From: "Stuart Elden" <Stuart.Elden-AT-clara.co.uk>
Subject: Re: minor question
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 22:03:22 +0100


Matthew,

I haven't seen the second volume yet, so I haven't had a chance to see what
they have done with Des Espaces Autres. There are a number of problems with
that translation, so I do hope they haven't made it worse.

On the line you cite,

"in our society where leisure is the rule, idleness is a sort of deviation"
                      (Diacritics, spring 1986, p25).

The French is:-

"dans notre societe ou le loisir est la regle, l'oisivete forme une sorte de
deviation"
                      (Dits et ecrits, Vol IV, p757)

which looks pretty accurate and straightforward to me.

>It looks as if he might have meant to say "where leisure is *against* the
rule", but on the other >hand, it makes (ironic) sense as it stands, too.
Anyone have the French?


Isn't Foucault's point that ordered rest (leisure) is the requirement but
that unordered rest (idleness) is the deviation. Old age - the thing
Foucault is talking about - especially in rest homes, is hardly leisure, and
is therefore unproductive, and therefore deviation.

Any other thoughts?

Best wishes

Stuart