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''Whatever'' (French: ''Extension du domain de la lutte'' | ''Whatever'' (French: ''Extension du domain de la lutte'' literally "Extension of the domain of struggle") is a 1994 novel by French writer [[Michel Houellebecq|Michel Houellebecq]]. The French title refers Houellebecq's idea that the class struggle has extended to the realm of relations between the sexes, resulting in similarly unequal social hierarchies, stratifying the sexual marketplace into sexual 'haves' and sexual 'have nots'. The main character of the novel, Harel, lives through inceldom. It is perhaps the most frank depiction of [[inceldom]] ever in literature, containing arguments about [[inceldom]] that the media later attributed to incel forums around 2018. | ||
Like most of Houellebecq's novels, it is written in a darkly humorous style, and contains sharp criticisms of the widespread social atomization, materialism and consumerism he implies is a result of modern Capitalism and Liberalism. The novel was likely influenced by the writings of the French Marxist Sociologist [[Michel Clouscard]], who has proposed similar arguments, and who has notably critiqued the sexual revolution from a leftist perspective, by portraying it as the product of a late-stage "seductive Capitalism", that aims to promote consumption and distract the exploited class from their economic oppression by promoting hedonism and sexual license.<ref> https://philitt.fr/2019/02/28/le-capitalisme-selon-houellebecq-une-lutte-perpetuelle-qui-ne-peut-jamais-avoir-de-fin-1-3/ In French.</ref> Clouscard has also criticized modern Feminism as functionally being a Capitalist tool that facilitates the economic exploitation of men by women. He argues that it has served to divide the working class against itself (by agitating women against men, through labeling all men as oppressive "Phallocrats") in what he has dubbed "The prostitution economy".<ref> http://www.marxisme.wikibis.com/michel_clouscard.php In French.</ref> | Like most of Houellebecq's novels, it is written in a darkly humorous style, and contains sharp criticisms of the widespread social atomization, materialism and consumerism he implies is a result of modern Capitalism and Liberalism. The novel was likely influenced by the writings of the French Marxist Sociologist [[Michel Clouscard]], who has proposed similar arguments, and who has notably critiqued the sexual revolution from a leftist perspective, by portraying it as the product of a late-stage "seductive Capitalism", that aims to promote consumption and distract the exploited class from their economic oppression by promoting hedonism and sexual license.<ref> https://philitt.fr/2019/02/28/le-capitalisme-selon-houellebecq-une-lutte-perpetuelle-qui-ne-peut-jamais-avoir-de-fin-1-3/ In French.</ref> Clouscard has also criticized modern Feminism as functionally being a Capitalist tool that facilitates the economic exploitation of men by women. He argues that it has served to divide the working class against itself (by agitating women against men, through labeling all men as oppressive "Phallocrats") in what he has dubbed "The prostitution economy".<ref> http://www.marxisme.wikibis.com/michel_clouscard.php In French.</ref> | ||
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=Synopsis= | =Synopsis= | ||
Harel is a 30 year old programmer earning a reasonably good wage. Ugly, depressive and lacking charisma, he is unsuccessful with women. He hasn't known a single woman since the separation from his girlfriend Véronique a few years ago. He doesn't match what women seek on market of sexuality and narcissistic satisfaction, people don't even remember his name. Harel is an observer of the hypocrisy of Western societies in which a strong social hierarchy based on sexuality prevails. | |||
In the context of his job he meets another programmer, | In the context of his job he meets another programmer, Raphael Tisserand, a 28 year old a virgin and a [[truecel]] whom he despises because of his extreme ugliness and the consequential fact that women run away from him. | ||
During a work trip, Tisserand has a nervous breakdown over his inceldom and the hero leads him into a nightclub where he watches his pathetic attemps at approaching women who reject him. Tisserand tries to pick up another woman who resembles Véronique, the ex girlfriend of the narrator. The woman rejects him and leaves the nightclub with a young Black man to have sex with on the beach nearby. | During a work trip, Tisserand has a nervous breakdown over his inceldom and the hero leads him into a nightclub where he watches his pathetic attemps at approaching women who reject him. Tisserand tries to pick up another woman who resembles Véronique, the ex girlfriend of the narrator. The woman rejects him and leaves the nightclub with a young Black man to have sex with on the beach nearby. Harel has racist thoughts and decides that they follow the couple. He tries to convince Tisserand to murder the woman, arguing that if he can't take her heart and body at least he can take her soul and life, to which the humiliated man agrees. Tisserand finally wimps out and kills himself in a car accident on his way back to Paris. | ||
Harel's mental health worsens and he is willingly interned in a rest home. | |||
=Excerpts= | =Excerpts= | ||