Hi Nathan
There are probably a number of places. But the best I know is a quote from
an interview i don't think is in English, and isn't in Dits et ecrits. It's
quoted by David Macey, The Lives of Michel Foucault, p. 365 ('Le gai savoir
II', Mec Magazine 6/7, Jul-Aug 1988, p.32).
I am advancing this term [pleasure] because it seems to me that it escapes
the medical and naturalistic connotations inherent in the notion of desire.
That notion has been used as a tool... a callibration in terms of normality:
'Tell me what your desire is and I will tell you who you are, whether you
are normal or not, and then i can qualify or disqualify your desire...' The
term 'pleasure' on the other hand is virgin territory, almost devoid of
meaning. There is no pathology of pleasure, no 'abnormal' pleasure. It is an
event 'outside the subject' or on the edge of the subject, within something
that is neither body nor soul, which is neither inside nor outside, in short
a notion which is neither ascribed nor ascribable.
I like this, but Freud refers to the Lustobjeckt of homosexuality - the
object that gives pleasure, so I'm not sure if Foucault is entirely correct
here.
BTW, it is usually plaisirs, pleasures... so the book The Use of Pleasure is
probably wrong.
Two related issues: someone mentioned a Judith Butler piece called 'The
Psychic Life of Power' - can you provide a reference please?
And Macey also quotes Foucault saying 'pleasure has no passport, no
identity' (p. 364). He suggests it's in the piece that was the introduction
to the Herculine Barbin book, but only in the French version. I can't find
it in either. Any ideas?
Thanks
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Nathan
Widder
Sent: 10 February 2000 22:17
To: foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: (no subject)
I was wondering if anyone out there could recall a place -- or, rather,
places, I'm sure there are many -- where Foucault makes the point in
about a sentence or two that we moderns have linked together desire and
truth and forgotten completely about pleasure? The passage I'm vaguely
recollecting was a rather casual statement, so I think it's from an
interview, but I can't seem to find it anywhere.
Thanks.
Nathan
n.e.widder@xxxxxxxxx
There are probably a number of places. But the best I know is a quote from
an interview i don't think is in English, and isn't in Dits et ecrits. It's
quoted by David Macey, The Lives of Michel Foucault, p. 365 ('Le gai savoir
II', Mec Magazine 6/7, Jul-Aug 1988, p.32).
I am advancing this term [pleasure] because it seems to me that it escapes
the medical and naturalistic connotations inherent in the notion of desire.
That notion has been used as a tool... a callibration in terms of normality:
'Tell me what your desire is and I will tell you who you are, whether you
are normal or not, and then i can qualify or disqualify your desire...' The
term 'pleasure' on the other hand is virgin territory, almost devoid of
meaning. There is no pathology of pleasure, no 'abnormal' pleasure. It is an
event 'outside the subject' or on the edge of the subject, within something
that is neither body nor soul, which is neither inside nor outside, in short
a notion which is neither ascribed nor ascribable.
I like this, but Freud refers to the Lustobjeckt of homosexuality - the
object that gives pleasure, so I'm not sure if Foucault is entirely correct
here.
BTW, it is usually plaisirs, pleasures... so the book The Use of Pleasure is
probably wrong.
Two related issues: someone mentioned a Judith Butler piece called 'The
Psychic Life of Power' - can you provide a reference please?
And Macey also quotes Foucault saying 'pleasure has no passport, no
identity' (p. 364). He suggests it's in the piece that was the introduction
to the Herculine Barbin book, but only in the French version. I can't find
it in either. Any ideas?
Thanks
Stuart
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Nathan
Widder
Sent: 10 February 2000 22:17
To: foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: (no subject)
I was wondering if anyone out there could recall a place -- or, rather,
places, I'm sure there are many -- where Foucault makes the point in
about a sentence or two that we moderns have linked together desire and
truth and forgotten completely about pleasure? The passage I'm vaguely
recollecting was a rather casual statement, so I think it's from an
interview, but I can't seem to find it anywhere.
Thanks.
Nathan
n.e.widder@xxxxxxxxx