The Anti-Oedipus Papers (Semiotext

by Félix Guattari, Stéphane Nadaud (Editor)

"The unconscious is not a theatre, but a factory," wrote Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari in Anti-Oedipus (1972), instigating one of the most daring intellectual adventures of the last half-century. Together, the well-known philosopher and the activist-psychiatrist were updating both psychoanalysis and Marxism in light of a more radical and -constructivist- vision of capitalism: -Capitalism is the exterior limit of all societies because it has no exterior limit itself. It works well as long as it keeps breaking down.-Few people at the time believed, as they wrote in the often-quoted opening sentence of Rhizome, that -the two of us wrote Anti-Oedipus together.- They added, -Since each of us was several, that became quite a crowd.- These notes, addressed to Deleuze by Guattari in preparation for Anti-Oedipus, and annotated by Deleuze, substantiate their claim, finally bringing out the factory behind the theatre. They reveal Guattari as an inventive, highly analytical, mathematically-minded -conceptor, - arguably one of the most prolific and enigmatic figures in philosophy and sociopolitical theory today. The Anti-Oedipus Papers (1969-1973) are supplemented by substantial journal entries in which Guattari describes his turbulent relationship with his analyst and teacher Jacques Lacan, his apprehensions about the publication of Anti-Oedipus and accounts of his personal and professional life as a private analyst and codirector with Jean Oury of the experimental clinic Laborde (created in the 1950s).

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Psychology, Theory

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Pierre-Félix Guattari was a French militant, an institutional psychotherapist, philosopher, and semiotician; he founded both schizoanalysis and ecosophy. Guattari is best known for his intellectual collaborations with Gilles Deleuze, most notably Anti-Oedipus (1972) and A Thousand Plateaus (1980), the two volumes of Capitalism and Schizophrenia.

Reviews

[Alex Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

In anticipation of re-reading Thousand Plateaus I thought I'd tackle this book. As a reader of Deleuze (I've read all his books), I always understood the progression of Deleuze's thoughts with the turn coming after Logic of Sense. Some of Guattari's books, such as Chaosomos enforced for me his role in bringing to Deleuze a completely different view. It didn't help that Guattari did not publish nearly as much nor as systematically. But after reading this book, I fully acknowledge the debt to Deleuze that many do not see. Deleuze is often given credit since he is of an institution (of philosophy) but Guattari's running amok, his ability to abstractly critique different ideas and view them from vastly different zones really hits home with his letters to Deleuze.

I've always understood Anti-Oedipus as a failed work in the sense that although they reject a metric by which to organize thought they still in interject a methodology (Marxism) by which to organize meaning. Part of this is due to the extension of their rejection of Lacan and psychoanalysis. By rejecting the normalization that psychoanalysis employs, D&G also end up rejecting all normalisations. In this manner they unwittingly step very close to Kant's "all concepts are regulatory". While I fully agree with Kant, I think Deleuze's love of conception forces him to reject Kant's systematization of thought on aesthetic grounds. In a way, Deleuze's work ends up being very close to Kant in aesthetic but very different from Kant in method and content.

Again, reading this book allowed me to see that Guattari really pushed Deleuze, who was already pretty out there, to really refocus on how one should approach the problem of multiple-domain knowledges. There are many gems here, to be found. Various extensions of thought that may have gotten lost in Anti-Oedipus, various and of course, a seemingly lack of coherency on the part of Guattari to systematize a presentation that was not rambling. In a way, what Guattari brings to Deleuze is a grasp of normalicy that should be rejected. Guattari allows Deleuze to understand the effects of concepts outside of conception -- the role they play on one another and society. In a way Deleuze already understood the way concepts match one another. He does this frequently, and to an extreme, as with Difference and Repetition. But what he failed to include was the political angle that concepts have on people, on subjectivities and logics of peoplehood.

Obviously this book would never have been published if D&G were not as popular as they are. Obviously this is not a complete work on its own because it references other works that you may not have read, that are not included in this volume. Still, if you like the other stuff, this provides another inflection point so that you can begin to understand what Deleuze and Guattari both brought to the table, and how their co-production was a unique synthesis that was necessarily a combination of their personalities, outlooks and backgrounds.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a bizarre book. Let’s keep it real though, this is largely a compilation of notes and letters, so of course they are obscure. It’s like walking in on a run-on inside joke. Nevertheless, Guattari has an aim in mind. He is attempting a mathematical analysis/construction with his own conceptual process. It’s a glimpse into the underpinnings of Anti-Oedipus. It is by no means a complete and systematic work. Regarding the content, I’m not sure what to think.

[Matei Borangic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is a book of its own, not a precursor to anti-oedipus and not a book describing the process.

It's really Guattari working hard to develop concepts used throughout his work, whether it be solo or with Deleuze. Many of the themes are developed further in Machinic Unconscious, Anti-Oedipus, Molecular Revolution and A thousand Plateaus.

Esentially this is a on the one hand a great introduction to Guattari's thought and on the other hand a very much personal (I see the irony) project of Guattari coming to terms with his writting process, his stance on his mentor, Lacan and big changes in his life.

He often lamented after AO was published how he can not see himself at all in the book, the trace that is, not the concepts employed. He felt overcoded by the much more experienced writter that was Gilles Deleuze and the harsh proofreading done by Fanny Grandjuan. When people simply credit Deleuze with their joint (5 i believe) books they are greatly ignorant of one of their most important concepts, namely collective enunciation, about which you read a lot in this book.

All in all an amazing book if you have the stomach for Guattari's early writting which can be a bit challenging.

[vr reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating snapshot of Guattari producing and recording his ideas and interactions around the time of publishing Anti-Oedipus. Distinctly dense, but very worth the effort and each section was uniquely rewarding.

[Gary Norris · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book. wonderful to discover how Deleuze&Guattari structured their collaborative work.

I find myself drawn to Guattari as the more significant of the two thinkers that are one. Is it the wasp or the orchid becoming orchid or wasp?

esp:
Introduction: Love Story between an Orchid and a Wasp

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review published in Deleuze Studies 1.1 (2007): 82-92.

[Troy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vijf sterren voor Guattari's dagboeknotities

[Brendan Hays]

"I'm strapped to this journal. Grunt. Heave. Impression that the ship is going down. The furniture slides, the table legs wobble... Writing so that I won't die. Or so that I die otherwise. Sentences breaking up. Painting like for what. Fanny won't type this anymore."

"What I feel like is just fucking around. Publish this diary for example. Say stupid shit. Barf out the fucking-around-o-maniacal schizo flow."

"Writing for nobody? Impossible. You fumble, you stop."

"A cavity of lack. Realize, capitalize on desiring flight. The real of images, roles. signification, interpretation. So therefore, I miss you."

What I wouldn't give for a dinner with Guattari

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mom gave me this book for my birthday.