DEATH DRIVE / ŽIŽEKIAN MASTERCLASS (5)

This Masterclass focuses on the concept of DEATH DRIVE, a concept Žižek attempts to treat with philosophical rigour in order to further develop the original Freudian notion. The concept of Death Drive is meant to articulate the motion of subjectivity which breaks from or transcends the pleasure principle. The death drive is seen on the level of the id and must be integrated in order to achieve an alignment with pure potential and to develop a free identity. Such an integration and alignment can paradoxically be enacted through the repetition of painful-traumatic experiences and an avoidance of simple pleasures.

Contact:

[helenachase]

I was lead here through Otto Kernberg's lecture on the death drive . Studying this is becoming a bit of an obsession for me lately as all roads seem to be leading me here. Thanks for the video ! It's a bit confusing to hear Kernberg's version as opposed to Zizek's and I don't really "get it " but I must investigate. It seems to be a bit of a missing link for me in processing my childhood trauma.. Thanks again

[kaimustakoski]

Thanks for the vids. It would be awesome if you could do exactly similar videos with similar lenght of Lacan and Hegel concerning their concepts that are crucial to understand Žižek's Less Than Nothing. (Also, a video that woud combine Badio, Kant, Fichte, Schelling, Demokritos and all the rest's most important concepts that Žižek uses in his works. In any case, thanks a lot for the vids.

[folaolakunbi]

I think you helped me understand the death drive better

[AB-okhu]

I deeply hold the idea that Western Philosophy is really compatible with Eastern Philosophy.

How is Thanatos non-dualistic if Eros is its opposit? One cannot exist without the other.

Dualism always brings conflict and suffering. This is what Buddhism teaches (Desire is the root of suffering. Pleasure is the root of desire and desire the root of Displeasure).

There seems to be a metaphysical principle of dualism within the eternal ID or unconscious (Eros/Thanatos). And within the Ego (I/Non-I, I/Other, Past/Future, Pleasure/Displeasure).

Non-dualism, or individuation is what brings the Real into existence within the Subject. The neutralization of all possible polarities within the psyche.

The Real is non-dualistic. All at once. Both sides being integrated as the same. There are no differences between one opposite and the other.

Within Chinese Medicine, the death drive seems to be associated with a disruption within the meridian flow of energy (any of the major ones). Once your meridian flow is fixed, most of your destructive energy is banished from your psyche at that moment in time (until another disruption ocurrs).

Once you are able to identify the disruptions you can bring yourself into balance (I healed tons of destructive behaviors thru working with meridians).

[lastruebeliever]

Some useful stuff here but the idea that being-in-the-world is a ‘will core’ is simply wrong.