h e j o k e g o e s : ' W h a t
is t h e l i g h t e s t o b j e c t i n t h e w o r l d ? T h e p e n i s , b e c a u s e ii. is t h e o n l y o n e
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
383
t h a t c a n b e r a i s e d b y a m e r e t h o u g h t ! ' ) , y e t it is s i m u l t a n e o u s l y t h a t o v e r w h i c h I ultimately have n o c o n t r o l ( i f I a m n o t in t h e r i g h t m o o d ,
no
a m o u n t o f w i l l p o w e r will a c h i e v e it - t h a t is why, f o r S t A u g u s t i n e , t h e f a c t t h a t e r e c t i o n e s c a p e s t h e c o n t r o l o f m y will is t h e D i v i n e p u n i s h m e n t
for
m a n ' s a r r o g a n c e a n d p r e s u m p t i o n , f o r his d e s i r e to b e c o m e m a s t e r o f t h e u n i v e r s e . . . ) . T o p u t it i n t h e t e r m s o f t h e A d o r n i a n c r i t i q u e o f c o m m o d ification
and
authentic
r a t i o n a l i z a t i o n : e r e c t i o n is o n e o f t h e l a s t r e m a i n d e r s
spontaneity, something
through rational-instrumental
that c a n n o t b e thoroughly
of
mastered
procedures. This minimal gap -
the
fact
t h a t it is n e v e r d i r e c t l y ' m e ' , m y S e l f , w h o c a n f r e e l y d e c i d e o n e r e c d o n
-
is c r u c i a l : a s e x u a l l y p o t e n t m a n e l i c i t s a c e r t a i n a t t r a c t i o n a n d e n v y n o t b e c a u s e h e c a n d o it a t will, b u t b e c a u s e t h a t u n f a t h o m a b l e X w h i c h although
beyond conscious control -
decides on
erection presents
no
problem for him. T h e crucial point
h e r e is t o d i s t i n g u i s h
between penis
(the erectile
o r g a n itself) a n d phallus ( t h e signifier o f p o t e n c y , o f s y m b o l i c authority, o f the - symbolic, not biological - dimension that confers authority o r p o t e n c y ) o n m e . J u s t a s (as w e h a v e n o t e d )
and/
a judge, who may be a
w o r t h l e s s i n d i v i d u a l in h i m s e l f , e x e r t s a u t h o r i t y t h e m o m e n t h e p u t s o n t h e insignia that c o n f e r his legal authority o n him, the m o m e n t h e
no
l o n g e r s i m p l y s p e a k s o n l y f o r h i m s e l f , s i n c e it is t h e L a w i t s e l f t h a t s p e a k s through
him,
the
individual
male's
potency functions
a n o t h e r s y m b o l i c d i m e n s i o n is a c t i v e t h r o u g h h i m : t h e
as a s i g n 'phallus'
that desig
nates the symbolic support which confers o n my penis the dimension o f p r o p e r p o t e n c y . B e c a u s e o f this distinction, for L a c a n , ' c a s t r a t i o n a n x i e t y ' has n o t h i n g
to d o with t h e fear o f losing o n e ' s p e n i s : what m a k e s
us
a n x i o u s , r a t h e r , is t h e t h r e a t t h a t t h e a u t h o r i t y o f t h e p h a l l i c s i g n i f i e r will b e r e v e a l e d as a f r a u d . F o r t h i s r e a s o n , V i a g r a is t h e u l t i m a t e a g e n t o f castration:
if a m a n
swallows
the
pill, his p e n i s
functions,
but
he
is
d e p r i v e d o f t h e p h a l l i c d i m e n s i o n o f s y m b o l i c p o t e n c y - t h e m a n w h o is a b l e t o c o p u l a t e t h a n k s t o V i a g r a is a m a n w i t h a p e n i s b u t w i t h o u t
a
phallus. S o c a n we really i m a g i n e h o w c h a n g i n g e r e c t i o n i n t o s o m e t h i n g
that
can be achieved through a direct medical-mechanical intervention
(by
t a k i n g a p i l l ) will a f f e c t s e x u a l e c o n o m y ? T o p u t i t i n s o m e w h a t m a l e c h a u v i n i s t t e r m s : w h a t will r e m a i n o f a w o m a n ' s n o t i o n o f b e i n g p r o p e r l y attractive
to a m a n ,
o f effectively a r o u s i n g
him? Furthermore,
is
not
e r e c t i o n o r its a b s e n c e a k i n d o f s i g n a l w h i c h l e t s u s k n o w w h a t o u r t r u e p s y c h i c a t t i t u d e is: t u r n i n g e r e c t i o n i n t o a m e c h a n i c a l l y a c h i e v a b l e s t a t e is s o m e h o w s i m i l a r to b e i n g d e p r i v e d o f t h e c a p a c i t y t o f e e l p a i n - h o w will
384
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
a m a l e s u b j e c t g e t t o k n o w w h a t h i s t r u e a t t i t u d e is? I n w h a t f o r m s will h i s dissatisfaction or resistance find an o u d e t ,
when
it is d e p r i v e d o f t h e
simple sign o f i m p o t e n c e ? T h e s t a n d a r d designation o f a sexually vora c i o u s m a n is t h a t w h e n l u s t t a k e s o v e r h e t h i n k s n o t w i t h h i s h e a d with
his p e n i s -
what
happens,
however,
when
his h e a d
takes
but over
c o m p l e t e l y ? W i l l n o t a c c e s s t o t h e d i m e n s i o n u s u a l l y r e f e r r e d t o as t h a t o f ' e m o t i o n a l i n t e l l i g e n c e ' b e further, a n d p e r h a p s decisively, h i n d e r e d ? It is e a s y t o c e l e b r a t e t h e f a c t t h a t w e will n o l o n g e r h a v e t o b a t t i e w i t h o u r p s y c h o l o g i c a l t r a u m a s , t h a t h i d d e n f e a r s a n d i n h i b i t i o n s will n o l o n g e r b e able to i m p e d e
o u r sexual capacity; however, these h i d d e n fears
and
i n h i b i t i o n s will, f o r t h a t v e r y r e a s o n , n o t d i s a p p e a r - t h e y will p e r s i s t o n what F r e u d called the ' O t h e r S c e n e ' , b e i n g deprived merely o f their main o u t l e t , w a i t i n g to e x p l o d e i n w h a t will p r o b a b l y b e a m u c h m o r e v i o l e n t and
( s e l f - ) d e s t r u c t i v e way. U l t i m a t e l y , t h i s t u r n i n g
m e c h a n i c a l p r o c e d u r e will s i m p l y desexualize
o f erection into
a
the act o f copulation.
A t t h e o p p o s i t e e n d o f t h e s p e c t r u m , N e w A g e w i s d o m s e e m s to offer a way o u t o f this p r e d i c a m e n t - h o w e v e r , w h a t d o e s i t a c t u a l l y o f f e r us? L e t m e t u r n t o its u l t i m a t e p o p u l a r v e r s i o n , J a m e s R e d f i e l d ' s m e g a - b e s t s e l l e r The
Celestine Prophecy. A c c o r d i n g t o The Celestine Prophecy,
t h e first
'new
i n s i g h t ' t h a t will o p e n t h e p a t h t o h u m a n i t y ' s ' s p i r i t u a l a w a k e n i n g ' is t h e awareness that
there are n o c o n t i n g e n t encounters: since our
psychic
e n e r g y participates in t h e E n e r g y o f t h e universe, w h i c h secretly d e t e r m i n e s t h e c o u r s e o f t h i n g s , c o n t i n g e n t e x t e r n a l e n c o u n t e r s always c a r r y a message addressed
t o u s , t o o u r c o n c r e t e s i t u a t i o n ; t h e y o c c u r as
an
a n s w e r to o u r n e e d s a n d q u e s t i o n s (for e x a m p l e , i f I a m b o t h e r e d by a certain
problem
and
then
something
unexpected
happens
-
a
long-
f o r g o t t e n f r i e n d visits m e ; s o m e t h i n g g o e s w r o n g a t w o r k - t h i s a c c i d e n t certainly contains a message relevant
to my p r o b l e m ) . W e
thus
find
ourselves in a universe in which everything has a m e a n i n g , in a protopsychotic
universe
in
which
this
meaning
is d i s c e r n i b l e
in
the
very
c o n t i n g e n c y o f t h e R e a l , a n d w h a t is o f s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t a r e t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f all t h i s f o r i n t e r s u b j e c t i v i t y . A c c o r d i n g t o The Celestine
Prophecy,
we a r e c a u g h t t o d a y i n a false c o m p e t i t i o n w i t h o u r f e l l o w h u m a n b e i n g s , s e e k i n g in t h e m w h a t w e l a c k , p r o j e c t i n g i n t o t h e m o u r f a n t a s i e s o f t h i s l a c k , d e p e n d i n g o n t h e m ; a n d s i n c e u l t i m a t e h a r m o n y is i m p o s s i b l e , s i n c e t h e o t h e r n e v e r p r o v i d e s w h a t w e a r e l o o k i n g f o r , t e n s i o n is i r r e d u c i b l e . A f t e r s p i r i t u a l r e n e w a l , h o w e v e r , w e s h a l l l e a r n t o find, in ourselves w h a t w e w e r e s e e k i n g in vain in o t h e r s ( o n e ' s m a l e o r f e m a l e c o m p l e m e n t ) : e a c h h u m a n b e i n g will b e c o m e a P l a t o n i c c o m p l e t e b e i n g , d e l i v e r e d o f e x c l u sive d e p e n d e n c e o n a n o t h e r
( l e a d e r o r love p a r t n e r ) , delivered o f the
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
385
n e e d t o d r a w e n e r g y f r o m h i m / h e r . W h e n a truly f r e e s u b j e c t e n t e r s a p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h a n o t h e r h u m a n b e i n g , h e is t h u s b e y o n d a p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t t o t h e o t h e r : h i s p a r t n e r is f o r h i m o n l y a v e h i c l e f o r s o m e m e s s a g e ; h e e n d e a v o u r s to d i s c e r n in t h e o t h e r m e s s a g e s t h a t are r e l e v a n t to
his own
necessary
inner
obverse
evolution
and
o f New Age
growth. . . . H e r e spiritualist
we
elevation:
encounter the
end
the
of
the
p a s s i o n a t e a t t a c h m e n t to t h e O t h e r , t h e e m e r g e n c e o f a self-sufficient e g o t o w h o m h i s O t h e r - p a r t n e r is n o l o n g e r a s u b j e c t , m e r e l y t h e b e a r e r o f a message c o n c e r n i n g himself. I n psychoanalysis, we also e n c o u n t e r t h e p o s i t i o n o f t h e b e a r e r o f a m e s s a g e : t h e s u b j e c t is u n a w a r e
t h a t h e e m b o d i e s s o m e m e s s a g e , as i n
s o m e d e t e c t i v e n o v e l s w h e r e s o m e o n e ' s life is t h r e a t e n e d all o f a s u d d e n , a m y s t e r i o u s a g e n t t r i e s t o kill h i m - o b v i o u s l y t h e s u b j e c t k n o w s s o m e thing h e s h o u l d n ' t have known, partakes in s o m e p r o h i b i t e d (say, t h e s e c r e t w h i c h c o u l d p u t a t o p M a f i a p o i n t h e r e is t h a t , the subject is completely
unaware
figure
knowledge
in p r i s o n ) ; t h e key
what this knowledge
is, h e
knows only that he knows s o m e t h i n g h e shouldn't know. . . . This position, h o w e v e r , is t h e v e r y o p p o s i t e o f t h e N e w A g e i d e o l o g y p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e O t h e r as t h e b e a r e r o f s o m e m e s s a g e w h i c h is r e l e v a n t t o m e : i n p s y c h o a n a l y s i s , t h e s u b j e c t is n o t t h e
(potential) reader but the bearer o f a
m e s s a g e a d d r e s s e d to t h e O t h e r a n d t h e r e f o r e , in p r i n c i p l e , i n a c c e s s i b l e to the subject himself. Back
to R e d f i e l d : m y p o i n t
is t h a t
the
allegedly highest
insight o f
spiritual w i s d o m overlaps with o u r m o s t c o m m o n everyday e x p e r i e n c e . I f we take Redfield's description
o f the
ideal state o f spiritual
maturity
literally, it a l r e a d y h o l d s f o r late capitalist c o m m e r c i a l i z e d everyday inter p e r s o n a l e x p e r i e n c e , in w h i c h passions p r o p e r d i s a p p e a r , in w h i c h O t h e r is n o l o n g e r a n u n f a t h o m a b l e a b y s s c o n c e a l i n g a n d
the
announcing
t h a t w h i c h is ' i n m e m o r e t h a n m y s e l f , b u t t h e b e a r e r o f m e s s a g e s f o r t h e s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t c o n s u m e r i s t s u b j e c t . N e w A g e r s a r e n o t g i v i n g us e v e n
an
i d e a l s p i r i t u a l s u p p l e m e n t t o c o m m e r c i a l i z e d e v e r y d a y life; t h e y a r e g i v i n g u s t h e s p i r i t u a l i z e d / m y s t i f i e d v e r s i o n o f t h i s c o m m e r c i a l i z e d e v e r y d a y life itself. . . . W h a t , t h e n , is t h e way o u t o f t h i s p r e d i c a m e n t ? A r e w e c o n d e m n e d to the
rather depressing oscillation between scientific objectivization
New Age wisdom, between Viagra and
The Celestine Prophecy?
That
and there
still is a way o u t is d e m o n s t r a t e d b y t h e c a s e o f M a r y K a y . T h e r i d i c u l e o f d e f i n i n g t h i s u n i q u e p a s s i o n a t e l o v e a f f a i r as t h e c a s e o f a w o m a n
raping
a n u n d e r a g e b o y c a n n o t fail t o s t r i k e t h e e y e ; n o n e t h e less, p r a c t i c a l l y n o o n e d a r e d to d e f e n d t h e e t h i c a l d i g n i t y o f h e r a c t i n p u b l i c ; two p a t t e r n s
THE TICKLISH
386 of
SUBJECT
reaction e m e r g e d : o n e e i t h e r simply c o n d e m n e d
her
as evil, fully
r e s p o n s i b l e f o r f o r g e t t i n g t h e e l e m e n t a r y s e n s e o f d u t y a n d d e c e n c y in letting h e r s e l f g o a n d e n g a g i n g in a n affair with a sixth-grade s c h o o l b o y ; o r - like h e r d e f e n c e lawyer -
o n e took refuge
in p s y c h i a t r i c
mumbo
j u m b o , m e d i c a l i z i n g h e r c a s e , t r e a t i n g h e r as a n ill p e r s o n , d e s c r i b i n g h e r as s u f f e r i n g f r o m a ' b i p o l a r d i s o r d e r '
(a new term for manic-depressive
s t a t e s ) . W h e n s h e is i n o n e o f h e r m a n i c fits, s h e is s i m p l y n o t a w a r e o f t h e d a n g e r s h e is g e t t i n g i n t o - o r - as h e r l a w y e r p u t it, r e p e a t i n g
the
worst anti-feminist c l i c h e - ' T h e only p e r s o n to w h o m Mary Kay poses any t h r e a t is h e r s e l f - s h e is t h e g r e a t e s t d a n g e r t o h e r s e l f add
h e r e : with
d e f e n c e lawyers l i k e t h a t , w h o
( o n e is t e m p t e d to
needs a prosecution?).
A l o n g these lines, D r J u l i e M o o r e , the psychiatrist who 'evaluated' Mary K a y , i n s i s t e d e m p h a t i c a l l y t h a t M a r y K a y ' s p r o b l e m 'is n o t p s y c h o l o g i c a l , b u t m e d i c a l ' , t o b e t r e a t e d b y d r u g s t h a t will s t a b i l i z e h e r b e h a v i o u r : ' F o r M a r y K a y , m o r a l i t y b e g i n s w i t h a p i l l . ' I t was r a t h e r u n c o m f o r t a b l e
to
listen to this d o c t o r w h o brutally m e d i c a l i z e d M a r y Kay's p a s s i o n , depriv ing h e r o f the dignity o f an a u t h e n t i c subjective stance: she c l a i m e d that w h e n M a r y Kay talks a b o u t h e r love f o r t h e b o y s h e simply s h o u l d n o t b e t a k e n s e r i o u s l y - s h e is t r a n s p o r t e d i n t o s o m e h e a v e n , d i s c o n n e c t e d f r o m the demands and obligations o f h e r social surroundings. . . . T h e notion o f 'bipolar disorder'
popularized
b y two O p r a h
Winfrey-
s h o w s is i n t e r e s t i n g : its b a s i c c l a i m is t h a t a p e r s o n s u f f e r i n g f r o m
this
d i s o r d e r still k n o w s t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n r i g h t a n d w r o n g , still k n o w s w h a t is r i g h t a n d g o o d f o r h e r ( p a t i e n t s a r e , as a r u l e , w o m e n ) , b u t w h e n s h e is i n a m a n i c s t a t e s h e g o e s a h e a d a n d m a k e s i m p u l s i v e d e c i s i o n s , suspending
h e r c a p a c i t y o f r a t i o n a l j u d g e m e n t w h i c h t e l l s h e r w h a t is^
r i g h t a n d g o o d for h e r . Is n o t s u c h a s u s p e n s i o n , h o w e v e r , o n e o f t h e constituents o f the notion o f the authentic
act o f b e i n g t r u l y i n l o v e ?
C r u c i a l h e r e was M a r y Kay's u n c o n d i t i o n a l
compulsion to accomplish
s o m e t h i n g s h e k n e w v e r y well was a g a i n s t h e r o w n G o o d : h e r p a s s i o n was s i m p l y t o o s t r o n g ; s h e was fully a w a r e t h a t , b e y o n d all s o c i a l o b l i g a t i o n s , t h e v e r y c o r e o f h e r b e i n g was a t s t a k e i n it. . . . T h i s p r e d i c a m e n t a l l o w s us t o s p e c i f y t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n a c t a n d k n o w l e d g e . O e d i p u s d i d n ' t k n o w w h a t h e was d o i n g ( k i l l i n g h i s o w n f a t h e r ) , y e t h e d i d it; H a m l e t k n e w w h a t h e h a d t o d o , w h i c h is why h e p r o c r a s t i n a t e d a n d was u n a b l e to a c c o m p l i s h the act. T h e r e is, h o w e v e r , a t h i r d
position, that o f -
C l a u d e l ' s Sygne de C o u f o n t a i n e f r o m his d r a m a o f je sais bien, mais quand
among others 69
The Hostage,
Paul
a version
rneme - S y g n e fully k n e w , was fully a w a r e o f , t h e
h o r r i b l e r e a l i t y o f w h a t s h e was a b o u t t o d o ( b r i n g i n g r u i n t o h e r e t e r n a l
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
387
s o u l ) , y e t s h e d i d it. ( D o e s n o t t h e s a m e h o l d a l s o f o r t h e noir h e r o , w h o is n o t s i m p l y d u p e d b y t h e femme fatak,
b u t fully a w a r e t h a t h i s l i a i s o n w i t h
h e r will e n d in t o t a l c a t a s t r o p h e , t h a t s h e will b e t r a y h i m -
nevertheless
h e g o e s a h e a d a n d c o m m i t s h i m s e l f to h e r ? ) T h e fact that this f o r m u l a o f Sygne c o i n c i d e s with Sygne's act stands
the
for
the
formula
o f cynicism should
radical opposite
n o t d e c e i v e us:
o f cynicism. W e
are
thus
d e a l i n g h e r e with t h e s t r u c t u r e o f H e g e l i a n speculative j u d g e m e n t : with the statement which
c a n b e r e a d i n two o p p o s i t e ways, as t h e
lowest
c y n i c i s m ( ' I k n o w t h a t w h a t I a m a b o u t t o d o is t h e l o w e s t d e p r a v i t y ,
but
what t h e hell, w h o c a r e s , I'll j u s t d o i t . . . ' ) a n d t h e h i g h e s t tragic split ('I a m fully a w a r e o f t h e c a t a s t r o p h i c c o n s e q u e n c e s o f w h a t I a m a b o u t t o d o , b u t I c a n ' t h e l p it, it's m y u n c o n d i t i o n a l d u t y t o d o it, s o I ' l l g o o n with i t . . . ' ) . A r e c e n t G e r m a n p o s t e r f o r D a v i d o f f c i g a r e t t e s deftly m a n i p u l a t e s t h i s g a p b e t w e e n k n o w l e d g e a n d act - this s u s p e n s i o n o f k n o w l e d g e in the act, t h i s ' I ' l l d o it, a l t h o u g h I ' m w e l l a w a r e o f t h e c a t a s t r o p h i c c o n s e q u e n c e s o f m y a c t ' - in o r d e r to c o u n t e r a c t t h e e f f e c t o f t h e o b l i g a t o r y w a r n i n g at t h e b o t t o m o f every cigarette a d v e r t i s e m e n t
(a variation o n the
theme
' S m o k i n g may b e dangerous for your h e a l t h ' ) : the image o f an experi e n c e d m a n s m o k i n g is a c c o m p a n i e d b y t h e w o r d s ' T h e M o r e Y o u K n o w ' , s u g g e s t i n g the c o n c l u s i o n : i f you are truly d a r i n g ,
then
the m o r e
know a b o u t the dangers o f smoking, the m o r e you should
you
demonstrate
y o u r d e f i a n c e b y t a k i n g t h e risk a n d c o n t i n u i n g t o s m o k e -
t h a t is, b y
r e f u s i n g t o give u p s m o k i n g f o r r e a s o n s c o n c e r n i n g c a r e f o r y o u r
own
survival. . . . T h i s a d v e r t i s e m e n t is t h e l o g i c a l c o u n t e r p a r t t o t h e o b s e s s i o n with h e a l t h a n d longevity that c h a r a c t e r i z e s today's narcissistic individual. A n d d o e s n o t this f o r m u l a o f t h e tragic split also p e r f e c t l y e x p r e s s M a r y Kay's p r e d i c a m e n t ? T h i s , t h e n , is t h e s a d r e a l i t y o f o u r l a t e c a p i t a l i s t t o l e r a n t l i b e r a l s o c i e t y : t h e v e r y c a p a c i t y t o act is b r u t a l l y m e d i c a l i z e d , t r e a t e d as a m a n i c o u t b u r s t w i t h i n t h e p a t t e r n o f ' b i p o l a r d i s o r d e r ' , a n d as s u c h t o b e s u b m i t t e d
to
b i o c h e m i c a l t r e a t m e n t - d o we n o t e n c o u n t e r h e r e o u r own, W e s t e r n , liberal-democratic counterpart d i s s i d e n c e as a m e n t a l d i s o r d e r Scherbsky
Institute
in
to t h e
to
diagnose
(the practice centred on the
infamous
Moscow)? No
old Soviet attempts wonder,
s e n t e n c e was t h a t M a r y K a y h a s t o u n d e r g o
then, therapy
that
part
of
( t h e lawyer
the even
e x p l a i n e d h e r s e c o n d t r a n s g r e s s i o n - b e i n g f o u n d with h e r l o v e r in a c a r in t h e m i d d l e of the n i g h t after h e r r e l e a s e , w h i c h l e d to h e r o u t r a g e o u s s e n t e n c e o f o v e r s i x y e a r s i n p r i s o n - as r e s u l t i n g f r o m t h e f a c t t h a t i n t h e
THE
5S»
TICKLISH
days i m m e d i a t e l y p r e c e d i n g
SUBJECT
t h i s e n c o u n t e r s h e was n o t g i v e n h e r
pre
scribed medication regularly). O p r a h Winfrey herself, w h o d e d i c a t e d o n e o f h e r shows to Mary Kay, was
at
her
worst
here:
she
was
right
to
reject
the
talk
of
'bipolar
p e r s o n a l i t y ' as l e g a l p r a t t l e , y e t s h e r e j e c t e d it f o r t h e w r o n g r e a s o n - as a simple
e x c u s e allowing
Mary Kay to
avoid
her
fundamental
guilt
of
behaving irresponsibly. A l t h o u g h O p r a h p r e t e n d e d to b e neutral a n d n o t t o t a k e s i d e s , s h e r e f e r r e d t o M a t y K a y ' s l o v e all t h e t i m e i n a m o c k i n g l y d i s t a n t i a t e d way ( ' w h a t s h e thought was l o v e ' , e t c . ) , a n d f i n a l l y p a s s i o n a t e l y v o i c e d the surprised q u e s t i o n o f h e r peers, o f h e r h u s b a n d , o f the soc a l l e d d e c e n t c o m m o n p e o p l e : ' H o w c o u l d s h e h a v e d o n e it, n o t t h i n k i n g about the catastrophic c o n s e q u e n c e s o f h e r act? H o w c o u l d she not only p u t at risk, b u t effectively a b a n d o n a n d r e n o u n c e , e v e r y t h i n g t h a t f o r m e d t h e very s u b s t a n c e
of her
life -
h e r family, with
three
children,
her
p r o f e s s i o n a l c a r e e r ? ' Is n o t s u c h a s u s p e n s i o n o f t h e ' p r i n c i p l e o f s u f f i c i e n t r e a s o n ( s ) ' , h o w e v e r , t h e v e r y d e f i n i t i o n o f t h e act} U n d o u b t e d l y t h e m o s t d e p r e s s i v e m o m e n t was w h e n , a t t h e
trial, u n d e r t h e p r e s s u r e
of her
s u r r o u n d i n g s , M a r y K a y c o n c e d e d , in t e a r s , t h a t s h e k n e w s h e w a s d o i n g something
that was legally a n d
morally wrong -
a moment
of
ethical
betrayal i n t h e p r e c i s e s e n s e o f ' c o m p r o m i s i n g o n e ' s d e s i r e ' i f e v e r t h e r e was o n e . I n o t h e r w o r d s , h e r guilt a t t h a t p o i n t lay p r e c i s e l y i n r e n o u n c i n g h e r p a s s i o n . W h e n s h e l a t e r r e a s s e r t e d h e r u n c o n d i t i o n a l fidelity t o h e r love (stating with dignity that s h e h a d l e a r n e d to r e m a i n t r u e a n d
faithful
to h e r s e l f ) , we have a c l e a r c a s e o f s o m e o n e w h o , after a l m o s t s u c c u m b i n g to the pressure o f h e r s u r r o u n d i n g s , o v e r c o m e s h e r guilt a n d regains h e r e t h i c a l c o m p o s u r e b y d e c i d i n g not to compromise her desire. T h e u l t i m a t e false a r g u m e n t against M a r y Kay e v o k e d by a p s y c h o l o g i s t on
the Oprah
opposite
s h o w was t h a t o f g e n d e r s y m m e t r y : l e t u s i m a g i n e
' L o l i t a ' c a s e o f a thirty-four-year-old
male
teacher who
the gets
i n v o l v e d w i t h a t h i r t e e n - y e a r - o l d g i r l , h i s p u p i l - is it n o t t r u e t h a t i n t h i s case we w o u l d insist m u c h m o r e u n a m b i g u o u s l y o n his guilt a n d r e s p o n s i bility? T h i s a r g u m e n t is m i s l e a d i n g a n d w r o n g - n o t o n l y f o r t h e reason that the a r g u m e n t a t i o n
o f those w h o o p p o s e affirmative
same action
( h e l p i n g u n d e r p r i v i l e g e d m i n o r i t i e s ) o n t h e g r o u n d s t h a t i t is a c a s e o f inverted
r a c i s m is w r o n g
( t h e f a c t is t h a t m e n
rape women,
n o t vice
versa . . . ) . ~ " O n a m o r e radical level, o n e s h o u l d insist o n t h e u n i q u e n e s s , the absolute idiosyncrasy, o f the ethical act p r o p e r - such an a c t involves its o w n i n h e r e n t n o r m a t i v i t y w h i c h ' m a k e s it r i g h t ' ; t h e r e is n o
neutral
e x t e r n a l s t a n d a r d t h a t w o u l d e n a b l e us t o d e c i d e i n a d v a n c e , b y a s i m p l e a p p l i c a t i o n t o a s i n g l e c a s e , o n its e t h i c a l s t a t u s .
WHITHER
So our
OEDIPUS?
u l t i m a t e l e s s o n is t h a t w e s h o u l d
389
supplement
the
Lacanian
n o t i o n o f ' b e t w e e n two d e a t h s ' with ' b e t w e e n t h e t w o d e a t h d r i v e s ' : t h e u l t i m a t e c h o i c e is d i r e c t l y t h e o n e b e t w e e n t w o d e a t h d r i v e s . T h e first aspect
o f the
death
drive
is t h e
indestructible
stupidity
of
superego
e n j o y m e n t . A s u p r e m e e x a m p l e o f this i d i o t i c s u p e r e g o c o m p u l s i o n p r o v i d e d b y C h a r l e s R u s s e l l ' s f i l m The Mask,
is
with J i m C a r e y ( 1 9 9 4 ) , t h e
story o f a w e a k o r d i n a r y b a n k teller, h u m i l i a t e d a g a i n a n d a g a i n by his p e e r s a n d by w o m e n , w h o a c q u i r e s e x t r a o r d i n a r y p o w e r s w h e n h e puts o n a mysterious old mask found
on
a city b e a c h . A s e r i e s o f details
are
e s s e n t i a l t o t h e s t o r y ' s b a c k g r o u n d . W h e n t h e m a s k is t h r o w n o n t o t h e s e a s h o r e , it s t i c k s t o t h e s l i m y d e c a y i n g r e m a i n s o f a c o r p s e ,
bearing
witness to what r e m a i n s o f t h e ' p e r s o n b e h i n d t h e m a s k ' after h e totally identifies with t h e mask: a formless s l i m e l i k e t h a t o f M r V a l d e m a r f r o m P o e ' s s t o r y w h e n h e is r e s u s c i t a t e d f r o m d e a t h , t h i s ' i n d i v i s i b l e r e m a i n d e r ' o f t h e R e a l . A n o t h e r c r u c i a l f e a t u r e is t h a t t h e h e r o , b e f o r e a c q u i r i n g t h e m a s k , is p r e s e n t e d as a c o m p u l s i v e T V c a r t o o n - w a t c h e r : w h e n h e p u t s o n t h e g r e e n w o o d e n m a s k , a n d it t a k e s p o s s e s s i o n o f h i m , h e is a b l e
to
b e h a v e , i n ' r e a l l i f e ' , as a c a r t o o n h e r o ( d o d g i n g t h e b u l l e t s , d a n c i n g a n d l a u g h i n g madly, sticking his eyes a n d t o n g u e far o u t o f his h e a d w h e n h e is e x c i t e d ) - i n s h o r t , h e b e c o m e s ' u n d e a d ' , e n t e r i n g t h e s p e c t r a l p h a n t a s m i c d o m a i n o f u n c o n s t r a i n e d p e r v e r s i o n , o f ' e t e r n a l life' in w h i c h t h e r e is n o d e a t h ( o r s e x ) , i n w h i c h t h e p l a s t i c i t y o f t h e b o d i l y s u r f a c e is n o l o n g e r c o n s t r a i n e d b y a n y p h y s i c a l laws ( f a c e s c a n b e s t r e t c h e d
indefi
nitely; 1 c a n spit o u t f r o m m y b o d y bullets w h i c h w e r e s h o t into m e ; after I fall f r o m
a high building,
spread-eagled
on
the pavement,
I simply
r e a s s e m b l e m y s e l f a n d walk away . . . ) . T h i s u n i v e r s e is i n h e r e n t l y compulsive:
e v e n t h o s e w h o o b s e r v e it c a n n o t
r e s i s t its s p e l l . S u f f i c e it t o r e c a l l p e r h a p s t h e s u p r e m e s c e n e o f t h e film i n w h i c h t h e h e r o , w e a r i n g h i s g r e e n m a s k , is c o r n e r e d b y a l a r g e p o l i c e f o r c e ( d o z e n s o f c a r s , h e l i c o p t e r s ) : to g e t o u t o f this i m p a s s e h e treats the l i g h t f o c u s e d o n h i m as s p o t l i g h t s o n a s t a g e , a n d s t a r t s t o s i n g a n d d a n c e a crazy Hollywood
musical version
o f a seductive
Latino song -
the
p o l i c e m e n a r e u n a b l e t o r e s i s t its s p e l l ; t h e y a l s o s t a r t t o m o v e a n d s i n g as if they are p a r t o f a m u s i c a l - n u m b e r c h o r e o g r a p h y (a y o u n g p o l i c e w o m a n is s h e d d i n g t e a r s , visibly
fighting
b a c k the power o f the mask, but
she
n o n e t h e l e s s s u c c u m b s t o its s p e l l a n d j o i n s t h e h e r o i n a p o p u l a r s o n g and-dance
number...).
Crucial
here
is t h e
inherent
stupidity
o f this
c o m p u l s i o n : it s t a n d s f o r t h e w a y e a c h o f u s is c a u g h t i n t h e i n e x p l i c a b l e s p e l l o f i d i o t i c puissance,
as w h e n w e a r e u n a b l e t o r e s i s t w h i s t l i n g s o m e
v u l g a r p o p u l a r s o n g w h o s e m e l o d y is h a u n t i n g u s . T h i s c o m p u l s i o n is
390
THE
properly
ex-timate: imposed
TICKLISH
from
the
SUBJECT
outside, yet d o i n g
nothing
but
r e a l i z i n g o u r i n n e r m o s t w h i m s - as t h e h e r o h i m s e l f p u t s i t i n a d e s p e r a t e m o m e n t : ' W h e n I put the mask on, I lose control - I can do anything I want.' 'Having c o n t r o l over o n e s e l f
t h u s i n n o way s i m p l y r e l i e s o n
the
a b s e n c e o f obstacles to the realization o f o u r intentions: I a m able to e x e r t c o n t r o l o v e r m y s e l f o n l y i n s o f a r as s o m e f u n d a m e n t a l o b s t a c l e m a k e s it i m p o s s i b l e f o r m e t o ' d o a n y t h i n g I w a n t ' - t h e m o m e n t t h i s o b s t a c l e falls away, I a m c a u g h t i n a d e m o n i a c c o m p u l s i o n , a t t h e w h i m o f ' s o m e t h i n g in m e m o r e t h a n m y s e l f . W h e n t h e m a s k - t h e d e a d o b j e c t - c o m e s alive b y t a k i n g p o s s e s s i o n o f u s , its h o l d o n us is e f f e c t i v e l y t h a t o f a ' l i v i n g d e a d ' , o f a m o n s t r o u s automaton
i m p o s i n g i t s e l f o n u s - is n o t t h e l e s s o n
to b e drawn f r o m this that o u r f u n d a m e n t a l
fantasy, the k e r n e l o f o u r
b e i n g , is i t s e l f s u c h a m o n s t r o u s T h i n g , a m a c h i n e o f
71
jouissance?
O n the o t h e r h a n d , against this stupid s u p e r e g o i n j u n c t i o n to e n j o y which increasingly dominates and regulates the perverse universe o f our late capitalist e x p e r i e n c e , t h e d e a t h
drive designates the very o p p o s i t e
gesture, the desperate e n d e a v o u r to e s c a p e the clutches o f the
'undead'
e t e r n a l life, t h e h o r r i b l e fate o f b e i n g c a u g h t in t h e e n d l e s s
repetitive
c y c l e o f jouissance.
T h e d e a t h drive d o e s n o t r e l a t e to t h e finitude o f o u r
c o n t i n g e n t t e m p o r a l e x i s t e n c e , but designates the e n d e a v o u r to e s c a p e t h e d i m e n s i o n t h a t t r a d i t i o n a l m e t a p h y s i c s d e s c r i b e d as t h a t o f
immortality,
t h e i n d e s t r u c t i b l e l i f e t h a t p e r s i s t s b e y o n d d e a t h . I t is o f t e n a t h i n , a l m o s t imperceptible line which separates
two m o d a l i t i e s o f t h e
death
drive: which s e p a r a t e s o u r yielding to t h e b l i n d c o m p u l s i o n to
repeat
more
and
more
intense
pleasures,
these
as e x e m p l i f i e d b y
the
adolescent
transfixed by t h e v i d e o g a m e o n t h e s c r e e n , f r o m t h e t h o r o u g h l y d i f f e r e n t e x p e r i e n c e o f traversing the fantasy. S o w e n o t o n l y d w e l l b e t w e e n t h e two d e a t h s , as L a c a n p u t it, b u t o u r u l t i m a t e c h o i c e is d i r e c t l y t h e o n e b e t w e e n t h e two d e a t h d r i v e s : t h e o n l y way t o g e t r i d o f d i e s t u p i d s u p e r e g o e m b r a c e the death
death
d r i v e i n its d i s r u p t i v e
d r i v e o f e n j o y m e n t is t o
dimension
o f traversing
the
fantasy. O n e c a n b e a t t h e d e a t h drive o n l y by t h e d e a t h drive itself - so, a g a i n , t h e u l t i m a t e c h o i c e is b e t w e e n b a d a n d w o r s e . A n d t h e s a m e g o e s for the properly Freudian ethical stance. T h e superego injunction 'Enjoy!' is u l t i m a t e l y s u p p o r t e d
by s o m e
figure
darfst! / Y o u m a y ! ' , t h e
logo on
a brand
Germany, provides
o f the 'totalitarian' o f fat-free
Master.
meat products
the most succinct formula o f how the
'Du in
'totalitarian'
M a s t e r o p e r a t e s . T h a t is t o say: o n e s h o u l d r e j e c t t h e s t a n d a r d e x p l a n a t i o n of
today's
new
fundamentalisms
as a
reaction
against
the
anxiety o f
excessive f r e e d o m in o u r late capitalist 'permissive' l i b e r a l society, o f f e r i n g
WHITHER
us a
firm
a n c h o r by providing
OEDIPUS?
391
strong prohibitions -
this c l i c h e a b o u t
individuals 'escaping from f r e e d o m ' into the totalitarian haven o f c l o s e d o r d e r is p r o f o u n d l y m i s l e a d i n g . O n e s h o u l d also r e j e c t t h e s t a n d a r d F r e u d o - M a r x i s t thesis a c c o r d i n g to which the libidinal foundation so-called 'authoritarian satisfaction
in
o f t h e t o t a l i t a r i a n ( F a s c i s t ) s u b j e c t is t h e
personality' structure:
the individual w h o
compulsively obeying authority,
repressing
finds
spontaneous
s e x u a l u r g e s , f e a r i n g i n s e c u r i t y a n d irresponsibility, a n d so o n . T h e shift f r o m t h e t r a d i t i o n a l a u t h o r i t a r i a n t o t h e t o t a l i t a r i a n M a s t e r is c r u c i a l h e r e : although,
on
the
surface, the
totalitarian
M a s t e r also i m p o s e s
severe
o r d e r s , c o m p e l l i n g us t o r e n o u n c e o u r p l e a s u r e s a n d to sacrifice ourselves for s o m e h i g h e r Duty, his actual injunction, discernible b e t w e e n the lines o f h i s e x p l i c i t w o r d s , is e x a c t l y t h e o p p o s i t e - t h e c a l l t o u n c o n s t r a i n e d and unrestrained
transgression.
Far from
imposing on
us a
firm
set o f
standards to be obeyed unconditionally, the
totalitarian
a g e n c y that suspends
t h a t is t o say, h i s s e c r e t
(moral) punishment
-
M a s t e r is
the
i n j u n c t i o n is: Yon may!: t h e p r o h i b i t i o n s t h a t s e e m t o r e g u l a t e s o c i a l l i f e and
guarantee
a minimum
o f d e c e n c y are ultimately worthless, j u s t a
d e v i c e t o k e e p t h e c o m m o n p e o p l e at b a y , w h i l e y o u a r e a l l o w e d t o kill, rape a n d p l u n d e r the E n e m y , let yourself go a n d excessively enjoy, violate o r d i n a r y m o r a l p r o h i b i t i o n s . . . in so far as y o u f o l l o w M e . O b e d i e n c e t o t h e M a s t e r is t h u s t h e o p e r a t o r t h a t a l l o w s y o u t o r e j e c t o r
transgress
e v e r y d a y m o r a l r u l e s : all t h e o b s c e n e d i r t y t h i n g s y o u w e r e d r e a m i n g of, all t h a t y o u h a d
to r e n o u n c e
when you
subordinated
yourself to
the
traditional patriarchal symbolic Law - you are now allowed to indulge in them without punishment,
e x a c t l y like t h e fat-free G e r m a n m e a t w h i c h
y o u m a y e a t w i t h o u t a n y risk t o y o u r h e a l t h . . . . I t is h e r e , h o w e v e r , t h a t w e e n c o u n t e r t h e last, f a t a l t r a p t o b e a v o i d e d . W h a t psychoanalytic e t h i c s o p p o s e s to this totalitarian s o m e b a s i c You mustn't!,
unconditionally respected neighbour!
Do
not
You may! is n o t
s o m e f u n d a m e n t a l p r o h i b i t i o n o r l i m i t a t i o n to b e (Respect the autonomy
e n c r o a c h violently u p o n
and
his/her
dignity o f your intimate
fantasy
s p a c e ! ) . T h e e t h i c a l s t a n c e o f ( s e l f - ) l i m i t a t i o n , o f ' N o trespassing!' in all its v e r s i o n s , i n c l u s i v e o f its r e c e n t e c o l o g i c o - h u m a n i s t twist ( D o n o t e n g a g e in b i o g e n e t i c e n g i n e e r i n g a n d c l o n i n g ! D o n o t t a m p e r t o o m u c h
with
n a t u r a l p r o c e s s e s ! D o n o t try t o v i o l a t e t h e s a c r e d d e m o c r a t i c r u l e s a n d risk a v i o l e n t s o c i a l u p h e a v a l ! R e s p e c t t h e c u s t o m s a n d
mores o f o t h e r
e t h n i c c o m m u n i t i e s ! ) is u l t i m a t e l y i n c o m p a t i b l e w i t h p s y c h o a n a l y s i s . O n e s h o u l d reject t h e usual l i b e r a l - c o n s e r v a t i v e g a m e o f ism'
with
a
reference
to s o m e
firm
fighting
set o f e t h n i c a l
'totalitarian
standards
whose
THE
392 abandonment
is s u p p o s e d
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
to lead to catastrophe: n o , the H o l o c a u s t
and
the G u l a g did n o t o c c u r b e c a u s e p e o p l e forgot a b o u t the basic rules o f human decency and give r e i n So -
to the
'set free t h e b e a s t in t h e m s e l v e s ' , l e t t i n g
unconstrained
realization
o n c e m o r e , a n d for the last time -
themselves
o f their murderous
impulses.
t h e c h o i c e is b e t w e e n
bad
and
w o r s e ; w h a t F r e u d i a n e t h i c s o p p o s e s t o t h e ' b a d ' s u p e r e g o v e r s i o n o f You 1
may.
is a n o t h e r ,
to . . .' -
even m o r e
radical
1
You may. , a Scilicet
('You are
allowed
t h e title o f t h e y e a r b o o k e d i t e d by L a c a n in t h e early 1 9 7 0 s )
l o n g e r v o u c h e d for by any figure o f the Master. L a c a n ' s m a x i m
'Do
no not
c o m p r o m i s e y o u r d e s i r e ! ' fully e n d o r s e s t h e p r a g m a t i c p a r a d o x o f o r d e r i n g y o u t o b e f r e e : it e x h o r t s y o u to d a r e .
Notes 1. J a c q u e s L a c a n , lss complexes famihaux dans la formation de I'individu ( 1 9 3 8 ) , Paris: Navariii 1 9 8 4 . 2. S e e E r i c S a n t n e r , My (htm Private Germany, P r i n c e t o n , NJ: P r i n c e t o n University Press 1996. 3. Is it not, however, that after this d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e crisis o f t h e empirical-social form o f t h e O e d i p u s c o m p l e x , L a c a n later (in t h e 1 9 5 0 s ) r e f o r m u l a t e d O e d i p u s as a kind o f f o r m a l - t r a n s c e n d e n t a l f r a m e i n d e p e n d e n t o f c o n c r e t e historical c i r c u m s t a n c e s a n d inscribed into t h e very structure o f l a n g u a g e ( t h e O e d i p a l p a t e r n a l prohibition merely exemplifies t h e loss, t h e prohibition o f jouissance, i n h e r e n t t o t h e symbolic o r d e r as such . . .)? In a strictly h o m o l o g o u s gesture, Louis Althusser resolves t h e ' e m p i r i c a l ' crisis o f M a r x i s m as t h e tool for c o n c r e t e social analysis by t r a n s f o r m i n g it into a formal-structural t h e o r e t i c a l edifice with n o d i r e c t link t o d e t e r m i n a t e historical c o n t e n t . W h a t this criticism ( o f resolving a n 'empirical' crisis by r e c o u r s e t o t h e a priori symbolic formal o r d e r ) fails to take into a c c o u n t is that, in the late L a c a n o f t h e 1970s, historicity r e t u r n s with a v e n g e a n c e . 4. T i m Pat C o o g a n , De VaUna, L o n d o n : A r r o w B o o k s 1 9 9 5 , p. 2 4 9 . 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid., p. 2 7 8 . 7. T h e usual c o m p a r i s o n o f t h e c o u p l e D e V a l e r a - C o l l i n s with t h e c o u p l e R o b e s p i e r r e D a n t o n ( R o b e s p i e r r e leaving D a n t o n t o win t h e battles, t h e n having him sacrificed) is t h e r e f o r e deeply misleading: it was, r a t h e r , Collins himself w h o was a kind o f c o m b i n e d D a n t o n / R o b e s p i e r r e , while D e V a l e r a was c l o s e r to a N a p o l e o n i c figure. T w o q u o t e s t h r o w a c l e a r light o n their relationship in t h e c r u c i a l p h a s e o f negotiating with t h e British g o v e r n m e n t a n d t h e n signing t h e T r e a t y in 1 9 2 1 . T h e first, f r o m D e V a l e r a ' s official biography, a p p r o v e d by himself, describes his reasons for n o t g o i n g t o L o n d o n himself t o c o n c l u d e t h e negotiations, b u t insisting o n a t e a m h e a d e d by Collins: D e V a l e r a believed it was vital at this stage that t h e symbol o f t h e R e p u b l i c [i.e. D e Valera himself.] should b e kept u n t o u c h e d a n d t h a t it s h o u l d n o t b e c o m p r o m i s e d in a n y sense by a n y a r r a n g e m e n t s which it m i g h t be necessary for o u r plenipotentiaries to m a k e . . . it was necessary t o keep t h e H e a d o f State a n d t h e symbol u n t o u c h e d and that was why h e asked to b e left out. ( q u o t e d from C o o g a n , De Valera, p. 2 4 7 ) Collins's m a i n a r g u m e n t for n o t g o i n g to L o n d o n to n e g o t i a t e was completely different f r o m this self-appointed position o f the 'living symbol o f the R e p u b l i c ' - his point was:
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
393
in E n g l a n d as in Ireland, t h e Michael Collins l e g e n d existed. It p i c t u r e d m e as a mysterious, active m e n a c e , elusive, unknown, u n a c c o u n t a b l e . . . . B r i n g m e into t h e spotlight o f a L o n d o n c o n f e r e n c e a n d quickly will be discovered t h e c o m m o n clay o f which I a m m a d e . T h e g l a m o u r o f t h e legendary figure will be g o n e , ( q u o t e d f r o m ibid., p. 2 4 8 ) D e Valera a n d Collins a r e referring n o t to any factual reasons c o n c e r n i n g their respective abilities, o r the d a n g e r s and intricacies o f the n e g o t i a t i n g p r o c e s s , but, r a t h e r , to t h e d a m a g e t h e fact o f participating in t h e negotiations m i g h t d o to their p r o p e r l y mythical symbolic status: De V a l e r a fears the loss o f his status as t h e symbol o f the R e p u b l i c , which m u s t n o t be tarnished by any m u n d a n e business o f dirty negotiations involving necessary c o m p r o m i s e s ; while Collins fears t h e loss o f his status as t h e invisible Agent, w h o s e spectral o m n i p o t e n c e dwindles o n c e h e is b r o u g h t into daylight a n d shown to be just a n o t h e r o r d i n a r y guy. W h a t we e n c o u n t e r h e r e , o f c o u r s e , is - in L a c a n e s e - t h e opposition between S, a n d objel pelit a, between the symbolic Master sustained by the c h a r i s m a o f his public insignia a n d its spectral d o u b l e , the mysterious object which, o n the c o n t r a r y , e x e r t s its p o w e r only as half-seen, never fully present in daylight. 8. F o r a c o n c i s e description o f these shifts, see Michel L a p e y r e , Au-deUi du complexe d'CEdipe, Paris: A n t h r o p o s - E c o n o m i c a 1 9 9 7 . 9. T h e title o f C h a p t e r 9 o f J a c q u e s L a c a n , Le Seminaire, lime XVII: Leavers de la psychoanalyse, Paris: Editions du Seuil 1 9 9 1 . 10. F o r a m o r e detailed a c c o u n t o f this distinction, see C h a p t e r 2 o f Slavoj Zizek, The Indivisible Remainder, L o n d o n : V e r s o 1 9 9 6 . 11. F o r this reason, the way the obsessional hysteric a n d t h e pervert relate to rules is exactly o p p o s e d : the obsessional follows his rules in o r d e r to pacify t h e t r a u m a t i c i m p a c t o f the symbolic L a w / P r o h i b i t i o n , its u n b e a r a b l e u n c o n d i t i o n a l injunction - that is, for him, rules a r e t h e r e to normalize t h e t r a u m a t i c e x c e s s o f the Law (if you follow the c l e a r a n d explicit rules, you d o not have to worry about t h e a m b i g u o u s pressure o f y o u r c o n s c i e n c e the Catholic C h u r c h has always b e e n skilful in m a n i p u l a t i n g rules in this way: if you a r e b o t h e r e d by t h e sense of sin, t h e priest prescribes you a set o f p r o c e d u r e s - so many prayers, so m a n y g o o d deeds, and so on - which, o n c e you have a c c o m p l i s h e d t h e m , deliver you o f the guilt feeling); while the pervert establishes ( a n d follows) rules irr o r d e r to c o n c e a l the fact that t h e r e is n o underlying Law in his psychic universe, that is, his rules serve as a kind o f mate-law. 12. See J a c q u e s L a c a n , Le Seminaire, livre VIII: Le transferl, Paris: E d i t i o n s du Seuil 1 9 9 1 . 13. See J a c q u e s Derrida, Donner la mart, Paris: Galilee 1 9 9 5 . 14. A sign o f how even the C h u r c h is rrot resistant to this shift in t h e f u n d a m e n t a l attitude a r e t h e r e c e n t grass-roots pressures on the P o p e to elevate Mary to t h e status of c o r e d e m p t r i x : o n e e x p e c t s the P o p e to m a k e t h e Catholic C h u r c h viable for the post-paternal third m i l l e n n i u m by p r o c l a i m i n g a d o g m a which asserts that t h e only way for us, sinful mortals, to gain divine m e r c y is via o u r plea to Mary - Mary serves as o u r m e d i a t o r ; if we c o n v i n c e h e r , she will speak in o u r favour to Christ, h e r son. 15. H e g e l , o f c o u r s e , b r o u g h t this meta-physical s e a r c h to the point o f self-reference: for him, 'the suprasensible is appearance as appearance., that is, t h e O t h e r W o r l d b e n e a t h a p p e a r a n c e is precisely s o m e t h i n g which appears, it is the appearance that t h e r e is A n o t h e r W o r l d b e y o n d t h e p h e n o m e n a l sensible world. 16. See P a u l - L a u r e n t Assoun, La Voix el k Regard, vol. I, Paris: A n t h r o p o s - E c o n o m i c a 1 9 9 5 , pp. 6 4 ft. 17. T h a t is also t h e m e a s u r e o f t r u e love: even when I c a t c h m y p a r t n e r r e d - h a n d e d , in bed with a n o t h e r m a n ( o r w o m a n ) , I give p r e f e r e n c e to his ( o r h e r ) words - t h e verbal protestations o f i n n o c e n c e - over t h e h a r d , stupid fact perceived by my eyes. . . • 18. R i c h a r d Andrews a n d Paul S c h e l l e n b e r g e r , The Tomb of Cod, L o n d o n : W a r n e r Books 1 9 9 7 , p. 4 3 3 .
394
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
19. Ibid., p. 4 2 8 . 2 0 . See Jacques-Alain Miller a n d E r i c L a u r e n t , ' L ' A u t r e qui n'existe pas et ses c o m i t e s d'ethique', in La Cause freudienne. 3 5 ( 1 9 9 7 ) , Paris, p p . 7 - 2 0 . 2 1 . Paul V e r h a e g h e (see his unpublished p a p e r T h e Collapse o f t h e F a t h e r F u n c t i o n a n d its Effects on G e n d e r Roles') drew attention t o a n o t h e r interesting feature o f this suspension o f p a t e r n a l symbolic authority: in so far as p a t e r n a l authority is the 'relay' that enables the subject's entry into t h e symbolic universe, is not today's r e g r e s s i o n ' from l a n g u a g e to m o d e s o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n that c o m b i n e l a n g u a g e with o t h e r types o f signs (say, t h e r e p l a c e m e n t o f writing with iconic signs: when we deal with a c o m p u t e r , instead o f writing o r d e r s , we increasingly o p e r a t e by m e r e l y clicking t h e m o u s e on to the a p p r o p r i a t e iconic sign) also a n i n d e x o f t h e suspension o f p a t e r n a l authority? 2 2 . See Ulrich B e c k ' s classic Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity, L o n d o n : Sage 1 9 9 2 ; a n d A n t h o n y Giddens's, The Consequences ojModernity, C a m b r i d g e : Polity Press 1 9 9 0 . F o r a p o p u l a r o v e m e w o f this theory, see The Politics of the Risk Society, e d . J a n e Franklin, O x f o r d : Polity Press 1 9 9 8 . 2 3 . F o r this very reason, the anxiety g e n e r a t e d by the risk society is that o f a s u p e r e g o : what c h a r a c t e r i z e s t h e s u p e r e g o is precisely t h e a b s e n c e o f ' p r o p e r m e a s u r e ' - o n e obeys its c o m m a n d s n o t e n o u g h a n d / o r t o o m u c h ; w h a t e v e r o n e does, t h e result is w r o n g a n d o n e is guilty. T h e p r o b l e m with t h e s u p e r e g o is that its c o m m a n d c a n never be translated into a positive rule to be followed: the O t h e r issuing the injunction d e m a n d s s o m e t h i n g from us, but we a r e never in a position t o guess what, exactly, this d e m a n d is. . . . 24. W h a t is an e m p t y gesture? T h e r e is tension in Slovenia between the P r i m e Minister a n d the President o f the republic: the latter, a l t h o u g h t h e constitution r e d u c e s his r o l e to p r o t o c o l functions, wants to play a l a r g e r r o l e with effective power. So when, recently, it was c l e a r that the Slovene representative at the m e e t i n g o f E u r o p e a n leaders o r g a n i z e d by J a c q u e s C h i r a c would be t h e P r i m e Minister, journalists were told t h a t the P r e s i d e n t wrote C h i r a c a letter e x p l a i n i n g that since, unfortunately, he was unable to be at t h e summit, t h e P r i m e Minister would take his place. . . . This is t h e e m p t y g e s t u r e at its purest: a l t h o u g h it was c l e a r that the P r i m e Minister should g o to F r a n c e to r e p r e s e n t Slovenia, t h e President acted as if the fact that the P r i m e Minister went was not 'natural', but resulted from his - the President's - decision not to g o a n d , instead, let the P r i m e Minister take his place. This is t h e way to turn defeat i n t o victory - to t r a n s f o r m into the result o f o n e ' s free decision ( t o withdraw) the fact that o n e c a n n o t g o in any case. 2 5 . Eva H o f f m a n , Exit Into History, L o n d o n : M i n e r v a 1 9 9 3 . 26. See Max H o r k h e i m e r , 'Authority a n d t h e Family', in Continuum 1995.
Critical
Theory, New
York:
27. This, o f c o u r s e , in n o way entails that the difference between the t h e o r y o f p o s t m o d ernism a n d t h e t h e o r y o f t h e s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y is merely n o m i n a l , a n o t h e r n a m e for the s a m e p h e n o m e n o n ; what we a r e dealing with h e r e , r a t h e r , is t h e i n h e r e n t split between two fundamentally i n c o m p a t i b l e notions o f p o s t m o d e r n i t y t h a t a r e operative today, on t h e o n e hand, t h e idea that p o s t m o d e r n i t y brings t o an e n d t h e logic o f m o d e r n i t y , deploying all its potential ( F r e d r i c J a m e s o n ' s version - n o w o n d e r m a n y o f his d e t e r m i n a t i o n s o f p o s t m o d e r n ity c o i n c i d e with those o f the s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y ) ; o n the o t h e r , the idea that p o s t m o d e r n i t y negates the basic feature o f m o d e r n i z a t i o n (rational reflexivity) in favour o f s o m e new form o f i m m e d i a c y ( t h e New A g e holistic attitude o r s o m e o t h e r version o f t h e 'post-Cartesian p a r a d i g m ' ) . Within this c o n t e x t , it is interesting how r e c e n t discussions o n globalization again b r o u g h t into focus t h e t o p i c o f m o d e r n i z a t i o n in its different aspects (globalized reflexivity, the dissolution o f the last traditional social links . . . ) : we a r e b e c o m i n g increas ingly aware that 'postmodernism' was just an endeavour to come to terms with accelerated moderniza tion. D o not the turbulent events in all s p h e r e s o f life, from e c o n o m i c a n d cultural 'globalization' to t h e reflexivization o f t h e most i n t i m a t e d o m a i n s , d e m o n s t r a t e how we still have to learn to c o p e with the real shock o f m o d e r n i z a t i o n ? 2 8 . In La fin de {'interpretation
(available o n t h e I n t e r n e t ) , Jacques-Alain Miller tried t o
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
395
resolve this d e a d l o c k by situating t h e analyst at t h e level o f pre-symbolic jouis-sense, m e a n i n g less gibber, s o m e t h i n g like t h e r h i z o m a t i c flow o f J o y c e ' s Finnegans Wake. T h i s r e f e r e n c e to J o y c e is significant in so far as J o y c e is t h e p a r a d i g m a t i c c a s e o f t h e reflexive artist: his works, specifically Finnegans Wake, a r e n o t simply e x t e r n a l t o their i n t e r p r e t a t i o n b u t take t h e i r possible interpretations into a c c o u n t in a d v a n c e , a n d e n t e r into d i a l o g u e with t h e m . Since t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o r theoretical e x p l a n a t i o n o f a work o f art e n d e a v o u r s to ' f r a m e ' its object, o n e can say that this J o y c e i a n dialectics provides a n o t h e r e x a m p l e o f how the f r a m e is always included in - is a part o f - t h e f r a m e d c o n t e n t : the t h e o r y a b o u t t h e work is c o m p r i s e d in t h e work; t h e w o r k is a kind of pre-emptive strike at possible t h e o r i e s a b o u t itself. So, instead o f the S o f interpretation ( t h e c h a i n o f K n o w l e d g e ) adding itself to t h e S, o f the i n t e r p r e t e d signifier, elucidating its m e a n i n g , we have in Finnegans Wake a gigantic, p o l y m o r p h o u s S, which n o t only resists being s u b o r d i n a t e d to the interpretive S , but in a way swallows it (its i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s ) in a d v a n c e into its own m a d d a n c e o f jouis-sense. . . . Is this really, however, t h e only way out? D o e s not this solution m e r e l y g o f r o m bad to worse, r e p l a c i n g t h e delirium o f interpretation with t h e i m m e r s i o n in t h e n i g h t m a r e o f t h e pre-symbolic/pre-discursive Thing? 2
2
2 9 . H e r e 1 draw on extensive discussions with R e n a t a Salerl, to w h o m I also owe a lot o f t h e ideas e x p r e s s e d in this c h a p t e r ; see R e n a t a Salecl, (Per)Versions of Love and Hale, L o n d o n : Verso 1 9 9 8 . 3 0 . In t h e 1 9 6 0 s and 1 9 7 0 s , it was possible to buy soft-porn p o s t c a r d s with a girl clad in a bikini o r wearing a p r o p e r dress; w h e n o n e m o v e d the p o s t c a r d a little bit o r l o o k e d at it from a slightly different perspective, however, the dress magically d i s a p p e a r e d , a n d o n e was able to see the girl's naked body - is t h e r e n o t s o m e t h i n g similar a b o u t the i m a g e o f Bill Gates, whose benevolent features, viewed from a slightly different perspective, magirallv a c q u i r e a sinister a n d t h r e a t e n i n g d i m e n s i o n ? 3 1 . This t e n d e n c y was already discernible in Bryan Singer's e x c e l l e n t film The Usual Suspects ( 1 9 9 5 ) , in which t h e invisible-omnipotent Master-Criminal turns o u t to be n o n e o t h e r than the clumsy, frightened Kevin S p a c e y c h a r a c t e r . 3 2 . See Slavoj Zizek, "T H e a r Y o u with My Eyes"; o r , T h e Invisible Master', in daze and Voice as Love Objects, D u r h a m , NC: Duke University Press 1 9 9 6 . 3 3 . Aclorno pointed o u t how t h e very e m e r g e n c e o f psychology as 'science', with the individual's psyche as its 'object', is strictly correlative t o t h e p r e d o m i n a n c e o f i m p e r s o n a l relations in e c o n o m i c a n d political life. 3 4 . A m o n g the advocates o f risk society politics, it is p o p u l a r to point out, as a sign that we a r e moving into a new e r a 'beyond Left a n d Right', how n o n e o t h e r than G e o r g e Soros, the very e m b o d i m e n t o f financial speculation, c a m e to the insight that t h e u n r e s t r a i n e d rule o f t h e m a r k e t presents a d a n g e r g r e a t e r t h a n C o m m u n i s t totalitarianism, a n d thus has t o be c o n s t r a i n e d t h r o u g h s o m e sociopolitical m e a s u r e s - however, is this insight really e n o u g h ? Should we not r a t h e r , instead o f c e l e b r a t i n g this fact, ask ourselves if this d o e s n o t prove the contrary: namely, that the new politics 'beyond Left a n d Right' does n o t really pose a t h r e a t to t h e reign o f Capital? 3 5 . T h e answer to the question 'Why d o we privilege t h e e c o n o m i c level o f the logic o f Capital o v e r other s p h e r e s o f socio-symbolic life (political processes, cultural p r o d u c t i o n , e t h n i c tensions . . .)? Is this privileging n o t essentialist in that it neglects the radical pluralitv o f social life, the fact that its multiple levels c a n n o t be c o n c e i v e d as d e p e n d i n g o n t h e crucial role o f o n e o f the agencies?' is t h e r e f o r e c l e a r : o f c o u r s e we a r e dealing today with the proliferation o f multiple f o r m s o f politicization ( n o t only the s t a n d a r d fight for d e m o c r a c y a n d social justice, birt also all the new f o r m s o f feminist, h o m o s e x u a l , e c o l o g i c a l , ethrric minority, etc., political a g e n t s ) ; however, the very s p a c e for this proliferation o f multiplicity is sustained by t h e r e c e n t stage in t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f capitalism, that is, by its post-nationstate globalization and reflexive colonization o f t h e last vestiges o f 'privacy' a n d substantial i m m e d i a c y . C o n t e m p o r a r y feminism, for e x a m p l e , is strictly correlative to t h e fact that, in
396
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
r e c e n t decades, family a n d sexual life itself has b e c o m e 'colonized' by m a r k e t logic, a n d is thus e x p e r i e n c e d as s o m e t h i n g t h a t b e l o n g s t o t h e s p h e r e o f free c h o i c e s . 3 6 . Retroactively, o n e thus becomes aware of how deeply t h e p h e n o m e n o n o f so-called 'dissidence' was e m b e d d e d in t h e socialist ideological framework; of t h e e x t e n t t o which 'dissidence', in its very Utopian 'moralism' ( p r e a c h i n g social solidarity, ethical responsibility, e t c . ) , provided t h e disavowed ethical c o r e o f socialism: p e r h a p s o n e day historians will n o t e t h a t - in t h e s a m e sense in which H e g e l c l a i m e d t h a t t h e t r u e spiritual result o f t h e P e l o p o n n e s i a n W a r , its spiritual E n d , is T h u c y d i d e s ' b o o k a b o u t it - 'dissidence' was t h e t r u e spiritual result o f actually existing S o c i a l i s m . . . . 3 7 . S e e Slavoj Zrzek, ' I n t r o d u c t i o n ' , in Mapping Ideology, L o n d o n : Verso 1 9 9 5 . 3 8 . Karl M a r x , ' P r e f a c e t o A Critique, of Political Economy , in Selected Writings, O x f o r d : O x f o r d University Press 1 9 7 7 , p. 3 8 9 . 3 9 . A m o n g today's Marxists, it is F r e d r i c J a m e s o n w h o has m o s t consistently e m p h a s i z e d this aspect. 4 0 . A t least c o n c e r n i n g cultural studies, I speak h e r e n o t f r o m a c o n d e s c e n d i n g position o f a critic assuming t h e safe position o f a n e x t e r n a l observer, b u t as s o m e o n e who h a s p a r t i c i p a t e d in cultural studies - I, as it were, 'include myself o u t ' . . . . 4 1 . A c c o r d i n g to J e a n - C l a u d e Milner ( s e e Le, salaire, de Videal, Paris: Seuil 1 9 9 7 ) , t h e s a m e reflexivity d e t e r m i n e s t h e status o f today's new ruling class, t h e 'salaried bourgeoisie': t h e c r i t e r i o n o f t h e ruling class is n o l o n g e r primarily p r o p e r t y , b u t m o r e a n d m o r e t h e fact o f b e l o n g i n g to t h e circle o f those w h o a r e a c k n o w l e d g e d as 'experts' ( m a n a g e r s , state administrators, lawyers, a c a d e m i c s , journalists, d o c t o r s , artists . . .) a n d a r e for this r e a s o n paid m o r e than average wage-earners. Milner's point is that, c o n t r a r y t o misleading a p p e a r a n c e s (sustained by t h e vast network o f university diplomas, e t c . ) , this b e l o n g i n g t o t h e circle o f e x p e r t s is ultimately n o t g r o u n d e d in a n y actual' qualifications, but is t h e result o f t h e sociopolitical struggle in t h e c o u r s e o f which s o m e professional strata gain entry into t h e privileged salaried bourgeoisie': we a r e dealing h e r e with t h e closed circle o f self-reference, that is, you a r e paid m o r e if y o u g e n e r a t e t h e impression that you should be paid m o r e ( a T V news p r e s e n t e r is paid m u c h m o r e than a t o p scientist whose inventions c a n c h a n g e t h e whole industrial l a n d s c a p e ) . In short, what M a r x e v o k e d as a p a r a d o x i c a l e x c e p t i o n ( t h e s t r a n g e case in which p r i c e itself d e t e r m i n e s value instead o f merely expressing it, like t h e o p e r a singer who is n o t paid s o highly b e c a u s e his singing has such a g r e a t value, b u t is p e r c e i v e d as m o r e valuable b e c a u s e h e is s o highly p a i d ) is t h e rule today. 4 2 . It is interesting t o n o t e how h e r e theorists o f t h e s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y follow H a b e r m a s , w h o also tends t o dismiss p h e n o m e n a like Fascism o r e c o n o m i c alienation n o t as results o f t h e i n h e r e n t trends o f E n l i g h t e n m e n t , b u t as proofs t h a t E n l i g h t e n m e n t is still an 'unfinished p r o j e c t ' - a strategy s o m e w h a t similar t o that o f d e f u n c t Socialist regimes, which put all t h e b l a m e for t h e p r e s e n t woes o n t h e ' r e m a i n d e r s o f t h e ( b o u r g e o i s o r feudal) p a s t ' . . . . 4 3 . T o put it a n o t h e r way: t h e t h e o r y o f s e c o n d m o d e r n i t y obliterates t h e d o u b l e impossibility a n d / o r a n t a g o n i s t i c split: o n t h e o n e h a n d , t h e antagonistic complicity between progressive reflexivization a n d violent r e t u r n s o f substantial identity that c h a r a c t e r i z e s t h e body politic; o n t h e o t h e r , t h e a n t a g o n i s t i c complicity between reflexive f r e e d o m a n d t h e 'irrational' n e e d f o r subjection that c h a r a c t e r i z e s t h e ' p o s t m o d e r n ' subject. 4 4 . See R o b e r t H u g h e s , Culture of Complaint, O x f o r d : O x f o r d University Press 1 9 9 3 . 4 5 . T h e shift from traditional Left t o ' p o s t m o d e r n ' Left is as a rule d e s c r i b e d by the m o t t o 'from redistribution to r e c o g n i t i o n ' : t h e traditional S o c i a l - D e m o c r a t i c Left a i m e d at t h e redistribution o f wealth a n d social p o w e r o n b e h a l f o f t h e exploited-powerlessunderprivileged; while today's ' p o s t m o d e r n ' Left puts in t h e f o r e g r o u n d t h e multiculturalist fight for t h e r e c o g n i t i o n o f a p a r t i c u l a r ( e t h n i c , lifestyle, sexual o r i e n t a t i o n , religious . . . ) g r o u p identity. W h a t , however, if they b o t h p a r t i c i p a t e in t h e s a m e logic o f ressentiment, i n d i c a t e d / c o n c e a l e d by t h e c o m m o n prefix 're-'? W h a t if they b o t h victimize t h e underprivi l e g e d / e x c l u d e d , e n d e a v o u r i n g t o culpabilize t h e r u l i n g / w e a l t h y a n d d e m a n d i n g restitution from t h e m ? Consequently, what if a c e r t a i n d o s e o f old-fashioned Marxist criticism is
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
397
a p p r o p r i a t e h e r e : what if o u r focus should c h a n g e f r o m redistribution t o t h e very m o d e o f p r o d u c t i o n which causes 'inequitable' distribution a n d r e c o g n i t i o n ? 4 6 . T h e m a s o c h i s t i c self-inflicted w o u n d thus serves a different p u r p o s e in hysteria a n d in perversion: in hysteria t h e aim is to disavow castration (I w o u n d myself in o r d e r to c o n c e a l t h e fact that t h e w o u n d o f castration is already there); while in p e r v e r s i o n I wound myself in o r d e r t o disavow the. failure/lack of castration (i.e. I d o it t o i m p o s e t h e s e m b l a n c e o f a L a w ) . 4 7 . E x e m p l a r y h e r e is Oliver S t o n e ' s JFK. S t o n e is t h e f o r e m o s t meta-nalionalist in Hollywood today; I use the t e r m 'meta-nationalism' in parallel with Balibar's ' m e t a - r a c i s m ' ( t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y p a r a d o x o f racism f o r m u l a t e d in t e r m s o f its very opposite, o f t h e fear o f racist outbursts: ' o n e should keep e t h n i c g r o u p s a p a r t in o r d e r to prevent racist vio l e n c e . . . ' ) : S t o n e s e e m s t o u n d e r m i n e g r e a t A m e r i c a n ideologico-political myths, but h e d o e s it in a 'patriotic' way, so t h a t on a d e e p e r level his very subversion reasserts A m e r i c a n patriotism as an ideological attitude. 4 8 . T h e o u t s t a n d i n g e x a m p l e o f a left-liberal c o n s p i r a c y m o v i e is Barracuda ( 1 9 7 8 ) , with its i n g e n i o u s additional 'turn o f t h e screw' on t h e s t a n d a r d n a t u r a l disaster formula: why d o sharks a n d o t h e r fish suddenly start to a t t a c k swimmers in an idyllic A m e r i c a n town resort? It turns out t h a t the w h o l e city was an illegal e x p e r i m e n t a l site f o r a mysterious g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c y injecting t h e water supply with an u n t e s t e d d r u g that raises t h e aggression level ( t h e goal o f t h e e x p e r i m e n t is t o develop m e a n s o f raising t h e c o m b a t i v e n e s s o f the A m e r i c a n p o p u l a t i o n after t h e demoralizing influence o f t h e flower-power 1 9 6 0 s ) , a n d t h e fishes' aggressivity was c a u s e d by t h e water d u m p e d in t h e sea. X Files goes even a step f u r t h e r in this d i r e c t i o n by inverting t h e s t a n d a r d ideological o p e r a t i o n o f e x c h a n g i n g all o u r social a n d psychic fears ( o f f o r e i g n e r s , o f big business, o f o t h e r r a c e s , o f t h e f o r c e o f raw n a t u r e . . .) for t h e attacking animal (shark, ants, birds . . .) o r for t h e s u p e r n a t u r a l m o n s t e r who c o m e s t o e m b o d y all o f t h e m : in X Files, it is t h e State C o n s p i r a c y - the d a r k O t h e r P o w e r b e h i n d t h e public p o w e r - which is p r e s e n t e d as a kind o f g e n e r a l equivalent hidden b e h i n d t h e multitude o f ' s u p e r n a t u r a l ' threats (werewolves, extraterrestrials . . . ) , that is, t h e series o f s u p e r n a t u r a l h o r r o r s is e x c h a n g e d for the alienated Social T h i n g . 4 9 . F o r that r e a s o n , anxiety is clinically n o t a s y m p t o m , bvit a r e a c t i o n that o c c u r s w h e n t h e subject's symptom - the f o r m a t i o n that allowed him o r h e r to maintain a p r o p e r distance towards the t r a u m a t i c object-Thing - dissolves, ceases to function: at that m o m e n t , w h e n the subject is deprived o f the buffer-role o f his s y m p t o m a n d is thus directly e x p o s e d to the T h i n g , anxiety e m e r g e s to signal this o v e r p r o x i m i t y o f t h e T h i n g . 5 0 . Gilles Deleuze, Coldness and Cruelty, New York: Z o n e 1 9 9 1 , p p . 8 2 - 3 . 5 1 . A c c o r d i n g to t h e s t a n d a r d narrative o f m o d e r n i t y , w h a t distinguishes it from even t h e most universal versions o f p r e m o d e r n Law (Christianity, J u d a i s m , e t c . ) is that the individual is supposed to e n t e r t a i n a reflected relationship towards ethical n o r m s . N o r m s a r e not t h e r e simply to be a c c e p t e d ; the subject has t o m e a s u r e n o t only his acts against t h e m , but also t h e a d e q u a c y o f these n o r m s themselves, that is, h o w they fit t h e h i g h e r m e t a r u l e that legitimizes their use: a r e t h e n o r m s themselves truly universal? D o they treat all m e n - a n d w o m e n equally a n d with dignity? D o they allow free e x p r e s s i o n o f their i n n e r m o s t aspirations.', a n d so forth. T h i s s t a n d a r d narrative gives us a subject w h o is able to e n t e r t a i n a free reflexive relationship towards every n o r m he d e c i d e s to follow - every n o r m has to pass the j u d g e m e n t o f his a u t o n o m o u s reason. W h a t H a b e n n a s passes o v e r in silence, however, is the obverse o f this reflexive distance towards ethical n o r m s e x p r e s s e d by the above q u o t e f r o m Deleuze: since, a p r o p o s o f any n o r m I follow, I c a n n e v e r be s u r e that it is actually t h e right n o r m to follow, the subject is c a u g h t in a difficult situation o f knowing that t h e r e a r e n o r m s to follow, without any e x t e r n a l g u a r a n t e e as to what these n o r m s a r e . . . . T h e r e is n o m o d e r n reflexive f r e e d o m from the i m m e d i a t e submission t o universal n o r m s without this situation o f a p r i o n guilt. 5 2 . J a c q u e s L a c a n , The Four Fundamental 1 9 7 7 , p. 2 7 6 .
Concepts of Psycho-Analysis,
New York: N o r t o n
398
THE
TICKLISH
SUBJECT
5 3 . See Darian L e a d e r , Promises Lovers Make When It Gets Late, L o n d o n : F a b e r & F a b e r 1997. 5 4 . Was it n o t St Paul who e m p h a s i z e d this difference in R o m a n s 2: 2 6 - 9 ? . . . if those who a r e u n c i r c u m c i s e d keep t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h e law, will n o t t h e i r u n c i r c u m c i s i o n be r e g a r d e d as c i r c u m c i s i o n ? . . . F o r a person is n o t a J e w who is o n e outwardly, n o r is true c i r c u m c i s i o n s o m e t h i n g e x t e r n a l a n d physical. R a t h e r , a p e r s o n is a J e w who is o n e inwardly, a n d real c i r c u m c i s i o n is a m a t t e r o f t h e h e a r t - it is spiritual a n d not literal. 5 5 . F o r a m o r e detailed d e s c r i p t i o n o f this d o u b l e m o v e m e n t o f t h e 'sacrifice o f a sacrifice', see C h a p t e r 2 o f Slavoj Zizek, The Indivisible Remainder. 5 6 . H e r e I draw again on R e n a t a Salecl; see Salecl, (Per)Versions of Love and Hate. 5 7 . H e r e o n e should e m p h a s i z e t h e difference between the s a d o - m a s o p r a c t i c e s o f selfmutilation a n d t h e p r a c t i c e s o f t a t t o o i n g a n d o t h e r versions o f inscription o n t h e bodily surface: tattooing involves the relationship between the naked skin a n d its c o v e r i n g u p by clothes - that is to say, the p r o b l e m o f tattooing is how to transform t h e n a k e d skin itself into clothing, how to close t h e g a p between t h e two; so t h a t even while we a r e naked we a r e in a way already dressed; on the o t h e r h a n d , the sado-maso p r a c t i c e o f self-mutilation cuts into the surface o f the skin, revealing t h e raw flesh b e n e a t h . W h a t is t h r e a t e n e d in b o t h cases is t h e notion o f the n a k e d body, o f t h e b a r e surface o f t h e skin: e i t h e r by d i r e c t symbolic inscriptions which c o v e r it up, o r by o p e n i n g u p access t o t h e 'raw flesh' b e n e a t h ; in short, what we get if we put the two p r a c t i c e s t o g e t h e r is a body which, when it is actually undressed, is no l o n g e r a naked body but a mass o f raw flesh. 5 8 . Against this b a c k g r o u n d , o n e c a n well u n d e r s t a n d why, in his ( u n p u b l i s h e d ) S e m i n a r o n Anxiety ( 1 9 6 2 / 6 3 ) , L a c a n emphasizes that the Jewish p r a c t i c e o f c i r c u m c i s i o n is definitely not a version of castration (as a vulgar a n d naive line o f association s e e m s to imply) but, r a t h e r , its e x a c t opposite: the effect o f c i r c u m c i s i o n is not that o f a t r a u m a t i c cut, but that o f pacification, t h a t is, c i r c u m c i s i o n enables t h e subject to find its a l l o c a t e d place in t h e symbolic o r d e r . 5 9 . Analysed by R e n a t a Salecl in (PerjVrrsums of Love and Hate. 6 0 . T h e triad o f p r e m o d e r n cut, t h e m o d e r n a b s e n c e o f cut, a n d t h e p o s t m o d e r n r e t u r n to the cut thus effectively forms a kind o f H e g e l i a n triad o f the ' n e g a t i o n o f n e g a t i o n ' - n o t in t h e sense that in posnnoderniry we r e t u r n to t h e cut at an allegedly h i g h e r level, b u t in a m u c h m o r e precise sense: in p r e m o d e r n society t h e cut in the body p e r f o r m s t h e subject's inscription into t h e symbolic o r d e r ( t h e big O t h e r ) ; in m o d e r n society we have the big Other that is operative without the tut — that is, t h e subject inscribes itself into t h e big O t h e r without the m e d i a t i o n o f t h e bodily cut (as was already t h e case in Christianity, t h e c u t is internalizedspiritualized into an i n n e r g e s t u r e o f r e n u n c i a t i o n ) ; in p o s t m o d e r n society, on the c o n t r a r y , we have the rut, but without the big Other. It is thus only in p o s t m o d e r n society that the loss o f the big O t h e r ( t h e substantial symbolic o r d e r ) is fully c o n s u m m a t e d : in it, we r e t u r n to t h e feature that c h a r a c t e r i z e s t h e first p h a s e ( t h e r e is again a c u t in t h e b o d y ) , but this c u t now stands for the e x a c t opposite o f t h e first p h a s e - that is to say, it signals n o t the inscription into t h e big O t h e r , but its radical n o n e x i s t e n c e . 6 1 . See Alenka Z u p a n c i c , ' T h e Subject o f t h e Law', in SIC, 2, ed. Slavoj Zizek, D u r h a m , NC: Duke University Press 1 9 9 8 . 6 2 . F o r this r e a s o n , L a c a n is to be strictly o p p o s e d to the recently fashionable 'postsecular' t r e n d o f giving theology a d e c o n s t r u c t i o n i s t spin, reasserting t h e Divine as t h e d i m e n s i o n o f t h e u n f a t h o m a b l e O t h e r n e s s , as the ' u n d e c o n s t r u c t i b l e c o n d i t i o n o f deconstruction'. 6 3 . See the e n d o f C h a p t e r 3 above. 6 4 . For a detailed r e a d i n g o f B r e c h t ' s The Measure Taken, see C h a p t e r 5 o f Slavoj Zizek, Enjoy Your Symptom!, New York: R o u t l e d g e 1 9 9 3 .
WHITHER
OEDIPUS?
6 5 . B e r t o l t B r e c h t , ' T h e M e a s u r e T a k e n ' , in The Jewish York: Grove Press 1 9 6 5 , p. 9 7 .
399 Wife and Other Short Plays, New
6 6 . See H e i n e r Miiller, 'Mauser', in Revolutionsstu/ke, Stuttgart: R e c l a m 1 9 9 5 . 67. B r e c h t , ' T h e M e a s u r e T a k e n ' , p. 1 0 6 . 6 8 . This disjunction between G o o d a n d the ethical act also allows us to resolve t h e following impasse: if we a c c e p t t h e n o t i o n o f 'diabolical Evil' (Evil elevated to t h e status o f t h e Kantian ethical duly, that is, a c c o m p l i s h e d for t h e sake o f principle, not for anv pathological p r o f i t ) , to what e x t e n t , then, does this parallel with the G o o d hold? C a n t h e r e also be a 'voice o f Evil C o n s c i o u s n e s s ' r e n d e r i n g us guilty w h e n we did n o t d o o u r dutv to radical Evil? C a n we also feel guilty for not a c c o m p l i s h i n g a h o r r i b l e c r i m e ? T h e p r o b l e m disappears the m o m e n t we c u t t h e link between the ethical d o m a i n p r o p e r a n d t h e p r o b l e m a t i c o f G o o d ( a n d Evil as its s h a d o w - s u p p l e m e n t ) . 6 9 . F o r a close r e a d i n g o f Claudel's The Hostage, see C h a p t e r 2 o f Zizek, The Indivisible Remainder. 7 0 . A detailed c o m p a r a t i v e analysis o f the case of Mary Kay with Nabokov's Lolita (if I may be e x c u s e d for c o m p a r i n g a 'real-life' case with a fictional o n e ) immediately helps us to pinpoint this difference: in Lolita (a story which is also, even m o r e than it was when t h e novel was first published, u n a c c e p t a b l e in out politically c o r r e c t times - r e m e m b e r the p r o b l e m s with the A m e r i c a n distribution o f the latest c i n e m a v e r s i o n ) , H u m b e r t H u m b e r t discerns in Lolita a 'nymphet', a girl between nine a n d f o u r t e e n who is potentially a w o m a n : t h e appeal o f a n y m p h e t resides in t h e very indefiniteness o f h e r form - she resembles a y o u n g boy m u c h m o r e than a m a t u r e w o m a n . So while Mary Kay, t h e w o m a n , t r e a t e d h e r y o u n g lover as a grown-up p a r t n e r , in the Lolita case she is for H u m b e r t H u m b e r t a m a s t u r b a t o r y fantasy, the p r o d u c t o f his solipsistic i m a g i n a t i o n - as H u m b e r t puts it in the novel: ' W h a t I had madly possessed was not she, b u t m y own c r e a t i o n , a n o t h e r , fanciful Lolita. . . . ' As a result, t h e i r relationship is teasing-exploitalive, cruel on b o t h sides ( s h e is a cruel child towards him; he r e d u c e s h e r to t h e a b u s e d o b j e c t o f his m a s t u r b a t o r y solipsistic i m a g i n a t i o n ) , in c o n t r a s t to the s i n c e r e passion between Mary Kay a n d h e r young lover. 7 1 . A n o t h e r n i c e feature o f t h e film is that, in its d e n o u e m e n t , it avoids the s t a n d a r d cliche a b o u t 'the real p e r s o n b e h i n d t h e mask': a l t h o u g h , a t t h e e n d , the h e r o throws t h e mask back into t h e sea, he is able to d o so precisely in so far as h e i n c o r p o r a t e s i n t o his actual b e h a v i o u r e l e m e n t s o f what he was d o i n g when h e was u n d e r its spell. T h e r e i n lies o u r growing m a t u r e ' : n o t in simply discarding masks, b u t in a c c e p t i n g their symbolic efficiency 'on trust' - in a c o u r t o f law, when a j u d g e puts o n his m a s k (his official insignia), we in effect treat him as if he is u n d e r the spell o f t h e symbolic Institution o f Law which now speaks t h r o u g h him. . . . However, it would be w r o n g to c o n c l u d e from this that t h e mask is just a m o r e 'primitive' version o f symbolic efficiency, o f t h e hold e x e r t e d u p o n us by symbolic authority: it is crucial to m a i n t a i n a distinction between t h e p r o p e r symbolic authority which o p e r a t e s on a strictly ' m e t a p h o r i c ' level a n d t h e o b s c e n e ' t o t e m i c ' literality o f t h e mask. N o w o n d e r the h e r o , when he is wearing the mask, often assumes an animal's face: in t h e p h a n t a s m i c s p a c e o f c a r t o o n s , animals ( T o m , J e r r y , e t c . ) a r e p e r c e i v e d precisely as h u m a n s wearing a n i m a l masks a n d / o r c l o t h i n g (take t h e s t a n d a r d s c e n e in which an animal's skin is s c r a t c h e d , a n d what a p p e a r s b e n e a t h it is o r d i n a r y human skin). T o p a r a p h r a s e Levi-Strauss, what The Mask p r e s e n t s us with is thus in effect a case o f 'totemism today', o f t h e p h a n t a s m i c efficiency o f t h e t o t e m i c a n i m a l mask which is i n o p e r a tive in today's public social space: when the h e r o c o n f r o n t s the psychologist who wrote a bestseller o n masks, t h e psychologist calmly answers the h e r o ' s questions to t h e effect that we all wear masks only in the m e t a p h o r i c m e a n i n g o f the t e r m ; in o n e o f the crucial scenes o f the film, which then follows, t h e h e r o tries to c o n v i n c e him that in his case t h e mask really is a magical object - when he puts the mask on, however, it r e m a i n s a d e a d p i e c e o f carved wood; the magrcal effect fails to o c c u r , so that the h e r o is r e d u c e d to imitating, in a ridiculous way, t h e wild gestures he is able to p e r f o r m gracefully when he is u n d e r t h e mask's spell. . . .
Index
Absolute Power (h\m) 3 2 8 Adorno, Theodor break with H a b e r m a s 347 Dialectic of Enlightenment (with H o r k h e i m e r ) 10, 4 6 , 3 5 9 Negative Dialectics 8 9 Philosophy of the New Music 2 5 0 sphere o f Kulturindustrie 3 5 8 violin versus piano 1 0 1 - 2 Althusser, Louis 3, 1 5 8 - 9 ideological interpellation 1 4 1 , 145, 258, 260 i n f l u e n c e on others 1 2 7 - 8 , 2 3 2 overdetermination 102 Antigone ( S o p h o c l e s ) 2 6 3 - 4 Arendt, H a n n a h 191 Aristotle DeAnima 2 4 phronesis 3 3 3 Assoun, Paul-Laurent 3 2 4 S t Augustine 3 8 3
B a d i n t e r , R o b e r t 134 B a d i o u , Alain A m e r i c a a n d R o m a n E m p i r e 211 anti-communitarian c o m m u n i t a r i a n 172 Being and Truth-Event 1 2 8 - 3 5 , 237-8 beyond the G o o d 161 Christianity a n d psychoanalysis 145-51
differences with L a c a n 3, 1 5 9 - 6 4 fidelity to the Truth-Event 164, 166-7 ideology a n d the T r u t h - E v e n t 1 4 1 - 5 i n f l u e n c e o f Althusser 1 2 8 is the gap the subject? 1 5 8 - 9 Master/Hysteric/University 1 6 4 - 5 return to the S u b s t a n c e 2 0 9 St Paul and psychoanalysis 1 5 3 - 4 subjectivity 1 8 2 - 4 transformation o f Truth-Event into universal 1 5 7 - 8 undecidability o f the Event 135-41 Balibar, E t i e n n e 3, 2 0 1 a n d Althusser 127 anti-Habermasian H a b e r m a s i a n 172-3 civility 173 egaliberte 1 8 8 , 2 0 7 , 2 1 3 , 2 3 2 - 3 excessive v i o l e n c e 2 0 2 t h r e e levels o f universality 2 1 3 B a r t o k , B e l a 102 B e c k , Ulrich 4, 3 3 7 , 3 3 8 B e e t h o v e n , Ludwig van 1 0 2 being and Time ( H e i d e g g e r ) 10, 21 closure/openness 2 2 - 4 dualities 1 5 - 1 8 H u s s e d ' s criticism 6 3 - 4 B e n j a m i n , Walter revolution as repetition 2 0 revolutionary gaze 8 9
402
INDEX
B e n j a m i n , Walter (cont.) ' T h e s e s on the Philosophy o f History' 137 Blair, T o n y 198 B l i x e n , Karen 2 8 7 Blood Simple (film) 111 Blue Velvet (film) 2 9 9 B o s c h , H i e r o n y m u s 3 5 , 4 9 - 5 0 , 52 Bossuet, J a c q u e s B e n i g n e 118 B o u r d i e u , Pierre 3 5 5 B r a h a m s , J o h a n n e s 102 Brassed Off ( h i m ) 3 0 2 , 3 5 1 - 2 Brazil (film) 155 B r e c h t , Bertolt 2 3 6 The Measure Taken 3 7 8 - 8 0 Brown, Wendy States of Injurs 7 1 - 2 Bruno, Giordano 3 7 6 B u c h a n a n , Patrick 2 1 0 , 2 1 5 , 2 2 1 , 3 5 5 , 381 Butler, J u d i t h 3 on decision 19 H e g e l and Foucault 2 5 3 m e l a n c h o l y m e c h a n i s m and homosexuality 2 6 9 - 7 3 , 2 7 9 passionate a t t a c h m e n t s 2 6 5 - 9 , 2 8 2 , 288-9 q u e e r struggle 2 2 5 resistance 2 6 0 - 6 4 sexual difference 2 7 4 - 5 subjectivity and sexuality 2 5 7 - 9
Cabaret (film) 139 Capital ( M a r x ) negation o f negation 7 2 - 3 Carpenter, J o h n They Live 5 3 - 4 Cassirer, Ernst 27 Castoriadis, Cornelius Kant, H e i d e g g e r a n d the abyss o f imagination 2 3 - 4 The Celestine Prophecy (Redfield) 3 8 4 - 5 Class Struggles in France ( M a r x ) 2 1 7
Claudel, Paul 3 2 0 The Hostage 3 8 6 - 7 Clinton, Bill 1 9 9 , 3 2 9 as Satan 3 8 0 - 8 1 C o e n brothers Blood Simple 111 Coldness and Cruelty ( D e l e u z e ) 3 6 4 - 5 Collins, Michael 3 1 6 - 1 7 Critique of Judgement ( K a n t ) 4 0 schematizes R e a s o n 6 1 - 2 Critique of Practical Reason ( K a n t ) 2 5 Critique of Pure Reason ( K a n t ) 31 anti-metaphysical potential 4 6 - 5 0 The Crying Game (film) 2 7 1
Daly, Glyn 'Ideology and its P a r a d o x e s ' 3 6 4 DeAnima (Aristotle) 2 4 D e Gaulle, Charles 2 2 6 de M a n , Paul Kant's materialism 6 4 de V a l c r a , E a m o n 3 1 6 - 1 7 D e l e u z e , Gilles 7 3 , 2 5 0 Coldness and Cruelty 3 6 4 - 5 deterritorialization 2 0 9 masochism 2 8 0 D e n g X i a o p i n g 199 Derrida, J a c q u e s 1 5 8 - 9 A b r a h a m ' s sacrifice 3 2 1 - 2 Descartes's withdrawal-into-self 3 4 on H e i d e g g e r 9 - 1 0 ontology versus heauntology 2 3 8 p u r e notion o f gift 5 6 On the Spirit 9 Descartes, R e n e Reply to Six Objections 116 the spectre o f the Cartesian subject 1-2 universality o f cogito 100 voluntarism 3 1 9 withdrawal-into-self 3 4 Dialectic of Enlightenment ( A d o r n o and H o r k h e i m e r ) 10, 4 6 , 3 5 9
INDEX
Diana, Princess o f Wales 3 2 8 D i o g e n e s the Cynic 3 2 4 Discipline and Punish ( F o u c a u l t ) 2 5 2 Dostoevsky, Fyodor 1 5 0 Doyle, A r t h u r C o n a n 5 6 Dune (film) 5 6 , 7 7 - 8 , 2 9 9 Duns Scotus, J o h a n n e s 3 1 8
Eastwood, Clint 2 6 6 The Ego and the Id ( F r e u d ) 2 8 9 Eighteenth Brumaire ( M a r x ) creation o f history 8 8 Eisenstein, Sergei 3 3 The Elephant Man (film) 5 7 Eraserhead (film) 5 3
F i c h t e , J o h a n n Gottlieb subjectivity/zlnitos 4 4 - 5 Fields, W.C. 7 4 The Forbidden Planet (film) 3 0 1 Fosse, B o b Cabaret 139 Foucault, M i c h e l disciplinary p r o c e d u r e 371 Discipline and Punish 2 5 2 The History of Madness 2 5 7 The History of Sexuality 2 5 2 - 4 point o f r e f e r e n c e 1 7 4 potential o f perversions 2 4 7 resistance to power 2 6 2 sexuality and power 2 5 1 - 4 strategies without subject 3 4 0 use o f pleasures 3 6 6 Frank, A n n e 3 2 3 Freud, Sigmund analysis o f Sr.hreber 3 5 death drive 3 6 , 6 5 - 6 , 1 6 3 , 2 9 4 Destiny/drive 3 0 3 dream-thoughts and u n c o n s c i o u s desires 185 The Ego and the Id 2 8 9 first and s e c o n d nature 82 helplessness o f the infant 2 8 8
403 hysteria 2 4 9
monstrous otherness 5 2 - 3 Moses and Monotheism 1 6 2 , 3 1 7 - 1 8 m o u r n i n g and m e l a n c h o l y 2 6 9 , 2 7 0 m u r d e r o f the primordial father 3 6 3 Oedipus complex 3 1 3 - 1 8 pleasure principle 3 6 6 psychic reality 2 7 4 sexualization 2 8 2 - 3 ' t h r e e wishes' fairy tales 3 0 2 Totem and Taboo 162, 3 1 5 - 1 7 Unconscious 2 4 7 - 8 From Atlantis to the Sphinx (Wilson) 70-71 The Full Monty (film) 3 5 1 - 2 Gates, Bill 3 5 6 Little B r o t h e r / E v i l Genius icon 347-50 Giddens, A n t h o n y 3 - 4 , 3 3 8 Gilliam, T e r r y Brazil 155 Goebbels, Joseph 207 Goldwyn, S a m u e l 110 G o r b a c h e v , Mikhail 3 2 9 Gray, J o h n Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus 2 7 2 Greene, Graham The Potting Shed 1 4 2 - 3 Gulag Archipelago (Solzhenitsyn) 2 2 9 Gymnasialreden ( H e g e l ) 104
H a b e r m a s , J u r g e n 8 1 , 1 7 1 , 172 break with A d o r n o and H o r k h e i m e r 347 H e i d e g g e r ' s subjectivity 10 H a m m e t t , Dashiell The Maltese Falcon 2 0 5 - 6 Havel, Vaclav 2 0 5 H e g e l , G e o r g W. F. abstract universality 118 accepts Kant's acosmos 6 0 - 6 1
404
INDEX
H e g e l , G e o r g W . F. (cont.) c o n c r e t e universality 9 8 - 1 0 3 , 2 0 1 - 2 criticism o f Kant's B e y o n d 8 4 - 6 curtain over the i n n e r world 3 0 2 d e t e r m i n a t e negation 177 eight planets 3 2 4 epistemology versus ontology 5 5 - 6 evil 150 family 3 4 3 f r e e d o m as c o n c e i v e d necessity 4 3 - 4 Gymnasialreden 1 0 4 including the form in the c o n t e n t 113 Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion 106 Lectures on the Philosophy of the World 37 Logic 9 6 lord and b o n d s m a n 2 5 7 - 8 negation o f negation 7 2 - 7 night o f the world 2, 2 9 - 3 0 , 3 3 - 5 , 55 phallic m e t a p h o r 9 2 Phenomenology of Spirit 3 0 - 3 1 , 7 6 , 8 4 - 6 , 96 politics 2 3 3 - 4 , 2 3 8 - 9 power a n d resistance 2 5 5 q u a d r u p l e logic 7 9 - 8 2 r e c o m m e n d e d by L e n i n 149 relationships between logic a n d metaphysics 8 2 - 6 secondary identification 9 0 secrets o f the Egyptians 2 8 4 - 5 S e l f as S u b s t a n c e 2 3 1 sexuality 8 3 - 4 , 2 5 3 stubborn a t t a c h m e n t 1 0 3 - 8 subjectivity 7 8 , 1 0 3 substance a n d subject 7 6 , 7 9 , 8 6 - 9 0 Suprasensible's face 196 symbolic expression 371 System der Sittlichkeit 9 4 - 5 totalitarianism 192 universality-in-becoming 9 0 - 9 8
Hegemony and Socialist Strategy ( L a c l a u a n d Mouffe) 1 2 8 H e i d e g g e r , Martin 1 4 3 analysis o f s c h e m a t i s m 6 1 - 2 analytic o f Dasein 5 2 Being and Time 10, 1 5 - 1 8 being-towards-death 163 c l o s u r e / o p e n n e s s o f Being and Time 22-4 c o n t i n g e n c y o f o f world-experience 65-6 decision a n d c h o i c e 16, 1 8 - 2 0 e n g a g e m e n t with Fascism 1 1 - 2 1 An Introduction to Metaphysics 13, 4 8 Kant and the Problem of Metaphysics 2 2 - 8 , 29, 31, 46 the M o n s t r o u s 4 6 - 5 0 relation to p o s t m o d e r n t h o u g h t 9-11 subjectivity 1, 2 - 3 , 6 2 totalitarianism and subjectivity 10 H e l l m a n , Lillian 2 2 2 H e n r i c h , D i e t e r 10 History and Class Consciousness ( L u k a c s ) 137 The History of Madness ( F o u c a u l t ) 257 The History of Sexuality ( F o u c a u l t ) 252-4 H i t c h c o c k , Alfred Vertigo 2 8 6 , 3 0 0 Hitler, A d o l f 3 8 1 - 2 Hobbes, Thomas 114 Hoffman, Eva 3 4 0 Hoffmann, E.T.A. 51 H o r k h e i m e r , Max b r e a k with H a b e r m a s 3 4 7 c o n s e q u e n c e s o f family structure 3 4 4 Dialectic of Enlightenment (with A d o r n o ) 10, 4 6 , 3 5 9 s p h e r e o f Kulturindustrie 3 5 8 Hosle, Vittorio 8 2 , 8 6 - 7 The Hostage ( C l a u d e l ) 3 8 6 - 7
INDEX
Husserl, E d m u n d criticism o f Being and Time 6 3 - 4 I Love Lucy (television) 7 7 - 8 'Ideology a n d its P a r a d o x e s ' (Daly) 3 6 4 The Immortal Story (film) 2 8 7 An Introduction to Metaphysics (Heidegger) 13, 49 J a m e s o n , F r e d r i c 1 7 1 , 185 true Leftists 1 9 - 2 0 J e s u s Christ M a l e b r a n c h e ' s view o f G r a c e 1 1 6 - 1 9 modern reinterpretations 3 3 1 - 2 Truth-Event 1 3 0 , 142, 146 J o r d a n , Neil The Crying Game 2 7 1 J u n g , Carl G. 2 7 0 , 2 7 1 Kafka, Franz ' S i l e n c e o f the S i r e n s ' 3 0 5 The Trial 7 8 Kaganovich, L a z a r Moiseyevich 1 9 4 Kant, I m m a n u e l abstract universality 9 1 anti-cosmos 4 6 - 5 0 , 1 5 8 and B a d i o u 1 6 5 - 7 Critique of Judgement 4 0 Critique of Practical Reason 2 5 Critique of Pure Reason 31 evil 2 the F r e n c h Revolution 1 3 9 - 4 0 fundamental fantasy 5 9 - 6 1 H e g e l ' s criticism o f a B e y o n d 8 4 - 6 H e i d e g g e r a n d abyss o f imagination 22-8
405 n a t u r e a n d culture 3 6 - 7 non-traditional metaphysics 1 6 3 notion o f imagination 2 8 - 3 3 n o u m e n a l and p h e n o m e n a l 1 9 8 political Ideals to c o m e 2 3 8 - 9 the Real 2 7 6 - 7 schematizes R e a s o n 6 1 - 2 s e c o n d E n l i g h t e n m e n t praises 3 5 9 self-consciousness 3 0 4 struggle o f ethical acts 3 7 5 - 6 subjectivity 4 4 - 6
transcendental principle o f publicity 235 transcendental schematism 175 violence o f imagination 4 1 - 3 Kant and the Problem of Metaphysics (Heidegger) 2 2 - 8 , 29, 31, 46 Kennedy, J o h n F. 2 2 9 Kierkegaard, S 0 r e n 1 1 5 , 1 4 1 - 2 Christianity on side o f modernity 211-12 ' sickness unto death 2 9 2 - 3 two facets o f duty 321 K i n g j r , Martin L u t h e r 2 0 3 Kipling, Rudyard 2 3 6 Kris, Ernst 1 0 8 - 9
Lacan, Jacques aims and goals o f drives 8 2 alienation a n d identity 3 7 3 - 5 a n a m o r p h i c distortion and reality 78-9 authentic acts 3 7 5 - 6 the big O t h e r 87, 2 8 8 , 3 1 4 - 1 5 , 3 3 0 butterfly dreams 3 3 0
including the form in the c o n t e n t 113
death drive 1 6 0 - 6 1 , 2 9 1 , 2 9 3 - 4 , 3 9 0 desire and fantasy 2 9 5 - 9
materialism a n d idealism 3 7 - 8 metaphysical notion o f the world 64-6
differences with B a d i o u 3, 1 5 9 - 6 4 drives 1 6 0 - 6 1 , 2 8 3 - 4 , 2 8 7 - 8 , 2 9 1 , 2 9 3 - 4 , 304, 390 Evil 3 8 2
moral Law 4 0 - 4 1 , 4 4 , 4 6 , 2 7 9 - 8 0 , 364-6
fantasy and reality 51
406
INDEX
L a c a n , J a c q u e s (cont.) forms o f sexual practice 2 4 9 the four discourses 3 7 6 - 7 fundamental fantasy and symbolic identification 2 6 5 - 9 and H e g e l 7 6 Interpellation/subjectivization 258-9 ' L a derision de la s p h e r e ' 3 0 1 - 2 lamella 1 5 4 - 5 , 1 6 3 logic o f the signifier 81 masochism 2 8 1 - 2 Master-Signifier 114, 1 5 4 , 159 matrix o f the four discourses 191 monstrous o t h e r n e s s 5 2 - 3 nearness o f object-cause o f desire 363-4 negative m a g n i t u d e 1 0 7 - 8 no sexual relationship 2 8 5 - 6 normality o f a m o d e 35 Oedipus complex 2 8 9 - 9 0 , 3 1 3 - 1 4 paternal Law 3 6 7 perversion versus hysteria 2 4 7 - 8 the phallus 3 6 9 - 7 0 , 3 8 3 the Real 1 6 6 - 7 , 2 7 6 - 7 rebels against philosophy 2 5 0 - 5 1 rebirth 2 1 2 resistance and Butler's criticism 261-4 sexual difference 2 7 3 - 9 space between two deaths 146, 1 5 2 - 5 St Paul 149, 1 5 2 - 4 subject and subjectivization 1 5 9 - 6 0 subject's life-world 6 2 surplus-enjoyment 105, 106 symbolic castration 3 2 2 Truth-Event 162 use o f H e i d e g g e r 1 0 - 1 1 the voice 3 1 9 Laclau, E r n e s t o 1 0 0 - 1 0 1 , 1 5 8 , 1 7 2 - 3 gap between Universal and Particular 1 7 9 - 8 0 Hegelian d e t e r m i n a t e negation 177
Hegemony and Socialist Strategy (with Mouffe) 1 2 8 i n f l u e n c e o f Althusser 128 logic o f equivalence 178 Politics and Ideology in Marxist Theory 128 radical d e m o c r a c y 1 7 4 readability 179 sexual difference 2 7 2 subjectivity 1 8 2 - 4 Lafargue, Paul Right to Laziness 2 5 2 Lang, Fritz Metropolis 3 4 8 L a p l a n c h e , Jean 2 8 2 , 2 8 4 , 2 8 7 Lasch, C h r i s t o p h e r 221 L e Pen, J e a n - M a r i e 2 1 0 , 2 1 5 , 3 5 5 , 381 L e a d e r , Darian 109, 2 1 7 , 3 6 7 - 8 Lectures on the Philosophy of the World ( H e g e l ) 37 Lefort, Claude 192 L e n i n , Vladimir Ilych a c c e p t i n g the c o n s e q u e n c e s 2 3 6 materialism and idealism 3 7 - 8 r e c o m m e n d s H e g e l 149 L e t o u r n e a u , Mary Kay 3 8 1 , 3 8 2 , 385-8 Levinson, Barry Sphere 301 Lewinsky, M o n i c a 3 2 9 Lincoln, Abraham 5 6 Llosa, Mario Vargas hooligans 2 0 5 Logic ( H e g e l ) 9 6 q u a d r u p l e logic. 7 9 - 8 2 Lost Highway (film) 2 9 9 - 3 0 0 Luini, B e r n a r d i n o Salome is brought the head of John the Baptist 3 0 5 Lukacs, G e o r g History and Class Consciousness 137 L u t h e r , Martin 157
407
INDEX
Lynch, David 5 5
The Mask (film) 3 8 9 - 9 0
Dune 5 6 , 7 7 - 8
Mauser ( M u l l e r ) 3 7 8 - 8 0
The Elephant Man 57 Eraser head 5 3 Lost Highway 2 9 9 - 3 0 0 pre-ontological p h e n o m e n a a n d reality 5 6 Twin Peaks 5 6 Lyotard, J e a n - F r a n c o i s 1 7 1 , 172
M a l e b r a n c h e , Nicolas 100, 3 2 5 Grace 1 1 6 - 1 9 Malinowski, Bronislaw 72, 2 5 2 The Maltese Falcon ( H a m n i e t t ) 2 0 5 - 6 Mao Zedong 219 Marx, Groucho 323 M a r x , Karl Capital as vampire 3 5 8 Class Struggles in France 2 1 7 dismissed by Russell 142 Eighteenth Brumaire and creation o f history 8 8 equivalence 231 the e x c e p t i o n is the rule 1 0 3 exploitation and h u m a n rights 179-82 Fascism as an o u t c o m e o f capitalism 12 fetishization 3 4 9 H e g e l as essential r e a d i n g 1 4 9 ideological abstraction 2 7 6 living contradiction o f t h e proletariat 225 masculine abstract universality 1 0 0 meta-politics 190, 1 9 1 - 2 negation o f negation 7 2 - 3 proletariat and working class 137 religious narrative 4 7 and the sociologists 2 7 7 - 8 superseding the market 3 3 9 from theory to revolution 174 universalism 2 2 6 workers as commodity 157
McCarthy, J o s e p h 3 2 3 M e a d , Margaret 7 2 , 2 5 2 The Measure Taken ( B r e c h t ) 3 7 8 - 8 0 Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (Gray) 2 7 2 Metropolis (film) 3 4 8 Miller, Jacques-Alain sexual difference 2 9 4 - 5 Milosevic, S l o b o d a n 3 3 9 , 3 7 0 Molotov, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich 1 9 4 Moore, Dr Julie 386 Morrell, Lady O t t o l i n e 5 4 Moses and Monotheism ( F r e u d ) 1 6 2 , 317-18 Mouffe, Charual Hegemony and Socialist Strategy (with L a c l a u ) 128 Mozart, Wolfgang A m a d e u s 1 0 1 - 2 Muller, H e i n e r Mauser 3 7 8 - 8 0 Negative Dialectics ( A d o r n o ) 8 9 The Net (film) 3 6 4 Nietzsche, Friedrich criticism o f W a g n e r 10 On the Genealogy of Morals 107, 108 a n d St Paul 1 5 0 traditional, m o d e r n and p o s t m o d e r n readings 171 Will 109 " On the Genealogy of Morals ( N i e t z s c h e ) 107, 108 On the Spirit ( D e r r i d a ) 9 St Paul 3 3 1 Christianity and psychoanalysis 145-51 link between Law a n d desire 1 5 2 - 4 Truth-Event 1 4 2 , 1 4 3 universalism 2 2 6
408 Pharaoh (film) 2 6 7 Phenomenology of Spirit ( H e g e l ) 3 0 - 3 1 , 76, 8 4 - 6 phallic m e t a p h o r 9 2 - 3 stubborn attachment 103 totalitarianism 1 9 2 understanding 9 6 Philosophical Notebooks ( L e n i n ) 1 4 9 Philosophy of the New Music ( A d o r n o ) 250 P i c c o n e , Paul 2 2 1 Pippin, R o b e r t 2 9 0 Plato e t e r n a l Ideas 2 7 , 1 3 3 Supreme Good 48 Timaeus 5 4 P o e , E d g a r Allan 155 Politics and Ideology in Marxist Theory (Laclau) 128 P o p p e r , Karl 9 9 IlPostino (film) 3 2 7 The Postman (film) 3 2 7 The Potting Shed ( G r e e n e ) 1 4 2 - 3
R a n c i e r e , J a c q u e s 3, 1 5 8 a n d Althusser 1 2 7 - 8 anti-Lyotardian Lyotardian 1 7 2 gap between d e m o c r a c y a n d economic exploitation 195 mesentente 2 3 4 police structure 2 3 0 , 2 3 2 - 3 , 2 3 5 , 237-8 politics 1 8 7 - 8 , 2 0 7 post-politics 2 0 1 , 2 4 8 rebellion o f proletarian masses 1 7 3 totalitarianism 192 universality 2 2 8 Rather, Dan 207 R a w l s . J o h n 171 Redfield, J a m e s The Celestine Prophecy 3 8 4 - 5 Regnault, F r a n c o i s 2 5 0 Reply to Six Objections ( D e s c a r t e s ) 1 1 6
INDEX
Reve, Karel van h e t 9 9 Rhinegold ( W a g n e r ) 3 4 8 Right to Laziness (Lafargue) 2 5 2 The River with No Bridge ( S u m i i ) 1 8 9 Rogozinski, J a c o b 3 7 , 4 0 , 4 3 , 4 8 b e y o n d the abyss 6 1 Russell, B e r t r a n d 1 4 2 declaration to Lady O t t o l i n e 5 4 Russell, Charles The Mask 3 8 9 - 9 0
Sade, Marquis de 3 5 9 S c h e l l i n g , F r i e d r i c h W.J. von 2 1 - 2 , 9 7 , 127 Divine E x i s t e n c e a n d G r o u n d 8 7 - 8 Ground o f Existence 55 night o f t h e S e l f 3 4 p u r e Willing 3 1 8 - 1 9 S c h m i t t , Carl 1 1 3 - 1 6 Schoenberg, Arnold 250 S c h r e b e r , Daniel Paul 1 1 6 S c h u m a n n , R o b e r t 102 Carnival 51 Schurmann, Reiner 9 ' S i l e n c e o f t h e S i r e n s ' (Kafka) 3 0 5 S k i n n e r , Q u e n t i n 181 Sleeping with the Enemy (film) 1 1 1 - 1 2 Solaris (film) 3 0 1 Solzhenitsyn, A l e x a n d e r Gulag trilogy 2 2 9 Sophocles Antigone 2 6 3 - 4 Sphere (film) 3 0 1 - 2 Stalin, J o s e p h 1 3 2 repression 2 2 7 show trials 3 2 0 - 2 1 terrors 3 7 8 totalitarianism 1 9 3 - 4 States of Injury ( B r o w n ) 7 1 - 2 Stravinksy, I g o r 2 5 0 Sumii, S u e The River with No Bridge 189 System der Sittlichkeit ( H e g e l ) 9 4 - 5
INDEX
Tarkovsky, Andrei
Vertigo (film) 2 8 6 - 7 , 3 0 0
Solaris 3 0 1 Taylor, Charles 8 7 - 8 , 171 Teresa, Mother 328 ' T h e s e s on the Philosophy o f History' ( B e n j a m i n ) 137 They Live (dim)
53-4
Timaeus (Plato) 5 4 Totem and Taboo ( F r e u d ) 162
W a g n e r , R i c h a r d 10, 2 9 1 - 2 Rhinegold 3 4 8 Watch on the Rhine (film) 2 2 2 - 3 Welles, O r s o n The Immortal Story 2 8 7 Wilcox, Fred
Twin Peaks (television) 5 6
The Forbidden Planet 3 0 1 Wilson, Colin From Atlantis to the Sphinx 7 0 - 7 1 Winfrey, O p r a h 3 8 6 , 3 8 8
Under Fire (film) 2 2 2
Yanez (film) 3 7 0
Oedipus complex 3 1 5 - 1 7 The Trial (Kafka) 7 8
409
A spectre is haunting W e s t e r n a c a d e m i a , t h e spectre of t h e Cartesian subject. The Ticklish Subject confronts Deconstructionists a n d Habermasians, cognitive scientists a n d Heideggerians, feminists and N e w A g e obscurantists by unearthing a subversive core t o this elusive s p e c t r e , and by finding in this core t h e indispensable philosophical point of reference for any genuinely emancipatory politics. 'Discussing Hegel and Lacan is like breathing for Slavoj.' J U D I T H BUTLER, U C BERKELEY 'His most focused a n d political book t o date.' ROBERT S . B O Y N T O N , UNQUA FRANCA 'Slavoj 2 i i e k ' s argument is subtle, witty and impassioned, and this book his f o u r t e e n t h in nine years - confirms his status a s one of t h e most innovative a n d exciting contemporary thinkers of t h e left.' TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT '2i£ek is a one-person culture mulcher . . . a fast-forward philosopher of culture for t h e post-Cold War period.' VILLAGE VOICE LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
SLAVOJ JXJ.EK is Senior Researcher a t t h e Institute for Social Studies, Ljubljana, Slovenia. His other books f o r Verso include The Fragile Absolute: Or, Why the Christian Legacy is Worth Fighting For, The Sublime Object of Ideology, The Plague of Fantasies, The Indivisible Remainder, For They Know Not What They Do and M e t a s t a s e s of Enjoyment. H e is t h e editor of Mapping Ideology a n d Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lacan But Were Afraid to Ask Hitchcock.
ISBN
1-85984-291-7
V VERSO UK: e Meard Street, London W1V 3HR USA: 180 Varick Street, New York NY 1 0 0 1 4 - 4 6 M Cover by Alan Hill Design
Photography by Richard Svtvarnes
