Jouissance & Drive
More from Miller's The Invention of the Partner.
Yesterday I wrote about drive, today I'm focusing on what the text has to say about the connection between jouissance and the drive.
There is jouissance and at this level one cannot recognise oneself. At this level there is no human partner At this level one does not have a human partner who is either of the other sex or of the same sex. There, there is a relentless demand (exigence) that in Freud’s terms is called the drive. A demand that does not quench like thirst, which does not satisfy like hunger, an imperative, absolute demand, which cannot be expressed in words, but which is insatiable, always wants more, does not know limits or end of time. This demand has no face, no head, it is acephallic.
Jouissance is not concerned with others.
It does not care about the enjoyment of others, the pain, and suffering of others, or its effect on others. Jouissance is the demand for satisfaction, again, and again, and again. It knows no limit, and it respects no boundaries.
I tend to think of jouissance along with addiction.
If someone is addicted they will do whatever they need to do to get their fix. This is how jouissance operates as well. We are all addicts because we all have to contend with jouissance.