This is the thread where we talk about Slavoj Zizek...

dude I think you're conflating ideologiekritik with philosophy

what is "precise" is the way in which different aspects of the world-view in question (Harris') reinforce one another towards a definite end. there are pieces there that more-or-less correspond to certain realities (US-backed human-rights abuses on the one hand, an angry "ocean" of "unreason[able]" people [i.e. mass popular discontent?] on the other) but somehow they are not put together correctly ('maybe some of the things they're angry about are... our fault?').

but whatever we're obviously not gonna change each other's minds on this one

I haven't chimed in on this bc I think that Zizek's comment is one of his less interesting, less insightful bits, but the fact that you guys keep arguing about it makes me think that you're seeing something there that I'm not. Isn't linking our support for human rights violations to anti-American sentiment a really old argument at this point? Like Glenn Greenwald or half a dozen people on ILX make that point every week. Is he adding anything to it?

Why does he SNIFF so much when he's talking?

this guy has used mountains of cocaine.

― by another name (amateurist), Sunday, May 23, 2010 9:58 PM (9 months ago) Bookmark

In seminars, Lacan acts as analysand, he “freely associates,” improvises, jumps, addressing his public, which is thus put into the role of a kind of collective analyst. In comparison, his writings are more condensed, formulaic, and they throw at the reader unreadable ambiguous propositions which often appear like oracles, challenging the reader to start working on them, to translate them into clear theses and provide examples and logical demonstrations of them. In contrast to the usual academic procedure, where the author formulates a thesis and then tries to sustain it through arguments, Lacan not only more often than not leaves this work to the reader – the reader has often even to discern what, exactly, is Lacan’s actual thesis among the multitude of conflicting formulations or the ambiguity of a single oracle-like formulation.

zizek u have no self awareness do u

http://www.lacan.com/zizhowto.html

Zizek calls himself a Lacanian all the time

has he weighed in on libya yet? he was super gung ho about the egyptian revolution and projected all kinds of utopian aims on to its protagonists.

It's a silly complaint since liberalism as it is practiced in America IS economic neoliberalism. People who oppose neoliberalism are either the detoothed hippies who cannot engage the system in a meaningful way, or the radical terrorists who move the battlefield from an economic confrontation to one of violent force. But if you're gonna take about liberal democracy in the US you have to talk about economic neoliberalism.

― Mordy, Friday, December 17, 2010 7:40 AM (3 months ago) Bookmark

so incredibly offensive on so many levels

so be less offended

omg mordman

lol, are either of you going to point out to me the relevant non-neoliberal groups in America?

beliebers

never change with your either/or simplifications. Mordy. fortunately the real world is more complex.

by the way there are friends of mine who are gonna be in jail for years to come for some serious environmental sabotage actions and I do not appreciate your spoiled liberal NYC characterizations of their motives.

dude, take a look around. the neoliberal superstructure is more powerful than ever. how did your friends challenge the system whatsoever?

and btw: environmental sabotage probably falls under the move to radical violence category so Zizek accounts for that (and kinda favorably too)

+ btw sleeve, lol at you of all ppl accusing someone of simplifications

why would I bother trying to point you towards some oppositional groups when you reserve the right to define "relevancy", like you think you have the right to define the terms of every single argument you get into.

fwiw I think the farmer's market movement has done more good than the friends I reference.

lol ok. why don't u go be angry somewhere else

why don't you stop simplifying complex elements of resistance to fit your kneejerk prejudices?

you're right. i should stop. there. i stopped. thx for changing my life.

its amazing i get up to take a shit and its like the muppet babies broke loose

gross

think we maybe all need a reminder this isn't the US Politics thread but the This is the thread where we talk about Slavoj Zizek... thread

on cspan atm talking about wikileaks

w/ Amy Goodman

oh, and Julian apparently! just noticed him sitting there

yeah i saw that on saturday, kind of fun, mostly just recaps his piece in the LRB about how wikileaks has changed things and implores assange not to let wikileaks be subsumed into the "freedom of the press" thing and maintain their independence as something more than radical "journalists" and shit

this idea that censorship indicates something positive about a country bc that censorship is needed is such a stupid idea and i think it's really indicative of a failing of the left to grapple meaningfully w/ these reasonably open democratic societies such that there's this natural yearning to go back to a moment of censorship where it becomes more clear what needs to be resisted.

also a failing of zizek to stop himself from saying whatever is the craziest thing at a particular moment

goin to a conference in oct where among those in attendance will be the director of "zizek!"

have u seen the examined life by the same woman that also features zizek & is a lot better both for his segment & the rest imo?

also she is jeff mangum's girlfriend or wife

i just saw it last night, by coincidence! and yeah his segment is fun for sure

lol @ michael hardt

more like michael fardt

empire by michael fardt and antonio naglri

examined life is worse than the zizek documentary

astra taylor is cool though, she spoke at my school the semester after i graduated

rewatched zizek last night for funzies and realized that even there he was on this bead of trying not to be ~appropriated into the liberal consensus~

i always lol when he says "this, i claim,"

http://i.imgur.com/RMTRC.jpg

<3

http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/706-communism-a-new-beginning-alain-badiou-and-slavoj-zizek-with-verso-books-at-cooper-union-new-york-october-14th-16th-2011

i'm gonna be in ny that weekend

kinda wanna go tbh?

i say it's worth seeing Zizek at least once just so you can confirm for yourself that he's an actual human being and not some collective psychotic hallucination

also bc as often as you think he grabs his shirt and rubs his nose? he does it more in person

The website to book your ticket is here: http://communism.eventbrite.com/

lmao

IRL every so often he grabs your shirt and wipes his nose.

x-post

definitely go see zizek

holy shit i could actually make this show.

go

damn they just sold out

i was literally about to buy my ticket