Judith Butler discusses the concept of self-defense, the individual sovereign subject, and the relevance of Sigmund Freud's essay. They explore the book 'The Force of Nonviolence' and its focus on developing a political ethos. They delve into the hidden web of dependency, violence in social and political frameworks, and the denial of grievability to certain populations.
Nonviolence should be viewed as a social philosophy and ethic, rooted in recognizing our fundamental interdependence.
The idealized self-interested individual in liberal political thought disregards the fundamental relations of dependency that shape every individual, highlighting the importance of acknowledging social bonds and dependency for understanding nonviolence as a practice.
Deep dives
A Philosophy of Nonviolence
In this podcast episode, Judith Butler discusses her book, The Force of Nonviolence, where she aims to offer a philosophy of nonviolence as a way of life. While tactics and strategies are important, she emphasizes the need to rethink ourselves as social creatures and our relationships to one another and the Earth. Butler argues that nonviolence should be seen as a social philosophy and an ethic, rooted in the recognition of our fundamental interdependence.
The Illusion of the Individual
Butler questions the notion of the individual in the context of self-defense, highlighting how it is historically limited to certain kinds of selves that are deemed worthy of defending. She also points out that the idealized self-interested individual in liberal political thought disregards the fundamental relations of dependency that shape every individual. Butler argues that the recognition of our dependency on others and the acknowledgment of social bonds are crucial for understanding the importance of nonviolence as a practice.
Violence, Individuation, and Equality
Butler examines how the idea of individuation, reinforced by societal norms, obscures the interdependency that underlies human existence. She contends that our material subsistence and the basic requirements of life depend on social relations and institutions. Butler stresses that violence undermines the social bonds that connect us and calls for the pursuit of radically egalitarian social relations. She discusses the complex relationship between violence, self-defense, and achieving a more just and equal society, cautioning against reproducing violence in the pursuit of social change.
Judith Butler joins me to discuss her new book, 'The Force of Nonviolence'. We spoke about how the concept of self-defence raises the question of what the individual sovereign subject is, how some populations are interpellated as grievable - whilst others are not - and finally we spoke about the relevance of Sigmund Freud's 1918 essay, 'Mourning and Melancholia' to a utopian, militantly nonviolent politics.
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