objet petit a

In Lacanian psychoanalysis, the objet petit a is a stand-in for the object drive of unattainable desire - a purely theoretical construct. In this scenario, a person becomes the objet petit a. What this means is that as they spend time around another person, they find themselves slowly taking on characteristics that the other person finds desirable.

These characteristics encompass all parts of them: physical, emotional, cognitive, even spiritual. They retain all previous memories and will undoubtedly realize what is happening to them sooner or later. Over time, though, the new traits will start to wash away their old ones.

When the objet petit a is alone, the process will reverse at roughly the same rate as it progressed. In most cases, though, the newly reflected identity will not want to give itself up.

If they spend time around multiple people, they will find themselves taking on an amalgamation of characteristics, with emphasis placed on shared desires. In a sense, they become the "average" of others' ideal mates. If they are in a room with three men who prefer redheads and one who prefers blondes, their hair will gradually take on a reddish tint.