Difference between revisions of "Homo Sacer in Afghanistan"

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Homo Sacer in Afghanistan
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{{BSZ}}
Slavoj Zizek.
 
Lacanian Ink, Issue 20.
 
 
  
The lesson to be learned from Carl Schmitt is that the divide friend/enemy is never just the verification of a factual difference: the enemy is by definition always — up to a point, at least — invisible, it looks like one of us, it cannot be directly recognized, which is why the big problem and task of the political struggle is that of providing/constructing the recognizable IMAGE of the enemy. (This also makes it clear why Jews are the enemy par excellence: it is not only that they conceal their true image or contours — it is that there is ultimately NOTHING beneath their deceiving appearances. Jews lack the "inner form" that pertains to any proper national identity: they are a non-nation among nations, their national substance resides precisely in a lack of substance, in a formless infinite plasticity). In short, the "enemy recognition" is always a performative procedure which, in contrast to the deceiving appearances, brings to light / constructs the enemy's "true face." Schmitt refers here directly to the Kantian category of Einbildungskraft, the transcendental power of imagination: in order to recognize the enemy, the conceptual subsumption under preexisting categories is not enough; one has "to schematize" the logical figure of the Enemy, providing it with concrete sensible features which make it into an appropriate target of hatred and struggle.
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The lesson to be learned from Carl [[Schmitt]] is that the [[divide]] friend/enemy is never just the verification of a factual [[difference]]: the [[enemy]] is by definition always — up to a point, at least — invisible, it looks like one of us, it cannot be directly recognized, which is why the big problem and task of the [[political]] [[struggle]] is that of providing/constructing the recognizable IMAGE of the enemy. (This also makes it clear why [[Jews]] are the enemy par excellence: it is not only that they conceal their [[true]] [[image]] or contours — it is that there is ultimately [[Nothing|NOTHING]] beneath their deceiving appearances. Jews [[lack]] the "inner [[form]]" that pertains to any proper national [[identity]]: they are a non-[[nation]] among nations, their national substance resides precisely in a lack of substance, in a formless infinite plasticity). In short, the "enemy [[recognition]]" is always a [[performative]] procedure which, in contrast to the deceiving appearances, brings to light / constructs the enemy's "true face." Schmitt refers here directly to the Kantian [[category]] of Einbildungskraft, the [[transcendental]] [[power]] of [[imagination]]: in [[order]] to recognize the enemy, the [[conceptual]] subsumption under preexisting [[categories]] is not enough; one has "to schematize" the [[logical]] [[figure]] of the Enemy, providing it with [[concrete]] sensible features which make it into an appropriate target of [[hatred]] and struggle.
  
  
 
==Source==
 
==Source==
 
* [[Homo Sacer in Afghanistan]]. ‘’Lacaniank Ink’’ Volume 22. Spring 2002. pp 100-113. <http://www.lacan.com/frameXX6.htm>
 
* [[Homo Sacer in Afghanistan]]. ‘’Lacaniank Ink’’ Volume 22. Spring 2002. pp 100-113. <http://www.lacan.com/frameXX6.htm>
 
From: Lacanian Ink, Issue 20.
 
Available: http://lacan.com/frameXX6.htm
 
 
  
 
[[Category:Articles by Slavoj Žižek]]
 
[[Category:Articles by Slavoj Žižek]]
 
[[Category:Works]]
 
[[Category:Works]]
 
[[Category:Articles]]
 
[[Category:Articles]]

Latest revision as of 23:38, 24 May 2019

Articles by Slavoj Žižek

The lesson to be learned from Carl Schmitt is that the divide friend/enemy is never just the verification of a factual difference: the enemy is by definition always — up to a point, at least — invisible, it looks like one of us, it cannot be directly recognized, which is why the big problem and task of the political struggle is that of providing/constructing the recognizable IMAGE of the enemy. (This also makes it clear why Jews are the enemy par excellence: it is not only that they conceal their true image or contours — it is that there is ultimately NOTHING beneath their deceiving appearances. Jews lack the "inner form" that pertains to any proper national identity: they are a non-nation among nations, their national substance resides precisely in a lack of substance, in a formless infinite plasticity). In short, the "enemy recognition" is always a performative procedure which, in contrast to the deceiving appearances, brings to light / constructs the enemy's "true face." Schmitt refers here directly to the Kantian category of Einbildungskraft, the transcendental power of imagination: in order to recognize the enemy, the conceptual subsumption under preexisting categories is not enough; one has "to schematize" the logical figure of the Enemy, providing it with concrete sensible features which make it into an appropriate target of hatred and struggle.


Source