The achievement-subject’s characterlessness makes it economically efficient

Evidence

Whereas the hysteric shows a characteristic morphe, the depressive is formless; indeed, he is amorphous. He is a man without character. One might generalize the observation and declare that the late-modern ego has no character. Carl Schmitt says it is a “sign of inner conflict to have more than one real enemy.” The same holds for friends. Following Schmitt, having more than one true friend would betoken a lack of character and definition. One’s many friends on Facebook would offer further proof of the late-modern ego’s lack of character and definition. In positive terms, such a human being without character is flexible, able to assume any form, play any role, or perform any function. This shapelessness—or, alternately, flexibility—creates a high degree of economic efficiency. — Byung-Chul Han, The Burnout Society, 107

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the achievement-subject as characterless, flexible, and shapeless by contrast with the Freudian negative character.
• XREF: connects to: Academic merit in schools only weakly predicts economic success, making school-based legitimation largely symbolic. — Samuel Bowles and Herbert Gintis, Schooling in Capitalist America:…, 1110