Why Theory

In this first episode in a series devoted to Lacan's seminars, Ryan and Todd lay out their reading of Seminar 1. They discuss Lacan's critique of alternative psychoanalytic practices and work through his initial understanding of the relationship between the imaginary and symbolic registers.

In this episode, Ryan and Todd analyze Walter Benjamin's famous essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." This dive into the concept of aura that Benjamin focuses on, and then they move to the relationship between fascism and art. They also explain the significance of the differences between the distinct versions of the essay.

In this special episode, Ryan and Todd debate two different conceptions of universality. Ryan locates universality in the quilting point, whereas Todd conceives of universality in terms of constitutive absence. They explore these different ideas alongside Slavoj Zizek's conception of universality as antagonism.

In this episode, Ryan and Todd define and explore the implications of interpassivity, a concept developed by Robert Pfaller and popularized by Slavoj Zizek. Through this discussion, they speculate on the possibility of interpassivity as a possible point of collectivization for the Left.

In this episode, Ryan and Todd discuss the Lacanian aphorism, "The big Other does not exist." They try to understand what Lacan means with the notion of big Other, contrasting it with symbolic order and ideology. Then they work out the relationship between time and the recognition of the big Other's nonexistence.

In this special episode, Ryan and Todd lay out the relationship between capitalism and racism. They argue for racism's link to capitalism and question the ability of capitalism to survive without it. They consider this relationship in light of the massive protest movement currently going on in the United States. References mentioned in the episode: National Bail Fund Network https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/nbfn-directory National Lawyers Guild https://www.nlg.org Red Library Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/red-library-a-political-education-podcast-for-todays-left/id1449392577 InForm https://inform.transistor.fm/s2/23 Machinic Unconscious Happy Hour https://soundcloud.com/podcast-co-coopercherry Revolutionary Left Radio https://revolutionaryleftradio.libsyn.com

In this episode of a continuing series on Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit, Ryan and Todd go over the three subsection of the Consciousness chapter: sense certainty, perception, and force and understanding. They move from a discussion of Hegel's clarity in sense certainty to his opacity in Force and Understanding. They contend that this last section of Consciousness represents one of the major moments in both Hegel's thought and in all of modern philosophy.

In this episode, Ryan and Todd trace the history and development of the Oedipus complex, as well as its relationship to the entirety of the psychoanalytic project. They question its centrality and discuss the merits of its continued importance.

In this episode, Ryan and Todd explore the concept of the missing signifier. Rooting this discussion in Alenka Zupancic's book What IS Sex?, they delve into the theoretical and political ramifications of the missing signifier. Following Zupancic, they argue that this signifier is the point of primary repression and marks where enjoyment forms in the social order.

In this episode, Ryan and Todd explore Ryan's concept of Zaddy fascism, a concept that focuses on the erotics of the fascist leader. They discuss the possibilities for conceiving of the difference between the fascist leader and the leftist alternative.