Lacan on the Capitalist Discourse: Its Consequences for Libidinal Enjoyment and Social Bonds

Abstract

Drawing together Lacan's statements about capitalist discourse, the author argues that it carries anti-social effects and brings about a regime that, in the end, revolves around a lack of libidinal enjoyment. The capitalist discourse would have an anti-social nature because it does not connect subjects to other subjects but entails connecting subjects to objects of libidinal enjoyment. However, the libidinal bond with the object appears to be deceitful because, in the end, the capitalist discourse installs a regime that is characterized by lack-of-enjoyment. Moreover, the subject can no longer be considered to occupy the position of an agent. In a capitalist discourse, it is not the subject that is in charge any more, but the libidinal object. Put differently, the subject is not exploited by the capitalist anymore, but by the objects of libidinal enjoyment. This will lead Lacan to say that, in a capitalist discourse, everybody is a proletarian.