Rylie Johnson

Identity and Its Discontents

Introduction

Identity and its discontents. A psychoanalytic critique of identitarianism, a far-right fascist movement. This paper explores Freudian identification, projective guilt, and envy to reveal its violent, myth-driven nature.

Abstract

One of the primary forms of contemporary fascism is identitarianism, a far-right political and social movement that is oriented around the protection of European identities from the supposed threat of “replacement” by migrants through the machinations of liberal elites. In this paper, I critically analyze the ideology of identitarianism through a psychoanalytic framework. I take as my objects the writings of Dominique Venner, Alain de Benoist, and Guillaume Faye, who are some of the primary architects of identitarian thought and rhetoric. Applying the Freudian psychoanalytic concept of identification, where identity is the contingent result of psychic development, I argue that the identitarian need for identity betrays an anxiety of lack. Identitarians mobilize around the enforcement of an identity that they tacitly recognize as unfounded. In the face of such existential lack, identitarians exhibit a form of narcissistic identification, identifying with an idealized, or even mythical, version of European history. I supplement this account Freudian identification with Kleinian object-relations theory. Specifically, I argue that identitarianism can be best understood through Klein’s account of projective identification and the psychic phenomenon of envy. The narcissism of identitarianism is challenged by the existence of Others who they claim to feel threatened by. Ironically, they accuse migrants of “colonizing” the European continent. This is an example of projective identification, where the ego projects hated or abject parts of the self onto others. Unable to deal with the historical guilt of European colonialism and genocide, identitarians project it onto migrants, which, in turn, becomes the pretext for exercising eliminationist violence. Ultimately, I demonstrate that identitarians are envious of the identity the Other supposedly has and, despising their historical culpability in violence, they project that violence elsewhere, only to justify its very repetition. Hence, as a form of fascism, identitarianism is psychically tethered to mythology and violence.

Review

This paper, "Identity and Its Discontents," presents a critical psychoanalytic examination of identitarianism, positioning it as a primary form of contemporary fascism. The author cogently argues that this far-right movement, characterized by its focus on protecting European identities from perceived threats of "replacement," is fundamentally driven by deep-seated psychological anxieties and unresolved psychic conflicts. By focusing on the foundational writings of Dominique Venner, Alain de Benoist, and Guillaume Faye, the paper aims to dissect the core ideology of identitarian thought and rhetoric through a distinctive theoretical lens, offering a psychological underpinning for its exclusionary and often violent manifestations. The methodological strength of the paper lies in its sophisticated application of psychoanalytic theory. Drawing initially on Freudian concepts, the author posits that the identitarian "need for identity" signals an underlying "anxiety of lack," where identity is tacitly recognized as unfounded. This leads to a form of narcissistic identification with an idealized or mythical European history. The analysis is further enriched by incorporating Kleinian object-relations theory, specifically through the concepts of projective identification and envy. The paper powerfully demonstrates how the accusation of migrants "colonizing" Europe exemplifies projective identification, allowing identitarians to externalize their own historical guilt regarding European colonialism and genocide. This projection, in turn, provides the pretext for justifying eliminationist violence, revealing a profound psychic entanglement with envy for the Other's supposed identity. Ultimately, "Identity and Its Discontents" offers a compelling and original contribution to the study of contemporary fascism. By meticulously tracing the psychological currents beneath identitarian rhetoric, the paper illuminates how these movements are psychically tethered to mythology and a cyclical repetition of violence. The detailed psychoanalytic framework not only dissects the internal contradictions of identitarian ideology but also provides a potent analytical tool for understanding the profound emotional and irrational drivers behind its xenophobic and aggressive stances. This work is invaluable for scholars seeking a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the psychological mechanisms that animate and sustain far-right political movements in the modern era.

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