Economic Unconscious

Dec. 7, 2024.

Liviu Poenaru’s Economic Unconscious (Inconscient économique, L'Harmattan, Paris, 2023) is an expansive, critical exploration of the profound intersections between capitalism and the human psyche. Poenaru does not merely analyze capitalism’s overt mechanisms; he delves into its covert operations at the level of the unconscious, illuminating how the system shapes thought patterns, emotions, and behaviors in ways that often escape conscious awareness. In an era dominated by cybercapitalism—where digital technologies pervade every facet of human life—this book offers a comprehensive framework for understanding how these systems exploit and manipulate the unconscious to perpetuate their control. With its blend of psychoanalysis, Marxist theory, cognitive science, and sociology, Economic Unconscious is both a scholarly critique and a call to resist the commodification of the mind.

Reclaiming the Hidden Terrain: The Concept of the Economic Unconscious

The book’s central premise is the concept of the economic unconscious (EU), a construct that encompasses the unconscious processes influenced and shaped by economic systems. Poenaru argues that while the EU is omnipresent and central to contemporary life, it has largely remained in the blind spots of academic inquiry. Traditional disciplines such as psychoanalysis have focused on familial and psychosexual dynamics, often neglecting the socio-economic conditions that profoundly shape the psyche. Similarly, economic theories have analyzed behavior without addressing the unconscious processes that underpin decision-making, desires, and biases.

The economic unconscious, as Poenaru conceptualizes it, is a multi-layered construct shaped by psychological, cultural, and political forces. It operates across individual and collective levels, mediating the ways people internalize economic norms, values, and ideologies. Poenaru’s project is not just to theorize the EU but to map its mechanisms, dynamics, and consequences, providing a robust framework for understanding its pervasive influence.

Marx and Freud: Foundations for a New Critique

To ground his analysis, Poenaru revisits the works of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud, two intellectual giants whose theories provide the foundation for understanding the economic unconscious. Marx’s materialist critique of capitalism and Freud’s exploration of the unconscious are brought into dialogue, revealing their complementarities and limitations. Poenaru critiques Freud for focusing narrowly on psychosexual development and familial dynamics, neglecting the broader socio-economic structures that shape the psyche. At the same time, he recognizes Marx’s implicit acknowledgment of unconscious mechanisms, particularly in his analysis of alienation, commodity fetishism, and ideology.

This synthesis of Marx and Freud forms the theoretical backbone of the book. Poenaru not only critiques their limitations but also builds upon their insights to craft a new framework that is uniquely suited to analyzing the contemporary era. By integrating Marx’s materialism and Freud’s psychoanalysis, he illuminates how unconscious processes are shaped by the economic imperatives of cybercapitalism, creating a profound and often invisible form of control.

The Digital-Economic Unconscious: Cybercapitalism’s Psychological Arsenal

One of the book’s most original contributions is its analysis of the digital-economic unconscious. Poenaru explores how cybercapitalism—an advanced stage of capitalism driven by digital technologies and algorithmic systems—has created a new psychological terrain. Central to this analysis is the concept of the “beta screen,” a metaphor for the weakened psychic defenses caused by the sensory overload and constant stimulation of the digital age. The beta screen symbolizes how individuals’ mental resilience and capacity for reflection are eroded by the relentless demands of digital platforms.

Poenaru critiques the deliberate strategies employed by tech companies to exploit human vulnerabilities. Platforms are designed to maximize engagement by manipulating attention and emotions, fostering dependency, and fragmenting cognitive processes. These mechanisms align with the profit-driven logic of cybercapitalism, which thrives on extracting value from human attention, data, and behaviors.

The analysis extends to the neuro-cognitive-behavioral complex, a term Poenaru uses to describe the cognitive and emotional systems targeted by cybercapitalism. Digital technologies condition individuals to prioritize immediate gratification, superficial engagement, and multitasking over deep, reflective thought. This results in a profound reconfiguration of cognitive and emotional processes, with significant implications for individual and collective well-being.

Affective Commodification: Emotions as Capital

Poenaru delves into the emotional dimensions of the economic unconscious, coining the term affective piracy to describe how emotions are hijacked and monetized by cybercapitalism. He argues that emotions such as fear, anxiety, and desire are not merely byproducts of digital engagement but are central to its logic. Platforms are designed to evoke and amplify strong emotional responses, as these drive user engagement and reinforce consumerist behaviors.

The book also introduces the concept of scopic capitalism, which highlights the role of visual stimuli in the digital economy. Poenaru argues that cybercapitalism exploits humans’ visual predisposition by saturating them with imagery designed to manipulate emotions and behaviors. This overexposure to visual stimuli not only drives consumption but also diminishes imagination and critical thinking. The visual realm becomes a tool for psychic colonization, replacing deep, reflective engagement with reactive and superficial consumption.

Social Influence and Psychic Colonialism

A significant part of the book is dedicated to examining the role of social influence in shaping the economic unconscious. Poenaru introduces the concept of psychic colonialism, which describes how social codes and norms are implanted into the unconscious through digital platforms. This process aligns individuals’ desires and behaviors with the imperatives of capitalism, often without their conscious awareness.

Social media is a key site of this psychic colonization. Algorithms amplify normative pressures and reinforce conformity, transforming social interactions into tools for economic extraction. Poenaru critiques how these platforms create environments that suppress individuality, foster dependency, and shape identities in ways that serve capitalist interests. The result is a profound transformation of the self, with individuals increasingly alienated from their authentic desires and capacities.

Pathologies of the Economic Unconscious

One of the book’s most sobering sections addresses the psychological and societal pathologies associated with the economic unconscious. Poenaru links the rise of mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, and self-harm, to the pervasive influence of cybercapitalism. These disorders, he argues, are not isolated phenomena but symptoms of a broader societal malaise driven by the relentless demands of capitalist systems.

Drawing on Marx’s theory of alienation and Freud’s insights into psychic conflict, Poenaru illustrates how the pressures of cybercapitalism exacerbate psychological distress. The constant demands for productivity, the erosion of meaningful social connections, and the commodification of human experience contribute to a psychic landscape marked by instability, fragmentation, and despair.

A Transdisciplinary Approach to Resistance

Despite its grim diagnosis, Economic Unconscious is ultimately a call to action. Poenaru advocates for a transdisciplinary approach to understanding and addressing the impacts of cybercapitalism. He envisions a critical psychoanalysis that integrates insights from neuroscience, sociology, and political theory to uncover and resist the mechanisms of the economic unconscious. This approach, he argues, is essential for reclaiming agency and fostering resilience in the face of cybercapitalism’s pervasive influence.

The book concludes with a vision for transformation, emphasizing the need to develop alternative frameworks for engaging with the world. Poenaru calls for a reimagining of human subjectivity that prioritizes autonomy, creativity, and deep engagement over the passive consumption dictated by cybercapitalist systems.

Conclusion: A Blueprint for Liberation

Economic Unconscious is a masterful synthesis of psychoanalysis, critical theory, and political economy, offering a powerful framework for understanding the hidden forces that govern modern life. Poenaru’s analysis is both a diagnosis of the psychic effects of cybercapitalism and a blueprint for resistance. By illuminating the mechanisms of the economic unconscious, he provides readers with the tools to critically engage with the systems shaping contemporary existence.

This book is an essential read for philosophers, psychologists, sociologists, and anyone seeking to understand the complex and often insidious ways in which economic systems shape the human condition. Poenaru’s work stands as a vital call to reclaim the psychological, social, and cultural spaces that cybercapitalism seeks to dominate. With its multidisciplinary approach and incisive critique, Economic Unconscious is not only a scholarly achievement but also a clarion call for resistance and transformation.