Desire in the Age of AI: What “Her” Reveals about Contemporary Discontent

Sat Nov 29 2025 at 05:00 pm to 06:30 pm UTC+00:00

The Banshee Labyrinth | Edinburgh

Lacan in Scotland
Publisher/HostLacan in Scotland
Desire in the Age of AI: What \u201cHer\u201d Reveals about Contemporary Discontent
Advertisement
Join us for this exclusive in-person event exploring Spike Jonze’s “Her” in relation to desire, technology and contemporary suffering
About this Event

Why does Spike Jonze’s Her feel so unsettlingly familiar? In this session, Marguerite Gleeson invites us to explore what the film reveals about contemporary discontent: our longing for connection, our dependence on technology, and the challenged boundaries of human desire as we interact with the AI-Chatbot world. As Chatbot technology advances, this is a timely discussion on what we will have to contend with.

Drawing on Lacanian psychoanalytic theory and other contemporary thinkers, we'll consider what happens when human lack and desire encounter artificial intelligence and explore what this tells us about being human today.

The event is open to all and no prior knowledge of Lacan is required—though familiarity with the film Her will enrich your experience (spoilers ahead!).


Marguerite Gleeson is a Lacanian psychoanalyst and researcher exploring how Lacanian theory can help us interpret contemporary cultural phenomena, particularly around the themes of lack, desire, discontent, sexuality, and love. Marguerite, Irish-Mexican, keeps a clinical practice in Madrid, Spain and is pursuing her PhD at Ghent University.



Admission fee: Standard tickets are £10 per person.

Access codes: If cost is a barrier, use the promo code COMMUNITY2025 at checkout for a free place. Tickets are limited.


This event deviates from our normal schedule of the last Thursday of the month and will take place on the last Saturday of the month in Edinburgh, UK. We plan to record this in‑person event and share the recording on our YouTube channel afterwards; however, we’re unfortunately unable to offer a live online or hybrid option for this session. Thank you for your understanding.


Advertisement

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Banshee Labyrinth, 29-35 Niddry Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Tickets

GBP 10.00

Icon
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Ask AI if this event suits you:

More Events in Edinburgh

Disco Days Xmas Party Edinburgh
Sat, 29 Nov at 02:30 pm Disco Days Xmas Party Edinburgh

Club Tropicana

Cosmic Dance Annual Reciatal
Sat, 29 Nov at 03:00 pm Cosmic Dance Annual Reciatal

Broughton St Marys Parish Church

RSVP: CRAIGMILLAR
Sat, 29 Nov at 03:00 pm RSVP: CRAIGMILLAR

Craigmillar Library

Light Switch on
Sat, 29 Nov at 04:00 pm Light Switch on

Main Street, Kirkliston, Edinburgh

Andrzejki z autorkami ksi\u0105\u017cek o  Anglii i Szkocji
Sat, 29 Nov at 04:00 pm Andrzejki z autorkami książek o Anglii i Szkocji

Dom SPK

29th November FREE workshop for women: Gorgie voices-intuitive painting and sound healing
Sat, 29 Nov at 05:30 pm 29th November FREE workshop for women: Gorgie voices-intuitive painting and sound healing

Art and Spirituality :Yoga, Healing, Therapies

Paint & Sip
Sat, 29 Nov at 05:30 pm Paint & Sip

378 Leith Walk

Boogie Down Broadway Edinburgh | Assembly Rooms
Sat, 29 Nov at 06:00 pm Boogie Down Broadway Edinburgh | Assembly Rooms

Assembly Rooms

Christmas Canap\u00e9s Cooking Class
Sat, 29 Nov at 06:00 pm Christmas Canapés Cooking Class

Cyrenians Flavour and Haver Cook School

The Vintage Explosion
Sat, 29 Nov at 06:30 pm The Vintage Explosion

Queens Hall

Definitely Oasis - Edinburgh 2025
Sat, 29 Nov at 06:30 pm Definitely Oasis - Edinburgh 2025

The Liquid Room

Edinburgh is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Edinburgh Events