Aspects religieux du capitalisme moderne

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Illustration par Liana Buszka 
Texte par Slavoj Zizek, philosophe.
Traduction par Rodrigo Cáceres
Nous ne devrions pas simplement nous opposer à une vie principale consacrée au devoir et jouissant de nos petits plaisirs.

Prenons le capitalisme d'aujourd'hui. D’une part, nous avons les exigences de la circulation du capital qui nous poussent à faire des profits - à l'expansion, l'exploitation et la destruction de la nature. D’autre part, nous avons des exigences écologiques : pensons à notre postérité et à notre propre survie, prenons soin de la nature et ainsi de suite. Dans cette opposition entre la poursuite impitoyable de l'expansion capitaliste et la conscience écologique - le devoir, un devoir perverti bien sûr - le devoir est du côté du capitalisme, comme l'ont noté de nombreux analystes.

Le capitalisme a une étrange structure religieuse. Il est propulsé par cette exigence absolue : le capital doit circuler, se reproduire, se développer, se multiplier. Et pour atteindre ce but, tout peut être sacrifié, jusqu’à nos vies, jusqu’à la nature, etc. Nous avons ici une étrange injonction inconditionnelle [...] Un vrai capitaliste est un avare qui est prêt à tout sacrifier pour ce devoir pervers.

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