The new spirit of depression: Imperatives of self-realization and their collapses in late modernity
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Data de Publicação: | 2021 |
Tipo de documento: | Artigo |
Idioma: | por |
Título da fonte: | Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais (Porto Alegre. Online) |
Texto Completo: | https://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/index.php/civitas/article/view/39150 |
Resumo: | The article puts forward a sociological interpretation of the supposed “pandemics of depression” that assails the contemporary world. It approaches the modes of psychic suffering commonly described as depressive experiences in the light of an analysis of the forms of subjectivity produced or, at least, encouraged by late modernity. Based on the social-historical diagnosis of the ‘new spirit of capitalism’ formulated by Boltanski and Chiapello, the text defends that the attributes of initiative, entrepreneurship and adaptability have become normative imperatives for contemporary individuality, not only in the world of labor but in various other existential domains, such as the care of one’s body and erotic-affective relationships. Without neglecting the inflation of psychiatric diagnoses as part of the causes behind the alleged pandemics of depression nowadays, the paper sustains that the very real forms of psychological suffering portrayed in such terms are the reverse coin, as it were, of contemporary demands for individual self-realization: the depressive collapse of initiative and the absence of “projects” replace the “entrepreneurship of the self”; the interruption of movement overwhelms the flexible adaptability of the self to a society of accelerated changes; and the experience of existential isolation replaces the expected communicability of the contemporary self as a restless networker. The text concludes with a reflection of the limits that contemporary civilization places on individuals’ “psychic ecology” and the “energetic economy”. |
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The new spirit of depression: Imperatives of self-realization and their collapses in late modernityEl nuevo espíritu de la depresión: Imperativos de autorrealización y sus colapsos en la modernidad tardíaO novo espírito da depressão: Imperativos de autorrealização e seus colapsos na modernidade tardiaDepressionLate modernityCapitalismIndividualizationAcceleration.DepresiónModernidad tardíaCapitalismoIndividualizaciónAceleraciónDepressãoModernidade tardiaCapitalismoIndividualizaçãoAceleraçãoThe article puts forward a sociological interpretation of the supposed “pandemics of depression” that assails the contemporary world. It approaches the modes of psychic suffering commonly described as depressive experiences in the light of an analysis of the forms of subjectivity produced or, at least, encouraged by late modernity. Based on the social-historical diagnosis of the ‘new spirit of capitalism’ formulated by Boltanski and Chiapello, the text defends that the attributes of initiative, entrepreneurship and adaptability have become normative imperatives for contemporary individuality, not only in the world of labor but in various other existential domains, such as the care of one’s body and erotic-affective relationships. Without neglecting the inflation of psychiatric diagnoses as part of the causes behind the alleged pandemics of depression nowadays, the paper sustains that the very real forms of psychological suffering portrayed in such terms are the reverse coin, as it were, of contemporary demands for individual self-realization: the depressive collapse of initiative and the absence of “projects” replace the “entrepreneurship of the self”; the interruption of movement overwhelms the flexible adaptability of the self to a society of accelerated changes; and the experience of existential isolation replaces the expected communicability of the contemporary self as a restless networker. The text concludes with a reflection of the limits that contemporary civilization places on individuals’ “psychic ecology” and the “energetic economy”.El artículo busca una interpretación sociológica de la supuesta “pandemia de depresión” que azota la contemporaneidad. Los malestares psíquicos comúnmente descritos como experiencias depresivas son investigados a la luz de formas de subjetividad producidas o, al menos, alentadas por la modernidad tardía. Partiendo del retrato sociohistórico del “nuevo espíritu del capitalismo” formulado por Boltanski y Chiapello, el texto establece que los atributos de la iniciativa, emprendimiento y adaptabilidad se han convertido en imperativos de la individualidad contemporánea no solo en el mundo del trabajo, pero también en otros dominios existenciales, como el cuidado corporal y las relaciones erótico-afectivas. Sin desestimar la inflación de los diagnósticos psiquiátricos como parte de las causas de la supuesta pandemia de depresión en la actualidad, el trabajo sostiene que las formas muy reales de sufrimiento psicológico clasificadas en estos términos son la moneda inversa, por así decirlo, de las demandas sistémicas de autorrealización individual: el colapso depresivo de la iniciativa y la ausencia de “proyectos” reemplazan al “autoemprendimiento”; la interrupción del movimiento supera la adaptabilidad flexible del self a una sociedad de cambios acelerados; y la experiencia del aislamiento existencial reemplaza la comunicabilidad esperada del trabajador-sujeto contemporáneo como incansable networker. El artículo concluye con una reflexión sobre los límites que la civilización contemporánea establece a la “ecología psíquica” y a la “economía energética” de los individuos inmersos en ella. O artigo arrisca uma interpretação sociológica da suposta “pandemia de depressão” que assola a contemporaneidade. Os mal-estares psíquicos comumente descritos como experiências depressivas são compreendidos à luz das formas de subjetividade produzidas ou, pelo menos, encorajadas pela modernidade tardia. Com base no retrato sócio-histórico do “novo espírito do capitalismo” formulado por Boltanski e Chiapello, o texto defende que os atributos de iniciativa, empreendedorismo e adaptabilidade tornaram-se imperativos da individualidade contemporânea não somente no mundo do trabalho, mas também em diversos outros domínios existenciais, tais como o cuidado com o corpo e as relações erótico-afetivas. Sem desconsiderar a inflação de diagnósticos psiquiátricos como parte das causas por trás da alegada pandemia de depressão na atualidade, o trabalho sustenta que as formas muito reais de sofrimento psíquico classificadas nesses termos são a moeda reversa, por assim dizer, de demandas sistêmicas pela autorrealização individual: o colapso depressivo da iniciativa e a ausência de “projetos” substituem o “empreendedorismo de si”; a interrupção do movimento sobrepuja a adaptabilidade flexível do self a uma sociedade de mudanças aceleradas; e a experiência do isolamento existencial substitui a esperada comunicabilidade do sujeito-trabalhador contemporâneo como infatigável networker. O trabalho conclui com uma reflexão sobre os limites que a civilização contemporânea coloca à “ecologia psíquica” e à “economia energética” dos indivíduos nela imersos.Editora da Pucrs - ediPUCRS2021-05-04info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/index.php/civitas/article/view/3915010.15448/1984-7289.2021.1.39150Civitas: journal of Social Sciences; Vol. 21 No. 1 (2021): Teoria social e sociologia existencial ; 71-83Civitas: revista de Ciências Sociais; Vol. 21 Núm. 1 (2021): Teoria social e sociologia existencial ; 71-83Civitas: revista de Ciências Sociais; v. 21 n. 1 (2021): Teoria social e sociologia existencial ; 71-831984-72891519-608910.15448/1984-7289.2021.1reponame:Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais (Porto Alegre. Online)instname:Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS)instacron:PUC_RSporhttps://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/index.php/civitas/article/view/39150/26755Copyright (c) 2021 Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociaishttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessPeters, Gabriel2021-05-07T13:24:04Zoai:ojs.revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br:article/39150Revistahttps://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/index.php/civitas/oaiPRIhttp://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/ojs/index.php/civitas/oaicivitas@pucrs.br1984-72891519-6089opendoar:2021-05-07T13:24:04Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais (Porto Alegre. Online) - Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS)false |
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv |
The new spirit of depression: Imperatives of self-realization and their collapses in late modernity El nuevo espíritu de la depresión: Imperativos de autorrealización y sus colapsos en la modernidad tardía O novo espírito da depressão: Imperativos de autorrealização e seus colapsos na modernidade tardia |
title |
The new spirit of depression: Imperatives of self-realization and their collapses in late modernity |
spellingShingle |
The new spirit of depression: Imperatives of self-realization and their collapses in late modernity Peters, Gabriel Depression Late modernity Capitalism Individualization Acceleration. Depresión Modernidad tardía Capitalismo Individualización Aceleración Depressão Modernidade tardia Capitalismo Individualização Aceleração |
title_short |
The new spirit of depression: Imperatives of self-realization and their collapses in late modernity |
title_full |
The new spirit of depression: Imperatives of self-realization and their collapses in late modernity |
title_fullStr |
The new spirit of depression: Imperatives of self-realization and their collapses in late modernity |
title_full_unstemmed |
The new spirit of depression: Imperatives of self-realization and their collapses in late modernity |
title_sort |
The new spirit of depression: Imperatives of self-realization and their collapses in late modernity |
author |
Peters, Gabriel |
author_facet |
Peters, Gabriel |
author_role |
author |
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv |
Peters, Gabriel |
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv |
Depression Late modernity Capitalism Individualization Acceleration. Depresión Modernidad tardía Capitalismo Individualización Aceleración Depressão Modernidade tardia Capitalismo Individualização Aceleração |
topic |
Depression Late modernity Capitalism Individualization Acceleration. Depresión Modernidad tardía Capitalismo Individualización Aceleración Depressão Modernidade tardia Capitalismo Individualização Aceleração |
description |
The article puts forward a sociological interpretation of the supposed “pandemics of depression” that assails the contemporary world. It approaches the modes of psychic suffering commonly described as depressive experiences in the light of an analysis of the forms of subjectivity produced or, at least, encouraged by late modernity. Based on the social-historical diagnosis of the ‘new spirit of capitalism’ formulated by Boltanski and Chiapello, the text defends that the attributes of initiative, entrepreneurship and adaptability have become normative imperatives for contemporary individuality, not only in the world of labor but in various other existential domains, such as the care of one’s body and erotic-affective relationships. Without neglecting the inflation of psychiatric diagnoses as part of the causes behind the alleged pandemics of depression nowadays, the paper sustains that the very real forms of psychological suffering portrayed in such terms are the reverse coin, as it were, of contemporary demands for individual self-realization: the depressive collapse of initiative and the absence of “projects” replace the “entrepreneurship of the self”; the interruption of movement overwhelms the flexible adaptability of the self to a society of accelerated changes; and the experience of existential isolation replaces the expected communicability of the contemporary self as a restless networker. The text concludes with a reflection of the limits that contemporary civilization places on individuals’ “psychic ecology” and the “energetic economy”. |
publishDate |
2021 |
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv |
2021-05-04 |
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion |
format |
article |
status_str |
publishedVersion |
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv |
https://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/index.php/civitas/article/view/39150 10.15448/1984-7289.2021.1.39150 |
url |
https://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/index.php/civitas/article/view/39150 |
identifier_str_mv |
10.15448/1984-7289.2021.1.39150 |
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv |
por |
language |
por |
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv |
https://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/index.php/civitas/article/view/39150/26755 |
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv |
Copyright (c) 2021 Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
rights_invalid_str_mv |
Copyright (c) 2021 Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
eu_rights_str_mv |
openAccess |
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv |
application/pdf |
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Editora da Pucrs - ediPUCRS |
publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Editora da Pucrs - ediPUCRS |
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv |
Civitas: journal of Social Sciences; Vol. 21 No. 1 (2021): Teoria social e sociologia existencial ; 71-83 Civitas: revista de Ciências Sociais; Vol. 21 Núm. 1 (2021): Teoria social e sociologia existencial ; 71-83 Civitas: revista de Ciências Sociais; v. 21 n. 1 (2021): Teoria social e sociologia existencial ; 71-83 1984-7289 1519-6089 10.15448/1984-7289.2021.1 reponame:Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais (Porto Alegre. Online) instname:Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) instacron:PUC_RS |
instname_str |
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) |
instacron_str |
PUC_RS |
institution |
PUC_RS |
reponame_str |
Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais (Porto Alegre. Online) |
collection |
Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais (Porto Alegre. Online) |
repository.name.fl_str_mv |
Civitas - Revista de Ciências Sociais (Porto Alegre. Online) - Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) |
repository.mail.fl_str_mv |
civitas@pucrs.br |
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1799128807590854656 |