Populism as a way to disavow social antagonism (May 2017)

Student organization/freethinkers collective ‘t Zal Wel Gaan and Vooruit are bringing Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek to Ghent – as part of the Antagonistic Festival. He is affiliated with the University of Ljubljana, New York and London and has published numerous books on various topics such as German idealism, ideology criticism, film theory, psychoanalysis and even… Continue reading Populism as a way to disavow social antagonism (May 2017)

Slavoj Žižek – The Courage of Hopelessness (May 2017)

Giorgio Agamben said in an interview that “thought is the courage of hopelessness” – an insight which is especially pertinent for our historical moment when even the most pessimist diagnostics as a rule finishes with an uplifting hint at some version of the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. The true courage is… Continue reading Slavoj Žižek – The Courage of Hopelessness (May 2017)

Is Lacan An Anti-Philosopher? (2/3 – Slavoj Žižek) + transcript

[Transcript by Thomas Matthews below video.] Difficult to follow, I hope you hear me, glad to be here, glad to be with Alain. Of course in this 20 minute form it’s just a little bit too little time to really develop a line of thought- all one can do is more trace, define positions, oppositions,… Continue reading Is Lacan An Anti-Philosopher? (2/3 – Slavoj Žižek) + transcript

Rage, Rebellion, New Power

Rage, Rebellion, New Power

[Abstract by Mosse Lectures (translated by Ippolit Belinski):] The relationship of rage, rebellion and new power forms a kind of dialectical triad of the revolutionary process. In the beginning there are the more or less chaotic outbursts of rage, the dissatisfaction of the people, which they demonstrate more or less violently; however unorganized and without a… Continue reading Rage, Rebellion, New Power

Zizek’s lecture transcripts

Slavoj Zizek

2016 May 27th, Slavoj Žižek: Am I a Philosopher? International Žižek Studies Conference. 2003 April 14th, Too Much Democracy, Columbia University. 1999 December 15th, Laugh Yourself to Death: The new wave of Holocaust comedies!, Lunds Universitet. 1999 November 15th, Human Rights and Its Discontents, Bard College: Olin Auditorium. 1999 October 28th, The Matrix, or, the Two Sides of Perversion, Inside the… Continue reading Zizek’s lecture transcripts

Slavoj Zizek: Am I a Philosopher?

International Zizek Studies Conference

[Delivered at International Žižek Studies Conference on May 27th 2016. Download .pdf] In his perspicuous review of the volume [amazon asin=0822358913&text=Repeating Žižek], dedicated to my work, Jamil Khader notes how some contributors interrogate “Žižek’s credentials as a philosopher, especially in relation to Badiou’s critique of Lacan’s anti-philosophical position. Hamza points out, in fact, that philosophers who… Continue reading Slavoj Zizek: Am I a Philosopher?

The Matrix, or, the two sides of perversion

[Delivered at the Inside the Matrix: International Symposium at the Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe, on October 28th 1999.] When I saw The Matrix at a local theatre in Slovenia, I had the unique opportunity of sitting close to the ideal spectator of the film – namely, to an idiot. A man in the late 20ies… Continue reading The Matrix, or, the two sides of perversion

Beyond Mandela Without Becoming Mugabe

[Transcript below video.] In view of the difficult situation in which we all, in Europe, are, now I have quite many things to say. So, let me begin. Today, the very idea of a radical social transformation appears as an impossible dream, but this term (impossible) should make us think. Impossible and possible are distributed… Continue reading Beyond Mandela Without Becoming Mugabe

The Buddhist Ethic and the Spirit of Global Capitalism

[Lecture given at EGS on August 10th 2012. You can find the transcript of the video below.] WOLFGANG: Nietzsche pointed out the most dangerous person in the world is a philosopher because it comes in everything it was agreed on is no longer clear, it confuses everyone and tonight we have a founding professor of EGS,… Continue reading The Buddhist Ethic and the Spirit of Global Capitalism