The rite, the becoming-animal of the scapegoat clearly…
““The rite, the becoming-animal of the scapegoat clearly illustrates this: a first expiatory animal is sacrificed, but a second is driven away, sent out into the desert wilderness. In the signifying regime, the scapegoat represents a new form of increasing entropy in the system of signs: it is charged with everything that was "bad" in a given period, that is, everything that resisted signifying signs, everything that eluded the referral from sign to sign through the different circles; it also assumes everything that was unable to recharge the signifier as its center and carries off everything that spills beyond the outermost circle.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The scapegoat ritual expels disorder, symbolizing how societies discard what cannot be integrated into meaning systems.
In simple terms: Societies push out what they cannot understand.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address systemic disorder.
Themes
sociology
ritual
entropy
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
theoretical
critical
When to use this quote
- cultural analysis
- political critique
- social engineering
Key Concepts
systems theory
signification
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What is the modern scapegoat?
- How can societies integrate disorder?
A Different Perspective
Over‑simplification may ignore underlying causes.