Talk:Discourse of the capitalist
The discourse of the capitalist (French: discours du capitaliste) is a concept introduced by Jacques Lacan as an extension of his theory of the four discourses. It was first elaborated in the early 1970s, particularly in Lacan’s lectures and correspondence, as a response to the transformations brought by modern capitalism in the structure of social bonds, subjectivity, and enjoyment (jouissance).[1]
Unlike the original four Lacanian discourses—Master, University, Hysteric, and Analyst—introduced in Seminar XVII: The Other Side of Psychoanalysis (1969–1970), the capitalist discourse represents a fifth configuration that reflects the logic of consumer capitalism, in which social ties are mediated through objects and commodified forms of enjoyment.[2]
Lacan’s Theory of Discourse
Lacan’s discourse theory is a structural framework describing the social link as organized around four elements: the divided subject ($), the master signifier (S1), knowledge (S2), and the object cause of desire (a). These elements rotate through four structural positions: Agent, Other, Truth, and Product.[3]
Each of the four original discourses (Master, University, Hysteric, Analyst) presents a distinct way in which these elements are arranged, thus shaping different modalities of power, knowledge, desire, and subjectivity.
Origins and Structure of the Capitalist Discourse
The discourse of the capitalist modifies the structure of the Master’s discourse through what Lacan called a minor detour or quarter turn of its elements. This rearrangement leads to a discourse that appears to function more smoothly, without the friction and resistance inherent in other discourses.[1]
In the capitalist discourse:
- The subject ($) becomes the Agent, interpellated as a consumer.
- The object a (commodity or jouissance) occupies the position of the Other.
- The master signifier (S1) is concealed in the position of Truth.
- The product is a surplus-effect that often manifests as discontent or symptom, masked by consumption.[2]
This configuration supports a closed circuit: the subject is offered commodities promising jouissance, but these never truly satisfy, creating a cycle of repeated consumption and alienation.
Key Characteristics
- Short-circuited discourse: The capitalist discourse bypasses symbolic mediation of desire and aims directly at objects of enjoyment. Its apparent efficiency conceals a failure of symbolic integration.[1]
- Jouissance as imperative: Rather than being repressed or sublimated, jouissance is demanded, often resulting in compulsive consumption, burnout, and symptomatic formations.[2]
- Anti-relational structure: The capitalist discourse orients subjects toward commodities rather than other subjects, weakening symbolic and affective bonds in favor of object relations mediated by capital.[4]
Relation to Capitalism and Neoliberalism
The capitalist discourse has been taken up by Lacanian theorists as a framework for understanding neoliberal ideology' and contemporary psychopathologies. It provides insight into how capitalism:
- Promotes compulsive enjoyment and limitless consumption
- Generates 'symptoms of emptiness, anxiety, and disconnection
- Encourages a disavowal of lack and a fantasy of infinite satisfaction[4][1]
Rather than repressing desire, capitalism amplifies it in the form of marketable enjoyment, producing subjects perpetually oriented toward unattainable jouissance.
Clinical Implications
Clinically, the capitalist discourse manifests in symptoms tied to 'exhaustion, compulsive consumption, and identity instability. Analytically, it raises questions about how to treat subjects whose suffering is structured by a social discourse that denies lack and promotes a delusional sense of completeness through commodities.
Psychoanalytic work in this context aims to reintroduce symbolic mediation, confronting the subject with structural lack rather than reinforcing the capitalist fantasy of fulfillment.[1]
See Also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Vanheule, Steven. “Capitalist Discourse, Subjectivity and Lacanian Psychoanalysis.” Frontiers in Psychology 7 (2016): 1948. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01948
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Declercq, Frédéric. “Lacan on the Capitalist Discourse: Its Consequences for Libidinal Enjoyment and Social Bonds.” Psychoanalysis, Culture & Society 11, no. 1 (2006): 74–83.
- ↑ Fink, Bruce. The Lacanian Subject: Between Language and Jouissance. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1995, pp. 130–140.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Pavón-Cuéllar, David. “Capitalist Discourse: Marx, Lacan and the Neoliberal Unconscious.” Lacanian Review of the Neoliberal Condition, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpt.2024.100519