Otherness

Surgery

W i t h m o d e r n i t y , w e e n t e r t h e age o f t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e O t h e r . T h e a i m i s n o
l o n g e r t o kill t h e O t h e r , d e v o u r it, s e d u c e it, vie w i t h it, love i t o r h a t e it, b u t , i n
t h e first i n s t a n c e , t o p r o d u c e it. T h e O t h e r i s n o l o n g e r a n o b j e c t o f passion, b u t a n
o b j e c t o f p r o d u c t i o n . P e r h a p s , i n its radical o t h e r n e s s o r its i r r e d u c i b l e singularity,
t h e O t h e r has b e c o m e d a n g e r o u s o r u n b e a r a b l e , a n d its s e d u c t i v e p o w e r has t o b e
e x o r c i z e d ? O r p e r h a p s , q u i t e simply, o t h e r n e s s a n d t h e d u a l r e l a t i o n progressively
disappear w i t h t h e rise o f i n d i v i d u a l values a n d t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f s y m b o l i c ones?
T h e fact r e m a i n s t h a t o t h e r n e s s d o e s c o m e to be in s h o r t s u p p l y a n d , if we are not
to live otherness as destiny, the other has to be produced imperatively as difference. T h i s goes
for t h e w o r l d as m u c h as for t h e b o d y , sex a n d social relations. It is to escape t h e
w o r l d as destiny, t h e b o d y as destiny, sex ( a n d t h e o p p o s i t e sex) as destiny, t h a t t h e
p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e o t h e r a s difference w i l l b e i n v e n t e d . F o r e x a m p l e , sexual differe n c e : e a c h sex w i t h its a n a t o m i c a l a n d p s y c h o l o g i c a l characteristics, w i t h its o w n
desire a n d all t h e irresolvable c o n s e q u e n c e s t h a t ensue, i n c l u d i n g t h e i d e o l o g y of sex
a n d t h e Utopia o f a difference b a s e d b o t h i n r i g h t a n d i n n a t u r e . N o n e o f this has
any m e a n i n g in s e d u c t i o n , w h e r e it is a q u e s t i o n n o t of desire b u t of a g a m e w i t h

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desire, a n d w h e r e i t i s a q u e s t i o n n o t o f t h e e q u a l i t y o f t h e sexes o r t h e a l i e n a t i o n
o f t h e o n e b y t h e o t h e r , since g a m e - p l a y i n g involves a perfect r e c i p r o c i t y o f p a r t n e r s ( n o t difference a n d a l i e n a t i o n , b u t o t h e r n e s s a n d c o m p l i c i t y ) . S e d u c t i o n i s a s
far f r o m hysteria a s c a n b e . N e i t h e r o f t h e sexes projects its sexuality o n t o t h e
o t h e r ; t h e distances are g i v e n ; o t h e r n e s s is i n t a c t - it is t h e v e r y c o n d i t i o n of t h a t
h i g h e r illusion t h a t is play w i t h desire.
H o w e v e r , w i t h t h e c o m i n g o f t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y a n d R o m a n t i c i s m , a masculine hysteria c o m e s i n t o play a n d w i t h it a c h a n g e in t h e s e x u a l p a r a d i g m , w h i c h
w e m u s t o n c e again situate w i t h i n t h e m o r e g e n e r a l , universal f r a m e w o r k o f t h e
change in the paradigm of otherness.
I n this hysterical phase, i t was, s o t o speak, t h e f e m i n i n i t y o f m a n w h i c h p r o j e c t e d itself o n t o w o m a n a n d s h a p e d h e r a s a n ideal figure i n his i m a g e . I n
R o m a n t i c love, t h e a i m was n o t n o w t o c o n q u e r t h e w o m a n , t o s e d u c e h e r , b u t t o
create h e r f r o m t h e inside, to i n v e n t h e r , in s o m e cases as a c h i e v e d Utopian v i s i o n ,
as i d e a l i z e d w o m a n , in o t h e r s as jemme jatale, as star - a n o t h e r hysterical, s u p e r n a t ural m e t a p h o r . T h e R o m a n t i c E r o s can b e c r e d i t e d w i t h h a v i n g i n v e n t e d this ideal
o f h a r m o n y , o f l o v i n g fusion, this ideal o f a n a l m o s t i n c e s t u o u s f o r m o f t w i n
b e i n g s t h e w o m a n a s projective r e s u r r e c t i o n o f t h e same, w h o assumes h e r s u p e r natural f o r m o n l y as ideal of t h e same, an artefact d o o m e d h e n c e f o r t h to Vamour ox,
in o t h e r w o r d s , to a p a t h o s of t h e ideal r e s e m b l a n c e of b e i n g s a n d sexes - a p a t h e t i c
c o n f u s i o n w h i c h s u b s t i t u t e s for t h e d u a l o t h e r n e s s o f s e d u c t i o n . T h e w h o l e
m e c h a n i c s o f t h e erotic c h a n g e s m e a n i n g , for t h e erotic a t t r a c t i o n w h i c h p r e v i o u s l y
arose o u t o f o t h e r n e s s , o u t o f t h e strangeness o f t h e O t h e r , n o w finds its s t i m u l u s
in s a m e n e s s - in similarity a n d r e s e m b l a n c e . A u t o - e r o t i c i s m , incest? N o . R a t h e r a
hypostasis o f t h e S a m e . O f t h e s a m e e y e i n g u p t h e o t h e r , i n v e s t i n g itself i n t h e
o t h e r , a l i e n a t i n g itself i n t h e o t h e r - b u t t h e o t h e r i s o n l y e v e r t h e e p h e m e r a l f o r m
o f a difference w h i c h b r i n g s m e closer t o m e . T h i s i n d e e d i s w h y , w i t h R o m a n t i c

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love a n d all its c u r r e n t spin-offs, sexuality b e c o m e s c o n n e c t e d w i t h d e a t h : it is

b e c a u s e i t b e c o m e s c o n n e c t e d w i t h incest a n d its d e s t i n y - e v e n i n b a n a l i z e d f o r m
(for w e are n o l o n g e r s p e a k i n g o f m y t h i c , tragic incest h e r e ; w i t h m o d e r n e r o t i c i s m
w e are d e a l i n g w i t h a s e c o n d a r y i n c e s t u o u s f o r m - o f t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e s a m e i n
t h e i m a g e o f t h e o t h e r - w h i c h a m o u n t s t o a c o n f u s i o n a n d c o r r u p t i o n o f all
images).
We have h e r e t h e n , in the end, t h e i n v e n t i o n of a femininity w h i c h renders
w o m a n s u p e r f l u o u s . T h e i n v e n t i o n o f a difference w h i c h i s m e r e l y a r o u n d a b o u t
c o p u l a t i o n w i t h its d o u b l e . A n d w h i c h , a t b o t t o m , r e n d e r s a n y e n c o u n t e r w i t h
o t h e r n e s s i m p o s s i b l e (it w o u l d b e i n t e r e s t i n g t o k n o w w h e t h e r t h e r e w a s n o t a n y
h y s t e r i c a l q u i d p r o q u o f r o m t h e f e m i n i n e i n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f a virile, phallic
mythology; feminism being o n e such example of the hystericization of t h e m a s culine in w o m a n , of t h e hysterical projection of h e r masculinity in t h e exact
i m a g e o f t h e h y s t e r i c a l p r o j e c t i o n b y m a n o f his f e m i n i n i t y i n t o a m y t h i c a l i m a g e
of woman).
H o w e v e r , t h e r e still r e m a i n s a d i s s y m m e t r y in this e n f o r c e d a s s i g n m e n t to difference.
T h i s is w h y I h a v e c o n t e n d e d , paradoxically, t h a t m a n is m o r e different f r o m
w o m a n t h a n w o m a n i s f r o m m a n . I m e a n t h a t , w i t h i n t h e f r a m e w o r k o f s e x u a l difference, m a n i s m e r e l y different, w h e r e a s i n w o m a n t h e r e r e m a i n s s o m e t h i n g o f t h e
radical o t h e r n e s s w h i c h p r e c e d e s t h e d e b a s e d status o f difference.
I n s h o r t , i n this process o f e x t r a p o l a t i o n o f t h e S a m e i n t o t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f t h e
O t h e r , o f hysterical i n v e n t i o n o f t h e sexual o t h e r a s t w i n sister o r b r o t h e r (if t h e
t w i n t h e m e i s s o p r o m i n e n t today, t h a t i s b e c a u s e i t reflects this m o d e o f libidinal
c l o n i n g ) , t h e sexes b e c o m e progressively assimilated t o e a c h o t h e r . T h i s d e v e l o p s
from difference t o lesser difference t h r o u g h t o t h e p o i n t o f role-reversal a n d t h e v i r tual n o n - d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n o f t h e sexes. A n d i t e n d s u p m a k i n g sexuality a useless

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f u n c t i o n . I n c l o n i n g , for e x a m p l e , pointlessly s e x e d b e i n g s are g o i n g t o b e r e p r o d u c e d , s i n c e sexuality i s n o l o n g e r n e e d e d for t h e i r r e p r o d u c t i o n .

I f t h e real w o m a n s e e m s t o d i s a p p e a r i n this hysterical i n v e n t i o n o f t h e f e m i n i n e
( t h o u g h she has o t h e r m e a n s o f resisting this), i n this i n v e n t i o n o f sexual difference,
in w h i c h the masculine occupies the privileged pole from the outset, and in w h i c h
all t h e feminist struggles will m e r e l y reassert t h a t i n s o l u b l e p r i v i l e g e or difference,
w e m u s t r e c o g n i z e t o o t h a t m a s c u l i n e desire also b e c o m e s e n t i r e l y p r o b l e m a t i c a l
since it is able o n l y to p r o j e c t itself i n t o a n o t h e r in its i m a g e a n d , in this way, r e n d e r
itself p u r e l y speculative. S o all t h e n o n s e n s e a b o u t t h e phallus a n d m a l e sexual p r i v ilege, etc. n e e d s revising. T h e r e i s a k i n d o f t r a n s c e n d e n t j u s t i c e w h i c h m e a n s
t h a t , i n this process o f sexual differentiation w h i c h c u l m i n a t e s i n e x o r a b l y i n n o n d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n , t h e t w o sexes e a c h lose a s m u c h o f t h e i r s i n g u l a r i t y a n d t h e i r
o t h e r n e s s . T h i s i s t h e era o f t h e T r a n s s e x u a l , i n w h i c h all t h e conflicts c o n n e c t e d
w i t h this sexual difference c a r r y o n l o n g after a n y real sexuality, a n y real alterity o f
t h e sexes, has d i s a p p e a r e d .
E a c h i n d i v i d u a l repeats o n his o r h e r o w n b o d y this (successful?) t a k e o v e r o f t h e
f e m i n i n e b y m a s c u l i n e p r o j e c t i o n hysteria. T h e b o d y i s identified a n d a p p r o p r i a t e d
as a s e l f - p r o j e c t i o n , a n d no l o n g e r as o t h e r n e s s a n d destiny. In t h e facial features, in
sex, i n sickness a n d d e a t h , i d e n t i t y i s c o n s t a n t l y b e i n g altered. Y o u c a n d o n o t h i n g
a b o u t t h a t . It is destiny. B u t this is precisely w h a t has to be w a r d e d off at all costs
in the identification of the body, the individual appropriation of the body, of y o u r
desire, y o u r a p p e a r a n c e , y o u r i m a g e : plastic s u r g e r y o n all fronts. F o r i f t h e b o d y i s
no l o n g e r a site of o t h e r n e s s , of a d u a l r e l a t i o n , if it is a site of i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , t h e n
y o u h a v e u r g e n t l y t o r e c o n c i l e y o u r s e l f w i t h it, t o repair it, perfect it, t u r n i t i n t o
a n ideal o b j e c t . E v e r y o n e treats h i s / h e r b o d y a s m a n treats w o m a n i n t h e projective
i d e n t i f i c a t i o n we h a v e d e s c r i b e d : he invests it as a fetish in a d e s p e r a t e a t t e m p t at
self-identification. T h e b o d y b e c o m e s a n o b j e c t o f autistic w o r s h i p , o f a n a l m o s t

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i n c e s t u o u s m a n i p u l a t i o n . A n d i t i s t h e b o d y ' s r e s e m b l a n c e t o its m o d e l w h i c h
b e c o m e s a s o u r c e of e r o t i c i s m a n d u n c o n s u m m a t e d self-seduction, insofar as it v i r tually e x c l u d e s t h e O t h e r a n d i s t h e best m e a n s o f e x c l u d i n g a n y s e d u c t i o n from
elsewhere.
M a n y o t h e r things relate also to this p r o d u c t i o n of t h e O t h e r - a hysterical, s p e c ulative p r o d u c t i o n . R a c i s m i s o n e e x a m p l e , i n its d e v e l o p m e n t t h r o u g h o u t t h e
m o d e r n era a n d its c u r r e n t r e c r u d e s c e n c e . Logically, i t o u g h t t o have d e c l i n e d w i t h
progress a n d t h e spread o f E n l i g h t e n m e n t . B u t t h e m o r e w e l e a r n h o w u n f o u n d e d
t h e g e n e t i c t h e o r y o f race is, t h e m o r e r a c i s m intensifies. T h i s i s b e c a u s e w e are
dealing w i t h a n artificial c o n s t r u c t i o n o f t h e O t h e r , o n t h e basis o f a n e r o s i o n o f t h e
singularity o f c u l t u r e s (of t h e i r o t h e r n e s s o n e t o a n o t h e r ) a n d e n t r y i n t o t h e fetishistic s y s t e m of difference. So l o n g as t h e r e is o t h e r n e s s , alienness a n d a (possibly
v i o l e n t ) dual r e l a t i o n , t h e r e is no r a c i s m p r o p e r l y so called. T h a t is to say, r o u g h l y ,
u p t o t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y , a s a n t h r o p o l o g i c a l a c c o u n t s attest. O n c e this ' n a t u r a l '
relation i s lost, w e e n t e r u p o n a n e x p o n e n t i a l r e l a t i o n w i t h a n artificial O t h e r . A n d
t h e r e i s n o t h i n g i n o u r c u l t u r e w i t h w h i c h w e can s t a m p o u t r a c i s m , s i n c e t h e
entire m o v e m e n t of t h a t c u l t u r e is t o w a r d s a fanatical differential c o n s t r u c t i o n of t h e
Other, and a perpetual extrapolation of the Same through the O t h e r . Autistic cult u r e p o s i n g as a l t r u i s m .
We talk of alienation. B u t t h e w o r s t alienation is n o t b e i n g dispossessed by t h e
other, b u t b e i n g dispossessed of t h e o t h e r : it is h a v i n g to p r o d u c e t h e o t h e r in t h e
absence o f t h e o t h e r , a n d s o c o n t i n u a l l y t o b e t h r o w n b a c k o n oneself a n d one's o w n
i m a g e . If, today, w e are c o n d e m n e d t o o u r i m a g e (to cultivate o u r b o d i e s , o u r
'looks', o u r identities, o u r desires), this is n o t because of alienation, b u t because of the
e n d of alienation a n d t h e virtual disappearance of t h e o t h e r , w h i c h is a m u c h w o r s e
fate. In fact, t h e definition of alienation is to take oneself as one's focus, as one's object
o f care, desire, suffering a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n . T h i s definitive s h o r t - c i r c u i t i n g o f t h e

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o t h e r ushers i n t h e era o f transparency. Plastic s u r g e r y b e c o m e s universal. A n d t h e

s u r g e r y p e r f o r m e d o n t h e face a n d t h e b o d y i s m e r e l y t h e s y m p t o m o f a m o r e r a d ical surgery: that p e r f o r m e d on o t h e r n e s s a n d destiny.
W h a t i s t h e s o l u t i o n ? T h e r e i s n o s o l u t i o n t o this e r o t i c t r e n d w i t h i n a n e n t i r e
c u l t u r e ; to this fascination, this w h i r l of d e n i a l of o t h e r n e s s , of all t h a t is alien a n d
n e g a t i v e ; t o this foreclosing o f evil a n d this r e c o n c i l i a t i o n a r o u n d t h e S a m e a n d its
m u l t i p l e figures: incest, autism, t w i n s h i p , c l o n i n g . All we can do is r e m i n d ourselves
t h a t s e d u c t i o n lies i n n o n - r e c o n c i l i a t i o n w i t h t h e o t h e r , i n p r e s e r v i n g t h e alien
status o f t h e O t h e r . O n e m u s t n o t b e r e c o n c i l e d w i t h o n e s e l f o r w i t h one's b o d y .
O n e must not be reconciled with the other, one must not be reconciled with
n a t u r e , o n e m u s t n o t b e r e c o n c i l e d w i t h t h e f e m i n i n e (that g o e s for w o m e n t o o ) .
T h e r e i n lies t h e secret of a s t r a n g e a t t r a c t i o n .
5 July

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1993