Slavoj Žižek - What does it mean to be a revolutionary today? Marxism 2009

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Adrian Cousins

15 жыл бұрын

Debate with Alex Callinicos at Marxism 2009
www.counterfire.org

Пікірлер: 636

@lcsalas 12 жыл бұрын

I love how he always starts his conclusions at the middle of the talks.

@farrelliux 10 жыл бұрын

Let's be glad that we still have political philosophers like Zizek, he shows that the very essence of marxist thought is still here whilst proven to be falsifiable. Marxism can and should be reformed according to different times. Let's preserve what basis marx has laid out for us and use it wisely. If we are to ignore marxist thought then as he points out, we are simply capitalists with a human face.

@AgentHomer 9 жыл бұрын

***** let me guess, you hate foreigners, don't you? you believe people should stay put where they are born, right? different skin colors shouldn't mix, according to you, right? also it quite so happens that marxism is mostly famous for trying to bring an end to state and capitalism. One more thing: we love culture, but you are right about the rest, we do believe all these things (religion, patriotism, distinct races, nations…) belong to the dustbin of history…

@AgentHomer 9 жыл бұрын

farrelliux So tell me, what reforms does Marxism need? I'm not trying to imply Marxism has all the answers, I'm genuinely interested! While I'm wary of revisionism (which is something entirely different than trying to further Marxist theory, revisionism is to marxism like intelligent design is to darwinism), Marxism can never fall into dogmatism.

@sambutler9927 9 жыл бұрын

***** "Marxism is a state capitalistic ideology that sees culture, religion, patriotism and ethnicity as a source of perversity" What are you talking about?

@AgentHomer 9 жыл бұрын

***** He's merely drawing attention to the fact that you are so mistaken that your statement appears ridiculous. I don't know why news hasn't broken to you yet, but Marxism is out to abolish the state and capitalism, not join the two. You are sort of right about religion and patriotism. Marxists are not intolerant to religion in general, sometimes they fight their worldly representatives, but Marxists are mostly people which hope that in free societies, people will see through religion on themselves. What they see as a perversity is the popularized version of religion so widely disseminated, which is merely an ideology full of lies keeping the people down and presenting them with a pie and the sky. Patriotism in the sense of putting one nation above the rest is merely a perversity to Marxists. However, Marxists love culture, people like Adorno, Benjamin or indeed Zizek can't stop talking about it. They are critical of many aspects of mainstream and elite culture, but that is just because they want to save it from becoming an instrument of subjection. And by Marxists, I mean people like myself.

@AgentHomer 9 жыл бұрын

***** oh, so you're not a conservative? this is exciting, what are you? you're against democracy, both major bourgeois political philosophies (conservatism and liberalism) and you hate capitalism but love Jesus, so my guess is: fascist? Or are you some other kind of anti-modern reactionary? Oh, and you're right, I'm a demon from hell and I do want world domination, no catching me by surprise that way, buddy. But how on earth I'm a sectarian?

@amac333 7 жыл бұрын

the delivery on that joke was quality

@thebenallen 12 жыл бұрын

i've listened to this lecture like a zillion times and it always owns

@laurevalentius 3 ай бұрын

2024 and this speech is still one of my favorites.

@p4n0pt1c 13 жыл бұрын

one of my favourite speeches by now. srsly

@VideoAssociates 5 жыл бұрын

“How can you be a revolutionary today” - at the core of what motivates someone

@bilfo71 11 жыл бұрын

zizek's ability to present his arguments in a practical method is like awesome, he provides meaningful, simple examples which easily explains his ideas without insulting the listener which says more about where he comes from rather then a school of thought he practices, I guess this is more for Slovenians, whatever you teach your children to produce this guy, the world needs more of it.

@RoxanneDesforges 14 жыл бұрын

This video made my day. Thank you!

@affeofen 11 жыл бұрын

i love him as well

@srikarpamidi1946 3 жыл бұрын

Years later, and this is still relevant and insightful analysis into ideology and its function in global capitalism.

@Peippy1 13 жыл бұрын

His ball analogy has officially made him the coolest philosopher ever.

@pgk7285 15 жыл бұрын

Excellent: "...an ominous moment of awareness." Thanks for uploading.

@sextusloverlord 14 жыл бұрын

I'm spending my new year's watching this Slavoj Zizek speech lol!

@kurtralske4026 3 жыл бұрын

38:10 never seen Zizek this sincerely emotional and vulnerable

@camaples 14 жыл бұрын

thanks for this up

@udhavn 12 жыл бұрын

Splendid speech especially towards the end. Bravo.

@Civilis1980 14 жыл бұрын

Go Slavoj! Glad not everyone has switched off yet..

@angelsea21 11 жыл бұрын

I love this man.

@abolenator 14 жыл бұрын

This is really restorative laughter upon laughter that somehow the universal can still shine through the particular for being singular. Well done Zizek.

@mzambo666 14 жыл бұрын

I love Slavoj Žižek thank yopu so much for the post

@nindzha 13 жыл бұрын

Its been only once I have seen zizek live. He was reading a book while waiting on a pedestrian crossing for a green light. When the pedestrian light actually turned green this huge mass of people crossed the street, but zizek didn't move. He stood there dwelling in that book as he would be in the comfort of his living room. The light turned red again, and i just said to myself, well thats a man that doesn't allow himself to be bothered.

@prasantbanerjee8199 4 жыл бұрын

This is one of the most impressive of presentations by the Slovenian polymath on Marxism and Communism in the present international context. Also, Dr Zizek is quite strongly emphatic here on the historical importance of Europe and the concept of modernization. Compared to this lecture, again, almost all his later talks are much more Hegelian and Lacanian, with less and less emphasis made on the role of Marxism and Communism in the process of the emancipatory changes that are, as he yet underscores, quite inevitable.

@pipacspapucs 14 жыл бұрын

thanx for the video! but what happened to the homepage? why is it "closed"?

@merakjetcinematography7011 4 жыл бұрын

we love you

@KrutoyPostowoy 13 жыл бұрын

wow just gotta love this man!

@HCLcoasters 14 жыл бұрын

The amount of views this video has makes me happy.

@johnvhirst 13 жыл бұрын

great stuff

@ranXerox09 12 жыл бұрын

Can somebody help me? I'm translating this entire speech into spanish to share it with some friends who were extremely interested to understand it. But I just want to know what does he say at the beggining, it is really hard to understand for me. Until the part where he says "I would like to begin with Adorno..." Well.. THANKS A LOT to all of you in advance, and thanks @adycousins for sharing this amazing stuff!

@marietagon 9 жыл бұрын

the question once and again is what it is to be re-volucionary, how we embrace such a word and how we are constraint by ideological right forces, always towards a better world

@Powerphail 12 жыл бұрын

Fantastic talk

@spoonerbooner 10 жыл бұрын

note to self: take action

@GuitarWithBrett 11 жыл бұрын

Here's a sincere question: What is one specific idea from Zizek that you can explain which has led you to some new action or some clear understanding about an issue? ... I've never heard Zizek mention anything specific about technology, so I assume he doesn't program, but I could be wrong.

@percymate 14 жыл бұрын

Zizek! It is so inspiring to hear him speak.

@blacng 11 жыл бұрын

Please does anyone know the scholar Alex who Slavoj made constant reference to during his lecture? (I get the impression that Alex must have spoken before Slavoj).

@not2tees 11 жыл бұрын

He deserves his spontaneous applause. Delightfully insightful and original is the Zizek!

@loboarmado 12 жыл бұрын

Alguien podria traducir al español el discurso completo, por favor, lo agradeceria mucho. hay una traducción por allí pero es de un fragmento solamente y con este tipo hay que escuchar de donde para entender a donde quiere llegar, Gracias. Somebady could plis translate the full speech to Spanish, I'll be really thanksful. There's a translate fragment but with this guy you have to now where he start to know where he's going. My english is good but with he's accent a can't understand fully this!

@asadatta 15 жыл бұрын

you are so right

@PtAltmVansanTarr 14 жыл бұрын

@Klllakmet My problem with that is that asking the right questions and stating the obvious can be awfully close to one another. All war is started with the hope that things will change and ended with the bitter realization that they haven't. At this point

@shakeyourdimsims 14 жыл бұрын

@jacobscamell please can you explain what you mean ?thank you for your post also

@RarianRakista 13 жыл бұрын

Where is the other half of this?

@Spiffyparsley 11 жыл бұрын

Zizek is a wonderful speaker and an certainly an accomplished politician and philosopher. One thing he is not, however, is a hope-bringer. I would very much like to hear your rebuttal on this.

@kkhan1981 15 жыл бұрын

Well said.

@alexanderforsberg7944 11 жыл бұрын

damn you comrade. I was hoping no one would ever notice my mistake :(

@exoomerko 12 жыл бұрын

and so on, and so on...

@rajkumarpachauri606 11 жыл бұрын

wow blog of this article is very nice and wonderful . seriously i like that post

@ChibiOlia 13 жыл бұрын

it's a shame that the vid is not subtitled. he talks very fast >

@ketch_up 15 жыл бұрын

I've never seen Zizek speak with this kind of conviction before.

@shakeyourdimsims 15 жыл бұрын

Very few people can do what Zizek does. i am constantly blown away. he is an animal

@alexanderforsberg7944 11 жыл бұрын

According to the video's description, his namee is Alex Callinicos :)

@immacali9562 9 жыл бұрын

Existe una versión subtitulada al castellano???? Por favor, si alguien lo sabe ruego lo comunique.... Gracias.

@K2nsl3r 14 жыл бұрын

a fiery speech by a fiery speaker... top class.

@farrider3339 2 ай бұрын

What happened ? Was it a natural FORCE coming over me ? Yes, my friend. Twas an early Zizek lecture. Great stuff 🤓💪🥇

@ctrl2win 12 жыл бұрын

i had a debate with Slavoj about the future of europe and Slovenia and there were many point that we agree to!

@wangeric4354 6 жыл бұрын

I hope there could be an English subtitle for people like me who are not native speakers of English.

@Vpopov81 12 жыл бұрын

Wonderful

@79898325 13 жыл бұрын

I may not agree with him about everything, but I do love this man. "His voice will get suddenly higher" Hahah, bless you Zizek!

@IvoMaropo 13 жыл бұрын

(...) in the way that, although not strictly logical in its thought sequences, their assertions usually go deep enough into the matter, mixing the word play habilities and erudition of the continental humor and expressivity with the will to delve skin-deep into the abstraction and unveil more its philosophical potential per se than its privileged lireracy through the eruption of erudite metaphors and jokes with a somehow accessible content underneath.

@ChibiOlia 13 жыл бұрын

@iwpoe i'm also an eastern european XD but from different country. since english is my 3rd language, following him becomes a bit diffecult when he talks fast. then i'm not sure if i actually hear everything. it's a shame to miss out on things. i guess i'll just watch this again after awhile.

@AhmadAbba 13 жыл бұрын

My God, i luv his constant 'howshouldiputit'

@Prunesqualer 14 жыл бұрын

In the sense that he helped change the way we see ourselves yes. I dare say many of Freud's ideas where silly, but the basic Idea that all people have drives and impulses that they dont have conscious awareness of or full control over is still valid and relevant (and not sufficiently acknowledged in this speech).

@freudvsmickeymouse 11 жыл бұрын

Interesting observation. Apparently, during Greco-Roman antiquity the beard was that which defined philosophers against 'normal' folk - maybe it has something to do with that. I know that I feel more special when I have a beard.

@420xHustlerxB0SS 11 жыл бұрын

29:30 I haven't heard Zizek explicitly criticize anarchists like Noam Chomsky their communes, and historical events like the Spanish Revolution. Is there any clip where he is less vague about the subject?

@Johnny75416 13 жыл бұрын

@MrC2H5OH I do know what Lenin said, but could you clarify for me - what was Lenin's role after the Russian revolution? Was he in fact not head of state? Wouldn't a dictatorship of the prolitariiat cause certain administrative problems - or is that term merely semantics; meaning dictatorship of the party? Would that therefore make the party and the state one and the same. In which case we still would have a state run by an apperatchik which could not be voted out - a dictatorship in fact.

@IvoMaropo 13 жыл бұрын

A simple task to unveil this distinction: Ask a Philosophy student to unveil Nietzsche’s arguments then ask him the same for Hegel’s or Kant’s... At that split-second difference, many difficulties may “spontaneously” appear.

@Metaldude1945 13 жыл бұрын

@rockit353 I don't consider myself a communist, but conservative what concerns culture, identity, nature,... and progressive what concerns economy. With our feet in our own roots, and with our eyes towards the future and growth.

@axe863 14 жыл бұрын

@AnotherWayFilms How exactly is capitalism, "anti-democratic"? I would love to hear you explain this :) Btw, how do you think capital is formed? I would love to hear you explain this,too :)

@sextusloverlord 14 жыл бұрын

Can anyone please recommend a book by Slavoj Zizek that explains his philosophy and his ideas? Thanks!

@Johnny75416 13 жыл бұрын

@nelica59 could you enlarge on this gibberish? I'm afraid I fail to get your point....

@IvoMaropo 13 жыл бұрын

I, for one, am really interested in some of Slavoj's ideas but one particular and general feature about him really stands out to me: He is a typical continental phisolopher in the almost same sense and breath as Nietzsche was: He has many creative solutions and interesting ideas but he never (or rarely) goes rigidly skin-deep into the distinctive nature of these abstract categories the same way someone like Spinoza or Kant would.

@arzoyan 14 жыл бұрын

The historic evolution of PRIVATE PROPERTY RELATIONSHIP of alienation,exploitation,suffering and the emergence of CLASS,STATE,FAMILY as the template of control and suppression for MINORITY RULE is the fractal nature of our limited mode of interacttion.

@bondebeats 14 жыл бұрын

It seems I can't post links here. Check out: Rasmus Elling 'Who is a reformist' Hamid Dabashi 'Looking in the wrong places' Hamid Dabashi 'Left is wrong on Iran' Reese Erlich 'Iran and Leftist confusion'

@Johnny75416 13 жыл бұрын

@IiiERT Perhaps it's your standards that are low, but tell me as you are too young to have ever visited the workers paradise that was Yugoslavia - where do you get your information?

@Tfrne 13 жыл бұрын

@truevoice08 I'll try again, it seems I'm being unclear. The part of Bohm-Bawerk's theories that are deemed correct is that he said that workers cannot be paid the full future values of their labours given that their earnings from working are payment, not investment. However, some of the people who supposedly exploit workers really ARE workers, because they increase the value of the products developed by conventional workers. A new "line" between exploiter and exploited must thusly be drawn.

@Samanmotlagh 14 жыл бұрын

@1826TJ thx for reply. Well, by arguing that there is a problem of alienation in capitalist societies that needs resolving, one surely has outlined a specific set of problems, that requires concrete solving of some kind. With this goes a set of criteria for what a less alienated society is, and what it means own up to that capacity of severing the head of the beast. More or less abstract criteria, criteria nonetheless. Follow? What does those entail?

@12er5t7y 15 жыл бұрын

If it's genuine enlightenment, it doesn't matter who realizes it. When one seeks emancipation, one seeks it on behalf of everyone who is oppressed.

@Sandcat87 13 жыл бұрын

*clapping* "-now comes my point." Priceless! :D

@Thisez 12 жыл бұрын

@sherlockhaimes Wait a little. If it's an eternal idea it doesn't necessarily relates to Plato. It might be idea not in the sense of some kind of ideal (or hyper) reality(where Idea with capital I comes from) but in the sense that if a foundational word is said about something, namely the one that names it, it can and will be passed through generations and then the possibility of reinventing is possible.

@TokugawaMainframe 7 жыл бұрын

He hinted briefly at maybe the small reforms will lead to the castration but apart from that does he have any other concrete ideas. He says at other points lately that no one really knows how to do this. Any ideas anyone?

@Square92 11 жыл бұрын

it's the passion he puts on it XD

@harisbbbbaaa 11 жыл бұрын

how should I put it..

@GeorgeTVP 13 жыл бұрын

I wonder if he's heard of Jacque Fresco.

@Johnny75416 13 жыл бұрын

@rockit353 AFTER the state is established, the worker would have no choice but to learn. Is that what you're saying?

@SweetDee96 11 жыл бұрын

its because of passion.

@Tischtisch 13 жыл бұрын

A nice man

@saxz99 15 жыл бұрын

@mistarcraw: Thanks for replying, it's a shame people are downvoting me instead of engaging, after all, this is a Zizek video... I am saying this because of the way he answered some questions. For example, Tariq Ali sees opportunities in the new movements in Latin America, I don't entirely agree with him either (I don't see many positive things in Chavez) but then Zizek mocks him directly. He's also been known to provoke only to get people to listen.

@Prunesqualer 15 жыл бұрын

From my perspective My guess is that, power struggles will continue. Darwin and Freud where not mentioned once.

@geeezer9 12 жыл бұрын

@tarnopol 14 жыл бұрын

Callinicos made a hell of lot more sense to me.

@HugoFauzi 14 жыл бұрын

Son estos momentos en que me gustaría entender mejor el ingles..

@truevoice08 13 жыл бұрын

@Tfrne It's either you contradict yourself or do not fully understand Bohm-Bawerk's argument which you admittedly agree with. Wages are discounted from their 'full value' not by the discretion of the employer but by differences in time preference. There is nothing stopping the worker from waiting for the realization of proceeds in which time he receives his full value. If I am wrong and capital investment lowers wages then you should be happy that capital is leaving the US for China.

@carlmalmberg 13 жыл бұрын

@oihhow "Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again." - Andre Gide ;)

@AristeidisParaskakis 14 жыл бұрын

33:00 is great

@mindingogamer5720 12 жыл бұрын

you have reason

@bondebeats 14 жыл бұрын

Moussavi is not a free-market supporter, he is for some privatization with strong government regulation. In the eighties he was an outspoken proponent of a collectivistic economy.

@Samanmotlagh 14 жыл бұрын

@1826TJ I mean for instance, describing a problem (alienation) and why it is a problem, and how to combat it. That is certainly not the same thing as giving a formula, and would exactly lead to a motivational invitation to action. I just fail to see this in zizek. In essence your answer leads me no where... I still fail to see how he does this :(