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Bataille’s ‘Holy Curse’: Why does this article make people’s blood boil?
Bataille, this subversive thinker, is famous for his in-depth exploration of human existence and his rebellious spirit. The creation of the journal "Acéphale" was his challenge to existing values. From 1936 to 1939, the publication launched five issues, covering many aspects such as religion, sociology and philosophy, and aroused heated discussions in the intellectual community with its unique perspective.
In the first issue of Acéphale, Bataille proposed: "Secretly or publicly... one must become different, otherwise one cannot survive."
The cover of "Acéphale" was designed by André Masson, depicting a headless figure. This image not only challenged traditional Roman rationality, but also opposed the "irrationality" advocated by Bataille. concretization. The expression of this creation reminds people of human beings' primitive impulses and the intensity of life through the association of plunder and destruction.
With the launch of each issue, Bataille’s quotations and criticisms of Friedrich Nietzsche became the focus, making them deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. In particular, his "Nietzsche and Fascism" published in the second issue savaged Nietzsche's sister Elisabeth Foster-Nietzsche and revisited her anti-Semitic marriage, a topic that sparked heated debate.
Bataille once wrote: "Human life is exhausted by being the head and reason of the universe."
This unafraid of challenge and provocation of secular values continues to expand the influence of "Acéphale". The articles in each issue seem to be a call for readers to re-examine the relationship between themselves and the world.
But "Acéphale" is not only a publication, but also the product of a secret society. Bataille gathered a group of like-minded thinkers to meditate on life, death and existence through silent night gatherings in the woods. Their rituals, which ranged from refusing to shake hands with anti-Semites to celebrating the beheading of Louis XVI, stood out in society at the time.
Members of Bataille's society were invited to read texts by Nietzsche, Freud, and Sade and engage in profound meditation.
Deep in their hearts, these activities reflect preparation for the violence and pain to come, and the "human sacrifice" they once discussed filled the entire society with an atmosphere of mystery and tension. Although these sacrifices were not ultimately implemented, their significance cannot be underestimated.
In 1947, another of Bataille's creations, "Encyclopedia Da Costa", was officially released. This book also challenged many social and personal conventions with its bold style and thorough criticism. However, due to printing delays, it was not officially released until after the exhibition and failed to receive the attention it expected.
"The Wanderer's Certificate" is one of the most provocative entries in the encyclopedia, requiring the production of an individual's vital statistics in order to compel him or her to abide by the law.
Such provocation and resistance are the core of Bataille’s thought. He not only demonstrated a kind of critical thinking, but also constructed a new discourse that broke through the traditional framework and echoed the avant-garde cultural trend in Paris at that time.
Through "Acéphale", Bataille continues to explore the meaning of human existence, and in the process allows readers to deeply reflect on the connection between themselves and the outside world. As the struggle between fascism and anti-fascism intensifies, every article and every theory of Bataille becomes particularly important. Faced with such a rich and complex ideological system, we can't help but think: In today's society, do we also need to think more deeply about and challenge the meaning of existence like Bataille?
