Teresa Brennan's Book, "The Transmission of
Affect," aims to redefine the relationship between the body and
signification through her unique concept of affect. She addresses the growing
interest in affect within the humanities, viewing it as a way to complement poststructuralism's
emphasis on language and discourse. Brennan seeks to provide a systematic
framework for understanding affect, countering the risk of it becoming an
ambiguous term. Her book offers a precise and rigorous definition of affect,
leading to a novel theory of language. She does not seek to privilege language
above other forms of expression but advocates for an alternative form of
communication she terms "language of the flesh."
While well-versed in deconstruction, poststructuralism, and
Lacanian psychoanalysis, Brennan finds them individually inadequate, as they
fail to fully embrace their own conclusions. She argues that a decentered
subject does not necessitate a complete absence of meaning. Meaning, according
to Brennan, is pervasive and can be found in the interconnected systems that
constitute what she reluctantly refers to as the "life drive." This
term, while somewhat homogenizing, signifies the interdependent logical chains
that sustain the life of a subject's kind, existing independently of any individual
subject. The life drive, in Brennan's view, transcends individuality and
consistently prioritizes the collective over the individual, contrary to the
ego's stance. Throughout her work, she frequently equates the life drive with
energy, reflecting her broader focus on an "energetics" theory that
explores the energetic and affective connections between individuals, others,
and their environment.
In Chapter One, Brennan intricately defines affect and its
relationship with fantasy. She then delves into various social, physiological,
and intellectual environments to explore the transmission of affect. In Chapter
Two, she critiques psychoanalysis, asserting that it often neglects the concept
of transmission, emphasizing the self-contained individual. Brennan highlights
Wilfred Bion and Jean Laplanche's theories as departures from this dominant
trend. Chapter Three examines affect transmission within crowds, drawing on
recent endocrinological research on hormonal interaction and olfactory
entrainment. In Chapter Four, Brennan discusses affect transmission between
mother and fetus, advocating for an active view of the mother's role in fetal
development.
Chapter Five explores the connection between affect and
pre-modern religious concepts of demons and deadly sins. Viewing affects as
anthropomorphic descriptions of affect transmission, Brennan seeks to combat
their potentially detrimental effects. Brennan's aim is not solely diagnostic;
she seeks to inspire change by challenging the thoughtless nature of affect. The
final chapters propose the "education of the senses" as a means of
transformation. Brennan advocates for a refined understanding of language,
encompassing bodily systems. This hinges on aligning experience with language
through discernment, a process akin to thinking.
Brennan suggests that language, whether corporeal or
linguistic, transcends individual usage, and the individual can transform it
through learning, attention, and reasoning. She underscores the importance of
integrating corporeal and linguistic languages, drawing on our experience of
constriction and release. Brennan contends that senses like smell and taste are
attuned to a larger living logic, but their information is often misinterpreted
by the individual. She advocates for a harmonious interpretation that
acknowledges this living logic.
While Brennan's work spans multiple disciplines, making it
challenging for a wide audience, its ambition and innovation remain compelling.
The book serves as a meditation on the intricate relationship between living
beings and representation. Brennan's audacious theorization is both
exhilarating and challenging, founded on a series of moral oppositions. The
book prompts critical reflection on how traditional language relates to the
potential metaphorical languages of the body. Although Brennan's untimely
passing is deeply felt, her work invites us to continue this inquiry
collectively, emphasizing that truth is spoken from one's place in a system,
not merely as an individual. In this way, "The Transmission of
Affect" becomes an integral part of the broader, attentive project it so
persuasively advocates.
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