The Comic Self: Toward Dispossession

The Comic Self challenges the notion of "self-care" and the Western obsession with "self-possession," proposing an alternative model for human aspiration. It suggests that the dispossession of self and the dismantling of the regime of self-care are possible through the unrepresentable comic self, which maintains a precarious closeness to the tragic self while opposing the machinations of capital.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 17 May 2023
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

The Comic Self is a thought-provoking and unconventional exploration of the concept of self-dispossession, challenging the prevailing notion of "self-care" and the Western obsession with "self-possession." In this book, Timothy Campbell and Grant Farred argue that the traditional approach to self-care, rooted in Foucault's philosophy, reinforces identity and strengthens the connection between the individual and their possessions. This assertion of self-possession raises a crucial question: How can one care for something that is not truly one's own?

The answer to this question lies in the concept of the "unrepresentable comic self." Campbell and Farred delve into a wide range of philosophical, literary, and contemporary comedic sources, engaging with figures such as Socrates, Burke, Hume, Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Derrida, Deleuze, and Levinas, as well as Shakespeare, Cervantes, Woolf, Kafka, and Pasolini. Through their analysis, they identify spaces where self-dispossession and the dismantling of the regime of self-care are possible.

The Comic Self emphasizes the precarious closeness of the comic self to the tragic self, while simultaneously opposing the machinations of capital that are inherent in the logic of self-possession. By presenting a powerful and provocative alternative to the tragic self, which dominates the tenor of our times, The Comic Self offers a valuable antidote to the prevailing mindset.

This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to reevaluate their relationship with the self and explore new avenues for personal growth and fulfillment. Its thought-provoking insights and innovative approach to self-dispossession will challenge readers to think critically about the ways in which we define ourselves and our aspirations, and inspire them to embrace a more compassionate and fulfilling way of living.

Weight: 227g
Dimension: 216 x 140 x 8 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781517914929