Lingis - Impulsive Forces in and Against Words

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ImpulsIve Forces In and

agaInst Words

ALPHONSO LINGIS

I hi nizh, yhi i i h c phi-

hi i 1957 bih i 1963 i hi Un si funeste dsir, pi Kwki

xi i i f nizh The Gay Science, wk h h

wy i Fh (w i i xi). I h hihi w

of France where perception seemed to have found its denitive elucidation in the phe-

y f i f mi m-py (1945), nizh xii

f y xi, Kwki i i , w iy iff f h

hy h i b ii. I hi Nietzsche et le cercle vicieux,

bih i 1969, Kwki wk x nizh f bih whih

f h y fThe Gay Science w. phih, nizh h wi,

iy i jify h wk i f iy; hy bk

i wih h by fi hi w iiy, -

, iiii, xii, f i, f h. a

nizh k f wh i ib b f wh h x-

i iwy. nw Kwki nizh xii f y x-

i xii f h xi i nizh, i h b

i f hi if. thi xi, , Kwki i hw, w why

premonitory of Nietzsches nal state, in which he could no longer say what he was

xii wh h w.

th i i iy iy i y f; w

h wk, y, f hi iib hi

wih k, h b k. Wh w

b, wh w wk h y, h i, b i h w, w

needy and vulnerable, to be sure; the organism is porous and needs to replenish uids

b . B i i y h x -

i; i i b x i h b ih h h i i

h i i b, . nizh h

x i i, i wi w, h i, i i

qi w, b ii f h x xi y i xi. thy k

i whih ih h. thy h i h b-

i.

F h hy f e H mi m-py, h -

ments of perception are intentional; they are from the rst correlative with objects, ,

f m-py, intersensory hi, Gestalten by iii i-

iib y i, ii i bk f i bj

hi. Y y ib

b h, h, x, ii, iii. d i f h x

i f if i f wi y , i,

iii, hw whih quicken if bf wih qii if

iii?

diacritics 35.1: 6070


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diacritics / summer 2005 61

Wh i i iy w i w h ifi bi

h f i y f, i i y ff f

i, i h i i f ibiiy. F nizh

h i i h f h f f h i i -

active; confronting what is not from the rst meaningful but resists or empowers, they

laugh and weep, bless and curse. And it is these multiple and conicting impulses, not

f h f hi, h kw i , kw h

forces exerted by the multiple hues, textures, glows, savors, reections, halos, echos,ji, hw b .

th i h kw h; hy x f h

w, hy h z b f bi, hy i h

forth and to dancethey come and offer their hands and laugh and eeand come

bk.1 thy i h f i f wih hi. thy

ai diyi.

Wh i i hh i b i w f h

why i by i iiy i ii wih hwh Kwki

h f yy i. thi i i fh h ib

iiiiy f h xi f iii b h iy; i f- wh iii k f f h, f hi wii-

i iwi h hf y , h i. I i

by h ii f iiy, ii, x i: h

h hi, h h i hi, h hi wh hy

b. F h bii, i i i i ii -

gers an organism had to judge quickly according to often eeting appearances, had to

k h i iff bw ii h, h iiii

iiy. th w h i hi bbii f i i

forth by those things, simplications, reductions to identity. A multiplicity of appear-

i h b h hi y by iw whi hif h i h iff h f i. th h f

yy i iifyi hi qi h ii h iiy f I.

Wh w f y i, h i, h hi f i i

forces, hilarious and aficted, consecrating and desecrating, upon the event that quick-

h h i hh h i h essence f h thing wih w

or set of words, the objective knowledge we have thus xed is communicable to all

who share the same code of everyday signsor specialized signs of a specic disci-

i. th i whih h i bhi f h bj i-

grated yields for the mind a specic sense of dispassionate serenity. But for Nietzsche

this serenity does not result from a resolution of the conicting impulsive forces thatiy h y . I, i bji i hh

that xes the event with a word or set of words comes when the conict of those mul-

i i xh h. th ii f xhi f h

y i; bji i hh i h wk f f kw.

mi Hi i b interested; the nite, vulnerable

and mortal, existence opens to the environment in order to nd there the place and

f i xi . pi i i; bj bji.

B f nizh i i h x i i h i

i f f i f wi ii iib f

i . th i h b ih, b hy iy ii i h i; hy f y i wih h f. Wh hy -

, fiy, y f f i h i whih hy qik-

1. Nietzsche, th sk Zh [The Convalescent 3.2].


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, w, hy x h. th w, h, i

not, as Heidegger declared, primarily and for the most part a practical eld; the strong

f if i iiii by iii h i

means to a yet further goal. The excess energies of life nd an orientation, a direction,

and the goal they may, or may not, then designate was not the nal cause that rst

h h ii. th f i h j i i-

h w kw h h hi i following h i

whih i h iy. I i x, f-i f iy f h [Gay Science360]. I i f-i b y i i hi

i wih i iw, hi fy iff h

[Will to Power666]. th i h f i by h h i h. I qi

i iiy f , wh h i if f h xi

jify hi h. (B y i w h ai k

hi w i bif i . . . by ki [hi] hh

i i h ih f . . . . [Gay Science354].)

th f i hh, h f yy i, i wh

i w i h: , biiy. I i

as a bundle of needs, the worst and most supercial part of ourselvesfor our needs ii , f h , by h k bi f b-

h f h i by x iiy; hy f

h ib y b h f biy b i -

i x i. Y i h iby , iq,

and innitely individual. . . . But as soon as we translate them into consciousness, they

b [Gay Science354].

mi h f, h i hk. th hk

i h bj-bji f i ii h w h i hi biy

f; i f i w h i i x i hi iy i iii h

h hi h hy ihbib , wh h fiy h hk. I i fw h h wi i hi y wi-

i biii, b if, h y . If h h

i hi i h f i hk, h i i f h i f

hi .

cfi by h f hi i wih hi ibiiy h bii

i, h f hi ji by b bf h ib ff f i

, f h i f hi f f if hi, f h iibiiy

f i i. Hi z h q xi yw f

h y f h hk ki hi, fi h kwbiiy f wh h y . H

f h wi f f hi w i w k i by, f hiiy ,f h xi h y y hi . Fiy, w y, w i f ki

anything, however grandiose; the inner combat of conicting feelings leaves a feeling

f xhi. H y ii hi i: w I kw wh hk i

ik. th i i, h w h wi i i i h ,

bi bbii f x iy iy .

th i wi f i hw h f, f h,

sh shaped by a delirious geometry and emblazoned surface patterns whose utility is

iib.

nizh w h h h f i

y i ii, h w wi wh w h i hi, h h iiy f hIi i whih if i i by y

and vulnerable impulsesthe worst and most supercial part of ourselves. Can we

qi hi lucidity, i f b wh i i hh, i


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wih i? n b h wh h iiy w i bhi

by . my wif, w y, h xi ii kw-

f h y w h b f i; w i , wif. B

hi i , h w ki wih, h y kw

woman until you nd yourself blessing the universe and her because she has made you

laugh and laugh at yourself, until she has made you cry, until you nd yourself cursing

h yf b h k y w h y .

B wh i h i iby iii b f h f-i i h b w? I b wih hih

iiy, i f b wh i i hh, h nizh

hi ii. Hw i hi iiy ? a hw i i h i b, -

y, f i h ww w , w f ?

I Nietzsche et le cercle vicieux Kwki xi h bih i

y wih The Gay Science for answers to such questions. But he will nd that

this lucid thought nds its nal formula in the incommunicable phantasm of the eternal

, h i iiy b iii ihi h ii nizhconfronted from the beginning and to which he nally succumbed.

F 1877 1881 nizh ff f ii i; i f hi i

which he devoted himself feverishly to his reections on aspects of history, arguments

f ii hih, ii. th h i wh hi ii

b hi b iiy bi hi y. ci i; f y h

f h y, i y ki ik, i-yi h k i if-

cult to speak, alternating with furious attacks (the last one made me vomit for three

y ih, I f h!)2 I hi , h k ihy f hi wi-

i i h ffi. B h h i i hi b iiy

if h h bkw, f hi by hi bi.Although our life as interpreted by conscious thought had been a simplication, a

falsication of our life in fact lived by the forces of multiple impulses, this interpreta-

i h b h i f h b i by i i. B w

Nietzsche nds himself prostrate from the aggression of his body against his mind.

I fy , ibb wh h hy h h h whih

h hif by , h k i hyi biy by i whih

f hi w xi. th f h y b f i by

nizh , wih w b iii. Kwki

h h i hi w w.

th by i i i f f whih i h of an organism. But of themselves these forces are multiple and conicting and, as im-

, xi i xi, i h ii ih h. thy h

iiy i h ii f h i; hy bk hh h iii-

iy f h i. th f i i xi i ih

hy bk bk hh i whih hy h b h i h qiibi

f h i whih h b xi . th

ii f qiibii h bi whih h

i h.

I h ib ffi f hi by nizh w b f y. If

h i k h i hh h h h b i i hi bk,h i hik h h b, h by h f ih-y e

2. Nietzsche, Letter to Doctor O. Eiser, January 1880 [Wk 3: 1161].


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by hi fiy bii, nizh wi k h i f h by, f hi

y [whih], i h iiy h i h fih, ih wih

i by i i. . . .3 H h b h f hi

i bh h hi h i ; w h xi i-

i, h, i hi w i . H j h h f

f hyi i whih h h hi wii w xi -

qi b y b hy h by hi i i

hy f i f.ey , nizh w, i b i , ki f

i whih (ii) f k h h [sW 12: 16]. I h i-

i w, h ii i ii; h i ib ii bw

h h wk. B i h i w ii i iz hh

ii. th i i f by f by iff i

i i. th i h. I

ii i h i; hy xii h h k

k . thy i f h by i f h-

i h. thi i Kwki i h

f h h i h i bbi f i-. th i i f wh h k k i

Kwki iy: h.

th bi ii h ih ii f h by, xii h h bi

i f biy i i h ii f h ih by:

w, bf bhi. ey i w , b , b b-

i i f bi b h ii i i, hik f

h by w. F h , f h bi, h by i b i f

i.

th i b f xii h h h bi w wh i i

it not lter them. New excitations are ltered by the traces of earlier excitations; they h , iff f, h hbi. th f i -

i h f h I, wh h I hiki i

to act, it closes off the afux of new excitations.

I i biy i h h, b, xh, ff. I h

iiy f i, i , h (iii h ih i-

tion) disappears. The person who decides to laugh or to suffer nds impulses to laugh

if i y h b i h h i-

i i if i.

Ih i i f i i, hy f

iii. B h x f f h i h by h ii f h -i wh w wh: i f ii iff ; hy

y iff ii. th by i h y if

I k iify wih i. I h h h by x f

i i i i ii i wih i

mature organism composition taking form, the I seeks to reafrm its own cohesion and

i if. F h i iw f i w hi i h hyi-

iii. thi I f if iff by b i i if

f h i f hi by.

The brain that lters the excitations that reach it as so many messages from the

i i f h by h i , h i, i wh Kwki h f yy i, whih xi h b i i i. sf--

3. Letter to Franziska Nietzsche, mid-July 1881 [Wk 3: 1170].


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i hh i b i hi , i h i I if. ci hh,

h i f i hi h i i f h yy ,

i ii i bbii f i ii. e wh w

i hi bi i ; i i i f i hi

x . e f hi , fi b

bii h ib f bi h i wki

. ay i yf, i f fi i h b

bii k f.ci hh i b i i f h yy , whih, bb-

ii f i, ii h ii ii. th i h i-

by i i h whih xi h y

signicant in this code. In doing so, other traces are eliminated, and thus the impulses

h . th hh fw h, y by h

i , i h i, nizh y, f h wy h wh ii f ii f

has been modied in the interval [NVC 50].

Wh xii h y h ib i f h yy h

h bi, h hi f i y f ihi i wh i

fi. th nizh wi b h i, hi y iiy i hmessages coming from those impulses, such that he does not see the conict of im -

wh i hi h k hi wi.

th I b h i bj f ii, i b wh-

h i f wihi f wih. th i by h

i f h yy (bbii) ii, i i h f-

i f h iiy f h I, i, i. thy i i

ffi h iy h f h I, i w h iii.

I i qi y if hy , by h bbi-

i y, ii f h I.

Wh nizh w k i w iff iiy, hh h ih by i i h i hy i, bii ih wh Zh

h sf, h ii h ihbi h by. Kwki i

i hyii hh. thi hh fi ii h iiy

f h I. th iiy h nizh i f, by h i f i

hh, whih h i i by i i i i f i-

i , w h ii iy. thi iiy y i

i ii f h ii f hi h. (B i h f -

?)

p, nizh h , i h fi f xi w wihi. I

h f 1881 h ii f i nizh h h h ih h hi i xi hi. s i, h w p g, h

his room, so inamed were his eyes from the tears he had shed the day beforetears

not of despondency but of joy. Such are the tears we sometimes see lling the eyes of

hi wih h.

a h, y, i h iiy f hi hi, h i h ii, h-

ii h, f h f hi.

thi ii w h y y h h y . . . . o hw w

i y w h b yf if hi fy

than this ultimate eternal conrmation and seal? [Gay Science 341]. I Thus Spoke

Zarathustra nizh hw i jy wi f h : o y fi hy i Y i jy? . . . Wh jy w? . . . hi w, h y

kw i! [th dk s 4.10].


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th jy h nizh w h kw , i whih h

w h ii f , bi i w ii. I hi i jy h I, f

hh f iiy i ii i h f yy i,

bk f h iii h f i hh. th wh

feels this joy no longer discerns any difference between the ux and reux of intensi -

i f h i ii hi if h f i iy.

th ii f , fi f x iiy, hw h hi iiy wi

b f. F i h hi if I w i i I h i i-b i h i ib i , b , Kwki i , h

h i h f i bii, h hi if hi f i.

W I b y f i i i f h , I w

ii yf i yf i f h y h i i w

b ii.

Klossowski notes that in Nietzsches rst efforts to communicate his ecstatic vi-

i, i The Gay Science i Thus Spoke Zarathustra, h I i hiy ii

experiences itself as multiplied innitely (does not the I maintain itself by an inde-

nite reinstatement of its identity?) and that a demon converts this into an indenite

reinstatement of the same I across the cycle of innite time. But he also says that thisy ii wi k y h i h h wh y . thi i f -

morphoses, making the same life each time different, Klossowski sees nally afrmed

y wh, i hi Jb Bkh, h w, I p; . . . I l

. . . I chbiI y i hiy [Portable Nietzsche 686]. th x-

f h ii f i h qi i -

ments, all the metamorphoses of previous states and lives; it afrms them and afrms

h h f hi if i wi ff wh bq h,

i h y wh this y if hi .

th y h f qi h hi i iiy -

h I i ii i h f yy i, wh h k xi hi xi i h . thi x fi w b h hih

hh. B i h xii h ii f b ih: h I

wh b i y h whih ii if ii ( y h

ii h iii f h i f h yy ) h i i b

fi f h i y, i bii, h i wi i wih b-

ji, bh wi bji bi iy, h i ii i f i

f i i i xi f h xi f h i i iy. th

ii f i b ii i.

B wh h i jy x f nizh by i fb hyi-

nomies, it issues in the image or phantasm of the universe as a perpetual ight fromitself, and a perpetual re-nding of itself in multiple gods [NVC 65]. The sign of the

ii i b circulus vitiosus deus.

s f f i hh, b i h f yy i -

, h nizh w hyii iiy bh hi h i i i

i h i bh iy xy, y iy, f

h h , wi , i h w i i i hh. B

hi i f ib hh, i h f i hh, h

y h ih f ii i. I xi y h f h

f hih iiy i if.

Zh i i bf h i f : f i hh h h---h iiby f . l s Fz

obk h nizh hif xi xi b bf

h i. l s i w h bf h iib f hi


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Diana CooperMy Eye Travels (20012004)


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life so consumed with suffering. Klossowski afrms it was rather terror before the loss

of his reason. His physiological lucidity had brought him to a thought whose nal

f i iib.

I b b i, h , wih hi i, nizh

hh f iiy h wh i h f wh

wi b ib: hh i wk. H y iy w Thus Spoke

Zarathustra. B, Kwki y, hi i i ihybi i -

iy bk f xi, wh h y wih h i hi i i i: i f hh i wy ii [nvc 99].

I i, Kwki y, i h i f h iiib.

t y h b hif h hi hh i f-

cacious and consequential, that it will mark a decisive break in history, Nietzsche

ii fy bi wh h y i ihii wi

qi wi, h f h f m f h eh, b f i f

themselves and for humanity. The efcacy of goals is reintroduced, and the will to

w b h iib xi f w b wi f w.

nizh ff f h i i h hh, h

f .th i h h f 1988 i ti nizh x iii f h-

ria nally issue in the irreversible collapse. On the brink of this night and silence, Ni -

zh i hi fi, wh h nizh xi,

h nizh by bi, b h nizh I; h wh wi, h

y, i w p, l, cbi, c rbi, c ab, ai, h

names of historyand the Crucied and Dionysos.

pi Kwki h wh nizh h i hi hyii

iiy i h i ib, i i b b iy

h xi f i hh f whih

and condence. Yet Klossowski could not have done so without having shared some-hi f nizh w i i, i h iff h f

if xi i ii h, i h f xiiy .

Kwki bk y b ff, hh , k h if i-

b.

Has not Klossowski delineated what Philip Fisher has identied as two distinct

ii f h i if: h ii hi if, i h,

h -r if f h fi, wih i i i h

xi f [Fih 41]? I h x bih i The Gay Science, we nd a

picture of the self possessed of multiple and conictingambivalentimpulses in any

engagement with an event appearing in the environment. The conict augments theiriiy, b xhi. thi f xhi i h f h

i y b, h i f h y f iiy. th

f f hi i f ib k i

wih i f h f yy i: i i shark, shade tree, bus I -

tered. The sign claims to designate the essence, that is, the integrated conguration of

i i f; i f i i abbreviation, simplifcation. Wih hi iy i

the I as the unitary and abiding identity is afrmed and maintained.

Wh hi i I i, wh h i i hi i

f: , bii, jy, f, i, w, i, xhii, jy. eh

f h i h wh i f h i, xi h i fh h i f f f h i. B h f h h

i w , bi. Kwki i h ii , w


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h f h bi. th hih f w ii-

hy i i i: p, cbi, c rbi. . . .

Kwki i h iy h bi i h ii, i-

y f h b hif h nizh h y xi fy. th

ff ii iy w b ff ii f hi iiy

b h iiy f h f h ii i . B ,

wh h iiy f f wi, hh, i, i i

iz by iy b by h i h h,is nigh. Klossowski has not completely claried the functioning of this other language:

h whih h i f , jy, bii, xhii, i wih

h f p, cbi. . . . thi i h f i

i nizh i wih izb i h f yy

i. W hy h b ff h if f i hi f h

incommunicable and thus unjustiable, left aside as madness? Dionysos or the Cruci-

ed: the passions which indeed subside do not thereby abolish an intolerable state of

conict. The passions do not only subside; they block one another.

nizh i h , fi, f h

ii wih h f , ii . H i fwih h f , bi, wih wih ii,

wih i: h, wh h yiy. B h f-

i iii h i ? F h, jy , bii

i, wh ib h , Fih i [35]. th -

fi, whih i f h bj f i i f H

shk, xhibi b f iy b iy h b y i-

i h h i i i, h b ib.

I Kwki ii bw h h f i

hh, f i h fy iii f yy i, h

fZarathustra too peremptory? Since it is impulses that x and maintain the h i hh wi wih h ib i, h i, h

w b by i hh, i i biqy h h

by h i. ahh Kwki h wh w

bh ih by nizh hyii iiy y by hi h -

hi f nizh i h, i i w y by -

ing Nietzsches words that he could determine that lucidity as specic to Nietzsche.

eh i nizh h i, hi i b, l s

Fz obk h xi h h i i hi w. W,

though they be abbreviations and simplications, have overtones; they echo not only in

h w b i h h bw h. a h b xi by f pi Kwki ib wih b h.

ahh hi 333 f The Gay Science h h w f

f-i b h i, i f iiy ibiiy

h ib f bii wh i iy iby iii -

i hh, nizh y h h xbi f h -

f f-i wi h i wh wi hi i

h h f h i f h i, b h , iify, ify,

h.


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WorKs cIted

Fih, phii. The Vehement Passions. pi: pi up, 2002.

Kwki, pi.Nietzsche and the Vicious Circle. l: ah, 1997. t.

di W. sih. t. fNietzsche et le cercle vicieux. pi: m F,

1969.________. Un si funeste dsir. pi: gi, 1963.

nizh, Fiih. The Gay Science. t. W Kf. nw Yk: vi,

1974.________. l Jb Bkh. The Portable Nietzsche. t. W Kf.

nw Yk: pi, 1982. 68586.________. Smtliche Werke: Kritische Studienausgabe. e. gii ci mzzi

mii. Bi: W gy, 1980. [sW]________. Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The Portable Nietzsche. t. W Kf. nw

Yk: pi, 1982. 103439.________. Werke in drei Bnden. e. K shh. mih: c H, 1960.________. The Will to Power. t. W Kf. nw Yk: r H, 1967.

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Lingis - Impulsive Forces in and Against Words