MO-Kansas Scholars

2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

REFORM 1NC
The affirmati e !e"icts a #orl! in #hich national ser ice #ill $e necessar% to "reser e the al&e of the social or!er' Creatin( this social or!er $ecomes the foc&s of o&r !esire an! feelin(s of lack' The social or!er effects a ra!ical chan(e in o&r relationshi" to en)o%ment an! !issatisfaction Todd McGowan, 2003, the end of dissatisfaction? Jacques Lacan and the emerging society of enjoyment, pg !"#!$

MO-Kansas Scholars
2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

MO-Kansas Scholars
2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

MO-Kansas Scholars
2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

REFORM 1NC
O&r "erce"tion of the #orl! !oes not come to &s innocentl% from the mere facts of e ents' *nstea!+ somethin( #e call the Real me!iates this "erce"tion' The Real is not the realit% l&rkin( $eneath re"resentations of the #orl!+ $&t instea! an e,cess or lack intro!&ce! in the er% act of re"resentation+ an! in!ee! the er% act of formin( the social or!er' O&r societ% l&rches for#ar! from crisis to crisis- comm&nities in !ecline+ "o ert%+ n&clear #ea"ons+ en ironmental !estr&ction+ etc'+ each time im"licit% $elie in( that each crisis is a historicall% s"ecific sit&ation that re.&ires some minor correcti e co&rse of action' This "ers"ecti e misi!entifies the Real as a historicall% s"ecific sit&ation rather than a feat&re inherent in the social e!ifice itself' /&rkin( $eneath e er% fantas% of "eace+ sta$ilit%+ an! resol&tion is a threat of !isor!er an! chaos' Catastro"he al#a%s ho ers0 s&ch is the nat&re of o&r $ein(' 1i2ek 03+ Con ersations #ith 1i2ek 456-78 %ere & wou'd agree with Lac'au and Mouffe(s notion that society doesn(t e)ist* that there is no neutra' space, no neutra'+ rea'ity that can ,e first o,jecti-e'y descri,ed and from which, h we then de-e'op the idea of antagonism .gain, this wou'd,* ,e my idea of fantasy as constituting rea'ity /f course 0a1i, are a rea' o,stac'e, ,ut the question is, why are they a rea' o,stac'e? The answer is, ,ecause they are sustained ,y a certain fantasmatic uni-erse That is to say that of course you can descri,e the way 0a1is are a rea' threat, how they threaten socia' rea'ity for Jews, ,ut the reason they are a threat in rea'ity has to do with fantasies a,out radica' antagonism &n this sense, the on'y thing & am c'aiming is that you cannot account for antagonism as 2ea' in the terms of just * ref'ection or an effect of some conf'icts in socia' rea'ity $o return to the notion of rea' 2ea' and rea'ity, the crucia' point to ,ear in mind is that, again, the Lacanian 2ea' is not some 3ind of a hard 3erne'* the true rea'ity as opposed to on'y our sym,o'ic fictions This is why the notion of the imaginary 2ea', which & e-o3ed ,efore, is so important & thin3 that the 2ea' is in a way a fiction4 2ea' is not some 3ind of raw nature which is then sym,o'i1ed 5ou sym,o'i1e, nature, ,ut in order to sym,o'i1e nature, in this -ery sym,o'i1ation, you produce an e)cess or a 'ac3 symmetrica''y and that(s the 2ea' This is the crucia' Lacanian 'esson &t # not, as it is sometimes misrepresented, that you ha-e # 'et 6 ca'' it nai-e'y pre#sym,o'ic rea'ity* you sym,o'i1e it and then something cannot ,e sym,o'i1ed and that is the 2ea' 0o this is just a 3ind of stupid rea'ity4 we don(t e-en ha-e )# onto'ogica' name for it &t is, rather, that the -ery gesture w sym,o'i1ation introduces a gap in rea'ity &t is this gap which is the 2ea' and e-ery positi-e form of this gap is constituted,* through fantasy 7o again the crucia' thing is to a-oid any reification of the, 2ea' The 2ea' can ,e considered a'most as a topo'ogica' term, a topo'ogica' twist, and any su,stantia'i1ation of the, 2ea' is a 3ind of a perspecti-e#i''usion 2ea' is a pure'y topo'ogica' category 8ith reference to the passage from specia' to genera' theory of re'ati-ity in 9instein, one cou'd put it in these terms* through sym,o'i1ation space itse'f is cur-ed, and the 2ea' is the i''usion that this cur-ature of the space is caused ,y some positi-e entity :ut the who'e point a,out the 2ea' is that the impossi,i'ity is not the resu't of some positi-e o,stac'e, ,ut is pure'y inherent* the impossi,i'ity is produced as the -ery condition of sym,o'ic space That is the u'timate parado) of the 2ea' 5ou cannot ha-e it a'', not ,ecause there is something opposing you, ,ut ,ecause of this pure'y forma', structura''y inherent, se'f#,'oc3ade

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2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

REFORM 1NC
*n or!er to "rotect o&rsel es "s%cholo(icall% from the tra&matic effects of this e er-"resent Real+ #e ha e all ac.&iesce! to the s"ell of i!eolo(%' *!eolo(% #orks $% constr&ctin( a fantas% of realit% in #hich it is "ossi$le to o ercome the ine ita$le crises (enerate! $% the Real' .s a res&lt+ #e ha e entere! into a c%cle of !istance an! "ro,imit% to the Real in #hich #e #ait an,io&sl% &ntil catastro"he confronts &s as 9on the $rink+9 an! then #e take some small correcti e meas&re there$% !eferrin( o&r reconsiliation #ith catastro"he &ntil the ne,t time the threat emer(es' This "rocess of constant !eferral "re ents &s from e er f&n!amentall% reor!erin( the #orl!+ an! instea! mo es &s to#ar!s a Ne# #orl! Or!er #hich selecti el% constit&tes (ro&"s of "eo"le to eliminate as $arriers an! risks rather than reco(ni2in( the intrinsicall% risk% nat&re of the entire s%m$olic ent&re' 1i2ek 03+ Con ' :ith 1i2ek+ 12-; The centra' issue is one of pro)imity4 of maintaining a critica' distance ,y 3eeping the Thing in focus <'i3e the image on a screen= ,ut without coming so c'ose that it ,egins to distort and decompose . typica' e)amp'e wou'd ,e that of someone who fantasi1es a,out an idea' o,ject <a se)ua' partner, promotion, retirement etc = and when they actua''y encounter the o,ject, they are confronted with the 2ea' of their fantasy4 the o,ject 'oses its idea'ity The <ideo'ogica'= tric3, therefore, is to 3eep the o,ject at a certain distance in order to sustain the satisfaction deri-ed from the fantasy >if on'y & had ) & cou'd fu'fi' my dream( &deo'ogy regu'ates this fantasmatic distance in order to, as it were, a-oid the 2ea' in the impossi,'e* i e the traumatic aspects in-o'-ed in any rea' <impossi,'e= change This allows for a more nuanced reading of ideologies. Let us take the case of an international crisis : the so#ca''ed >'i,eration of ?uwait( during the !@@0s Gu'f conf'ict %ere the ideo'ogica' discourse tended to operate a'ong the fo''owing 'ines* >we must achie-e the 'i,eration of ?uwait whi'e recogni1ing that any true 'i,eration <i e a,o'ishing ?uwait(s feuda' dynasty and setting up democratic structures= is current'y impossi,'e ( .nd do we not ha-e something simi'ar with the so#ca''ed 0ew 8or'd /rder? .ny rea' <or indeed 2ea'= attempt to esta,'ish such an order wou'd ine-ita,'y require traumatic far#reaching changes* g'o,a' democracy ,ased on uni-ersa' rights, popu'ar participation, the eradication of po-erty and socia' e)c'usion <etc = as part of a genuine (ref'e)i-e moderni1ation <. However, what we actually have is the routine invocation of the
New World Order in terms of an indefinite ideal that functions precisely as a way of preventing any real movement towards it. In the antian terms of the su!lime, any convergence with what might !e called the "ush#"lair $a%is of &ood$ would !ecome an un!eara!le evil. 'o we have the same type of ideological supplement at work( `we

are mo-ing towards a 0ew 8or'd /rder that wi'' not to'erate the 7addam %usseins of this wor'd whi'e recogni1ing that a true 0ew 8or'd /rder <one that wou'd ,e into'erant of a'' the autocrats, roya' fami'ies and the corporate dictatorships of g'o,a' capita'ism= is current'yAa'ways impossi,'e ( &n this way, impossi,i'ity 'oses its innocence and, far from comprising a simp'e repressed dimension, is rather something that can ,e seen to function as an imp'icit# o,scene ideo'ogica' supp'ement in today(s rea'po'iti3

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2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

REFORM 1NC
T=E >FF*RM>T*?E@S >SSERT*ONS OF COMMAN*TB >NC >CT*?E C*T*1ENS=*P ON/B PRO?*CE FART=ER SAPPORT FOR T=E ST>TAS DAO E T=E REFORM EFFORT *S RE>//B >N >C?ERT*SEMENT FOR NEO-CONSER?>T*?E POPA/*SM 1i2ek 77 4The Ticklish S&$)ect8

MO-Kansas Scholars
2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

REFORM 1NC
Fundamentally, the affirmative is designed to ensure that nothing REALLY changes in the way politics today goes down. Facile and direct calls to action do not take place in ideological vacuums witness, for e ample, how the ideology of capitalism today !"R#$E% on making &usiness seem ethical and interested in serving humanity. !his is precisely the pro&lem with the affirmative. Activists today like to get involved in national service programs, aid causes, help people, and speak out against oppression, &ut they do so in ways that ensure that the &asic structure of politics goes on unchanged.

7'a-oj Ci1e3, Drofessor of 7ocio'ogy at the &nstitute for 7ocio'ogy, Lju,'jana Eni-ersity, 2002, 2e-o'ution at the Gates, p !B@#!$! &n these circumstances, #e sho&l! $e es"eciall% caref&lF the po'itica' space and state apparatuses wor3

MO-Kansas Scholars
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Zizek

MO-Kansas Scholars
2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

REFORM 1NC
T=E >FF*RM>T*?E >TTEMPTS >T REFORM :*// F>*/' T=EB >RE NOT R>C*C>/ ENOAG= >NC REM>*N C>AG=T *N T=E COORC*N>TES OF T=E CARRENT SBSTEM >NC STACK *N T=E CONSTR>*NTS OF C>P*T>/*SM C&C9? @@ <T&G?L&7% 7E:J9GT DG $!#$2=

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Zizek

REFORM 1NC
T=E >/TERN>T*?E *S >N >HSO/ATE :*T=CR>:>/ FROM T=E P/>N E T=*S NEG>T*?E GESTARE :*PES T=E S/>TE C/E>N OF T=E RE>/ :=*C= *S > PRECARSOR TO >NB POS*T*?E GESTARE' T=*S >CKNO:/ECGEMENT *S KEB TO OPEN*NG T=E >HSO/ATE CONTR>CT*ON OF SAHIECT*?*TB C&C9? @@ <T%9 T&G?L&7% 7E:J9GT=, pg !"3#!";

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Zizek

REFORM 1NC
*n "s%choanal%tic terms+ the !ecision to (i e &" all ho"e is calle! tra ersin( the fantas%+ #hich allo#s %o& to reco(ni2e an! alter the #a% that %o& res"on! to i!eolo(ical infl&ence' Tra ersin( the fantas% offers no #a% o&t of o&r "resent con!itions+ $&t rather insists that %o& "s%cholo(icall% (et o er it E that the $i( other !oesn@t e,ist means that no social harmon% #ill e er s&ccee!+ $&t at the same time this reco(nition o"ens &" the "ossi$ilit% of a&thentic "olitical action $e%on! the infinitel% re(ressi e "olitics of i!eolo(% #hich en!lessl% rehearse the same faile! !eferral of confrontation #ith the real' McGo#an, teaches critica' theory and fi'm in the 9ng'ish Hepartment at the E Iermont 2003 <Todd Lacan and Gontemporary Ji'm, 9d McGowan and ?un3'e, pg !""#B@ Jor a'' its a,i'ity to contro' ,oth past and present, the power of ideo'ogy is not a,so'ute 8e ha-e po'itica' possi,i'ities ,ecause ideo'ogy does not function smooth'y The hitches in its functioning mar3 the points at which su,jects can mount resistance, and psychoana'ytic interpretation a''ows us to recogni1e such points .s we ha-e a'ready seen, Har3 Gity ,egins with a moment at which ideo'ogica' contro' fai's &t fai's ,ecause, as Hetecti-e 9ddie 8a'ens3i <Go'in Jrie's= 'ater te''s Murdoch, K/nce in a whi'e one of us wa3es up whi'e they(re changing things &t(s not supposed to happen, ,ut it does &t happened to me K &t a'so happens to Murdoch at the ,eginning of
the fi'm Huring the process of tuning and the imprinting of memories, Murdoch wa3es up ,efore 7chre,er has successfu''y imprinted his new identity .s

To Kwa3e upK means that one has ,ecome aware of the process of ideo'ogica' interpe''ation and has grasped that ideo'ogy, produces identity .nd in contrast, to s'eep is to acquiesce to ideo'ogica' contro' This is why, during another tuning 'ater in the fi'm Murdoch
a resu't4 Murdoch doesn(t 3now who he is4 he has on'y fragments of memories frantica''y e)horts those around him to wa3e up so that they too can ,ecome aware of the contro' ,eing e)erted o-er the &n order to resist ideo'ogica' contro', the first step is to ,ecome aware of its functioning, which Murdoch does

&deo'ogy is suscepti,'e to this 3ind of awareness##and fai'ure#,ecause the sym,o'ic authority is itse'f incomp'ete &t suffers from 'ac3 just 'i3e the su,jects under its contro' That is to say, sym,o'ic authority does not simp'y e)ert its power o-er su,jects4 it a'so wants something from them &n Har3 Gity the figures of sym,o'ic authority <the 7trangers= see3 the human sou' the source of human indi-idua'ity 7chre,er points out that they ,e'ie-e human indi-idua'ity wi'' sa-e them#a co''ecti-e species#from death %e e)p'ains to Murdoch, Kit is our capacity for indi-idua'ity, our sou's, that ma3es us different from them LThey thin3 they can find the human sou' if they understand how our memories wor3 .'' they ha-e are co''ecti-e memories They share one group mind They(re dying, you see Their entire race is on the ,rin3 of e)tinction They thin3 we can sa-e them K!0 ( The strangers represent resent the sym,o'ic authority in the fi'm, and yet they themse'-es desire They want
to disco-er the hidden secret of humanity #the o,jet petit a, the 3erne' of jouissance, within the human su,ject They ta3e a specia' interest in Murdoch precise'y ,ecause the process of ideo'ogica' contro' fai's with him, and thus he seem, to possess this 3erne' of jouissance that cannot ,e reduced to ideo'ogy 8hat they see3 in humans is not successfu' ideo'ogica' con tro', ,ut the a,i'ity to resist it Through this depiction of the 7trangers, Har3 Gity re-ea's not on'y that sym,o'ic authority desires <i e , that it is 'ac3ing and therefore not a,so'ute=, ,ut a'so that it desires the -ery jouissance that it for,ids 7ym,o'ic authority demands o,edience, ,ut it desires resistance#the 3erne' of jouissance in the su,ject that cannot ,e assimi'ated through ideo'ogy &ts desire cannot ,e reduced to a demand* authority articu'ates its demand#K/,ey the Law+ K,ut its desire appears ,etween the 'ines of the demand .s Lacan <!@BB#!@B$= points out in his 7eminar M&I entit'ed La 'ogiaue du fantasme, Kit is from the demand# and thorough'y from the demand#that desire arisesK <!@BB#!@B$, session of June 2!, !@B$= &t is, Lacan adds, Kon'y a ,y#product of the demandK <!@BB# !@B$, session of June 2!, !@B$= :ecause desire emerges from demand, it remains#in direct contrast to demand#fundamenta''y enigmatic and irreduci,'e to any positi-e rea'i1ation in signifiers .ccording to Lacan <!@F@=, desire Kcannot ,e indicated anywhere in a signifier of any demand

<p B2= En'i3e demand, desire is e'usi-e* whene-er it is made comp'ete'y articu'ate, it s'ips away 7o whi'e the 7trangers demand that the city(s human su,jects succum, to their manipu'ation, what they rea''y want#what they desire#is to disco-er someone who wi'' successfu''y resist 2esistance indicates the presence of the Ksou'K or o,jet petit a, that e)timate part of the su,ject#what is in the su,ject more than the su,ject#that remains the same despite constant changes in sym,o'ic identity .'' mastery is constrained and haunted ,y the desire for this 'itt'e piece of the 2ea' that has the a,i'ity to comp'ete'y topp'e its authority
whatsoe-er, since it is not articu'ata,'e there e-en though it is articu'ated in itK

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sp'it and therefore inconsistent

Zizek

&t seems odd, of course, to say that mastery wants su,-ersion rather than o,edience :ut this resu'ts from the fact that the position of mastery is itse'f

This desire of the master is e-ident in the paterna' figure who fa-ors the re,e''ious son o-er the dutifu' one, as in Tennessee 8i''iams(s Gat on a %ot Tin 2oof :ig Haddy, the father of the fami'y depicted in the p'ay, c'ear'y prefers his son :ric3 o-er his other son Gooper, despite the re,e''ion of the former and the o,edience of the 'atter Gooper is a successfu' 'awyer, and he ta3es care of
the fami'y estate &n addition, he has a sta,'e marriage and has fathered grandchi'dren for :ig Haddy Gooper has done a'' of these things in order to p'ease :ig Haddy, to conform to his demand :ric3 drin3s, disdains his inheritance, has a rapid'y disso'-ing marriage, and, perhaps most significant'y, has se)ua' desire for men rather than women %owe-er, e-en the re-e'ation of :ric3(s attraction to men does not a'ter :ig Haddy(s preference for him4 in

The more :ric3 acts against :ig Haddy(s demand, the more :ig Haddy desires him :ric3(s resistance to :ig Haddy(s authority attracts :ig Haddy(s desire ,ecause it indicates the presence of the o,jet petit a#something that a,so'ute'y resists assimi'ation to the demands of authority :ig Haddy, 'i3e the 7trangers, see3s out this o,ject that seems to ho'd the secret of jouissance that a'ways remains just outside the reach
fact, it seems to increase it (( of those in power 7ym,o'ic authority(s 'ac3 constitutes a po'itica' opening for the su,ject, which is why the su,ject must constant'y remain aware of it &n addition to re-ea'ing the desire of sym,o'ic authority Har3 Gity a'so i''ustrates the ina,i'ity of sym,o'ic authority to e)perience jouissance Derhaps the 7trangers e)perience some jouissance in their mastery, ,ut se)ua' jouissance comp'ete'y escapes them This fai'ing ,ecomes apparent in an e)change ,etween 7chre,er and one of the 7trangers 8hi'e 7chre,er wor3s in his 'a, preparing a new identity for a human su,ject, a 7tranger approaches 7chre,er as the 'atter ,egins to ref'ect on one of the memories he puts into this identity* K8hat is it? The reco''ections of a great 'o-er? . cata'ogue of conquests? 8e wi'' soon find out 5ou wou'dn(t appreciate that, Mr 8hate-er#your#name#is 0ot the sort of conquests you wou'd e-er understand K 7chre,er(s comment here under'ines the distinction ,etween mastery and jouissance :ecause they occupy the position of mastery, the 7trangers continua''y see3 the jouissance that their -ery position denies to them This is the fundamenta' impasse of a'' mastery* not on'y does it need those it contro's and su,jects to sustain its own position of mastery, ,ut it cannot escape ,eing o,sessed with the secret jouissance of these su,jects %ence, in

Through its depiction of the desire of sym,o'ic authority, Har3 Gity re-ea's one of the ways that psychoana'ytic critique and psychoana'ytica''y informed inquiry ser-e po'itica' action /ften, the strongest ,arrier to o-ercome in the po'itica' act is the ,e'ief that sym,o'ic authority is without fissure, that there is no opening in which the act can occur :y showing the 7trangers( desperate search for the jouissance of the su,ject, the fi'm shatters this ,e'ief 2ather than em,odying an in-aria,'e mastery that thwarts a'' cha''enges to it, the 7trangers ,etray the inconsistency of mastery, it(s 'ac3 .nd ,ecause e-en sym,o'ic authority 'ac3s, we need not succum, to its demands !2 7ym,o'ic authority(s 'ac3 creates the space at which we can oppose it, and ta3ing up this opposition is what it means to act po'itica''y :ut the primary ,arrier to such an act is our in-estment in the fantasy that fi''s in sym,o'ic authority(s 'ac3 :ecause sym,o'ic authority is 'ac3ing or sp'it, ideo'ogica' contro' is not a,so'ute This means that it needs a fantasmatic support in order to entice su,jects to ,uy into it &f ideo'ogy simp'y demands su,mission, su,jects wi'' ,e re'uctant to ,uy into it :ut fantasy fi''s in this 'acuna, offering a reward <an image of the u'timate jouissance= that ideo'ogy offers in e)change for su,mission %ence, far from su,-erting ideo'ogica' contro', fantasy perpetuates it and fo''ows from it The 7trangers pro-ide the inha,itants of the city with fantasies#images of an e)perience ,eyond ideo'ogica' contro'#and these fantasies assist in rendering the peop'e doci'e &n the case of Murdoch, we see
addition to 'ea-ing open the space for resistance, sym,o'ic authority actua''y encourages its own su,-ersion c'ear'y how ideo'ogica' contro' depends on a fundamenta' fantasy Jor Murdoch, this fantasy is that of 7he'' :each, a p'ace of warmth and 'ight in contrast to the dar3, dreary city 7he'' :each occupies this important p'ace in Murdoch(s psychic economy ,ecause it represents his point of origin#

%e ,e'ie-es that if he can return to this point, he wi'' find the answers to a'' of his questions a,out his identity and gain a sense of comp'etion The contrast ,etween the socia' rea'ity of Har3 Gity and Murdoch(s fantasy re-ea's the crucia' ro'e that fantasy p'ays in 3eeping su,jects satisfied with the socia' rea'ity as it is Murdoch and e-eryone e'se in the
home city 'i-e in perpetua' dar3ness#a hope'ess wor'd of unending night Droyas emphasi1es this a,sence of 'ight in the different aspects of the fi'm(s mise# en#scene 9-ery setting within the city is -ery dim'y 'it4 the characters wear dar3 co'ors and often appear in shadow4 and no scene ta3es p'ace during the day This wor'd wou'd seem to ,e conduci-e to widespread dissatisfaction, ,ut fantasy inter-enes to foster contentment through an imaginary satisfaction Jantasy a''ows su,jects to ta3e so'ace in the image of past <and future= satisfaction 8hereas the socia' rea'ity is dar3 and hope'ess, fantasy presents a wor'd ,rimming with 'ight &n Murdoch(s fantasmatic image of 7he'' :each, a ,right sun shines on a ,eautifu' shore'ine This fantasy seems to offer an opening to a point ,eyond ideo'ogica' contro'#hope for a different future##,ut ideo'ogy actua''y re'ies on this image of an opening in order to 3eep su,jects satisfied with their e)istence within ideo'ogy

&n order for fantasy to supp'ement ideo'ogy in this way, it must remain amorphous and unarticu'ated
/n se-era' occasions during the fi'm, Murdoch as3s a,out the way to 7he'' :each :ut each time his inter'ocutors stum,'e in mid#sentence, despite e)pressing certainty a,out their 3now'edge of the directions .n e)emp'ary instance of this occurs when Murdoch questions a ca, dri-er* Murdoch* %ey, do you happen to 3now the way to 7he'' :each? Ga, Hri-er* 5ou(re 3idding Me and the Mrs spent our honey#moon there .'' you gotta do is ta3e Main 7treet west to

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Zizek

or is the Gross# that(s funny, & can(t seem to remem,er if it(s Main 7treet west or the Grosstown This initia' fee'ing of 3now'edge and the su,sequent uncertainty c'ue us in to the fantasmatic status of 7he'' :each :ecause it functions as the 'oca'e of fantasy, su,jects fee' as if they 3now it intimate'y :ut ,ecause it is fantasmatic, they cannot put this K3now'edgeK into words &n 7eminar I&&, Lacan

To articu'ate the fantasy#to gi-e directions to 7he'' :each#wou'd destroy it insofar as this wou'd e)pose the imaginary status of the fantasy scenario
points out that Kfantasms cannot ,ear the re-e'ation of speechK <!@@2, p F0= :y stressing the ina,i'ity of other su,jects to te'' Murdoch the way to 7he'' :each, the fi'm again insists on the 'in3 ,etween the indi-idua'(s re'ationship to his or her pri-ate fantasies and the po'itica' situation of the entire society 9-en though Murdoch(s fantasy is indi-idua' and pri-ate#7he'' :each is not the fantasy of e-eryone in the city#other inha,itants assist him in sustaining the fantasmatic status of 7he'' :each through their fai'ure to direct him to it &n other words, their si'ence a''ows Murdoch to sustain distance from his fantasy The fantasy of 7he'' :each continues to ho'd sway o-er Murdoch in

The su,jects of Har3 Gity unconscious'y recogni1e the danger for e-eryone#the pu,'ic danger#if e-en one su,ject tra-erses her or his pri-ate fantasy &f the fantasy of one su,ject ,rea3s down and ceases to o,scure the -oid at the heart of the sym,o'ic structure, then e-eryone(s fantasy ,ecomes questiona,'e Lea-ing his fantasy unarticu'ated and unrea'i1ed, Murdoch(s
part ,ecause e-eryone shows such respect for this pri-ate fantasy fe''ow citi1ens protect him from facing the -oid that it o,scures Just as the su,ject(s tra-ersa' of the fantasy has po'itica' consequences for the who'e society, the who'e society(s <po'itica'= commitment to 3eeping fantasy hidden acts as a ,arrier to the su,ject(s tra-ersa' of the fantasy Derhaps the most insightfu' moment in Har3 Gity occurs when Murdoch tries to ta3e the su,way to 7he'' :each This scene offers an e)act depiction of the impossi,'e status of the fantasy within the sym,o'ic order 8hen Murdoch ta3es a 'oca' train to 7he'' :each, the train stops ,efore arri-ing, and an announcement te''s the passengers that they must e)it the train .fter disem,ar3ing, he is to'd that on'y the e)press train goes a'' the way to 7he'' :each :ut it turns out that there is no station at which one can ,oard the e)press train, and so a'' one can do is to watch it go ,y %ere we ha-e the di'emma of fantasy in a nutshe''* the 'oca' train that we can ta3e ne-er arri-es at the destination, and on'y the e)press train that we can(t ,oard actua''y ma3es it there 8e miss the o,ject one way or the other ( 3 These fai'ures are not simp'y empirica' o,stac'es to the rea'i1ation of the fantasy ,ut wor3 to constitute and sustain the fantasy The fantasy on'y continues to function insofar as we find ourse'-es in the situation of Murdoch#una,'e to trac3 it down

Jantasy re'ies on the su,ject(s distance from it in order to ,e effecti-e 7he'' :each must remain inaccessi,'e and a'ways on the hori1on 8hen the su,ject gets too c'ose to the fantasy, the fan # tasy ,rea3s down, as Dark City i''ustrates Hissatisfied with his ina,i'ity to find 7he'' :each, Murdoch fina''y corners 7chre,er and demands
that 7chre,er ta3e him there The course is circuitous* they tra-e' ,y ,oat down an iso'ated ri-er and then wa'3 through a series of narrow passages 8hen Murdoch opens the fina' door 'eading to K7he'' :eachK the camera is positioned ,ehind him, so that we see Murdoch 'oo3ing at what appears to ,e a ,right ,'ue -ista :y first introducing us to K7he'' :eachK o,scured ,y a doorway and through a 'ong shot Droyas p'ays with our e)pectations, forcing us as spectators to ,ecome aware of our own in-estment in fantasy &t initia''y 'oo3s as if Murdoch has actua''y rea'i1ed his fantasy, that he has fina''y arri-ed at 7he'' :each . quic3 cut to a c'oseup of Murdoch 'oo3ing at the scene seems to confirm this his e)pression connotes ama1ement %owe-er, when we fina''y see N7he'' :eachO through a su,jecti-e shot from MurdochPs perspecti-e, it ,ecomes apparent that the reason for this ama1ement is not the rea'i1ation of the fantasy &t turns out that 7he'' :each, once one actua''y arri-es at it, is nothing

8hat seemed from the initia' 'ong shot to ,e the ,right co'ors of an actua' ,each turn out to ,e the faded co'ors of a mere poster This is why the fantasy resists comp'ete articu'ation* if one co''apses the distance separating onese'f from the fantasy, the imaginary nature of the fantasy ,ecomes readi'y apparent &n addition to re-ea'ing what happens to fantasy when a su,ject comes face#to#face with it, Har3 Gity a'so ma3es e-ident what fantasy o,scures The most important ro'e of fantasy within the psychic economy is its a,i'ity to co-er o-er the traumatic 2ea' on which a'' ideo'ogy rests .s Ci1e3 puts it, KThe fantasy which under'ies the pu,'ic ideo'ogica' te)t as its non#ac3now'edged o,scene support simu'taneous'y ser-es as a screen against the direct intrusion of the 2ea'K <!@@F, pp B;#B"= Jantasy a''ows us to a-oid an encounter with the 2ea' that a'ways threatens to swa''ow the su,ject Har3 Gity depicts this dynamic a'most 'itera''y Gonfronted with the poster of 7he'' :each and the ,ric3 wa'' underneath, Murdoch <assisted ,y &nspector :umstead= ta3es a hammer to the wa'', ,rea3ing down the fantasy in order to re-ea' what 'ies ,eyond .fter they ,rea3 through the wa'', what they see horrifies them* the image of 7he'' :each co-ered the -oid of infinite space Murdoch and :umstead now recogni1e that the city is not 'ocated on a p'anet <such as earth, where the fi'm seemed to ,e set=, ,ut is free# f'oating through the -astness of space This immediate'y renders meaning'ess the entire ideo'ogica' edifice upon which their wor'd rested Murdoch and :umstead see thrat there is, in the 'ast instance, no ground under their feet, that -oid is at the
,ut a poster of 7he'' :each p'astered on a ,ric3 wa'' ,ottom of e-erything .t this point, Murdoch recogni1es that he wi'' ne-er attain his fantasy and that the o,ject of his desire is the product of his own

:rea3ing down the wa'' forces Murdoch into this recognition, and it is a3in to what Lacan ca''s the tra-ersa' of the fantasy#the end of psychoana'ysis 8hen a su,ject tra-erses the fantasy, he or she mo-es from desire <continua''y see3ing the o,ject= to dri-e <circ'ing around an o,ject'ess -oid= /ne resists this transition ,ecause it entai's the 'oss of any hope for escape Hesire promises a transcendent future, a future ,eyond present constraints :ut the dri-e ma3es no promises4 it in-o'-es on'y a perpetua'
positing .s 7chre,er te''s hi, NThere is no ocean, John There is nothing ,eyond the city The on'y p'ace home e)ists is in your head O circ'ing Murdoch is not the on'y character in the fi'm to pass from desire to dri-e Hetecti-e 9ddie 8a'ens3i a'so made this transition prior to the

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,eginning of the time depicted in the fi'm, ,ut he was una,'e to face the horror of the dri-e(s monotony and ,ecame mad <thus 'ea-ing him una,'e to assist Murdoch in his po'itica' action= /n the wa''s of his office and home, 8a'ens3i draws spira's that c'ose in on themse'-es in order to represent the inescapa,i'it- of the dri-e %e te''s :umstead, K&(-e ,een spending time in the su,way, riding in circ'es, thin3ing in circ'es K 8hereas desire proceeds in a 'inear fashion, metonymica''y mo-ing from o,ject to o,ject the dri-e is circu'ar and thus is comp'ete'y se'f#enc'oscd &t is a circu'ar motion constant'y turning in on itse'f 8a'ens3i e-entua''y 3i''s, himse'f in order to escape the monotony of the dri-e, which indicates that the fantasy of an other p'ace <such as 7he'' :each= retained a ho'd o-er him &n its hope for re'ief from present conditions, 'itera' suicide is necessari'y accompanied ,y a fantasmatic supp'ement an image of a ,etter p'ace somewhere e'se <e-en if this is on'y o,'i-ion= &n opting for suicide, 8a'ens3i re-ea's that he is una,'e to reconci'e himse'f to the o,ject(s none)istence Murdoch, on the other hand, is a,'e to ,rea3 from fantasy(s ho'd, and this frees him from the power of ideo'ogica' contro', preparing him for a fina' ,att'e with the 7trangers The ideo'ogica' contro' of the 7trangers depends not so much on the sym,o'ic identity that it produces in the su,jects of the city as in its fantasmatic

This is why Ci1e3 c'aims that Kthe crucia' precondition for ,rea3ing the chains of ser-itude is thus to >tra-erse the fantasy( which structures our jouissance in a way which 3eeps us attached to the Master#ma3es us accept the frame#wor3 of the socia' re'ationship of dominationK <!@@F, p ;F= Tra-ersing the fantasy frees the su,ject from the power of sym,o'ic authority ,y su,-erting the su,ject(s 'i,idina' in-estment in that authority Murdoch cannot ,ecome a fu''y radica'i1ed su,ject unti' he a,andons the hope that
ho'd o-er them 7he'' :each might ,ring him comp'ete satisfaction This hope represents an in-estment in the authority of the 7trangers ,ecause it is this authority that has created 7he'' :each %ence, cha''enging the authority of the 7trangers, prior to tra-ersing the fantasy, wou'd threaten to undermine the fantasy &t is for this reason that fantasy p'ays such a crucia' ro'e in 3eeping su,jects in 'ine %owe-er ,

when he tra-erses the fantasy of 7he'' :each <his fundamenta' fantasy=, nothing stands in the way of Murdoch mounting a po'itica' cha''enge to the hegemony of the 7trangers & >
The point at which Murdoch shatters the 7he'' :each fantasy and 'ays ,are the -oid that it co-ers mar3s the radica' moment of Har3 Gity :ut the fi'm is una,'e to sustain this radica'ity, this confrontation with the -oid that under'ies the sym,o'ic structure .fter Murdoch and :umstead ,rea3 through the 7he'' :each poster and e)pose the -oid, the 7trangers appear, and during the ensuing strugg'e, :umstead and one of the 7trangers fa'' through the ho'e in the wa'' and are thrust into the -acuum of space This seeming'y horrific e-ent is actua''y a who''y ideo'ogica' de-e'opment, as the su,sequent shot indicates .fter :umstead(s ,ody 'ea-es the wor'd of the city and enters into space, the ne)t shot depicts the city su,jecti-e'y#from the impossi,'e perspecti-e of :umstead as he f'oats 'ife'ess'y through space 8e gradua''y see that what seemed 'i3e a p'anet is actua''y a -ast, se'f#contained spaceship, unattached to any so'ar system The pro,'em with this shot is that it is pure'y fantasmatic* it posits a Krea' wor'dK <a 'a 7he'' :each, though perhaps not as attracti-e= ,eyond the confines of our present wor'd .t this point, the fi'm imp'ies that there is a -ast uni-erse of space <and possi,'y, somewhere, 9arth, a Krea'K home= ,eyond the ideo'ogica' wor'd of the city &t presents space itse'f as the Krea' wor'd,K as the p'ace at which we arri-e

Tra-ersing the fantasy doesn(t a''ow us to escape the 'imits of our present situation4 instead, it a''ows us to see that there is nothing ,eyond those 'imits, that the image of the ,eyond is the product of the 'imits themse'-es That is to say, fantasy doesn(t concea' the Krea' wor'dK <howe-er ,'ea3=, ,ut instead wor3s to con-ince us that such a p'ace e)ists, just ,eyond our reach Tra-ersing the fantasy in-o'-es the recognition that there is no ,eyond#or, rather, that the ,eyond e)ists within the present wor'd !" &n this sense, Har3 Gity, though it depicts
after tra-ersing the fantasy :ut this is the fantasmatic gesture par e)ce''ence Murdoch tra-ersing the fantasy, a'most immediate'y restores the dimension of fantasy for the spectator :ut despite this 'apse into fantasy, the fi'm soon re-ea's the po'itica' possi,i'ities un'eashed through fantasy(s tra-ersa'

.fter he ,rea3s from the fantasmatic contro' of the 7trangers, Murdoch finds himse'f under their physica' contro'* he ,ecomes their prisoner, and they p'an to imprint their co''ecti-e identity into his mind They ,e'ie-e that ,ecause Murdoch has successfu''y resisted them, he can ,ecome the -ehic'e for their de'i-erance :ut instead of imprinting
the identity of the 7trangers into Murdoch, 7chre,er imprints Murdoch with a series of memories These memories inc'ude a tutoria' designed to teach Murdoch how to de-e'op his power of tuning in order to thwart the 7trangers :ecause he no 'onger has any <fantasmatic= in-estment in their authority,

Murdoch is not seduced ,y the memories themse'-es and uses them so'e'y as a too' for ,att'ing the 7trangers %e 3nows that he has nothing to 'ose in destroying the sym,o'ic edifice that the 7trangers ha-e authored Thus assisted ,y 7chre,er, Murdoch defeats the 7trangers and frees humanity from their contro' %is pri-ate -ictory o-er the 7trangers( authority is at once a co''ecti-e -ictory as we'' &t is at this point that we see most c'ear'y the 'in3 ,etween psychoana'ysis and po'itica' action Dsychoana'ysis assists the ana'ysand in tra-ersing the fantasy and there,y ,rea3ing from her or his in-estment in sym,o'ic authority .s we ha-e seen, in the fi'm Murdoch undergoes a process simi'ar to psychoana'ysis, conc'uding with
his tra-ersa' of the 7he'' :each fantasy This is the process that ma3es possi,'e Murdoch(s su,sequent po'itica' act of o-erthrowing the 7trangers

There is no authentic po'itica' act without a prior tra-ersing of the fantasy Thus, psychoana'ysis##and the psychoana'ytic critique of ideo'ogy#'eads us to po'itica' action .s 'ong as Murdoch remained in-ested in the
authority of the 7trangers at the 'e-e' of fantasy, he cou'd not e-en see the opening for a po'itica' act :ut ,y tra-ersing the fantasy, he ,ro3e down this ,arrier, there,y re-ea'ing the essentia' ro'e that psychoana'ysis p'ays in po'itics 8hi'e Murdoch does not, of course, undergo actua' psychoana'ysis, his trajectory in the fi'm#cu'minating in the tra-ersa' of the fantasy#fo''ows that of ana'ysis Thus ,

Har3 Gity indicates not the po'itica' necessity of su,mitting e-eryone to ana'ysis <which is c'ear'y an unwor3a,'e proposition= ,ut the po'itica' importance of adopting the psychoana'ytic path and its attitude toward fantasy !;

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Dsychoana'ysis is integra' to the authentic po'itica' act ,ecause of the nature of sym,o'ic authority 7ym,o'ic authority has mastery not as a resu't of superior force* though there are far fewer 7trangers than humans, the 7trangers nonethe'ess ha-e contro' &nstead, it re'ies on the fact that those who are under its contro' are themse'-es in-ested in that contro' That is, the humans su,mit to the authority of the 7trangers ,ecause it pro-ides them with sym,o'ic identity and a fantasmatic support for that identity This in-estment in sym,o'ic authority acts as a ,arrier to po'itica' action, gi-ing the humans a reason to sustain the status quo &t is on'y through the act of tra-ersing the fantasy#an act that psychoana'ysis promotes#that su,jects can escape this in-estment and act against sym,o'ic authority Thus, the apparent short#circuit ,etween psychoana'ytic ana'ysis and po'itica' action that critics ha-e noted within contemporary Lacanian thought must ,e seen in a new 'ight Jar from wor3ing against concrete po'itica' acti-ity, psychoana'ytic critique is in fact the ,asis for it 8ithout psychoana'ysis, po'itics remains micropo'itics, caught within the -ery sym,o'ic structure that it is trying to contest 8ith psychoana'ysis we can attain the authentic po'itica' act, one that eschews sym,o'ic authority and authors a radica' ,rea3

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C>P*T>/*SM 1NC
Thesis-the affirmative presents an attempt by capitalism to solve its own transgressions they identify a harm produced by capitalism and then turn to the capitalist structure in order to get rid of it. The ballot signifies a yes/no vote to capitalism

The aff en!orses o""ort&nistic !e"lo%ment of the state a""arat&s+ #hich the% #ill claim hel"s the re ol&tion+ this $e(s the #ron( .&estion' :e m&st en(a(e in the act of re ol&tion no# for re ol&tions sake+ the $allot is a %esJ no .&estion to ca"' 1i2ek+ 2002 re-o'ution at the gates

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C>P*T>/*SM 1NC
National ser ice is set &" to allo# for ca"italism to em"lo% an !e"lo% the "lan as an e,am"le of ho# ca"italism can amen! its trans(ressions allo#in( for a #orl! of frictionless ca"italism' 2i2ek 200; Nre-o'utions at the gatesO pg 2$$#2$F

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C>P*T>/*SM 1NC
Re-"olitici2in( the econom% is the onl% mechanism #hich creates the necessar% con!tions for the reali2ation of s&$or!inate! (ro&"s !eman!s Ci1e3 @@ The Tic3'ish 7u,ject D 3"B

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)card ends at system is threatened.

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C>P*T>/*SM 1NC
The i!eolo(% of the 1ac fills the oi! of the !eath !ri e #ith a fantas% of tr&th an! (oo!ness-#e m&st instea! a&thenticall% confront the "s%che
Ci1e3 @@ The Tic3'ish 7u,ject D !B0#!

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C>P*T>/*SM 1NC
alternati e- o&r alternati e is to orient o&rsel es com"letel% a(ainst ca"italism an! acce"t o&r "ersonal mortalit% E this orientation "ro i!es a frame#ork for e al&atin( the !e$ate E in the lo(ic of the late ca"italism the onl% ste" #e can ho"e to make is one #here #e sto" $elief an! start criticall% str&((lin( a(ainst the i!eolo(% of ca"ital Johnson 200; psychoanalysis, culture and society p !"
Derhaps the a,sence of a detai'ed po'itica' roadmap in Ci1e3(s recent writings isn(t a major shortcoming May,e, at 'east for the time ,eing, the most important tas3 is simp'y the negati-ity of the critica' strugg'e, the effort to cure an inte''ectua' constipation resu'ting from capita'ist ideo'ogy and there,y to tru'y open up the space for imagining authentic a'ternati-es to the pre-ai'ing state of the situation .nother definition of materia'ism offered ,y Ci1e3 is that it amounts to accepting the interna' inherence of what fantasmatica''y appears as an e)terna' dead'oc3 or hindrance <Ci1e3, 200!d, pp 22#23= <with fantasy itse'f ,eing defined as the fa'se e)terna'i1ation of something within the su,ject, name'y, the i''usory projection of an inner o,stac'e, Ci1e3, 2000a, p !B= Jrom this perspecti-e, seeing through ideo'ogica' fantasies ,y 'earning how to thin3 again outside the confines of current restrictions has, in and of itse'f, the potentia' to operate as a form of rea' re-o'utionary practice <rather than remaining mere'y an instance of negati-eAcritica' inte''ectua' ref'ection= 8hy is this the case? 2eca''ing the ana'ysis of commodity fetishism, the socia' efficacy of money as the uni-ersa' medium of e)change <and the entire po'itica' economy grounded upon it= u'timate'y re'ies upon nothing more than a 3ind of Kmagic,K that is, the ,e'ief in money(s socia' efficacy ,y those using it in the processes of e)change 7ince the -a'ue of currency is, at ,ottom, reduci,'e to the ,e'ief that it has the -a'ue attri,uted to it <and that e-eryone ,e'ie-es that e-eryone e'se ,e'ie-es this as we''=, derai'ing capita'ism ,y destroying its essentia' financia' su,stance is, in a certain respect, as easy as disso'-ing the mere ,e'ief in this su,stance(s powers The Ke)terna'K o,stac'e of the capita'ist system e)ists e)c'usi-e'y on the condition that su,jects, whether conscious'y or unconscious'y, Kinterna''yK ,e'ie-e in it##capita'ism(s 'ife#,'ood, money, is simp'y a fetishistic crysta''i1ation of a ,e'ief in others( ,e'ief in the socio#performati-e force emanating from this same materia' .nd yet, this point of capita'ism(s frai' -u'nera,i'ity is simu'taneous'y the source of its enormous strength* its -ampiric sym,iosis with indi-idua' human desire, and the fact that the 'ate#capita'ist cynic(s fetishism ena,'es the disa-owa' of hisAher de facto ,e'ief in capita'ism, ma3es it high'y un'i3e'y that peop'e can simp'y ,e persuaded to stop ,e'ie-ing and start thin3ing <especia''y since, as Ci1e3 c'aims, many of these peop'e are con-inced that they a'ready ha-e ceased ,e'ie-ing= /r, the more disquieting possi,i'ity to entertain is that some peop'e today, e-en if one succeeds in e)posing them to the under'ying 'ogic of their position, might respond in a manner resem,'ing that of the Judas#'i3e character Gypher in the fi'm The Matri) <Gypher opts to em,race ens'a-ement ,y i''usion rather than cope with the discomfort of dwe''ing in the Kdesert of the rea'K=* faced with the choice ,etween 'i-ing the capita'ist 'ie or wrest'ing with certain unp'easant truths, many indi-idua's might -ery we'' de'i,erate'y decide to accept what they 3now fu'' we'' to ,e a fa'se pseudo#rea'ity, a decepti-e'y comforting fiction <KGapita'ist commodity fetishism or the truth? & choose fetishismK=

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a ne(ati e $allot thro#s o&rsel es into a catastro"hic ne# constellation $% "reten!in( that the re ol&tion is here' The "lan asks %o& to look to the "ractical means to attack ca"italism' :e sa% no' those are !istractions that #ater !o#n o&r mo ement' *nstea!+ #e s&s"en! tho&(ht+ close o&r e%es+ an! sim"l% re olt for re ol&tions sake' :e stan! in soli!arit% an! !eclare that ca"italism is &nacce"ta$le+ i(norin( the .&estion of #hat comes ne,t' 1i2ek 2002 Nre-o'utions at the gatesO p !0#!!

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Comm&nit% J social or!er links

The 1>C assertions of a common h&manit% ret&rns to the real in the form of racism' :e m&st instea! em$race "olitics as the art of the im"ossi$le an! o""ose (lo$ali2ation an! &ni ersali2ation Ci1e3, @@ <Tic3'ish su,ject= pg !@F#20!

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Comm&nit% J social or!er links

T=E >FF*RM>T*?E :*// C/>*M T=>T T=EB C>N RESARRECT SOC*ETB FOR T=E COMMON GOOC' =O:E?ER+ T=*S HE/*EF *N T=E HEST PO/*CB *S H>SEC APON PARE F>NT>SB CES*GNEC TO =*CE T=E ?*O/ENCE >NC =BPOCR*SB *N=ERENT *N T=E*R SOC*>/ ORCER' 8i''y .po''on !@@B Lacan, Do'itics, .esthetics, ed :y .po''on and Je'dstein

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C*?*/ SOC*ETB *S NOT TRA/B EM>NC*P>TORB+ HAT R>T=ER > TOO/ ENT=AS*>ST*C>//B EMHR>CEC HB T=E GO?ERNMENT >S > FORM OF SAST>*N*NG T=E SOC*>/ ORCER' Ha-id 2ieff <completing a book on the parado#es of humanitarian aid$ !@@@ The Ja'se Hawn of Gi-i' 7ociety http*AAwww con-erge org n1A'acAartic'esAnews@@030Ba htm In short, civil society has come, simultaneously, to be thought of as encompassing everything that is not the state and as exemplifying a set of inherently democratic values. That is why those who tout it as the silver bullet both to "open" repressive societies and to guarantee or deepen democratic liberties and curb state power move with feline grace between using civil society as a descriptive term and as a prescriptive one. To which it might be added that the dogma holding that strengthening civil society is the key to creating or sustaining a healthy polity has come to dominate the thinking of major charitable foundations, as well as human rights and humanitarian organizations. Those disposed to accept the claims of these groups for the emancipatory potential of civil society should note that the term has been enthusiastically embraced by many government officials in the nited !tates and the countries of the "uropean nion. In the framework of development aid in particular, the shift from channeling assistance to governments, as had been the case well into the eighties, to offering it to local nongovernmental organizations #$%&s' has been justified not simply as the inevitable prudential response to states misusing aid but as a way of building civil society.

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Ci il societ% "romotion reifies the lo(ic of li$eral market ca"italism

Ha-id 2ieff <completing a book on the parado#es of humanitarian aid$ !@@@ The Ja'se Hawn of Gi-i' 7ociety http*AAwww con-erge org n1A'acAartic'esAnews@@030Ba htm Those disposed to accept the c'aims of these groups for the emancipatory potentia' of ci-i' society shou'd note that the term has ,een enthusiastica''y em,raced ,y many go-ernment officia's in the Enited 7tates and the countries of the 9uropean Enion &n the framewor3 of de-e'opment aid in particu'ar, the shift from channe'ing assistance to go-ernments, as had ,een the case we'' into the eighties, to offering it to 'oca' nongo-ernmenta' organi1ations <0G/s= has ,een justified not simp'y as the ine-ita,'e prudentia' response to states misusing aid ,ut as a way of ,ui'ding ci-i' society That this emphasis on 'oca' capacity ,ui'ding, to use the ,ureaucratic term of art, and on fostering ci-i' society arose at e)act'y the moment when de-e'opment aid from most major donor countries was p'ummeting <in many countries, inc'uding the Enited 7tates, they are now at historic 'ows= may, of course, ,e coincidenta' :ut in the de-e'opment sphere, at 'east, ideo'ogica' commitment to ma3ing states Kresponsi-eK to ci-i' society seems to ha-e ,een accompanied ,y a determination to cut funding 8hen pressed, de-e'opment specia'ists who fa-or this new approach insist that a ro,ust ci-i' society wi'' open the way for the integration of the poor wor'd into the g'o,a' economy##supposed'y the first step toward prosperity Iiewed from this ang'e, the idea of ci-i' society ,egins to 'oo3 'ess 'i3e a way of fostering democratic rights and responsi-e go-ernments and more 'i3e part of the dominant ideo'ogy of the postco'd war period* 'i,era' mar3et capita'ism . perfect e)amp'e of this synthesis of emancipatory sentiments and faith in free mar3ets can ,e found in the 9)ecuti-e 7ummary of the !@@$ Garnegie Gommission on Dre-enting Head'y Gonf'ict Gi-i' society is assigned a pi-ota' ro'e KMany e'ements of ci-i' society,K the report states, Kcan wor3 to reduce hatred and -io'ence and to encourage attitudes of concern, socia' responsi,i'ity and mutua' aid within and ,etween groups &n difficu't economic and po'itica' transitions, the organi1ations of ci-i' society are of crucia' importance in a''e-iating the dangers of mass -io'ence K The paragraph then segues, without ,rea3 or transition, into the fo''owing assertion* KMany e'ements in the pri-ate sector around the wor'd are dedicated to he'ping pre-ent dead'y conf'ict K /,-ious'y, the communitarians, human rights acti-ists and 'i,era' foundation e)ecuti-es who first raised the ,anner of ci-i' society were no more interested in he'ping refur,ish 'i,era' capita'ism(s ideo'ogica' superstructure than was the human rights mo-ement in ma3ing its cause the quasi# re'igious faith of the internationa' new c'ass, ,ut this is nonethe'ess e)act'y what they ha-e done 7ure'y, it is a safe assumption that any term that can ,e em,raced as warm'y ,y the G'inton .dministration and the 9uropean Gommission as Kci-i' societyK has ,een threatens no important -ested interests in the rich wor'd

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C*?*/ SOC*ETB *S >N EKPRESS*ON OF OAR CES*RE TO M>*NT>*N >N OPPRESS*?E SOC*>/ ORCER Ha-id 2ieff <completing a book on the parado#es of humanitarian aid$ !@@@ The Ja'se Hawn of Gi-i' 7ociety http*AAwww con-erge org n1A'acAartic'esAnews@@030Ba htm 8hen we put our faith in ci-i' society, we are grasping at straws .part from a few princip'ed nationa'ists, 'i,ertarians and Mar)ists, most we''#intentioned peop'e now -iew the rise of ci-i' society as the most promising po'itica' de-e'opment of the postco'd war era :y itse'f, that fact on'y points to how desperate we are, on the cusp of the mi''ennium, to identify any po'itica' paradigm offering some rea'istic prospect of a more humane future 7uch hopes gi-e credit to those who entertain them, ,ut they a'so perfect'y i''ustrate J H :erna'(s insight that Kthere are two futures, the future of desire and the future of fate, and man(s reason has ne-er 'earned to separate them K Gi-i' society is just such a projection of our desires 8orse, it gra-e'y misdescri,es the wor'd we actua''y confront .s a concept, it has a'most no specific gra-ity &t is 'itt'e ,etter than a 2orschach ,'ot, the interpretations of which ha-e ,een so massaged and e)panded o-er the past fifteen years that the term has come to signify e-erything##which is to say nothing Gon-entiona''y, we use ci-i' society to app'y to groups, societies and socia' trends of which we apppro-e* societies ,ased on di-ersity and to'erance, in which mutua' assistance and so'idarity are deep'y esta,'ished and the state is responsi-e rather than repressi-e

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Ci il societ% !oes not #eaken state instit&tions it stren(thens the e,istin( or!er Thomas Garothers 2000 http*AAwww g'o,a'po'icy orgAngosAci-soc htm Foreign Policy Magazine :inter 1777-2000 e!ition The 2ise of Gi-i' 7ociety Means the Hec'ine of the 7tate Hefinite'y not The rise of ci-i' society induces some to see a near'y state#free future in which tentati-e, minima'istic states hang ,ac3 whi'e powerfu' nongo-ernmenta' groups impose a new, -irtuous ci-ic order This -ision is a mirage Gi-i' society groups can ,e much more effecti-e in shaping state po'icy if the state has coherent powers for setting and enforcing po'icy Good nongo-ernmenta' ad-ocacy wor3 wi'' actua''y tend to strengthen, not wea3en state capacity . c'ear e)amp'e is E 7 en-ironmenta' po'icy Iigorous ci-ic acti-ism on en-ironmenta' issues has he'ped prompt the creation of go-ernmenta' en-ironmenta' agencies, 'aws, and enforcement mechanisms 0othing cripp'es ci-i' society de-e'opment 'i3e a wea3, 'ethargic state &n 9astern 9urope, ci-i' society has come much further since !@F@ in the countries where go-ernments ha-e pro-ed re'ati-e'y capa,'e and competent, such as Do'and and %ungary, and it has ,een retarded where states ha-e wa''owed in inefficiency and incompetence such as 2omania, and for parts of the decade, :u'garia

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Ra!ical !emocrac% is a false alternati e to the o""ressi e forces of ca"italLthe loomin( %et el&si e s"ecter of !emocrac% makes "eo"le en!&re e,istin( "o#er relations+ !eferrin( re ol&tion' :e sho&l! !issol e the "eo"le an! elect anotherLonl% an e,tremel% !isci"line! re ol&tionar% $o!% can s&ccee!'
1i2ek 200; <7'a-oj, &raq* The :orrowed ?ett'e= !!2#!!;

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ET=*C>/ IAST*F*C>T*ONS CRE>TE T=E ET=*C>/ M*SERB OF >MER*C>N PO/*T*CS-*TS MBST*FB*NG N>TARE M>SKS T=E PO/*T*C>/ :>RR>NT FOR >CT*ON Ci1e3 03 &raq 8ar* where is the true danger www 'acan comAiraq htm Nand when po'iticiansQthe %ague courtO .nd when po'iticians start to direct'y justify their decisions in ethica' terms, one can ,e sure that ethics is mo,i'i1ed to co-er up such dar3 threatening hori1ons &t is the -ery inf'ation of a,stract ethica' rhetorics in George 8 :ush(s recent pu,'ic statements <of the KHoes the wor'd ha-e the courage to act against the 9-i' or not?K type= which manifests the utter 9T%&G.L misery of the E7 position # the function of ethica' reference is here pure'y mystifying, it mere'y ser-es to mas3 the true po'itica' sta3es, which are not difficu't to discern &n their recent The %ar &ver 'ra(, 8i''iam ?risto' and Lawrence J ?ap'an wrote* KThe mission ,egins in :aghdad, ,ut it does not end there A A 8e stand at the cusp of a new historica' era A A This is a decisi-e moment A A &t is so c'ear'y a,out more than &raq &t is a,out more e-en than the future of the Midd'e 9ast and the war on terror &t is a,out what sort of ro'e the Enited 7tates intends to p'ay in the twenty#first century K /ne cannot ,ut agree with it* it is effecti-e'y the future of internationa' community which is at sta3e now # the new ru'es which wi'' regu'ate it, what the new wor'd order wi'' ,e 8hat is going on now is the ne)t 'ogica' step of the E7 dismissa' of the %ague court

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ET=*CO PO/*T*CS RESA/T *N R>C*C>/ E?*/ E ON/B OAR >/TERN>T*?E C>N REMECB T=E C>NGERS OF T=*S PO/*T*CS Ci1e3 02 7ei1e the day* 'eninPs 'egacy www egs eduAfacu'tyA1i1e3A1i1e3#sei1e#the#day#'enins#'egacy htm' .ccording to :adiou, the under'ying premise of our post#po'itica' era, in which the administration of socia' affairs is rep'acing po'itics proper, is, to put it ,'unt'y, that the 20th century did not ta3e p'ace 8hat too3 p'ace in those tormented years was a monstrous futi'e passion, a contingent de-iation, the u'timate resu'ts <and truth= of which were the Gu'ag and the %o'ocaust The conc'usion to ,e drawn is that attempts to change society for the Good resu't mere'y in radica' 9-i', the on'y .,so'ute admitted today The way to 'ead our 'i-es is therefore a'ong the path of pragmatic compromise, cynica' wisdom, awareness of our 'imitations, resistance to the temptation of the .,so'ute .gainst this attitude, fide'ity to Lenin(s 'egacy compe's us to insist that the 20th century was not just a contingent a,erration, ,ut an e)p'osion of emancipatory potentia' The true difficu'ty R and the tas3 of authentic theory R is to 'in3 together this e)p'osion and its tragic outcome

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Politics of reco(nition lea e no room for a criticism of the econom%Lthis !e-"olitici2ation (&arantees that their alternati e #ill failLonl% re-"olitici2in( the econom% can sol e' Ci1e3 2002 2e-o'ution at the Gates, p 2$!#2$2

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Post-colonial theor% #ith a foc&s on i!entit% an! tolerance ca es to neo-li$eral m&ltic&lt&ralism' Ci1e3, 2002 2e-o'ution at the Gates, p !$!

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The affirmati e is an e,am"le of the "olitics of tolerance that #e attem"t to critici2eLtheir a! ocac% is al#a%s a conser ati e "olitical (est&re' Ci1e3, 2002 2e-o'ution at the Gates, p !$"#!$B

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Their claim to narrati e is tr&m"e! $% the ri(ht to tr&thLthis is the onl% &ni ersal act' Ci1e3, 2002 7'a-oj, 2e-o'ution at the Gates, p !$$#!$F

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The conce"t of fl&i! i!entit% is onl% concei a$le a(ainst the $ack!ro" of ca"italist (lo$ali2ation this s%stem a""eases s&$ (ro&"s in or!er to calc&late an! control their e,istenceLthis c%cle of !eterritoriali2ation an! reterritoriali2ation creates the "recon!itions that ma!e Na2ism "ossi$leL#e m&st re-assert the !imension of the Ani ersal a(ainst ca"italism (lo$ali2ation' Ci1e3, !@@@ <The Tic3'ish 7u,ject=, p 20@#2!!

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*T *S NOT POSS*H/E TO SO/?E >NB S*TA>T*ON :*T=OAT SO/?*NG T=EM >//-ON/B CR*T*C*SM :=*C= >TT>CKS T=E AN*?ERS>/ OF C>P*>T>/*SM C>N SO/?E 7'a-oj Ci1e3, @$ 7u,'ime /,ject of &deo'ogy, pg 3#;

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T=E COMM*TMENT OF P/>B*NG :*T=*N T=E SBSTEM =*CES T=E M>TER*>/*TB OF SAFFER*NG >NC EKP/O*T>T*ON' T=*S >//O:S > CONT*NA>T*ON OF T=E /OG*C OF C>P*T>/*SM T9225 9.GL9T/0 2002 <7899T I&/L90G9* T%9 &H9. /J T%9 T2.G&G=

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#e m&st re)ect ca"italism+ #hile certainl% it #as an im"ro ement for the fe&!al s%stems+ ca"italism+ $ree!s ne# !e astatin( anta(onisms #hich #ill $e more iolent than an%thin( e er ima(ine! 2i2ek 2k contingency, hegemony uni-ersa'ity pg 322#323

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O&r alternati e is a com"lete #ith!ra#al from the affirmati e !oin( nothin( in the face of the 1ac is the onl% means of lea in( the !oors o"en for re ol&tion+ re"ro!&ces ca"italism Ci1e3 200; &raq* the ,orrowed 3ett'e $!#2
The stance of simp'y condemning the postmodern Left for its accommodation, howe-er, is a'so fa'se, since one shou'd as3 the o,-ious difficu't question* what, in fact, was the alternative) &f today(s (post#po'itics( is opportunistic pragmatism with no princip'es, then the predominant 'eftist reaction to it can ,e apt'y characteri1ed as (princip'ed opportunism(* one simp'y stic3s to o'd formu'ae <defence of the we'fare state, and so on= and ca''s them (princip'es(, dispensing with the detai'ed ana'ysis of how the situation has changed R and thus retaining one(s position of :eautifu' 7ou' The inherent stupidity of the (princip'ed( Left is c'ear'y discerni,'e in its standard criticism of any ana'ysis which proposes a more comp'e) picture of the situation, renouncing any simp'e prescriptions on how to act* (there is no c'ear po'itica' stance in-o'-ed in your theory( L and this from peop'e with no stance ,ut their (princip'ed opportunism( .gainst such a stance, one shou'd ha-e the courage to affirm that, in a situation 'i3e today(s, the on'y way rea''y to remain open to a re-o'utionary opportunity is to renounce faci'e ca''s to direct action, which necessari'y in-o'-e us in an acti-ity where things change so that the tota'ity remains the same Today(s predicament is that, if we succum, to the urge of direct'y (doing something( <engaging in the anti#g'o,a'ist strugg'e, he'ping the poor =, we wi'' certain'y and undou,ted'y contri,ute to the reproduction of the e)isting order The on'y way to 'ay the foundations for a true, radica' change is to withdraw from the compu'sion to act, to (do nothing( L thus opening up the space for a different 3ind of acti-ity

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Ra!ical ne(ation of the "artic&lar is the onl% mechanism to esta$lishin( a concrete &ni ersal Ci1e3 @@ The Tic3'ish 7u,ject D @!#2

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O&r alternati e is to em$race the !eath !ri e ia orientin( o&rsel es com"letel% a(ainst ca"italism'
Ci1e3 @@ The Tic3'ish 7u,ject D 3@0#!

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this is not an iss&e of f&t&re s&ccess+ #e m&st act as if the re ol&tion is here
2i2ek 2002 Nre-o'ution at the gatesO pg 2"@# 2B0

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an% aff ethic is $ankr&"t lookin( to the $i( other for erification !e"olitici2es their i!eolo(%the ne(ati e !e"olitici2es ethics- takin( re ol&tionar% action is the onl% res"onsi$le ethical act 1i1e3 and da'y 200; <Gon-ersations with Ci1e3= pp !B3#; 7o what re#emerges here is a sp'it ,etween ethics and po'itics 9thics stands for the unconditiona' in injunction which you can ne-er fu'fi'' and so you ha-e to accept the gap ,etween unconditiona' injunction and the a'ways contingent fai'ed inter-entions that you ma3e 9thics ,ecomes the domain of the unconditiona', spectra'ity, /therness and so on, whereas po'itics consists of practica' inter-entions This Le-inasian /therness can then ,e formu'ated direct'y, as the di-ine dimension, or it can ,e formu'ated just as the messianic utopian dimension inherent to 'anguage as such and so on & thin3 that Lacanian ethics ,rea3s out of this Lacan cannot ,e incorporated into this paradigm 8hat Lacan does is precise'y to assert the radica' po'itici1ation of ethics4 not in the sense that ethics shou'd ,e su,ordinated to power strugg'es, ,ut in terms of accepting radica' contingency The e'ementary po'itica' position is one that affirms this contingency and this means that you donPt ha-e any guarantee in any means whatsoe-er 5ou ha-e to ris3 and to decide This is the 'esson of Lacan Ho not compromise your desire Ho not 'oo3 for support in any form of the ,ig /ther L e-en if this ,ig /ther is tota''y empty or a Le-inasian unconditiona' injunction 5ou must ris3 the act without guarantee

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Their reform is an attem"t to a oi! confrontation #ith an! s&stain the stat&s .&o i!eolo(%' M&st ha e ra!ical action to shatter the s%stem Ci1e3, 2000

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>NB PERMAT>T*ON :*// HE RECACEC TO > PO/*T*C>/ >C?ERT*SEMENT FOR T=E NEO/*HER>/ >GENC>' T=E NEG>T*?E C*SCOARSE HECOMES /EEC=EC OF *TS SOC*>/ CR*T*DAE HB C>P*T>/-FR*ENC/B >NC SOC*>/ ORCER FR*ENC/B PO/*CB M>KERS' OAR C*SCOARSE *S CR*T*C>/'

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the Hi( Other #ants !es"eratel% to con ince &s that #e sho&l! (i e o&r li es &" for nothin(+ that a$o e all #e make s&re that #e@re still ali e' *t is onl% #hen #e are #illin( to risk e er%thin( that #e can esca"e the a!ministere! an! tran.&ili2e! "olitics that !efine o&r c&rrent e,istence' Ci1e3, 2003 <7'a-oj, The Duppet and the Hwarf= &nsofar as KdeathK and K'ifeK designate for 7aint Dau' two e)istentia' su,jecti-e positions, not Ko,jecti-eK facts, we are fu''y justified in raising the o'd Dau'ine question* who is rea''y a'i-e today(?( 8hat if we are Krea''y a'i-eK on'y if and when we engage ourse'-es with an e)cessi-e intensity which puts us ,eyond Kmere 'ifeK? 8hat if, when we focus on mere sur-i-a' e-en if it is qua'ified as Kha-ing a good time,K what we u'timate'y 'ose is 'ife itse'f? 8hat if the Da'estinian suicide ,om,er on the point of ,'owing himse'f <and others= up is, in an emphatic sense, Kmore a'i-eK than the .merican so'dier engaged in a war in front of a computer screen hundreds of mi'es away from the enemy, or a 0ew 5or3 yuppie jogging a'ong the %udson
ri-er in order to 3eep his ,ody in shape? /r, in terms of the psychoana'ytic c'inic, what if a hysteric is tru'y a'i-e in her permanent, e)cessi-e, pro-o3ing questioning of her e)istence, whi'e an o,sessiona' is the -ery mode' of choosing a K'ife in deathK? That is to say ,

is not the u'timate aim of his compu'si-e ritua's to pre-ent the KthingK from happening# this KthingK ,eing the e)cess of 'ife itse'f? &s not the catastrophe he fears the fact that, fina''y something wi'' rea''y happen to him? /r, in terms of the
re-o'utionary process, what if the difference that separates Lenin(s era from 7ta'inism is, again, the difference ,etween 'ife and death? There is an apparent'y margina' feature which c'ear'y i''ustrates this point* the ,asic attitude of a 7ta'inist Gommunist is that of fo''owing the correct Darty 'ine against K2ightistK or KLeftistK de-iation#in short, to steer a safe midd'e course4 for authentic Leninism, in c'ear contrast, there is u'timate'y on'y one de-iation, the Gentrist one#that of Kp'aying it safe,K of opportunistica''y a-oiding the ris3 of c'ear'y and e)cessi-e'y Kta3ing sides K There was no Kdeeper historica' necessity,K for e)amp'e, in the sudden shift of 7o-iet po'icy from K8ar GommunismK to the K0ew 9conomic Do'icyK in !@2!it was just a desperate strategic 1ig1ag ,etween the Leftist and the 2ightist 'ine, or, as Lenin himse'f put it in !@22, the :o'she-i3s made Ka'' the possi,'e mista3es K This e)cessi-e Kta3ing sides,K this permanent im,a'ance of 1ig1ag, is u'timate'y <the re-o'utionary po'itica'= 'ife itse'f#for a Leninist, the u'timate name of the counterre-o'utionary 2ight is KGenterK itse'f, the fear of introducing a radica' un,a'ance into the socia' edifice &t is a proper'y 0iet1schean parado) that the

greatest 'oser in this apparent assertion of Life against a'' transcendent Gauses is actua' 'ife itse'f 8hat ma3es 'ife Kworth 'i-ingK is the -ery e)cess of 'ife* the awareness that there is something for which we are ready to ris3 our 'ife <we may ca'' this e)cess (freedom,K honor,( dignity,P autonomy, etc = /n'y when we are ready to ta3e this ris3 are we rea''y a'i-e 7o when %o'der'in wrote* To 'i-e is to defend a form,K this form is not simp'y a Le,ensform, ,ut the form of the e)cess#of#'ife, the way this
e)cess -io'ent'y inscri,es itse'f into the 'ife#te)ture Ghesterton ma3es this point apropos of the parado) of courage*

. so'dier surrounded ,y enemies, if he is to cut his way out, needs to com,ine a strong desire for 'i-ing with a strange care'essness a,out dying %e must not mere'y c'ing to 'ife, for then he wi'' ,e a coward, and wi'' not escape %e must not mere'y wait for death, for then he wi'' ,e a suicide, and wi'' not escape %e must see3 his 'ife in a spirit of furious indifference to it4 he must desire 'ife 'i3e water and yet drin3 death 'i3e wine

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T=E P/>N OPENS AP NE: POSS*H*/*T*ES NOT >NS:EREC *N >NB OF T=E*R >RGAMENTS' T=ESE POSS*H*/*T*ES RECRE>TE RE>/*TB :=*C= ME>NS NONE OF T=E*R >RGAMENTS M>KE SENSE HEC>ASE T=EB >SSAME T=E ST>TAS DAO >NC E?EN *F NOT=*NG C=>NGES :E S=OA/C EMHR>CE T=E *MPOSS*H/E CRE>M T=>T *T :*// (izek)s thought is concerned crucially to reactivate the dimension of the miraculous in political endeavour. *or (izek the miracle is that which coincides with trauma in the sense that it involves a fundamental moment of symbolic disintegration #+,,-b. /0'. This is the mark of the act. a basic rupture in the weave of reality that opens up new possibilities and creates the space for a reconfiguration of reality itself. 1ike the miracle, the act is ultimately unsustainable 2 it cannot be reduced to, or incorporated directly within, the symbolic order. 3et it is through the act that we touch #and are touched by' the 4eal in such a way that the bonds of our symbolic universe are broken and that an alternative construction is enabled5 reality is transformed in a 4eal sense. The 4eal is not simply a force of negation against which we are helpless. In contrast to standard criticisms, what psychoanalysis demonstrates is that we are not victims of either unconscious motives or an infrastructural logic of the 4eal. If reality is a constitutive distortion then the ultimate lesson of psychoanalysis is that we are responsible for its reproduction. 6iracles can and do happen. 7e are capable of 4eal acts that give reality a new texture and direction5 acts that reflect this gap in the order of 8eing, this abyss of freedom. If *reud 2 in his theory of the unconscious 2 affirms an essential autonomization of the signifier, then what (izek emphasises is an essential autonomization of the act. a basic capacity to break out of existing structures9cycles of signification. *ar from being constrained by the notion of impossibility, (izek)s perspective is sustained and energised by the ontological potential for achieving the "impossible" through 4eal intervention. In this sense, (izek)s conception of the 4eal may be said to constitute both an inherent limit and an inherent opening9beginning. the radically negative dimension that is the condition of creatio ex nihilo and the political itself.

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Zizek

E?EN *F BOA :*N T=>T :E C>ASE H>C CONSEDAENCES BOA S=OA/C ST*// /OSEL >TTEMPTS TO >?O*C E?ERB NEG>T*?E CONSEDAENCE PRE?ENT ET=*C>/ >CT*ONS E ON/B OAR FR>ME:ORK >//O:S FREECOMLREG>RC/ESS OF CONSEDAENCES BOA S=OA/C ?OTE TO >FF*RM FREECOM >NC S>B NO TO PO/*T*C>/ ST>GN>T*ON 1i2ek+ 77 4The Ticklish S&$)ect8

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MO-Kansas Scholars
2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

O&r >lt is a necessar% "rec&rsor to their ar(&mentL#e m&st anal%2e the e,cl&sionJforeclos&re of late ca"italism to achie e their alternati e' Jason Gl%nos
(Department of Government, University of Essex, UK) 2adica' Hemocratic 9thos, or, 8hat is an .uthentic Do'itica' .ct? Gontemporary Do'itica' Theory, 2003, 2, <!F$L20F=

200;

The crucia' ideo'ogico#po'itica' question, therefore, is* under what conditions can this -isi,i'ity ,e fu''y assumed, there,y ma3ing possi,'e the po'itica' ethos Lac'au and Mouffe ad-ocate? Ci1e3 suggests that, in order to do this, we first need Sto distinguish more e)p'icit'y ,etween contingencyAsu,stituta,i'ity within a certain historica' hori1on and the more fundamenta' e)c'usionAforec'osure that grounds this -ery hori1onP <:ut'er et a' , 2000, !0F= 8e need Sa 3ind of metanarrati-e that e)p'ains TtheU -ery passage from essentia'ism to the awareness of contingencyP <!0B=, and Ci1e3 suggests that the com,ined and une-en de-e'opment of capita'ism shou'd figure prominent'y here Lac'au of course, wou'd agree, for he too has 'aid great emphasis on the ro'e of capita'ism in ,ringing a,out this increased sensiti-ity to contingency in po'itica' decision#ma3ing .fter a'', one of Lac'auPs ,asic theses Sis that the possi,i'ity of a radica' democracy is direct'y 'in3ed to the 'e-e' and e)tension of structura' dis'ocations operating in contemporary capita'ismP <Lac'au, !@@0, ;"= :ut Ci1e3 argues that this metanarrati-e is hard'y e-er rendered thematic in a serious fashion in the conte)t of contemporary po'itica' ana'yses %e worries that many po'itica' theories, inc'uding those premised upon an anti#essentia'ist socia' onto'ogy J theories that emphasi1e the contingency and f'uidity of po'itica' identities J are in danger of ref'ecting, rather than putting into question, capita'ist economic re'ations 8hat is required in addition <and in re'ation= to this metanarrati-e, Ci1e3 argues, is the capacity to underta3e what he ca''s an authentic po'itica' act &n order to appreciate his inter-ention here it is first necessary to e)amine more c'ose'y how the respecti-e approaches to po'itica' ana'ysis of Lac'au and Mouffe and Ci1e3 can ,e said to connect up
with each other.

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MO-Kansas Scholars
2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

O&r "s%choanal%sis hol!s in!i i!&als res"onsi$le for their interactions #ith the realL contin(encies !o not sol e Ha'y, 200; N7'a-oj Ci1e3* 2is3ing the &mpossi,'e,O 'acan comA1i1e3#primer htm (izek)s thought is concerned crucially to reactivate the dimension of the miraculous in political endeavour. *or (izek the miracle is that which coincides with trauma in the sense that it involves a fundamental moment of symbolic disintegration #+,,-b. /0'. This is the mark of the act. a basic rupture in the weave of reality that opens up new possibilities and creates the space for a reconfiguration of reality itself. 1ike the miracle, the act is ultimately unsustainable 2 it cannot be reduced to, or incorporated directly within, the symbolic order. 3et it is through the act that we touch #and are touched by' the 4eal in such a way that the bonds of our symbolic universe are broken and that an alternative construction is enabled5 reality is transformed in a 4eal sense. The 4eal is not simply a force of negation against which we are helpless. In contrast to standard criticisms, what psychoanalysis demonstrates is that we are not victims of either unconscious motives or an infrastructural logic of the 4eal. If reality is a constitutive distortion then the ultimate lesson of psychoanalysis is that we are responsible for its reproduction. 6iracles can and do happen. 7e are capable of 4eal acts that give reality a new texture and direction5 acts that reflect this gap in the order of 8eing, this abyss of freedom. If *reud 2 in his theory of the unconscious 2 affirms an essential autonomization of the signifier, then what (izek emphasises is an essential autonomization of the act. a basic capacity to break out of existing structures9cycles of signification. *ar from being constrained by the notion of impossibility, (izek)s perspective is sustained and energised by the ontological potential for achieving the "impossible" through 4eal intervention. In this sense, (izek)s conception of the 4eal may be said to constitute both an inherent limit and an inherent opening9beginning. the radically negative dimension that is the condition of creatio ex nihilo and the political itself.

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MO-Kansas Scholars
2006-Starter Packet

Zizek

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