Zupančič: How to live a life worth living

Summary

In this video, Julian introduces Alena Zupan's book 'The Ethics of the Real,' exploring her argument on living an ethical life. Zupan critiques modernity's focus on pleasure and happiness, suggesting we're lost and depressed. She proposes a new ethical framework, the 'ethics of the real,' drawing on Kant and Freud, which views morality as an impossible choice that reveals our true desires. Julian plans a week-long deep dive into the book, aiming to help viewers find meaning and purpose in life.

Takeaways

• 📚 Alena Zupan's book 'The Ethics of the Real' is a philosophical exploration of how to live a good life, focusing on the ethical and moral aspects of existence.
• 🤔 Zupan questions the modern notion of living for pleasure and happiness, suggesting that this pursuit often leads to a sense of loss and lack of purpose.
• 🔄 She contrasts the contemporary desire for personal happiness with the traditional ethical imperative of living according to a higher moral law.
• 🧐 Zupan is influenced by Slavoj Žižek's ideas, particularly the concept of the 'decline of the master' and the search for a new ethical framework in a postmodern world.
• 🤨 The video discusses the 'double bind' of modern life, where people are caught between the desire for authority figures and the postmodern insistence on self-fulfillment.
• 🤓 Kant's ethical framework is highlighted as a break from traditional ethics, emphasizing the impossible nature of ethical decisions and the subjective freedom they require.
• 🚫 Zupan argues that traditional morality often involves suppressing desire, but Kant and Freud suggest that true desire is revealed through the confrontation with ethical impossibility.
• 🎭 The video uses the example of Batman in 'The Dark Knight' to illustrate how ethical choices can reveal true desires and lead to unexpected outcomes.
• 🔑 Zupan proposes a reconceptualization of ethics that recognizes the 'real' as already operative within it, focusing on the pleasure inherent in obligation and prohibition.
• 🌟 The ultimate goal of Zupan's argument is to help individuals find a meaningful life beyond the postmodern trap of alienation and nominal freedom.

Q & A

What is the main argument of Alena Zupan's book 'The Ethics of the Real'?

Alena Zupan's main argument in 'The Ethics of the Real' is to reframe the philosophical question of how to live a good life. She proposes a new conceptual framework for ethics that does not rely on the discourse of the master, aiming to address the modern dilemma of living for pleasure alone while seeking a life with meaning and purpose.

How does Alena Zupan relate her argument to Slavoj Žižek's philosophy?

Zupan's central argument is similar to that of Slavoj Žižek, suggesting that in modern times, we are told to live for pleasure and happiness, yet this leads to a decline in meaning and purpose. Both philosophers argue that there is a need for an ethical imperative beyond mere pleasure-seeking.

What does Zupan mean by the 'discourse of the master'?

The 'discourse of the master' refers to a traditional ethical framework where individuals are expected to live in accordance with sacred or natural laws. Zupan critiques this framework, arguing that it does not address the complexities of modern life and the search for meaning.

How does Zupan view the contemporary desire for a return to the master?

Zupan sees the contemporary desire for a return to the master as a reaction to the perceived lack of meaning in modern life. However, she argues that this is not a satisfactory solution, as it does not truly address the ethical and moral complexities of living a good life.

What is the 'ethics of the real' as described by Zupan?

The 'ethics of the real' is Zupan's term for an ethical framework that recognizes the inherent impossibility and complexity of ethical decisions. It is not about following a set of rules but about confronting the reality of our desires and the choices we make in the face of moral dilemmas.

How does Zupan's concept of ethics relate to Kantian ethics?

Zupan draws upon Kantian ethics to argue that morality is not about acting in correspondence with a predefined good but about making radically subjective decisions in the face of impossible choices. This aligns with Kant's notion of the moral law as a demand for the impossible.

What is the significance of desire in Zupan's ethical framework?

In Zupan's framework, desire is central to ethics. She argues that traditional ethics suppresses desire, but true ethics reveals our true desires, especially when faced with moral impossibilities. This confrontation with desire is essential for understanding our ethical choices.

How does Zupan suggest we find purpose and live fulfilled lives?

Zupan suggests that to find purpose and live fulfilled lives, we must first understand the 'ethics of the real' and the role of desire within it. By recognizing the pleasure within obligation and prohibition, we can identify a life worth living and set ourselves free from the postmodern trap of alienation.

What is the role of the 'impossible choice' in Zupan's ethical theory?

The 'impossible choice' is a central concept in Zupan's ethical theory. It represents the moment when we are confronted with a moral dilemma that we cannot resolve through traditional ethical frameworks, forcing us to make a subjective decision that reflects our true desires and values.

How does Zupan's argument relate to the contemporary search for happiness and self-fulfillment?

Zupan critiques the contemporary focus on happiness and self-fulfillment as superficial and lacking depth. She argues that true fulfillment comes from understanding and navigating the complexities of ethical choices, rather than simply seeking pleasure or adhering to self-help ideologies.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Alena Zupan's Ethical Framework

In this introductory paragraph, Julian sets the stage for a week-long exploration of Alena Zupan's book, 'The Ethics of the Real.' He proposes a close reading of the book, focusing on Zupan's essential argument about living a good life. Zupan, a Slovenian psychoanalytic theorist and philosopher, reframes the philosophical question of how to live ethically and morally in the modern context. Julian introduces the concept of a 'conceptual framework' for an ethics that resists the traditional 'discourse of the master.' He also mentions the similarity between Zupan's and Slavoj Žižek's arguments, suggesting that modernity has led to a decline in the master's discourse, leaving individuals lost and seeking a return to authority figures for guidance. Julian invites viewers to support his work through patronage and promises to explain these complex ideas in simpler terms throughout the video series.

05:02

🔄 Kantian Ethics and the Impossibility of Morality

This paragraph delves into the philosophical underpinnings of Alena Zupan's work, particularly her engagement with Immanuel Kant's ethics. Julian explains that traditional ethics are often seen as a guide for living in accordance with the good, following natural or sacred laws. However, Kant's approach to ethics is a departure from this, focusing on the 'impossible' nature of morality. Kant argues that morality is not about applying a set of ethical laws but about confronting impossible decisions that force individuals to make radically subjective choices. This leads to the idea that ethics is not just a framework for action but an acknowledgment of the fundamental impossibility of knowing how to act. Zupan builds on this by discussing the 'ethics of the real,' which is not about aligning with reality but recognizing how reality is already shaping our ethical decisions. Julian suggests that understanding this concept is crucial for Zupan's proposed new ethical framework.

10:04

🎭 The Ethics of the Real and Contemporary Dilemmas

In the final paragraph, Julian discusses the application of Zupan's 'ethics of the real' to contemporary life. He points out that modern individuals often feel lost and without a clear purpose, caught between the desire for authoritative guidance and the postmodern insistence on self-fulfillment. Zupan argues that to find a meaningful life, one must reconceptualize ethics to include the inherent pleasure within obligation and prohibition. Julian uses the example of Batman from 'The Dark Knight' to illustrate how ethical choices can reveal true desires, even when they seem impossible. He concludes by emphasizing the need to move beyond the superficial pursuit of happiness and to engage with the deeper, more complex aspects of ethics and morality. Julian invites viewers to join him for a week-long close reading of Zupan's book, promising to explore these ideas in greater depth.

Keywords

💡Ethics of the Real

The 'Ethics of the Real' refers to Alena Zupan's conceptual framework that challenges traditional ethical theories by focusing on the inherent impossibility and disruption in moral decisions. It suggests that ethics is not just about following rules but about confronting the real desires and choices that are often obscured by societal norms or the 'discourse of the master.' In the video, this concept is central to understanding how one might live a life that is both ethical and fulfilling, as it encourages a deeper examination of one's true desires and the moral choices that reflect them.

💡Discourse of the Master

The 'Discourse of the Master' is a term borrowed from psychoanalytic theory, referring to the authoritative voice or set of rules that dictate how individuals should behave. In the context of the video, it represents societal or cultural norms that prescribe a 'right' way to live, often leading to a suppression of individual desires. Zupan critiques this discourse, suggesting that modern ethical living requires moving beyond it to engage with the 'Ethics of the Real' and to recognize the authentic desires and moral dilemmas individuals face.

💡Modernity

In the video, 'Modernity' is discussed as a period characterized by a decline in traditional ethical frameworks and an increase in individualism. It is associated with a shift from living for collective or transcendent values to seeking personal pleasure and happiness. The speaker argues that this shift has left many feeling lost and without a clear purpose, highlighting a crisis in modern ethical living that Zupan's work aims to address.

💡Alienation

Alienation, as mentioned in the script, refers to the feeling of disconnection and lack of purpose that many individuals experience in modern society. It is linked to the decline of traditional ethical frameworks and the rise of individualistic pursuits of happiness. The video suggests that this alienation is a symptom of the failure of both the 'Discourse of the Master' and the postmodern emphasis on personal pleasure to provide meaningful ethical guidance.

💡Pleasure

Pleasure in the video is contrasted with ethical living, suggesting that the pursuit of personal pleasure alone is insufficient for leading a meaningful life. It is associated with the decline of the 'Discourse of the Master' and the rise of individualism in modernity. The speaker argues that true ethical living involves confronting the impossible choices that reveal our deepest desires, which may not always align with immediate pleasure.

💡Impossibility

The concept of 'Impossibility' in the video relates to the idea that true ethical decisions often involve choices that are not clear-cut or easy to make. It is used to describe the nature of moral dilemmas where there is no obvious 'right' action, and individuals must confront their desires and the ethical implications of their choices. This concept is central to Zupan's 'Ethics of the Real,' which emphasizes the importance of recognizing and navigating these complex moral landscapes.

💡Kantian Ethics

Kantian Ethics, named after the philosopher Immanuel Kant, is referenced in the video as a break from traditional ethical theories that focus on the distribution of the good. Kant's ethics emphasize the moral law and the 'categorical imperative,' which requires individuals to act according to principles that could be universally applied. The video suggests that Kant's approach to ethics introduces an element of impossibility, as it demands actions that may not align with personal desires or interests.

💡Freudian

The term 'Freudian' in the video refers to the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud, particularly his concepts of the id, ego, and superego. Freud's ideas are used to discuss how traditional ethics may suppress desires (the id) in favor of moral obligations (the superego). Zupan's work is said to have a 'Freudian lean' in the sense that it acknowledges the role of desire in ethical decision-making and the complexity of navigating moral choices.

💡Postmodernism

Postmodernism is mentioned as a cultural and intellectual movement that reacts against grand narratives and fixed truths. In the video, it is associated with the rejection of traditional ethical frameworks and the embrace of individualism and personal pleasure. The speaker critiques postmodernism for leading to a superficial understanding of happiness and a lack of meaningful ethical guidance.

💡Authentic Desire

Authentic Desire, as discussed in the video, refers to an individual's true wants and needs that may be hidden or obscured by societal expectations or the 'Discourse of the Master.' Zupan's 'Ethics of the Real' seeks to uncover and engage with these authentic desires as part of the ethical process, suggesting that true ethical living involves recognizing and acting upon these deeper, often unconscious, drives.

Highlights

Julian proposes a close reading of Alena Zupan's book 'The Ethics of the Real'.

Zupan's essential argument is to rephrase the philosophical question of how to live a good life.

The goal is to outline a conceptual framework for an Ethics that refuses to be based on the discourse of the master.

Zupan's central argument is similar to Slavoj Zizek's, focusing on the decline of the discourse of the master in modernity.

Modernity is characterized by a pursuit of pleasure and happiness, which leads to a sense of loss and depression.

Zupan suggests we are stuck in a double bind between a desire for authority and the postmodern imperative to live for ourselves.

A new ethical framework is proposed to help find purpose and live a fulfilling life.

Zupan emphasizes the importance of returning to Kantian ethics, specifically with a Freudian lean.

Kant's ethics focus on the impossible, where morality is a demand for the impossible.

Ethics is seen as a disturbance in the smooth course of events, reflecting our uncertainty about how to act.

Zupan argues that the ethics of the real is about recognizing the real as it is already operative in ethics.

Ethics revolves around desire, not the forgoing of it, which is a traditional philosophical perspective.

The ethical choice reveals our true desire, even when faced with the backdrop of prohibition and ethical maxim.

Zupan uses the example of Batman in 'The Dark Knight' to illustrate the impossibility of ethical choices.

The ethics of the real can help us regain a life worth living and set ourselves free from the postmodern trap.

Julian invites viewers to join a week-long close reading of each chapter of 'The Ethics of the Real'.

Transcripts

hello and good morning everybody it's me

Julian today I would like to propose

that we engage in a close reading of

Alena Zupan's book the ethics of the

real in fact for the remainder of the

week I would like to talk about each of

these chapters in successive order but

today I want to start with her essential

argument which is to rephrase an age-old

philosophical question namely how do you

live a good life how do we live in a way

that corresponds with the good how can

we lead an ethical and moral life that

is essentially Zupan's question in this

book and her goal is to outline what she

calls a conceptual framework for an

Ethics which refuses to be an Ethics

based on the discourse of the master and

that's what I'm going to try to explain

here in simple terms and hopefully this

can be helpful to you either in your own

study and learning or perhaps more

generally in your life and your

contemplations on how to live well first

of all thank you to everybody watching

today and if you'd like to download my

ebooks as well as my lectures and

private seminars please do consider

becoming a

patron so Alena zupanic if you didn't

know already is a Slovenian

psychoanalytic theorist and philosopher

and her Central argument is very similar

to that of slavo zek who is perhaps

slightly better known in fact one could

summarize her basic argument as follows

she writes or as I summarize her

argument she proposes that in modern

times we don't know what to live for we

are told that we live to enhance our

pleasure and seek happiness we are free

although only nominally so which is to

say we are free to the extent that we

are willing to sell our labor and our

time lol's position is that modernity

ushers in a decline of the discourse of

the master like n's last man we live for

pleasure alone and yet for Lon there is

no pleasure possible without the ethical

imperative of the master essentially

what that means is that in today's day

and age we don't know what to live for

we are told that the highest ethical

goal is to live for ourselves to seek

our own happiness and our own pleasure

and yet in a sense we're more lost than

never before we're more depressed it's

harder to find something worth living

for something that gives us meaning and

purpose in fact one might paraphrase

juvenile's uh well-known verse as

zupanic does that we lose for the sake

of living all that makes life worth

living or to paraphrase claudell the

only thing worse than dying is to lose

one's reason to live essentially that's

the state of things as zupanic describes

it the modern alienated lost and

depressed subject who is free and yet

paralyzed who does not know what to do

with themselves and therefore is looking

for a return to the master someone who

can tell them how to live who can help

them along the way in fact Zupan's basic

argument is that we are stuck in a

double bind between a popular desire to

return to a figure of Parental Authority

a discourse of the master be it a

strongman politician be it a figure of

Parental Authority It Like Jordan

Peterson or other self-help gurus versus

the postmodern imperative to Simply live

for ourselves to follow no ideology to

Simply enhance our pleasure to optimize

our body and our mind to be productive

and to perform being happy for others

and she says amidst this trap this

double bind of a return to the master

versus making yourself the ultimate

master not neither of which are

satisfactory Solutions against this

double bind this postmodern trap we have

to propose a new ethical framework and

what I'm going to try to do in the

remainder of this video is to lay out

the basic components of her introduction

and the argument that she makes so how

do we lay out a new ethical framework

that allows us to find purpose and live

in a way that makes us feel fulfilled

and content well for zupanic the most

important thing is that we go back to

considering Canan ethics but not just

Conan ethics but specifically if you

will a Freudian leanian conception of

contient Ethics now why Kant and why

morality first of all from a traditional

classical perspective the age-old

philosophical question is how does one

lead a good life which to say the

ethical question is about the

distribution of the good what does it

mean to act in a way that is good and

thereby to create a world that is a

reflection of the good morality is here

usually seen as the possibility or the

obligation of the individual subject to

live in accordance with the good

essentially it's a reified version of

the discourse of the master which is to

say that a good life is to follow sacred

or natural laws and if you live in

correspondence with them you will lead a

good life in fact this is part of the

Contemporary popular desire for a return

to the master when it comes in the guise

of saying that we are unhappy because we

no longer live in harmony with nature

Etc here we essentially personify nature

in a classicist

sense however Zanes argues that Kant

stages a break with traditional ethics

the conent ethical framework doesn't

focus on ethics as about the

distribution of the good or the

possibility or the imperative of acting

in correspondence with the good instead

Kant inverses the ethical frame inverses

the ethical framework by emphasizing The

Impossible in fact from a strictly

contient perspective morality is the

demand for the impossible this works on

two levels on one level we don't really

know what the master wants from us cont

essentially Hyster azes the subject

which to say says we don't truly know

what God wants or needs from us this

means that we have to act in

correspondence with what we believe God

would ideally want us to do this is a

strictly speaking theological problem of

course but Kant also applies this to

ethics and Morality In general for K

morality is not simply the application

of the individual particular will

according to an ethical law instead

ethics is that which confronts us with

an impossible decision by which our very

impossibility of knowing how to act

confronts us with the moral or to put

that a little bit less densely K

essentially argues that morality is when

we don't know how to act when we are

confronted with an impossible choice

that reflects back onto us not only the

precarity of our own ethical positions

and maxims but precisely it forces us to

make a radically subjective free

decision as to how to act

this is why Zanes argues that perhaps

the most precise definition of the

ethical is that it is quote unquote that

which in relation to the smooth course

of events as governed by the reality

principle ethics is ethics always

appears as something excessive as a

disturbing interruption in other words

ethics and precisely morality as an

impossible choice is what disrupts our

seeming certainty about how the world

works about how we ought to act

therefore the ethical isn't simply an AR

priori framework that governs our

actions but is precisely the name of a

certain fundamental impossibility that

we don't know how to act that we don't

know what we want versus what we ought

to do this is what zupanic drawing upon

Lon refers to as the ethics of the real

and she says that one of the key

conceptual arguments that she wants to

make is that the ethics of the real is

not an Ethics oriented towards the real

but instead recognizing the real as it

is already operative in ethics so how is

the real already operative in

ethics well essentially she says that

LA's the first to articulate the real

within the content ethical system namely

that ethics isn't about forgoing desire

but that ethics secretly revolves around

desire so how does this work well from a

traditional classicist philosophical

perspective the ethical imperative which

becomes a moral One For The Individual

subject is to put aside your desire

essentially you don't act upon your

desire so that you do the right thing

this is why Freud already argued in what

zones characterizes as a blow of

disillusionment opopo Ethics Freud

already argued that the categorical

imperative the moral law was nothing

other than the super ego namely that

which you ought to do as long as you put

aside your ID your desire what you

really want this is the classical

framework of Ethics you do the right

thing which means you don't do the thing

you want to do Kant problematizes this

by saying that it is only the ethical

that reveals to us our true desire it is

only when faced with the impossibility

of morality that we really realize what

we want this has two consequences on the

one hand it means that there is a

perverse pleasure within the moral and

ethical position which is to say I don't

have to make a choice I simply do what I

am told we submit to the discourse of

the master in the ethical like the

prison guard who says that he was simply

carrying out orders this is not merely

an excuse this is an obfuscation of the

secret and perverse desire that exists

within making oneself subject to the

discourse of the master but secondly and

perhaps more importantly for Lal we only

actualize our desire against this

backdrop of both prohibition and ethical

Maxim an example that I like to use is

from the Batman movie um The Dark Knight

in which Batman faces an impossible

Choice does he rescue his love interest

or does he rescue um Harvey Dent no is

it yeah Harvey Dent now what's crucial

in the sequence in the film is that

Batman chooses his love interest and yet

the Joker has already anticipated this

and reversed their locations therefore

Batman who believes that he is rescuing

his loved one ends up fulfilling his

duty and rescuing Harvey Dent this leads

us to the very pessimistic conclusion of

the film a kind of noble lie in which

Batman realizes that in order to uphold

the ideological illusion of Gotham as a

place of Justice he himself must become

the villain therefore inverting his own

identity it's a beautiful dialectical

sequence and yet from a lanan

perspective it is precisely this

impossibility of the ethical choice that

reveals Batman's true desire namely not

simply rescuing Rachel but precisely to

be the shunned one the excessive element

that must stand outside and against

Gotham's

identity now to return to the original

argument remember we said that one of

the problems of contemporary modern life

life is that we don't know how to live

we don't know what it means to identify

a life that is worth living and Zupan's

basic argument which I would like to

explore uh throughout this week in a

day-by-day close reading of the

remainder of This Book Is that in order

to determine how to live we must first

understand and return to a conceptual

framework of the ethics of the real

which is to say not simply to observe

ethics as the discourse of the master

telling us what to do 10 easy steps to

live a better life the temptation of

self-help and the self-help isation of

philosophy but also not simply to give

in to the post-modern lie that we live

to be happy that we live to be the best

version of ourselves instead we have to

identify the pleasure that lies within

obligation and prohibition but also how

we might free ourselves from this false

pleasure the false pleasure the perverse

pleasure of submitting ourselves to the

master therefore zupanic argues that a

reconceptualization of what she calls

the ethics of the real can help us

identify not only how to regain a life

worth living but perhaps also to

properly set ourselves free so as to no

longer just be nominally so to go beyond

the postmodern trap of alienated life

that is zup panic's argument in the

ethics of the real uh and if you'd like

to learn more about this for the next

week I'm going to be engaged in a

day-by-day reading of each chapter with

you I hope that has been helpful in your

own studies and I will see you tomorrow

and please don't forget to become a

patron