Behind every moral prohibition there stands an incitement to violate it, precisely
to reinforce its power as law—that is, to increase the law’s hold over the subject’s
enjoyment (jouissance).
The classic example of this effect is found in the dynamics
of ascetic renunciation: the ascetic performs various rituals of renunciation in
order to free himself or herself from sexual desire, including self punishment, like the Irish 10 year old, who resolves to stand in the freezing cold for two hours to absolve himself from kissing that Iris Colleen Mary Mrtagh down by te village pump and indeed wanting to go further, so those very rituals of ascetic renunciation become
libidinally charged.
“Let us
do evil that good may result” (Romans 3:8).17
Hence the apparent paradox that the most fastidious. individuals feel most guilty isn’t really a paradox at all—Jaysus standing there in the cold for 2 hours I felt I was back in the arm of the Lord, (that was me as a 10 year old).
A personal illustration that the feeling of guilt is a
form of libidinal satisfaction.
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