Slavoj Žižek - The Courage of Hopelessness (May 2017)

A copy of the live stream of Žižek's talk in Vienna on May 2017, in promotion of his upcoming book: The Courage of Hopelessness. A very special thanks to AK Vienna (Arbeiterkammer Wien) for letting us use the video in question. Make sure to subscribe to their channel: / akoesterreich And a special thanks to Nordisk Film for letting us use the full sequence of the film.
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Zizek's upcoming publications on Amazon: amzn.to/2QBfkGx
The Day After the Revolution: amzn.to/2BtpfDL
Like A Thief In Broad Daylight: amzn.to/2BrbRzX
Incontinence of the Void: amzn.to/2G6QUyy
For UK viewers: amzn.to/2IFQ763
For German viewers: amzn.to/2IBAhcR
Slavoj #Zizek #SlavojŽižek

[@azarael77]

Zizek: "I don't have time to bring this other example." Also Zizek: *brings this other example*

[@azarael77]

Zizek: "I will not bore you with the other stories I always tell." Also Zizek: *bores us with the other stories he always tells*

[@birdwatching_u_back]

I think that’s called apophasis-when you say something by denying that you’re going to say it. Like, “I wouldn’t want to let you down by telling you that this is the most disappointing dinner you’ve ever made for us”

[@Abby-pw1hq]

Ends his speech by saying, "thank you very much and I'm sorry".. Zizek is the best!

[@moebeing1190]

It's half of the Hawaiian prayer Ho'oponopono

[@irishtony.2879]

I miss studying philosophy in university. People inclined towards philosophical thought are such unique people. I remember almost getting into a fistfight with someone over the definition of, and necessity of Nothing.

[@mastervule1844]

username checks out :P

[@l.w.paradis2108]

@@mastervule1844 Just thought the exact same thing. ;)

[@gnickthegnome1981]

I should have been studying with the two of you. I'm stuck with liberal religious life students who believe themselves to be some kind of white saviors (while absolutely fearing any kind of substantial conversation).

[@isabelmota4546]

Yup

[@tildajunkie]

I would hit like, but 69 likes is a precious thing.

[@ZGGuesswho]

My most left friends actually love Zizek when I speak to them as long as they don't hear the name.

[@recoilAbs]

ha!

[@danny.nedelk0]

Zizek is a leftist. I don't get your point.

[@izzatradzi10]

Lolo Puhffs They like the idea, they just don't know it came from (/like) the guy (as he also criticised some leftist).

[@bubsadoozy]

Zizek is a representative of the intellectual left. Your friends are more than likely 'left of centre'.

[@ernstgross5852]

There is only ohne Distinktion : left or right ... facepalm

[@robindurose1751]

His command of the English language at this level is incredible ,,,, .His view of modern society is even greater,

[@matthewa6881]

Zizek: I'm sick of telling my usual stupid jokes. Today I will be serious about this subject matter. Zizek: *Proceeds to tell a joke about two Jewish guys.* He just can't help himself haha.

[@EstebanDuPlantiers]

At 8:15

[@hanifmajidi296]

To be fair he is quoting Freud telling the joke so it technically qualifies as serious scholarly work

[@musicloverkathy]

You just didn't know that when you start telling jokes, you're supposed to start with Orwell.

[@benney9908]

i think it's a similar rethoric to when people say they're not a good speaker when they're about to hold a speech

[@janamclean1684]

I find Slavoj Zizek so inspiring. Wish there was a fan page somewhere. I also like the intelligent comments his lectures attract.

[@RudeBoy-hx1fn]

He looks from his wardrobe and hairstyle like he could just as easily be an electrician. Very endearing.

[@texticusrex7690]

Although I dont agree with every position he takes on every topic ,I always loved this guy from the first moment I heard him speak.He has a way of arresting a thought pattern and punching one out of their nullified paradigm of public discourse. Fascinating slant on how we approach the term (way of life).

[@thunderpooch]

One thing resonates with me: total war I no longer care about progress. I no longer care about good things, happy things, etc. I want total war against the lying filth who keep getting endless bailouts. May the blood keep flowing. Wall St, The GOP, think tanks funded by billionaires won't be saved by investing in defense contractors.

[@brendan1871]

56:05 Oh, I do think I've heard this one before, Zizek! Damn lol, 3 years prior to the event, he basically just describes the toilet paper 'shortage crisis' that occurred in the U.S., Australia, etc., sparked by Covid-19 and hysterical social logic.

[@emmaarcaro]

Thank God I wasn't alone in thinking this 😂

[@translatorstroubles6761]

He's so goddamned hard not to like.

[@wildfeuer]

try it!

[@lizs606]

You can't do it

[@TheREDSKAL]

He is really funny basically has acts like comedians

[@tunateun]

Thanks for the reupload

[@DraconianPolicy]

Slavoj has some good insights here. 32:30 - He says there are no "authentic" ways of life; all cultures are just different versions of social conflict. I agree, but what he doesn't explicitly say is that this struggle is intrinsically tied to civilization itself. Maybe this is just implied or assumed, but I think it should be stated: all civilizations have internal conflict, because all civilizations are imperialistic in nature, and they can only exist if there is a massive imbalance of power. There is no such thing as a civilization without oppression. It doesn't matter which region of the world it came from, what language the people speak, what metaphysical beliefs the people have, etc. because the fundamental principle is, wherever people form a society that expands in complexity beyond hunter-gatherers, a hierarchy of material power and authority is established that controls the social dynamics. 42:57 - He makes a good point. It is foolish and patronizing to assume a different culture is some kind of harmless collection of rituals and traditions. Within each culture, there is a a form of oppression going on, guaranteed. It would be more intelligent to understand this, and recognize that if you want absolute tolerance of other cultures, then you also want absolute tolerance of the oppression within each culture. It is irresponsible to think in such general terms.

[@metalcraftwroughtiron4886]

Phil Barker I like the way you laid that out. You are so correct there.

[@FancybutFrugal]

great comment

[@janamclean1684]

Phil Barker, I wish I could give you 100 thumbs up for your post above. Brilliant, thank you so much for sharing your valuable insights.

[@sawtoothiandi]

do you think then any type of organisation could reduce to a minimum these oppressions then? it seems it is desirable to move towards minimising them rather than expanding and exacerbating them

[@hansfrankfurter2903]

I like the way Zizek puts it, but its nothing new tbh. Its been called the paradox of tolerance, and its been around since Popper wrote the Open society and its Enemies in 1945.

[@happygucci5094]

Thank you for sharing your immense talents with the world Professor Zizek. Much love from Bermuda

[@TheySchlendrian]

The Toilet Paper Story is so prophetic for 2020 xD

[@7373walker]

Starts at 5:08 in German for a minute, then from 5:33 in English.

[@AnotherOrangeJulius]

CropKillah that's literally not a minute though

[@jonathanwoodvincent]

That's because it's in German.

[@rikk9370]

CropKillah Off to a great start

[@henrix999]

You are doing a god's work, son.

[@rick88261]

CropKillah bless you and all others who save peoples time.👍👍

[@auraborealis9246]

Žižek is the top global intellectual of the highest order, an epitomy of human accomplishments not transhumanism technology, great satirist on serious complex issues, aware and enlightened, full of knowledge and wisdom, honest and unaffected, 'cuts through the crap', original and charismatic, seeker of the truth, curious and open to new information, incredible clarity and articulation as an ESL, natural comic style. Detailed and organized thought cannot be confined by time-limitations, so his remarks and references are intended to provide context but appear to some as going on a tangent, and sometimes he does. His books will provide the details. He is a breath of fresh air from the fake 24/7 Corporate Media's News Anchors and their Guests with their superficial politeness of 'Excuse Me' followed by 'You're Welcome' which is repetitive, annoying, time-consuming or their sanitized 'political correctness' or their 'weaponized language and moral relativism' to shut down critical thinking. Various Ideologies, including political and economic doctrines, have ruled the world since time immemorial and have been used to over-turn Institutions, Establishments and even Civilizations. It's time we, the populace, understand the power of Philosophy and Psychology and not leave it solely in the hands of the Intellectuals. Today, we have global communication and Žižek is giving us this opportunity to understand Who We Are; What We Are Doing; Why We Are Doing It; When We Started On This Path; Where We Are Headed. We will not get this self-knowledge through Corporate-Academics or through their pro​té​gé. Western education, perspective and culture make it doubly difficult to grasp his deeper meanings. He goes beyond Greek Civilization to more ancient ones, condemns the obliteration of eastern contribution and references the Upanishads, among others and this is what has made him a Real Philosopher.

[@rohitsonone9643]

I may not write as well and as precisely as you but I feel every point you made makes so much sense. Thank you for the comment.

[@QuinnYouTube]

Zizek is your institution

[@ericcastillo6011]

He is everything you claim perhaps anti wisdom at its finest

[@virtualsocialretreat8234]

it's kinda funny to me when people capitalize things to signal they're Important. and i like the guy but damn this is... a lot lmao

[@anatonu5003]

What a great mind, I could listen to him forever

[@MyDenis0]

god knows whit what mental predisposition people already come , watching guys speak, you will never know what will these people take out from his talks.

[@materialrevolution1013]

56:14 this man predicted the toilet paper shortage of 2020

[@ashenvendetta7083]

Insane i know

[@prevarikator]

"outsource the revolutionary subject". Brilliant.

[@dloyfwaymeather977]

hi

[@MCJOHNSON95]

Bitcoin

[@janamclean1684]

Get Rid of False Solutions, this is Slavoj Zizek's meaning of the courage of hopelessness

[@Pedraga]

This time, he kept a good pace with not so much cuts, fortunetly.

[@griffinsdad9820]

I really appreciate this guys voice. Especially about what's going on and what action to take. Something that, to me looked like an example of an action for change happened recently with the kid in Canada who let Walmart know he quit and why over the store intercom. I dunno... Strength n Love

[@dloyfwaymeather977]

As it goes for Zizek videos, I warn you read his books dont rely just on the speeches

[@dm6801]

but they are so hard to read. It seems like I need a strong background in Marx, Hegel, Freud, Kant, and Lacan in order to get the main points of what he is writing about.

[@Hoxgene]

Audible ftw

[@lucaskenui6379]

@@dm6801 i have the same feeling :/

[@youtastelikered]

​@@lucaskenui6379 Look up Cadell Last's youtube channel, he has an excellent lecture series reading through Žižek's "Less Than Nothing."

[@musicloverkathy]

Are they as much fun as his videos?

[@allendish]

As an Armenian, I appreciate the Radio Erevan joke at 21:25

[@nataliatarnovsky6997]

Es un gran pensador...❤🖤

[@sajan2144]

Thank you so much for talking about #Caste

[@Peter-ih2tn]

love the echo on this audio

[@yavuzbahadrtaktak8020]

You may say i am a dreamer, but i am not the only one

[@ditchweed2275]

I saw this feed a moment after i felt suddenly encouraged.

[@chavenadehemoglobina94]

"And so on... Awh... And so on, and so on." 38:02

[@prakashanvk1456]

Zizek as a philosopher, spontaneous speech.... Really. great...

[@vertov1924]

thanks for fixing audio ;)

[@IppolitBelinski]

No problem, sorry for the previous version. I want t say it wont happen again, but it probably will. Live streams are a bit tricky like that :)

[@StefanBorkenstein]

Žižek did tžizzle my nitžzle.

[@barbarajohnson1442]

"Victory is the moment of defeat"...

[@seanl2930]

This is a good one

[@cine4551]

one of the wow- lectures

[@marcvsahlal-khatwa5460]

Profesore dragi, pa sa svima ces da zaratis. Ha ha, da vas nema trebalo bi vas izmislit. Neka ste mi zivi i zdravi barem jos sto godina, i iz dekade u dekadu sve ludji i ludji. Samo dalje tako, nemilosrdno u glavu. Bogu I Marxu je dosadilo ovo doba circle-jerkinga, laganja, medjusobnog lizanja i sveopceg kukavicluka. Pun rafal Profesore mili, da oni koji na nogama ostanu mozda i vrijede neku sitnu paru.

[@anomie1040]

I think when he was a kid his Dad played "I'm going to steal your nose" game and mentally scared his child. Now he has to check every minute to make sure its still there.

[@Mike-zd8wq]

"You know, sniff, son, that nose of yours is pure ideology."

[@anomie6788]

@Muguel Espinlza I think ... therefor .... I AM

[@spiderlanguage]

Zizek forever!!!!

[@OdiousCoprophagus]

He said he was going to contain his usual dirty anecdotes but he couldn't contain himself for 30 mins

[@michimarz]

I have to tell you a story, sorry if some of you probably know it. Once my good American friend told me about Zizek, but I said f**k you I don't have time for this stuff. Then later another good friend of mine from Croatia recommended Zizek to me, and I almost watched one of his videos. But when an old German friend told me the same, I finally started to watch it, and so on and so on.

[@RudeBoy-hx1fn]

Your story is... traditional European supremacy? Write off Americans, write the Eastern bloc off slightly less, and pay attention when one of the members of the country who imagined the Holocaust suggests it? What a fantastic story.

[@Zach-wr6fw]

The toilet paper anecdote really drives home how the real has intruded into our lives 2020

[@danielovercash1093]

Somebody get this man a GD tissue!

[@danielovercash1093]

Seriously though I love him

[@robertcece6972]

Žižek makes intellectual pizza of his opponents.

[@sawtoothiandi]

he really nailed the toilet paper-pocalypse here

[@RATDATSUN]

1:35:50 Holocaust example to a German audience, you could hear a pin drop they wont be caught laughing about anything to do with the Holocaust. LOL

[@NomisIsGozulike]

They are austrians, not germans.

[@benajminfelix7449]

@@NomisIsGozulike Austria shares and is wrapped a similar culture and tradition as German

[@jonathandavis6014]

Say one thing for Slavoj Zizek, say he's got friends. Lol

[@samirpetrocelli6583]

I'm starting to think that Slavoj's international friends are imaginary, and convinient.

[@nastasharomanenko6790]

He has himself admitted this once!

[@JakenFren]

Haha that's actually so funny

[@RaymondtheHon]

@@nastasharomanenko6790 might you have a source?

[@nastasharomanenko6790]

@@RaymondtheHon Good question. It was a more 'personal' talk here on youtube where he said his anecdote about the woman whose lover said she should lose 'three or four pounds' was actually his wife.

[@rmcewan10]

Nastasha Romanenko that’s genius

[@l.w.paradis2108]

"I have no money, no resources, no hopes. I am the happiest man alive." -- Tropic of Cancer

[@funkymunky]

Starts at 6:01.

[@malamalavamama9637]

This is my forth video of watching Prof. Zizek. This guy can talk and makes you want to listen. He seems to be the kinda guy you could have a couple shots with and agree or disagree with; but by the end of the night you would be arm in arm with him singing Slovenian folk songs and exchanging off color jokes. But tell me, why do I feel like stealing second base?

[@tariqkhurshid6010]

So on and so on.

[@vg4414]

5:30 for non-german speakers

[@alejandrazambrano562]

He predicted the future about coronavirus haha love it!

[@sawtoothiandi]

he really nailed the toilet paper-pocalypse

[@brickchains1]

1:23:21 You may say I'm a dreamer But I'm not the only one I hope some day you'll join us And the world will be as one

[@parmiggianoreggie-ano1832]

“The world will be as one” to a Lacanian is pretty ironic xD

[@Solus147]

56:15 The toilet paper story has happened all over the world during Covid. And not just with toilet paper, but with everything.

[@selfdribblingbasketball9769]

56:25 He talks about what exactly happened during the beginning of the Quar, the toilet paper panic.

[@bogdanyer]

nice. thanks

[@smtrm212]

1:20:00 we are approaching deep shit , radical love is all we have

[@theblackdeath4398]

Can anyone explain the Hegelian coffee phenomenon he keeps mentioning? I do not know precisely what he means

[@bbHoodski]

You've probably already figured it out but for anyone else reading this, let this open up a discussion. Put simply, the point of the joke is to illustrate how ideology is more powerful/desired than the actual "things" that ideology delivers. That humans think and function in paradoxical ways. For example - Patriotic Americans take pride in "being 'mericans and having 'merican values." What are those values? Free speech, gun ownership, freedom of religion and so on. But ask those patriotic Americans about those values individually or list them without the context of "merican values" then they become less passionate about them. They love 'merican values more than they love freedoms of speech. It's a paradox, one of the many that he's talked about in this speech - Pleasure and guilt. Enjoyment and pleasure. Ideology and belief.

[@piranha5506]

@@bbHoodski thank you so much

[@rosenamdensuden]

Oh that magic feeling, nowhere to go…the Beatles

[@WATCHNTELL]

the title seems to resemble, just without any instant and superficial denotations, Vaclav Havel's essay The Power of the Powerless...

[@janamclean1684]

Thank you for directing the audience this important essay

[@williamli55]

I'm sorry to say, but he did not predict the toilet paper shortage of 2020. The story is simply a testament to the predictability of human behaviour. What is brilliant about the toilet paper story though, is his understanding of the mechanisms that led to the shortage, as well as his ability to package that understanding into such a perfect summary: the danger of beliefs that no one actually believes.

[@Horroryoga]

The Central Committee at our next meeting will discuss your commentary here, and the Party will decide and you will be informed of the official Party decision, which train station to report to and train times. Sincerely, Bill, Mark, Jack

[@uriuriuri]

Who is watching 56:15 during Covid-19?? 😅

[@leoelliondeux]

Yo, man predicted the toilet paper crises at the beginning of the pandemic lolll

[@crowstakingoff]

Can someone help me find the book he mentions on the caste system at 34:40? It sounds like "The loss of [mano]" or something like that

[@adityatanwar2647]

CrowsTakingOff Laws of Manu. Manusmriti is a Hindu scripture which propagates division of society on the basis of caste. One could compare it with Bible. Except instead of ‘dialogues’, it has verses, laws and medieval theocratic philosophy It’s a bullshit book, unless you’re interested in theological nonsense.

[@crowstakingoff]

Thank you

[@BaronessStrange]

I was there

[@dloyfwaymeather977]

nice

[@allendish]

You get a star

[@janamclean1684]

Lucky you.

[@joelsavoie8641]

Wow, that toilet paper analogy

[@allendish]

56:14 Yugoslav toilet paper shortage rumor

[@notthedroidyourelookingfor8056]

holy shit when did he overcome his nervous ticks when speaking!

[@frankkrumnow7194]

Anyone believes Mr. Zizek getting tired of his old jokes? I don't buy it as it seems to be a vitalpart of his personaliy ;)

[@Fabzil]

Speech starts at 5:02

[@HandyDandy6]

thanks dude

[@curakristian9939]

open society open season.

[@berlitzmandelbrot4273]

When Slavoj isn’t The one with the worst accent

[@ApplepieFTW]

56:30 amazing relevance to Corona toilet paper stupidity, but probably with the reasons reversed

[@ivodesu]

I thought the same

[@destroydate7887]

Does Slavoj Zizek come from the same country as Laka from the sit-com Taxi??

[@mobiditch6848]

Destroy Date Zizek is in fact the reincarnation of Andy Kaufman.

[@katarinaaram588]

He is Melania's countryman.

[@kyleeld123]

does anybody know what speech he is referencing at 54:04? cant quite understand what hes saying

[@kazisiddiqui6435]

What's Zizek's latest book that focuses on philosophy?

[@rverasart]

probably absolute recoil, it sounds like an extension of less than nothing

[@p-money4789]

Disparities, which came out in October 2016.

[@ashgiri94]

I’ve noticed that pretty much all of his books are on Hegel even if he doesn’t explicitly mention Hegel.

[@happygucci5094]

As Astra illicited this discussion in me- both sides of the coin of belief- and I think that by the end- Brad Pitt adopted the Chevovian, Christian Atheist ontology.

[@andy845]

55:50

[@ashdkajbusvwjsizh5187]

25:00

[@musicloverkathy]

I don't care if he's right, left or upside down. I have 1 course in introductory philosophy and hated it, but I find him fascinating and extremely compelling. He's even gotten me to read some Hegel. I just really enjoy him.

[@musicloverkathy]

I don't have time to tell you the worst story of pleasure. You know the one about Goebbels where he says blah, blah blah blah blah. Too bad I don't have time to tell it, lololol.

[@duodat]

What is the name of this Danish film? Does anyone have a clue?

[@parasite_91]

A Conspiracy of Faith (2016) by Hans Petter Moland

[@duodat]

Cheers!

[@fernandov1492]

Does anyone know what the language of the short film is? Doesn't sound quite like german, i think it's a scandinavian language but not sure

[@Kowjja]

His critique of the French 2017 election is almost spot on, only difference is we got a second turn of the establishment embodied so Marine Lepen is gonna pass in 2027 instead

[@hanahutchings]

""we don't need open hearts, we need precise political action to break this cycle of global geopolitics which creates and will continue to create refugees " ---is it not possible to need both?

[@banjobill311]

As long as it is truly both. The centrists will always sell out the latter while trying to push the former as a consolation. That's what actually happens.

[@stewiegriffin6503]

dude, Germans are so cold, I had to turn up heat in the room

[@aarondai3968]

Could someone leave me the name of the book he refered to when he's talking about belief with no believers? Having some trouble hearing the author and finding the book... Thank you in advance!

[@aarondai3968]

55:40

[@Johnconno]

Try 'The Wretched of the Earth'.

[@spahbed7150]

39:50

[@rogersyversen3633]

1:07:30 to about 1:17:00 or so: so internalized truth creates psychopaths?

[@josemariarecalde9984]

Moral relativism and emotions mixed up is what makes u do mad things

[@josemariarecalde9984]

This only becomes the case had you previously believed, the hopelessness of lack of god is only there if u had believed in god, and indeed the so called truly good thing is to believe in the good despite there being no reason

[@seinundzeiten]

WATCH the video and turn off the volume....

[@spidermine63]

Wow he predicted the mass buying and hoarding of TP.

[@faetont]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3_PiGZ-o7Okos0 His first comment about Austrian politic is how Austrian foreign minister have dirty surname :-) But it is so true, not only in Slovenian, but also in Croatian/Serbian, Kurz in different declinations of the word can get very nasty meanings.

[@arturwojciechowicz3124]

Or just to ordinary man&woman behind iron curtain 1.18.40, it seems you don't remember those times.

[@roreythemadgod]

Triple and so on 38:00

[@curakristian9939]

Russians are Europeans , we are brothers.