Episode

[@sam_evans44]

As a long time listener let me just say, your work is extremely valuable Stephen. I'm sure I'm not the only one that began my love for philosophy here. Keep up the good work!

[@OrignalR0kjones]

Most underrated podcast on the planet

[@qoup22]

agreed

[@IgneousGorilla]

My daily dose of surplus enjoyment. Its all downhill from here

[@ralphacosta3891]

downhill

[@jacobVark]

thanks for uploading, I'm so amazed of how accurate your description for nowadays society is. emptiness and forced nihilism, everybody becoming self centered and unaware of their own narcissism + all the depression, disappointment self abuse etc associated with it. please keep making those videos.

[@stevegiles8019]

Can't wait for the Mark Fisher episode/s. "Capitalist Realism" and his essay "Exiting the Vampire Castle" are two of his works that have had a profound effect on my politics.

[@TheCarlosgrau]

Purely out of circumstance, I switched from following Pholosophize This! on podcast rather than KZbin. However, I do miss having the opportunity to show my appreciation by leaving you a 'like' (which I did every time)... Just wanted to thank you for your amazing work, and being the most enthusiastic guide to the immense world of philosophy!

[@vivekkaushik9508]

2 mins in....WOW!!! THIS IS GOLD!!!! Thankyou so much good sir. I've been battling severe anxiety and depression originated at toxic workplace (people/company) and have been taking medications and therapy. I'm on 3 months Loss of Pay leaves. Its been rough few months lately. People think IT/Corporate is white collar, AC, cushiony job where you just sit on your rolling chair, stare at your laptop for some time, take a few calls and enjoy your weekends doing whatever you want. I wish it was like that, perhaps it is for some? But its actually opposite. People here have no lives, no thought of their own. We're all sheeps being cornered and abused en mass by the wolves. People work 24/7, they have no time to take care of themselves, let alone their families or loved ones. The so called Earned leaves are just a mirage. If corporate chooses, they won't APPROVE your leaves even when you had notified them 3 months prior, cause....priorities have changed. They run your life. Ofc, people get paid, and they do get time off, only when the management gets what they out of them. Its a system of abuse and exploitation, modern slavery if you will. Saddest part is, this still IS better than most jobs out there where people work equally hard if not more and get paid even worse and abused as well. What a disgusting world we live in, and they say, its the best time we're living in the history of mankind. I can only imagine the horrors our ancestors went through in past, surviving every day, from nature, man and beasts. God save us.

[@Ratmrage1]

amen man Im in the same boat working in tech

[@jsreaves1019]

This episode spoke to me. I’m interested in learning more about Zizek’s ideas. Thanks for this!

[@kupaz]

Amazing episode, I remember the time when zizek was seen as an online charlatan! I think doing the work to reach a point where you can choose what to struggle with for the rest of your life is something everyone has to find for themselves, but anyone who does makes life better for those close to them.

[@cheech23911]

Feels like this podcast hit another level

[@maticdrempe1862]

babe wake up, new zizek droped

[@LouisThorp]

Love your work! Congratulations on the birth of your son.

[@moriontax]

I needed something to focus on that isn’t rap beef for a week, thank you 0:58

[@PratikChindarkar]

Hello Stephen A long time listener, asking for the first time, cause this something I've been thinking about for past couple of years. I have acknowledged that my purest desire is to be successful and respected just enough so that I'm any other person in the society and I've seen myself failing many a times even being publicly disrespected. My desire is just to live, and watching it fail this much just creates frustration. So much frustration that the love to live diminishes and we actually can't think of the other option. And this as well doesn't give me any surplus enjoyment on not achieving. Only for frustration. The false hope as you discussed that maybe some day I'll be a normal person in society keeps me going.and maybe I even will. But I would've not spent a successful life but a miserable one. It's really sad to be on the wrong side of privilege (under)

[@EduardoFGomez-kc7gr]

Born 2E. I just knew it. After quitting my old job now I have spend the right time to think about my inner child and let him go, unleashed him and embrace the way he is. Also in search of a better way of living. Comic books saved my life as a seven year old and then force to join a soccer team. Zizek must be pushing me...

[@fripsite]

This episode really hit the nail on the head about how I think and perceive the world and my own experience with art. The craft itself has taught me so much, in terms of discipline, failure, consistency, and growth. While being able to see the world in terms of light/forms and perspective is cool and all, somehow it always seems to be connected with other aspects of life and larger truths that never seem to change. I've noticed that even something like teaching, cleaning, horsemanship, or any other form of art unlocks these connections and perspectives as well. I don't know how this happens, but it's fascinating.

[@MrAdamo]

You sound like a great person to do psychedelics with

[@baronbullshyster2996]

@@MrAdamoas a pose to a squirrel with a talking caterpillar on its head. The caterpillar thought Steven West was a butterfly. The squirrel said Steven was his favourite because he was nuts.

[@rockhopper9248]

I was struck by similarities to the work of Erich Fromm especially his To Have or to Be and The Art of Loving. Great work, love the pod. 0:02

[@Righton23]

These Zizek episodes are awesome! Love this podcast!

[@Righton23]

I never had the time to figure out what Zizek is talking about. Such a great job of breaking his material down in a very clear, concise, and objective way.

[@L4tt0rff]

@@Righton23agreed!

[@TheOneAndOnlyMart]

it's awesome you are still doing this after all these years

[@eiwhaz-tina6528]

Love is revolution.... Just like i love this channel...

[@eleuteriochavarin3012]

Just started watching you on KZbin love the content as always, you made me start loving philosophy

[@escobarpde]

Dam. let me pause this kendrick for a second and really hear this man out

[@raghavmonga2129]

Being in my 20s and so confused about what the right thing to do in life is, this hands down is one of the best episodes! I'm not sure if it was meant to be reassuring but it really felt that way.

[@ericjackson-nq4hp]

The echos of Plato's _Phaedrus_ are here. The lovers of Beauty. Bravo West!! Bravo!!!

[@BabygirlCottrill]

I'm the first viewer. First commenter and..... I can't think of what to say now. Too much pressure.

[@naosouumpatopoha7861]

that's ok fam you got this

[@LetsDrawStuff]

You could prefer not to

[@nightoftheworld]

It’s a lesson for next time-a moment of failure which will ferment into the spirit of ur next encounter..

[@PeterZeeke]

This was quite a life affirming episode

[@izdotcarter]

I’d be interested in what the scholar thinks about having a “bucket list” and the philosophical and spiritual consequences of that

[@pas.]

it depends. do you have the bucket list because countless influencers and travel vlogs and articles and other algorithmically promoted pieces incentivizes you to have it? how do you know you really want it? ... and the point is not to sit at home staring at the wall (but no paint, as the available colors are also influenced by trends too fucking much!) .... the point is to look withing yourself and find something there. and sure, then based on that pursue what you found.... okay, still, how do you know? well, you will unlikely to be ever certain, but expanding your knowledge, spending time on understanding the Other (and its many faces through History), understanding why are we here (from basic science to technological progress) ... of course you will quickly have a never-ending reading list, a pretty convenient thing to fail at.

[@lizalen22]

This is so rad. Thank you

[@sundaramgupta2340]

Your podcasts have made me think and helped me grow (and have made me fall in love with Camus). I can't appreciate you enough man! Thank you.

[@601kimani]

I was itching for this new episode. Love this podcast.

[@michael654]

Man your podcast is so good. Very thought provoking!

[@josedavidgarcesceballos7]

I swear I was waiting the "I prefer not to" stuff. Cheers.

[@Herr_Vorragender]

I guess I'll be listening to the Zizek episodes a couple times over to kind of understand it properly. I won't pretend to be clever enough to understand it all in a single run. But what I can say is, that buying art supplies gives me a short pleasure. Using them shows me failure. But somewhere within i can feel something building up. That thing is what keeps me going. I had the same feeling with learning to dance. And with language learning. And with learning to play an instrument. And learning to write software. All of those things I needed money for. And plenty of it. But still I despise the idea that I didn't follow my dreams but rather paying for someone elses fullfilment of their corporate dreams. Yeh, I obviously didn't understand, hence I shall listen to it all again.

[@DigtalTurtle]

This episode was fantastic!! I cant wait for Mark Fisher, he is one of my favs!

[@bensadowyj1974]

Hi, great episode. I wondered whether you think Zizek's take on meaning coming from the struggle (e.g. finding something to fail at again and again) has any similarity at all to Camus Sisyphus? "The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart..."

[@YinuoShi-c3f]

Thank you so much! I never imagined that you would have the same sense of mortification as I do after putting out content. Haha makes me feel better about keeping going at my writing

[@shitpostshogun938]

Hi Stephan 👋

[@fbalvim]

I can't stop to think what kind o Zizek would come out of a heroic dose of mushrooms. How it would shape and reshape his ideas...

[@from_el_dourado]

This was very insightful, it makes the gears of reflection in my head lubrificate! Thanks

[@daniel97401]

Cant wait to be home so i can listen this one 🎉🎉🎉

[@36cmbr]

Sounds like social success can be boiled down to a set of personal problems and its individualized solutions, rather than a success characterized by functional ideas that Everyman can elect & embrace upon legitimate reflection. I am the dumbest one in the room, but I am a reluctant warrior at heart. Beware my new suede shoe.

[@TennesseeJed]

Mmm, surplus enjoyment!

[@FrederickSprinkle]

As I listen to this one thought from Byung Chul Han comes up that I wish I could ask Zizek about. Without awareness (vita contemplativa in Han) this pursuit of becoming a "true master" in our current economy can easily become a commodification of the self, an optimization of the marketability of the ego in performance-based capitalism, perhaps just another way that we make ourselves into objectified little corporations. Han expands on this in The Burnout Society.

[@jerrypeters1157]

Imagine Sisyphus happy

[@traviswadezinn]

Lots to think about, excellent series

[@drewpanyko5424]

I wonder to what degree our choosing of door 1, door 2, or door 3 is economically determined.

[@markfiedler9415]

Really brilliant stuff, thank you.

[@wexomixo]

One thing that our symbolic order does is ignore genetics, particularly the inheritability of intelligence. Our society is based on this myth that all people have the exact same potential, which is just not possible. We really need philosophical discussion about what a fair world would look like when we accept this truth about the unearned advantage of intelligence. Most of what I hear in "better world" thought experiments seems to assume that only social factors are the cause of inequality. If we are going to solve the problems of the future, we need to be honest about this issue.

[@andrewbowen2837]

I agree when it comes to intelligence and personality traits. Genes and hormones in development are important. But on the flip side, I think most of our emotions and responses are socially constructed

[@wexomixo]

@@andrewbowen2837 The older I get and the more time I spend in nature, the more I am convinced that genetics are the primary driver of our behavior. This isn't to say that culture doesn't matter - it obviously does. I can observe the complex social behaviors of different animals that do not possess culture, driven entirely by instinct. The idea that "human nature" is no more than our social relations seems to be based on an idea of human exceptionalism - that we are somehow above the evolutionary forces that drive all the other animals. I don't think we are that special. Spend some time in nature watching animals, then spend some time at a shopping mall watching humans. You'll see that we are pretty much just animals with some extra thinking ability added on. We are certainly more self-aware than any other animals, but often we are oblivious to our own nature.

[@andrewbowen2837]

@wexomixo in principle, I do not disagree. We have biological drives wired into us. But there is a crucial difference, at least to me, found in our biology that creates the unique nature of our psychology: we are born very under developed compared to nearly anything else, and take longer to develop. I think this means that in infancy and toddler years, our brain is developing very quickly within a given social milieu, in response to certain social cues we get from observing family. This shapes the unconscious aspects of our brains very early on and allows neural connections to develop that lead to expectations of the world based on these early prior experiences. These expectations are the formation of our emotions, responses, values, fears, etc. So when we encounter something that does not match our prior experiences, wired into our brains from an early age, it leads to negative emotions, and so on for positive ones.

[@wexomixo]

@@andrewbowen2837 I agree that socialization is incredibly important to humans. If that goes wrong, then it will create a number of problems in life. But, that is same as other animals. For example, it's incredibly difficult to socialize feral kittens after they are 8 weeks old. There have been some interesting studies done on identical twins raised apart. When they compared these sets of twins (raised in different environments) later in life, they had an amazing number of similarities, including social beliefs such as obedience to authority and openness to new experiences. This and other studies have led behavioral geneticists to declare that ALL human traits are partially inheritable. I think that much of our discomfort with new experiences is driven by the fact the we evolved to compete with other groups of humans in tribes, and group cohesion is a matter of life or death. Anything that is not standard behavior in our tribe automatically kicks off an anxiety response due to the threat it creates to group conformity. I think that many of our modern social problems are caused by a mis-match between our innate behavioral traits and what is expected of us in a global, pluralistic society.

[@andrewbowen2837]

@@wexomixo there's no denying that humans and most other mammals are social by nature. I would be interested in seeing a twin study where they are raised in different countries with different primary languages

[@01FNG]

West, can you do an episode on George Bataille?

[@o_o8203]

Burnout can cause some ADHD symptoms in those without it, but ADHD isn't caused by burnout. _People are born with ADHD_ ADHD makes people _more prone_ to burnout, and considering the increasing pace of modern life, it shouldn't be surprising that more than ever people with ADHD are seeking medication just to be able to keep up with the "neurotypical" standard. If ADHD is caused by burnout, why don't philosophers like BCH say that autism is caused by burnout?

[@ayeshazubair5630]

Thank you!

[@Cuernoeshibo]

🤯 amazing podcast

[@melissasmind2846]

Congratulations!

[@BotlheMolelekwa-ju2se]

So is he saying love the process of doing something and tweaking the process based on the results of it?

[@melissasmind2846]

Thank you

[@bryan-bryan-bryan]

I am so confused by the end of the episode. If the 4th door is "find something you love and become the best at it" sounds to me exactly like what the capitalism hustle is. You mean to tell me I need to find a hobby, not commodify it, and become a master at it in my spare time while still paying for rent somehow? What if my thing IS videogames, how do I participate in that community without empowering capitalism?

[@kaaamos]

Considering the next episode will be about Fisher's 'Capitalist Realism', I think you will find some answers there but let me try to answer some of your points. It's true that while living in capitalist society the most "profitable" way is to always turn your hobby or craft into a profit. But that also dilutes your personal experience or motivation for choosing to do specifically that thing in the first place. After all, in the current society we are pretty much free to take on any hobby or to learn any skill you fancy. When it comes to video games, the industry of course wants you to consume as much media as possible, play the upcoming games, become the most watched streamer etc. Many games are designed to create a type of comfortingly simple virtual spaces for people to experience a sense of progression and mastery even if its in a completely artificial system. (think of all the massive online games that are taken offline at the whim of their publishers.) But there are also spheres where monetary value doesn't play a major part i.e. abandonware, modding communities, emulation and of course game development itself is a really fulfilling hobby. So when it comes to gaming, I think the long-term satisfaction comes from finding a perspective that's non-consumerist, something that no company holds control over. Theres inherently nothing wrong with being engaged in virtual worlds IMO, they're as imaginary as most social constructs we engage with everyday.

[@bryan-bryan-bryan]

@@kaaamos Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind and eloquent reply. I totally see what you mean, your argument makes a lot of sense. I'm excited for the next episode to expand my views on this (in the same way your reply already did). Thanks again, hope you're having a great day as you just made mine!

[@ChickenLordThe]

This isn’t a philosophy for how to beat capitalism this is a philosophy for how to be indifferent to capitalism. I think that to truly transcend capitalism we need to end up at a place where we can use capitalism sometimes but the point isn’t capitalism. The point is to try and dedicate our life to something we are passionate about regardless as to the degree to which it either participates in or rebukes capitalism. Anyway, our desires always tend to resist being fit neatly into the capitalist box anyway so pursuing them fearlessly will always be an act of resistance anyway. If your thing is video games then try to master them but that might go against the typical consumer habit of buying every single new title because you’d rather try to master one game to completion at a time. You might decide that you like retro gaming which doesn’t necessarily mean giving anything to corporations. Your passion for gaming could turn into fearlessly copying and sharing games that studios refuse to rerelease. Even if your passion is playing the newest COD the connections you make in that community are not capitalist are they? To be honest “capitalist” as a descriptor is a nebulous term that I think fails to truly appreciate the diversity of human behaviours both in and out of capitalism. Honestly I would just say do what sets your soul on fire because as long as you genuinely and deeply enjoy it is it really “capitalist”?

[@bryan-bryan-bryan]

@@ChickenLordThe This was very insightful, your ideas make a lot of sense and 'the point isn't capitalism' sums it up nicely as an approach to not letting it rule 100% of our decisions, consciously or not. Thank you for taking the time to add your thoughts, I really appreciate it!

[@melissasmind2846]

Impressive. No altering. Alcohol makes me sick. I love it but not worth it. One drink i feel it.

[@melissasmind2846]

The negatives. A headache

[@gamehub1643]

Can you make playlist they are jumble

[@drewpanyko5424]

Search for "Philosophize This! (In order)." Someone already made such a playlist, and it's extremely helpful!

[@piotr_jurkiewicz]

I like reading A. Adler nowadays - he disses Freud on every god damn ocassion.

[@WeizenGourmet]

Hi, i'm your algorithm boost.

[@robert0price]

I’m gonna tell my partner they make me less capitalist!!!

[@andrewbowen2837]

Ah, the good old "surrogate activities" from Ted K. On another note, I wonder if philosophy has ever existed in times when people were happy with their condition. Did people ever question why their society was so successful and others weren't? The closest I've seen would be the ancients, but even then, they always had a bone to pick with the way things were, taking on that gadfly role

[@rwi6760]

Hi Steven, I wonder if you would like to show something in the video rather than sticking with the form of a podcast. I feel that more visual stimulus will captivate audiences better (too much will sure distract) and helps them tounderstand the content.

[@Fred73251]

Running and jogging and all other forma of healthism or fighting style is also a form of escapism

[@Pedro-z9f1b]

Only us and I

[@peterpan5906]

❤

[@JanDavidSoutar]

Why you gotta hate on the long time patreon subscribing Ravens fan bruh… Low blow man low blow, we shoulda beat the chiefs if we just ran the ball ughh….. I’mma go read some kierkegard and watch the 2019 ravens dolphins game…

[@Leonardo-el6sq]

I find the "fourth door" a bit weird. Why must it be something which you can never "finish" or "achieve" in your lifetime? It sounds a bit like you are purposely distracting yourself with something for long enough until you die. Also, it feels like a fragile state to be in, if you dedicate your whole life to playing basketball, well one day you may suffer an accident of some sort which prevents you from playing, what will you have then?

[@robertwilson-lq1lr]

You also addressed failure when speaking about Emil Cioran, and then you instantly got to the issue and it was all clear as a high mountain lake. But even discussing this guy makes me feel like I've had a stroke,. Not your fault, but I simply can't see the point.

[@MrAdamo]

But I don’t want to fail

[@kgobza_770]

Alienation

[@sundaramgupta2340]

Zizeks "symptoms" sounds similar to alderian philosophy

[@theloneliestloveliesttime]

Damn as a writer I totally get feeling like everything you do sucks. I suppose there's a certain amount of melancholy a person must possess to be a passionate writer in the first place so it comes with the territory lol.

[@johnanderson1421]

Good stuff but didn't the existentialists say all of this in spades?

[@eiwhaz-tina6528]

Gacha games are Surplus enjoyment

[@adamineson]

Struggling to understand how this outlook doesn't suppose that a person has financial options? Dude who can only work as a mechanic (me!) has no option to opt out as outlined in this episode? As much as I love the drive of this and the last few episodes, it seems to me that there has been a glaring lack of attention to the importance of income/survival of the individual. There seems to be an assumption that the listener is wealthy.

[@ChickenLordThe]

I get it but I’d also say that this episode doesn’t prescribe that you do this. It simply suggests it as a possibility if you can do it. And surely you must have some time to pursue a hobby?

[@pas.]

there's nothing more real than failing to free yourself from capitalism! - thought Zizek and asked for a beer with no alcohol.

[@darasadiq00]

But we don’t know what we want to be so we can work hard for it! Capitalism chooses that for us, if someone is deeply in love with painting it probably because he/she saw someone in capitalism frame who loves painting, like how we switched our shoes from adidas to nike because we have seen an influencer doing that, it was not our idea to do that, we know nothing about difference between nike and adidas

[@ChickenLordThe]

I mean sure but like the idea is that it has to be something WE enjoy not something that has been prescribed to us by someone else or we’re just doing for popularity. I think we all know the feeling of having something that we genuinely enjoy doing regardless of whether or not it maintains social appearances. Something that WE want to do. I don’t think it’s possible for people to not have desires that go deeper that just superficial whims.

[@OftheRefrain]

Because as soon as someone else dreams, there is danger. People's dreams are always devouring, and threaten to engulf us; The other's dream is very dangerous. Dreams have a terrible will to power and each of us is a victim to the other's dreams. Even the most gracious of young girls, is a terrible devourer, not because of her soul but because of her dreams. Beware if you are caught in the other's dreams you are done for! --Gilles Deleuze. West? You have to be the strongest reader posting such content regularly online, you damn near have to be. It makes me laugh. So crazy. ...and I've been sober for decades. You don't know how hearts burn For love that cannot live, yet never dies Baby, 'till you've faced each Dawn with sleepless eyes you don't know No, you'll never know what love is --Nina Simone, "You Don't Know What Love Is" Today, I am all for a Growth Mindset.

[@christinemartin63]

Conveniently, Zizek forgot "Door #5": to surrender--from one's ivory tower--to that irresistible urge to pontificate about "Doors 1 to 3" (and the "suckers" who choose them) and feeling quite smug about choosing "Door #4," neglecting, in the meantime, to admit he has actually chosen "Door #5." That's Zizek all right.

[@cristiangabor6568]

i wish you ware more calm when you give this mirecole of a podcast like you did back than , your voice is started stressing me, you are agitated when you speak, but man oh man , this is "the video thing that " that is happening in the world write now

[@thereignofthezero225]

After youre done promoting this childish garbage, maybe you could do a series revolving around the sane counter arguments to this cultural marxist bs

[@albertobarbieri117]

So edging is the way?! 🥲