Kracauer Hotel Lobby.pdf

PostcolonialStudies,Vol2,No3,pp289±297,1999

Thehotellobby

SIEGFRIEDKRACAUER*

Thecommunityofthehigherrealmsthatis®xateduponGodissecureinthe

knowledgethatasanorientedcommunityÐbothintimeandforalleternityÐit

liveswithinthelawandbeyondthelaw,occupyingtheperpetuallyuntenable

middlegroundbetweenthenaturalandthesupernatural.Itnotonlypresents

itselfinthisparadoxicalsituationbutalsoexperiencesandnamesitaswell.In

spheresoflesserreality,consciousnessofexistenceandoftheauthentic

conditionsdwindlesawayintheexistentialstream,andcloudedsensebecomes

lostinthelabyrinthofdistortedeventswhosedistortionitnolongerperceives.

The aesthetic renderingofsuchalifebereftofreality,alifethathaslostthe

powerofself-observation,maybeabletorestoretoitasortoflanguage;for

eveniftheartistdoesnotforceallthathasbecomemuteandillusorydirectly

upintoreality,hedoesexpresshisdirectedselfbygivingformtothislife.The

morelifeissubmerged,themoreitneedstheartwork,whichunsealsits

withdrawnnessandputsitspiecesbackinplaceinsuchawaythatthese,which

werelyingstrewnabout,becomeorganisedinameaningfulway.Theunityof

theaestheticconstruct,themannerinwhichitdistributestheemphasesand

consolidatestheevent,givesavoicetotheinexpressiveworld,givesmeaning

tothethemesbroachedwithinit.Justwhatthesethemesmean,however,must

stillbebroughtoutthroughtranslationanddependstonosmallextendonthe

levelofrealityevincedbytheircreator.Thus,whileinthehigherspheresthe

artistcon®rmsarealitythatgraspsitself,inthelowerregionshisworkbecomes

aharbingerofamanifoldthatutterlylacksanyrevelatoryword.Histasks

multiplyinproportiontotheworld’slossofreality,andthecocoon-likespirit

[ Geist ]thatlacksaccesstorealityultimatelyimposesuponhimtheroleof

educator,oftheobserverwhonotonlyseesbutalsopropheticallyforeseesand

makesconnections.Althoughthisoverloadingoftheaestheticmaywellaccord

theartistamistakenposition,itisunderstandable,becausethelifethatremains

untouchedbyauthenticthingsrecognisesthatithasbeencapturedinthemirror

oftheartisticconstruct,andtherebygainsconsciousness,albeitnegative,ofits

distancefromrealityandofitsillusorystatus.Fornomatterhowinsigni®cant

theexistentialpowerthatgivesrisetotheartisticformationmaybe,italways

infusesthemuddledmaterialwithintentionsthathelpitbecometransparent.

Withoutbeinganartwork,the detectivenovel stillshowscivilisedsocietyits

ownfaceinapurerwaythansocietyisusuallyaccustomedtoseeingit.Inthe

detectivenovel,proponentsofthatsocietyandtheirfunctionsgiveanaccount

ofthemselvesanddivulgetheirhiddensigni®cance.Butthedetectivenovelcan

coercetheself-shroudingworldintorevealingitselfinthismanneronlybecause

itiscreatedbyaconsciousnessthatisnotcircumscribedbythatworld.

Sustainedbythisconsciousness,thedetectivenovelreallythinksthroughtothe

1368-8790/Print/1466-1888On-line/99/030289-09 Ó 1999TheInstituteofPostcolonialStudies

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endthesocietydominatedbyautonomous Ratio Ðasocietythatexistsonlyas

aconceptÐanddevelopstheinitialmomentsitproposesinsuchawaythatthe

ideaisfullyrealisedinactionsand®gures.Oncethestylisationofthe

one-dimensionalunrealityhadbeencompleted,thedetectivenovelintegratesthe

individualelementsÐnowadequatetotheconstitutivepresuppositionsÐintoa

self-containedcoherenceofmeaning,anintegrationiteffectsthroughthepower

ofitsexistentiality,thelattertransformednotintocritiqueandexigencybutinto

principlesofaestheticcomposition.Itisonlythisentwinementintoaunitythat

reallymakespossibletheinterpretationofthepresented®ndings.For,likethe

philosophicalsystem,theaestheticorganismaimsatatotalitythatremains

veiledtotheproponentsofcivilisedsociety,atotalitythatinsomeway

dis®gurestheentiretyofexperiencedrealityandtherebyenablesonetoseeit

afresh.Thus,thetruemeaningofthese®ndingscanbefoundonlyintheway

inwhichtheycombineintoanaesthetictotality.Thisistheminimumachieve-

mentoftheartisticentity:toconstructawholeoutoftheblindlyscattered

elementsofadisintegratedworldÐawholethat,evenifitseemsonlytomirror

thisworld,neverthelessdoescaptureitinitswholenessandtherebyallowsfor

theprojectionofitselementsontorealconditions.Thefactthatthestructureof

thelifepresentedinthedetectivenovelissotypicalindicatesthattheconscious-

nessproducingitisnotanindividual,coincidentalone;atthesametime,it

showsthatwhathasbeensingledoutaretheseeminglymetaphysicalcharacter-

istics.Justasthedetectivediscoversthesecretthatpeoplehaveconcealed,the

detectivenoveldisclosesintheaestheticmediumthesecretofasocietybereft

ofreality,aswellasthesecretofitsinsubstantialmarionettes.Thecomposition

ofthedetectivenoveltransformsanungraspablelifeintoatranslatableanalogue

ofactualreality.

Inthe houseofGod ,whichpresupposesanalreadyextantcommunity,the

congregationaccomplishesthetaskofmakingconnections.Oncethemembers

ofthecongregationhaveabandonedtherelationonwhichtheplaceisfounded,

thehouseofGodretainsonlyadecorativesigni®cance.Evenifitsinksinto

oblivion,civilisedsocietyattheheightofitsdevelopmentstillmaintains

privilegedsitesthattestifytoitsownnon-existence,justasthehouseofGod

testi®estotheexistenceofthecommunityunitedinreality.Admittedlysociety

isunawareofthis,foritcannotseebeyonditsownsphere;onlytheaesthetic

construct,whoseformrendersthemanifoldasaprojection,makesitpossibleto

demonstratethiscorrespondence.Thetypicalcharacteristicsofthe hotellobby ,

whichappearsrepeatedlyindetectivenovels,indicatethatitisconceivedasthe

invertedimageofthehouseofGod.Itisanegativechurch,andcanbe

transformedintoachurchsolongasoneobservestheconditionsthatgovernthe

differentspheres.

Inbothplacespeopleappearthereas guests .ButwhereasthehouseofGod

isdedicatedtotheserviceoftheonewhompeoplehavegonetheretoencounter,

thehotellobbyaccommodatesallwhogotheretomeetnoone.Itisthesetting

forthosewhoneitherseeknor®ndtheonewhoisalwayssought,andwhoare

thereforeguestsinspaceassuchÐaspacethatencompassesthemandhasno

functionotherthantoencompassthem.Theimpersonalnothingrepresentedby

thehotelmanagerhereoccupiesthepositionoftheunknownoneinwhosename

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thechurchcongregationgathers.Andwhereasthecongregationinvokesthe

nameanddedicatesitselftotheserviceinordertoful®lltherelation,thepeople

dispersedinthelobbyaccepttheirhost’sincognitowithoutquestion.Lacking

anyandallrelation,theydripdownintothevacuumwiththesamenecessitythat

compelsthosestrivinginandforrealitytoliftthemselvesoutofthenowhere

towardtheirdestination.

Thecongregation,whichgathersinthehouseofGodforprayerandworship,

outgrowstheimperfectionofcommunallifeinordernottoovercomeitbutto

bearitinmindandtoreinsertitconstantlyintothetension.Itsgatheringisa

collectedness andauni®cationofthisdirectedlifeofthecommunity,which

belongstotworealms:therealmcoveredbylawandtherealmbeyondlaw.At

thesiteofthechurchÐbutofcoursenotonlyhereÐtheseseparatecurrents

encountereachother;thelawisbroachedherewithoutbeingbreached,andthe

paradoxicalsplitisaccordedlegitimacybythesporadicsuspensionofitslanguid

continuity.Throughtheedi®cationofthecongregation,thecommunityisalways

reconstructingitself,andthiselevationabovetheeverydaypreventstheevery-

dayitselffromgoingunder.Thefactthatsuchareturningofthecommunityto

itspointoforiginmustsubmittospatialandtemporallimitations,thatitsteers

awayfromworldlycommunity,andthatitisbroughtaboutthroughspecial

celebrationsÐthisisonlyasignofman’sdubiouspositionbetweenaboveand

below,onethatconstantlyforceshimtoestablishonhisownwhatisgivenor

whathasbeenconqueredinthetension.

Sincethedeterminingcharacteristicofthelowerregionisitslackoftension,

thetogethernessinthehotellobbyhasnomeaning.Whilehere,too,people

certainlydobecomedetachedfromeverydaylife,thisdetachmentdoesnotlead

thecommunitytoassureitselfofitsexistenceasacongregation.Insteadit

merelydisplacepeoplefromtheunrealityofthedailyhustleandbustletoa

placewheretheywouldencounterthevoidonlyiftheyweremorethanjust

referencepoints.Thelobby, 1 inwhichpeople®ndthemselves vis-aÁ-visderien , 2

isameregapthatdoesnotevenserveapurposedictatedby Ratio (likethe

conferenceroomofacorporation),apurposewhichattheveryleastcouldmask

thedirectivethathadbeenperceivedintherelation.Butifasojourninahotel

offersneitheraperspectiveonnoranescapefromtheeveryday,itdoesprovide

agroundlessdistancefromitwhichcanbeexploited,ifatall, aesthetically Ðthe

aestheticbeingunderstoodhereasacategoryofthenon-existenttypeofperson,

theresidueofthatpositiveaestheticwhichmakesitpossibletoputthis

non-existenceintoreliefinthedetectivenovel.Thepersonsittingaroundidlyis

overcomebyadisinterestedsatisfactioninthecontemplationofaworldcreating

itself,whosepurposivenessisfeltwithoutbeingassociatedwithanyrepresenta-

tionofapurpose.TheKantiande®nitionofthebeautifulisinstantiatedherein

awaythattakesseriouslyitsisolationoftheaestheticanditslackofcontent.

Forintheemptied-outindividualsofthedetectivenovelÐwho,asrationally

constructedcomplexes,arecomparabletothetranscendentalsubjectÐthe

aestheticfacultyisindeeddetachedfromtheexistentialstreamofthetotal

person.Itisreducedtoanunreal,purelyformalrelationthatmanifeststhesame

indifferencetotheselfasitdoestomatter.Kanthimselfwasabletooverlook

thishorriblelast-minutesprintofthetranscendentalsubject,sincehestill

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SIEGFRIEDKRACAUER

believedtherewasaseamlesstransitionfromthetranscendentaltothepre-

formedsubject±objectworld.Thefactthathedoesnotcompletelygiveupthe

totalpersonevenintheaestheticrealmiscon®rmedbyhisde®nitionofthe

`sublime’,whichtakestheethicalintoaccountandtherebyattemptstoreassem-

bletheremainingpiecesofthefracturedwhole.Inthehotellobby,admittedly,

theaestheticÐlackingallqualitiesofsublimityÐispresentedwithoutanyregard

fortheseupward-strivingintentions,andtheformula`purposivenesswithout

purpose’ 3 alsoexhaustsitscontent.Justasthelobbyisthespacethatdoesnot

referbeyonditself,theaestheticconditioncorrespondingtoitconstitutesitself

asitsownlimit.Itisforbiddentogobeyondthislimit,solongasthetension

thatwouldpropelthebreakthroughisrepressedandthemarionettesof Ratio Ð

whoarenothumanbeingsÐisolatethemselvesfromtheirbustlingactivity.But

theaestheticthathasbecomeanendinitselfpullsupitsownroots;itobscures

thehigherleveltowardwhichitshouldreferandsigni®esonlyitsown

emptiness,which,accordingtotheliteralmeaningoftheKantiande®nition,is

amererelationoffaculties.Itrisesaboveameaninglessformalharmonyonly

whenitisintheserviceofsomething,wheninsteadofmakingclaimsto

autonomyitinsertsitselfintothetensionthatdoesnotconcernitinparticular.

Ifhumanbeingsorientthemselvesbeyondtheform,thenakindofbeautymay

alsomaturethatisaful®lledbeauty,becauseitistheconsequenceandnotthe

aimÐbutwherebeautyischosenasanaimwithoutfurtherconsequences,allthat

remainsisitsemptyshell.BoththehotellobbyandthehouseofGodrespondto

theaestheticsensethatarticulatesitslegitimatedemandsinthem.Butwhereasin

thelatterthebeautifulemploysalanguagewithwhichitalsotesti®esagainst

itself,intheformeritisinvolutedinitsmuteness,incapableof®ndingtheother.

Intastefulloungechairsacivilisationintentonrationalisationcomestoanend,

whereasthedecorationsofthechurchpewsarebornfromthetensionthataccords

themarevelatorymeaning.Asaresult,thechoralesthataretheexpressionofthe

divineserviceturnintomedleyswhosestrainsencouragepuretriviality,and

devotioncongealsintoeroticdesirethatroamsaboutwithoutanobject.

The equality ofthosewhoprayislikewisere¯ectedindistortedforminthe

hotellobby.Whenacongregationforms,thedifferencesbetweenpeople

disappear,becausethesebeingsallhaveoneandthesamedestiny,andbecause,

intheencounterwiththespiritthatdeterminesthisdestiny,anythingthatdoes

notdeterminethatspiritsimplyceasestoexistÐnamely,thelimitofnecessity,

positedbyman,andtheseparation,whichistheworkofnature.Theprovisional

statusofcommunallifeisexperiencedassuchinthehouseofGod,andsothe

sinnerentersintothe`we’inthesamewayasdoestheuprightpersonwhose

assuranceisheredisturbed.ThisÐthefactthateverythinghumanisoriented

towarditsowncontingencyÐiswhatcreatestheequalityofthecontingent.The

greatpalesnexttothesmall,andgoodandevilremainsuspendedwhenthe

congregationrelatesitselftothatwhichnoscalecanmeasure.Sucharelativisa-

tionofqualitiesdoesnotleadtotheirconfusionbutinsteadelevatesthemtothe

statusofreality,sincetherelationtothelastthingsdemandsthatthepenultimate

thingsbeconvulsedwithoutbeingdestroyed.Thisequalityispositiveand

essential,notareductionandforeground;itistheful®llmentofwhathasbeen

differentiated,whichmustrenounceitsindependentsingularexistenceinorder

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tosavewhatismostsingular.Thissingularityisawaitedandsoughtinthehouse

ofGod.Relegatedtotheshadowssolongasmerelyhumanlimitsareimposed,

itthrowsitsownshadowoverthosedistinctionswhenmanapproachesthe

absolutelimit.

Inthehotellobby,equalityisbasednotontherelationtoGodbutona

relationtothenothing.Here,inthespaceofunrelatedness,thechangeof

environmentsdoesnotleavepurposiveactivitybehind,butbracketsitforthe

sakeofafreedomthatcanreferonlytoitselfandthereforesinksintorelaxation

andindifference.InthehouseofGod,humandifferencesdiminishintheface

oftheirprovisionality,exposedbyaseriousnessthatdissipatesthecertaintyof

allthatisde®nitive.Bycontrast,anaimlesslounging,towhichnocallis

addressed,leadstothemereplaythatelevatestheunseriouseverydaytothe

leveloftheserious.Simmel’sde®nitionofsocietyasa`playformofsociation’ 4

isentirelylegitimate,butdoesnotgetbeyondmeredescription.Whatis

presentedinthehotellobbyistheformalsimilarityofthe®gures,anequivalence

thatsigni®esnotful®llmentbutevacuation.Removedfromthehustleandbustle,

onedoesgainsomedistancefromthedistinctionsof`actual’life,butwithout

beingsubjectedtoanewdeterminationthatwouldcircumscribefromabovethe

sphereofvalidityforthesedeterminations.Anditisinthiswaythataperson

canvanishintoanundeterminedvoid,helplesslyreducedtoa`memberof

societyassuch’whostandssuper¯uouslyofftothesideand,whenplaying,

intoxicateshimself.Thisinvalidationoftogetherness,itselfalreadyunreal,thus

doesnotleaduptowardrealitybutismoreofaslidingdownintothedoubly

unrealmixtureoftheundifferentiatedatomsfromwhichtheworldofappearance

isconstructed.WhereasinthehouseofGodacreatureemergeswhichseesitself

asasupporterofthecommunity,inthehotellobbywhatemergesisthe

inessentialfoundationatthebasisofrationalsocialisation.Itapproachesthe

nothingandtakesshapebyanalogywiththeabstractandformal universal

concepts throughwhichthinkingthathasescapedfromthetensionbelievesit

cangrasptheworld.Theseabstractionsareinvertedimagesoftheuniversal

conceptsconceivedwithintherelation;theyrobtheungraspablegivenofits

possiblecontent,insteadofraisingittothelevelofrealitybyrelatingittothe

higherdeterminations.Theyareirrelevanttotheorientedandtotalpersonwho,

theworldinhand,meetsthemhalfway;rather,theyarepositedbythe

transcendentalsubject,whichallowsthemtobecomepartofthepowerlessness

intowhichthattranscendentalsubjectdegeneratesasaresultofitsclaimtobe

creatoroftheworld.Eveniffree-¯oating Ratio ÐdimlyawareofitslimitationÐ

doesacknowledgetheconceptsofGod,freedom,andimmortality,whatit

discoversarenotthehomonymicexistentialconcepts,andthecategorical

imperativeissurelynosubstituteforacommandmentthatarisesoutofanethical

resolution.Nevertheless,theweavingoftheseconceptsintoasystemcon®rms

thatpeopledonotwanttoabandontherealitythathasbeenlost;yet,ofcourse,

theywillnotgetholdofitpreciselybecausetheyareseekingitbymeansofa

kindofthinkingwhichhasrepudiatedallattachmenttothatreality.The

desolationof Ratio iscompleteonlywhenitremovesitsmaskandhurlsitself

intothevoidofrandomabstractionsthatnolongermimichigherdeterminations,

andwhenitrenouncesseductiveconsonancesanddesiresitselfevenasa

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