Slavoj Zizek

[Gary Childress]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3O3urdKFPs

Zizek seems to be a very popular person. I hadn't heard of him until a couple of years ago, maybe. Has anyone read him extensively? If so, how does he differ from Chomsky? I can't help but look at Zizek and think he's a bit convoluted and nebulous. After listening to Chomsky I'm generally ready to grab a picket sign and go protest authority. I can't say what to think after listening to Zizek. I can see why Chomsky accuses him of "intellectual posturing". However, I'm sure that's not a fair characterization of his thought.

[promethean75]

If i had to be locked in a room with a contemporary 'philosopher' alive today, i would pick Zizek (even over Harris, Sam). I can't imagine having more fun in an intellectual discussion about anything, with anyone else.

Here's a really old series on YouTube. They used to be easy to find but now they're scattershot and some parts seem to be missing.

https://youtu.be/hmTotcWRKBo

[meno_]

Zizek’s posturing may reveal a hidden motive of reaffirm the sign of intending to invert toward a show of the posture to signal the increasing vacuity in reliance on mere posturing.

That problem, is evident with Sartre’s comment for the need for autonomy based in good faith.

[Iwannaplato]

“In a traditional German toilet, the hole into which shit disappears after we flush is right at the front, so that shit is first laid out for us to sniff and inspect for traces of illness. In the typical French toilet, on the contrary, the hole is at the back, i.e. shit is supposed to disappear as quickly as possible. Finally, the American (Anglo-Saxon) toilet presents a synthesis, a mediation between these opposites: the toilet basin is full of water, so that the shit floats in it, visible, but not to be inspected. [...] It is clear that none of these versions can be accounted for in purely utilitarian terms: each involves a certain ideological perception of how the subject should relate to excrement. Hegel was among the first to see in the geographical triad of Germany, France and England an expression of three different existential attitudes: reflective thoroughness (German), revolutionary hastiness (French), utilitarian pragmatism (English). In political terms, this triad can be read as German conservatism, French revolutionary radicalism and English liberalism. [...] The point about toilets is that they enable us not only to discern this triad in the most intimate domain, but also to identify its underlying mechanism in the three different attitudes towards excremental excess: an ambiguous contemplative fascination; a wish to get rid of it as fast as possible; a pragmatic decision to treat it as ordinary and dispose of it in an appropriate way. It is easy for an academic at a round table to claim that we live in a post-ideological universe, but the moment he visits the lavatory after the heated discussion, he is again knee-deep in ideology.”
― Slavoj Žižek, The Plague of Fantasies

[Gary Childress]

“In a traditional German toilet, the hole into which shit disappears after we flush is right at the front, so that shit is first laid out for us to sniff and inspect for traces of illness. In the typical French toilet, on the contrary, the hole is at the back, i.e. shit is supposed to disappear as quickly as possible. Finally, the American (Anglo-Saxon) toilet presents a synthesis, a mediation between these opposites: the toilet basin is full of water, so that the shit floats in it, visible, but not to be inspected. [...]

Not wanting to smell their shit, I suppose that makes liberals kind of snobbish. ¯\_(*_*)_/¯

[Flannel Jesus]

If i had to be locked in a room with a contemporary 'philosopher' alive today, i would pick Zizek

If I didn't have to listen to him, maybe. I got misophonia, I wouldn't be able to listen to all the crazy noises he makes for too long.

[Iwannaplato]

If i had to be locked in a room with a contemporary 'philosopher' alive today, i would pick Zizek

If I didn't have to listen to him, maybe. I got misophonia, I wouldn't be able to listen to all the crazy noises he makes for too long.

I find it hard to look at him (and listen). I've enjoyed some of his writings. It's not like I necessarily agree, but he leads me to interesting thoughts.

I think if he was my houseguest I'd take a spontaneous trip abroad.

[Gary Childress]

I've seen a couple of talks with him, he seems to have some interesting behavioral quirks. I can't say I have anything against that as I've always had behavioral habits that I can't seem to get rid of. When I was in junior high, I developed some weird nervous ticks that others noticed. They told me about it but I couldn't shake the habits.

[Iwannaplato]

I've seen a couple of talks with him, he seems to have some interesting behavioral quirks. I can't say I have anything against that as I've always had behavioral habits that I can't seem to get rid of. When I was in junior high, I developed some weird nervous ticks that others noticed. They told me about it but I couldn't shake the habits.

It's wasn't his 'tics' as you call them. I went back to see what I was reacting to. And now I realize I also reacted to the sound of his voice, and that he looks so unhealthy. It may not be fair to him, but there it is.
I was surprised to find that some people say he has Bell's Palsey. I just thought he looked like someone who smokes a lot and eats poorly, perhaps sleeps poorly. I keep thinking, take care of yourself. Which, given what he's written about various parts of trying to be healthy, I would guess he would consider extremely problematic. And I'm not putting it forwards as a correct response. The tics don't bother me. I can listen to/watch people with severe Tourette's without a problem.

As far as your 2nd question on Chomsky vs. Zizek:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVBOtxCfan0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3O3urdKFPs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Z18UO ... plaw%3D%3D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyxAJr6 ... plaw%3D%3D