Lyotard and the Political (Thinking the Political)

LY OTARD AN D TH E PO LITI C AL

Lyotord'. 1I'Ork ;. M>mn bel.",,, tloe two thaI tloe new poaibilitiol of lbo"SI.. and politico o:a.oo be acti ... ted.

\loIumeoo almidy poblioJoed in tloe ...... are:

FOUCAULT ol T H E POLITICAL jM

S ........

_,h

OERR10A ol TH E POLITICAL Ilidtord

N I ETZSCHE ol THE POLIT ICAL DtItUtI W. Qooo""')' HEIOHlQER ol T H E POLITICAL MifwI Ii
i,y 85

CONTENTS

5

The lum In joogeme,u

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The .ublime and

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Cnncl ... inn. A wilhdrawal from lhe pol"1ical1

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po~tics

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Nos/a/gia and allDtltM~is /J5 A PO/llb rM ,,'Iwm~ un L ..OIurd. ll'llllr anJ prwiphJ UJ

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ABBREVIATIONS

Rdc""'",," 10 Lyotan!'. lexlS will usc (he foU""ing abbKviatiollso

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1

INTRODUCTION . LYOTARD ON MALRAUX: NIHILISM, ART AND POLITICS

One of tbe last boob to appear before Jean- Fnmo;ois Lyotard', death (Pari .. 20 April 1998) maru a baflIinJ departure. Siglli MalrtllU (1996);' a biography of tbe FTC1>Ch lwetll;"th-antury writer, politicaJ activist and politician And"; Malnlllx. Why wril< • bio8J1lphy ot II>< rod of. eo"""'" as a wrik, on philoSQpIl.y, art and oocic1y? Why a biography within an "'M~ Ibal i. resolutely posHlruc\uraJiSl in its opposition 10 tbe modem dominaooe of Ih. self and lh. subject and to positivist conoeption. of tNth? The .. is 1>0 object or . ubjc
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tYOTAIlO AND THE POL IT I CAL

Tht! authWlic i$ what it sign., 1\01 ",h.1 a third pany vtrifi.. or confesses'

(SM: 19). It i$ in the Spiril oflhat malurily lhat 1ask ' Wby Lyotard', MalrUl'X?· TIl< qll. lU I death iI the repetition nf.be whole movement, repro-

duction. :be pal Recount that life fOtmt .0 cnntradlct. with . 11 ill

intrillli"lltories. WhiW. in IrIItb, their lKIiIc Iwbo. and eYen i.. major COnstilllUtll cannot be sttllCturcd and orpniscd, or IbI!r.tteC1ion 10 Lyotard'. lA Gu"f'e Jts Algirinu. The book is a r=nl
Ramdani deploys Lyotanr. philosophy of language and his ;n';ghl5 inlo incommclliunlbility .kilfuUy 10 show lhal, even in his early work. LY0lard'. political aim W8I to !d men $loul·beamd. He PO" cs!teon ""ho kno ... fcar bul ...... fur, ..Ito..,., 1M ab)IP butlftS it wilh ",/dr'. The oJll)Ol-iI;on 10 rabe IOlaoc is c.u.:Uy Ramdatti'. poinl. Lyot.ard Clnnol be ""ticilled ror not putlins forward a lrulh on 1M .... t,man Wlr of

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lMP"'SSE

iNkpendt:nc:e, since hi. truth i. lhe differend. BUI it is a difficult truth. as much aOOut impomibilitie$ as abnut fnundation. fOf po~tical resolution,. An irresolvable conllie! givu rise 10 the war; it will Dot ID a.... y with indeptlldt:nc:e; it wiU nO! 10 away with a diplomatic solution or with dri"ut; il will J>OI even JO ."< only a"" for Ihe expr=ion of lhe dilTermd. AlTects have to be communicated. butt/t.ey must also be created an ...... What ,his ItIQn' is that allhough the sulT.rinl ~J>d loss of the Algerian people: demand. a mode of rommunicatioo thai doco nol hide il in tl>< aU -pervasive lanJll3.JIC of II>< rolonialist. tbe dilTe ... nd u affect also

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L YOT A .. D AND THI! POLITICAL

~~'. 10 be: lripmd ia the 0Iluider. it IIII11t be: r~l!, ill order 10 he '"""", llna1. This fedia, iI elllmtial to L.)'OW1I. lh!"O\llbollt b.is wort.: il idanifia thai ...-bina; iI happmin, that ClllDOt IiDd run Qpi iM ill whal ;. bein& aid . This is .. ~ of whal be rp'" by the evml or oc:a.m_ that ucucb I"y •......,ulioo of ic ill tbe pi 101. "The DC II;' IheoriRd bat in iU palboloP:al ...- in !be phibnpby '" the lIIb1imc: "This iI prot..bJy I COfIlradio:too-y ftdiq.. It is., the wry btl a Jill', !be qucstioo-mark itRlf. !be WIly in ",biclo h /urpp .... n ...;thheld and IIInOlllleOd: 1$ II ~~ "The ql.lal;OII can he modulated in Illy lODe.. BUI the mark of the question is ~_", ""'" like the fec:~n, thaI nothina; IIIi,l" ""ppm: the DCIIhinpcss no",' (IN: 92). What Ramelan, shows, lhouah, n thll tbI: aU·toiI.m>w

antheta or lhe .ublime docs DOl do ju.tioo: 10 the pIIikNophy or !be difTermd, in parUeular, in lef1tlJ or. poaible poUlki. Wh0 time of Lyotard'. Just Gam",g and 1M Dif/ermd. \etTOf and totalitariani"" ha", been defined more gmtr.IlIy. Terror is lbe impo!lilion of a mode of expression Ibat is inconsistent with whal bas to be exp........:l. Totalitarianism is lhc: iIIegilimate grounding of un;",rsal montl and political jlldgrntmts on cxclusive ~iews masquerading as judgemmlS of facl. GeofTrey Bc:nnington and Bill Readings explain Ibis illegitimate utC1llion oftlUlh into value in differenl contexts. bUI lbey agree lhatlbereio lies LY0lard's key insight inlo terror and totalitarianism:

The repturntable law. the prescriptive which claimlto be grounded in eilher • description of tbe lrue nalure of IOcie1Y. or of tbe will of lbe uni,..,rsal ... bjecl of humanily, or of lbe grand narrative of bi.torir;:al destiny. instilules Inror in Ihal il sik""", resistance by viclimization: Ihose wbo lie oulside Ihe law (si""" lhc: law is lhe juslice of non-metaphorical realily) are unreal aod cannot spea~. (Readings 1991: 112)

Whercas the rationall~rror of the French revolulion is io prir>eiple grneralisabk in the name of 'Reason' 10 lbe wbole: of humanily, Nazi 'terror' makes an aco:ption and simply c~mioates the: .... t: jUII as in lhc: Atbenian funeral oration decried by Socrates.. wbe« lbe ,UpJMlgc tunOfl& lbe pronouns ar>oJ .. nte~inota""'" allowed a move from 'tbty were good' to 'we are good'. in 50 rar as ' '"'" are Atbenians'. .., here Aryan. recounl 10 olher Af)'3II' lhc: story of (aU) good AryanL (Bc:nningtou 1988: 151) Readings insists on lhc: concern with law and justia: in tbe later Lyotard. He dll_ our Blleolion 10 Lyotanf, separation of JUSlia: from matters or

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LYOTARD AND TIlE 'DLITI CA L flC! aJId 10 the critique of I. .. h ."", 00 daiml 10 final ,"PlutDlation of rnaHen of (an. This is abo. critlqlMl of lCITor. ' Ierror it DOl incidenUll in Lyotard', IoCCOwlI of poIitiQ: OW" entire IlIIdtnt""di", of politics ... it w[",·istio insofar IU the political thcorill, the illite. or lOCicty claims to dcttnnine ... lutl jUSlice is. [0 deri~ poIilical p i ' " iptiom in ",(OWIO: 10 • ftl ibable Stalo of .ffMino' (Readiop 1991 : ]I )). Bcnn.inJ1D1l, on ~ otltc-r Iutnd. I II [he W 101 iam of odt.lli~ oamt._ Ii..... of lttilima[ion. Tnror illo IcsitimiK • lillie, 1"• . la.. accordirol to • 1I01'Y lIull odllCkt some: of too.. to too: acted upon (fOIIl an oriJiillil fOUDdation. Lyotard 04'tcn n:ttll1lS to Ittit illitTation of lqitm..cy and lqinninp [moa\ famously, tlKouJh not belt.. in hit Ittact. 0fI p1Ind ... tTa_ Ii ..... io TIw I'M/'''''''IN Cottdillott, ' tlw: pud IlltTali~ bas loll its <Wdibilily". 11). Hito faVOllled ....y of lhinkiol thit Ihrovah it in ItnIII of tlw: fOtoCtioro aJId q;limKy of the Inm ...... '. &I ;" the IIlItenrnt 'W o k""'" what ruson it'. Thit ,_. ito dilcuual best in _ of _ in 11M' may ·Uai¥CfSl.l history and cult~ral diff'~fl ,.,' in TIw Lyottmi R-s.r. 'Terror is 110 Ion&er UCiV ·.- :j in 1M illiJroe of flftdom .....1 ill tlw: .....". of ~our­ salisfaction. in lhe ........ of a Alilfaction of a ........ hich it ddinildy lalrio:tcd 10 si"",!.orlty· (316- 17). ""in. from lhe early dq :riptioll of IefTOr io lenni of a ;articular cue to the: 11.11/1" lertt"nl ddinilion is inll ructi..., and important. [n tlw: fOl!hLr. l !Xcifoc coonomic Irl"llIC1Itl and dQcriptionl of a .oci.al Ileal,ty form the ba ... fo r the idcntiticalioo of lCITor aDd the .~\ aboot ... )0.01 rom> revo[otiooary po~tical action mltll ... ke. In the 10011 ..... a lheooy·indep,ndttll economy and .000101)' "o~ndl a senmol claim thaI aloo applies to = of tbe earlier "'ork. The price of tbe critique of appeals to realilY and objectivity is • move away from political action that promises ooc:ial cbange on lhe baW of wcU· fnundcd analyses and predictioru. So lhe LoI.r work r¢t.ains the alTl!I:U and emotion oflhe earlier ",ork, but it canoot offer a rtrdl"CSll in the sense oftbe elimination of a "'TOIl, throuah a wdl·ddined pro8feS$ive political ~Ib. Again, des~ir and nihilism appear to baunt Ihe Loter Lyotar IJoe fi,JI'.-c of the c-!.indqlendence leader lien 8eb ltId lIis rt'Y(>lutionaty p",,,amme P' "led in Tripo:>li on hit I'd...., from prison, This ICCIion of 'Alp evacualed ' il omilted from ill IralUl.don in l'oli,icllya fanu ... of cluses ralher lban I fail= o f cIauet 10 brinB enouBh po~lal wiU 10 bear on what ..... a ....nh .... hile. if far from pent:Iitical elmM' 'Wbc:n il ba:::ame ,lItrtl"ry to orpniw !he poIitIaJ inslnuDcal IW '1)' fOl' Ille ilnpk"Ulation [of the propammeJ wnftiel bfoke 0111' (1989a: 249); 'Truth is thai in Ille abKnoe of po \I'" frota the 1M' , ia ltI ~ """'l1li1 . nd ia OI'Jllnisloliomal dd· ' DC) !he fi&bt for PO"'" ba:::ame OJ)pOf1Mif,,ic' (1989&: 2S I), So it ..... 001 limply poIitIaJ CIOITUpOOn, nor simply the rail ..... of ~hltioDary cia...,. to no. opontaileOutJy, It waf the docuoduneat of polilict from ,""lut;"""'ry dum IMt led to tlle dllC' toee of "",olulion. L)'OtIrd anal)'RI tbis in tenm of the bowacoi*, urban """rken aOld ...... nlry, Firsl, the bourgeoisie, Acc:ordinlto LyOll.d, IJoe f.iluuJh the emotion oIlt1l1rbill proletarial _ the Nortb Mric:IIJI bwr,llIiIit "ich to iu lraditions ... dul. This ailiq~ is a _ I tbroup all Lyoll"r , ....)'11 010 AI,""" (rom ........ of \be carlietllUCh .. "The Nonb African ~. ripl up to the OUIO)'II on """. revoIutionary A ......... AI every 111m, IJoe bourJeoisit is ItIt1Ito be reacti.., and baekward.looki", e~ (or ill role in IllItionaJism: '80ul'JUiba wanll to Ii'" tMllcadcnhip t..cl; 10 lbe AI..,n..n bou.FOisit: ;1 is II'IIC Ihilihe mornc:ot or Fe war, Algerian rarmen; and manager::::I:W leaders are easily corrupted inlO p"",""ing lhe economic ;nteresu of lhe old colonial powt'r. French capitalism gives lhe ,tale and;to bourseoi' burea""ralS fund, in relurn for an exteruio
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LYOTARD AND THE POL I TICAL

in lhe sinet and dtcisi"" $moe (_ bourgeoisie tbal P"'''',es the "",ans of prodUC1ion) "( ""'dcpo:ndcnoe political some be aa:ounled for? These qlleSlion. an: particularly difficull. since !lock an"",'e.. such as 'Iiving condition. were impro.ed· and 'gric:\( most conten tiou. but alw characteristic a.pc in lhe post·l968 essa)'l colleo:ndeooc: hiaHl$l, onc CIIn tum to Ib~ diVU1ity of regional situation. aDd the limitlthey imrosc on social consciou.ness' (PW: )Og). In regio'" wh .... land is IlCaroe and wh .... tl>cre islinle land to be redislributed .unonll many .maU.hokkn there is "ery little pressure toward, land·rcfonru (308), On tbe: other hand, wherelh .... arelaboure ... rather Ihan """,ll·hoIdm, the Qb$w:1e lies in lradition and attitude. lbe historical relation belween owner and labourer i. partly ." tra_firulneial, in the form of a duty on Ih. part of Ih. former 10 pay 1M lauer in ~ind and to ensure lubt be mnedic:d by "" 'oIUlionary activily. BUI Ihis cannot he lhe lraditioll.lll activily of the len. 'minusctM in ",!al;"n In the .-...1 dimon,ions rulhe crisis', Thi. io ",hy Lyotard's philosopby moves lowards poSlmonwn, .ony lesson cannel be ",,!ely lhal lbe AI~rian war mLlSI be coruidrra.! in lerm. of a difrcrend. Mall .... are mllCh more complu than lhat, nol only in Icrm5 of the diffC'tCllI 01 tlLal of TN Diff",~nd. Mort 10 lhe poinl, I wanl to argue Iballrus metbod and ilO resulo. bequealh mOre 10 and are given more from LibidiIIaJ &otwmy than TN DifJtrNld, Finally,;1 is """nti.ol lO insist again tlLal LYOlard'. early work;s nol only 10 be judgr:d from the $Ialldpoint o f lhe laler work, CUlting crilical poinu can also he mad< against lhe laler work from the political activily of lhe .....y. on Aigtria. In LA Gue". du A(ghitlU, Lyotard's mcIhod depend. upon: (I) an ao1iculalion of the social field ;nlo da...,.; (b) an ".planalion of the logical rellliions bet ...-eo:n Ihose dasses in I(rms of objective economic and sociological relations; (e) a polilical aim of revolulion broughl about by lhe spomaneou, ..wng of ma...,. infCJm1ed, but not led, by critical .Iudies such I . tOOse pul fOIWllN in So
IMPASSE

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Action. are undelTlood bener in term. nf pbysical and unds with a seI of aphorism, .,., capital . Numbers 236 to 239 are of particular interest to • TeSSO Iht critique: of mwophys;c. and nol $imply li.\ metaphJ$K:s. It rom", after and ..ith Marx, and tht desi", for liberaling political ",,1;0". It corotS after and with trulh, in Ihe om.. of 5oking 10 creal. new lTU11Is f.,,- a sil"",ion ,hal ",,-ul$ Ihe fragility IUtd rigidity of eslablished 0".... UbiJiNl/ fr<J<wmy is nol a work of anti_philosophy, Ihen, bUI of""w philosophy, Ibough il i, not n ..... in lhe =clionary .. nse of the IWU'..... IIX pIoilowphu, whose self"<W"rving efforu 10 markel a reaclionary and ,uperficial .. t of imellcctu&1 val .... was powerrull~ crilicised by Lyolaro in Tom/wall I< IWII<X pl!i/asoplre. have ind«d laken on • function of polioeman and conscience in lhe Frtnch media. Their position is loosely libeml democntt alld rabidly anl;. Ma rxiSI, anl;· Hcidc&I!'"riu, ul;.Nielzlchcan and anli- ll e~lian (oJl laid 10 have been compromiKd in IIIe horron of lhe lwenlielb Q'nluJ)'). 1lIcy follow and lhen allempitO lead mono! posilions "" the medii iss'JCS of Ihc day. Lyolard explo.ins thls moral and polilical . u.horj'y in .erms oI"lhc ~tion of their views (X COmmerlll on Y " .b.o commenls on Z and SO on). oJlied 10 thcir common r h " ' to .... ·aoc:qM.IbIe' SI""1o. OJIinioou ,1>l: economic genre comes up again.t is 11>1: heterogeneity of phrase regimm and of genre! of discou ....... TIle obstacle don not de~ upon tM "will "' of human beings in one ........ or anotllt,. but upon lh. differend. The differend ;. reborn from the very resolutions of suppo5ed litigalions' (TD' 181). But this is not tbe case in the " 'ork on Algeria. There. the desire for r.,·olutioo ~od for ..."Iution remains, all>I:it in a fra&ile .tal._The outc'.,.,.l incompolio'ible on.:.: she open. UP. he tokn ""'. sM rcsi,ll. he sl>o: &ct. Ioost. he start. and t , imply refusing 1M theortlical 'driv¢' 10 inlerael witb a 'given ftc:1d' in order to chaOI!¢ il on lbe basis of a more ·~UrQt. uooerstanding· of il. 11 is rather that be refuses to a.x:q>l the dominam hiotorical assumplion lhal Ihne concepl$ are sel prior 10 Ih¢ inW:Sligalinn into lbeir relation to .rulh. LYOIard .... 5 oul 10 show lbat lheory and "'p..... nullion. as lhey a", commonly defincd and relied upon. canoot .. tidy th. claims that they thwlselves ..... This corneo oul most clear ly in the final chapter of Ih¢ book, wben be refle:c'U on i" own SlalUI Q lheory and on Ibe libidinal charactor of theory and of tile rol>t\"(>tl hi&hJighlCd aOOve. BrieRy •• hteorie:i

i, seen a. panly libidinal and f<X>fjfit~l. The poJlSIructuralisl .... y it firsllooked al in tcrmt of I poUtical opposition betWU\l: (a) ""'I whlch ia recuperaled or pulto work within a .ystnn (in lhe case o f flructUfllism tbitt ..... ns 1.11 evenl trealed II somethinllhal c, strictest unity: diooimulation' (51). S. FrNitMn Jri,..s QIIIl /III Qrgummr Qg~fuJl po/YSN!1Y, It could appear. from whal has been said ob,,,'e. Ihal Lymard's philosophy is con,islenl wilh polysemy, _ view thai lhe: sign is open 10 • potenlially infinite sel of differenl $Iructures and hcnr;c: different meanin&>. Thi, would rm'an Ihal tbere would be no definitive intCTp<WIlion. hut lhal noneth.\es.o interpRlal;on in term. "fknown itructUres waS Ih. only "lIy 10 ... pond 10 the iign. Lymard lum, 10 Freud's &y&IJ llt£ Pleacofy depends on an undocidable .. latioo between 1"'0 principles. Er ... "T lhe ple.sure principle and Ihe d.... lb drive. Neither can be trealed independently of the other in terms of an understanding of how thty funClion. Any ps)'chic phO"UOIIIt"IIon is al the """"' time. funclion of lhe d.ath drive and of Ihe pleasure principle: ' In eacb unique .vent the functions are undecidable: il i!I always a question of retaining lbe poosibility Ihal il may nm be posAible 10 assign an affect, Ibal is. .{mply a sign, 10 one pulsional principle lind one alone' (Sol). Aocording to Lyotard's ",.. din, of Freud, it i. nol SO moch lhat • sign can ha .... many different meanings. hut lhat thosc meanings are only properly interpreted in terms of lhe sign as interdependent. Thai depend"""", mnS! ilself he explained in ICTmS fll somelhinS independmt of meaningful struelures. This i. lhe ,ign as a ,inllul.rily llSWCi.ted with ;nt. ..... affei ... for Ihe affect and in "lIing off on a voyage of diso:ovtty lhal cannot end. they set themselves an imp06Sibk ta,k. Lyotard'l ~hoioce of 111< t.rm 'greal zero' i. nO! only an allu"",, to lhe absolUI. and ultimat.ly nihilistic namre oflbe dividt bul also 10 its role in n:tlt>cin& alllbilt8J to the measure of meaning and und .... tanding. The lurn away from Ihe aff"' t is doubly damaging ~u .., according to Lyotard'. work on F.-.ud;"n neption in Duro",•. figun! (1 16-:14; dis;u"""" in William, 1998: ~S4) and UlJiJilUll &0'''''''", tl>e turn carries lhe desire for tM .IT... I with il. Th= is a mnnam of the imensity of III< affCCl that accompanies a materia l ....ent - a caress. a smell - in the desire for God or fo r absolute blowledge (LE: 47). However. lhis remnanl ta k.. on a vitiated form. [n."ad of a daire fo r til< mO,-=eot of.1I< aff." •. "w rendered impo$Sibie and secondary. Ihe ... ;1 a desire for a ron«plual oomplelmess. thai is. 10 po!.Oe$$ full undemanding. This desire for conceptual identity should be. bul cannot be fulfilled in lhe identily of a knowing subjoct: 'One furtllerever lbey come from, Thai charaeterises hi. work:', __ iT is in no way a malter of determining a new domain, another field, a btyond rep.....,.,lalion wbich would be immune to lhe ~ff""s of theaTricalily. not 31 all, ...., are "",U aware Ihat you are ju", " .. iling (or us 10 do Ihi •• 10 be so ""n pid" _ . .' (LE: SO). S lhe W3y 10 live wilh nihilism is 00110 avoid otructUfl'S.nd ')'SI ...... of negalion. hut To draw O\It the inlC1lsities. the .ffens and desires Thai Illcy hide, in order 10 aUow for funher crealions, funbcr opportuniTies for Il>eir conc:a.lmcIll and relc:"",_ In lIIe _ of the nihilism of the _tdI for meaning, The k~y lies in lhe affect. usociat...:! wilh lhe d\"sire 10 ....""h far and hoard meanings. Tbi. Juu a negalive side, in the """" of the desire 10 capitali'" on a new ,,,",,,,alion •• n.... diilCOvcry. BUI il bu. posilive side in Ih~ risk of destohilisation and IransformaTioo in The encounter of Ihe .,range: malerials thaI we an: driven lowards. This tnCO\lIllC' docs nol dq>end upon a pure m"l.riaJily. lhe doomod dream of an experience of something lIlat cannOT ~ a sign. Rather, it depl:nds upon LyOlard', hypolhesis Ihal signs are ·duplicito... •• lhal is, lbat lbey are open 10 a _ding lhal .,QreS Ihr:m as meaning and capilal. bul lIlal lhey are 01"" open 10 a .«tilher '" Ihese can exclude the othor. They are interdependent bocausc the inl<nsc sign bas 10 be 'inocribed inlo established region,'. But thi, -.no to be the worsl fonn of ""Iuivoca.lioo . If affinnalion and ""galion are'" d09l:ly related. if the .ign i. duplicilous in this ineluclable mann .... then docs IIIaI nol plunge US back inlo a position where no pm:i", couno of action i. posoible. where an affirmati"e tn Ihinking is nOI salisfied with a final idea or set 0( values. The Ihoughl of being o r. more properly. Boing. and it, forgetling il on. of the mosl demanding. bUI also one of lhe most importanl aspeeu of Heidegger' , Ihoughl. It is 001 salisfactory 10 define tbese lemlll negativrly excepl in the name oflimiled ,pace and time and with the proviso tMI liIr:se d.finilions , ho uld be added 10 by futlher reading. For .xample. Miguci de Ilei$legui". H _Wutr and 1M Polilical conlains an enlighlrning di$cussion of thc:sc issues in Ihe contexl of a wider Sludy of Heideggcr and nihilism (63 - 86). The mO$t important aspeet of H.-idegger·, wriling on being and nihilism for Ihis Itudy of Lyotard·, nihiUsm i, Ihe refusal 10 pin down being 10 .pecific human activities (i""luding definilion): 'Y et even lhinking. underslood in lhe m051 o riginary sense. or for lut maller, pOet;';n&. to say nothing of ~11 other human "aclivities:' cannot of them· .elves bring aboul [the lum toward lhe trulh of being)" (de Bei. legu; 1998: 83). This remai ns only. 'possibilily·. Nietzsche's philosopby 0( will 10 po"""" is interpmod by Heideggtt as having exactly Ihe Slructure of the melaphysical fOfgellin8 of being through lhe emerge""" of man as foundalion for valu._pOI!l"U~ 01 ""P ' ! [1IJOJ 01 "II >111'41 .u~ '!'II pUI ~U!>fI. JO 10\II>1.1OJ "'II JO "!IDnb

"11 pUnOJE ~IIUnlUWO:> • JOJ ~"Oll. mli J.slI'P!"H ·J'.I.10~1 .Od '\1j3n041 "'I. IOU""" 1"'I1JOq1() 'I/I'! ~ll."I"'n 1",,1"'"1 I""!,,Op1!JOO" 0) ""Y!I"'l 1"'11 :)\10 IQ41 '! ~Uod~J lin[ "Iq!f$Od (IDO "'I.l "(9Lf :q6!161 ","\okl) .1 ' ,p!stn JI>5'\ ~U1ql 0, pUll '1 ~U!q, ") ',.211""4"""V ......"" "'II ..-ad:u 0) ....."'~ .. ..,. q~q ... 'PI'o", >td pull ~ooq ,-fin( "'/. J~ '.ilflJpPH >Ill 0\ dn •••2w.. """n.,. "U.~ ilul~'!'I JO ",OO'"""""KI. ql!nOlql ',5Ut<W.I'p ' .I)JUIO,''1 '(51)1 :Q&'061 PlWlo~l) ,"''''1 n '"410 '41 h)lU)41. Inoqv An 01 lIuo410U ''''I I! 'lIU1oq 'j 'oqlO .41 IU41 :>:I1I"'r"d .. I)J'I"'!p"U "q uJ J_""3 1""_'PI'ff1 JOU. ""'11 "","os 41d"l' IS>I""H U! '~='I""uI '0(1 JO wli1PBJOO I 'OJ 'anbtl!1"'I "P IIQ/JJ!I "7 ''''IIJII<j'''1-''''''''''-' "'" :WSIZBN UI .ull!"I')J H ilU!II'''!ldw1 = " . , . 1"'IU""~Ul ISOW '41 ,oJ '''''7: PN ,JIm "nWU 'Sl!!Jw:J "'" :lIi'=~lo.'UI 1141 01 :osu-odsoJ p:IJ:IJl!iU"". 'OJ '1"""'loJ "'II f"'" ~1flj"1'l~H '!d'\i>g "I' ""'I WS![81X>S I ~UO! I .N 41!-" lU'W'~IO ,'UI p:>S'Sn"",p 4""W ",4 po. J''I''!41 >III .IOJ )$IIJIS!W pUU ,( I!SOW!UU I.,nol' • "'• .Ii>111 :xi"""" ow;> AQdO ,UU'I u1 • • >j,(11 JO 'w.m u1 4""w !. " 1"4'" U 111 'Iooq "'II 01 """"">II'" :1.']11 1v41 ~dpu!Jd lIu\l'q1 01 -"""'UR UD '1i!J PJ,"O.(1

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I'ISI11H1N a NV "'WONOJ~ lVN 1(]1611

LYOTARO AND TIlE POLITICAL

f ,he covenant. the frgcory .. : (LE: 257)_ It should be DOled that although l YO\llrd is righl in >tscribing tbe forgollen in H.idegger 10 G reeoe. Heraclitus and the Ut«twcen, this cannot easily be .,Iended into tlte claim tbat lbey are originary in his work; in fact. Heide""r i. "t'" ~'" also principle> of acti,~ nesation, These cannol properly I>t laken for pnociplcs without tl>< lhree plrui,dy affinnaliv< nne< if they a,e taken u final lh~ ",tum 1lS 10 negation_ W. mUSI pay a1l.nlion 10 .... hat i. occurring to P •• 10 tl>< ~r of pa>.i";ty. by o~rvinllt"" "",.inll of negalion.

.j"""

d j 'H ",bfr~1 s~lul;ng OUlro/""S or offirm ~-Ioal 0«0tn "illed. An inorea .. in po"-" become. a difficult tlade-olf bc:1"toen an increa .. in the inten,,;ty l:e as much a. a Ilelp, This eueusion canoot take place easily SO Iona as art is oem as the key to pa";~ity. Lyotard learnt much from Cezanne. a.ge. Zeami. Delaunay and Monory aboul the ..... ys in which .... can allow intonsil~ 10 flow Ihrough work. as well as undermine.oo ",new .tructum, But his essays on them run lhe rill: of limiting ~bidi!La1 economy to ~n aeslbelics uooerslood ""lely as art and 10 the marginal position of lhe avant_ ganlc .rlist. This would be a ret urn 10 lbe posilin, of an OUlside of $OClely. a 'good' ",gion thai somebow the negati,.., !lruclures of rtpresentation and tradition - if oaly for u Ion! as ;t ..... avanl_garoe and nol ""'Uperaled, AI limes. Lyotaro t""d. towaro, this noo-romanticism: for .,.ample, whenever he pUll hippy rno""",,,,,11 f ......... ro .Olhe ""ample of 8rat inlm.ily: ' He... a ... today', " . uptrmen" and .. m..le ..... ' lhe frinse. experinlel1tal paim.,.,. POP. hipp;es and yipp;e,.. paruitO$.. madmm, inlCmees? There is mort inlen. ity and Ie.! intention in one hour oflbeir life than in. thoulI8.nd woro. by a professkmal phoo..,pher' ('NOIC$,Uf Ie retou r ct Ie capital' al 01': 305), Indeed. the n"'taIPe. romantic rtaClion to lhe dominance of capital;.,., i. a cballenge 10 bim , inee il appea ... 10 understand lbe !ibidilLill potential of capilaL BUI romanlicismchoosesto usc: this poli'!ft J"'lsioluu!k II i. worth noting tba[ [he critical reading of phenomenolol)' dales back 10 ~."" bofom [ho, ...... ys on Algeria see La Phb","';nokJgiL (1954) - [bough a[ [hal ' ["ge, the critiq..e was couched in to"", of [he problem. rai ..... for phenomenolol)' in a malerialist mading of history. In ord.. to co,..,,dep[h, I essaY'. 'La put forward in on. making cr ...... ref.rences to other works as into a lei. of lheoretical r<mlIrks. follo ...'ed by a cbronological a!LIIlyses of particular works. This divide and order is contradicted by lhe main findings of [he euay. This ii why il is bes[ tahn as a springboard for [he work in LibiJ;lIQ/ Utmomy ",[her than as a f....,-.. anding philosophy of painting. It would he bet[ ... to think of the ...... Y' as tending toward, art with philosophy (and also not towards philosophy as art). Lytard dOt< not only in~lip.le the rela[;OII of philosophy [0 painting. Th. essay 'La dem, I. paume' makes very similar poinu In [he work on painting, but 011 !hea[re. The essays 'Adoroo come diavolo' and 'Plusieurs sil.nces' do [he ""me: for mu.ic llrul 'Sur nne liaure du diooour$' lIrul 'Pe conMql>tnl re<ju;",menllo play otT the IWO drives 'piMI oor another - stnte&ies for . life between Iwo

de.lhs.

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Bul from lhe poinl of..;ew ohllo..mll ....11)" 10 IMoullh the Iysl ..... 1M dealh dri"", is u positive as 1M eorlFIk ltabiliuotion 0( ErOli. Like Dckow: ,Dd Quan.ri ill their An,;'OrJipul, l yourd """'" away from any . .,... 0(. DOnn IIId j""F''''''''' 0( val ... ill _ 0( driva. H. ref..... 10 oa:q)Ilhal il iI poaiblc 10 isolate""""" po o aDd usociI.ted affecu with nqalive results. This _ _ him (and Dc......, aDd Qlllitan) . .... y from tht bcalinl fllntlioa 01 r-)'dIoanaIytis. It abo .tj""';altI Aoft oj ill de Sode (Lyotard', ",lIollon 10 de Sad< is. I> new disposition. and new

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More prt.:;""ly, Ly"lard speak< "f a 'dilution' "f pictorial ... giollOll and conlou,"" in Cezanne', work . Th. absence tak .. away tho "p' ...,ted object from Ih. picture and alloW! colours to alTect II! dirtCtly in tbe many ways in whicb Ihey can intonIC\. l)l
LI8IDI~AL

ECONOMY "'NO C",PITAL

destruclion. This doubt and associated continlllual and scns""llimilS wilh desi .... lhal ha,~ al ...·a).. been polymorpbous and perw .... ; any limit will do and pleasure can be token in erossiog il or in runnina righl up against il . TM combinalion of a .lnltelY (If ~n-~ a nd an economic: description doeo not commil Lyolard 10 an art or polilico d"'oid of mechanical complexily or difficuhy. It means Ihal it i< lhe .... ull of an . nempllo ere. Ie. f..... of (1tablished disr-:»ilion ~ to paint as a OOdy or mechanism and nOI with consciousn..... Ihe hi Duposili/s "../Jimuot/s and Lihidi",,/ Economy by a mo", aflinnati"" fonn of polilical action (albeil affirmation lhroulh passivity). Thio ;, why Lyotard', pref.ce

"

LYOTA RD AND THE POLITICAL

10 the 1994 odit;"n of Dhi., .. parI;" tk Marx ~r f'rtIKI;. pa"ic~Lorly inl~tnting in insisting on the waning dni~ to resist wlr.ile also stmaing a new libidinal CODCCpli<m of resistance: the mUlual resislanoe of the uncon· Icious to consciousnm: "Around u. people coDlinuod 10 cry: Frtedom! ,." mUllerod resi.tance" (10). 'Resistance i. a word wed by F~ud 10 qualify lhe opadly Ihat Ihe unconscious eppoon 10 conocirnuncss bUI also the laner> b~ndness wilh regard to lhe signs of the fomrer.' It is Ibis Freudian oeruc Ihal the libidinal philosophy exploiu 10 the full. BUI ....... shaU _ below, Ihis sl"'''gy is con,..""nl wilh capilalism. Is Ibis comhinatioa of I,*,nl by default and con~ an abandonmenl nfany capadly 10 resiSI capitalism or .,...., to define a polities lhat maintaillll some dill"""" from lhe dominance of lhe rules of marketsLyourd a.ks Ihis question in nearly all of lhe es$a).. of Iks DiJporiti/6 I"'fjio/tMts. It is an urgenl q"""tion fer Iwo rea.oons. Finn, a. "'" have ..... in Ihe early essaY' Orl Alg..ia, his work is eharactemod hy an awareness nf the power of ,,"pilalism 10 .uppon and even precipilate In.. ml>$l ~l'f"S$i~. ~m ... Second, lhe act of paosive experimentalion and lhe gt"non.l K;m of seek;ng 10 eondu"lIied ••... ryclay objc$l commonpla ... objclulion'. This proceos knows no bound. and is polentially capable of e>01 provide an ... btlrut .'111""'01 and oct 0{ defi.nitionJ in respon5l' 10 this question. OIher thin his ...on. on lhe necessily of dissimulation outlined in Ihe previous chlolMe •. Inslead. he puts forward a K1 of practicalllud*" Ihal ahow f""<J;Y 10 be inlenlily. thai is. lbe inlen,ily of dc:I.irn and fcelinp. The otudieo ""ow lbe llnICIu", 10 he.o. Low of equinltflCe. thai i ........ y of ",latina illCOlJlmC:nsunbk Ihinp in order to allow for tbrir achange. Finally. lhey show _ bul not definitively - thai Iny adVClClOmd on Ihe stru,"u ....... mIlCh ... 1M opposito_ It would be "'TOng lherefore 10 anume thaI Lyotard dclll\CS desi", as a neW ulcliorily, The ,cal oou= of ....rgy i. lhen 1>01 """'" raw material, or labour force. or external ""orld. It is Ih. set ofdesirn lhat f""", an ""onorny 10 incorporate inten,;I;" thaT can""T be reduood 10 Ihe slruclures Ibal are neMry. It, melbod i. ""jlh.... logical analy1is nor empirical =rch. hul ralh .... a quasi.historical su~y carried oUllhrough a ~ding of a limited numbor of mo", Or It'5 oanonical oronomic and lilerary luIS. The most .imple """norny anal)-.ed by Lyolard involves desires ~.presscd ;n lerms of ' !ICCd', To define need a. a desin: may seem plcQnaSlic. bul aocordin.lo his """,,,unl need is o nly 0"" .ub-typc of deoi", and in.-ffoct an iUusory one Ihat depend! nn an arbilrary determinalion of the ~nits Ihat an: 10 , J. and tl>t, cby allowin& them to be C,,:b'D: J. 8~t the inlenlity of .. ·,o.nd f«linp is lost in this ,cPOCkJu"tioD. Tbey _ lit b«:alltelbey .... Iin",lIor aDd b«:alUeed thorn. Second. it becQmos nee ' snl)' to ascribe a ,.,.Iue of .xcha!li" to all things. Therefor< ..... Iue and 1M possibility of valwotion take on a much grealer importance and begin 10 unoknninc: and repLoce limit cod... Howevcr. thi' 5CCOnd propeny is a funher step 10 nihilism be«:d,., However. tbe vchicle for Ihi' val"" and the poWC1" 10 ascribe it take on ,.-eat .... imponaoce. thereby revcrsing or at lean threalening any ad ..... ntage gained. Lyotard think' about thi, paradox in term5 of two 'dealhs' that run paranel ln bi, treal ..... nl of Eros and the death dri .... in F reud (.... abo .... ). The """nomy ()/ I"""",list!d t>«:d. that turn, into an economy for aU poSSible deoires .till has th~ nihilistic dri .... 10 oompare and organisenoe of diminisbing their inten,ity and expanlion. ocooomies begin to ooncentrate desires and Ih. pleasure taken in causing it): 'Thu. an •· ...!erior.. is formed on tile otller .;de of lbe: customs banier whO$le only role is tn be emptied inlo an "inl.rior''' an enonnou! lransf.r of th" energies current on lb. ambiguous body of Europe. f... lling Ih. incande=nce of the Versai1!es f""m' (UlHdiNlI £CONJmy: 199). Again. Lyolard wants to insisl on th. libidinal quality of this form of ..:onomy. 11 il a matler of jealousy and ofth. 1"""'..... pkasuru lhat can be taken in keeping somethinl only for oneself and tb.n destroying it in fronl of Ihose oJ"" ba. deprived: 'Such is tbe: jealoulY oJf d ..polism wbicb f... l• .,...,..,.ntilism. !hi. lauer could nol content il5elf "ilh Ulking and destroying. but had to presenl in ;txlf wh.at it annibilaled Oft th. outside' (199). 1be us delayinllthcir actllal oo.xufTt'J\>:e. Thi. delay i. dl>ubly pmbkmal;" for Lyourd. NOl only des il mean Ibat money continues 10 tale priorilY o\,er singular malerial desi .... tbrough lhe J>eW desin: 10 _ Iheir mOJ>euty ""Iue iDCrea" over time. Now lhe val"" of alilhings i. counted in tenn. of growtb poIential over time, Out al$O a new and Iypically capiulill dOW) of libidinal fillU .... lake on veat imporUlX:e: the desin: 10 oklay pleasure heinll uk." in something and the thi' auocialMxt of money. lime and inlensity is how 10 exploit the capacilY 10 inlensify desi .... while n:oistin.g Ibeir nihilist;" funnelling into the men: n:lation of time and mor.ey. Hi. study 'plilS inlo Iwo al thil point he auempllto ;n...,.tiga l. the n:lation of lime. money and int .... il;.. funhtr to lItow. 001 ill contradiction.. but ;1$ nihili$\ic lendencies. Out he al"" looks al the different wa)'S in which a properly libidinal politics can ,",'ork within capilalism to affirm inlenlity despite Ihis trend 10 nihilism.

.

LJBIDI~Al

ECONO MY

A~D

CA P ITAL

Taoist erotics are close to capitali$tl'l through tbe tmSion involved in Ihe desire In gi .... as much pleasure as possible 10 a partner, bUI onJy in order In gain benefit from it '10 Taoist erotics, the arrangement is sucb that it will npcratc in .uch. way a. to arou.. in the wnman, by mtticulou. analysis and consideration nf Ibe postures Bnd pt........:lUI'eI proper I In draw him in a Dd 10 lxCOm/Il.nsurabk dmu Ihat pkasure i. inle",ified. From the point nfvicw oflibidinal economics. Ibis lension has a oihilisl bul alao an affirmalive compOOenl. It is nihilisl in lhe tum towards ralional calculation and in lbe move . ..,.y from libidinal inlen,;ly In",,,"d, lbe $locking of an abstract , ..due (child",n. a dynasty). BUI il is affirmali,. in lhe way in wb",h Ihe SlratelY for achicving Ihi. stock depends on an inl .... ilicalion of plea,,,,,,,, and desir ... This opposition is cha raClerised furlher by Lyotard in \enos of a nibm .. mo'·. to""ards lhe subja:l. poosessor of """f"VC! and desiring futu", stocks (my dYllllsly. my .."",n). ~nd an ' ~nonymou.' SCI oft< way intensity is~, 'The rule is no 100FT a line passin!! ~fOUnd the 6c1d wbe", what mInt hawen indeed takes pl=. ,,'bile =Iu.ding what mu.t not take place ... it $: wh;';h is preci$OOomy. 11 is no longer only a question of having to, bruk.nd Iran.' ..... rulcs Ibat forbid thi, or exdude that. It is no longer only a qUotStion of .nero ",in, to go be)'O< dri~e towards anonymous and ""utral int.,.,it;" thai i. ODeIIlial to the capitaiisl ruk of inCTtasing intetuity. The principlO$ guiding Lyotard's passive politics o utlined in II>< prev;o.u elLaptor (.... k po,...,rlessn .... multiply principles. invite failu",) and expL;oinod furth ... os an active experimentation with passivity ~nd apathy a ... , tl>< intensily that can flow inlO tllo system. The latttr "",urs when sp(Wtrnents gain 100 mu
d;ctabl. """"" and any .t....,.ure o.pniiCd """"rding 10 • unifyinfl'" of rules or la~ The Hbidin.ol politic:! tben goes on 10 adYoca~ experimentalion ...ith ways of encouraging the """"rre",," of inten.itie:s and III< •• t .... ion of different disposition. iIIto Qnc another through tbe disrupli," capacily of evult •. Modem art is Qne fonn of this upmmcolation. Thank. to it and 10 a study of Far Eanem mu and tbeatn:. Lyotard begill$ to 'ke1Cb a set of principles for this experimentation. I ha~ ain&kd these: out .nd.fJUOd tbat they provid., the key for a <XIMistent and e~iting devdo!>" men! of hi5 libidinal philosophy and politics of active passivity. Thi. is itself a moVe out of an impowc: that h. is scrn to go doWD in the early work! on Algeria and in lOme of tbe later text. on Man:. and Fn:ud. How..... .,r. I ha~ al", RI"JuW that then: is a break in Lyotard's work hcl""een libidinal coonomics and tlte philosophy of the dilTen:nd. For enmple. tbough they . ban: a desire to oPl""'" termr. tlte means for doing '" an: very diffen:nt. In tbelibidioal works tbis takes pi",,", through a $t"'~1Y of flight ItTTOr is undermined by an indirect n:1eax of desi .... aoo f.cling> thai affirm wbat ltTTor sect. to e~minat • . W. IIec into intensities of es stf"ll. crr""t "f uDdennining ",rnethin. pr«iae is not t~on:

"

TH E TURN TO JUDG EM ENT

an aim of a libidinal politia;. In tl>< lator works regarding tl>< philosophy or the dilfe .. nd. a >!"'togy of direct m;'Iance romt$ 10 the foto: talify 10 irresolva ble dilf=noes by arousing and liS\enin, to tl>< f... lin, of the:

sublime. f... ling of II>< sublime i. primarily "".d... tic. Lyotard works on it best in hi. lIudics of Kan!". Third C,iliqlH! aDd tate political writings a nd oflhe A .... rican .... tract expreMioni.l. Barnen Newnwn. Tho f.. li nS of lhe subh ..... a conjunction of pleasure and pain. is releascmmtnsurabilily of getll'U. This ""Iulion is amined from ""me: of the fitst Slab!. al a philosophy of lb. dirr.... nd in TIre P<M'm<Jt,~ CMtdiIUm. Notwith"~ndin& lite book'. prominrnoe and infl ~, I will ,t ... , clear of il. II hu an illegitimate 11alu... wilhin Lyotard', work ~r.d in debat ... OIl Ihe poslmodern. due 10 ito ea .. of "'0'" wh.n OOInpan:d 10 hi, 011\0, mIX" more and deep books. It is a small irooy. but nO CClion 10 lhe simple transa.ndcnl accounl OUllinN abov •. In lhis chapl .... lhe 1lI1.r book will be my main in 0 ditTc ... nd. il is imponanl 10 nole how 11>0 imrodl>CliOll of !he f... ling of 11\0 sublime atT«1s il. The ditTe ... nce bet .."een I.... n ... lotions In polilical end. beennl.. much "",all ... wl>d nihilism because the primary e,..m is a)..,ady a drive to act: Itroce the combinalion of pleasure and pain, .xpectatlC)' aO>d f.ar. The ddinition of a .ublime .'"CJlt as limit also .,;plains why L)'Qtard ia able: to claim that the sublime event is nol a sign as undc:mood in 'INClurdli,m. I have called it "". following Lynlard. because of the ... liIlion between the . ublime and tbe dilT.rmd: the former indicata the latter. But thi. does not imply that any panicular .ublime . '.nl i. a signifier of a panicular positive Ihing. of a signified thaI can be comp ... hended and IINCIured in a relatioft 10 olher , ignified,. The .ubl im. does nol conlribule to a Struclure of meanings Ihat underlie a structure of 5<nsalions. 11 inhibit. botb tbose 5I.NCIure:! by 'landing out a. a privilegcd "'.... 1. 11 cannot be """,porated . . . """.al;an among others since il cannot be compare= have dissimulatw in tbe stnxtu"," from which it ~ aru.llowanl. which il i. dntwn; SO in UhiJina/ frmromy we find a mach more ,obutl ripOole 10 demand. for judBCII>CnlS based on Iheory: 'Reply wilh questions. Idllhcm: and you, lheoreTical di!aHj,IIC, whal is il? All your questions Ita"" lbe unde,lyinB ref....,,,,,,, 10 this dixou...,. this If\IC speech' (LE: 241 ). BUI in All JOI.m Ihis a\1ack n""", tak .. pIaoe. lo"~d, lhere is a quilt differeot oou nl..-, booed around lhe projc.ot of a minimal judt;emenl that Owel nOlhing 10 K1 law. and calegories. Thi. Owel muakin. a rnnckny of tbe urlior priority iJiwn to the IoCti>.. ..,areb for passivily_ Popnlsm dosi .... tcs 'pn:cisdy • slnllnion ..him one judp One jud.... nOi only in .... UtIl' 01' 1nI1h. but also in mantll' 0( beauly (aesthetic d!icaq) and julia . lhal is. poIitia "'" ethics. withotll co iten .· (Au J...,r. ,lJ). It may appear 1....1 Ibm: is ""y link diff.", y ben:, if..., ute LyoW'd 10 man thai a papa 1tra1C'lY is dcsianed 10 allow io\Cftlila 10 be affirmed aad unlClum (0 alter. and that this is ..tuo. ;. ...... nt by judlin. ",i!houl criteria. BUIlhis is noI tilt case at aU, oinor throuJbout the book j\ld& Ihi' 0 field of j udgemenl w;lhoul criteri a i$ Inal of ethies ~. 0J>PI'em. Thi. anS" "ef n..... r really com.. in Au JIHI~. InSlead. "'" a ... p""n a ••:rico of ralher hermelic and eva";"" denials and rciw"lions. This i• • xplained explicitly in tenns of Lyotard', Ih ... unresol~ relalinn 10 Kant: 'To tsilaling IItill noping Ibal1h;, i. in vain and Ihal lhe:y a ... not poCC"l ari.ing from lbe .uperscnsible and be-~ring on Ih. ,.mibl.· , Klonl argues Ihal il i. poosib1e to jwJv - 1\01 10 kilO'" - thai a r"", l1C1 is confimled ;n n~tu ..... Thus the ooofil1lLiltion that Sttm«l 10 be miwni in

'"'

LYOTARD AND THE POLITICAL

terms of o~r f ..... ac\j as moral agents is available ~ not in terms of ca~so, bul in lenns of judgements concerning end •. Thus we cannol say '\his practical act cau.....! trus natural pben""",non', but we can say 'Ibis natural p/leomnlon IppelI'" to ha,,, Ihi. end or purpn .. '. wilt ... tilt end or purpose is practical in the sen" of being tbe ~uh of freedom (il would make nO """ .. 10 speak of ends Dr purposes ,,'I>< ... tl>< .... was only causal determinalion). The: IaUOT lIatement all"",.. for judge.... nt. co~rning Ihe unily of nolU'" and moralily: Ihis or Ihat purpOSe: in II>< n'alrn of fn'edom (moralla .... ) rnu,l be pos$ible in lenn, of joogemems ~rn inl! tl>< pull""'" or end of nalUral phenomena, 'The: effect in IICCCl of ratiocinative human ",'illing ralhe. tllan a. the .««1 of d.terminate causes _ and tbm"" •• fme an when these judgement. sali..ry CIIlr judgements of tasl.· (! S9), Polilics and culture a. in.truments of human community can legitimately enter Kantian philosophy at thi, p1didily of those judgcmrnts'j. Thi. sense of communilY is ,h. p( idea of a publk sense, i.e. a critical faculty " 'hich in iu rdlecti,,, act lakes """"un! (a priori') of the: mode of rep~ntation of e"eryone else. in order. IlJ i, ~...,..., 10 weigh its j udgement with the collecti ... "",son of man kind. MOO thereby ."oid Ihe il lusion arising from subjecti ... and penonaJ ooOO;lion, whicb could ... adi1~ be taken for objecti ... , an il1usion Ihat would C>lert a prejudicial iollue".,. upon it. judgemenl. ( Kant 1980, lSI )

So with ......... _ " " I I Kant wanU to avoid the: t ..~p of making general statement. on the basi. of subjeclive v;.w.. But he: is also constructing a space for collective judgements based on a balancing oul of ,ubjtctive judgcrnenlll "'Ih a rdlectiOll on tl>( judgement' or othe ... This ...adina of M"nd MmmUl'!" pIa""" Kant at tl>( very hoan of a modem
*"

lIi'Oi'I""

t'"

''''

rHi! rURN TO JUDGfMENr

II is ~Iy II )IC<X'WIry wlldition for making judgement. collOOrrun8 th~ beautiful that involves a sUp1
l YOTAIlO A"'O TltE PO LI TICAL

TIwnI is lhonfore no

in PI";", OWl" 10 &II Klual mcounltt will'l ano!~ "1lIc 7 wbtU: " community" it no! constiluled IiI'Sl: b)' opinionz Jiven b)' individualt. II ··unfold,··., 10 spno.k lhank< 10 a work 0( Yariations lhal "c110"",1" and lhouchl alone. in ·'Gedanken" . puts inlo elf«"1 in ord ... 10...:ape from its "pri... tc:" condi1ion. o.privul 0( lhe Olhtr by ilf Own aet or appreciation' (264). The hal'11>llOy bc:tween facullies implied by L.,te and lbe: beauliful remains only. tran5Cm(ienlal condilion. It dotS nOI kcomc: a !>;osis for an acl .....1 polilic1 bUN around the ...""" .......,.,"";. ddined as I p'ocedure. lIut thil iI IMIly one Ie, or Lyolard', relation 10 Kl nt. He also "'lUllS 10
''''

TH E TU!!.N TO J U DGEMENT

an incommensurability of tM .takes Ihal JIOYt. thl:: ."aren... thaI tlltre are no 6nally legilirn.... ,tak.. in politics: 'At the same time, tbough, politics is not al all a genre, il !xlIrs wil""" to lhe nOlhin",ess which open. up "ith each occurring phrase and on the """,,";on of which the ditTerend bel ....""" gen .... of discouT'>C i. born' (141), It is in Ihi,~ .. thalth. polilical i. judgement without criteria. It i. an inte~ntion in polilks, in Ihe name of dirr=nd •. Ihat must remind us of the impossib;lily of 6nal JUSt judgements. but without d.I chapler explain •• nd c:-rilici... his developmenl of thai role in the C$SiI)'S publi.J\td art(f TM DifJYeruJ.

JUSTIFYING THE DIFFEREND Whar doc:! tbis 'a5 if' mean for LYOlard? Hi, int"1'relalioo of Kant departs from the norm in nol raking transcendemal dedllC1ions as lhe crux of Kantian a'lluntU1. lnltead , ,,-hile recogni,ing rhe imponanoc of the dcdu Or failure oflhe lal1 •• is inextriclbly link«l 10 tlte ..... Iidity of thc fonner. In.. ead. he reads Kant'l te>< la .... if SOIIK nalu~ pun .... its end. by mean. Qf Ihi. r..,ling. No e~il i. madc: from lhi. circle. (TO: 135) H ow~r,

Ih. po;OI or I..yornrd', interl'fWllion is 00' ,im ply 10 remain;n tl>< posilion of hopei", arod dangerous oceplirum fcart< I>
.'pose!!

1\2

T HE TUKI< TO J U DGEMENT uJlimal~ly

jUJ(ify doing so. "T"M univen.al dai"", of Kant", polilics founder at this point as they become contingent"" a sharM ftding. In L·En,/ww3;· """"" aDd In a lesser e~lCnt in "'" DijJert'nd, Lyman! is prqIIImlto ~dmil tbat many of Kan!'s political f«lings ....~,.., so widespread as 10 appear universal. But be wants to insist that tbis OOnstnsUI ha, broken down in contcmpo"''Y politics. Tbe events and feelings Ihal mark our time indirnte an abya b¢lwcen f""uJl~. gtnres and beooe political posilion •. Tbe,.., is 51ill some .enll< of community in these feelings. but it i. a contrary one. II is common ""nse Ihat Ihe,.., can be no community beyond that sense _ 'hough Ihis i. coma only if ~ remember that in L 'fAtlwllSiasItH: Lyotard is "'ing 'common scox' in a mtllnitli doubly remo,-.d from everyday usage: 'T1!e ~ion< Ii....:n 10 Ihis highly d • ....:loped '">ense of comm unity"' ,",ould be: called: Auscally, 'it is impossible I" oonn"" Ihi. Idea lhat brid,,"" bet ..... ..,n I..." realms or I..... " IJide, of a diff.r.nd'. The impoosibilily il lhe mult of the oonjull01 only is il a pnlitK:s lhallenifies to .boolute diffe,e",u. il also (\epmd$ illegitimately"" an "gleement wilh Ibal notion of difftltl .... for iu own claims 10 juSline if II>ose claim. are givt:rJ any ..... Iidity beyond a givt:rJ OXpe. i
LYOTARD AND THE PO LITI CAL

101M MIICIOOcipal desi", in lhe polilies of the diff''''nd is a ncPI"~ one: to negate Ide •• of reasoo as ""y. of bndginS diffemlds, Whal i. more, the way of acbievinS this ncption ~ nol open the way for an affinnali,,,, dri .... accordins to • singular intensity (plea.ure tbrough X, for nample)_ Exanly the opposite lak .. plaoe in the f.. lin& of tM sublime: 1"'0 intensilies block each other. Dcsp;le the con_ nection Ibrough a sha~ inl...... in the tvenl, lyolard's lalff oollClem with justice hu broughl bim 10 lhe onet opposite of hi. earlier .... ork, Ihal is. to a ",nu""i.otion of Ih. mO;-tTJ>/!'nl afforded by intensities and to the primary aim of neption_ Ths does not moan Iltat the I.ole, ~se nfthe polilieal cannot be vicv.'Od in a good light, Lyotatd', resislan~ to Ideas of ",,"son is givm a positi .... and quite traditiOflal contnt in the later chapte" of 1M DijJ~_ Resitne:I dubious wbcn applied in •• pccifK: ..... and. then. the application III", pJa.r;:e throu&b rite medium of • narralive: '"The mcmbcn of lbe Constit,,",,1 A..cmbly would have been prty 10. ··tranlCeSldcnlal appearance"' and ~n The

THE SU B L I ME AND POLITI CS

perhaps 10 a *"""IUl. n..y hallucinated humanity within tbe nalion' (1 47). So the ...",Iid Ia.k for bi, polilics. afler Ih. isolation orlhe Idells ope"'lIi", in a givm commllflily, is 10 idcnlify aDd retell thai on.n hidden and forgo n .n namti'o"C. Butth;, mellin, must lake on a ~ .pecific fonn. namcly. 0""' lhat rekindles tbe cf\(rgi.ing eIT..,t of the reaUsalion Ihal our vocalion i. to bring universal idea. inlO tbe actual, but that also makes u.1ooe hope in the possibility of SO doing. The form host .uited 10 these 1I. ;n Inb is irony. tll.ol if, a. Jincere as poosible ao e_ocalion of lhe drh'inl .... mllive accompanied by ilJ alm""l imperceplible undoin,. The ironic form of lyOl~rd'. 10ler essaY' lak.. on many diIT=1 . 1)·1t5nearly all orwhidl haH hccn used by him 0., ... 1008 periods. They include: I 2 3 4

S

6

Rcport«l dialogu .. bet~ anonymous lhird-person male alid femal. voices (· H.'; ·Sh.'): 'Ca n Ihoughl go on wilhout a body", ' lnleresting,; Fictional wort stori .. wilh an overtly philosophical Ie$son (moralily tales): 'Mar~ goes 10 Japan'.·A poslmOOOS$ible non-ironic: inlerpreuuion, of Lyolud', !aler ll>ougbl. 0tI the ooe hand, lhe", i. a &imp\< first-or-der readina who", tho ironic func tion of the e5$ay i. simply missed and "-l>" 10 10 beyond "'hat in the pall may h."" countod a, the fuodameotal humao ,'alues and 10 embrace a ,upcrhuman, highly t..:hni""l and immalerial set of vall>e!l. Thi, readinl miMes hi. allemp! to undermine slICh dreanu by demonslratinl their d.u:ndcd to other f,,"'inll of """ulta....,... attraction and ~Ision from 1 of lhe negenlfOP;C sy>tern far from eanh' (PF: 91), 11>e poinl here is 1>0110 determine wlklher LyOlard i. ullimalely righl in bi. isolation of this particular Idea and namllhl:_ This would lead 10 lhe falUOU. journaliltic diocuuion of lhe importance of scieooe Iktion, political opeeclJeo on the lwenty-lim ""nlury, apocalyplilage, his work is pragmalitlnn Fabk. 10 hi' mOSI """,ful dofinilin< of . he po$1modern in ·Ans ....,.;n' lhe ql>eSlion: Whal i, Ihe poslmodern" included in lh. English tnmslalion of lA COltditkm IHmmoJtrn~ (l9"Nb; English lransliltioo 1984ow 10 resist. Th. $vanl.ganle in an, politi ... or philowplly has 10 be: conocilled " ;Ih fonn and arre<X. lhe will is defeat«l. The a,,,m-gardiSlliUk mnains Ihal of undoing Ibe ~umplion oflh~ mind wilh ~peOl manage to do this. and _ .uff.r from this. a pure pleasu ... ;s fell from this_ (, Represen1
M A TT E R Furthe:. obj0 mOrt: Ihan a profile. EIIYJX' (29). This ",Iurn 10 ~bidinal philosopby can also be found in the main of TN InhllltJQ!t and p~~,,,,,,,*,.,, Fabl~s. LyO)UlNl ",/ket. again through Chance, Ouchamp and John Ca@!'. Bul each lime. wile", Ille early won: 51! ' ••• conductinll of int .... itio!:$ thrnugh malt.r Bnd a tnt ...· formation of WUe libidinal pIIilosopby, dissimwation, the mistake lies in the idea tbat maller hu this all· inhibiting bold 011 other Siruc:tUret through the simultaneity of temlr and delight. In the 3Oul-oriented language of'Anima minima', Lyolard desaibes m.;. hold thus: "The l1IIimll is tbreatened with privation: lpoedi, lisht. lOund, life would be absolutely !acting. "That'. '""". Suddenly the threat is lifted, the terror lifted, WI Mliglr,' (245). The detcription ofmatter u sublime in il.l mOIl raw relation 10 smsalion p....upposes that structures an: DOl _."'ry fot matter to cause affects. But the combination of _salion. described in the ""blime (terror and delighl. pIea.s= and pain) are dependent on contingent llructures. "There is no '.. ' wry relation lhat holdl between the structu"," mcc:ilted witb expoctation and tbote associated with the fear tbat nothing nI/Iy oo;>;ur. So then: i. no "'"" liT)' to the sublimity of. given thina. Not aU .pcctato~ are rmdoered $ilenl by a Barnett Newman painting. There caJl he pauern. of behaviour and arCistM: creation that break the bond of pleasure and pain in tbe .u~. Lyotafd admil.l u mucb when be makes distinclionl bet"au ""blime and nOll-llublime art. For Kant. however, the Savoyard peasant who 'unhesitatinalY called all lovers of lOo ..... lI1Own.in. fool.' (II S) can at Iea,t in prirlciple become ... bjec. to the sublime power of the mountain$. 11Ii. ;, because the .u~ dqlcndo 011 • shared buman nature that makes the sublime equally IIh.reab/e (116). In the coDOepl of ofusimuLotiOll, Lyotafd 'U",,"U that inte,wty must .... ort throuib structuret and that their relation has DO rwcs"ry f... ures. HiJ po~tica tben deploys principles for an active passivity thaI aIlowJ intensity to be conducted throUj:h as many WllCtUTel U possible. thereby expJoitiq iu polymorphous quality. This po~tica io also ... b""nive of !be latcr work on the ""blime. iD panicular where it can be n:o:Iuccd to. claim for a privileged n:giOD best adap«:d 10 the occurrmce of the feelin, oftbe sublime. Any .uc.b reaiOll is always in contact with othe~ and is always opea intensities other tbm the ""btimc:.....ould he the claim of the tatly work. LyOUtrd claims. in 'ADima minima'. that there is a pun: acstbetlc even. thai bu. special and djgblinl ril"der ..... aphy>i UI ~IUO :"tU!~)OCI WOJJ 'IlJ.O} Iv!,,""! Jl:1111 'I~ '" WOJJ OJoq " 'II!I:;IOJ.P!"I V". :~ 10 ~I!l! l-..p >010 "'II " ' _ 0M.l iIICfl 10 ml~ "'1\ PI "I~ ~ JO ~ ~ RU" IJU!"'W 1111_ I! I! ~ lUI "!II JO ""'" IIm>!WOP alii Id~ II! wd[OllON ",nI!lIfW IIW!....... pul •___ ~ ~QOU ~.:I H'; Lh""'J II! M... "'!IJO >XImna I'" .(I!P.CI~ II1fl ~ ~H '",,!Pljj<X>U IIlI nli. JO ~ 'Il 01 P"'!IP ibllJlS • po. ~wu ''''''!I qllIO.Il(l ~n lap tun»J I ,(q ,.. lOll JIXl! PfI'OMI ""!l!fOd >qI 'poRlRI, '_If'" "'!'-=-l 11ft ~OIIOI! JO A:I"'~ IIIOjJiUO:> • JlI IO!lP • 110 pili KI" " , ( n i l "" 110 p>nq _ It IaIll1t:w I! 121(1 .(1!"U!l"'" "'II 11111 aq PfI\OM S!'U "lQ!l!1od .l>1-t 1,,,,..0.(1 JOJ fII! ...... ~mq!"fOd """ "Alii ·~o ...

IIO!'' '

11001 'OJ ~!~ P, ........ 10UUI:> UO!11!bu "!III JO UO]I!l:ICW "'11 UO p:osoq ",,!I![OO V "0RU)!h' IU!Jr.>q JO ~ "II jO lIO!1dW I " p!>Iu-.d:u JO 1»'!J0\lQW I, I'~I nv "UI :Moql 1Id'"ll:Ki - J>do.xl 1 _ '"II II! 1"'1 I! .(If''''llUO> 1WI[ ~I ~I!No ~ IIIp MlJ .(.1" 1 )10 Kloction of affects (do DOl wiD IS • free wb;lndoni"1 tnalysis, d o not belieYo thaillTOI:U CIlD be chOleD). Tbe IW1I to lbe pUt could 110( tbetd"ore be willed. Neitlw-r could DOmlp. be pt ..... vtod IS W I wbicb ai- "",,\inuit)' 10 .... ' loCIioM. A IIOflllaic IU....u., would be OM 0( tbe ItniCIII/"CS WI c:ouId I1UP III. But. II __ II il did.. Ibe principles or Iocti"" puaivily woIIkI pus!> for ill deuliXioa II I lUUCIurc that auidecll>II' act;vily. IS. primary..,,;j iIobtlod _IIrt, III _ U"' thai we CI>IIld. ct.w+ , W I """'I to IIW:IJI for ........ WI dcfuwd wtUdtt affecll wtft III>bk ""'- worth ...kctia&Doa this simply amounl to • witbdnwal from the potitio:ll, dcfuwd IS • ~ ClIp. " ...1 wido poIitiall t...!ies iII.... ""'- Ihooiy? Do tbe princi~l .. of 11:1 ..... po . ';Iy oIlow for critical wort apiall a aiYftO ou.te a.ood for • bene, one? 00 they . lIow for a pl~tio:Illlnll&k 0/1. partio:uJar"", for riahll and apinsl diJf;riminatioo and iIIjllltioe. for !WImple? Could they form lhe bIsia for. political idoroIoty thai exoulcl ielloe of intemity are shown tn presul'JlllK IlUbjcctivity and intentinn&Uty. Of OOUIY. tbesle bald as.senion, only ........ to explain why 1be to adO ... is not taUn tn be the right approach; tbey are not arJl"TlCllts as such. Indcod, DO final arguments are givetl again.t lra.ucender>oe and the lnUIsoendeotai. Ar. I have argued in Chapter 3, the form of LyoJanfl Ill"!UlllC1lts is such th.t specific positions Ihal depend DII a tnmllOOnoe of an uomaDageablc: intensity. Ntilller does the: activity A 'make tile Slructure' X, or 'BCCQmp!ish the act' Y. or 'determine: lhe: phenomenon' Z. !n.tead, X becomes X' hecawe o( tbe occurrence of inlensities. "The ad Y must be explained in terms of tile structures and intomities involved. The pbeIIomtlIDII Z presuppscs a relalion of intensilies and Slructura and nOlhin, mo .... for exatPple, io LihiJIMi Eronomy, l.yotan! tnmsfonns tbe co!Klt])t of tbe Iabyrinlb. developed in terms of a ...nco of examples, in order 10 de$labili,.; a reliance on the: subject or l ubjcctivily. He seekl 10 show how the: patlCTtl of events Ihat come to make up. path through. labyrinlb a ... not explained well in \erml of 000"""'''' deci ....... by. f ..... Jubject. He also occb to show thaI the gme holds IfIX for lbe usumption ihallubjcctivity, ddincd as a apacily to act, is presupposed by tbe palb . Inslead, the plllem of ~ts iI resiscant to meaning aod not only iD the ........ of action. by somethiog for something and 0( a meaningful activity, communication, for example. It it abo resi.lant to the altempt 10 dccipber a true objective meaning for the path or .... "" a trend toward. a final ,.....nioS (including 1M collectioo and organisalion of....-cry past rneaniOi attributed to the pith): 'No-one has the power to draw up lbc: map o(tbe great film; lhis. seen from tM outside (but it has Do outside) would be some kind of IDOfIltroUS beut wbm;c COfI..tilutive pan. wnuJd change acwrdinll 10 unprcdict.ablc: mo,h. _ lations. would appear and disappear with the oame terrifyiol ease as virtual inial" on a "" ..... n· (U!: 36). for l.yotard, the labyrinth does not pre-exist the evetlU that take place in it. Imtead. each time the« iI an ~I. defined as the oo:urretIoOO of an inten, ity. DeW Itruct~ (labyrinth.) appear aloopide ~! ....... changing their relal;on to ear;:h other and their relation to the new .....,nl uodentood u meaningful. So lbert .. 00 (:Ontiou.ity. in tcrtn!l of Ie...., or meaning. as a pltb unfold .. This ;, hecallSe it i. not a path throu&h • labyrinth, but through a multiplicity of labyrinths witb an umtablc: relation to one another wilh reprd 10 .....,nta: 'The Iabyrioths ... in DO way form an

memlOl:

'"

L )"OTAIIO AND TIU POLITICAL

orOl:pU and principles aive the libidinal work an euens.ion bey1Jnd lingular OCC\lrftI!Oe$, or (,,'M , lhat the laltT wort lacks, So, somewhat oddly, given tile wild .tyle of the earlier works and the mon: obviously philosophical roots of tile later WIlrks, the libidinal philosophy 1Iand, up IIMt from tbe point of view of I _",h for lhe n>OSl ooomleOI and def"""ib!e philosophical and political position , Indeed, lbe main daim ofthi. book, in lerm, of ","dings of Lyotard', work, is that hi. and other commenlators' bias loward, the later work is miSlaken, In compamon to Diff"ntd. UbidiItaJ EaHtomy is a mon: effective and can:ful response 10 the ihn:al of \he nibm"" thai can be tTad!·r:a1 Philoooplry ~. pp. 3M - I(. London, VetJO. Dolo 'Y.

L~ .......F .. "'!;fto 19'U: ' A .. _

...........·.T_'"

~~Y

1917:

lAtin a/ m.;,,'tra,lItft. 1..oncIoa: Vmo.

'"

BI BLIOGRAPHY

Fariu, Viaor 1989: HeidoidF Uni,"";'y

......

Hhdt ..... l . Manid 1m: 1M Q..ml<wl """"'""&t;f Ttv _ 01"" C-", Ir• .,.. W. L.o.i'l ~ yotk; Harper.nd 11 010. _ _ _ 1987; Ninuc/w; Vo'-> I 10 4. I...... O. F. Krell. Neooo York:

Horperis. (Font edn. Paris; Uniorl Gtntnle d'&Iilions 197).)

=== :

u. p,.,,;. Ii< priol lII 8, Musumi. Manc:bosI.., Mancha, .. UI1i"";1)' p""",

'ram.

:

= = : 1984;

= - ::-- 19880: 1'"""11.,,,......· Pa,;,,: lleli • .

Utw. F.,m, C-I. New yo,k: Columbia U.i..mty 1'fnI, (This if'odudoes . n ..""Ilent biblic&nphy ~ Eddie n&hisyao of WOI'U by oDd "" Jco.·Fn~ . L)'Iatd. nu. .......,"" is . .... il.lbIt in • 5Wt1lJ' Updaled

ro,m on II>< lnl~m.t at hnp~l.unl.lib,uci.edulindiYIJot:"""'U.kII~ol&,dI ioo.:l.btml. This comprel>l:nsi", silU I.yotl"t/: Rim;.., Itt _ "",,;,•. lilIt: Los oaltitrs t Kilnl: ,Itt H.... k'.... ,....1 impieoan Preu. McrIea ... Ponl)', Ma urice 19116: Snu" _ _ _ . Paris: N• . NoD< po";";.y S7-1i1. ~ aRd an ~ and ""ptalism 7f>.-$9: .nd m lJ_27: 7'9-89: .nd AIFVI) 24; I nd OfIY lIO- 1: and ,he law of "'I";"'''''''' IIll=.1.: .nd linUt ldencia 8'-1: and ' - ' &J..=t Cashi.. h"" 21. I" C.. ,oriadi>, Comcli ... 11 CWn ..., Paul ~ 1.1..=1. W CII,,,,:o' W

_lJia 1l!; Ind d.. sublime 9'-':

and ,ruth ~ ."d tho ..ithd",wal from tbe politial 118 40 "'~omo,

Theodor M ~ ,U. TI. &l

aIlIrmation

o.in 1I

Fmod,liip_ j1.1L i1. M, l!!!.

uo)

lQ

_Iboofy Il:J GnuI .. I.... Huni_"" 40-1

_ , .... »-1. ~ I:l::J. CNatwi. RIilt !!.@. l j <Mi'rrqo. Geoos lIbS CNyet. hili IlI1 o,..a.. Brioe 61

Mllbod. R.""'Ipb 1111 Mal ..... AAdti 1_'

",,~J~ W

It,S" (l.W.F. ;!!!, LlIl H.idtL • Mortilo ~ ........ · i.,.9

'_n' _ .... H • •. b....... ri&hU l.2l:.l . . .. .

.

P"

_

Man

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