Theory is not identity

There is a radical difference between studying a theoretical body of work and turning it into an identity badge. When someone rushes to declare themselves a "Lacanian," "Kleinian," or any other "ian," they're revealing more about their need for belonging than their commitment to critical thinking. Theory thus becomes an identity shelter, a mark of distinction that protects against the anxiety of thinking for oneself.

Real work with theory requires a radically different position: that of someone who approaches a body of thought to study it, question it, put it to the test. It's not about finding a master to swear loyalty to, but about confronting ideas that help us think better. A theorist's work is precisely that: work to be worked with, not an emblem to wear.

The hasty declaration "I am an ___ian" functions as a defense against the uncertainty of true thinking. It's more comfortable to adhere to a borrowed identity than to sustain the tension of thought under construction. The real challenge is to maintain a living relationship with theory, where study doesn't crystallize into identification and thought doesn't fossilize into doctrine.