Psychoanalysis (Zizek)

In “From Reality to The Real,” Slavoj Zizek explores the concept of Objet Petit a (unattainable object of desire), and building off of Freud and Lacan’s psychoanalysis, he also investigates the ways in which fantasy and desire shape our “reality.” Zizek writes that “the objet a is precisely that surplus, that elusive make-believe that drove the man to change his existence. In ‘reality,’ it is nothing at all, just an empty surface” (336). Because of this, ‘reality’ is the “fantasy space” that functions as a blank canvas for us to paint with our desire – thus what we consider to be ‘real’ is what exists in our objective construct and occurs in our everyday life. Zizek also writes that our “social reality is then nothing but a fragile, symbolic cobweb that can at any moment be torn aside by an intrusion of the real” (343). Our desire is ultimately what drives and motivates us as human beings, and as a culture. When the barrier separating our fantasy world from everyday reality is torn down, and when the “real overflows reality,” the result is madness.

Zizek, in his theories, brings up the idea that culture stems from human desire. This seems to parallel not only the ideas of Freud and Lacan, but also the ideas of Leavis, Williams, Marx, and Gramsci. These four theorists all seem to address either the strive for the ideal (Williams) or escapism based on pleasure (Leavis, Marx, Gramsci). Despite this, Williams only views the desire of the ideal as a minor part of culture, and Leavis, Marx, and Gramsci view desire as a tool of manipulation. The ruling class desires power, so they feed pop culture to the working class – creating an inescapable cycle of desire and consumption.

Zizek’s theories – in my opinion – seem to be rooted in truth, and the examples he used in order to support his argument were interesting and shed light on the ideas he was expressing. Though Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis seem far-fetched and contain some flawed thinking, Zizek seems to have adapted psychoanalysis into a way that can be effectively applied to culture. Also, his idea that anxiety results from the lack of “desire” is pretty interesting, and it could potentially explain the mental breakdowns and self-destruction of many famous Hollywood celebrities – since they seem to possess everything anyone could ever desire.