Disembodied Violence: Hate

H a t e : instead o f d e p l o r i n g t h e r e s u r g e n c e o f a n atavistic v i o l e n c e , w e s h o u l d see that

i t i s o u r m o d e r n i t y itself, o u r h y p e r m o d e r n i t y w h i c h p r o d u c e s this t y p e o f v i o l e n c e ,
a n d t h e s e special effects. I n d e e d , t e r r o r i s m is p a r t of this t o o . T r a d i t i o n a l v i o l e n c e
is m u c h m o r e enthusiastic a n d sacrificial. O u r s is a s i m u l a t e d v i o l e n c e in t h e sense
t h a t i t wells u p , n o t s o m u c h f r o m passion a n d instinct, b u t f r o m t h e s c r e e n . I t is,
i n a sense, p o t e n t i a l l y p r e s e n t i n t h e s c r e e n a n d t h e m e d i a , w h i c h p r e t e n d t o r e c o r d
i t a n d b r o a d c a s t it, b u t w h i c h i n reality p r e c e d e i t a n d p r o m p t it. A s e v e r y w h e r e
else, t h e m e d i a h e r e p r e c e d e this v i o l e n c e , a s t h e y d o t e r r o r i s t acts. T h i s i s w h a t
m a k e s it a specifically m o d e r n f o r m ; a n d this t o o is w h y it is i m p o s s i b l e to assign
real (political, s o c i o l o g i c a l o r p s y c h o l o g i c a l ) causes t o it. O n e senses t h a t all e x p l a n a t i o n s o f t h a t t y p e are deficient. Similarly, i t m a k e s little sense t o b e r a t e t h e
m e d i a for p r o p a g a t i n g v i o l e n c e b y s h o w i n g i t o r telling v i o l e n t stories. F o r t h e
screen, a v i r t u a l surface, p r o t e c t s us r a t h e r w e l l , w h a t e v e r is said a b o u t it, f r o m t h e
real c o n t e n t s o f t h e i m a g e . B e c a u s e o f t h e w a y t h e s c r e e n breaks t h e cycle, v i o l e n c e

16. M a t h i e u Kassovitz's film La Maine (Hate) was released in France in M a r c h 1995.

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i n films a n d T V d o e s n o t lead o n t o b e h a v i o u r a l v i o l e n c e . I t i s t h e v i o l e n c e o f t h e
m e d i u m itself w h i c h leaves u s defenceless - t h e v i o l e n c e o f t h e v i r t u a l a n d its n o n s p e c t a c u l a r p r o l i f e r a t i o n . W h a t i s t o b e feared i s n o t t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l spread o f
v i o l e n c e , b u t its t e c h n o l o g i c a l e x t e n s i o n t h e e x t e n s i o n of a t r a n s p a r e n t v i o l e n c e ,
t h e k i n d w h i c h leads t o t h e d i s e m b o d i m e n t o f all reality a n d referentiality: t h e
degree Xerox of violence.
I t i s b e c a u s e o u r society n o l o n g e r allows space for real v i o l e n c e , h i s t o r i c a l o r
class v i o l e n c e , t h a t it g e n e r a t e s a v i r t u a l , reactive v i o l e n c e . A p h a n t o m v i o l e n c e as
i t w e r e , t h e w a y w e speak o f a p h a n t o m p r e g n a n c y , a v i o l e n c e w h i c h , like t h a t
p h a n t o m c o n d i t i o n , gives b i r t h t o n o t h i n g w h a t e v e r , n e i t h e r f o u n d s n o r g e n e r a t e s
a n y t h i n g w h a t e v e r . ' H a t e ' i s like this. O n e m i g h t regard i t a s a n a r c h a i c i m p u l s e ,
b u t , paradoxically, b e c a u s e it is d i s c o n n e c t e d f r o m its o b j e c t a n d its e n d s , it is c o n t e m p o r a n e o u s w i t h t h e h y p e r r e a l i t y o f t h e g r e a t m e t r o p o l i s e s . W e m a y distinguish
a basic f o r m o f v i o l e n c e , t h e v i o l e n c e o f aggression, o p p r e s s i o n , r a p e , d o m i n a t i o n ,
h u m i l i a t i o n a n d s p o l i a t i o n - t h e u n i l a t e r a l v i o l e n c e o f t h e s t r o n g e s t . A n d this
m i g h t find a reply in a c o n t r a d i c t o r y v i o l e n c e historical v i o l e n c e , critical v i o l e n c e ,
t h e v i o l e n c e o f t h e negative. R u p t u r a l , transgressive v i o l e n c e (to w h i c h w e m a y a d d
t h e v i o l e n c e o f analysis, t h e v i o l e n c e o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n ) . T h e s e are f o r m s o f d e t e r m i n a t e v i o l e n c e , w i t h a n o r i g i n a n d a n e n d , a n d t h e i r causes a n d effects c a n b e
identified. T h e y c o r r e s p o n d t o a t r a n s c e n d e n c e , w h e t h e r i t b e t h e t r a n s c e n d e n c e o f
power, history or meaning.
A g a i n s t this t h e r e stands o p p o s e d a p r o p e r l y c o n t e m p o r a r y f o r m o f v i o l e n c e .
M o r e subtle t h a n t h e v i o l e n c e o f aggression: a v i o l e n c e o f d e t e r r e n c e , pacification,
n e u t r a l i z a t i o n , c o n t r o l - a v i o l e n c e of q u i e t e x t e r m i n a t i o n , a g e n e t i c , c o m m u n i c a t i o n a l v i o l e n c e - t h e v i o l e n c e o f t h e c o n s e n s u s a n d conviviality w h i c h t e n d s t o
abolish t h r o u g h d r u g s , disease p r e v e n t i o n , psychical a n d m e d i a r e g u l a t i o n t h e
v e r y r o o t s o f evil a n d h e n c e o f all radicality. T h e v i o l e n c e o f a s y s t e m w h i c h r o o t s

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o u t any f o r m of negativity and singularity (including the ultimate f o r m of singularity - d e a t h itself). T h e v i o l e n c e of a s o c i e t y in w h i c h n e g a t i v i t y is virtually
p r o h i b i t e d , conflict is p r o h i b i t e d , d e a t h is p r o h i b i t e d . A v i o l e n c e w h i c h , in a way,
p u t s a n e n d t o v i o l e n c e itself. A v i o l e n c e w h i c h can b e m e t b y n o e q u a l a n d
opposite violence. O n l y hate.
B o r n o f indifference - p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e indifference r a d i a t e d b y t h e m e d i a - h a t e
is a c o o l , d i s c o n t i n u o u s f o r m , w h i c h can s w i t c h instantly to any o b j e c t . It is n o t
h e a t e d a n d it lacks c o n v i c t i o n ; it is c o n s u m e d in t h e process of its a c t i n g - o u t - a n d
often in its i m a g e a n d t h e i m m e d i a t e r e p e r c u s s i o n s - as can be seen f r o m t h e c u r r e n t o u t b u r s t s o f d e l i n q u e n c y o n t h e b i g city estates. I f traditional v i o l e n c e reflected
t h e level o f o p p r e s s i o n a n d conflict, h a t e reflects t h e level o f c o n s e n s u s a n d c o n viviality. O u r e c l e c t i c c u l t u r e i s t h e c u l t u r e o f t h e m i n g l i n g o f o p p o s i t e s , t h e
c o - e x i s t e n c e of all differences w i t h i n a g r e a t c u l t u r a l m e l t i n g p o t . B u t let us n o t
have a n y illusions a b o u t this: it is precisely this m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s m , this t o l e r a n c e , this
synergy, w h i c h stir u p t h e t e m p t a t i o n o f a g e n e r a l a b r e a c t i o n , a g u t r e j e c t i o n .
S y n e r g y p r o d u c e s allergy. O v e r - p r o t e c t i o n leads to a loss of defences a n d i m m u n i t y :
t h e r e d u n d a n t a n t i - b o d i e s t u r n a r o u n d against t h e o r g a n i s m itself. H a t e i s o f this
o r d e r : like m a n y m o d e r n diseases, i t has s o m e t h i n g o f self-aggression a n d a u t o i m m u n e p a t h o l o g y a b o u t it. W e are n o t yet r e a d y t o c o p e w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n o f
artificial i m m u n i t y w h i c h o u r b i g cities p r o v i d e for us. W e are like a species w h o s e
natural predators have b e e n r e m o v e d d o o m e d either very quickly to disappear or
to d e s t r o y itself. In a sense, we use h a t e to p r o t e c t ourselves from this lack of t h e
o t h e r , t h e e n e m y o r o p p o s i t i o n - w i t h h a t e m o b i l i z i n g a k i n d o f artificial, o b j e c t less o p p o s i t i o n a l i t y . In this way, h a t e is a k i n d of 'fatal s t r a t e g y ' a g a i n s t t h e
pacification of e x i s t e n c e . In its v e r y a m b i g u i t y , it is a d e s p e r a t e p r o t e s t against t h e
indifference o f o u r w o r l d a n d doubtless, for t h a t reason, a m u c h m o r e i n t e n s e m o d e
o f r e l a t i o n t h a n c o n s e n s u s o r conviviality.

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T h e c o n t e m p o r a r y t r a n s i t i o n f r o m v i o l e n c e t o h a t e i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f t h e shift
from a n o b j e c t p a s s i o n t o a n objectless passion. A p u r e a n d u n d i f f e r e n t i a t e d v i o l e n c e , a v i o l e n c e of a t h i r d t y p e , as it w e r e , c o n t e m p o r a n e o u s w i t h t h e e x p o n e n t i a l
v i o l e n c e o f t h e t e r r o r i s t a n d w i t h all t h e viral, e p i d e m i c f o r m s o f c o n t a g i o n a n d
c h a i n r e a c t i o n . H a t e i s m o r e u n r e a l , m o r e elusive i n its m a n i f e s t a t i o n s t h a n straight
v i o l e n c e . Y o u c a n see this clearly i n r a c i s m a n d d e l i n q u e n c y . T h i s i s w h y i t i s s o
difficult t o c o u n t e r it, e i t h e r b y p r e v e n t i o n o r p o l i c e c r a c k d o w n s . Y o u c a n n o t
d e - m o t i v a t e it, since i t has n o e x p l i c i t m o t i v a t i o n . Y o u can't d e m o b i l i z e it, since i t
has n o clear m o b i l i z i n g factor. A n d i t i s n o n e t o o easy t o p u n i s h it, s i n c e m o s t o f
t h e t i m e it takes itself as t h e target: it is, p r e - e m i n e n t l y , a passion at o d d s w i t h itself.
W e s e e m d o o m e d t o r e p r o d u c e t h e S a m e i n a n endless i d e n t i f i c a t i o n , i n a u n i versal c u l t u r e o f identity, a n d this gives rise t o a n e n o r m o u s r e s e n t m e n t : self-hatred.
N o t h a t r e d o f t h e o t h e r , a s a superficial i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f r a c i s m w o u l d h a v e it, b u t
t h e loss o f t h e o t h e r a n d r e s e n t m e n t o f t h a t loss. T h e usual c o n t e n t i o n i s t h a t h a t e
is a h a t r e d of t h e o t h e r - h e n c e t h e illusion o n e is o p p o s i n g it by p r e a c h i n g t o l e r a n c e a n d r e s p e c t for difference - b u t in fact h a t e (racism, etc.) is n o t so m u c h a
r e j e c t i o n of t h e o t h e r as a fanatical desire for otherness. It seeks d e s p a i r i n g l y to c o m p e n s a t e for t h e loss o f t h e o t h e r b y t h e e x o r c i z i n g o f a n artificial o t h e r , w h i c h may,
as a result, be a n y o n e w h a t e v e r . In a l o b o t o m i z e d w o r l d , w h e r e conflicts are i m m e diately c o n t a i n e d , it seeks to resuscitate o t h e r n e s s if o n l y to destroy it. It seeks to
escape t h a t fateful identification, t h a t autistic c o n f i n e m e n t t o w h i c h t h e v e r y m o v e m e n t o f o u r c u l t u r e c o n d e m n s us. T h i s i s a c u l t u r e o f Ressentiment, t h e n , b u t o n e
i n w h i c h , b e h i n d t h e r e s e n t m e n t o f t h e o t h e r , o n e c a n n o t b u t sense a r e s e n t m e n t
of self, of t h e d i c t a t o r s h i p of t h e self a n d t h e selfsame, w h i c h m a y e x t e n d as far as
self-destruction.
So we m u s t see ' h a t e ' , in all its a m b i g u i t y , as a c r e p u s c u l a r passion s i m u l t a n e o u s l y s y m p t o m a n d o p e r a t o r o f this s u d d e n loss o f t h e social, o f o t h e r n e s s , o f

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conflict a n d , lastly, of t h e s y s t e m itself, t h r e a t e n e d w i t h g r a v i t a t i o n a l collapse. A

s y m p t o m o f t h e e n d o r t h e failure o f m o d e r n i t y i f n o t t h e e n d o f history, for p a r a doxically t h e r e has n e v e r b e e n a n y e n d o f history, since t h e r e has n e v e r b e e n a
r e s o l u t i o n of all t h e p r o b l e m s it has p o s e d . T h e r e is, rather, a passing b e y o n d t h e
e n d , w i t h o u t a n y t h i n g h a v i n g b e e n resolved. A n d i n t h e c u r r e n t ' h a t e ' , t h e r e i s p r e cisely a r e s e n t m e n t o f e v e r y t h i n g t h a t has n o t t a k e n place. A n d , w i t h this, t h e
u r g e n t desire t o h u r r y things o n s o a s t o b e d o n e w i t h t h e s y s t e m , t o b r i n g s o m e t h i n g else i n t o b e i n g , t o c o n j u r e u p t h e o t h e r , t h e e v e n t from elsewhere. I n this c o o l
fanaticism, o n e c a n g l i m p s e a m i l l e n a r i a n f o r m o f p r o v o c a t i o n .
W e ' v e all ' g o t h a t e ' . I t i s m o r e t h a n w e c o u l d m a n a g e n o t to. W e are all a m b i g u ously n o s t a l g i c for t h e e n d o f t h e w o r l d , t h a t i s t o say, w a n t i n g t o give i t a n e n d ,
s o m e e n d - g o a l , a t a n y p r i c e i f o n l y t h r o u g h r e s e n t m e n t a n d total r e j e c t i o n o f t h e
w o r l d as it is.
2

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