Afropessimism’s Ethics
Filozofski vestnik March 13, 2026 DOI: 10.3986/fv.46.3.11 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAfropessimism formalizes the lived experience of psychosis by analyzing the xenopathic status of the gaze and voice during a mental breakdown described in Frank B. Wilderson III's memoir. The essay argues that Wilderson's understanding of antiblackness is modeled on the imaginary mechanisms and ruses that define neurotic reality and confer psychic coherence to neurotic subjects of liberal multiracialism. Treating psychosis as an immanent critique of antiblackness, the essay concludes that afropessimism's ethical imperatives are to end the antiblack world of neurotic misrecognition and to assume the position of social death, a desire outside-of-language.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Psychic The imaginary Neuroticism Position finance Epistemology |
| Key finding | Argues that afropessimism can be read as a formalization of the lived experience of psychosis, and that Wilderson's understanding of antiblackness is modeled on the imaginary mechanisms that define neurotic reality. |
Abstract
By analyzing the xenopathic status of the gaze and the voice during the “mental breakdown” described in Frank B. Wilderson III’s latest memoir, this essay reads afropessimism as a formalization of the lived experience of psychosis. It argues that Wilderson’s understanding of antiblackness is significantly modeled on the imaginary mechanisms and ruses that define neurotic reality and confer psychic coherence to the neurotic subjects of liberal multiracialism. Treating psychosis as an immanent critique of antiblackness, this essay concludes by offering a clarification of the stakes of afropessimism’s ethical imperatives: to end the antiblack world (of neurotic misrecognition) and to assume the position of social death (of a desire outside-of-language).