Professor Slavoj Žižek | Full Address and Q&A | Oxford Union

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A Hegelian philosopher and leading figure on the academic left, Žižek is the International Director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities and the author of numerous books. His critical analysis of popular culture has gained him international recognition, and he has been called the ‘Elvis of cultural theory.’ His most recent book, Like A Thief In Broad Daylight, discusses the dangers and possibilities thrown up by recent advances in technology, and the electrifying implications for us all.
ABOUT THE OXFORD UNION SOCIETY: The Oxford Union is the world's most prestigious debating society, with an unparalleled reputation for bringing international guests and speakers to Oxford. Since 1823, the Union has been promoting debate and discussion not just in Oxford University, but across the globe.

[@chrishiew]

Nobody at all: Slavoj Žižek: "I want to begin with two Jewish jokes..."

[@brabra2725]

they were good jokes!

[@Gala614]

20 minutes later Here's the second joke

[@clintwestwood4545]

nobody jokes so funny

[@sookuul.]

Jared Williams have you heard about the tourette’s syndrome

[@boringname3657]

If that happened in Soviet union, he would go to Gulag

[@jackbannan2626]

Uncle Slavoj's guide to telling a joke: Repeatedly announce that you are about to tell joke. Give brief summary of the nationality/ethnicity/religion of the person who told you this joke Tell first 30 seconds of joke Pause to explain key information required to understand joke Return to joke. Bury punchline in lengthy ramble Immediately begin exploring philosophical ramifications of joke. That's why we love him

[@diabl2master]

Best comment

[@diabl2master]

And yet they're still hilarious

[@croozerdog]

his entire train of thought is philosophical, he's like the opposite of me, he thinks about every word that comes out of his mouth

[@DaveTerrasidio]

love this xo : )

[@parthshah7371]

Thanks kind human for this good comment that I am reading in 2023.

[@hotdog7988]

He's a smart fella, but you wouldn't want him to make you a sandwich

[@peraxelhagne1400]

This is literally the funniest thing i've read in a long time

[@KaptainKuba]

@@peraxelhagne1400 agreed lol

[@klipser66]

Thandwich or a thalad

[@capitosinora]

Sorry what's smart about him except pretending to be a "genius".

[@cathya.5437]

@@capitosinora Why don't you just pretend to have a sense of humour? LOL

[@LateStart1]

For all it's faults the internet has allowed someone like myself, with a very poor educational background, to listen and learn from this important thinker! Thank you OxfordUnion!

[@francoiscartillier7920]

Amen !

[@LegendaryCanary]

I liked but ultimately unliked. The internet doesn't have any faults

[@milaik2194]

Jordan Peterson is about to rip him to shreds.

[@LegendaryCanary]

@@milaik2194 . where? nvm. april 19th, toronto, sony center

[@retard1657]

@@milaik2194 didnt work so well lol

[@evanryan120]

this is the weirdest standup set I've ever seen

[@josefranciscoaraya704]

wyd communist daffy duck is the best

[@ince55ant]

zizek is the jokerified standup comedian. he tells a short joke then spends 30 minutes explaining it in intricate detail

[@siko9576]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@WPMcNeill]

Zizek is a brilliant standup.

[@lexdiluca1221]

Slavoj would reply with a lengthy explanation on why the stand-up comedian is seen as an intellectual authority and purveyor of ideology in the United States... and make you laugh while he does it

[@spurezurko]

I'm Slovenian, I lived next door to Slavoj for a few years back in my studying years and had an honor to talk to him couple of times. He's certainly is one of the most famous contemporary Slovenians and a great promoter of Slovenia (next to Melania trump lol) and I'm proud of him. He tells it like it is...

[@KrazeeKrab]

Melania Trump xDDDD

[@arpitdas4263]

Melania has some nice pocs 👍

[@maxheller7815]

kje si pa živel?

[@sanket9305]

Luka Doncic gonna be next

[@jernyx9139]

tvoja mama

[@extraemails4626]

"I'm not saying ordinary people are stupid, intellectuals are not. They are also." Gotta love this guy 😂😂

[@Redrosewitch]

He's great, isn't he?

[@kerobzcyn488]

Better if he said " We are also"

[@JK-mx3go]

@@kerobzcyn488 I don't think that would be better.

[@DeutschMitAndrey]

facts..

[@kluture6460]

@@JK-mx3go nah it wouldn't have you're right they separates out the the we because he realizes that he doesn't belong in that bunch lmaoo

[@Luemm3l]

I find it incredibly interesting how he can go off tangent and at the end of his ramblings somehow arrives at the initial question or the point he was trying to make... it is like travelling from A to B via a map and then deciding to think you know better and take a shortcut, only that this supposed shortcut takes you through roads you haven't even seen on the map and you end up arriving later at your destination, but have seen some incredible interesting things on the way.

[@LaymensLament]

for me this is philosophy in a traditional sense, take a point and start drawinf extending and contracting circles around it. many viewpoints of the same point.

[@VictorRamonethefirst]

This is exactly how I love to travel the shelves of libraries.

[@AakashBhadoriaHAL9000]

I'm addicted to listening to this man. 4-min news channel snippets to hours long free-wheeling talks. Anything. Just give me my dose of Zizek.

[@AakashBhadoriaHAL9000]

@Anon so you go about seeking admirers of Zizek in KZbin comments only to tell them they're 'poisoning themselves'? How did you even get here?

[@AakashBhadoriaHAL9000]

@Anon thanks for your concern. Hope your path shows you the light you seek.

[@rick88261]

@Anon there is light at the end of your mom's tunnel

[@rick88261]

@Anon cmon, your mom ain't that bad

[@seankelly378]

@Anon 🤣not a very good argument but ok , he's one of the most decorated philosophers of the modern era

[@LadsTalkLive]

Zizek going to a British university and saying no trigger warning needed and then making a holocaust joke XD

[@nervozaur]

He was right too, there was no trigger warning for any of the things he said. If anyone is triggered by what he said then maybe they should stay home next time, no one wants them around.

[@nikolademitri731]

Yeah, I mean, it wasn’t like he went into the kind of detail that needed trigger warnings. Now, if he was going to get into some extreme details that went beyond the joke, like say for whatever reason he was to go into the brutal rape of women in concentration camps in any kind of detail, then I would understand him seriously issuing a trigger warning (though the thought of him seriously doing so is comical to me, I almost can’t take it seriously). Point being, trigger warnings are fine to use in certain contexts, maybe even very appropriate to use in some contexts, but even outside of the silly, right wing, stereotypical joke on trigger warnings, there are some people in some spaces that do go overboard with the concept and/or their usage... As someone with PTSD, who knows very well what it’s like to literally be triggered, and to immediately go into a state of hyper anxiety, panic and often flashbacks to the trauma that caused the PTSD, and all of this something that you can’t just stop from happening once the stimulus has been perceived, I can tell you that being triggered in this clinical sense is pretty fucking awful, and unfortunately I wasn’t able (or perhaps willing) to understand the purpose and point of trigger warnings until I experienced severely traumatic circumstances that led to PTSD, and then experienced what it’s actually like to be triggered in a variety of circumstances. The entire project of being considerate of people who have this problem, which is what a trigger warning is actually for, is incredibly admirable imo, and I can say from experience that said warning, *and being able to at least anticipate said stimulus, as opposed to being surprised/caught off guard, does actually make a difference.* That said, this considerate move on the part of certain good faith actors has, imo, been taken to an extreme in certain cases, and/or (more specifically) has lead to some unrealistic expectations from sometimes unreasonable people (usually students), as if trigger warnings, or content warnings, can or should be universally accepted, applied, etc, and unfortunately this has (imo) lead to some problematic behaviors, and so on.. Trigger warnings are a tool, and they have a specific purpose, but their use is limited for a wide variety of reasons, and anyone acting in good faith accepts this, and is reasonable about it. Anyway, I’ve a feeling everyone who’s commented in this thread upto this point likely agrees with what I’m saying, and/or has heard all this before, and likely, generally, share my views on this bc we likely, generally, overlap in sociopolitical outlook. I’m speaking for someone who may come across this thread, perhaps someone more right leaning, or generally opposed to the concept of trigger warnings/content warnings, or maybe even a JBP fan who’s exploring Zižek, post-April’19 debate, etc, and so on.. I’m more interested in offering up an actual nuanced and reasonable view of the concept, and why it’s not simply nonsensical or coddling, while still admitting that any honest look at their use, especially in certain university contexts, has been wrought with some problematic attitudes and behaviors. There will always be bad faith, and/or confused, and/or irrational, and/or mistaken people who ruin good things, and/or misuse them, and so on. That’s never been any reason to throw out the baby with the bath water, is the point. So if you’re reading this and you’re the type who’s generally against trigger warnings, take a step back and consider the actual utility, value, and intention in actually using them as a tool for folks with PTSD in certain contexts where some rather serious issue is being explored. I’m not saying you should accept the ridiculous use, overuse, etc, or even that you should accept their use at all; I’m saying you should consider the nuances, and maybe attempt to sympathize or empathize with someone who actually has PTSD (as opposed to a “snowflake”, or whatever). Cheers ❤️🏴♾

[@vaderetro264]

Alex Lyon It was a Jewish joke, nobody can complain about it.

[@jaredwilliams6853]

I never understood that shit I was actually traumatized and that’s how you get over it not by ignoring it that gives you nightmares and shit.

[@Redrosewitch]

Well done to him for that.

[@laaaarwood]

"I will not go into it now" *precedes to go into it*

[@Compassiron1]

I’m always staggered by how someone can express themselves with such nuance and adept articulation in a second language. Incredible. Also clearly an original, intelligent and charismatic man. Great watch

[@poockoo]

What I find fascinating is that his prepared, written down speeches, sound a lot like his improvised comments.

[@DarkAngelEU]

@@Horus... Don't be so patronizing. Language connects cultures and it's always amazing to see someone being such an eloquent speaker in a foreign language. It's a sign of respect, and a compliment to the culture the language has cultivated, that the foreigner is willing to learn and speak the language to a level most natives can't even compare to.

[@Horus...]

Google made me do it you’re right in that my previous comment was not the nicest, it was obnoxious, which is why I deleted it. however, it’s unnecessary to put the action of speaking a foreign language in terms of respect, otherwise it will bring out the issue of valuation thereby making the whole contrasting situation inevitably patronising, in other words, you cannot speak about respect without having pre-established precepts of what is respectable and why it is respectable.

[@DarkAngelEU]

@@Horus... Let me put it this way, it's flattering. Flattery often amounts to mutual respect.

[@Horus...]

Google made me do it The flattery point it’s totally understandable, I’m almost touched by it.(no sarcasm). The thing is if you deal with this matter in terms of respect, you fall down the rabbit hole of patronising. Simply because speaking English is something of a mandate, as it is with any lingua Franca, people “have to” speak English as they would speak Mandarin should things turn around in the International balance of power. I mean, you do your best with the hand you’re dealt, it doesn’t mean the House has any respect whatsoever, so long as they keep coming, “the House always wins”, they just watch in contempt.

[@josiptumapa]

I hoped for more eccentric intelligent professors like these back in college. I only had one.

[@GabrielConstantinides]

If you went to the university of Toronto you are an idiot and you don't know what you are talking about

[@AlbertAlbertB.]

That _you_ even were at school is a shocker

[@josiptumapa]

@@AlbertAlbertB. eiw is a reaction I get from narcissists trying to get some "attention for the day" from strangers off the internet to fill the void of their miserable lives. ❤️

[@johnd550]

Smart man. Great sense of humor. And no bullshit. Grips one’s attention in the most unusual way.

[@swift71]

Actually it's bullshit from start to finish

[@alfredmoberg9425]

For me, he makes many a great point, but all of us make statements that could be considered BS, especially people who are involved in, and in front of the public, and doing public speaking. There's certain things and/or attitudes I disagree with but I primarily enjoy his mind and appreciate his thinking because it provocates me and tickles the sociological bone

[@fastfaps]

​@John Swift your narrow mind perceives what he says as 'bullshit' because you struggle to conduct critical thinking for yourself, perhaps because you are scared to accept what he says has a lot of bearing and truth to it.

[@harrywatson2694]

with 5 litres fof spit

[@danielsadicon2986]

My heart goes out to the next speaker that came after this man

[@onlysecondbest87]

To have an intellectual speech like this interrupted by an ad every 5 minutes is a travesty. It's a greedy shame

[@ThomasDoubting5]

Go ad less it's worth the money

[@switchblade5847]

A D B L O C K D B L O C K

[@NilasThomsen]

This is why I don't have an ethical problem with using adblockers. If you want to support Zizek (or someone with a KZbin channel), buy their books/products or donate money to them.

[@ryanybaz2230]

Capitalism baby

[@kanishkasinha4006]

View it as a test or rather price of the knowledge right like you're paying the knowledges worth with patience which is hardly a price for that what is priceless

[@VanlifewithAlan]

I was expecting his full address but I never got to find out where he lives!

[@Nb_edu]

🤣

[@omelashomelas]

Killin it, Alan

[@ljhb48]

Nice one, Alan!

[@antediluvianclockwork9769]

I'm sure you could message him directly to give him a reacharound. No need to go to his place directly!

[@otterhero6229]

Hahaha that made me smile

[@MIGALA666]

My man looking like some enlightened commie Freddie Krueger

[@axismundi2142]

bro, bless you for that comment. my man

[@matiasortizxxi]

Qué haces aquí :0

[@joseaular4011]

el MIGALA getting famous nine months ago jajajaja

[@darenlm1086]

What are you doing here, Migala?

[@ricardochirinos1382]

Upload your next video nigga! I'm just kidding.

[@gl0b4lcitiz3n7]

How this guy fights Covid-19 is beyond my understanding. . . .

He is on coke, the covid hoax wont get him.

[@Koshak87]

Head on.

[@Andreas_linden]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@z4kri405]

he only does it when he's nervous

[@rezapanda608]

Covid is scared of him

[@benjones4389]

he speaks publicly in a kind of beautiful stream of consciousness, his mind is buzzing with idea, love it

[@jonathanalexander9881]

I don't understand half of what Slavoj is saying but I love listening to the man, and so on and so on.

[@dog8484]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[@etfreak]

*sniff sniff* (rubs nose)

[@baltasarmartinho1179]

Precisely

[@truncatecar3429]

I watch Zizek whenever I have a cold.

[@acajudi100]

GoFundMe for hand sanitizer and Kleenex.💩👿👹👺😡

[@chesichannel5815]

Need mediteranian temperature.

[@dp503]

Is it because he sounds like he has cold all the time?

[@truncatecar3429]

@@dp503 yes

[@dp503]

@@truncatecar3429 Or is on cocaine 😂

[@prophetsoflondon2082]

A philosopher with balls enough to speak his mind. A rare breed.

[@nikkidevitz]

Speaking your mind is part of the job description for philosophers lmao

[@jjpphilosophy7307]

i think youll find most philosophers speak their mind...

[@gladysjoseph5]

Bless him he is still fighting in the cold war.

[@cuminthenameofpiss]

as if it really ended

[@darillus1]

you must be living under a rock , if you think what hes saying doesn't apply to todays world

[@kristianharapan5741]

@@darillus1 try reading it again and visualize the person we're talking about Jim 😂🤣

[@patty1383]

and so on and so on...

[@ftwallday3112]

And so on and so forth

[@limenode]

Etcetera and so on

[@alucardisdumb]

*pulls collar, sniffs nose*

[@andyisdead]

as it were

[@StephenPhantom]

I will give it to you briefly ...

[@whoever_81]

"Surplus enjoyment: Profit that you get from apparently denigrating, humiliating yourself" Zizek 2019

[@aguywhoreallywantsyoutokno8443]

A potlatch

[@iancheung4801]

But seriously, can I give you some facking fruit juice or what?

[@Real_vanGogh]

"Here it is included the cancer you get"

[@danielsister2467]

Ian Cheung “milf nothing against”

[@jozsefkalmar7054]

"You plug in yours I plug in mine and we let the machines do the work, then we can talk about philosophy or whatever"

[@Aziz32ing]

Hahahaha

[@lovemetinder1873]

Lmaooo

[@day086]

Its amazing that Zizek would just give away his address like this, I will visit him weekly

[@RuSilencer]

really enjoyed zizek's chris chan cosplay

[@TheJinzoSpoon]

lololololololol

[@lebulle4544]

lmao

[@HakWilliams]

Nice name

[@neochris2]

but during the stone age

[@mrage22r]

Had to look up who that was and now I am sad.

[@AcidOllie]

He always comes out with something new for me to think about. He's a good salesman really when he touches on something i want to know more about then cuts it short and encourages you to buy his book.

[@dog8484]

and when he touches his nose and then cuts it short and encourages you to absorb his information

[@Rhyme905]

Teachers: Talk clearly, hands on the podium and stay on topic Slavoj Žižek: *Sniffs* *sniff* *clears throat* *shifts shirt* *pinches nipple*

[@daithiocinnsealach3173]

Delishioush!

[@agnesbajka6784]

Don't judge! You don't know what is he going through .. Just listen what he is saying.

[@oomenacka]

@@agnesbajka6784 Zizek would respond by saying "Don't patronize me and so on. I am well aware that I am filthy and sniff a lot and so on and so forth but I simply - to put it bluntly - don't care!" And then he would relate this topic to some observation of pop-culture and how it is misunderstood because of hegemonic ideology, etc etc etc.

[@hojda1]

53:41 Quantum physics = when God thought we would not be able to explore at that level and said "F#&! it, I won't program it". LOL

[@qwormuli77]

The messy backend.

[@jozsefkalmar7054]

On the sixth day, approaching the deadline, God said: "F#&! it, it is good enough". And He saw that is was good enough.

[@then35t18]

Or like, it's more intelligent than we are, but we measure shit in relation to our egos.

[@DarkAngelEU]

@@then35t18 Ah, but that's continental philosophy speaking! Where is the analytical solution to this problem?

[@then35t18]

@@DarkAngelEU That's kind of my point. We measure shit in relation to ourselves and have the arrogance to think we know anything about anything. You want analyzation? From a fixed, biased perspective of an organism that fucks, eats and shits? And you think it's going to be accurate? I personally think we put shit in boxes to make ourselves feel better about how small we really are. Let me ask you something. Have you ever thrown a football? Did you have to do the insane calculations that it would take for your body to be able to act in accordance to propel such an object? Angle, velocity, how much muscle performance is needed for the exact distance and height of the throw? Or did you just feel it out?

[@TOMASjBARTON]

Thoroughly enjoyed listening

[@armwrestlingfan6804]

@@retiredshitposter1062 maybe was in the audience..

[@morisventura674]

To the adds

[@Harryam3]

He made several good and pointed at the problems we are facing as a society. I've read his book and he try to explain things with unique perspective. Really a brilliant man

[@bdinh3130]

Damn, Zizek really did just pull out the, "Maybe the real second coming was the friends we made along the way".

[@pizzapizza2225]

I feel like the proper ending to the Auschwitz joke would've been better if it was: Jewish man throws his arm over God patronizingly and says, "Don't worry, you had to be there to really get it"

[@user34274]

Best New Year’s gift

[@Yetipfote]

well said *snort* my friend!

[@BarbaraBrasileiro]

OMG such a definition for Christianity's atheism, that it made me understand my own recent atheism. "The secret core of Christianity is precisely this acceptance of being on your own as a divine gift. What's the Christian's answer when you feel alone, abandoned by God, just depending on yourself? The message is that this is God's gift to you, this is the freedom that God gave us". wow

[@stephenfarrell9166]

Here's a joke, a Slovenian philosopher walks into a room full of the future privileged bourgeoisie 1% and they hang on every word.

[@koolfrisco_ttm8558]

i dont get it

[@martinbateman6166]

What's the punchline?

[@richardhall5577]

Lefties won't get it

[@americadeserved9-11covid6]

Little do they know it's the only time in their life they will hear something pertinent, before they join their elite circles that'll jack them off endlessly.

[@seabassdarapper]

@@koolfrisco_ttm8558 *patronizingly puts arm around shoulder* you weren't there, you wouldn't get it

[@FutureAbe]

this guy must be going through hell wearing face masks

[@Yetipfote]

RIP his nose

[@mantisoblicua]

too much cocaine

[@Pablo-xf8oh]

Well that was a lot of coke

[@Real_vanGogh]

Douglas Sirk because it’s a tic I think

[@coopercrepsl]

@@Real_vanGogh yeah definitely at least partly a public speaking tick

[@rainhardkerrman8366]

@@mantisoblicua there is so good amphetamine in Slovenia you wouldn't touch cocaine.

[@Supernautiloid]

Slajov is my favorite lunatic. I have no idea what he's talking about but he's a trip to watch and tells good jokes. I only wish I was smart enough to understand his lectures lol.

[@vonalxao1]

Read his books. It's not beyond understanding.

[@Supernautiloid]

@Ali Vonal What is his best book? Or which is the best book to start with?

[@psicodom]

Same here!

[@richj24]

He is undoubtedly a genius. This does not affirm everything he says to be true, and does not limit anyone's freedom to disagree with his interpretation of philosophical works and ideas. But he undoutedly is a genius.

[@seankelly378]

@Ev MIles you really don't understand him , he said Hitler etc were not violent in terms of the radical change they brought, not actual violence , he said that the terminology he uses means that Ghandi was more violent and better In his terms than Hitler , you simply don't understand him . He answered this in an interview

[@positivethoughts8633]

@@seankelly378 he didnt say that for the physical violence that happened. But he means violently changing the structure of the state. Ghandi was more violent in this way.

[@ziukh3164]

You know, you go through some stages, add up some stuff, and when you get back together with your fellas you tell them about what you've accumulated so far. But then your accumulation starts to die away as you tell them all. And now you gotta go fill it again with new ideas and SO ON. I'd like to listen to this man, in person, until the very point where his ends, which may be impossible yet, would only be, all the more fun.

[@jonnyonaquest9418]

I heard the paradise joke on a previous talk of his via Podcast and he didn't try to explain it. So the delivery was 10 times better. I laughed so loud my housemates thought something was wrong.

[@blarblablarblar]

About 2 hours too short, but interesting nonetheless

[@kevin1233803]

My third eye just opened after listening to this. No, but seriously, an excellent speech.

[@DrPeterMarsh]

I found his way of thinking super interesting and mind bending

[@michaelfatouros6482]

It would be a good idea to stop commenting on his ticks or his reproduction rights and just enjoy the thoughtful discourse!

[@armwrestlingfan6804]

Nah, keep the meme rolling. Unless you want him to be less known?

[@impresauro3210]

as any confucian could say: "when the sage points at the moon, the fools look at his finger"

[@perropeligro25]

As if the LobsterCrew would be able to comment on anything else...

[@michaelfatouros6482]

@@armwrestlingfan6804 Having read a few of his books and listening to his ideas I am not worried about his popularity brother! People who have nothing worthy need memes to become famous

[@michaelfatouros6482]

@@dasytphantom9354 Right

[@TWN-nw4jd]

That may be the loudest entrance applause I've heard on here, love it! Been waiting on this one

[@kristapsravics6888]

žižek is back on track. happy to see

[@youdontneedtomakewithpeopl3469]

He is an immensely articulated person

[@swopnilkalika7493]

Watching him during covid lockdown gives me all kinds of anxiety.

[@bradmodd7856]

My hope is some other animator does Slavoj before South Park, ultimately I want to see South Park do him. He is close to being a cartoon, simply using his own face. Great character and intellect.

[@davidhinkley]

If they were honest brokers they would. Hint.

[@francisesho8710]

Truly I like this version of your speech. Please share with me your present works.

[@darksidegirl]

Explanation about his nose thing, taken from an article: Žižek has explained previously in the past that he suffers from nervous tics whilst lecturing or orating. Q: What is your most unappealing habit? Ž:The ridiculously excessive tics of my hands while I talk. This is why he frequently touches his nose, grabs at his shirt and sometimes his beard.

[@Epicurean999]

He is an immensely articulated person despite of being Fidgety and having some nasal allergy. 😝😅😁 He apologises everytime for diverting away from topic too. Love Him💋

[@user-ig4dl4iv1j]

An inspiration to all of us weirdos

[@lameduck3105]

Not really an allergy but a nervous tic disorder, most likely caused by neuroticism according to Zizek himself.

[@fredericknoronha9998]

"Religion is the opium of the people..." is a misunderstanding of the original quote. The full quote from Karl Marx translates as: "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people". Often quoted only in part, the interpretation of the metaphor in its context has received much less attention. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_of_the_people

[@Poglavnit_Pferdefuhrer]

You also need to consider it had the reputation of Marijuana back then as well. All the best western writers used it to "clear their minds," from Poe to Jules Verne to Conan Doyle to Sartre, in Marx' circles opium was at least a useful tool in a philosopher or writers repertoire

[@b_3735]

Must admit - did not think I could listen beyond a couple minutes because of the excessive tics... but was enjoyable when I got past that

[@susugam3004]

After a few dozen hours of him, you hardly notice.

[@mrhunterf2869]

Imagine how hard that would have been. I have a few tics, not this successive but it makes public speaking difficult.

[@StrickenSteven]

I thought the tics were just a sign of extreme genius working under the hood

[@susugam3004]

@@StrickenSteven It's actually his own alien morse code. He's using gestures to send secret messages. Impossible to decipher, I'm afraid. :P

[@Peter-dk2ov]

1.25 speed

[@medicnmute]

"...and one of my immigrant friend exploded" hahahah got em

[@jessmontgomery3454]

He's onto the key issues with identity politics and maybe the grand issues with society, a smart man but tough to follow with his tick. I hope he gets a bigger stage to talk and debate but ofc only if as his says, "the big media" lets him. As an after thought he really is a tsunami of ideas, leaves you lost in a dozen questions, love it!

[@christiangeiselmann]

Jess Montgomery He is a regular contributor to the large high-quality newspapers in Germany.

[@tommoon5063]

Has a Marxian look, cankers and snot with second hand style.

[@jessmontgomery3454]

@@christiangeiselmann didn't know that, have followed much of his work as it appears in english. Will dig a little and see what else he's upto. I really must get his new book.

[@christiangeiselmann]

Jess Montgomery The pieces in German newspapers (appearing usually in the feuilleton section, i.e. where culture, arts and intellectual debate have their place) are translated by somebody, I suppose. Although perhaps, as a Slovenian, he may also know German.

[@Guerilla_G]

James May has really changed

[@republikadugave420]

One would assume that top gear kept him level

[@scania1982]

But his rugby sweater hasn't.

[@tgc281]

Between zizek rubbing his nose off and the 40 ads I had trouble watching this

[@A_U83]

He has non verbal tourettes

[@rpbmpn]

Seriously wtf. Once it goes into Q&A there's literally an ad every minute or two

[@silverdragon710]

Damn I’m sorry to hear Zizek doesn’t play video games anymore. He was a pretty avid player as I recall some years ago.

[@WilliamAraujoWillweb]

Zizek arrasa tudo o que é incoerente! Se cada país tivesse ao menos UM Zizek, a política seria mais séria!

[@llamatreee]

No

[@MultiSciGeek]

Man his hands are like independent of his body. He has two brains - one for the head and one for the body.

[@nuhzatazimi]

Who doesn't have two brains? You?

[@Taofik953]

it is quite the contrary. he is just one big brain, and when there's a lot of neuronal activity, he starts moving more and more

[@rudidl19]

HAHAHA

[@plastixpoon]

Neither seem to be working very well...

[@gerardomunoz5870]

one for the nose

[@lawmaker22]

nice slavoj mentiones Chesterton..he deserves a lot more recognition

[@pradipamahadeva8051]

It is a nervous tic, he is truly brilliant!

[@kevinn1158]

Slavoj is brilliant. He jumps back and forth so quickly nobody can define him or pigeon hole him.

[@4evervlora]

What is a pigeon hole? I truly don't know it's meaning in this situation.

[@AT-qw9cq]

@@4evervlora To "pigeon hole" someone is to put them into a category. So defining this guy as a "communist" for example would be pigeon holing him.

[@markgregsputnik7288]

There's nothing brilliant about jumping back and forth on your ideas so that you contradict yourself and no one can consistently evaluate your stance. A person should have the integrity and courage to stand by one's ideas and not support contradictory ones.

[@kevinn1158]

@@markgregsputnik7288 I was being facetious. I appreciate your earnest response though.

[@olgitsi872]

I find his lecture to be like a mixtape. Not deep but definetely a lot of catch-phrases put together to create a mood. The mood is a bit up-tempo but ambient enough to provoke a mild dancing pace. Like in a cocktail party. Nicely done.

[@ghushang]

You got his point: that is how ideology works..

[@chrismoiser6477]

Very nicely phrased critique, haha. Yeah, I agree, he treats his philosophical talks as a 'set', much the same way a comedian does. He's really done amazingly well to carve out this niche for himself.

[@russelsantos2369]

Mixtape Philosophy. Yep. We’ve really advanced as a society now.

[@r4in407]

when I see comments like these it makes me want to know more about you people

[@daniby9894]

In simple words, what his resume always doesn't include is after all the titles he's also a character... and I mean it in a good way.

[@MouseGuardian]

He has 20 in int and wis, but con was his dump stat. I suspect his str and dex are low too. Still, I love him, so charisma is at least 17.

[@matthewsnyder674]

Finally found a living, breathing embodiment of the first two lines from Interpol's song "Rest My Chemistry." Hell, the whole song, actually. Much respect, Žižek.

[@Neuroneos]

[Insert comment about Zizek being a charlatan because Chomsky said it and my philosophical knowledge comes solely from watching KZbin videos]

[@manuam98]

Chomsky is a charlatan

[@actanonverba91]

I am going to watch as many lectures as possible and I will be happy to discuss my KZbin education and it's real life results.

[@zaurhasanov5458]

@@actanonverba91 same lol

[@Jixejo]

they are both relatively charlatanical if you see it like that, they just approach global affairs from compeltely different angles, but they discuss things differently, chomsky is embroiled very much in american politics and international USA>global affairs, and Slavoj, well, if you can listen to the whole thing and just see and hear past the weird bits then you can have some empathy for him and forgive his misgivings (age related? :D) but the gist of the thing overall is good, if you can see past the funny parts, then probably you will understand the hope in his lectures, although a self-described pessimist, he is more of a realist, and strangely enough often he just has a good eye for culture/society and our lives as we live them week to week, and thats why he makes a sort of good philospher, because he catches well that essence of life on earth in the 21st century week-to-week, those subtle changes.... despite his pessimism, his talks usually leave me with hope, which is also why i think he is liked and why others like him to talk too..

[@Jixejo]

but chomsky is strangely deluded in his own way too, and quite narrow-focused, of course with the usual delusion that many many reaching things are being talked about, but still stuck in a very small world. zizek may be deluded too, but for some reason the comic factor of communist relvolution is quite good ;-)

[@akompsupport]

Slavoj Zizek spoke at University of Central Arkansas in Conway. he did not disappoint. Really a rock star!

[@iryumugababiko336]

He got my attention!! Strong points

[@alexandros6433]

He's wearing his best shirt for the occasion

[@ertertrert]

Heylll Yeeaas boiii the BIG ZIZ is a tasty new years treat

[@potterj09]

This man has always been a true master at marrying a strong, thought-provoking real world concept with a somtimes shocking, provocative and hilarious joke.

[@alessandromarin6499]

His first point has so much in common with von Trier's movies (Dogville and Manderlay in particular)

[@m1m760]

I see a big contrast between those who are sitting around him and those in this comments section. It's the contrast between the real life platform and the virtual platform.

[@edvardaspuotkalis4703]

Professor was brave enough to bring listeners to some points where patronage and mentoring questions are rises. He mentioned that in the narrow circles Slovenian officials are less anti immigrants than on public. That means he calls to admits that immigrants problem is come up not as he likes to call it "the discrete" event, but a sequence of tries to change the Middle East and North Africa. And by populists claiming that post-communists and other regimes which dominated in Middle East and Africa served challengers to start let's call them "active supporting actions" towards changing those regimes the same populists have to recognise main reason-consequence chain which brought West Europe to the flood of immigrants. 2. I will be impressed and delighted if Oxford Union in a week time will not remove this presentation for accusations in racism.

[@user-ff2vs8vs7n]

sorby

[@dpt4458]

Looks like you were wrong

[@justinkerr6174]

Looking sharp in the Hilfiger my man. Is that a denim collar?

[@tobymartin2137]

Zizek always looks like he hasn't washed in weeks, and I rather like how he just chooses to embrace that look.

[@ardypangihutan3653]

I find his lectures meditative.

[@jake_runs_the_world]

Love this guy

[@matheushhhhhhhhhhhh]

When he speaks about comedy I can only remember my whole life as a brazilian.

[@adr1ew]

SIM kkkkkkkkkkkkk

[@SM-rg2jd]

Brilliant man ❤️

[@grosbeak6130]

I mean this sincerely, I would love Professor Slavoj Zizek to ponder and comment on Brother Theodore.

[@RATDATSUN]

About bloody time.

[@socratease1432]

Superb! 'They are treating me as a child when I am adult!'. ,

[@freekpeet]

Edit: after looking a little more into quantum mechanics, and as hmena 99 points out below, I now think Zizek's point holds up. -I used to find Zizek's analogy of quantum physics with areas you can't go in video games really intriguing. Zizek says that at the quantum level, things behave as if "not programmed" and "incomplete", and talks about how strange things appear at that level (when measuring position and momentum of a particle, i.e. the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics). But it seems to me now, after reading a little about the uncertainty principle (see Wikipedia), that Zizek has drawn the wrong conclusion (atleast with regards to the uncertainty principle). Things behave differently at the quantum level only due to the matter wave nature of all quantum objects. Reality is not "incomplete" at the quantum level, things just behave like they do in all wave-like systems. So things are "programmed" there too, no less programmed than a sound wave for example, as I understand it. Huge fan of Zizek though."-

[@epikurepikur6955]

My compliments! One of the few moments that a internet-commentator really argues in relation to the content and without any hate or vulgar speech!

[@hmena9934]

Peet Sho I think he was addressing the particle-wave duality in quantum physics, and also the fact that stuff there behaves probabilistically and not deterministically". Apparently he has also consulted this with friends who are physicists.

[@victorfergn]

@@hmena9934 hmm I would say wave only, a defined perturbation in a quantum field is still wave phenomenon that's how you get the heisenberg principle of uncertainty, it is implicit in how waves behave. You can still call it a particle-wave duality but it isn't necessary.

[@victorfergn]

It is about how quantum information works, he should've talked about the The Copenhagen Interpretation of Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg. It is a deeper phenomenon than physics, it goes to the realm of the behavior of information.

[@hmena9934]

vic ferg thanks. Do you study physics?

[@marcognudi664]

I loved his interpretation of Christianity

[@granDoktor]

I speak a Slavic language, so it's easy for me to understand him even with his accent. But I've always wondered how much can you native English speakers understand him. Do you have to really TRY to understand him or is it as easy to understand him as someone who has a perfect natural English accent?

[@nowimahipster6186]

no not really, even auto generated captions understand him very well

[@granDoktor]

@@nowimahipster6186 oh yeah it didn't cross my mind to check the captions. thanks btw

[@lydiawilder5996]

@@granDoktor I find it very difficult to understand, as someone from midwest USA, I know what he's saying, but the accent is so thick...

[@granDoktor]

@@lydiawilder5996 Yes his accent is super thick. To be honest I don't think he even tries to sound understandable lol

[@johnwillies8356]

Find him pretty easy to understand, certainly easier than some UK accents even tho I myself am a yorkshireman

[@thetasworld]

52:50- 54:03 this is probably the cleverest and funniest thing I have ever heard. Thank you good doctor

[@israelisntreal786]

I enjoy this guy,,, were on opposite ends of the mental and political spectrum and I can tell you this much... he seems like a fun pal

[@tekoshararam3126]

I like Žižek, especially while he says paradigm.

[@funnellbyrd]

I would kill 1'000 kittens to see Zizek and Peter Hitchens have a conversation.

[@monkeymind4912]

Better yet, his brother Christopher

[@TheKischtler]

Drinking game: Take a sip for every "and so on" and a shot when he says it twice in succession.

[@Ivan-qf4mt]

If you want to kill your liver - do it after every *sniff*

[@bobbybigplays1496]

Someone knows what are the latest works of Zizek that he is talking about in 47:30? I really like Foucault and this theme that Zizek talked about, but i don't want to read all his latest works to have a picture of his descriptions. hehe

[@moneytttt1140]

If you hit this 1:15:08 and then just press the reply button the ads disappear