In this episode of The William Gomes Podcast, William turns to one of the most subtle and frequently misunderstood ideas in psychoanalytic thought. The concept of objet petit a, introduced by Jacques Lacan, names not an object we can possess but the quiet absence that sets desire in motion. It is the thing we circle around rather than reach, shaping longing without ever fully revealing itself.
Desire Without an Object
William approaches this idea with care, resisting technical explanation in favour of lived experience. Desire, as Lacan understood it, does not arise because something is missing in a practical sense. It emerges because something cannot be named or satisfied. Objet petit a is that remainder. It is not the person we love, the work we pursue, or the recognition we seek, but the invisible spark that animates those pursuits.
Relationships, Creativity and Attraction
The episode reflects on how this elusive cause of desire appears in everyday life. In relationships, it can be mistaken for the other person, leading to confusion when intimacy does not still longing. In creative work, it can be felt as a pull towards expression that never quite resolves. William speaks gently about how recognising this structure can soften disappointment and reduce self blame, allowing desire to be held with curiosity rather than urgency.
Living With What Cannot Be Filled
Rather than offering resolution, the episode invites a different stance towards wanting itself. To live well with desire is not to extinguish it, but to understand its shape. Objet petit a reminds us that some forms of absence are not problems to be solved, but conditions of being human. William’s reflection leaves space for thought, encouraging listeners to notice where desire leads them, and where it resists being answered.
