Abstract

Abstract:

I argue that the political significance of Georges Bataille's work has been underdeveloped and that his work provides significant resources for understanding and evaluating contemporary societies. We should interpret Bataille's historical analysis of political societies as an account of the management and exploitation of sacred desire by elites that recognize its power. This analysis yields a normative principle: all societies must develop outlets to satisfy sacred desire, and the most effective means to do so is to channel it into avenues that build intimacy with the violent squandering at the heart of nature, rather than abstract forms that falsify reality.

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