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alexsintschenko's review
5.0
Having listened to most of his publically available conversations, Theweleit's landmark study of male violence was the logical next step. I find some of the theory, and in particular the Freud-inspired parts, too far fetched (and probably outdated, but what do I know of Freudian theory). Otherwise a fascinating read and thesis. For a doctoral thesis, the writing style is remarkably simple and down too earth, at times even funny.
tgestabrook's review
4.0
This is the best example I have encountered (so far) of Deleuze and Guattari's schizoanalytic theory actually put into practice by someone other than D&G themselves. Theweleit reframes the question of fascism away from theories of ideology, traditional psychoanalysis, or economic reductionism and instead asks "how were fascist bodies formed in the years preceding the third reich? Why were proto-nazis terrified of being overwhelmed by a 'red flood'? Why did Freikorps mercenaries openly manifest erotic satisfaction from horrific acts of murder?". To answer these, he begins with the autobiographical writings of Freikorps soldiers and ends up developing a complex history of patriarchy, colonialism, and the role of sexuality in class conflict.
I do have reservations about Male Fantasies, all stemming from its reliance on Anti-Oedipus - it shares weaknesses with D&G's early work, namely a tendency toward anarchist utopianism, and un- (or under-) critical affirmation of every movement of deterritorialization. Reading it in 2021 with a cursory familiarty with debates around french theory and having read Mark Fisher, Zizek, etc., I was (over?)sensitive to the ways that Theweleits discourse prefigured some aspects of neoliberal anti-communism. Regardless, Male Fantasies is a brillant, well-researched study of fascism, and is definitely worth reading and engaging with.
I do have reservations about Male Fantasies, all stemming from its reliance on Anti-Oedipus - it shares weaknesses with D&G's early work, namely a tendency toward anarchist utopianism, and un- (or under-) critical affirmation of every movement of deterritorialization. Reading it in 2021 with a cursory familiarty with debates around french theory and having read Mark Fisher, Zizek, etc., I was (over?)sensitive to the ways that Theweleits discourse prefigured some aspects of neoliberal anti-communism. Regardless, Male Fantasies is a brillant, well-researched study of fascism, and is definitely worth reading and engaging with.
brycestevenwilley's review
dark
reflective
slow-paced
1.5
Really academic writing (in the worst sense) and also translated from German, so a bit wordy. The content assumes you know the intricate details of Psychoanalisys. There are some flashes of interesting information, but the rest IMO is "oedpius complex" drivel. Though parts of the book want to refute Freud, at least 80% of the book is comparing every little thing to a penis or to semen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Classism, Excrement, Gore, Death, Murder, and War
Moderate: Alcohol, Colonisation, and Incest
Deals with heavily with the war crimes of pre-Nazisnaomiha's review
4.0
This book is a fascinating and completely engaging sociological study of Freikorps sexuality.
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