The Accursed Share: Bataille on Waste and Excess

Is capitalism really wasteful — or is it not wasteful enough?
Georges Bataille's radical economic theory reveals why modern society's real problem isn't too much waste—but too little.

This deep dive explores Bataille's concept of "sacred expenditure" and why our obsession with accumulation might be destroying us. From Aztec sacrifice rituals to Soviet industrialization, discover how different civilizations have handled humanity's "accursed share."

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:33 The Solar Foundation
07:11 Capitalism's Pseudo-Waste
11:39 The Structure of Being and Communication
13:49 Laughter, Sacrifice, and the Sacred
15:50 Soviet Accumulation and the Limits of Revolutionary Politics
17:47 Contemporary Relevance
19:24 Sacred Economics

📚 Recommended Reading:
Georges Bataille: 'The Accursed Share', 'The Limit of the Useful'
Max Weber: 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism'
Gilles Deleuze: 'Foucault'

Scenes from:
À propos de Nice (1930) - dir: Jean Vigo
Giants and Toys (1958) - dir: Yasuzo Masumura
Metropolis (1927) - dir: Fritz Lang
Dr. Strangelove (1964) - dir: Stanley Kubrick
The Man Who Laughs (1928) - dir: Paul Leni
Grapes of Wrath (1940) - John Ford
Battleship Potemkin (1925) - Sergei Eisenstein

Related Topics:
Political philosophy, critical theory, environmental philosophy, economic anthropology, post-capitalism, degrowth economics, sacred economics

Connect & Discuss:
Share your thoughts on Bataille's theory in the comments. Do you think modern society needs more "sacred waste"? What would conscious expenditure look like today?

#bataille #politicalphilosophy #criticaltheory