{"id":9418,"date":"2025-08-19T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.raziemah.com\/blog\/?p=9418"},"modified":"2025-05-04T19:02:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-04T19:02:58","slug":"looking-at-slavoj-zizeks-book-2024-christian-atheism-part-11-of-33","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.raziemah.com\/blog\/?p=9418","title":{"rendered":"Looking at Slavoj Zizek’s Book (2024) “Christian Atheism” (Part 11 of 33)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

0120 Consider the clay pot in which I brew my tea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, this clay pot was thrown on a potter’s wheel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Does this serve as a metaphor for Zizek’s configuration?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The normal context of the rotating system of a potter’s wheel3a<\/sub> brings the actuality of {the acquisition of clay [wealth and power] shaping of pot as an imposition of order}2a<\/sub> into relation with the potential of ‘truth and synthesis’1a<\/sub>, that is, jouissance3a<\/sub>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0121 Why the subscript “a” instead of “c”?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The subscript “a” denotes firstness, with respect to level.  The above category-based nested form belongs to the content level.  In contrast, the subscript “c” denotes thirdness, with respect to level.  Zizek’s configuration belongs to the perspective level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0122 So, I ask, “Does the petit objet a<\/em> of [wealth and power] accrue to the content level, in this instance?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, wealth<\/em> can go with knowing how to acquire the clay and shape a pot on a potter’s wheel<\/em>.  So can power.  But, this [wealth and power] is a mundane, imaginary attractor, compared to the celestial, symbolic lure of [wealth and power] on the perspective level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0123 Yet, a Buddhist may respond, “This illusion of wealth and power actually offers an imaginary lure.  Consider the one who throws a pot with the intention… the fixation… that the pot is not for making tea, but to be sold at a certain price.  Then, does your petit objet a<\/em> of [wealth and power] accrue to the levelb<\/sub> that situates the throwing of the clay2a<\/sub>?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0124 That is a very good response, here is the situation level<\/em>, where a transaction occurs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

0125 The normal context of a transacting system3b<\/sub>, such as a bazaar3b<\/sub>, brings the dyadic actuality of {the price of a thrown clay pot [wealth and power] the demand for the manufactured pot}2b<\/sub> into relation with the potential of ‘truth and synthesis’1b<\/sub>, that is, situation-level jouissance1b<\/sub>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The price of the pot2b<\/sub> goes with acquisition<\/em>.  The price2b<\/sub> is like a thesis.  Whether there is any demand at a certain price<\/em> associates to an exercise of order2b<\/sub><\/em>.  Indeed, in English, the term, “to place an order” signifies a demand and constitutes a transaction<\/em>.  The order2b<\/sub> depends on whether the quality2b<\/sub> of the product<\/em> is worth the price2b<\/sub><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To me, that means that the situation-level petit objet a<\/em>2b<\/sub>, [wealth and power]2b<\/sub>, has become [transaction]2b<\/sub>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0126 Is that an illusion?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it is, then this illusion<\/em> stands as one of the foundational laws of economics<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

0127 So it does, says the Buddhist economist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The normal context of a market3b<\/sub><\/em> brings the actuality of the dyad2b<\/sub>,<\/em> {price [transaction] quality}2b<\/sub>, into relation with the potential of ‘voluntary exchange’1b<\/sub><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, price2b<\/sub> and quality2b<\/sub>, the objet a,<\/em> are illusive qualities that delusional Western economists turn into variables for their nonsensical equations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, the market3b<\/sub><\/em> and the jouissance of voluntary exchange1b<\/sub><\/em> are self-reinforcing constructs that lead to suffering<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

0128 Did I pay too much for this pot in which I am brewing my tea?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, I am stewing about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps, I need to let it go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

0120 Consider the clay pot in which I brew my tea. Yes, this clay pot was thrown on a potter’s wheel. Does this serve as a metaphor for Zizek’s configuration? 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