rolando perez on an(archy) and schizoanalysis

8/11/2019 Rolando Perez On An(archy) and Schizoanalysis

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On An (a r c h y )

& SCHIZOANALYSIS

Ro l a n d o P er ez

AUTONOMEDIA


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Copyright 1990Rolando Perez

and AutonomediaAll rights reserved.

Special thanks to Sue Ann Harkey and Rolando Perez.Illustrations from Optical and Geometrical Allover Patterns,

by Jean Larcher, courtesy Dover Publications, Inc.

Autonomedia55 South 11th Street

POB 568 Williamsburgh StationBrooklyn, New York

11211-0568 USA

718 387-6471


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C o n t e n t s

F ir s t P l a t e a u

1 Nietzsche, An(archy), and Anti-psychiatry...................... 11

Se c o n d P l a t e a u

2 Au Revoir M, le Texte, or, the Body and A n(archy)........29

T h ir d P l a t e a u

3 Toward a Non-Fascist or An(arch ical) Way of Life........49

Fo u r t h P l a t e a u

4 Molecular Revolution, Art, and An(archy)...................... 69

F if t h P l a t e a u

5 The Fascistic Structure of Reactive Desire, and itsRelationtothe Domination of W om en .................... 95

Notes................................................................................... 121

Bibliography....................................................................... 137


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FIRSTPLATEAU

"[0]ur sentence does not sound severe. Whatever commandment the prisoner has disobeyed is written upon

his body by the Harrow. This prisoner, for instance"the officer indicated the man"will have written upon

his body: HONOR THY SUPERIORS!"KafkaThe Penal Colony

The body is the body, /it is alone/and has noneed of organs, /the body is never an organism/organ-isms are the enemies of bodies, /everything one does

transpires by itself without the aid of any organ, / everyorgan is a parasite, /it overlaps with a parasitic function

into existence which should not be there...It is /I /w h o /will be/remade/by myself/entirely/...by myself/who ama body/and have no regions within me.

Antonin Artaud


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1

N ie t z s c h e , A n ( a r c h y )

AND ANTI-PSYCHIATRY*

P e r h a p s i t se em s o d d th a t o n e s h o u ld w r i te a n ess ay

a s s o c ia t in g N i e tz s c h e w i th a n a r c h y. H o w e v e r , th e a n ( a rc h y )

w h ic h I p r o p o s e t o a t t r ib u t e to N ie tz s c h e is n o t th e p o l i t ic a l

a n a r ch y w h ic h h e w r o t e a g a in s t.

M o r e o v e r i t m u s t a ls o se em s tra n g e t o h a v e N ie t zs c h e

a ss oc ia te d w i th a m o v e m e n t i n p s y c h o l o g y t h a t h as co m e so

m a n y ye a rs a f te r h is d e a t h a n d w h ic h r e m a in s e v e n to d a y a

fr in g e " m o v e m e n t ." B u t I t h i n k th e r e are c e rta in c o n n e c tio n s

^Firstly, I have decided to to use the word "anti-psychiatry" as a generic

term to include both the type of analysis done by people like Laing andCooper and the "schizoanalysis" done by Deleuze and Guattari. And


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24 N ie t z s c h e , A n ( a r c h y ) , & A n t i- p s y c h ia t r y

to b e m a d e h e re b e tw e e n th e se m o d e r n c o n c e p ts a n d

N ie tz s c h e . A n d so w o r k s b y L a i n g , C o o p e r , a n d D e le u z e

a n d G u a t ta r i w i l l b e u s e d i n o r d e r to e s t a b lis h t h is c o n n e c

t i o n .

W it h r e g a r d t o a n ( a rc h y ) , m y in t e n t io n h e r e in i s to :

( 1 ) a p p r o a c h t h e t o p i c v i a d e c o n s t r u c t i o n , o r m o r e s p e c i f i

c a l ly v i a D e r r id a , a n d (2 ) v ia D e le u z e 's a n d G u a t ta r i's

" s c h iz o a n a ly s is " in o r d e r to d e m o n s tr a te w h a t i t is t h a t I

m e a n b y a n ( a rc h y ) a n d h o w th i s c o n c e p t o f a n ( a r c h y ) is

la t e n t ly f o u n d in N i e tz s ch e .H o w e v e r , b e fo r e w e t u r n to th e is su e o f a n (a r ch y ) , w e

m u s t f ir s t t u r n to th e m o r e p r im o r d ia l is su e o f N ie tz s c h e 's

c o n c e p t o f " f o r g e t fu l n e s s " a n d th e " in n o c e n c e o f b e c o m in g , "

f o r w i t h o u t th e se c o n ce p ts th e a n ( a rc h y ) p r o p o s e d b y

N ie tzs ch e is no t poss ib le a t a ll.

1

R ig h t a f te r Z a r a t h u s t ra ' s p r o l o g u e th e f ir s t s e c tio n w e c o m e

to is th e s e c t io n " O n t h e T h r e e M e t a m o r p h o s e s . " H e r e

N ie t z s c h e d e s c rib e s t o u s a c e r ta i n c h a n g e t h a t m u s t ta k e

p la c e i f w e a re to h a v e a n e w b e g in n in g . H e w r it e s :

O f th e t h re e m e t a m o r p h o s e s o f th e s p i r it I t e l l

y o u : h o w th e s p i r it b e c om e s a c a m e l, a n d t h e

c a m e l a l io n ; a n d t h e l io n , f in a l ly , a c h i ld . 1

A s s u c h , a c h a n ge m u s t ta k e p la c e , f ro m t h a t w h ic h is

p h y s i c a l ly b ig t o t h a t w h i c h is p h y s i c a l ly s m a ll a n d f r o m th a tw h i c h is f u l ly g r o w n t o th a t w h i c h is a b o u t to g r o w . B u t


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N ie t z s c h e , A n ( a r c h y ) , & A n t i- p s y c h ia t r y 15

th e r e is a lso a sen se i n w h i ch th e s p i r i t l ik e th e c a m e l h a s h a d

to o m u c h to b e a r th a t th e w e ig h t has b e c om e s u c h th a t

" th e s t ra w h as f in a l ly b r o k e n th e c a m e l's b a c k . " A t th is p o i n t ,

th e n , th e l i o n b e c o m e s t h e s p ir it . T h a t is , th e s p i r it th a t o p

p oses th e s l o w l y r o t t in g carcass o f t h e ca m e l i n th e d e se r t

su n. A n d w h i le th e lio n is th e " n a y s a y i n g " s p i r it a n d th e

s p ir it o f f r e e d o m ( th e s p i r i t w h ic h h as r e n o u n c e d duty), he is

to o o ld to b e th e s p i r i t o f th e b e g in n in g a n d th e s p i r it o f

fo rge t fu lness ." T o c re a te n e w v a lu e s " s ay s N ie t z s c h e ,

t h a t ev e n th e l io n c a n n o t d o ; b u t th e c r e a t io n o f

fr e e d o m f o r o n e s e lf, fo r n e w c r e a tio n , t h a t is

w i th i n t h e p o w e r o f th e H on . T h e c re a t io n o f

fre e d o m f o r o n e s e lf a n d a s a cre d " N o " e v en to

d u t y f o r t h a t , m y b r o t h e r , th e H o n is n e e d e d .2

T h u s i t is th e lib e r a t in g r o a r o f th e l io n w h ic h a n

n o un c es th e d e a t h o f re a c t iv e m o r a l i t y , o r w h a t is u s u a l ly

re fe rre d to as " th e m o r a l i t y o f h a b i t . " A n d th e n e w m a n /

w o m a n o n t h e h o r i z o n i s t h e over(zvo)man ( t he ac t i ve as op

p o se d to t h e re a c t iv e t y p e ) o r to p u t it a n o t h e r w a y th e

" s p i r it o f th e c h i ld . " B u t w h y a c h ild ?

T h e c h i l d i s i n n o c e n c e a n d f o r g e t t i n g , a n e w

b e g in n in g , a g a m e , a self-propelled w h e e l, a f ir s t

m o v e m e n t , a sa c re d " Y e s . " 3 ( m y ita l ic s ) .

A n d s in c e p a r t o f a c h ild 's n a tu r e is to p la y ,

p la y r e p re s e n ts a n a c t iv i ty th a t d oe s n o t a im a t

a n y p r a c t i c a l u t i l i t a r i a n n e e d s a n d e n d s , b e i n g


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16 N ie tz sc he , A n ( a r c h y ) , & A n t i- p s y c h ia t r y

I n s u m m a r y , th e n , th e c h ild , th i s " s e lf -p r o p e lle d w h e e l "m o v e s f o r w a r d , f o r e v e r f o r w a r d , d i s s e m i n a t i n g t h e o l d c o n

c e p ts o f b i n a r y o p p o s ite s . A n d a t la s t, a t la s t a m o r a l it y

"jenseits von gut und bose"!

2

H e r e , th e n , is w h e r e N ie t z s c h e 's a n ( a rc h y ) c o m e s i n . F o r ju s t

a s D e r r i d a ' s differance d is s e m in a te s t h e h ie r ( a rc h i c a l ) b i n a r y

opp os i tes , so does N ie t zsche 's "jenseits/H e n c e th e c o n c e p t o f

"jenseits" o r " b e y o n d " is n o t to be in t e r p r e t e d in a H e g e lia n

m a n n e r, b u t m o r e a p p r o p r ia te l y in th e D e r r id e a n sense o fdifferance,i .e ., i n a d is s e m in a tin g m a n n e r . A s N ie t z s c h e w r ite s :

H a b it o f s ee in g o p p o s ite s . T h e g e n e ra l i m

p r e cis e w a y o f o b s e r v in g sees e v e r y w h e r e in

n a tu r e o p p o s i te s (as e .g ., " w a r m a n d c o ld " )

w h e r e t h e re a re , n o t o p p o s i te s b u t differences o r

de gre es . .. 5 (m y it a l ics ) .

I t is li v i n g in th e ( / ) o f differance, t ha t is , be yo nd . .. t ha t

m akes l if e dan ge rous , and ye t i t is p rec i se l y th i s t ha t N ie t zsche

c h a l le n g e s u s to u n d e r ta k e .

T h e d a n g e ro u s a n d u n c a n n y p o in t h as b e en

re a c h e d w h e r e th e g r e a te r , m o r e m a n if o l d , m o r e

c o m p r e h e n s i v e l i f e t r a n s c e n d s a n d lives beyond

th e o ld m o r a l it y . . . 6 ( N i e tz s c h e 's i ta l ic s ) .


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N ie tzs ch e, A n ( a r c h y ) , & A n t i- p s y c h ia t r y 17

O n e m u s t l iv e d a n g e r o u s ly , sa ys N ie tz s c h e . O n e m u s t

b e w i ll in g to w a l k th e r o p e o v e r th e a b ys s (Abgrund) an d in so

d o in g d e n y t h e s p ir i t o f th e r e a c tiv e f orc e s th a t p u l l u s d o w n .

A n d f o r th i s o n e m u s t h a v e c o ura g e . W h y ? S im p l y b e ca us e

to li ve beyond, in t he ( / ) , is to l ive no -w h e re : t o li ve as a hu m an

b e in g in d e p e n d e n t o f th e m o r a l it y o f e xc lu s iv e b i n a r y o p p o

s it io n s , fo u n d a t io n s , a n d in s t i t u t io n s . H o w e v e r , t h is is n o t to

s a y t h a t N i e t z s c h e ' s p r o j e c t i n v o l v e d t h e w h o l e s a l e d i s s o l u

t io n o f m o r a l h ie r ( a rc h i c a l) o p p o s i t io n s .

W h a t N ie t zs c h e w a n te d a b o v e a l l w a s ( 1) to g o b e y o n d

m o r a l h i e r (a r c h ic a l ) o p p o s i tio n s s o as to d is s e m in a te t h e m i n

o r d e r to m a k e th e m fre e f lo w i n g r a t h e r th a n f ix e d ; a n d (2 ) to

g o b e y o n d th e i n s c r ip t io n o f in s t i tu t io n a l h ie r ( a rc h i c a l) s t r u c

tu r e s i n o r d e r to u n d e r m in e th e r e p re s s iv e c o d i n g o f i n s t it u

tio n s . I n a d d i t io n to t h is , th e a f fir m a t io n o f r a n k o n e f in d s in

N ie t zsche 's w o rks se rves as the bes t exa m p l e t ha t N i e tzsche 's

a n ( a r c h y ) w a s t h e f ir s t n o n - p o li t ic a l a n ( a r c h y ) a n d , o f c o u rs e ,t h e f i r s t t r u l y s t r u c t u r e l e s s a n ( a r c h y ) i n t h e h i s t o r y o f p h i

lo s o p h y . T h e fa m o u s m a s te r -s la v e m o r a l i t y d e l in e a t e d b y

N i etz s c h e m a k e s i t v e r y d i ff ic u l t f o r a n y o n e to v i e w a n ( a rc h y )

as e i th e r an id e o lo g y o f th e R ig h t o r o f th e L e f t e s p e c i a lly

s ince i t is the ac t ive , se l f- go ve rn i ng (and n o t nece ssa r ily "p o

l i t ic a l" ) in d iv id u a l w h o m h e v a lu e s.

I n N ie tz s c h e , th e w o r d hierarchyhas tw o senses.

I t s ign if ies f i r s t l y , t he d i ff e ren ce be tw ee n a c t ive

a n d r e a c t iv e fo rc e s , t h e s u p e r io r it y o f a c tiv e to

r e a c t i v e f o r c e s , a n d t h e c o m p l e x o r g a n i s a t i o n

w h i c h r e s u lts w h e r e th e w e a k h a v e c o n

q u e r e d , w h e r e t h e s t r o n g a r e c o n t a m i n a t e d ,

w h e r e th e s la v e w h o h as n o t a p p e a r e d p r e v a i ls

o v e r th e m a s te r w h o h as s to p p e d b e i n g o ne :

t h e r e i g n o f law a n d v i r tu e . I f w e c o m p a r e th e


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18 N ie tz sc he , A n ( a r c h y ) , & An ti- p s y c h ia t ry

t w o s en se s w e see t h a t th e s e c o n d is l ik e th e

re v e rs e o f th e f ir s t . W e m a k e th e C h u r c h , m o

r a l it y a n d t h e S ta te th e m a s te r s a n d k e e p e r s o f

a l l h i e r a r c h y 7 ( m y it a lic s ) .

A n d i t is p r e c i s e l y th i s s e c o n d s ense o f h i e r (a r c h y )

t h a t N ie t z s c h e is a g a i n s t. F o r th i s is th e h i e r ( a r c h y ) o f i n s t it u

t io n s a n d e c o - p o li t ic a l fr a m e w o r k s s et u p b y th o s e w h o c an

n o t le a d o r o b e y th e m s e lv e s : o f th e w e a k a n d t h e s la v es a n d

o f th o s e w h o n e e d a n o u t s id e h ie r (a r c h ic a l ) a u t h o r it y i n o r

d e r t o ac t.

F o r N ie tz s c h e , th e n , s la v e m o r a l i t y is th e m o r a l i t y o f

p a r a n o i a c m a c h in e s w h o in s c r ib e a l l t h e ir fe a rs o n t o t h e b o d y

w i t h o u t o rg a ns a n d tu r n th e b o d y w / o o rg a ns in t o a " b o d y

o f la w s " : in t h e n a m e o f " a l l ia n c e " a n d c o m m u n it y s e lf-p re s -

e r v a t i o n .

T h e la w , th e t h o r o u g h ly r e a l is t ic f ormalization

o f c e r t a i n c o n d i t i o n s f o r t h e s e l f - p r e s e r v a t i o n

o f a c o m m u n it y , f o r b i d s c e r ta in a c tio n s d ir e c te d

a g a in s t th e c o m m u n ity : i t d oe s n o t fo r b i d th e

d is p o s i t io n t h a t p r o d u c e s th es e a c tio n s f o r i t

n e e d s th e s e f o r o t h e r e n d s , n a m e l y a g a i n s t th e

e n e m i es o f th e c o m m u n it y 8 ( N 's i ta l ic s ) .

T h i s i n s c r i p t i o n o r c o d i n g o n t o t h e s o c i a l f i e l d i s t h e

p r o d u c t o f th e r e a c t iv e fe a r to " l iv e d a n g e r o u s ly , " to l iv e in

th e ( / ) o f d i ffe r a n c e , w h ic h c a lls fo r a c o n s t a n t q u e s t io n in g

o f a l l v a lu e s : e n d i n g i f o n e m a y p u t i t as s u c h in a c e r ta in

" e t h i c a l a n ( a r c h y ) . " T h a t is t o s a y , i n a s t ru c t u r e le s s , n o n

c o d e d , n o n - in s c r ib e d m o r a l i ty , o r p e rh a p s m o r e a p p r o p r i

a te ly " im m o r a l it y . "

O n th e o th e r h a n d w e h a v e th e c o m m u n ity w h i c h sets


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2 0 N ie t z s c h e , A n ( a r c h y ) , & A n t i- p s y c h ia t r y

t u r n s to C h e r e a a n d w h i s p e r s : " y o u see, o r g a n i z a t io n 's n e e d e d

f o r e v e r y th in g , e v e n a r t . " 11 T h a t 's w h y th e p o l i ti c a l " w i l l to

o r d e r " is u s u a lly a w i l l to v io le n c e a n d o p p r e ss io n .

A n d y e t a w o r d o f w a r n i n g is ne e d ed : a n ( a rc h y ) , th e

d i s s e m in a t io n o f e x t e rn a l h ie r ( a rc h i c a l) s t ru c t u r e s , d o e s n o t

im p ly a n "a n y t h in g - g o e s id e o l o g y ," a v i o le n t th u n d e r b o lt

th a t w i l l c re a te m o r e v io le n c e th a n th e in s t it u t io n s th e m

se lves , a f te r a l l t h i s i s w h a t an (a r chy ) as a p ro j ec t se ts o u t to

p r e v e n t , i.e ., th e v io le n t t h u n d e r b o lt o f S ta te , C h u r c h , m e n ta l

in s t i tu t io n s , e tc.

W h e r e th e s ta te ends lo o k th e re , m y b r o t h

e rs! D o y o u see i t , th e r a in b o w a n d t h e b r id g e s

o f the ov e rm an ? 12 (N 's ita l ics ) .

F o r th e o v e r m a n o r o v e r (w o ) m a n is she w h o n o lo n -

g e rs n e e d s th e S ta te , o r a n y o t h e r in s t it u t io n , f o r t h a t m a t te r .

S h e is is h e r o w n c r e a t o r o f v a l u e s a n d as su c h t h e f ir s t tr u e

an(arch is t ) . In shor t , she re jec ts a l l ex terna l o rders . She i s her

o w n m a s te r .13 S he is t h e f ir s t r e n o u n c e r o f t h e t r a d i ti o n a l m o

r a l it y w h ic h c od e s, in s c r ib e s , a n d f ix e s th e " o p p o s i t io n s " o f

th e w o r l d in a n e x c lu s iv e h i e r( a r c h ic a l ) fr a m e w o r k s o as to

ma k e l i f e s a f e w h e n i n f a c t " c h a o s i s n e e d e d t o o f f s e t t h e

te n d e n c y t o s t a g n a t io n . "14 A n d y e t th e o v e r (w o ) m a n is n o t

m e r e ly a ty p e b u t m o r e i m p o r ta n t ly a p ro ce ss , a f lo w , a l in e

o f f l ig h t , a r h iz o m e ( D e le u z e / G u a ta r r i) .

H o w e v e r , o n e m u s t b e w a r e o f th e d a n g e r th a t lie s h e re in ,

f o r th e re is a lw a y s t h e p o s s ib i l i t y th a t th e u n im p e d e d ( "o v e r -

( w o ) m a n " ) p ro ce ss , th e u n r e s t ric te d f lo w , th e b o d y w i t h o u t

o rg a n s , m a y g o i n a n y d ir e c t io n , in c l u d in g th e o p p o s i te d i

r e c t io n d e s i re d . W h ic h is w h y th e a n ( a r c h i c a l) re le a s e o f th e

o v e r -c o d e d , o v e r in s c r ib e d f lo w s o f d e s ire m u s t co m e a b o u t


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Nie tzsche , A n ( a r ch y ) , & A n t i- p sych ia t r y 21

( / ) o f differance, i n t h e " b e y o n d , " i s a h i g h l y d a n g e r o u s l i f e

w h o s e p o s i t iv i t y is d e p e n d e n t u p o n th e w a y t h a t o ne c om e s

to i t .T h e v io l e n c e u n le a s h e d b y y o u t h g a ng s a n d o t h e r mi

cro-fascist g r o u p s ( G u a t ta r i) a r o u n d t h e w o r ld to d a y is th e

r e s u l t o f n o n - s t r u c t u r e d , n o n - c o d e d , n o n - in s c r ib e d f lo w s o f

d e sire , b u t t h is is n o t w h a t e i th e r N ie t zs c h e , D e l e u z e , G u a t

t a r i o r L a i n g h a v e in m in d . A s D e l eu z e a n d G u a t ta r i h a v e

p o i n te d o u t i n On the Line:

There is des i re as soon as the re is . . . a body

w i th o u t o rg a ns . B u t th e re a re b o d ie s w it h o u t

o r g a n s th a t a re e m p t y , h a r d e n e d e n v e lo p e s b e

ca us e th e ir o r g a n i c c o m p o n e n ts h a v e b e e n

e l im in a t e d t o o q u ic k l y a n d f o r c e f u l ly , as i n a n

" o v e r d o s e . " T h e r e a re c a n c e ro u s o r fa s c i s t

b o d ie s w i t h o u t o rg a n s , in b l a c k h o le s o r inm a c h in e s o f a b o l it io n . 15

A n d in The Death of the Family , C o o p e r a l s o w a r n s

a g a in s t a t o o - s u d d e n e lim in a t io n o f th e c o d i n g o r in s c r i b i n g

h ie r (a r c h ic a l) ( f a m il ia l ) fr a m e w o r k s . T h e a u t o n o m y w h i c h

re s u lt s f r o m th e p ro c e ss C o o p e r c a lls " E k o n i a , " " P a r a n o ia , "

a n d 'A n o i a " c a n le a d t o d is a s t ro u s e ffe c ts i f i t is n o t a c h ie v e d

g r a d u a lly . H e w r it e s :

T h e r e is , o f c o u rs e , m u c h r o o m f o r c o n f u s i o n o f

l oca t i on be tween these s tages , one o f t he mos t

d is a s tr o u s b e in g t h e a t te m p t to m o v e f r o m

e k o n ia a n d p a r a n o ia to a n o ia w i t h o u t th e

r e q u i s it e o f s e lf -c o n t a in i n g a u t o n o m y 16

0r ^h a t Nietzsche called "self-sovereignty.


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22 N ie tz sc he , A n (a rc h y ) , & A n t i- ps y c h ia t r y

T h u s , in th e e n d a n e w p s y c h o lo g y is n e e d e d a p s y

c h o l o g y t h a t w i l l h e l p u s to u n d e r ta k e th e t as k o f g r a d u a lly

re le a s in g o u r o v e r -c o d e d f lo w s o f d e s ire w i t h o u t p u t tin g u s

b a c k in a m e n ta l in s t i t u t io n . In s u m , s u ch p s y c h o lo g y is a n t i

p s y c h ia t r y , a n d w h a t D e le u z e a n d G u a t t a r i c a l l "s c h i z o -

a n a l y s i s . "

3

A n t i - p s y c h i a t r y i s t h e f i r s t a n ( a r c h i s t i c ) p s y c h o l o g y , a n d a s

s u c h th e f ir s t t o p r o m o t e th e b r e a k d o w n o f h ie r (a r c h ic a l )

in s t i t u t io n a l f r a m e w o r k s a n d th e " f a m i ly " in p a r t ic u l a r . In

t h a t v e i n D e le u z e a n d G u a t t a r i's " s c h iz o a n a l y s is " is a c r i

t iq u e a n d a g o in g b e y o n d o f th e F r e u d i a n O e d ip a l s t ru c t u r e

w h i c h d e te rm in e s th e l i fe o f th e in d iv i d u a l b y m a k i n g h im

o r h e r d e p e n d e n t o n t h e internalized " m o m m y , d a d d y , a nd

m e " s t ru c t u r e . A s th e a b o v e a u t h o r s see it : th e O e d ip a l s t ru c

t u r e is o n e o f th e m a j o r c au se s o f s c h i z o p h r e n i a .

Y e t w h a t i s b e i n g o p p o s e d i s n o t t h e c h i l d - p a r e n t

r e l a t i o n s h i p per se b u t th e O e d ip a liz a t io n o f s u ch a re l a t io n

s h i p .

I t is n o t a q u e s t io n o f d e n y in g th e v i t a l im p o r

ta n c e o f p a r e n ts o r th e lo v e a t ta c h m e n t o f c h i l

d r e n to t h e ir m o t h e r s a n d f a th e r s . I t is a q u e s

t io n o f k n o w in g w h a t th e p la c e a n d th e fu n c

t io n o f p a re n ts a re w i t h in d e s i r in g - p ro d u c t io n ,

r a th e r th a n d o in g t h e o p p o s ite a n d fo r c i n g th e


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Nie tz sc he , A n ( a r c h y ) , & A n t i- p s y c h ia t r y 2 3

e n t i r e i n t e r p l a y o f d e s i r i n g m a c h i n e s * t o f i t

w i t h in (rabattre tout lejeu des machines desirantes

dans) t h e r e s t ric t e d co d e o f O e d ip u s .17

T h i s s t r u c t u r a l i z a t i o n a n d c o n t r o l o f d e s i r e i s c l e a r l y

w h a t N i e tz s c h e is a g a in s t, f o r w e m i g h t re c a ll t h a t th e c h ild

is im p o r t a n t f o r N ie t zsch e p r e c i se ly b eca u se she is ... a lw a y s

fre e, n o n - c o d e d , a n d n o n - in s c r ib e d . T h e c h i ld is a b o d y w i t h

o u t o r g a n s a n d i n so fa r a s sh e h a s p a r e n t s , h e r p a r e n t s a r e

n o t th ose w h o b r in g h e r u p , w h o in s c rib e u p o n h e r b o d y th e

in s c r ip t io n in s c r ib e d u p o n th e m b y t h e ir p a r e n ts ( a n d t h e ir

p a r e n t s ' p a r e n t s , a n d so o n ) .* * Th e t ru e c h i ld is she w h o

surp a sses h e r p a r e n ts , she w h o g oe s b e yo n d t h e m to su ch a n

e x t e n t t h a t e v e n t u a l l y s h e l e a v e s t h e m b e h i n d a s s h e w a l k s

i n t o t h e d e s e r t a s t h e f i r s t t r u e n o m a d : " t h e s e l f - p r o p e l l e dw h e e l" w h o d oe s n o t lo o k ba c k. In Zarathustra N i e t z s c h e

wr i tes :

You sha l l c rea te a higher body [a b o d y w / o o r

g an s p e rh a p s? ] , a f ir s t m o v e m e n t , a se lf -p r o

p e l le d w h e e l y o u s h a l l c re a te th e c r e a to r .

M a r r ia g e t h u s I n a m e th e w i l l o f t w o to c re ateth e o n e th a t is m o r e th a n w h o s e w h o c re a te d it .

L ike a streetcar nam ed "D esire," w hose direc t ion is co ntrol led by

the lines w h ich ru n beneath it , the restr ict iveness of the O ed ipal

structure leads to the control of desir ing-machines and their

uncode d f low s o f desire. W ha t w e have in the end, then, is s im p ly

another schizoprehenic Blanche DuBois and another despot icStanley K ow alsk i .


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R e v e re n c e fo r e a ch o t h e r , as fo r t ho s e w i l l in g

w i th s u ch a w i l l is w h a t I n a m e m a r r ia g e 18 ( m y

i ta l ics) .

A n d th e p r o d u c t o f su c h a m a r r ia g e is a c h i ld w h o is n o t

a f r a i d t o s ma s h a ll o u r r e p r e s s i v e m a c h in e s . 19

" T h e l ig h t s j ig g in g l ik e e le c t r ic n e e dle s . T h e a t o m s g o in g

c ra z y w i t h l ig h t a n d h e at. A c o n f la g r a t io n g o in g o n b e h in d

th e g la ss a n d n o t h in g b u r n s a w a y , " w r it e s M i l le r .

M e n b r e a k in g th e ir b a ck s, m e n b u r s t in g th e i r

b r a in s t o in v e n t a m a c h in e w h i c h a c h i ld w i l l

m a n i p u la t e . I f I c o u ld o n ly f in d t h e h y p o th e t i

c al c h i ld w h o 's to n m th is m a c h in e I 'd p u t a

h a m m e r in it s h a n d s a n d s ay : S m a s h i t ! S m a s h

it ! 20

A n d y e s, s h e 'l l s m a s h i t a l ri g h t . T h is c h i ld is fr e e... fr e e o f

g u i lt ! ( N o t b e c a u se s he d oe s e x a c t ly w h a t s he ha s b e e n

b r o u g h t u p t o d o , b u t r a th e r b ec au se s he ha s n o t b e e n s u b

je c te d to th e k in d o f b o d i ly a n d p s y c h o lo g ic a l o v e rc o d in g

t h a t m o s t c h ild r e n a re s u b je c te d t o ).

N o o n e is b o r n w i t h a sen se o f g u i lt . G u i lt is th e r e s u lt

o f f a m i l ia l in s c r ip t io n o r o v e rc o d i n g . H o w c lo se o ne re m a in s

to m o m m y a n d d a d d y o r h o w fa r o ne stra ys fr o m th e m d e

t e rm in e s th e d e g r e e o f so m e o n e 's s en se o f g u i lt .* " I f th e r e is

p e r fe c t c o i n c id e n c e b e tw e e n th e v a l u e s p r o j e c te d o r a llo t e d

t o a r a n g e , e v e r y t h i n g i s i n i t s p r o p e r t im e a n d p la c e ," w r it e s

L a i n g .

* The fam i ly tu rns the ch i ld ' s bo dy (o r bod y w i th o u t o rgans) in to a

"do c i le bo d y" (Foucaul t) and a "sof t m achine" (Burroughs).


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c a lle d " s a n i t y " i n o r d e r to b r e a k th e ru le s . N o w o n d e r th e n

m o s t t r a d i t io n a l fo r m s o f a n a rc h y h a v e re s o rte d t o c o m m u

n a l a rra n g e m e n t s in o r d e r to s o l v e th i s p r o b le m .

" H o w d o I d is co nn ec t w i t h o u t lo s in g m y h ea d? " " H o w

d o I d is c o n n e c t w i th o u t b e c o m in g a c r im in a l? " I t is e x tr e m e ly

d i f f i c u l t to e ra se th e e m o t io n a l ( a l b e it n e g a t iv e ) a tta c h m e n ts

in s c r ib e d b y t h e fa m il y . A n d i t is th i s fe e lin g ( th e t e r r ib l e

fe e lin g o f g u i l t ) w h ic h g iv e s r is e to c o m m u n a l a rra n g e m e n ts .

U n f o r tu n a t e l y , th es e c o m m u n a l a r ra n g e m e n ts u s u a lly

d o n 't w o r k . T h e m o m e n t th e y i n s t itu t e a le a d e r a n d m o s t

o f th e m d o t h e y a ls o in s t i tu t e a h i e r (a r e h i c a l) s t r u c t u r e n o t

to o d if fe r e n t f ro m t h a t o f m o s t fa m ilie s .

C o o p e r 's e x p e r im e n t w i th a n t i- p s y c h ia t r ic c o m m u n e s

as r e p la c e m e n t s f o r e s t a b lis h e d p s y c h i a t r ic in s t it u t io n s fa i le d

p r e c i s e l y b e c a u s e i t s e t u p a n e w i n s t i t u t i o n i n p l a c e o f t h e

o l d o n e . I n s o f a r as C o o p e r w a s th e o r g a n i z e r o f th e c o m

m u n e h e w a s , w h e th e r h e lik e d i t o r n o t, a "fa ls e l e a d e r ," to

u se h is o w n te r m in o l o g y . H e w a s the p s y c h ia t r is t a n d re

m a in e d so w h e th e r h e c a lle d h i m s e lf a " m e m b e r ," a "c o m

r a d e " o r a n " e q u a l ." T h e p r o b le m o f fa m il ia l is m is e x c lu

s i v e ly o n e o f in t e r i o r i t y . I t is p o s s ib le t h a t o n e m a y l iv e u n

d e r th e s am e r o o f w i th o n e 's fa m i ly a n d n o t b e fu c k e d u p b y

it ; o n th e o t h e r h a n d th e r e a re p e o p l e w h o l i v e i n t h e S o u th

P o le fo r w h o m th e ( in t e rn a l ) " f a m i ly " is a lw a y s th e re re g u

la t in g a n d o v e r c o d i n g t h e ir flo w s o f d e s ire . T h a t 's w h y

e v e n w i th th e p r o g r e s s iv e o r r e v o lu t io n a r y s ec

to r s o f i n s t it u t i o n a l a n a ly s is o n t h e o n e h a n d ,

a n d a n t i- p s y c h ia t r y o n th e o t h e r , th e d a n g e r o f

th i s f a m il ia l is m is e v e r p re s e n t, c o n f o r m in g to

t h e d o u b l e i m p a s s e o f a n e x t e n d e d O e d i p u s ,

ju s t as m u c h in th e d ia g n o s t ic o f p a th o g e n ic


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Nie tz sche, A n (a r c h y ) , & A n t i- ps y c h ia t r y 27

f a m il ie s i n th e m s e lv e s , as i n th e c o n s t it u t io n o f

th e r a p e u tic q u a s i- fa m ilie s [ o r c o m m u n e s ] .23

4

I n t he f in a l a n a ly s is , th e a im o f a n t i- p s y c h ia t r y , o r m o r e s p e

c i fi c a l ly s c h i z o a n a ly s is , is t o re le a s e th e h i e r ( a c h ic a l ) a n d i nte r n a l f a m il ia l s tru c tu r e s in s c r ib e d u p o n t h e b o d y w i th o u t

o rg a n s. " I n s o m e f a m i lie s , " s a ys L a in g ,

p a r e n ts c a n n o t a l lo w c h i ld r e n to b r e a k th e

" f a m il y " d o w n w i th i n th e m s e lv e s, i f th a t is w h a t

t h e y w a n t , b e ca u s e th i s is f e l t as th e b r e a k u p o f

th e f a m il y , a n d th e n w h e r e w i l l i t e n d ? 24

T o w h i c h s e v e ra l a n s w e r s c o m e to m i n d , as f o r e x a m p le :

a c tio n , d e s ir e , in n o c e n c e , c r e a t iv i t y , a n ( a r c h y ) a n d f re e d o m !

B u t u n f o r tu n a t e ly f o r th e c h ild " th e 'f a m i ly ' m a y b e a n in t e r

n a l s t ru c t u r e m o r e im p o r ta n t t h a n th e 'b r e a s t / ' p e n is , ' o r

'fa ther7, "25 These in te rn a l s t ruc tures are ins cr ibe d b y the fa m i ly

o n th e c h i ld ' s p s y ch e in o r d e r to d im in is h th e c h i ld 's o w n

p o t e n t ia l f o r s e l f- d ir e c t e d a c t io n o r w h a t N ie t z s c h e c a lle d th ein n o ce n c e o f b e c o m in g ."

A s s o o n as w e im a g in e s o m e o n e r e s p o n s i b le

f o r o u r b e in g t h u s a n d t h u s ... a n d th e r e f o r e a t

t rib u te t o h i m th e in t e n t io n th a t w e s h o u ld e x

is t a n d b e h a p p y o r w re tc h e d , w e c o r r u p t fo r

ou rse lves t he innocence o f becoming.26


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28 N ie tz sc he , A n ( a r c h y ) , & A n ti- p s y c h i a tr y

A n d as s o on as w e i n c r ib e u p o n t h e c h i ld ' s b o d y w i th

o u t o r g a n s t h e h ie r ( a r c h i c a l ) fa m i li a l s t ru c t u r e , t h e n h e o r

s he b e c o m e s a r e a c t iv e r a t h e r th a n a a c tiv e i n d i v i d u a l , a r i g i d

l in e r a t h e r th a n a l in e o f f li g h t ; a n d h i s o r h e r p o t e n t ia l it y f o r

s e lfm a s te r y a n d a u to n o m y is d e n ie d . I n c o n c l u sio n : w h a t w e

h a v e h e re is a s e g m e n te d a n d r i g i d l in e w h ic h o v e rc o d e s a n d

o v e r in s c r ib e s t h e r u le s a n d m e t a ru le s b y w h ic h th e i n d i v i d

u a l i s t o p r o g r e s s . " A s i n d i v i d u a l s a n d g r o u p s , " w r i t e s D e -

l e u ze ,

w e a r e m a d e o f lin e s , lin e s t h a t a re v e r y d i

v e rs e i n n a tu r e . T h e f i r s t ty p e o f l in e ( th e r e a r e

m a n y o f t h is t y p e ) t h a t fo r m u s is s e g m e n t a ry ,

o r r ig id l y s e gm e n te d: fa m ily / p ro f e s s i o n ; w o r k /

v a c atio n ; f a m i ly / th e n s c h o o l/ th e n a r m y / th e n

fa c t o r y / a n d th e n r e tire m e n t . E a ch t im e f ro m

o n e se g m e n t to a n o t h e r, w e a re to ld , " N o w y o u

a re n o lo n g e r a c h i ld " ; th e n a t s c h o ol " N o w

y o u a re n o lo n g e r a t h o m e " ; th e n i n th e a r m y ,

" T h is i s n 't s c h o o l a n y m o r e " .. . I n s h o r t , a l l k in d s

o f w e l l- d e f in e d s e g m e n t s, g o in g i n e v e r y d i re c

t io n , w h i c h c a r v e u s u p i n e v e r y se ns e, th e se

b u n d le s o f s e g m e n t e d lin e s . 27

T h u s w h a t a n ( a rc h y ) a n d s c h iz o a n a l y s is a i m a t is th e

re p l a c e m e n t o f p o o r d e fe n se le ss , g u i lt - r id d e n p u p p e t s i n in

t e r n a l s t ra i g h t -ja c k e t s , w i t h f re e , n o n - O e d i p a l iz e d , u n c o d e d

i n d i v i d u a l s .


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pm\\\\\\\\\

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SECONDPLATEAU

Language has always been the companion of empire.6 Antonio de Nebrija

The letter kills the spirit... life in general is mobility itself.Henri Bergson

Creative Evolution

To suggest that the signifier is everywhere (and that consequentlyinterpretation and transference are effective everywhere) is to miss thefact that each of these encoding components (whether semiotic or not)

can gain power over the situation and objects confronting us. On thecontrary, I believe that one should not be dogmatic about which mode ofaccess has priority. Such priority can emerge only from analysing eachparticular situation...Experts in linguistics and semiotics have graduallycome to consider that icons, or diagrams, or any other preverbal meansof expression (gestural, etc.) are dependent upon the signifying language

and are only imperfect means of communication. I believe that this is anintellectualist assumption that becomes extremely shaky when applied tochildren, the mad, the primitive or any of those who express themselves

in a semiotic register that 1 would classify as a symbolic semiology.


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2Au re vo ir M, l e Texte,

o r, the Body and A n(a rc hy)

I t is n o e x a g g e r a t io n t o s a y th a t w e h a v e g o n e m u c h to o

fa r w i th o u r e m p h a s is o n th e T e x t, o r w h a t a m o u n ts to th e

sam e, w i th th e w r it te n T e x t. A lo n g w i t h th is o v e rd o s e , m o s t

o f i t w h ic h h as co m e f r o m F ra n ce , w e h a v e f o r g o t te n th e

bo dy , the t hea te r, the ges tu re , the b re a th ( souffle) and the f lesh.

P e rh a ps , th e n , i t is t im e th a t w e s t a r t g iv i n g th e s am e im p o r

ta nc e to th e b o d y th a t w e h a v e g iv e n to th e T e x t.

So le t u s a t te m p t to e x a m in e t h e o v e r lo o k e d r e l a t io n

b e tw e e n t h e w r i t te n te x t a n d t h e b o d y as a s y m b o lic o r a-

s i g n ify i n g e x p re s s io n .* L e t u s ta k e R o la n d B a r th e s a s th e

* We must keep in mind that by the word expressionwe mean somethingl l d ff h h S b h h


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36 Au REVOIR M. LE TEXTE,

t h e a t r i c a l j a r g o n , t h e d i r e c t o r , b u t t h e d i r e c t o r

w h o h as be c om e a k in d o f m a n a g e r o f m a g ic , a

m a s t e r o f s a cre d c e re m o n ie s . A n d th e m a t e r ia l

o n w h ic h h e w o r k s , th e th e m e s h e b r in g s to

th r o b b in g li fe a re d e r iv e d n o t fr o m h im b u t fr o m

the g ods .4

T h e d ir e c t o r , th e r e fo r e , is a s h a m a n , n o t a C r e a t o r o r h i e r a r

c h ic a l f ig u r e b u t m e r e ly th e m e d ia t o r o f m a g ic . R o la n d

B a rth e s , o n th e o t h e r h a n d , c o n s id e r e d t h e A u t h o r d e a d b u

th e w r i t te n T e x t v e r y m u c h a liv e . In fa c t, f o r B a rth e s th e

A u th o r d ie s n o t o n ly i n th e n a m e o f th e R e a d e r b u t m o re

im p o r ta n t ly i n th e n a m e o f th e T ex t.

A s B a rth e s p o in t e d o u t in " T h e D e a th o f th e A u t h o r " :

T h e r e m o v a l o f th e A u t h o r (...) is n o t m e r e l y a n

h is t o r ic a l fa c t o r a n a c t o f w r i t in g ; i t u t te r ly

t ra n s fo r m s th e m o d e r n t e x t ( o r w h ic h is th e

s am e t h i n g th e te x t as h e n c e fo r th m a d e a n d

r e a d i n s u c h a w a y t h a t at a l l le v e ls th e a u t h o r

is abse nt ) .5

A n d la t e r in th e s a m e e ss ay he w r ite s :

W e k n o w n o w th a t th e te x t is n o t a l in e o f w o r d s

r e le a s in g a s in g le th e o l o g ic a l m e a n i n g ( th e

"m e s sa g e " o f th e A u th o r -G o d ) b u t a m u l t id i

m e n s io n a l sp ace in w h ic h a v a r ie t y o f w r it in g s ,

n o n e o f th e m o r ig in a l, b l e n d a n d c la sh . T h e t e x t

is a tis s ue o f q u o ta t io n s d r a w n f ro m in n u m e r

ab le c en t res o f c u l tu re . 6


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.o r , t h e Bo d y a n d A n ( a r c h y ) 37

lic i t ie s , a f ie l d o f tra c es le f t " b e h in d " b y a m u l t ip l ic i t y o f

w r ite r s , n o n e o f th e m b e lo n g i n g to a n y o n e p a r tic u la r tr ib e .

T he p ro b l e m w i t h B a rth e s is th a t f o r h im th e w o r ld b e co m e s

T e xt a n d t h e T e x t o r S ig n if ie r /S ig n if ie d r e la t io n is e x

a lte d to t h e p la c e fo r m e r ly o c c u p ie d b y t h e A u t h o r . T h e T e x t

is n o w m a d e G o d .

C o n v e r s e ly , f o r A r ta u d , th e d e a t h o f th e A u t h o r ta ke s

p la ce r ig h t a lo n g w i th th e d e a th o f th e w r i tt e n T e x t: th e S ig

n i fie r , th e W o r d . F o r A r ta u d w o r d s c a n n o t e xp re ss th a t w h i c his m o s t p r o f o u n d . I t is o n ly t h e th e a t e r o f c r u e lt y th e

th e a te r o f l i fe t h a t c a n g iv e e x p r e s s io n t o t h e h u m a n b r e a t h

a n d t o th e f le s h . A s D e r r id a h a s s a id : A r t a u d 's p r o t e s t is

d i re c t e d " a g a in s t t h e d e a d le t te r w h ic h a b s en ts it s e lf f a r fr o m

brea th (souffle) an d fl es h . "7

Th e c l ass ica l W es te rn s t age de f ine s a t hea te r o f

th e o r g a n , a th e a te r o f w o r d s , th u s a th e a t e r o f

in t e r p r e t a t i o n , e n e r g is t ra t io n , a n d t ra n s l a t io n , a

th e a te r o f d e v i a tio n f r o m th e g r o u n d w o r k o f a

p r e - e s ta b l is h e d te x t , a ta b l e w r i tt e n b y a G o d -

A u t h o r w h o is th e so le w ie l d e r o f th e p r i m a l

w o r d . 8

T h is is p r e c is e ly w h a t A r ta u d w a s a g a in s t. U n l ik e

B a rth es a n d o t h e rs A r ta u d b e l ie v e d th a t b o t h th e A u t h o r

a n d th e w r it te n T e x t h a d to b e s u b o r d in a te d to t h e t h e a te r o f

th e fle s h . I n th e s e c o n d m a n ife s t o o f "T h e T h e a t e r o f C r u

e lt y " h e w r o t e : " W e s h a l l r e n o u n c e th e th e a t r ic a l s u p e r s ti

t io n o f th e t e x t a n d t h e d i c t a to r s h ip o f th e w r i t e r . " 9 A r t a u d d i d

n o t s u b o r d in a t e th e A u t h o r w it h o u t als o s u b o r d in a t in g th e

Text .

M o r e o v e r , w h ile R o la n d B a rth e s s u b o r d in a te d th e A u

th o r to th e R e a d e r o f th e T e x t, A r ta u d s u b o r d in a te d th e A u


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38 Au REVOIR M. LE TEXTE.

t h o r to t h e s p e c t a to r o f th e p la y . " T h e r e a d e r ," s ay s B a rth e s ,

is th e p l ac e o n w h ic h a l l th e q u o t a t io n s t h a t

m a k e u p a w r i t in g a re in s c r ib e d w i t h o u t a n y o f

th e m b e i n g lo s t ; a t e x t 's u n i t y l ie s n o t in its

o r i g i n b u t in it s d e s t in a t io n . 10

T h e r e a d e r i s g i v e n t h e p l a c e o f t h e d e c i p h e r e r w h o

g iv e s m e a n in g to t h e te x t b y h i s o r h e r o w n i n t e r a c t io n w ith

th e t e x t. B a r th e s ' p r o p o s a l to d i m i n i s h th e d is ta n c e b e tw e e n

th e R e a d e r a n d th e T e x t is a n a l o g o u s t o A r ta u d 's p r o p o s a l to

b r i n g t h e s p e c a t a to r c lo s e r to th e s ta ge .

W e a b o l is h t he s ta ge a n d th e a u d it o r iu m a n d

re p la c e th e m b y a s in g l e s ite , w i th o u t p a r t it io n

o r b a r r ie r o f a n y k i n d , w h i c h w i l l b e co m e th e

th e a te r o f th e a c t io n . A d i re c t c o m m u n ic a t io n

w i l l b e r e -e s ta b l is h e d b e t w e e n th e s p e c t a to r a n d

t he spec tac le , be t we en the ac t o r an d the spec ta

t o r , fr o m th e f a c t th a t th e s p e c t a to r , p l a c e d i n

th e m id d le o f th e a c t io n , is e n g u l fe d a n d p h y s i

c a l ly a f fec ted b y i t . 11

T h e d i s t a n c e b e t w e e n t h e s p e c t a t o r a n d t h e a c t o r i s

o b l it e r a t e d in m u c h t h e s a m e w a y t h a t B a rth e s o b lite ra te s

th e d i s ta n c e b e t w e e n th e A u t h o r a n d th e R e a d e r: b y p l a cin g

the Re ader a t the p lace o f t he T e x t. B u t , w h i le Ba r thes is

e r e c tin g t e m p l e s to h i s T e x t A r ta u d is b u r n i n g th e m d o w n :

to r e p la c e t h e G r e a t O c c id e n t a l te m p l e s o f th e T e x t w i th the

t h e a t e r o f th e f le s h , th e t h e a te r o f p a s s i o n a n d d e s i r in g - p r 'd u c t i o n , w h e r e e x p r e s s i o n i s n o t l i n g u i s t i c b u t h i e r o g l y p h s

a n d a-signifying i n n a t u re . A t la s t, th e n , w e h a v e th e flaws o

th e b o d y r e p la c e th e f lo w s o f w o r d s A n d li n g u i s t ic e x p r eS'


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.o r , t h e B o d y a n d A n ( a r c h y ) 39

s io n is re p l a c e d b y t h e e m o t iv e a-signification o f " a f f e c t i v e

a t h le t ic is m ." A f te r a l l, " i t h as n o t b e e n d e f in i te l y p r o v e d t h a t

th e la n g u a g e o f w o r d s i s th e b e s t p o s s i b le l a n g u a g e . " 12 A n d

g e s t u r e s , d a n c e s , a n d s h o u t s b e c o m e t h e s u p e r s e d i n g a l t e r

n a tiv e to th e k in d o f s e m io t ic ( s ig n ify i n g ) r e a d in g p e r fo r m e d

b y p e o p le l ik e E co a n d T o d o r o v .

T h e g e s tu r e is a lw a y s s p o n ta n e o u s , n o n - c o d e d a n d n o n

in s c rib e d ; a n d i t d i s a p p e a r s li k e a m u s i c a l n o te t h e m o m e n t

i t is p e r fo r m e d . B u t m o s t im p o r ta n t ly , u n l i k e th e d e s p o t ic

a nd i m p e r ia lis t ic S ig n if ie r i t d oe s n o t r e f e r b a c k t o a n y t h i n g ;

i 1is n o t c i r c u l a r b u t lin e a r . Y e s, o n e m a y p e r h a p s g o s o fa r a s

to sa y t h a t th e b o d y is a " te x t " f o r A r t a u d , b u t i t is c e r ta i n l y

n o t a l in g u i s t ic te x t. A r t a u d h i m s e lf c a lle d f o r t h e h i e r o g l y p h ic

s ig ns o f th e E as t w h i c h a re a lw a y s " m e t a p h y s ic a l" r a th e r

th a n p s y c h o lo g ic a l a n d l i n g u i s t ic i n n a t u r e .

2

A g a in , A r ta u d t u r n e d t o th e E as t in o r d e r to f in d th e r e w h a t

he fo u n d la c k i n g i n W e s t e rn c u lt u r e . T h a t is to s a y , i n o r d e r

to f in d h is t h e a t e r o f " c a r n a l a n d m e t a p h y s i c a l s ig n s . " B a rth e s ,

n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t u r n e d t o t h e E a s t i n s e a r c h o f h i s " C a b i -

n et o f S ig n s ," a n d f o u n d , in J a pa n h is G r e a t E m p i r e o f S ig ns .

N o w i t h a pp e n s t h a t in th is c o u n t ry [J ap a n] th e

e m p i re o f th e s i g n if ie r is s o im m e n s e , s o in e x

cess o f speech , t ha t t he exchange o f s igns re

m a in s a fa s c i n a t in g r ic h n e s s , m o b i li ty , a n d s u b

t le t y , d e s p i te th e o p a c i t y o f th e l a n g u a g e ,


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40 Au REVOIR M. LE TEXTE.

A r ta u d , h o w e v e r , tu r n e d to th e O r ie n t to r e c o v e r th e h u m a

r e l a t io n to th e f le s h , th e n o n - c o d e d f lo w s o f d e s ire , a n d th

e x p r e s s i v e in n o c e n c e o f th e g e s t u re . " T h e B a lin e s e th e a te r ,

h e w r o t e , "h a s r e v e a le d t o u s a p h y s i c a l a n d n o n - v e r b a l id e

o f th e t h e a t e r .. ." 14 A n d la t e r : " F o r th e O c c i d e n t a l t h e a t e r th

W o r d is e v e r y t h i n g , a n d th e r e is n o p o s s ib i l i t y o f e x p re s sio

w i t h o u t it , " t h e r e fo r e e v en " i f w e r e s t r ic t th e a te r to w h a

h a p p e n s b e t w e e n c u e s , w e h a v e s t i l l n o t m a n a g e d t o s e p a

ra t e i t fr o m th e id e a o f a performed text. " 15

W e h a v e e r e cte d s o m a n y te m p le s t o t h e S ig n if ie r th a

th e S ig n if ie r ha s e v e n i l l i c i t l y e n t e r e d t h e u n c o n s c i o u s v ia

c e r ta i n p o r t in F ra n c e c a lle d L a c a n . T h e W e s t e rn w o r l d ha

b e c o m e a w o r ld o f l in g u is t ic s ig n s in w h ic h r e a l i t y h as co m

to e q u a l th e fa m o u s ( o r p e r h a p s i n fa m o u s ) S ig n if ie r -S ig n if ie d

r e l a t i o n .

T h e p e r fe c t e x a m p le o f t h is o b s e s sio n w i t h w o r d s i

fo u n d in U m b e r to E c o 's A Theory o f Semiotics where he goe

o n to p r o p o s e in a n in t e re s t in g w a y a "p o s s ib le w o r ld " p r o b

le m in w h ic h s n o w w o u ld b e m a d e o f p e a n u t b u t te r . "E v e r

E n g lis h s p e a k e r ," s a ys he ,

c a n s p e a k a b o u t s n o w a n d u n d e r s t a n d s en te nc es

c o n c e r n i n g s n o w b e c a u s e h e p o s s e s s e s a c u l

t u r a l c o m p e t e n ce a s s ig n in g t o th e c o n t e n t u n i t

' s n o w ' c e r t a i n p r o p e r t i e s w h i c h d o n o t i n c l u d e

th a t o f b e i n g m a d e w i t h p e a n u t b u t te r . I t is

p o s s ib le th a t in a p o s s ib le w o r ld o r in o u r f u t u r e

w o r ld , b e ca us e o f th e in c r e a s in g w a t e r p o l lut i o n , s n o w c o l d b e e x p o s e d t o s u c h a n e c o l o g i

c a l t r a g e d y . B u t e v e n t h o u g h i t h a p p e n e d , t h e

fa c t w o u ld s t il l b e s e m io t ic a lly r id ic u l o u s 16


36/114


A n d th e n E c o go es o n to s a y t h a t t h e g r e a t p r o b le m

fa c in g u s u n d e r s u ch c irc u m s ta n c e s w o u l d b e t h a t o f c h a n g

i n g o u r s i g n - s y s t e m i n o r d e r t o a c c o m o d a t e t h e n e w p h e

n o m e n o n . T h is , I t h i n k , is e x e m p l a r y o f th e W e s t e rn o b s es

s io n w i th w o r d s w h ic h h as re a c he d its z e n i th w i t h s t r u c t u

ra lis m a n d p o s t s t ru c t u r a lis t l i t e r a r y c r it ic i s m n o o n e e x

c luded .

I n th e W e s t w e h a v e e v e n u s e d t h e u n i n s c r ib e d b o d y (o r

as D e le u ze a n d G u a t ta r i c a ll i t " t h e b o d y w i th o u t o r g a n s " ) as

a r e c o r d in g s u rfa c e . " M e r e l y s o m a n y n a i ls p ie r c i n g t h e fle s h ,

so m a n y fo r m s o f t o r t u r e . " 17 P e r h a p s a r e m i n d e r o f K a f k a ' s

" In T h e P e na l C o lo n y " is in o r d e r . H e r e th e H a r r o w in s c rib e s

th e b o d y w i t h p ie r c in g n ee dle s an d th e w o r d s " H O N O R T H Y

S U P E R IO R S " a re in s c r ib e d u p o n t h e b o d y t o c re a te a m e m

ory , a tex t , a m aste rp iece , to to r tu re , to cause a s low and

p a in f u l d e a th . A n d y e t on e f in d s s o m e o n e li k e B a r th e s so

p r o u d o f t h i s a f f a i r! " T h e th e a t r ica l fa ce , " h e sa ys, " is n o t

p a in te d ( m a d e - u p ), i t is w r i t t e n . " 18 A n d f u r t h e r d o w n : " i t is

th e a ct o f w r i t in g w h i c h s u b ju g a te s t h e p i c t o r ia l g e s tu r e so

th a t to p a i n t is n e v e r a n y t h i n g b u t to in s c r i b e . " 19 A r t a u d 's e n

te rp r ise w a s , o f co u rse , d i ff e r e n t : he w a s co n ce r n e d w i th th e

gestura l expressiveness o f th e b o d y , as o p p o s e d t o t h e w r i t i n g

onth e b o d y th a t th e h y p e r l it e r a t e B a r th e s so m u c h a d m ir e d .N o l o n g e r s h o u l d w e s p e a k s o l e ly o f th e G re a t T e x t , b u t

w e s h o u l d b e g i n t o s p e ak as w e o n c e d id o f th e h ie r o g ly p h

ics o f g e s tu re s ... o f t h e b o d y . .. a n d o f th e f le sh . N o l o n g e r

w u s t w e a p p ly " p i e r c in g n e e d le s " t o th e b o d y . T h e e x p re s -

o n o f c r u e lt y w i l l b e a " m e t a p h y s i c a l " a n d s y m b o lic e x-

as o p p o se d to a p h ys ica l o ne . Th e r i g o r o f th e n e ce s-

n e e d ^ ta k e p la c e r i g h t b e f o r e o n e 's e ye s w i t h o u t th ea H a r r o w " o r p e n. T h e re w i l l b e n o s p u r t o f b l o o d

JVS w h i ch a re n o t t h e r e s u lt o f a p u n c tu r e . G e s tu r e s

| a e th e p la c e o f w o r d s in s c r ib e d u p o n th e body without


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.o r , t h e Bo d y a n d A n ( a r c h v ) 43

a l l m e .i h a v e b e e n s in c e th e i n v e n t io n o f t he p h o n e t ic a lp h ab e t ." 23 T h u s , i t i s B a r t h e s ' s p l it w o r l d , i.e ., t h e w o r l d o f th e

T e xt a id w o r ld o f th e b o d y , th a t A r ta u d f in d s c u l t u r a l ly a n d

ex is te i it ia l ly ob jec t iona b le .

A r t a u d a t t e m p t s t o d e s t r o y a h i s t o r y , t h e h i s

t o r y o f th e d u a lis t ic m e t a - p h y s i c s .. . th e d u a l it y

o f th e b o d y a n d t h e s o u l w h i c h s u p p o r ts , se

c r e t ly o f c o u rs e , th e d u a l i t y o f s p ee ch a n d e x is

te n ce , o f th e t e x t a n d th e b o d y , e t c .24

I n h is e ssa y " F r o m W o r k t o T e x t " B a rth e s s ta te s t h a t

" th e t h e o ry o f th e t e x t c an o n l y c o i n c i d e w i th a p r a c tic e o f

w r i t in g . " 25 T h is i s c le a r ly n o t t h e case f o r A r t a u d . I n fa c t,

im p l ia t in A r ta u d ' s e n te rp r is e w e f in d th e n o n - e x c l u s iv i ty o f

a doulle-articulation, o r b e t te r y e t , a multi-articulation a laB erg scn . T h e b o d y is a h i e r o g l y p h i c o r a-signifying " t e x t " a

d e s i rir g - s ig n w h i c h g i v e s ris e t h r o u g h it s g e s tu re s to a lt e r

n a t iv e fo r m s o f e x p re s s io n . A n d y e t B a rth e s h as th e a u d a c i ty

to say a t t he en d o f The Pleasure o f the Text t h a t i t is w r i t in g

"v o ca l w r it in g " th a t A r ta u d r e c o m m e n d s .

I f i t w e r e p o s s ib le t o i m a g i n e a n a e sth e tic o f

t e x t u a l p le a s u r e , i t w o u l d h a v e to in c l u d e : writ

ing aloud. T h is vo c a l w r i t in g ( w h i c h is n o t h in g

l ik e s pe e ch ) is n o t p r a c t ic e d , b u t i t is d o u b t le s s

w h a t A r ta u d r e c o m m e n d e d .. .26

T he p ro b l e m w i t h th is in t e r p r e t a t io n o f A r ta u d is th a t

i t places w r i t in g a t th e c e n te r o f A r t a u d ' s e n te r p ris e w h e n i t

w r i: in g th a t b ec om e s n o n - e x c l u s iv e ly s e c o n d a r y to th eg es tu re a n d t h e s h o u t . B a r th e s , h o w e v e r , m u c h t o h is c r e d it ,

t r ies h is best in The Pleasure of the Text t o d is s o c ia te h im s e lf


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40/114


B a r th e s , th e n , h e ld th e r e p e t it io n o f s ig n s t o b e a s o c i a l

p h e n o m e n o n w h i c h d e g ra d e d t h e T e x t b y t u r n in g th e T e x t

in t o a s t e r e o t y p ic e x p r e s s io n o f b o u r g e o i s c u lt u r e .

B u t f o r A r t a u d th e case w a s m u c h d if f e r e n t . A r t a u d w a s

o p po se d t o th e w r it te n T e x t on t h e v e r y g r o u n d s th a t w r it te n

te x ts m a d e re p e t it io n p o s s ib le . A f t e r a l l, l it e r a r y m a s te r p ie c e s

a r e e s t a b l i s h e d b y r e p e t i t i o n . T h a t i s t o s a y , i t i s t h e r e p e t i

t io n o f r e a d i n g a n d p e r fo r m a n c e t h a t e s ta b lis h e s th e T e x t as

a f i xed exp ress ion , o r as the Mas te rp iece tha t i t i s . The re a re

n o m a t e rp ie c e s in o r a l c u l tu r e s . T h e M a s t e rp i e c e is w h o l ly a

W e s te rn im p o r t.

In h is e ssay " N o M o r e M a s te rp ie c e s " A r ta u d w r ite s :

O n e o f th e re a so n s fo r th e a s p h y x i a tin g a t m o s

p h e r e in w h ic h w e l iv e w i t h o u t p o s s ib le e sca pe

o r r e m e d y a n d in w h i c h w e a l l sh are , e ve nth e m o s t r e v o lu t io n a r y a m o n g u s is o u r re

s p ec t f o r w h a t h as b e en w r it te n , fo r m u l a t e d ,

p a in t e d , w h a t ha s b e e n g iv e n f o r m , as i f e x

p r e s s io n w e r e n o t a t la s t e xh a u s te d ... w e m u s t

h a v e d o n e w i t h t h i s id e a o f m a s t e rp i e c e s ... 28

M a s te r p ie c e s a re lik e to m b s to n e s traces o f w o r d s w eo nce u t te r e d . So w h y r e p e a t w h a t ha s a l re a d y b e e n s a i d as

t h o u g h o n e c o u l d r e c a p t u r e t h e f r e s h n e s s o f t h e i n i t i a l e x

p re ss io n ? E n o u g h w i th h e rm e n e u t ic s !

L e t u s le a v e t e x t u a l c r i t ic i s m to g r a d u a t e s t u

d e n ts , f o r m a l c r i t ic i s m t o e s th e te s , a n d r e c o g

n i z e t h a t w h a t ha s b e e n s a id is n o t s t i ll to b e

s a i d ; t h a t a n e x p r e s s io n d o e s n o t h a v e th e s a me

v a l u e t w ic e ; d o e s n o t l iv e t w o liv e s . .. 29


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46 Au r e v o i r M. l eTex t e .

T e x ts a re to b e r e a d o r p e r f o r m e d o n ce a n d t h e n b u r n t

( in c l u d in g th is o n e ). " W e m u s t g e t r i d o f o u r s u p e r s t it io u s

v a lu a t io n s o f te x ts a n d w r it te n p o e t y / ' says A r ta u d . " W r i t

te n p o e t y is w o r t h r e a d i n g o n ce , a n d t h e n s h o u l d b e de

s t r o y e d . " 30 A n d th e m im e , t h e d a n c e , a n d th e n o n - c o d e d ges

t u r e s h o u ld r e p la c e th e m e a n in g le s s r e p e t it io n o f t h e T e x t

a n d t h e v io l e n c e o f r e p e t it io n .

F o r in s ta n ce , th e v io le n c e p e r fo r m e d b y th e " H a r r o w "

i n K a f k a 's " I n T h e P e n a l C o l o n y " is th e r e s u l t o f th e r e p e t i

t iv e f u n c t io n o f th e in s c r ib i n g m a c h in e i ts e l f . * T h e " H a r r o w "

w o r k s b y t u r n in g th e b o d y o f th e p r is o n e r in t o a n u n f o rg e -

t a b le t e x t o r m a s t e rp i e c e a t th e e x p en s e o f t h e p r i s o n e r 7s

lif e . B u t th is d o e s n 't a p p l y to t he " H a r r o w " a lo n e. M o s t fo r m s

o f p u n i s h m e n t e m p l o y th e u se o f r e p e t it io n to " c o r r e c t " b e

h a v io r . ** T e ac he rs , f o r e x a m p le , w i l l so m e tim e s c o m m a n d

t h e i r " u n r u l y " s tu d e n ts to w r it e s o m e th in g l ik e " I s h a l l n o t

t a l k i n c la s s" a t h o u s a n d t im e s o n p a p e r . A n d i n I o n e sc o 's" T h e L e s s o n " w e h a v e a p r o fe s s o r w h o k i l ls h is s t u d e n t b y

r e p e a t in g th e w o r d " k n i f e " o v e r an d o v e r a g a in .

" W h a t is t r a g i c ," sa ys D e r r id a , " is n o t th e i m p o s s ib i l

i t y b u t th e n e c e s s it y o f r e p e t it i o n . " 31 T h is i s th e r e a s o n w h y

A r ta u d w a n t e d t o re p la c e th e w r i t te n T e x t w i t h th e b o d y

a n d th e t h e a te r . T h e t h e a t e r is t h e o n l y p la c e i n th e w o r l d

w h e r e a g e s tu r e , o n ce m a d e , ca n n e v e r b e m a d e t h e s am e

w a y t w i c e . " 32 T h e t h e a t e r is t h e o n l y p l a c e w h e r e o n e c an

* For an interesting account of the violence of representation see Nietzsche's

second essay in The Genealogy ofMorals,wherein he attributes the violence

of inscriptive repetition on the body to (1) the will to create a memory

and (2) the will to make human beings calculable and reactive.

** For a fascinating look at the use of repetition in the "treatment" of sex

deviants, see Sylvere Lotringer's Overexposed(Pantheon Books, 1988).


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e scape th e v io le n c e o f in s c r ip t io n w h ic h k i l l s th e t h e h u m a n

s p i r i t b y u s i n g t h e wild body as a r eco rd ing su r f ace . T h i s i s

w h a t J org e A m a d o ' s b o d i l y " G a b r ie l a " i n s t in c t iv e ly r e a liz e d ,

a n d w h y s he p r e f e r re d th e c irc u s to th e s tu f f y , h y p e r lit e r a te

a tm o s p h e r e o f th e le c t u r e ro o m w h e r e th e T e x t a n d n o t th e

b o d y is a llo w e d e x p r e s s io n . 33

S o l e t u s f o l lo w G a b r ie l a i n t o th e th e a t e r . L e t u s d a n c e !

E n o u g h w i th w o r d s ! " T h e l e t te r k i lls th e s p i r it . " 34 A n d a n o n

e x c lu s iv e s h if t i n e m p h a s i s is n e e d e d i f w e a re to r e c o v e r

th e a f fe c t iv e e x p r e s siv e n e s s o f o u r b o d i e s .


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V i


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THIRD

PLATEAU

"...The excitement of traveling in a train to meetyour lover, knowing he was traveling, just as excitedly,towards you. I used to think quite a lot about that."

"Yes!" admitted her mother, smiling sadly."Converging lines moving across the map! Sick

with desire hardly able to wait!"D.M. Thomas

The White Hotel

"When we look at the powerlessness of the indi

vidual and the small face-to-face group in the world today and ask ourselves why they are powerless, we have

to answer not merely that they are weak because of thevast central agglomerations of power in the modern,military industrial state, but that they are weak becausethey have surrendered their power to the state


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3To w a r d sa N o n -Fa sc isto r

A n (a r c h ic a l ) W ayo f Lif e

T h is e s sa y c o n c e rn s i ts e lf w i t h a c e r t a in k i n d o f a ffe c

t iv e e x p e r ie n c e w h ic h D e l e u ze a n d G u a t a r r i h a v e c o m e t o

call a schizo stroll. T h a t is to s ay , th e k i n d o f a f fe c t iv e " v o y

a ge ," i f y o u w i l l , ta k e n b y s u ch e x c e p tio n a l in d iv id u a ls as

H ld e r lin , N ie tz s c h e , K l e is t , N e r v a l, a n d A r ta u d . T h i s is a ls o

th e s t r o l l o f th e a n ( a rc h is t) : th e s t r o l l o f s o m e o n e w h o is l ig h t

o n h i s o r h e r fe e t. T a ke B e r e n g e r i n I o n e sco 's " A S t r o l l i n t h e

A i r ," f o r e x a m p le . B e r e ng e r b e g i n s b y t a k i n g a S u n d a y s t r o l l

a n d e n d s u p b e c o m i n g i n t h e m o s t l i t e r a l s e n s e a l i n e o f

f l i g h t .

T h e p r o b l e m fa c in g u s , h o w e v e r , is t h a t w e h a v e f o rg o tte n h o w to b e lig h t o n o u r fe et: w e h a v e fo r g o tte n w h a t

i t 7s l ik e t o d a n ce l i ke a s t a r i n th e n i g h t sky . O r is i t p o ss ib le

th a t p e r h a p s e h a e n 't e e n t rie d ? W e ll in a n c ase t h is is


47/114

52 To w a r d a N o n -F a s c i s t o r A n ( a r c h ic h a l ) W a y o f L if e

a ls o th e p r o b le m a t ic a d d r e s s e d in Anti-Oedipus. So le t usb e g in b y c o n s i d e r in g Anti-Oedipus a h o w - to - b o o k , a b o o k f o r

a l l a n d n o o n e , a b o o k w h ic h m a y b e e n te r e d as on e e n te rs a

map: f r o m a m u l t ip l i c i t y o f d ire c t io n s . A n d fu r th e r m o r e le t

u s a g re e w i t h F o u c a u l t a n d c a ll Anti-Oedipus a " b o o k o f e th

ic s ." F o r i t is " e t h ic s " o r m o r e s p e c i fic a lly w h a t i t m eans

to le a d a n a n o n - fa s c i s t w a y o f l i f e , w h ic h w i l l co n c e rn us

here .

T h i s e ss ay w i l l t h e r e f o r e tr e a t a n ( a r c h y ) as a n a tt it u d e

to w a r d s th e w o r ld . A n d n o t as a " p o l i t ic a l" t h e o r y o r base.

I t w i l l b e g in w h e re Anti-Oedipus b e g i n s : w i t h a d i s c u s s io n o f

desiring-production a n d desiring-machines; a n d i t w i l l d e ve lo p

th e s e c o n c e p t s to d e m o n s t ra t e t h e i r r e la t io n t o a n ( a r c h y ) or

t h e a n ( a rc h i c a l) w a y o f l if e .

1

Schizoanalysis b e g i n s a t t h a t p o i n t w h e r e R e i c h ' s p o l i t i c a l

p s y c h o l o g y e n d e d . T h a t is , i t b e g in s b y t r y i n g to a ns w e r

R e ic h 's q u e s t io n c o n c e r n in g t h e d e s ir a b i l i t y o f th e m a sse s to

o p p r e s s th e m s e lv e s . A s R e ic h s a w i t , th e m o d e m fa s c is t State

has been es tab l i shed not b y o u ts id e fo rc e s b u t ra t h e r b y the

m asses them se lves . F o r R e ich , G e rm an fasc i sm w as success fu l

p r e c i s e l y b e ca u se t h e p s y c h o lo g ic a l s tr u c t u r e s o f th e m asses

c o in c id e d w i t h th o s e o f th e ir p o l i t ic a l le a d e rs a n d t h e ir id e

o lo g i e s . F o r e x a m p le , i n s p e a k i n g o f H i t l e r 's s uc ce ss , R eichp u t i t as fo l lo w s :

T h i t i t i f H i t l ' h l i


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54 T o w a rd a N o n -F a s c is t o r A n ( a r c h ic h a l ) W a y o f Life

in t a c t , th e n th o se p a t te r n s w i l l re p e a t t h e m se lve si n t h e s u c c e e d i n g g o v e r n m e n t . T h e r e ' s m u c h

t a l k a b o u t th e s ys te m . A n d so l i t t le u n d e r

s t a n d i n g . 2

B u t th e o n e t h i n g t h a t R e ic h 's p o li ti c a l p s y c h o l o g y o v e r lo o k e d

w a s t h e p l a ce o f d e s i re i n t h e fa sc is t p e r so n a l it y . A n d i t is at

t h is p o i n t t h a t s c h iz o a n a l y s is a n d a n ( a r c h y ) b e g i n . Y e t, th e y

b e g i n w i t h a w h o le n e w v ie w o f de s ire , i.e ., th e y p o s it de sire

as a c t ive r a t h e r th a n re a c tive .

D e s ire f o r D e le u z e a n d G u a t ta r i is a l w a y s p r o d u c t iv e . It

is a n a c t iv e , n o n - r e f e r e n t ia l lin e a r f l o w v e r y s im i la r to th a t

e x p e r i e n c e d b y A r t a u d ; a n d d o u b t l e s s , t h i s i s w h a t A r t a u d

h a d i n m in d w h e n he s po ke o f affective athleticism.T he re is no

la c k h e re . W h a t th e r e is is production:d e s i re p r o d u c in g d es ire ,

e n e rg y p r o d u c i n g e n e r g y , a n d c a p ita l p r o d u c i n g c a p i ta l as it

h a p p e n s i n c a p i ta l is t s o c ie ty .

A s M a r x n o te s , w h a t e x is ts in fa c t is n o t la c k ,

b u t p a ss io n , a s a " n a t u r a l a n d se n so u s o b je c t . "

D e s i re is n o t b o ls t e r e d b y n e e d s, b u t ra t h e r t he

c o n t r a r y ; ne e ds a re d e r iv e d f r o m d e s ire : th e y

a re th e c o u n te r p r o d u c t s w i th i n t h e re a l th a t

d e s i r e p r o d u ce s . L a ck i s a co u n t e r e f f e c t o f d e

s ire ; i t is d e p o s i te d , d is t r ib u t e d , v a c u o liz e d

w i t h i n a r e a l t h a t is n a t u r a l a n d s o c i a l.3

T h u s d e s i re m a n if e s ts i t se l f a t th e m o le cu la r le ve l , at

th e l i b i d i n a l le ve l, a t t h e orgone leve l , a t the ac t ive le ve l , where

d f l d t i f d i


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T o w a rd a N o n - F a s cis t o r A n ( a r c h ic h a l) W a y o f L ife 55

hoo l, a rm y , w o rk , e tc . Le t us say , the n , t ha t in essence , an

n (a rc h is t) is a n u n s t r u c t u r e d b o d y , a body iv/o organs.Bu t p e r h a p s w e a r e g e t ti n g a b i t a h ea d o f o u r s e lv e s . As

yjeju s t s a id a b o v e , d e s ire l ik e c a p i ta l s h o u ld b e u n d e r s to o d

in te rm s o f f lo w s , a s f o r in s t a n c e , f lo w s o f s h i t, f lo w s o f se

men , f lo w s o f des i re , e tc . H o w e ve r , the re is a ca t ch he re .

W hi le the flows of desiree m a n a te ( in a n o n - o r ig in a r y m a n n e r)

fro m a b o d y w / o o rg a n s , th e f lo w s o f c a p ita l e m a n a te f ro m a

hier (archica l ) and arborescentb o d y , i.e ., f ro m th e c o d e d b o d yo f the C a p i ta l is t Soc ius . A n d a d o u b le p rocess opera tes a t the

m o la r le v e l o f th e e c o n o m ic s y s te m i ts e lf . I n o t h e r w o r d s ,

c a p i t a l i s m w o r k s b y i n s c r i b i n g , c o d i n g a n d r e - d i r e c t i n g t h e

flo w s o f d e s ire so th a t t h e y m a y c o r re s p o n d w i t h th e f lo w s

o f cap i ta l a t t he s toc k m ark e t . Th is d o u b le p rocess is t he

process of deterritorialization ( d e g r o u n d in g ) a n d territorializa-

tion ( g r o u n d in g ) . De s i re is f ir s t deterritorializedb y c a p i ta l : a l

lo w in g c e r ta i n a sp e cts o f th e s c h iz o p h r e n ic p r o c e ss t o m a n i

fest themse lves, an d the n i t territorializes th e m : w h e n e v e r th e re

is som e d a n g e r th a t th e se f lo w s m a y ta k e t h e i r o w n lines of

flight.W h i c h is to s a y , w h e n e v e r an a n ( a rc h i c a l) o r rhizomatic

act is p o s s ib le . C a p i t a l is m " c a n o n l y e x i s t b y l ib e r a t in g g e

neric p r o d u c t io n w h i le a t th e s am e t im e c o n ta i n in g i t w i th i n

^ e ll- d e f in e d l im i ts so th a t i t d o e s n 't fle e i n a l l d i re c t io n s a n d

escape e v e ryw h e re . "4

T he F ilm F o r u m in N e w Y o r k C it y p la y s a n t i-e s t a b lis h -

men t a n d c o m m u n is t p r o p a g a n d a f ilm s , d e s p i te th e f a c t t h a t

a e fu n d e r s is Ex x o n . W h y ? Be ca us e e v e n t h o u g h Ex x o n

Car)>VVS re ^ease c e rta in a n (a rc h ica l) f lo w s o f d e sire , i t

Hxx aS e as^ Pu t a n enc^ t h e m a t a w e l l- d e f in e d p o in t .

wi]1 * a l lo w y o u to o p e n y o u r m o u th a n d s h o u t, b u t i t

Am a -S S'*1Ut ^ m o m e n t ^ f u n d s a r e v o lu t i o n in C e n t ra lsame"1 ' ^ a l e f t is t f i lm o n N i c a r a g u a a t th e v e r y

f o m e n t th a t i t w i l l c o n tr ib u t e m o n e y to fu r th e r th e


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T o w a r d a N o n -Fa s c i s t o r A n ( a r c h i c h a l ) W a y o f L if e 5 7

A s th e s u b c u l tu r e b e g in s t o s t rik e its o w n e m i

n e n t ly m a r k e t a b l e p o se , as it s v o c a b u la r y ( b o t h

v i s u a l a n d v e r b a l ) b e c o m e s m o r e a n d m o r e

fa m ilia r , so th e r e f e r e n t ia l c o n te x t to w h i c h i t

ca n b e m o s t c o v e n ie n t ly a s s ig n e d i s m a d e i n

c r e a s i n g l y a p p a r e n t . E v e n t u a l l y t h e m o d s , t h e

p u n k s , th e g l it t e r r o c k e r s c a n b e in c o r p o r a t e d , *

b r o u g h t b a c k i n t o lin e , lo c a t e d o n t h e p r e f e r re d

" m a p o f th e p r o b l e m a t ic a n d s o c ia l r e a l i t y "(G e e r tz , 1 96 4) a t t h a t p o in t w h e r e b o y s i n l i p

s tic k are " ju s t k i d s d r e s s in g u p , " w h e r e g i r ls i n

r u b b e r dre s se s a re " d a u g h t e r s ju s t l ik e y o u r s . .. "

T h e m e d ia , as S t u a r t H a l l (1 9 77 ) ha s a r g u e d ,

n o t o n l y re c o r d r e s is ta n c e, th e y " s it u a t e i t w i t h i n

th e d o m in a n t f r a m e w o r k o f m e a n in g , " a n d

p e o p l e w h o c ho o se to i n h a b it a s p e c t a c u l a ry o u th c u ltu r e a re s im u l ta n e o u s ly returned, as

t h e y a r e r e p r e s e n t e d o n T . V . a n d i n t h e n e w s

p a p ers , to t h e p la c e wh e r e c o m m o n s e nse w o u ld

ha ve th e m f i t . . . 7

C a p it a lis m is a b le to f u n c t io n a x i o m a t ic a lly b e ca u se

| e s o -c a lle d " m a r g in a l la n g u a g e " e v e n t u a l ly b e c o m e s es ta b -

ed , c o d if ie d , a n d s e m io t ic a lly s ig n i fy i n g . T h e o n l y w a y to

0 ve th i s p r o b le m is f o r t h e a n ( a r c h i s t) to d e s t ro y h is o r h e r

W n f o r m o f e x p r e s s io n im m e d ia t e l y , s o as to m a k e r e p e ti-

n a n d i n c o r p o r a t io n i m p o s s i b le .

f r *S P a r t ly w h a t A r ta u d h a d in m in d w h e n h e c a lle d

e e n d o f m a s te rp ie c e s o r w r it te n te x ts . W h a t he

Cenrurvn-10 f0rm a body (corPus-a body). (Websters New Twentieth^ U P h F lCt'onary)That which is rhizomatic or an(archic) is brought into the

y 0 the Socius is formed into a body.


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58 T o w a r d a N o n -F a s c is t o r A n ( a r c h ic h a l ) W a y o f Life

w a n t e d in th e la n g u a g e o f G u a tt a r i w a s a n a - s ig n i fy ine

s e m io t ic : 8 a f l o w o f n o n - r e p e a ta b le s ig n s t h a t w o u l d m a ke it

im p o ss ib l e f o r t h e sys te m ( o r cu l tu r e ) , o r in t h i s ca se ca pita },

is m , to in c o r p o r a te th e m o r b r in g th e m in t o i ts o w n bod y

" A n y t h i n g th a t s ta n d s fo r m o r e th a n te n s e co nd s is e v i l"

s a y s t h e l y r i c s o f a s o n g b y t h e p u n k g r o u p " B l a c k F l a g . "

A n d o n e f in d s t h e same id e a i n I o n e sco 's " Th e L e sso n , " where

o n e o f th e c h a r a c te r s is k i ll e d b y h e r p r o f e s s o r w h o keepsr e p e a t in g t h e w o r d " k n i f e " o v e r a n d o v e r a g a in . T h is is also

h o w K a f k a 's d e s p o t ic m a c h in e (th e " H a r r o w " ) w o r k s . This

p ro c e s s o f o v e r c o d in g s te m s f r o m t h e S t a te 's fe a r o f u nre

s t r ic t e d d e s ir e , a n d c e r ta i n l y f r o m c a p i ta l is m 's f e a r o f cer

t a in ty p e s o f desiring-machines.A n d s o i t e m p l o y s a n arra ng e

m e n t o f fa s c is t d e s i rin g - m a c h in e s t o r e g im e n t a n d m o n ito r

t h e a n ( a r c h i c a l) d e s ir in g - m a c h in e s .

N o w , w e m u s t u n d e rs ta n d desiring-machines w i t h i n a non

e x c lu s i v e c o n t e x t . T h a t is to s a y , w e m u s t u n d e r s t a n d them

as n e g a t ive o r f a sc is t m a ch in e s o f re p r e ss io n , as r e a c t ive mac h in e s , as w e l l as p o s i t iv e o r a n ( a r c h i c a l) m a c h i n e s u n'

r e g i m e n t e d a n d f re e - f lo w in g . B u t w h a t r i g h t d o w e have,

y o u m a y a s k, t o c a ll h u m a n b e in g s " m a c h i n e s " o r even

" d e s i r in g - m a c h i n e s " ? D i d w e n o t le a v e th o s e c o n ce p ts be-

h in d w i t h D e s c arte s a n d H o b b e s ? Y es a n d N o . W e o n l y l e

t h e m b e h in d i n s o f a r as w e a re n o l o n g e r c o m p e lle d to vie j

m a c h in e s in b i n a r y o p p o s i tio n to a l i f e p ro c es s (v ita l is m )- JM a c h in e s s h o u l d b e u n d e r s to o d i n c o n n e c t io n ^ J

desiring-production: w i t h a c t iv e d e s ire , w i t h d e s i re as th e I

o f e n e r g y t h a t a l l m a c h in e s p r o d u c e fr o m a m o t o r c y c le to |


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T o w a r d a N o n - F a s cis t o r A n ( a r c h ic h a l) W a y o f L ife 59

tes A r t a u d .3 A n d H e n r y M i l le r w r ite s :

E v e r y m a n , w o m a n , a n d c h i ld in a m o c k i n g -

t osh has adeno ids , sp reads ca ta r rh , d iabe tes ,

w h o o p i n g c o u g h , m e n i n g i t i s . E v e r y t h i n g t h a t

s ta n d s u p r i g h t , t h a t s lid e s , r o l ls , t u m b le s , s p i n s ,

s h o o ts , te e te rs , s w a y s a n d c r u m b le s i s m a d e o f

nu ts an d b o l t s .10

A n d d e s ir in g -m a c h in e s w o r k b y s lo w in g d o w n , b r e a k in g

d o w n , s t a r tin g o v e r , c o u g h in g , s h i tt in g , f u c k i n g , p i s s in g , etc.

D e s ir in g - m a c h in e s . .. c o n t in u a l ly b r e a k d o w n as

t h e y r u n , a n d i n f a c t , r u n o n l y w h e n t h e y a r e

n o t f u n c t io n in g p r o p e r ly : th e p r o d u c t is a l w a y s

a n o f fs h o o t o f p r o d u c t io n , im p la n t in g i t s e l f

u p o n i t li k e a g r a f t , a n d a t th e s a m e t im e , th e

p a r ts o f th e m a c h in e a re th e f u e l th a t m a k e s i t

ru n .11

N o w , th e r e a re b a s i c a lly t w o ty p e s o f m a c h in e s . O n e ,

the desiring-machines w h i c h w e h a ve d e a l t w i t h h e re . A n d

two , the technical machines w e d e a l w i t h o n a d a y - to - d a y b asis l ik e P ir s ig ' s m o t o r c y c le . So l e t u s c o n s id e r P i rs i g a n d

m o t o r c y c l e t o g e t h e r , a n d l e t u s c a l l P i r s i g a desiring-ma-

lne' a r|d h i s m o t o r c y c l e a technical machine. A n d f u r th e r -

o re le t u s u n d e r s ta n d t h a t w h a t d i ffe r e n t ia t e s t e c h n i c a l

m e s f ro m d e s ir in g - m a c h in e s i s n o t th e ir s iz e o r s tr u c -

6/. u t t h e i r u se . O r , as D e le u z e a n d G u a t ta r i p u t i t, t h e i rregim e ."12

th er ^ ap l in , h i th e m id s t o f th e m a c h in e , ca n b e co m e ei-

nal h **a n ^a r c^l^c ) m a c h in e o r a d e s p o t ic m a c h in e o r a n i n f e r -

esir in g - m a c h i n e , b e c o m in g a tta c h e d to t h e te c h n ic a l


55/114

60 T o w a r d a N o n -F a s c is t o r A n ( a r c h ic h a l) W a y o f Life

m a ch in e , as a t o o l o f ca p i ta l is t anti-production a n d te ch n o lo g y

T e c h n o lo g y p re s u p o s e s s o c ia l m a c h in e s a n d

d e s ir in g - m a c h in e s , ea ch w i th i n th e o t h e r , a n d

b y i ts e l f, ha s n o p o w e r to d e c id e w h ic h w i l l be

t h e e n g i n e e r i n g a g e n c y , d e s i r e o r t h e o p p r e s

s ion o f de s i re .13

I t is le f t o p e n t o C h a p l in to u s e th e m o n k e y - w re n c h ,

e i t h e r t o r e - a d ju s t ( t e r r i t o r i a l i ze ) t h e d e sp o t i c o r t e ch n i ca l

ma ch in e o f o p p r e ss io n , o r t o l e t l o o se i t s n u t s a n d b o l t s t h a t

l ik e a "sc h i zo p h r e n i c s h i r t " 14 a re ti e d f a r t o o t i g h t a r o u n d his

n e c k. I t is u p to C h a p l in to d e t e r r it o r ia l iz e th e f lo w s o f de

s ire . I n b r ie f , th e n , th e m a n n e r in w h ic h o n e p l u g s in t o an

o t h e r m a c h i n e d e t e rm in e s th e o u t c o m e o f d e s ire . T h e G er

m a n p r o l e t a r i a t th a t p u t H i tl e r in p o w e r , th a t d e s i re d H i tle r 's

d e sp o t i c m a c h in e , w e r e a b le t o b e e f f e c t ive b e ca u se th ey

p l u g g e d th e m s e lv e s in t o a d e s p o tic d e s i rin g - m a c h in e b ut

a " d e s i r in g - m a c h i n e " no n e t h e le s s . M o r e o v e r , d e s ir in g -m a -

c h in e s m a y w o r k b o t h as a n ( a r c h ic ) p a r t ia l o b je c ts o r as

h ie r ( a r ch i ch a l ) p a r t i a l o b je c t s : a s o p p r e ss i ve ma ch in e s co n

n e c t e d t o o t h e r o p p r e s s iv e m a c

rolando perez on an(archy) and schizoanalysis

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