You say that at the heart of capitalism is insatiable desire (leading the viewer to expect a critique of capitalist desire) but then you attribute to Lacan the hypothesis that desire is always already insatiable. Does it not therefore follow that we should choose capitalism as the (dis)order that gives the essential insatiability of desire its authentic free rein?
Thanks for the feedback and good point! You really got me thinking there. IMO, the success of capitalist economies can be, to some degree, attributed to this insatiable desire. So, although I think consumerism is a false solution for this insatiable desire, at the same time, I cannot say definitely what the true solution is: maybe it's a buddhist withdrawal from desire? or maybe it could be that focusing on health and relationships is a good alternative to buying things (It might be more fulfilling, while not fully satisfying the objet petit a), or it could be simply accepting the fact that desire cannot be satisfied while living your life as you normally would?
@@Philautist I would be interested to hear more about how Lacanian Buddhism might play out. Also, if you can dig out something that Lacan says that specifically addresses desire under capitalism, as opposed to some eternal order of always already frustrated desire, that would help. I have my doubts how a psychoanalytic approach focussed on infantile phenomena can do justice to the extent to which desires are manufactured under capitalism - a phenomenon that, arguably, even Marx was a bit too early in the game to appreciate. Illich, for instance, was satisfied with the cassette recorder. He considered it a convivial tool and folks could start sharing their knowledge with it and instigating grassroots change. It was not some unresolved infantile complex that cut short that satisfaction.
Really nice point. However, It also should be taken into account that capitalism doesnt embody the desire of man fully. In the movie, it gives a person desires and a path they SHOULD follow, big television and whatnot, without catering to the individual, either because capitalism has failed in its quest to free the individual, or because it never wanted to do that in the first place. So, on that basis it shouldnt be followed i think.
If Renton was a philosopher, I hope for his sake he goes beyond that. Saying “desires will never be satisfied, therefore life is shit; besides, I'm much better than these normies” was already a cliché in philosophy 2500 years ago, in addition to being the kind of thinking that all teenagers do.
May be one of the most pretentiously wrongheaded and potentially harmful videos I have come across lately. Basing the phrase "choose life", which had deep and positive connotations on a specific context from a movie makes no sense. Desire is appetite and having a healthy appetite is a good thing. Like many things it has to be balanced and when it's out of control it becomes something else. At the other extreme lack of desire leads to apathy. Having desires extend beyond the most basic needs may fuel curiosity and lead to progress and development. Not to mention that people have different needs. And then the video goes on two question a baby's behavior, one of the purest and most natural things, and presenting it as demanding, all while not even recognizing naturalness and the miracle of breastfeeding.
lol "the miracle of breastfeeding!" I spit my tea while reading that. My opinion. You live and then you die. Don't get caught up in desires, find whats important and find balance like you said. How is this video dangerous though in your opinion?
@@thespicyonion3362 You don't understand how a video with a title "Don't choose life" can be harmful, especially when projected onto a wide audience? Harmful, not dangerous. Or that lack of desire, in the real world, is usually exemplified by apathy and not contentment? How the relationship between newborn and parent, which is foundational, when view through the contrived prism of baby being demanding completely misses out on the fulfillment brought by the bond to the parent? This is different from stoicism and being pro contentment, things that may carry a lot of value. Your take on things seems nihilistic and it's something I doubt would practically benefit anyone.
Smart Desire is endlessly wanting something you don't need Focus on health And enough wealth to stay healthy Then help others get there rather than spending extra time and money on materialism
Great video, but was taken wildly out of context. The context here is to choose life in comparison to choose drug. Love your video essay style regardless.
People that "enslaved" you are better, smarter, stronger and overall far above you with knowledge and legacy they have accumulated over the centuries... So why bother swimming upstream? Let it go.
You say that at the heart of capitalism is insatiable desire (leading the viewer to expect a critique of capitalist desire) but then you attribute to Lacan the hypothesis that desire is always already insatiable. Does it not therefore follow that we should choose capitalism as the (dis)order that gives the essential insatiability of desire its authentic free rein?
Thanks for the feedback and good point! You really got me thinking there. IMO, the success of capitalist economies can be, to some degree, attributed to this insatiable desire. So, although I think consumerism is a false solution for this insatiable desire, at the same time, I cannot say definitely what the true solution is: maybe it's a buddhist withdrawal from desire? or maybe it could be that focusing on health and relationships is a good alternative to buying things (It might be more fulfilling, while not fully satisfying the objet petit a), or it could be simply accepting the fact that desire cannot be satisfied while living your life as you normally would?
@@Philautist I would be interested to hear more about how Lacanian Buddhism might play out. Also, if you can dig out something that Lacan says that specifically addresses desire under capitalism, as opposed to some eternal order of always already frustrated desire, that would help. I have my doubts how a psychoanalytic approach focussed on infantile phenomena can do justice to the extent to which desires are manufactured under capitalism - a phenomenon that, arguably, even Marx was a bit too early in the game to appreciate. Illich, for instance, was satisfied with the cassette recorder. He considered it a convivial tool and folks could start sharing their knowledge with it and instigating grassroots change. It was not some unresolved infantile complex that cut short that satisfaction.
Really nice point. However, It also should be taken into account that capitalism doesnt embody the desire of man fully. In the movie, it gives a person desires and a path they SHOULD follow, big television and whatnot, without catering to the individual, either because capitalism has failed in its quest to free the individual, or because it never wanted to do that in the first place. So, on that basis it shouldnt be followed i think.
If Renton was a philosopher, I hope for his sake he goes beyond that. Saying “desires will never be satisfied, therefore life is shit; besides, I'm much better than these normies” was already a cliché in philosophy 2500 years ago, in addition to being the kind of thinking that all teenagers do.
So what's the solution
@@mediadump1942 The solution to life? I don't know. It's possible there isn't one. Some claim to know.
May be one of the most pretentiously wrongheaded and potentially harmful videos I have come across lately. Basing the phrase "choose life", which had deep and positive connotations on a specific context from a movie makes no sense.
Desire is appetite and having a healthy appetite is a good thing. Like many things it has to be balanced and when it's out of control it becomes something else. At the other extreme lack of desire leads to apathy. Having desires extend beyond the most basic needs may fuel curiosity and lead to progress and development. Not to mention that people have different needs.
And then the video goes on two question a baby's behavior, one of the purest and most natural things, and presenting it as demanding, all while not even recognizing naturalness and the miracle of breastfeeding.
lol "the miracle of breastfeeding!" I spit my tea while reading that. My opinion. You live and then you die. Don't get caught up in desires, find whats important and find balance like you said. How is this video dangerous though in your opinion?
@@thespicyonion3362 You don't understand how a video with a title "Don't choose life" can be harmful, especially when projected onto a wide audience? Harmful, not dangerous.
Or that lack of desire, in the real world, is usually exemplified by apathy and not contentment? How the relationship between newborn and parent, which is foundational, when view through the contrived prism of baby being demanding completely misses out on the fulfillment brought by the bond to the parent?
This is different from stoicism and being pro contentment, things that may carry a lot of value. Your take on things seems nihilistic and it's something I doubt would practically benefit anyone.
Cant believe this video is only shy of 6k views.
Anyhow, gr8 work and well put together in only 6 mins.
Nice vdo essay
Smart
Desire is endlessly wanting something you don't need
Focus on health
And enough wealth to stay healthy
Then help others get there rather than spending extra time and money on materialism
This also explains the brutal and extreme imbalance between men and women in desire/need for eachother.
1:13 It is the same under socialism and fascism.
Great video, but was taken wildly out of context. The context here is to choose life in comparison to choose drug. Love your video essay style regardless.
I have very little, no kids no high paying job, few friends, and no furniture = feck life is GOOD!
i loved this
good
Amazing, more of this kind of thing please
Great video man, keep going
Well said
People that "enslaved" you are better, smarter, stronger and overall far above you with knowledge and legacy they have accumulated over the centuries...
So why bother swimming upstream? Let it go.
Unnecessary annoying subtitles
I won't put them in my other videos, thanks for the feedback
Disagree