In 1968 Paris, one of the best-known graffiti messages on the city’s walls was “Structures do not walk on the streets!” In other words, the massive student and workers demonstrations of ‘68 could not be explained in the terms of structuralism, as determined by the structural changes in society, as in Saussurean structuralism. French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan’s response was that this,… return to article
-
subscribe to print magazine
-
email this article to a friend
-
Reader Comments (1)Page 1 of 1 pagesWow, Zizek is willing to make explicit the Communism (in the historic sense of a totalitarian system of social, political and cultural control) that is implicit in his argument. He seems to think that bandying about the sort of abstract buzzword-infested bloviation that passes for analysis in the groves of academe while ignoring the details of history is sufficient to develop some original thought. But, really, his analysis of the legacy of ‘68 reflects the same failed categories that informed the New Left of ‘68.
And although he complains that the French suburban riots were devoid of vision, what vision is he offering? Really, he is just attempting the same guilt-tripping of the bourgeoisie that created ‘68. He ignores the amelioration of poverty that has taken place at an unprecedented rate since the ‘70s. He casts the adaptability of capitalism as somehow a fault or weakness. He wants to ignore the failures of exactly the sort of thinking he promulgates to solve any of the problems he identifies, and the tendencies of “commons” thinking to result in the centralization of power, the radical loss of freedom, and the destruction of the environment.
I held out hope for this article, given the quality of the publication, but it devolved into self-indulgent nonsense.
Posted by Eric L. on Jun 22, 2008 at 4:02 AM Page 1 of 1 pages -
register a new account »Posting Security
Also by Slavoj Zizek
- Making the Illegal Legal
Israel’s Kafkaesque bureaucracy colonizes the occupied West Bank one settlement at a time. - Iran on the Brink
Warning to the Persian cat: Don’t look down! - Why Cynics Are Wrong
The sublime shock of Obama's victory - Through the Glasses Darkly
What if the between-the-lines Republican message (don't be afraid, there will be no real change) is the true illusion? - The Audacity of Rhetoric
- The Ambiguous Legacy of ‘68
Forty years ago, what was revolutionized -- the world or capitalism?
Popular Discussions
- The 9/11 Faith Movement
Many Americans believe 9/11 was a conspiracy by the U.S. government
1979 posts since Jul 11 06 - What’s the 411 on 9/11?
891 posts since Dec 21 05 - Democrats: It’s the War
659 posts since Nov 1 05 - Was the Presidential Election Stolen?
462 posts since Jun 19 06 - A Fundamental History Lesson
The rise of National Socialism proved politics and religion don't mix
427 posts since Oct 10 05
© 2008 In These Times | Reprint Policy | Privacy Policy | Powered by Expression Engine | RSS Feeds
