---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The evil eye is the fascinum, it is that…"
description: "\"The evil eye is the fascinum, it is that which has the effect of arresting movement and, literally, of killing life. At the moment the subject stops, s..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/jacques-lacan-11942_arresting_the-evil-eye-is-the-fascinum-it-is-that_746995.jpg"
---

#  The evil eye is the fascinum, it is that which has the…

![“The evil eye is the fascinum, it is that which has the effect of arresting movement and, literally, of killing life. At the moment the subject stops, suspending his gesture, he is mortified. This anti-life, anti-movement function of the terminal point is the fascinum, and it is precisely one of…” quote by Jacques Lacan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/jacques-lacan-11942_arresting_the-evil-eye-is-the-fascinum-it-is-that_746995.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/jacques-lacan-11942_arresting_the-evil-eye-is-the-fascinum-it-is-that_746995.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c1/jacques-lacan-11942_arresting_the-evil-eye-is-the-fascinum-it-is-that_746995.jpg)

> “The evil eye is the fascinum, it is that which has the effect of arresting movement and, literally, of killing life. At the moment the subject stops, suspending his gesture, he is mortified. This anti-life, anti-movement function of the terminal point is the fascinum, and it is precisely one of the dimensions in which the power of the gaze is exercised directly.”

[Jacques Lacan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lacan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The gaze can halt action and symbolically “kill” life, illustrating how being observed can immobilize desire.

**In simple terms:** The look can freeze us, stopping our drive.

Key Takeaway

Beware of feeling paralyzed by others’ scrutiny.

Themes

psychology power observation

Mood

analytical critical

Type

introspective philosophical

When to use this quote

- public speaking
- performance anxiety
- social media exposure

Key Concepts

gaze theory subjectivity psychic arrest

Questions to Reflect On

- What situations make you feel “frozen” by attention?
- How can you reclaim movement despite the gaze?

A Different Perspective

May ignore agency and resilience in confronting scrutiny.

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[Dimensions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dimensions/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-eye/) [Gestures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gestures/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

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