How to Read Lacan would more aptly be named “Why read Lacan - 7 case studies of using Lacanian psychoanalysis for cultural and political critique”. This admittedly brilliant book is a wonderful exemplification of the benefits one can reap from Lacanian theory when examining the intricacies of our culture and politics, how they are influenced by our psychology and linguistics (”The symbolic order”), and our collective irrationality.
However, despite its brilliance, the book falls short of delivering on its titular promise—it will not teach you how to read Lacan. Indeed, to fully appreciate Žižek's analysis, a foundational understanding of Lacan’s concepts is essential. Readers would benefit from familiarizing themselves with key ideas such as the big Other (only one needed for this review 🙂), the Lacanian orders (the Real, the Symbolic, and the Imaginary), and the psychoanalytic triad of the Id, Ego, and Superego.
Each chapter of Žižek's book serves as a masterclass in applying Lacanian concepts to various cultural artifacts and political phenomena. For instance, in the chapter "Troubles with the Real: Lacan as a Viewer of Alien" Žižek demonstrates how Lacanian psychoanalysis can provide a unique perspective to the popular science fiction film, comparing the alien from Alien with the Lamella. Through such examples, Žižek showcases the applicability of Lacanian theory to contemporary cultural and political critique.
In another chapter, Žižek delves into the suicide note of a fundamentalist Islamist terrorist, offering a penetrating analysis of the phenomenon of fundamentalism. He contrasts it with both materialism and typical religious experiences, positing that, in many respects, the fundamentalist is a lesser believer than the typical adherent of religion. Both the fundamentalist and the materialistic atheist, he argues, sees the question of the existence of God as epistemological. However, the epistemology of fundamentalists is not centered around the pursuit of truth but rather around identifying causes for which individuals are willing to sacrifice their lives. Through this lens, fundamentalism emerges not as a quest for spiritual or existential truth but as a search for compelling, all-consuming causes.
Writing a review for a book like "How to Read Lacan" presents a challenge due to its lack of a singular, cohesive narrative. Rather than attempting to summarize the entire work, I will focus on presenting a single case study and discussing the overall experience of reading it.
In the second chapter of the book, "The Interpassive Subject: Lacan Turns a Prayer Wheel," Žižek explores the concept of interpassivity through the lens of Lacanian theory. He introduces this concept with the example of a prayer wheel, a cylindrical object used in Tibetan Buddhist tradition to aid meditation and prayer. Typically inscribed with or containing rolls of paper printed with the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum," the wheel is believed to offer the same spiritual benefits when spun as reciting the prayers aloud. Often, these wheels are designed to spin via wind, allowing the individual to “engage in passive prayer” while entertaining unrelated or even unholy / forbidden / sexual thoughts.
Žižek defines this phenomenon as interpassivity: the delegation of one's emotional or ritualistic engagement to an external object or agent, thereby allowing one to remain mentally disengaged. He contrasts this with interactivity, highlighting interpassivity as its passive counterpart. This concept, Žižek argues, manifests in various forms within popular culture, such as canned laughter in sitcoms, professional mourners at funerals, and the Greek chorus in ancient tragedies.
Why does this phenomenon occur? According to Žižek, the individual (whether praying, watching a sitcom, or engaging in another passive activity) projects their intimate feelings onto an abstract entity, the "big Other," which then prays, knows, and believes on their behalf. This mechanism is likened to an inverted detective story, where the audience know the perpetrator from the beginning, and the narrative unfolds as the detective gathers evidence. An example given is the series Columbo, in which the detective - not just the audience - also knows who the perpetrator is (unfortunately, I did not watch it).
Further, Žižek draws a parallel with the process of transference in psychoanalytic therapy, where the patient enters therapy harboring unconscious beliefs, convinced that the analyst already "knows" their secrets. This belief facilitates transference, allowing the truth to emerge not through empirical investigation on the part of the analyst but rather through natural interactions between them, following the patient's projection of knowledge onto the analyst.
Another instance of this phenomenon occurs in social situations where everyone in a group is aware of some "dirty detail" and knows that everyone else is aware of it. However, when someone inadvertently mentions it, everyone becomes embarrassed because the acknowledgment makes it clear that the "big Other" knows it, making it harder to pretend ignorance.
This idea also parallels the theological process where one begins with an authentic belief in God and in a specific tradition, and then becomes susceptible to proofs of the truth of their faith. Just as in psychoanalytic transference, where the patient believes the analyst "knows their secret," the believer externalizes their faith onto an authoritative figure, allowing the faith to be reinforced through perceived external validation.
While "How to Read Lacan" does not serve as a guide to understanding and reading Lacan, it excels in demonstrating the power and versatility of Lacanian theory. Through his exploration of cultural, political, and psychological phenomena, Žižek offers readers a unique lens through which to view the complexities of contemporary society.
Reading this book was not easy, but it was always engaging. I would not recommend it as a first introduction to Lacan. I am sure there are many intricacies I missed and might discover on a second reading. This book is recommended as supplementary reading if you are studying Lacan, especially for philosophical, cultural, and political theory purposes rather than for psychoanalytic practice.
It is a short book at around 140 pages and can be read quite quickly—if not for the intellectual labor required during the reading.
Length: 3/10
Joy of reading: 7/10