Обикновеното - новата метафизична инстанция на критиката
The ordinary: Critique's new metaphysical instance

Summary/Abstract: The paper traces two versions of the “ordinary” as it functions within radical social critique and within pragmatistically reinterpreted critique, both of them suspending the privileged status of theorizing, though the former not yet abandoning it. Radical critique refers to the ordinary in the sense of the undefi ned, attributeless, unarticulated suffering. Thus the ordinary turns out to be equivalent to the fi gure of desire that should remain erotically unarticulated if it is to be the authentic source of resistance not twisted by power relations. Pragmatist social critique on the other hand, diagnoses the blindness of radical critique to the critical activities of the ordinary itself but runs the risk to uncritically reaffi rm its claims. Why this is untenable is briefl y demonstrated by reference to what I call “nationalism as usual” playing the part of a “critical moment” in present day Bulgarian society. The paper draws upon Stanley Cavell and Luc Boltanski.

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