RyanFalco ConstructYourself

Thematurationofanindividualfrombirthtoadulthooddependsnotonintrinsichuman qualitiesbutontheidentificationoftheindividualasapartofawhole.Lacanclearlyidentifies thisinthe"MirrorStage"whenhedescribestheevolutionfromthe"real"tothe"imaginary" underthesymbolicorder.InAlthusser's"IdeologicalStateApparatuses"heexploresthewayin whichexternalinfluencesasubjugationofthehumanexperience,impartingideasinthe individualofwhatitmeanstobehuman.In"AHistoryofSexuality"Foucaultidentifiesthatthe familyistheprimarysystemthroughwhichsexualityisconstructed.Lacan'sdescriptionofthe developingpsycheprovidesafoundationonwhichtheothertheoristsdemonstratehowan individualistransformedfromapersonintoasubjectthroughaconstructedsexualityandare influencedbybeliefsystemsinsociety. Inthebeginning,wewereallinfants,unawareofoursurroundings,incapableoftaking careofourselvesandwithoutathoughtofbeingapersonwejustwere.Asaninfantdevelops itbeginstorealizeitispartofanexternalreality.Lacanwouldarguethatthisrealizationstarts withadramaticintroductionof"theselftotheself"asseeninamirror.Hesays"wehaveonlyto understandthemirrorstageasandidentification,"describingthisphenomenonasaprocessof understandingthattheselfisdifferent,differentfromtheobjectsintheroomanddifferentfrom otherlivingbeings(Lacan1124).Hedescribesitas"arealityreduplicated,"whereinthechild canseethatitisabody,aseparateexistence,withinanenvironmentalreality(Lacan1123). Lacansapproachtounderstandingthematurationofayoungchildexaminesavarietyof influencesorpressures,throughwhichthechildmustnavigate.Thechildgoesthrougha transitionofbeing"precipitatedinaprimordialformbeforeitidentifieswiththeotherandbefore languageinstillsinitasenseofbeingasubject."Inadditiontoidentifyingwiththeother,the

childisalsoatastageofunderstandinglanguagewhichactsasacomponenttounderstanding itsreality. Thechildgoesthroughaprocesswhichdependson"egoverificationsandego defenses"(Lacan11241125).Thechildsegobeginstotesttheworldarounditdevelopingan awarenessofitselfunderconditionsoftherebeingothersaswellaslanguage.Inthisway,the childsimaginaryimageofitselfverifieswhatisacceptablebehavior.Itsegodefenses,which aredescribedasunconsciousreactionstoeventsthatillicitanxiety,stemfromthememoryof theeventanditsrepercussions(online).Itactstocontrolthechildsinstinctualthrustsand desireoftheother(Lacan1127)throughconsequenceoftestingwhatisunacceptable. Throughtheprocessofexperiencingtheimaginaryafterthereal,achildintegratesthetwo andbeginstoconstructsitsegoanditselfasahumanbeing. Thechildis,ofcourse,atthemercyofitsparentsanditsimmediatefamily.Foucault identifiesthatthe"parentsandrelativesbecamethechiefagentsofadeploymentofsexuality whichdrewitsoutsidesupportfromdoctors,educatorsandlaterpsychiatrists..."andargues thatitisthroughthisimmersioninthefamilythatachildunderstandsitselfasasexualbeing (Foucault1636).Althusserexplorestheinfluenceofideologyonhumanbeings.Obvious proponentsofasexualideologyincludedoctors,educatorsandpsychiatrists.Hesays,an ideologyalwaysexistsinanapparatus,anditspractice,orpractices(Althusser1266).Lacan putsrelatesthistoachildwhenhestatesthematurationof[thechilds]powerisgiventohim onlyas[apattern]"(Lacan1124).Thispatternisunderstoodthroughthepractice,orpractices oftheirfamily,afamilyinfluencedbyideologies.Thefamilialapparatushelpstheyoungchild understandtheappropriationofpower,orwhatitiscapableofdoing,becauseitobserves patternsinbehaviorsandactivities. Therelationshipbetweensexandbehaviorunderthetraditionalfamilyumbrellaisan apparentone:thereisadifferencebetweenbeingmaleandbeingfemale.Thereisverymucha

binarypresentintradition.Thisbinarycarrieswithitexpectationsofroles,behaviorsandsexual relationships.Thisisfurthercompoundedbyapatternderivedfromtheoutside,namely,the heteronormativeideologyinwhichmanyfamiliesandmanyinstitutionsofeducationandreligion operate.Theforegroundingexamplesarethatmenareonlysexuallyattractedtowomenand vicaversaandthatsexualrelationsareonlyhealthywithinamarriage.However,itisratherclear (seecontemporarytheory)thatthisisnotthecase. Althusserdescribesideologyas"a"representation"oftheimaginaryrelationshipof individualstotheirrealconditions"(Althusser1264).Byfollowinginstructionswhichare impressedbythe"ideologicalclaimholders,"theparentscontributetothedevelopmentofthe childsimaginaryreality.Inthemirrorstage,thechildsassertstheirrealitybyconstructingan internalorselfdefined"imaginary"throughthedissectionoftheexternal"imaginary,"theworld asitseems(Lacan1125).Thisworldisseenthroughthelensofthefamily. Unfortunately,thereareanumberofnegativeimplicationsthatcanresultfromthe constructionoftheimaginary.Aproblememergeswhenthe"real,"orwhatexistsintrinsically, conflictswiththeideologicallyconstructed"imaginary."Oneexampleispresentedinthe documentary"FortheBibleTellsMeSo"whereanumberofpersonalaccountsdetailhowbelief systemsinstilledbyreligionandeducationaffectedparents'relationshipstotheirchildren.A tragicstoryistoldfromtheperspectiveofamotherwhosechildidentifiesasalesbianin adulthood.Themotherdescribeshowherown"fundamentalist"upbringingencouragedherto haveherchildren"[go]toaconservativebiblebelievingchurcheverySunday."Whenher daughtercameoutasalesbianshereactedwithahurtfulresponsethatsaidshewould"never accept"herdaughter'slifestyle.Herdaughtercommittedsuicidefromthecontinuedpressureof beingalienatedforhavingan"unusual"sexuality."Ittookmydaughter'sdeathbeforeIstarted researchingthetopicofhomosexuality,"hermothersays(FortheBibleTellsMeSo). Withinthefilmandwithinthepresentpopulationmanyindividualshaveahardtime

"comingout"andlivingtheirlifestyleduetointernalizedfear.Thisfeardrawsfromtheir constructionsofidentitythroughtheprocessofestablishingegodefensesasayoungchild withintheirfamilies.They[blame]theself[inorderto]repressangertowardthetruesourceof theproblem,whileit[shieldingthemselves]againstretributionfromthatsamesource(online). Thesourceoftheirproblemis,inpart,theirfamilyandthepassingdownoftheheterosexual ideology.Thisideologyevenledsomeofthemtoliveheterocompulsorylifestyles,marrying despitealackofsexualattraction.Ontheotherhand,theirparentshadahardtimelearningto acceptthemforsimilarreasons,blamingthemselvesfornotbeinggoodparents.Through "comingout,"themajorityofparentsdecidedtorevisitwhattheythoughtwasrealand drasticallyredefineit.Thispositivelyimpactedthelivesofboththechildandtheparents.

Familiesareincrediblyimportanttopeople,whethertheirexperienceshavebeengoodor bad.Inalargebutrathersubtleway,thefamilyhasbecomeanobligatorylocusofaffects, feelings,loveitiswhereindividualslearntherulesofaffection(Foucault1635).Thefamily workswithinasystem,however,onewhichputspressureonhowfamiliesteachsexuality. Foucaultdescribesthedeploymentofsexualityasthedeploymentofallianceswhereby

groupswithsimilarinterestsdefinewhatisthepermittedandtheforbidden(Foucault1634). Incontrast,notallimplicationsofadoptingan"imaginary"realityarenegative,infact, somearearguablynecessary,evenintermsofsexuality.Inanotherdocumentary,"Whore's Glory,"avarietyofbrothelsindifferentcountriesareexamined.Manyofthesexworkersare girlsundertheageofeighteen.Manyofthemhavechildren.Somearedaughters.These daughtersarealmostguaranteedtolivealifeofpovertyasaprostitutesolelybasedontheir conceptofthe"imaginary."Thisconceptualizedrealityisunderstoodthroughtheirrelationshipto theirmotherandtheirrelatives,therestofthebrothel.Itisinterestingtonotethatthebehavior ofthesegirlswas,onthesurface,quitenormal.Theydidnotovertlyshowshameordisapproval forthethingsthattheydidpreciselybecausetheyexistedwithinanideologicalapparatuswhich functionedtomaketheindividualbehaveinsuchandsuchaway,adoptsuchandsucha practicalattitudeand,whatismore,participateincertainregularpractices...(Althusser1266). However,deepwithinthemwereemotionalcollapsesandonthesurfacetherewasadesireto escape.Theytestifiedaboutbothbutconsideredanewlifeimpossible(WhoresGlory.

Ifthesegirlslivedinadifferentsystem,adifferentsocietyorawellstructuredfamily,they wouldnotbeimprisonedintheimpossibilityofanonlythisexistence.Inthisway,adifferent imaginariesacttoprotectpeople. ContrarytoAlthussersgeneralmoodinIdeologicalStateApparatuses,ideologiescan havepositiveaspects.Hedescribesasubjectas[relating]tothoseconditionsofexistence whichisrepresentedtothemthereundertheumbrellaofanarrangementofideologies (Althusser1265).IfhebelievesinJustice[thesubject]willsubmitunconditionallytotherulesof theLaw...(Althusser1266).Justiceis,moreorlessdependingonwhichsystemofjusticea subjectfallsunder,apowerfulwayofcontrollingpeopleandtheirurgestoactinawaythatmay havenegativeeffectsonthemselves,othersandthesocietywithinwhichtheyoperate. Humanbeingsbegintheirlivessteepedinunconsciousdesires.Theyarerootedin biology,inbasicneedsandlearnagreatdealabouthowtobehavewithinthefamilyatavery youngage.Astheygrowolderandtheirfacultiesofintelligenceandphysicalitygrowandthey arecapableofdoingallkindsofthingstosatisfytheseneeds.Therearebenefitstoinstilling somecontroloverpeopleinanefforttopromotepositivebehaviors,behaviorsthatcontributeto society.Sometimes,theefforttocontrolpeopledoesnotresonatewiththetruthspeople recognizewithinthemselvestheycarryoutinternalfightsagainstwhatisconsideredacceptable ornormal.Moreoftenthanmostpeoplewouldlike,theefforttocontrolpeopleinvolvesa dominationandexploitationofthepeople(Althusser126465). Theeffectivesubjugationoftheindividualbeginsthemomentitnotestheotherasmore powerful.Itintegratesabeliefsystemthatallowsittofunctionwithingoodgraceoftheother. Whatisrealbecomesaconstructoftheimaginary.

WorksCited

Althusser,Louis.FromIdeologyandIdeologicalStateApparatuses.TheCritical Tradition:ClassicTextsandContemporaryTrends.Ed.DavidRichter.NewYork: St.MartinsPress,1989.12641272.Print. Foucalt,Michel.FromIdeologyandIdeologicalStateApparatuses.TheCritical Tradition:ClassicTextsandContemporaryTrends.Ed.DavidRichter.NewYork: St.MartinsPress,1989.16271636.Print. Lacan,Jacques.TheMirrorStageasFormativeoftheFunctionoftheIas RevealedinPsychoanalyticExperience.TheCriticalTradition:ClassicTextsand ContemporaryTrends.Ed.DavidRichter.NewYork:St.MartinsPress,1989. 11231128.Print. Juni,Samuel."TheDefenseMechanismsInventory:TheoreticalAndPsychometric Implications."CurrentPsychology17.4(1998):313.AcademicSearchPremier.Web.21 Apr.2013.

FortheBibleTellsMeSo.Dir.DanielG.Karslake.Perfs.GeneRobinson,Chrissy Gephardt,JakeReitan.FirstRunFeatures.2007.Film. WhoresGlory.Dir.MichaelGlawogger.LotusFilm.2011.Film