Video from my talk at Trent University -- The Communist Horizon

 

Comments

[Dave Edwards1917]

Found the comments on 'supporting democracy' a problem. Criticism suggested on this theme but then contents switched and further elaboration was not there.
[a] surely development of participation exposes the shadow of the actuality of democracy under capitalism
[b] greater participation (in society and the workplace)is a form of a developing alternative, emerging out of the current society.
[c] lack of participation and power in society and the workplace brings to the sword edge social relations in society

[Robert Allen]

Wrote this on my blog as a note to self, although an imprecise note, "flip side" seems inaccurate: Listening to Jodi Dean discuss the "communist horizon" I had an epiphany about my recent epiphany concerning my melancholy vis a vis my financials etc. Previously I'd concluded that my humiliations and failures over a lifetime were not CHARACTER DEFECTS and I took comfort in the knowledge I have done the best I can and I am better off than many who have much more to complain about. But I only had it half right: yes, there were no character defects, but newly, the melancholy is a function of the cult of individualism that I live and breathe in which is capitalist society! The jouissance of feeling ":better off" is the flip side of the built in ideological bias against the class of working masses-- the situation of myself as opposed to the social Other, the antithesis of the communist hypothesis which posits the subject as "part of no part", as integrally situated in a social whole, i.e. the 99 percent, the working, dispossessed exploited class.

[Jodi Dean]

Bob-- that it an important insight, a really crucial and original analysis. Thank you so much. I will likely use it somewhere --and give you credit. If you send me an email with your address, I will send you a copy of the new book (jdean at hws dot edu). (the melancholy is a function of the cult of individualism that I live and breathe in which is capitalist society! The jouissance of feeling ":better off" is the flip side of the built in ideological bias against the class of working masses-- the situation of myself as opposed to the social Other, the antithesis of the communist hypothesis which posits the subject as "part of no part", as integrally situated in a social whole, i.e. the 99 percent, the working, dispossessed exploited class.)