Touching Feeling AjfrCI, Pl!liagogy, Pnjormalivily """ av ti
KOSOF.IKY SEDGWI C K ~ ~ .. U ~ I V " S T T T ..... " ......
.....-"'-YtI 0"(1,,&' Q>o ... Rtodi".!',i. ,IN;"" (Durh. m.
KC: Duke Uni ...... ;ty Pn:: ... '9\l1), O ap ... , was
c"IllmiJ5iontd for Donald S_ Lop Fewer.rc . ble to , .. ",mi, how
to go . bou, it, 'he (e.n academic. popular. and pn>feuion.aJ
di.., ..... n cumlllo,,-. dy in""'ing nondualistic
op-ptO>cII,ion'. pNagogy. religloo.nd >piritu-.lif)'. n.
mindbody pn>bI< aboolutc priYiIcgc o(!he wn,;"g la i'sclf. In
her ultb""ed puem "On< AI. ; Elizabeth "'pea,ed ",frain 1$"Tl\c
art of ""ing i,n' t hard to m.ster: In its i".i .. ence on a rurg"
;-..o .... he.ie, if. ,he on. poe m of he .. I've "evcr litu.d: 1
piau", I, Of] n:&ig. owor mas"et. uy. urginG diete .. no! to
open 'he door. A more oOl1gmi.l ",rsion '" mc wuuld invoke ,he: an
0(1oorne cillM:r diopct".bk or qun. plxnbk during irs .. 'riling. ,
".,OUUflV'TT ,.lnufl' from . h. deconsnuoh-e/ q"" .. lin"gc
towtrich I Tt "rrtfy"'S tbe hngu"c kJnds lions , 'he i=duo>n.I
turn from spatw.1 dt:Krip-tor> in,o implKit narraoiws 01,
mptttivdy, on"n and ,.los. 8trit enforce du.listic 'Mnlting:
noncontradiction or ,"" law 01 ,he ududed miPf'",heNlcd 'he d . "
ical .ge - (,,). is mon: "ruck by the: prolifera-,ion of ntc1 of
... u.lily . h.n by th.i. suppttsslon. Or. mo", irl1e", .. ingly.
he .1\;1. ,he", may ",.Uy be no "rup'u"," bwttn
"rtptt>Sio/kirxls of PC"""" bjtivi'ie! . 1. 10"", beyond tilt
"prn$i," hypehesis. version of prohibi-tion iI ,.ilI ,he: m""
imponaru ,lUng '0 undenund. 8u. it opcra ... .hrough ",,,,,,,,'ft'
and volun,.ry mcthonisms. rathrT Ih.n th.ough ..... nal. opc:rtioon
or pt"Ohil>;. tion. My dis n.arrow ,0 'I. to give his e .,hly
being f'r .hoir ou.lin ... cc blur ... d in I ch" .ct.Tistk """y.
It i.< no! "'''ngo ..... si"ancc torontrol .. oomc.hing 'hat
berom .. second "a,,,,,, '0 asucW pct"SOns. return. in ,he
propertied bourgeoisie" (016-'7). GoIng from Viclooan plush '0
post'modcrn sIli"". Bora _.s ,ha, -.mootho .... is t.xh 'ype of and
'''''ucc. t willed r r.su'" 01 iu history. One ro.-...quencc of
80n$ ' ... .,men' oI,he COOCq>-Indttd. oil ... bqO true 'hac the
dilf....", propt"rtitt. .nd .. of ...... aI srimulus "ne. I. ...
u..."n"""k and Nc...-ton_ T1w ... ....,or of MiJJInn.:trrlt, on. 01
,h. ddinit .... ....,..,10 of .,.., ...... can - in a ........ t"",
stn"'nc. " from ,.IesroptM ou, of ,Ilt "",..,rings "four bodie.
lltau,ifulliU our bodin .... - ju", as dr.r. ot In " "." .kin h
been made be.",iful from .he first " (16,). 1,10'00 "'"Onn ""'ing
how un""poctedly Iht dcfini,;"" ofptrfurmo. om., it>lipping ....
ay is Itlhil ..... , ing." "'" ,,rit .... "but brings it>
""""'SCI' (6. );"1 WJI only: he promises 11, .... you . .... n
.round. or- .. ther . IIoundOW w. could, 0, why".., can', . mow
,I,.,m) by ",king new qu ';onsabou, phe. and .ffect (",hat motiva'"
pcrforma'jvity and ptrNrmonc . lOr rumple. and wha< lndividu.1
and roIkcti ... diMS an' rnobiIiznI in ,be;,. e.ccution'). n..
tille r"" chosen for ,hese essay .. TD""'i"!: .. cords the
in,uilion t hat a p;onlrular inlim.cy sec"", '" .ub .... betw ... n
""urn .nd """"ion . But ,he same d""bI. meaning. ,.coile plu.
omot;"n.l. is .1 ,he", in ,be single word ",ouching; equally il'.
int.rnaI '" 1M word """ling." I am.1oo tII(OU .. ged in ,his
oociation by the dubious "piohtt "'oumy.fttly," wlth il$
implication thaI '0 ,.Ik .bou, . ffect vinually . mounts 10 C,,
'.rKOU$ ,reci.>lIy. """' ..... , .ff""ts h .... gn:otcr freedom
wl,h n:speg,ho: -=>I)'.Irtno..nd .... This is "'" to .. y ,h.,
,ho: physic..! prop:rtity" (110). .hough Sttu.l dcsin: is uswoBy
orientN ' ''''''' .... n aim and object OIM' ,han ilodf. it is much
more maU .. bIe in i ... im, and objects th.an '''' .he OIher
driyC$. and also. like fl,. po.lm-e . 11' .... , has ,"" polenli.1
of beiog , u,"'elk. Th< moot irnpoM.ot . "umption ,bou, drive
h,t T omk im ,I",,,, ... 0 be f,l", is 1 ha . beATlI< I lOIN ..
"..-en f "0" "UO'" - .... 0 ," "" " .. ..... " ",,,.1' 01< IT I
.... SAT 'O ... THISC AloUT 11001 UIS WAS . 0 . TOUCH; .'" AUO
A-o'" I .. V"'C 'HO . . n"'H, . "" CO TOCIIT'''' _ Til , WAH.
,.",."U O . .. c, >""'CI'..-C' . "OT O"U"O"'. I .. "HISC
,""U"""roCUlo. (>D6) JUO .... H 'COTTo TInIeR AITU' The "",,"OS
... ph on ,he fronrUpic w.u tilt m.aIYll lhot fmpell. d m. to . ...
ml>l. the bok in;IS form. It i. one ofmany ,..ken by lhe
California J>hcoinph .. leun A. of Judilh Scon (b. ' 91$ Ius
bftf1 hidden under ma"Y .',nppt'd or domed bycn; of muhirolo.--.d
pm. cord. ribbon, rapt, and OIhe, filK" producing. dur.blc
thltt-rumensional &h.tpc. usuolly oriented .long a single nlJ
of length. " .. hose cu"", nd pUnes .... """" ... , and ,,'hou:
tcaIe b .... Ulrrlplrison '0 Sn from thit inugc ;" no """"' ltun 'u
envision .ud. a ,..!'tion bc.wttn ScOl' .nd Mr W(rl;, She .nd her
,,..,,ion he.-., pr1!kn hemu:l..,. II> on notM, "'ilh equ;ally n
. Through thtlr ,Jou:ne.s. the ....... u sigh' it ""''' ... dis.
""''''' in f" .... ofthot oftuch. Nul only the .n ... handt.nd
1>;,,,, r-....". bu. he' f...,., .'" bu.)' with tho """.ioo of
textun.: . Po",,,,, and b.bi",. lwiru (ScOU is ,..in). or Jc-,,,,..
migh, through .... h t.:.plic ab-oonlw u .. "' ," 0 .ue .......
upn&., 0 Iohopt .", only ,he mosl visible of lhe . uS8Cs'ions
that Ihis oobctly ",,,,,d bl lKk and white pIlocograph it a, ,he
...... ,imt ablau ",ilh 'riu",ph, J;llisf..:tIon. and ",Iic:f_ fro
I both before .nd . in he. re< hoI""ror.n or a, a penon
=ep1i"'ly held 1' it. T1w: drama ofSCOII '".Ien, is ", ... ly
hdgh"nN by ....... "r,,1 history. I>net"""" focult y_ "",)bt 01
u. and AUoolbu. ,hr"'. ever), hin, .. ... ...Jr. and b..u. . thid,
.Hom and likncing snow btg.n 10 fIll. It wa, on. of'hr lim dc"",ns,
... ,iru I'd b.rn "1''''' of that W'$11 I. m ... dcmrnt ...
tion,.nod my in "I'i,. 01 nl01""" in . c< di"'iplining of
children. I wonder now how I ",I .. ed 'hat volunt.ry " igm' '" 'he
nondiKT . eying e. h, wlin g Iy to c"'''e a se. mlell turnln of fOI
ge and demand: - We . '" he",. w.'" quee . nd We won, t hu 0<
belle . Sn.p! Snap! Who< is 'his ,acis! crap'" The", was abo a
lot of AU u ... faroril. funny dwII , which nukn Tn< del"h
offield. t"" assn .... ",e of pt, Sf*Cli ... nd ,enfootpaIr
di".nO$CdIy ckan distint"lions bm.....,n COttSIativt and pc. fi::q
" .. 1M>. oroo..-ttn and tmbodimcn, . ""'" words. .fler.ll.
could he ""'''' pcrlOrma'i .. in the Auscinian ............ n
-s.hamr:: "Shamr: on you: "For "'"-. or jII$< $h;lmtl".
''''Iocudons ...... gn., ocnsc: 10 IhI1rf.ong >iokntly rro",
til( .fup pi, of lno< c:ompluly ... phed pcrformniw: :agendas
and elf ...... of lho. de"""",,""ion. YCI 1 like 10 brood cn I
f.in.ed panly bccawt. Ihrough my ob6cntation. iI seems.o place me.
at lhe cenl ofl"" ...on. of prot." _ .. ,hough I w..--. Alice
Walker'lluml"""l vacuum uf I "">ioc MnidUn. say. whooc n..-.;o
il:l"k pr.St"",,{lbKDCe InIS ,he pcrl"cCl condensalion
ofherronl'giou, UIXon.oow.nc5I of r r. he. uDC.nny ,.l.n, fOr ighl
of ,I>.kes idcnbly. In fact. h31I1t .nd iden",), ",nuio in
\'t'1)' dy ... mM: ",L.lion to one aoothtt. a. once dcconsUl"nng.nd
foono:b" ..... I. btta ......... mc IS both perub:uiy con"giou,.nd
indlvlgC of I"',nful !dcnllfocmon ",,h lhe misbc:h."ing m." Th.t,
the double """''-men n .. w "", .. nl p3lnful 1"",--anI
unron,rolbble rel;",,,,,.'111 The ,,"' .... "''''''.1 ...... y of
Jislinguiihing shame from '" ,h .. ."acr.:. ,0 s""pen. 1M SCIUe of
",h .. OM is . ....-he ..... guilt ."adles.o ""h., do ... Alrhough
' I'omki", i.lc .. inte","cd than an.hropologists. moraIiSI$, 0'
poput"p"r.:hologislJ in dminb'uishing beN",n 'he '''". ,he
implk.!io" ,.,,,, aill' ,h,1 011. 1.0 "' .. tllti"g '" .h.rrIIO.
lhough m.y fit nlOY "II, h ..... 5(,U'" hypolh ....... bou. ",h ...
In ' he d ... "lop men,.1 procc sh."",.hunulialion re3CIion in
inf."'Y of hanging ,he: hear! and "'''MlnS .he docs not ...... n
lhe child" consdous of", . jcaion. boJ. IndICate. tha. tffcc
I01qulS". l"'inf"I"""" of I h." 1'C3CtIOrI III L..cr hukJb.d to.he
period whensuch a coodltion is not .imply unrom ron""",
butlhlT.le", Itself"" ( )'6s-66). So .1>:01 w""ne ... e t the
an. I'I:riOmun ....... """"' ,lI.>n ju i"IT' suIt Or. "'.y of
_ruing i, oW. 'hough import.ntly it is t"'- thlnS'_ $h . .... is
the . lfeo .h.1 rn.nlkcs the 'hrtShold be,,,'''''''
intl"O\'Cl">MIn.nd ""'T()"I".' sion, belween .hsorp'ion I"d
thc3Iric.lily. bcl", n pcrform .. ,,'ity . rnl -pcrformathity. Hmry
jmlCS undenook .t.. Ne-o,' York of h .. work (0 !On1e ",,:rny ro..
.... "O!UJ1l(' ronsoIidation.nd ...... wan. ,,ith """. prduu. of
""I>:ot he $:I.w as his .non importan, r>h.p. When ".-e n::.d
Ihe Ne'" Y""k ednion pre(= .. Ihtn ... c n::ad ..,nc.of ,ats ,h.,
.rc in .he I1"lO$l a:ing TCspnn of clements in thIS " -riting as
sptofically ,,;,h aU.t.. irnrlicalions of acuemen, .
.....,nm..,.,men,. dangtncted ry.'. wh lim" C.n there be to ,he
.h.nlC (of hirn. o( on .... l!) "" II1currcd? "'1u.llo Ih., d.n.gc
. tto...l"\"r. ts Ihe dang! one's rel.,ion to O .... S Own pOl$l as
reLa.jo.noJ"p. in\ersubjec' 1M: as 01 lJ ,mergenerationaL. And. "
might bt adJrd. (Of most people by Ofieo. the younger .utbor i5
pro:n' In'hese prd". ""es as. figure '" hirnstlf. bu. I:\"n.non:
fttqutntly ,heliaioos tht-rnsth-es. ,n lhem. are g""n his fonn. 0
.... ro:cdn'l be pop p'ychology i,) in nom,.I"'ing. hygienic
,deology orhe.l;ng Ihis n:1"ion-,hip. in , mawki,h ",..,,,.lu.tic)n
of 'he "child"'s .cee" 10 n. rn.;,.., ' U' thorily.1 lhe "'pense of
.h>! ofihe or in a lotahring ambition 10 gel the 1""0 sel\'CS
pcnTUI1cnlly rneow:d in.o one. 10 lind lho, Ihis ligur;l' lion
optns ou\ , nrh lomdsc.pe of n:blKJn;d position.llIlCS- pcr!taps
ope' dally . round isJu"" of sh>.me. j;lmes cen.inly displ. ys
no 00in: to heron "nce .g.lnlhe young and .Ulhorof his c.rI)
prodUctiOlU. To Ihc tht "cry di". "". of inner ",1f.fib'UUlioIlJ
front Ihe 'peaking self of lhe p .... 5Cnt i> m. n:cd. t .....
S\ln:d. and in fm erotic;.,...,d. The" di\ lance (Iemponl. figured
osin'crsut;t"' . figunod in 'urn asSf"'''I) >lUlg '0 onother.
the rapid n"h of.tt .ruim .. needl . ,lit no< imp.mcs .. ,ribu""
to Ius .. ones- impudence .1. .. bcspcili not tM .absence of $h;t
..... from "'is ,,:one offli .. touon. bon .... 'her tI, plumr.bly
rttircul.ted afterglow: 1 Tht .. ory] "'JI>kC" 10Sttrn ' 0 offer
in. ligh,.IOJrn 10 knOll;. and ,h.'"..,. lost wlut tI'>aboUI _
1,.bI it )'t1 ts 0\ roo ..... nts to be caLlghl by u' " '"h tU
longut m its .nd .b&oIutdy no """mn, bu, ;u spltnJ;d impud';"'"
and 1M pe" "" II ... " ... , .00 hn .. "ttn dtikrnt, ..,""'. of
perl"or"tal",i,y. No". of this ddJen:n'oal """,,""Ia,",",
"""......, re. . " .. ,.Iy'''" (OI1'l)t"'I(Y inl:lc' .. it grb OUI
Ihe of paionnalMty IS [ ... "" .. ubiquitous oppo< c:quI';,e
[n:>chery n"" .. tl>< eseOCI..dcooi cb.ri:neos, nU I
","llltt tn upoldy or ...-dl to muell ofJ. mess """'ges< wril'
",g OS ""ccssotily. as il ,..e .... alre.dy. '0 be in Ihnll to ",h
.. had long been hoS I"inful. fussy. immCI Tht ,"",enl publ,CaUO"
of ,h .. two bt-ot!Kn' "arty"" lopotl' dtn< to off'onn obj'
,,,,, COf1Tlau, .. - SI.nl111g tn iIJ dou;1 and Intimacy. ,f not in
its.\\"inll drwm ... u.. tOO"'"' (_ J. To rnm any """" of how a
gt'og"'phy of "'" ronc-.ont and Vlnu ally rcqui ... ,ha. om" ....
and =''''''':- bt ",.d'i ttetO and ,,,...,-and tha, "n:< '0 h ..
" apcricnccd ... inuhaUStib!.: '0 CM:nW. the importance- 01' "ngh'"
and KKn< orb.,. ,,-ortb (do "'roJi.""'1l for ........
1>rr,,'Cm. .. io. ...... t'ttlo .nd ,"'..., of"'" p .... scn'cd
anol ga through ,he pttf.as ....... Id "" .... .... quoting from
(b,e ... lly) .. ry .inglr I"'gt: oitllu, Iht kUlds Ih.llh" n:.ding
I suggell may offer '0 a psycho-'n.lytic ""erp"";",, pro;ca. In her
psychuarulyll< wort. on james. ""i' 511 '" rm. n ded. htrsc If
(lOr OOX' ""rticu I .. p.u..ge 111 one I"' rtirula. pn:f. ace)
wilhng to n,k ... viol.ung a fund"nen,:I.ltmct orJamacriticwn_ 'ht
'"net Ih" no m:mer """'lundly "'S&"f"'" lhe Moster's language.
il c.nnOt h" ... sau.1 import" ("Too E.rIy '65). I'm un''''1r with
00 on lILa, one Un"plllLa, ' 0 hur how vny oprnly sur James's nude:
pos!Jbk only by he. strange lmistrnc:e , .... , ... couldn', ......
knov." 'hey jamn's crolJc .. ed m..lion .0 his .. "ri!, ings and
... 111 her ,.."dlllg. Ii go'I"...w by "uncomc:iou$ dcso n: "',
.... ,h.n an org.nlZlI1g CCW-ali,y elelush"ly '" lerms of .lId
5e>- a junelu", betw. "n , ... erotic f.m..,, 1"" $t, ."d ...
""C OspcCl or upcru of its p",formal"" dimen 1'0' eumple, mNf) is
one of Jamn'. most chcnshcd ,,-onIs. "Iotn oued ...
If-deKrip,,,,,lY' w"',"", 'WIKd to the Y""'ng .uthor',"6n>;
fOoer you'", .... ring. in James's phr ..,. tbe "iUrum:nt "uJ,ibl1"
of an ebuon J105"" siI>Iy (JO). Bu, ,..., ... Ir"bsotte- UI as
lo\'U1gly and ;nten:>t cdly ",d;n,ng 'OVo'"nl 'ho other. usu.
lly younger nulc figu .... tions in lhis in .. r /on, person. I d
.... ma ,1m ""g and ;nterested ":ill sublimely and r:rhap$ II1lk
f.,uously" (111). The f.t uous "fond ....... tion of deligh' and
>elf. dtllgh, .!n:.dy nv,.blc '" t"" C:I.lifOl"ni. journ.1
p..s>ge Ii ""orp woof OhM f. bric of,..., pref.rco: "' ncloned
'0 retn>e ....... ofh", I.'e ..... wrily '0 ]"',L/. is con,""ucd
to .ociutccollJ"C. '0 ro ... "uction a' '"Y OOS!, to driving in
dct:p hi. "tTlkal suppor's and 10)'1ng.CTOSO .nd fi .ing hIS
horizontal . his .... ting pk(e.u,", neh is Ih. resull of pTOCQ<
of rrcirruJ. lion described ai if i, could go on endlessly. ""Iy
adJing '0 Ihe of (wh .. James usu. 1I y c. n.) , he ...... iduurn."
' he Ihl ns "pieked." "pi ueked" (II " I}j\. or." in ,lit Cahfurnla
pa .... ge.nd m""y 0I11I ."d pleasu",s dw;.mng .round the
fi>1ing pham>Sm ic: th.", a", Aickersof Ihe ph,lIu., Ihc
WQ!l)b, ,he pru,,,.I.,.icon-drit,,n ",.ding "'''''' .. " a
porlleulu, hen a p:tnl>i "'oJ of ",. J,ng- not ..,much btx.w.r "
.. organil:.d around "suuili.y as because il org;rnized .round the
scn .. nlic unl. To 5:ly ,ha. "is te.hered.o.he o1cd by ",.drug
.hat indulge. or hO0\" aU.he "'plkll""" ofJ.mc particular erCIS may
/)CO cb!.xd as "perlOmuu.,," or ","'t ptpI< may be: .. "qucer."
u,:led in the in,rodu,tlon a, the "to"ions" or abc:";lJt(c, ",fc
... nce .nd penormati,ily. or indeed between qucemeu and OIher
..... y. of uperwmcing identity ant! !ktire, Rut I don't, el1lw:r.
"''''''" 'o.sound U Ilw:tugh my project hu mamly '0 do ,,;, h
reruper.Itl"g fur deple's beh,..;or to\>.rd .. lf Thus. ontralC'
gie imd directly ., gening tid of indIvidual Or group shamymbnlic
lm ding defom,.lion. bu, per-b;lJ'5 aU .00 p"'em for t he: work of
pt dcfini.tOn.lIy '''ry signllic:an, "'''rllp. though a .-;branlly
clastie and temporally ron,niuled one. w,th tltt rornpIcx of at
tribul e. trru f,he "'f""'Si'" hy-1""""'is: "he.llh)' or unMallhy:
sh.me can be ..,..n .. good boa""" il pcnc.""" pn'1ICJ.nJ bad "
coUudu ... ,m ..,If-rep"""'" or $OC1:>J ""p""ss,on. Clearly.
ne;,h", of ,\\est. ,...luarions IS ,,h.\ l"m g0 ctwr ("" ." ,
'fh>< .,. " ... .", II< ,..., 0< """""",,,1 b,,, on""
fir""'ir .. of '" OWn. ""ficJ '" "., P"PU'" no, ehnp"r 2 AROUND THE
PERFDKMATlVE: PERTPERFORMATIVE VICINITIES IN N INET EENTfI'CEIte-wr
cannOt coo.""'""- we C.llIlot hallow this I(rnund. "Rut. in IHgcr
SCtlS . v,,, cannot we CiUllOl conseCrJle- we Ca"nOl hall"w thi'
ground: I begin with this :Ie",once'$ on. ofth. belt known
tx.n,plcs of 3 kind of uttennce. arly not p"rf,." rn i,,, un" ...
",..,. """" though (or. J am '''!;g0.,ing. cnClly bteall..,) th
c.plici, ly ",fer '0 cxplid'pcrforn,.,,,,, ultcr,""e . J am '"'"''
gOIng [0 a:. mit the AU'linism of ;0.""""8 a "",,' no."., fOr me of
.h. n\Ofl IIuhbo,n of lhe: issu ... he."lom artlcu",Icd O:ed and
10c>lperfor nlalj,;,), jj .1110 hkdy 10 off.r $(Ime neW
COIICel'",al'ool. fr moving back .nd forth 'pe"ch act l!Ieo')' and
dr:Inuturgiocalperfornunc,,: idully. i. m.ghl ... .,,, nuke " 'ussr
and proudofi'. n..y nuy ",;.t, .ctr>"1y 10oppose. so-d.1 o.der h
.. "d on ,,""'''mpt for Ill< wuss, Thty ",ay ou,!be 'pp"rcJ111y
,,: .. unl w.y the tin'pcnon >pe>king. K\U'g. and poonllng
... b-;m. g ... comtitu,cd in rna..,.I," ,hrough. ronfiJ"nl 'W. lto
..... 'c au .hom}'. ,hrough the calm .n,erpellation of ",hen
"w.,,"" ..... : ."d . hr",'gh thelgic of the {hc.eroKXU.l
)supplcmem whereby ind,,;dual . ubj';"" agenc), is b'UJr.ntced by
.he welding tnto' cross-gend dyad. The ... bjen of "t do" ' s an
"1- only iI1$Ute t "'l'lI1g ,h,,, _ 11>:,,', r, 'he ,lippery
int'phd,n"" wilh "'hieh, '" ""h c' ''', .n'roIttn your .. -.:.rd.
You will h;oo, .. )'OII ' I"'niohmont. I do ..... ;, ,,tth aU my
lito" Shon you likt '0 .. 1 ",:Id .... "'",embering IMftirl .nd
tryi"g 1(> gi"" ." acCoy", Cl,.hcrs lello . would w.nt to
pa"phr.se il as ..,ying ""m"lhing Itkc "1 gIV" you ,h" diamonds .
nd r OJne you-; y.t the leuer to ..,tne to "'Oid "Ih ... formulnion
and to pre .. m i,,;,:lfinllo.d in tM frankly composilc.
mock'conomh" form of' ,he I"'ril"'rform"uvc. 11'1 not euy to s.y
,,'Ily tM.c I"'ril"'"",molO'''' would hen: '"0"" potcntlh.n
II>< I"'rfornlative f'TOP"" On. n:uon mighl .hat ,hey
dram:nitt (""11 .. Ne>l Htn. n:r;,,, 10 u J 1M pa.1>o$ of u""
...... n ."",ney. ""hc. III ... occru,hng it as 1M ,""pI;"'1
pcrfurnu,,,," .1""", mus0 ru....,-in lhe "ifIClulh..,Jy f"n" ,t..
psychologk.! ques'ion of ",h.t feel",&, I m.y 1 pcrflJ.m ,hem.
iIloculio" i. ",h.", Ihe .nion is. ", ie." "'he", lhe oe! IS, In
Ihc vietn"y orthe pcrfom",h"_and. fn' Ihl' explicit pc"ol'mativt',
,h .. Itnn 11m;, ",em. (0 lit ono illoeu,jon pcr ""map". 'hcn, "
... "'" ,h. peril"""orm.,i,,, doc. nOl "fttSSarily rep",,nl.
diminulim, '" foro: from lho .. plic" pcrfornu'i,,, 10 wbkh i, is
thll, ""Ii the nplieill"""ornmi'''' it con (if no! p,mici-1"'" fuUy
in) the fom: ufmon: Ih.n one Illocullon'ry;an And ,h,. too. h., to
do .... i(h lhe sl""i.1111 O(IM "'" u te"' [h.,. as 1m, n,,", "
'111 dl>;.,. ao ....... that among It.. nu"y - nu.Ngt.s
o1:I""ry" pinto in \rlcton.fI "",cis. the "",,,,,;,8" of P.ul
I)on'bcy Sr. (0 Edllh Oombcy ;, nt I"" SUCttSSfull)' mben. '0 m.,ri
se. she is m.klnG .nd '1'Ikul,,;ng peripetform.",'C d>otc.<
[h., oc" ,Ie I"gllly charged Ih.-uhulds of me.ninG. NOI Ih. I !
highly ch. rgc-d. m all more .". when l)umber f.ils 10 perce;, ..
or ... ;U nm .dnowl-ed),,,, tM,n: -You might It..,. bc-cn ... eU
.... rritd: Aid Jx.r """"",. ' ..... n'Y 'unes at )e .... Edith..
;r J"" had S""" enough..--No! Who "",II1C". rtfu ... Iu, I :om. md
.. 1 " ... U tX:wn..IO': .... an-'''-'rW, htt head . nd ''''mbling
m hetcne'llYof sh."",.oo OI.orm, ',holl ,."" mt. o. ,hi ..... "
00.:.. ",th no." of m,ne PU' lOt,h '0 him_ lie ..... "1< ., 'he
.un,on . nd he 'hlnk< it wdl to buy me. ,-", him' Whcn h. "'me
'0 me _ l',,,dl So for, .ltis is 'he .w,d.rJ-;s.uc (llnp.rison of
n,.m.g.kc'. Ilu, one of'lM: 'hlllg. ,h., eon,"bu, .. '0 ,he rorr.
ofth" clemen, ,n {)')",hq s.", is ,h .... lthough I)"'UN 01 .. ",.1
,hi: Victorian tropum ''''''.nJ , .... :Ia, ... nd act of.he AI. of
li"""" he .1,,-, dtffettd from . .say, Tlu.1 as mod ... lode of
rht,onnI .-ne-rgy h''< "",d forror.OO disgu" d,J ItO! m.>k ,m
,,,,h< ',., d-" ,. h , compl .. ""o I 1lQ{-'" In ... """"'" ..
PIa, to TO' kll' - ' , ::,.,. of ,84" he had (unlike Th, ekc .. y)
knowinsly alienal ed much hi, ,..riean readcflhip hy r b eing
sb,,,ry" fron, .nd celli .. of h" >c . "n _ _ . }Il'" of
A"...ri1 '1"'. TIw: """oder de.ermined 011 thrusling a.cn:m Ih,
Dombey" cOI1J"gallh,cshoiJ IS nOt a m-.l ... -oma", bu, CarU,.
Oornbcy"sl.go.1ike lieu'enan, lik ep;ttne ,,-hose .,m, Innspa."''''
10 Edi,h, is to cuckold and cozen hIS emplo) ... r.nd then pubhd),
rum h .. em pI""".-', w,f. The tt".ile d eg.,,,,. "f ,h .. Jt'1Up
.... h .. gi'''' .uch kroctou. ",,,,,,,nce ' 0 "'"Cry
pcril"'rfornlJli,"C .tld "'''ry .bSh,c" hcd you h.>d r .. igume
'n unuJU"" dtgr. !I'. Ih .. 1"u "'ould O(' ..;"ly jurpri$c me
if,h.>, "" ... "I IY, .. no nk::l)," 10 ''''1'. I ... ,,.. upon
h"""",.: ooid Mr. c.rt..r. "lIu, I tn,,,,,, ,h .. I..>dl'. on my
" ..-n "" .... If . '0 rdIea upon my ptrl'w 1./." nigh, nd the
''''I"".oM"y of my ,be ........ ,luI "' .. forctd upon me In a
"'I)'p'mful occasion. ; SC\ .. ,.J p>n. g .. ph< BUI.
kindlJludgt of my brew by )'OU' .... '" and you ... -illIOrgi>
.. in hIm. ,(in III =ns." goa a, aU _r.y.* Wh.>I' ,ub '0
berrroud hun. '0 >&1 there, 10 f..: ....... h han. and
h>, .. hIm ,tndcrutg her fol>< ..... 'h al ,be alto, and
.g .... fOr hotacccp-,.nee . nd pressing i. upon hc-r Ilk< the
me. "'.....".... and f"'"'OII .. gcd ... -"hin her .... h.n, upnght
and 1tUJ&i< in hrt be .... ,y be/Orc him. she kno ... ,lu,
'" h .. >pin' "'" ...... do..." ., "" fen! Soon .,,,n ,he
p,,",cn.., of n .. ,;,.1 d&:f.ret> is brexhed lhem. ye1 ,he
h.,lng ,e"";"n of'hoor .truggl. do"" lIot -S,,: Ild"h .. gO0 '0
.lfron' me. wh"" yuu know_ l du "'.I' know 1\ heuer. ,It, .. _ ,h"
in pl . .. of . lfeetion be 'W"e" u. ,hid "'I"\ .. n'. am "" .mbahr
"a and In ... lIy - "'Iu. door. to 'M" OWl(" ,,"ill be pm and ...
Iu. dooo-l c:Io:!eJ and ",him side!hr ky5 aRc on. Th ..... E.1.th.
at m. >uppootd ITl()men. of atlull""-"'I dun. to ",f"", her
bod)',150 10 C..,ur. - In .WI)" ">unt )'QU m. k . - ,h. fin.lIy
."kulate'10 him, - I h,w my 'riumph. _. Uoa>!. and me on hltnl
,"uti know how you r'm< he", to-nigh,: you know how
you>l>nd"""ely-,ha, you ):."OW" 'oo_.nd!ha, he: doeo no!
Y()ll .. " in ,hi. 1'\>", _ If I live, I saw my hu.b. nd in
""ri'ge in 'h(isJ >!"'" ,o_mgh'!- (718- 19) The ,,,,,,,,",,ir.
of .ta''''Y in II", " f 'M Ooml>cobs r.lI. in I",.., with.
f",cborn bl>ck . n ,un. "IIO Propf' l1lO11. No lonS"r Y"" ...
JMn S . .JMobo..-TI", note ..... ,n be pul IIltO the
f"'O'-IIit""":!s ,1m h.,,, ""l .. "ry. They m,,51 unlood if! ,ho
""y .. It:ut "" mU(:h :l.Sthey are uoo.:rstood already by .... b
... gil"". atld "",oo.:r thwril:'1 in ",Iollon to th" ....,mpl.ry
;,uc"ocn of COUrt_ ,t"p! m.m.gt and of Juridial.ru in a I h .. " ""
aummg this.;oj lAy ..... ther th ... ckmorm .... 'mg it;;, Ius
CorullU,ed the dlln" ... iorul groutldmg of. diJcussion ..... , "Im
to rugge!; .. alikchhood ,ha, such 'ca'ms m"tch", mUll .llemptcd
cwn 'hough 'hey mayamphfy the echo "f "'""ry ugly
incongrui'y-Indeed. c .. "n where thAt poin' ma)' "0' ;,..,lfhc
Ihdr ",.in olle. NOTE! -)I gran rifoul. In ,"" lop ... 111.00.
So< .Ito C",-.ft. 1"""'. "el>< I00"' lor '"" r .... ,Iu, "
io >pkm.......... ""., , .. , iosu1lends into hi"ory and .
nthl'1lJ"'k>gy: Iheory .ft .. Foucault .nd C",,," bbu . ftc,
F",ud and Lac,n. aflO' !.t"i Str.uIent ,hoi their dlSmanlling ""
such IS fT.mcd ., both In utghionin g. objoclwntion. >.nd
O,henng; In lhe gOlU; '0 ,t.. CO'" of Klfhood c,m,ide"'d ' J a
'ekls or os illusion ",Iu.and pnxcdu"," would lend 'h.rply 10
rt'buk . In f.ct .... dingTomkills. work on .1Jec1 has
conJis(t1Itiy ir" ... I,-"d UI in 0 pcculiM double mcrtdit.Uon. y""
don'l ... ," 10 bo, long "'" of theory kindtrg.f1t11 to m.k.
mincemu, of. lel's ""'y. a psychology tha, on .he ol.igI>' (only
SQ4ne,in, ... il'. nine) distinct affeell hlrdwin:d intu Ihe human
biological reI we convincr ourlCI,.., ..... ,. fur ,,,,,,an . he
fOrmid.Wly rich phenomcnology of emo,ion, in TomklllS is in any
acciden,al or 5ep"",bk ,0 his highly su>f'c'1 scicnl'.m. If
.n)'thing. hi' 5(:cm. '0 in.erp in cl", .. blyd.",d and ,hot "'
..... Marly fi"t"Sh a. print. mar """.1 t.... .bou. ,he
rrJ,,,,historical righl ..... of -Iheoty" Ihan abou' .he dynamic.
of con .. ns (,,.r,.II,,iorl and cross-disciplin.ry , j- On"
conjoinl of affec, cH" .. we upcricnccd on .he .... r 10 bo,rornir
, dJic'.-J to n:.ding Tomkins: his wriling exci.ed .nd hupin:d .n
",nlell,n!. Oncc. Or\< of u< fell asleep n:.ding and aftc
........ rds ttpI., .... "I of len 1,;b;"gIy he'erogeneous writing
of Ajfm ''''''II? C...ucwlOS"",u often embra> mul_ 'iple
"",.I'pp'ng YOkct! of ""'rbp Icsr: sprc..! .,. .... L>rur
>re. lions of ....... mit. Structur:l1 rrpctirion is r.",1y eua
... ' '''''Y- and -'an" .nd lhe phraKJ in ,,-flich ' hey 'ppc>r
.hem.te wi,hout .pparent p;!lIern in rhy'h"", ",mind one
ofCertl'\ldc Stein'$. .flOmCT whc ceminly knows the plcasumI of Ii
... ; If you 111:0 to be loolttd", and 1 Ii"" to look at }'nu . ...
., may >Chi.,.. n en_ jy.ble i'""I"'""", . 1 relationship. If
you Irk. .n .. Ik .nd I like 10 lim," '0 you Ik, Ihi' ,o.n be
m"!WIlly ..... .roing. If you liltt 10 fed .ndoo. idra ...
0pulaling .!>ocd , "'.., c.n cnjoyc>ch "' ...... If you
,,;oh.o be lik mt and I .. -ish [0 Ito, .. you imitate mo. " .. can
enjoy .... h Othc,. (Affi0t.", inlo my q-u. bu, I .. hit"", in'
imao:y only in the dart. in >cxu.l.m . braee_ You wi>h '0 be
ftd and rarN lOr . nd I ""oh .n uhibi, mpelf and be at. You .. ish
to be hup and to h.a ... your 'kin rubbed. and I "iibition. A$
clJ>bins. manyd"...,loprncn .. 1 ps)'ChoIogisa, "'spending to
,hi, finding. now consider sh.n .. the affm lha, moo, defines .h.
"P' wh"", in a "'n.., of ",If will tkvo::lop. In Ihe '''"tal of an
relations n.rrati,,,,. Ihis USC ofTomkiru is ,.I ... bI. a, one of
the of ways 'hat ,u,h hJ.s of di, lik. '0 rc:.d f.ceo . . f, ,,
wilh Prou.t. He more Ih.n C0.., pench"" .. " .. " .. embodied.
.hrotIgh eX''"'.g.n ..... goti .. ions among ,he: di>"' ......
>mpeting psychology in .toe Uni.ed Sma frnm ,he ,_ 'hrough and
beyond the '960s: uperin,n".I. dinintl,.nd applied alik-cnd
dilfe.-ena" (l";7). " It i> enjo).hle '0 enjoy. It is ud,;ng '0
"" noted. I. i< terrorizing.o 'errori?e.! '0 be: an);"",d.
"lfec, Is ",,1f-v,lid.';ng with or with ,"" . ny furth",
..,(,'",nt- h is thes.c: .pific.rioru th.t m.ke . ffeq .uch
us.c:fulsite (or ",.istan '" .deologiCiiI pn:lUmptions of th. m.ny
M>t1. hiJlorically tmbcddl in .he diocipline. nf p'OIum ....
T",nkinl', L .. s. dire>en""ion, For elWllplt, l _ on alog _
dtgit,,] . Wh.a, tha. (digilwing) ochfml mi,..,.. though, io ,hat
lU, Tomkin. argue. ,ha, ","".n' ."mulu. for ,m, affffi "S-,rm indud
... in'e,nal as "",11 a. e", .. nal e'..,m .. concluding firmly
,h., IMte I, no basis. and cert.lnly not 'he b.,i. imernal '"uus
e.lern,]. for a defi. ni,ional distinc,ion between ",.poo' an C,I.
pcrimcn,al seri8). "'" We ",m>rl:cd earlierl"', s.cipm,""I. 1M
"ructunlist momcm. Indeed. pan of ou ;m ;" 0 deseribe
structural;.m. not as ,/ut, ,""Ill",," ,/ut, "'forr I, ult ""yo of
hyputhc1 un: of many .y.,ems, ul(\"ding ,m, biologic.l , would
h.JI"C intn:xluced qU\l" 1In.:1"';milabl( .... I of complexi'y .0
'ioLt .bout someones moti,,, Is in. Oint '0 .. man.ic ,ooIs SO
irrniltibly L1S.lbL., , h.t thq bindone """r mn! i""'gin"i ...
dr.nd prolOundly tOlllt Iocd pol-->ibilitits of .n
individwolpsycboiogy. Tomkins'sliMs im-ok. ,lit '''''hnoIog;. (.1
juggernaut .Ila, would ""' ...... hdm and oIJ.,i.le 'Mir
enurntn,ions; in. '"Oking it. h"",,,,, ... they .Iso momem.rily f=
11 ordisplare it. Nor is ,h. i,.ue ' implified by h,,'" rcgul.rly
in ,hese volume. Tomkins sin.ply "'P"'t$, vema';m,. few of hi. key
that could sugges machinelike of p ..... in Affro if it didn', more
"rungl)" c\"OI\e the: fM,ho< ofblo"hgt' and ic:s the ps)'dtic
crortocnits of{ ... Ila. T"mkins calk) ".fflumc:c rcripU. -
pc.(q>tual grted. and ocr .......... l wming I"""""yof . ohal.he
,.,on. SO ""'n)' "'-ow .ffordmtts for urnkm.nding. Th. cpithe.
-fold- .. ems .pplic.ble tu ,he (ybernetic momC11. p"nly bteause
systems theory. pred,ely .hrough iu .ropism "' ..... rd .he
imagigntd in .his early monw::n, '0 teach it .. lf ...... '" ir.t'N
r,,-d.dythtOUgh' Pn:>CU$ of .ri.l . nd error. Its .hco"'l ical
""nt i,,'''' ,upp.ed oIoleKe",,< .... ilh the ''''''rgt:nce of
"ully rnon: powerful ",,,,pule.-slo ",emerge only ",,,ently under
the rubrics of conoccrinni.m .,Id p.",lIci disnibu,ed prore .. ing.
A, Tomkins wriles . truly fOrmidable hum.nlike m.chinc ,,"QulJ in
.n proI:W>OIity mjuire ",lativdy helpless fOIlo .-ed by growing
competence tbrough its dilldhood .nd adoIeKence_ In d.on.
io.,,-ould "'qui", 'i .... In .... Inch to learn how to Ie.rn
'hrough ""king ermn ...d corStlt .,.d nu"u", m""hani,m, which begin
in hdples br.ain doiId.. Such pn:rocity CS$tntially SUO ... ""' ...
"",. =Iin, to .he hnl;"I ability of hi> .utOrnOlon. (AJfI t:
,,6) T"mkin.emphasi,..es .h .. . ho introduction of the ibilititS
fOT being wTOng about . n - and, implic.ti,,,I), . bout oneself
.,,. Bu' to ",tUrn!O Figure ,. It is important Ihat the of lhis ,
n. logical system refen to mo>rr I!.an It", but altcd, perhap'.
preci.ely by the lalering .nd COnl,an' mu,ui! in,er ruption of
biolog;cal .nd m.chinc model,.) Smchow it', h.rd to hold on to the
e.1 i2a,;on?) h .. so evacua, ed 'he spact be,ween 1 and infini,y
,ha, ;, m.)" n'quirc 'he inerti,,1 friction of a biolngi.m '0 own
,uggt" ,hopossibili,}' of reinhabi,ing 'hat 'p"ce. We h .. " no
,nteTtSt wh.te,,,r in minimizing 'he continuing histol)' of .. rut.
se.ist. homopho bie. or olhe",,',. .b",i"" biologisms. or lhe
urgency of 'he exposures of them, th.t hal" nnde the g"",.men of $0
m.n)" cont( mpo",cr projc! centr.1 thcory. whose gool i, -a
poli'ics of afftional "''''liS .nd bodily >to n" tion, i,
1TUClOd rather ,h,n natur.l. I . Iso .u me that t h. ,!'?' rtm n"'
u" I""" of bodi I)'''' nWiun or. ffcct ;, i,,,, If coo"ruoion. Like
"". u.1 i'y and mher phy,ie>1 proce...", affect" nu' a
p,-.,-discu"i,"t en'i'). ' f." ,h .. is olien oh..-urtd hy the
",,,.,truc,ion of . ff"clS Or bodily """,",,,ion ... NIU-r,l ....
rurthermore. if affcct;,"" r",pon"" .re not naw",1 a, .hey ...,m to
ix' , ,I>< (Onlural" .hould d.im the ,IO'u, of' ,heory. Unle
.. , ,ha, i .. pre ';",Iy IhM specification ;, tod.y understood to
con.d,u," a'1)1hing" 'heor)". Ra,her , han broaching or,ummarit;ing
an .ctual theory of . ffea. the" sen-tene,", in>le. d ",heuriu:
affee," in the stnse of rounding up affect .nd herd III g it in 1 0
'he big t em of wh at is alre .dy unde"t ood '0 coos,i, '" e t he
hod)" of Th"or)'_ The !>rJnd on lhat body is relen'lessly
legible: "'heory"" h., become .IIl'''>' 'i"'ply ;'. re.;d", in
its abili,y t challenge ,ulllp'ion, abou, 'n>tu",' " ). Its
'u!;gt>led in in,roduction. 'hi' ",n .. .,c . ntibiologi,m might
be to co'Komi, wi,h sc .u1(d principk; of C""ku.-ih. work: ,. Fouo
uJdj:m "'p",c,lio ... of",he" "'1'",$1;"" hypothnn" ",ill...,
traJU. formed vinually iru'.n,:mrou. ly iro,o bin;lrid. highly
rnoraliK;.: .Ikgolirs of"'" sutJ"",..;,." ,,,rsus .he
I>cg.:rnonic. rnisI.ntt '''"''" p""'er. - If .!feC( is hiOml""l
drp",o[ion of"'" quuOOn of (""",;.;.1 'ru,h btromrao.ecd" (I);
..",., V i. 1ry poliriC5. Th.", i. no .!won"lic. 1 fOOl1' for an)"
differcncr lx ..... oon being .. SeIt.LaI_ ,Sm'O undemand . ffcas""
qu,li ",,,,ly fTom each other? Y"", i. (om inly would. In r..". or
we .re right in hypothesiringl .... m., enti",. atU-logi.Uy
struerured [hough' realm of 'Ullin is 3\ .. ,oday o nly in 50fT\(
",I.>tion 1'0 biological modeU . nd .ha, the cunccpc. of ha"e by
nowhc.-omc ,hoorttioUy am.lgam Cround hype,,"ig;_ 1" "1 .",I ",n.i
. 1;,01 and 3nt;n. ,u ... li sm win .,ringe",ly "'qui", Ih.
,"crificc "f difference. among, in Ihi. c=. .. m .ffec.s. The
hygiene or rU'", nl .mic.scnti.IUm ..,. mingly &pendJon
rigorous adl""""". to th< (trron,,u.l)" machineiden.ified) modd
of digil.l. on/ off rtprtnl!"rou. for ,h01 _ p",c;",ly bee."..,.
'''I< .. .J aroo .. 1 w .. .na .. nee ....... rondi linn for.
mo.il)r1.1 upcrict\CC. bull"" quali. y "f rh morioo d.p ..
conc'1"u.1 "g""V'''''''' hutr\.1niJr COmmon Jerue. 11 would be
pl.>usihlc 10 s.... , C'y of , ,,..,,,rieth-century rheort'ie.J
language. ,II ."..,mpli. cons""'''' " 'ilh rhis one, 10 deloxify
,he ucCCS of hody, tnought , and fro1ms by ,"" m .. l"p'"
.-n,i.1ist risbof ana log n:p"' ... ot.,in '0 ,he ,iogle. u"" ..
....",'i.IUi ema,,,,, of one or another = , ofh"ilch. We don', ..
,,'" 10 minimize ,he importan. pruduc_ ""ness. or "'''0 " 'ha, nn
be .he .mazing .ubdety of, hough' ,ha, ""k.:s ' hi. form, lIu. i,',
"ill like a snMer oreopior ,h., C;rn reproduce any ... ..,rk of Oft
in ..ooo ,hades of g"'Y' How",.". infini'esimally subtle ilS
di$(riminatiotu may be. thert art crud.1 knov,'lcdgry u>umes. as
pi(!. ,hrm' li'" force. or ,he possibili,y of change. Indctd,
we",.., been ' rguing t ha, ,hey may be irrtplaccably cruci. 1
forKct .. '0 certain im-pornon' =g.:. of diff't",tKC. Thert is not.
choKe .. .iling '0 be m.de, in tvalua'ing thc"",fical mOlkI$.
be"""ttn H$Cn .... lisnt mil no ... ,uialism. If lhert:' a chuict:
if is be''''"T) dilfertntly Ita"",. s.."COnd. it includ", a .. , of
$l""tltits for rol''''8 with a nriety of shame .nd con'cmp'
con'ingcncie" '0 avoid sit,,,,,, if possibk or 10 .""n"'''' its
imp.Ct if il cannot be avoidcd- (a:J'9- ' 0), Tht: .. IIIled by .he
duwingof I boundary line ur b""er. the ""i mroduqtion]of parlicul,r
'>r fran'e in.o an ."alog con.inuum. Th is. .h.me in .. ol
...... Cell .lt . the duck 10 in.erest's (or Withoul "",ilive
.ff'"=lu ,.:11......., ... mp if, .oJ." lI""'"hty_ly in>oI'.l,
.. ,lory ...... mcOON 10 th. bdrprnJn bo ;"'0 K_ by ....... sry
"""'r ( .. I o\.U>h -"""ld "" mucb ""'"' On'''''''''''8 ,h. "
"'"'" I"''''n' "'''p1JI7 .. Wily. n '", born ..u.J. _. fino bool ..
"" ................. """,,,,,,,,,,, "I!o-_ "' . ... "",, , ....
ocfu 1Iy ....... (ond, 01_, "'" .............. to. Itt"'" """ fa. c
....... ... "'hcrm.on.u"""" nlly .. rN .. 1lItot
"""'''''''01......,. ..... ........ Iy """""""* .. .no 1\:11 'WI)"'
__ Fir>t . .. ." .... -.-....11\:11 ..... """' .. . c;".w,
"'-'o.r.ofifrool.. Ins"'odtto in ....J.:III point .. -......... 10
.,1Iy T omoohy r..,..1oI. M ........... ' ol ...... -.m.;. pnSfoo-
.... ,;0" "",,'-It.. hliod; " , ..fonn>ooo ""Ow, , "pI,I;"' I;""
WooIJ b< , '11, II . TonI.'", .UW." d", ,he "''' If< of .
""""", " .. nJllh io not how ""u it ,,-n.Ir .. iY< , +fro '"
lind> rlfro. but .he ,;.. ..... "'f'IoI;1 ol .h< ,n4"IJu. 1
migh. be foI. Ii'.' , 0 ..-oOlill .... y OUeen cith.r . idenl.l
ordeliberate: 'he ... id. "flut I just hal" ,rouble gelling intere
othtt some of the 5Cf"''''c of the imollcnual bag- ,hat many of u.
",rry ........ nd under a ubd such as "tilt Mr!t1o.... an "'"
mys,ified. ang ry vicwoflarg< and genuinely Iyltcmic noc or
""oo""rily enjoin that peoon to .ny in of epist . moIogical or ""
.... i .... constlcmologic. l cn.ailmrnt. for'M ""eker. 0<
tcUer. Rironlr in.rudud the cate),""Y of ,he her .... ncu'ioo .0
dcs-ibilit y .mong otMr pC>SSibili.in;. The phrol.'" now Iu,
somr,hing like ,he ..cmI of Frednc "'mrso.", hiSlorictu" -
and.lil:.c ,h 0"". i, into its lit ... pooilion in ,he t,bk,s
Alw4Jl hi s,ori,ize, Wha, could hal.., less lodo wi.h
his,,,rici/:ing than , ... commanding. atcmpoul.d-...,rl>
"alWay'", I. reminds me of .... bumfXr Slide ... th., inSIrtJCI
people in ",her 011 ,0 "Question ,Iu,hority." Excelkm adrice. w .
.. cd 00 .nyone ",t.o docs " .... ,. t'''' they're ord.",d In do by
a "rip of paper glued.o an .u,omobile! The tn'per.!i"e framing
""ill do funny ,hings '0 herrrw::neutics of SI.1Spiciion th., would
nOl repro. duce Ihi, damaging non "qui,u,_ If paranoi a .. flec,"
the rrprwiM of SOme -Sn de,i"" .. asooed. 'hen paranoia is uniquely
priYi/egW r,,, illuminating not irsdf, as in IhI: F",odian
tradi'ion. bUI rather prt:c'p. blc in,erp""ill' doubling or
pr,,,,,,,,,. - 'fn the instahiliry.nd mutu.l in"'ription buil, into
the Kleini.n ntion of positions. I am also. in 'he preSCupe uf thi'
disc"",ion any ovcrl.p be'ween par.muia per '" on the one hand. and
on the other h. nd the ""e. ". rioml)' called dementia praecox (by
Kraepelin), schizo-phreni. ( by Bicuicr). m. mo", b",nerally.
,Iclusionalily or psych""i" As La pl'n"he PonlO1i. nott. hi'tory of
p,),chi .. ry has attempted ""iow m'pping' of thi> o,erl.p:
"Kraepelin differentiates dearly between p . ... -noia on (he one
hand and the p.,. noid form of dementia praecox on 'he ,nher:
Illculer Irt,." p ... noi. 0.' , ubcatCh"'') of praecox. or the
gruup of schi,oph",nia" .. for Freud. he i. qui,e p"'p"red to se.
ccr "i" paranoid forms of demen,ia praec", broughl under thc he.d
of par.noi .. . . [for example, Schreher',] co .. of p" .. noid
demen';'" i5 ""' "nti.lly. p.r.noi. proper! and therefore nOI a
form of schizophrenia] in F1"I;ud. eyes" (>97)_ In Klein', I; ..
r writing .... noi. iu """'.t .Itt,")'. PoIr.,,"'" " a theory of
afficu. P"o"oi. piocci in f.lth in '"'1'"J."'. .AUNO'A .. Th ..
p"ranoi> is .n,icip;l10ty i< ,ion 10 'cmporab'y 'hll
bulTO'oO"S both 1wJ;.-" .. n! .nd fOrwood: ,he", must be: no hod
surprixs..nd bee ...., le.ming of ,he J>Ol>ibili,yof a bad
would i,,,,lf roru,i,u'e bad sur-prise. paranoia "'qui",.,h.t bad
ne",S bc: .lw')"1 al",ad)' knov,n. n. Miller', a" ol)'" !so
.ugge'l$. the '(",ponl progress .nd "'1:"'" of paranoia ."', in
principle, infini ,. . Hen.::c ""rh.ps. 1 suggc>I. 8u,l.r,
,eptoled .nd KOU'-' Ing!)" lh"'"ugh d.moomr.,ion. in GSt.lgla
fOf_SUm an impossible prior momrnl. No time could be: '00 nrly
Ii>< "",,'s h,,,,ng . I,,,.dyknoo;...lI. for its
having.h:adybo;.,n . hat w n1elhing Nd would happc:n. And no \o$lI
could be: .00 in the fUN", 10 "...,d \0 be !"""mpl;'''1y
ofucountr:d . In ,,,,ling, .s I h,vr .I",.dy, .h. con.agious
'rupilm of p.raflOi, ,oward .yn,mettic.l.pis,ernologic., I ha,,,
",Ii.d on Ih. double sen"", of I"'ranoi. ., ",nui"" and mlme'ie.
J>.",noi, .... rru 10 "",ui", being imitatl 10 be: undcrood, and
iI. in lurn,""'ms 10 undersnnd only by omit.tion, Pol",. noia
proP""" bolt. r4n do (10 ..... ) I ("u.l.!....,..... and ilKJlhi",
."'. ran ol" (I" mt) I ru do first - 10 my.df. In n.t N""tl,,..j
I'" Polio:.-. ;, much mo", ".plicit th.n F",ud in embracing l he
,,,in p"'I""'irion.,"', 011" und",rs,."ds only by on.",,1 f praC!
iei ng p.ranoid knowing, .nd th .. 'h" way pawlOi. has
ofu,rderslanding .n)"lhlng il by imitoting .nd embodying i . Th.t
p"""lOia ",fu"", \0 be: 01'1)' tornrr" "'''Y of knowing "'" thing
Im",,'n, but iJ ch.ra.rly ",ork' fe.n gctting into trouble:
inctuding ,rouble "with adv" .... riu whose p.rlicul.r "'lOrks i1
k.eps bwy.ntic;p"ting" ("ii), As ,h. book'$ fl,,.1 p.ragraph nOl.S
0.;,1 C0l'l',>jirW, Mille"O"n h i. ""'n body ( '9' ). It
>ttTtl$ nO wondc., 1Mn, 1h.:i,l"r:moia, once ,he topic ..
broached in nondiagnos'ir (""'U1. smslogrow like. cry .... 1 ina
h)-pt ..... 1ion, blOIling OIl' .ny ",nse of the poo.s;bility of
,Item. In" ..:.y. of undo,.. ".nd;ng or things .0 ulldot$(.nd. r
wiU s.>y '""'" bter.bout """'" impli.,.. lKltlS ofth" ,mus of
par.noia .s, in rhis sense, in" ';"bly " .. .-ong th.ory." What may
bt "",n mm. Imporl.nt is how """,ely .h< ",;"""idsm of p ....
"!>O'ilional th .,. rills _ of "'hom Bu.kr is '"Cry far fJom Ihe
""'" '=n. ing I he i""oo,.bl . irttled 0, ra,he, un""blcd to il .
Seemingly. lhe rest,voirof ,ueh .hough, .nd could make an
impo".nll'r1(JUl"(c fOr ,"'oris .. ronuniutd '0 .hinking .bou, hu
.... n lh,.,. OI ... , .... i'" .han Ihrough lhe I>"'judidoWl
gtnde. rei6c.!1ons It..! an: com I1"\l)fl in as in 01 ..... projts
of rnored a priori immu"", 10 Ih. inAue""" of such gtn <
conlingen. poosib;li'ie, of .hinking ",he!o as '" rang'f. fCr!
Ihoo'y' - in thi' c.sc. a >lmng h"mi!i.tiOl1 or humilialionfcar
1h''''1 ''''>peJN """ ...... ' 1101 , . . "'1'1>0."
.""",,,,,. 1" .. 00 ..., ,("",'-' JO - "4' SUO"" "'11 '"'I' 'flU'
JO 4'1""''1 ,u"', ""I' l,n",s. JO JO .. ., 051 .... .... ''''14' ..
' ;'IU'" ,u.wnil. u' ...... $'1 >311"4." Ino I"'lI 0, >J!I"d
.... """'.'11 "U spo'" ""l-" Ina .",,;Mj .... Sf , ..... "4'
're',lJU > 00, ""I Ploo_" _ Jo4, n" ' '\1 od,,,, >d '"1I1n,,
"4' '.!O!1' I'->J ""I' P'" ..... put P'lX-!"'I' At"P!nb "'I II.,
, .... '-') .... "rl!4' Jl 10 r'"'13'I"'I' ""'1.('''' 1I""{PWO'
"1"'''''' '1 "''''I' Jl ..... u"'''UO\U 1.w .... >y/O "tlU AWXl.
>lU 0' lJo]" ' I'l!notUli 50 '\IO!"",'I' ,. "oJ!' J'4!U.s.... "1
4S'4 ".'p JO .n.,.,:!!'!", . "10"'''"' Ju IU,U!'UW'
'""']l11'l."0lnr"""l' nq '1L>!Sot''' _no, 11.'1-"""''''' li",""1
0.>>>" .'11" ....... '" " 4,.IOJ put "")1.1>1'" JO 'POW
's\lU!II ' J'41.IOW OJII II' '"'I' >OIl '! UO!SYlpUO' os op Ol '
n") I! '"Jos _U' J;,jIJQJ.I' " ",w>q "'0'4' 1I0" o'I,wn4
'u"""'I,wn4 JO li""l'J"'!O lI:1nw 4' ,,:Il1O.1l1lJU!WO,""I UIO.IJ
J.) ,uoo". '14"V (K if." "1/l 'u>UO '4' ""
.,,,,>!':>wOu,qd .'""u. 'Oj.\too ,uno".. uO> .\.ro,'4"'l'
4"4_'''>1lu,,,, >4' o,L P' .. "I .... >4 UOJ "'0>4'
-'\Ill -u>p< ..... JO ,,,,\\Od .u'tlJoldu '4' 4'!'f" .'q
"',,-,OJ!', "I"\>IUW,,, '" :le JO >f 1"".dJ)lJQ;l "1 "$I
''''1'- '{'''''II Suw,. JO I"'" 4""'" li'1.IW1< >lI1 JO
;4.,uoApC ""I' 0, ... "'....., "I IOU", ,.o"uro 'II' r"" ''''0'41 .
..... 41!'" f! U! "'0'4' liuw" JO '41 ',('1'-',)0l" ' 4' >1nl
-1lSuoo 0, "419u"'l< puo ''''''' .II1P JO s:>!JO"41 "".110
1'''"1''' '''-'''1JOJ> Oil 110' 1''''' 'llJoolfl .... '4' ..
"""'1I13u< , ,.I .. Ul "II >f. of only IooKIy Ihcori<
'lu,Ktn" (Affic! w). Simil.rly. in K1e,n', from 1M '?J$:tnd ,_ il
ag.in In .... ".1 adtic"..,,,,,,n, - a distinct. often risIt)
positional an in (,'" ,)f adull , .. _ ,nw.rd SUSl,inN lid,,,! '"
pInu"rt (through ,he I\'paT"i,,, st rot egie. of, he dep"'''''''
po.i,ion). '" t hc" han COIl,inue '0 pur. "," Ihe .df.rdnfordng
Ix,""", ,,,Ifdcfe.,ing " .. Iegic. for fi'rt.rnlling pai" ntlered
by ,I>e paraooidf Khizoid posi'ion. It , prob.bly m()tT ,,'u.\
for dis cu,..ions of ,he dcprci"" pooi'ion in Kkin to cmph .. izc
,h., 1M' posi'ion in'''b'.11'''''' "Ihinl f"OWbllj,y - in ,t.. form
of a guilty . mpolh.e'i< vi "co ... of tt.. 5/'lr: of,.n ""'1 ,n
provide ,he ""If with plc .. u", and "chem iltntly tM alII""'"
poranood ;mporni,..,. the imposoi bili,y bu, aloo ,he ,upp:lcd
""c;dlng idenlily" ('4' ); ",,,,, paro-dic rcpel;'ion of ger>der
"idc ",he 'fl,,,h' of inc", .. " d "isjbillty ... '" rcnde, mud.m
w...lplin". Iook:m in its own right " (D. A. I>lille . ix) - as
though tu make something " i' iblc a, i f not , mer. h"" . kip. and
jump from ge. ' illg i, rol,,,d, at Ie ... a '1"P In ,h.,
direction. In t hl, ""'peCI at I., ... lhough not in ",,,,ry 0"".
Milledn Thr ,\ '.",I.nd ,It, Polio, wri,,,sa, on e.emplary New
Historicist, FOr. '0 a ,tanling .. lent. Ihe .nicu1nions ' If Ne
... ' HilItoriC'ist ..-hnlar>hlp ",I)' on ' M p"",lg< "r a
.ingle. ,, ... ,"''''hing n. r .. , I"" ". posing and
probierno.izing hiddm violcncu in ' M genealogy of ,t.., mod .. n
Ilbe",,1 oubj=:. With .ht p"$SO&" of t ime Ii"". I .... N" ..
".-os nt\O'. if. be itr 100tt the " .Y' oice .. Ihe "niqu. lerminus
.d quem of hl'lOricol n ..... 'I' .. . WII.", Ortly cncO"nt"r gr.d"
... "udents Ih h at unveili" g .he hidden hl,l"rio.1 ,'I"lcn:>
,h .. unJerlle . ",cu-!.e. ulIi,,, .... li>1 )ib .. humanism.
Yct Ihest ,.uaem' ...,n.:nl )'urs, un.Iii." ,he r....m.titt )"n.
0/' ' hd, t .... Mrs. Iw." !lttn 5pWI """",I)' in phobic
Rcag.nBush.ointOl1Bu,h Amaica "'Mn: "Iibenl" it. "boo ctke" Wh.,
dQe, I tin of 'U'pKiOl1and ""posu'" have ,o .. y 10 soriol
form.,ioru in which ,u;. bility itst If >mI ilu,,, mIlCh of lhe
viok""" lllw: poonl of ,he reLrts ... ,crn(11' of chain
gan&< in ..".., .. 1 ...... ;, Ins ,ha, convjcu M ""I"""d (0
perfurm II;ord labor than .m, !hey ""I"i=1lo do $0 under ,he goon
of ,bI: public. and the cn,h".i .. ", for ,S;ngapott -$Iyk j .... i
llI;o! "'as popubrly e"P .... "'d in lhe Uni,ed . round 1M caning
of Mkh.d F.y ....... led . growing t h,1 ""Upublkiud .h.ming "
ign,. is ju>! wh .. 'M dMtnr ordtred for ",,,kitr.nt youlh.
Ilc", i. One ",mark.bl" Inok. of his,orical ..e; i , used 1o be
''!'?OnenlJ of upilal punishmenl who.rgued 1M'. if pncticl"d at
.ll. ", ulions ,hould hc dono: in pubIk 11" 10 shame ... It .nd
'1"''''"'1'1 by lhe . inng of prtviou>ly hidden judiolen_ T...uy
" i$ flU lon",r opponctI' S bo.u dea,h penalty chttrk...J.o"-
flushed "-,,h ui-ptul .mbilion .. who con ,.;do;r thaI ,he P"'P'''
pi .... foruutions i> on Wh.l p"'" now lhe cuhuril crilia'
II;oN-""OI'I -.m It m.:o/ting .Ll o behind ....,-m ... i' ... n
....... nce< . he hidden ,nen 0/' opprnsion and .,1""' rT . ,
p!Ciowness - fme ('OIUriou,.-.e , lha, knows iuclf lo be false. i"
filicncsl .1Kody Kf\eD>"1y t..tlfcrcd" _ alrtady "'p",scnts "tbe
uni>"CrSilly wKksprtad " .. ). in ... -hich ,."Iighlened penple
Ie' ;ncou . compe' ing 'Mono:. 1m' constitute the men,.I.:co1ogy of
mo,O< P.W . So .... upoXs. some dcmp.ific;olions, some bearings
of wju>e."do ha\" SKat cffi:Clual I'otu (th ..... gh often of an
u"" ... icipatcd kind), M.ny Ih.I .., j"" >-< """ ond
(anvincing ha,,, IKIne al an. ho.-.. ..-.:r . nd as long .. 'hat
iss", we must admil \h .. tM rffirgc . wit h "" OIhe r inst it,,,i
,,,,, p'Of">Sing to HlI the g.p. TI,;, d",..,lopnlCnt. how'"".r.
is 'ht I ., ,hing '''yune could h., ... 'pee",J r""" ",.ding New
H\$loriris. pm...-. which curuli,u'e< full ",n,,.log) of lhe
..... ul., wdf .... slalC Ih .. peaked in ,he '96O:J.1ld (9)'OS.
along ",;,h a ""'I=igh' proof 0/' "'11)' 'hong> mu", beconx: and
"""" lha, rm-ever. No onC ,." hlan .... a ""rile, in lhe nO' h.ving
fO"""en u.., dfw' ofthc Republic.n,' 'W4 Com.aci " 'i lh America.
BUI if. as Mille,-uy" ... is ,,h.llk par.noid IttU ,oclimirule.- it
m"" be adminfil IhOl, ., a fOfm ofpa!";lnoi.>. 'he H"ton.;;sm f.
i1s spec. '3cuLtny. While lIS of - ,hings ' ''' gnting ""ors,,- is
immune 10 refulalion. any mO1;,. .. IS.nd popul;' nd .hose who
beHet .. in ofb.lnkers '" munitions mak.n: in .nyone who doubu th
.. lK w ... l; iIled by lone !,'unm.n. "'in Ihe popul" lotl.wing
prns. in ,he wmempor.ry Americ.n righl wing. and On IXllh .id". of
the !";Ice (onlfo, (9). .. c"eS0ries .. em 1o c",,,ra lot of
pcople, lhe", ren,ai,,! nonNhtiess presumptive "we- _ 'pp .. "n,ly
Still pnctkaUy .""'1""1( - ..... ho ran "g"'c 10 virw ouch from
ClIlm. undcrst.nd-ing, .nd cnmml'"s>ing middle ground , whon'
"we" can allasftt that. fot mple, though "innumerable Ikdsion.of
... the cold be f.ulIcd: 'hey rep,.,...,nl "simply lhe mUlakes of
wtilmeaning mcn- (6). Hofs .. dlpKiout arth:oeologK< oflk 'he .
Iflhc,.., is an oIwiow d.nge-rin lhe tri"mph;llism of. paranoid her
"'enin gnized by ",.ders) I ,,'OUIdn't ... tho, 1M fore. of any
p""'erful ... Tiling can .... r .u.'n compk '''''''I'''-n""y '0
i,so.J( or is 1o XC(>O,!nt lOt itself ""ry od"'lu .. ely a. ,h
""' ... ;'" ""..,1 of. he wtiting. Bu, $Uppo:>Se one .. kc<
..,riu,ly ,m, "",ion, lik. 'he one .rticulated by Tomk ins bu. lik.
oth .. .v.H.hl. Onrtt the ",rUCtIlr.l1 dominontt of monopolistic
"$lrong 'heory.- ,''''''' m>y also be: bcnefi' in .. ploring tM
.w-.mely dyn.mic. and hisloricolly con-'i"sem ""p Ih., I.mng
,heo""icol l. P.",,,,,, . as I h.", poin.ed OU'. "'prtOl:nlS no'
only a s.rong affect theory bul Tong ntgdli\'t afli;a theory. Thr
of tl>< $lrtnglh of a gh"H "'cory (or ofth. ",blions bc:l ...
..,.n .. rung and ... '.ak 'heorr) may be onhogon.llO.he question
of ilS affen;,.., """It. and Nch moy be: capable of ."ly rigid
",Iation !O temporality. at once " ntidp.>'ol)' .nd
,-etro;octi,.1 lrucriptlon of'lur thought " 'ilh tM topic of
p.>r.""'" may be Ins nte';"" 10. weal, h of cha .. cteristic,
rultu ... lIy ",ntraJ pr.a(tlcc. many ,,f ,,hich ca" ""U to. ,aUed
.--ep.>nt,i,,,. that eme,"&" from,!""", Hf"'riencc bu'
invisible or illegible under. p.> .. noid optic. A. Jooh Litvak
,,'ri.eo. for exa"'pk (in. !",r w,"uld bo- tk:wlop me"" rat hen han
clcfinition;tl Ort ranshistorior.1 ones: ,hey a"",' t ,hings ,hot
....oold in .... i t.hly Inhe", in ,he of "'''I')' ,,-ornan.Joo,;ng
"'"OffWI I)f man. 5a)'. For if . r,,, .hown. p.>ranuid ",adin!:
pracricc is do. d), ' ied 10. notion ofth. inc,lIable. ,h.",.",
Olher f tu",. of "'ading tha, can .ttune i, rxqui.ildy to a heartbe
of contint;cncy. Th. Ikg,>td. dcf"".;, ......... 'i'" Itiffnts.s
of. paranoid tcmporalioy . fier .n. '" whkll )"It. by dim. ctk
"'ric:" 0( j much the bkelicst of u. to be lim,s fitiren ye.rs from
nOw. I,', hml,o .. y. hard ..""n to knov,'. """. tIteK
relationship' are dlff"",,,, 11"'" ,hose .tu",d by people of ago
on' land>CJpe"tto.e per ",i, con""'l'= on common
disapp"aring-poinl. I . m sun: Itt mOl't in,e",dy wh"..,,'Crelsc we
Juto,.' ... -e 1utootding to ,h .... gubr Kkcdule of the gc: ...
ntion>, It i> ortt :mother immedia.ely. """ .nother a he
prtsent full ..... ofa """oming whose arc m.y .... nOJ funhe" whom
we earh mU", Ie ." best.o "1'I""1t """,,n'. ,h. .... y gUr of ,h"
p.a .. noid iml"' lso: in camp s.,i'ln:MJgh to an .... lrton of ,he
culture; ,he p.ann< ......... ,.,., .,r'l"""i,,';'" ,""'go>
inro 'l"'b",,,,, .. "",1 And """" .bon _ .....r-""",Utioo .. ...
,,1< bf iii II "'IIopl in pl.)". Mother en, ""en bring !
"'{lund,d] prey mck 10 ,heir nut. orden. so that Ihe;r ho",ebound
kine'" ('r> p,.slvdy vwhk, critical .. hoI,mhip has upIored tilt
vas" .yst.mic m;" "ndcn\ondings .nd cross-pu']>KS th .. secm to
underlie Ihil rod'gog}'. An "Ameliean Buddhd' " ",ade, of the
crili(:al sriK:>U. ..... ip might ""II be rhlSlcned 10 learn in
...... ' many. crucial. our i""",iblc ... her .ccc .. '0 the AsIan
tat .. pnctitts. .0.1 underM;1ndings has been rompro. ",,>led t
he history of .heir .ransmission .0 1M WM!. Donald Lopez. for
,'umple, ... mm.nus his empl.ry Inthology of critical essay> by
deding? "'"y gi,.., "" ay fur the .... ade",.o lhe: qucl"'dl,,,, r'
'''' for iluddhi.t nonA.I,n It Is fro", ,hal nlcllt Ih., the
pn:sent eme,};e . nottsis of me,.sutk AI this chapter sho ... s,
how.".". In Ute Buddhis. of death and ptatlon is hailefing ada", ed
for the ._n' ''lly d1/k",nt habi ... ..,mibilirirs, Welunsdtau-ung
of the W .... 8y IM .. tm lokn. a COmmon drfcn ... 0{ pr"xticn Is
.h.t lIuddhisln hasof.en. hisloricatly. bttn changtd by. as much as
it h clt:,tngt'd. ,he varied cuJtu"" tllCOolnte",d in il5
perip.lIetic histoty. This chapeer. by fuc:u!: of this l"po.1s
u,mlll.blt . Funhtrmotr. th"n: is plenty ofBuddhis. scriplural
""rr'nl for il: Iht P.li non. 'Utros. and J"uka ''''''u all con.
tlin e .. mples _ , .. ry privileged oncl - ofle"chi"gs th" h""
bern .. dlcaUy . d'pled 10 ,heir audi,ol'J' '"ril::d e'p.dlie nd f
.. tnes of ",fe",nee. In 'his eh'p,.r. howe, .. r. I "'an! 10 Iry
OUt rno",. diffen:n. ",soutU$ from Ihe g"''' ''''asur), of Buddhis,
phrnomenlogies of le.mlng and !Cuhlng. What if. for .... equally
canonical topos ,u.;h as 7tIg"i do""ribes """"" dytumics of Wes'ern
Buddhin popuLlIizo' lion beno r t h.o ....... (he one
d,n:aionallopn< of ad.tp ... Cn,.lnly. if " bener .... ilen. and
""'" Ih>t rrob'hly. in some uncnmined .... ) ... ,1111 my
1","It"",":", "i,h 8uJJhism asa 'opic. wuSogpl Rmpoc:hot I bcs' ...
Umgpoput..n>.atK>ll. TItt TiN-td" 8Dok tf LM,,& .. J
Dyi",. ConsIruacd as:an alomdcd gklss on the stH.lkd Tiltnu IIooJo
ofrltc Dtoul, il off.rs moo-mf.ng ,,""" ,.0 lOr. T ........ . nd
... "'""."Y' ",.",.d to ,und a good hud . 110\ .. o,hr .. i".
(rowd. H. had sit"" h.;, CUI .... '1 ohort nd kind .,... t"", glo
... .. ith humor. His "1'$ .... '" Ions. lib! lhart oJ thr 8uddh.a.
(>:i ) Thi. f.i,)".le li1' optni"s a ",.dc, diwricn'ingly inlO
on unf .. miliar .y ... m of .n.logut nd inom.tiQru.. s.ralcginlly
...,.. .... ",. tilfhis gr-.a, wiodom a nd rompo"ion 10 ,hc world.
Ind. through il. )"Ou lou. "t.c""''ef YOII .... eon (OmO into th.
p", .. nce "f hi.< wisdom mind.nd find. bviog "",nlion .... ith
him" (';v). Allhough ,I>e", of my ma>lu wi,h 0Ihen. thqQn ..,
..... ,IIt .. me profour.d fling i """"", in me. \Vh;o hen Khymu.
inspire in An unslukable in.he .cachings. and. conviction in .he
... land duma.ic impo"""'" of.he fNs.u" (:liii). .,,. Admitt edly.
it', e:t.'Y ." m.ke .he c= .h .. ptd'Sugk.1 ",I.rion iJ suI>-
d(dtJincd in ltnt1>.. Who. ,he Mah.:iyana (g..., e, ""hick) is
"g"''''o,' ..... n . fl' -n"n" wishes for anything mo", precious
.h.n to ",co;".., Dh.,m ching>-In Mahayan. tcrip'II"'S. SCcnes
or.tachlng.O doud Ii.n. pKI " In the Transandcn,.I"-,, ("" ..... I
and infor ..... 1 edui:OIion.1 manifi;soO$ ,ho", is no ",f"","ceo
to oc, ... l Mian prxticr. of tCl(hing: "''''' thcir basis i" a
famili.rilY whh acnptun::s II very In lhe rSjS the H,ndu ."d
;n'cn$u of.1te Tnnocrndcntolm. "'"ere ", .. "whelm ongl) medi.ted
by thllK of Europc:.n Rom.ntkism. Ye'lIK (orm$ .almp:.lr"ive mel
hods in ,," .. h philology ."d religion h.d ",.ulled in a YK:W of
Indio. in f"rtkular. oe. been obscu",d .nd kicked . .. ;Ie ;n un"'
g. nJt..! .pcbble.. in .ho.: d""y "heclru,, of cu"om "(/Imn"J
,8t-8.). She """, oi milordoublc n .... t;vee of . pirilual .
imagin-ing it spoken wi,h a skeptic.1 shrug: .,w....tr ,rue. bo' .
.. - Mo: rttCntly. though. rYe no. and ann-g,",ly label, 'M ",.uit
Suddhism- t out COurt. Another possibility is ,hac tho IICnst of
re" ...... ion it< modern p"'dcceuors '0 a ",riN of
prng=--'i,,,I}' ",(}rc ipul"i>" Asi.n CO''''CI. through "'rio",
Chri"i.n h'en for . I>odhi,."". -invoh-es "'p.rate
evolu,i,,,,ary "'gc."r knowing the .. me ,hing (Thurman. l-IoIy,).
And on. 'J devt: lopIng u ndem. ndhlg ofform pus.s i uch distinct
milc .. ., ' he ..,ting of form: the ",dng of a ,e",.! form by otiC
" 'i,h IhY.1I. Wa.."... to BuddhiK ptd.:agogkal think. ing may be:
moot at rUk of decontatualizing it. riding overi" rultunl
di/f""'npOke m;lny ... iUCh should only "" a. 'the 6ngo:rthat
poin.o.he: moon: not .he moon i...,lf. The: Buddh. rigi .....
mrion. and OIlrr...ring 1M path": . _, ). Pernaps the mOSt "'''1 M
..... ,..no Buddhiml h.u . tied 10 ""go' tiote the "fin"",r
pointing", ,he moon" issue i.,hrough ,hc: SIcn,;" .. tm-guage
of,nu,n ... or suchnc .. (Sk. A. Kukai "11> Iwtlf,h.ntury
J.p.ne.., ,.tv;..,. thai even momentary con mpi.tion of 'he
.uchnt$>" of ordinary .hings is guarantcc of .petdy
enligl".,nmen, (S,one IW). ,II1urc of indic:uion ;, being used in
., IuS! doubk ..... y. I, .1Iudc1.0 the suppStd ,d(.tvidcnct"
r>rnpNc1 ,hc: diffICUlt le,,,,,n. it m.y ht ca;c of If you h.w
,,, .e: .h.t It.. 1,$1 people ... ho should I>!' to lopsc from
.n "n",mininG ... gimen of posi ...... thinking. Bu. when .....
mQ5( damning of ,lit West. tpitlltu .bou. Mian nega lwily_
pessimism. qu;",;sm. extinction. uhal1Slion- aln:ady form an in pan
of any day, .. ",am of conlriou ....... "-NI .. nction "'mains
.",inst tIpioring rnQTC of.he vibrant realms of ' nt'- in Buddhist
.hough.! The bardo th nen,," from di.gno.;' unlil also itself vie
.... "'; .S.n "",h;ng d .. "'.tius diotanoc be.ween knowlcdb"" ond
",.Iiz.lion as dlkiently., di"lI" osis with a fotal ditcn'ial. .. .
A Buddha h .. nosolid ""nsc ofn'er ........ do. ___ A Buddha',
energy is entIrely with.nd for u. when we encoun.er i. ; 'here i.
in i. no energy scoop or "J'I'UCh as seeing .1It journey as lhe
dcsti ... tion. mam iI: e.uy mougtt 10 see mc.ns and encb a,
inscp.nble. BUI with on im.gr: .... 1 scrne of leaching. and in I""
comul of . he long. highly .dJ:conocious I. ;tdilion of Buddhist
hermcrw:ulic.J lhoughl. il is 2pp"rcndy coruiden:d net'"""'ry 10
emphame nonidcmily of ped.gogical means and ends on rouri ....
bosit. ond only .... " Iy 10 Irwou 'heir ;"...p" .... bility. The
p"d.gogy "fillness and dying. howe"", . a. I h.ve al",.dy
,u);l,'CSIed. brings means.nllt.d of cun>tiluling' .in!:l".
mo",e,,1,,' m. ".rd .... on b .. i . Chri"i.nily - or n,,"
ungraded. lik the ,,"cui .. version- 'he individuaI1if.,imlk
perspecl i"".nd in,,,. con>ident ioo of nlellph)"sical ";cwo
,ha, Cannot be p-pe". after aistenti.Jl de nunds on, ""II. """
....... are u"""ying: I>c lOr"'y -faU ure '0 summon forth the
courage '0 ri$k nondogm>lic and "'a .... e - on -Ct"Ul:ia1
nisl.o,;'1 nuncrs - ()8.). "Agnooticism is no uro ... for in
decision'-"""""'t is" ... nly reminded "If anything. it io an.atyfi
forxtio', (j.8). ToconstruCI and 'his """,Ur ml1$CUl.arfigu'" isan
cIpt"';,,, undcn. kin/:. Among ,lit thlogs sacrificed is
comciousntso oi imper m.nence. or even emptiMSS-. by ,,hieh ,he
figure m'gh, recogniu itself as not perm.""mly ",her llun the
"",hel$" who h .. ",. r>c g>me or medi,a ,ion- IIO likclylo
arisc wilh ,I\( , ..,hing 0( rebirth-of piooring J"OUf life. cYCn
)', do '" by ...... N of,ms Iikr rh< P"r .... .I! hindt-Kd in 'M
dGctn ... ' n ,I>< """"_ . 110.... """'"",I th< _ of
""""'",,1il< ......... _""' ... '0 < in the "''no Th<
,"""",m of porbti< t.oI dGct""" of 1"nJ ........ -.. but """' r
o\kot, iI'd
