Ramblings of an Anonymous Coward

Lacan't Be True

When asked to do -- the do I do is think. More often than not, I over think and begin to question my own thoughts, motives, and feelings eventually finding myself questioning reality itself in the end. It's times like these that some of the strangest things catch my attention and forces my mind to take them into consideration. For example hearing about Lacan and his views on fantasies...

You get Lacan's point. Fantasies have to be unrealistic because the moment, the second you get what you seek, you don't, you can't want it any more. In order to continue to exist, desire must have it's objects perpetually absent. It's not the it you want, it's the fantasy of it. So desire supports crazy fantasies.

This is what Pascal means when he says that "we are only truly happy when daydreaming about future happiness". Or why we say the hunt is sweeter than the kill. Or be careful what you wish for. Not because you'll get it, because you are doomed not to want it once you do.

So the lesson of Lacan is... living by your wants will never make you happy. What it means to be fully human is to strive to live by ideas and ideals and not to measure your life by what you've attained in terms of your desires, but those small moments of integrity, compassion, rationality, even self-sacrafice. Because in the end, the only way we can measure the value of our own lives is by valuing the lives of others.

On the bright side, I do believe I have a sense of humor on the matter which can sometimes be interpreted or personalized much in the same way as such writings. My first thought when reading Lacan's view -- "Lacan't be true"! Sometimes I just crack myself up. Other times, I just crack. And with that said, I'm done, for the moment, thinking about Lacan, Freud, and others that have opinions about my fucked up mind.

Posted by ac at August 27, 2003 12:21 PM