A video about being critical of old communist ways...

[csquared]

tell me what you guys think of this....turn subtitles on, its not in english..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sreItuHNEtw&feature=related

[SacRedMan]

"the solution which Marx saw doesn't works today"

Many people would agree with that... But Marx analized the same problems as we have %now and so on back those days. It's still relevant.

[csquared]

I think the orthodox marxists are the conservative ones on the Left. I agree with Zizek that we must start from scratch

[hatzel]

I agree with Zizek that we must start from scratch

Sometimes I forget that you think this, so thanks for reminding us in pretty much every post you've made on this site. I appreciate it :)

[fishontuesday]

I enjoyed both these videos. I don't know who's side to take. But I do agree that communism has evolved into something different and communism does need to go back to it's roots as an attempt to fix it's reputation. Let people know your a communist and what it is you DO and DON'T support.

[csquared]

Sometimes I forget that you think this, so thanks for reminding us in pretty much every post you've made on this site. I appreciate it :)
yep.......

[Kotze]

Hardly know anything about him, except that he is famous as far as contemporary "Marxists" go. Are the subtitles correct?

Žižek: "The real tragedy is in that from a 'noble idea' sprung a horror, sometimes worse than the Nazi one."
-I guess I can understand now why this guy gets airtime :P

"Here is the importance of the reprint [of the Communist Manifesto]. Not, 'Let us go back to it.' We must ask all the harsh questions. Not only, is this still topical, but to what extent was Marx's vision of the future complicit, how did it help to make way, for the catastrophe of the 20th century, Stalinism, Gulags, and so on..."
-What, according to Žižek, was that vision?

Some voice: "He is critical of saloon leftist intellectuals who are losing touch with reality and taking no interest in real problems."
-Does he know anything about economics? From skimming over Wikipedia he looks like a bullshit artist (among listed influences are Freud and Lacan).

[Sperm-Doll Setsuna]

-Does he know anything about economics? From skimming over Wikipedia he looks like a bullshit artist (among listed influences are Freud and Lacan).

I don't think he does and seems to have little interest in economics. He knows about as much as Chomsky on the issue: not much at all.

[Revolutionair]

I don't think he does and seems to have little interest in economics. He knows about as much as Chomsky on the issue: not much at all.

He does have a decent understanding about the current state of affairs in my opinion. There are some problems in the today's leftist thinking which he explains in great detail.

[hatzel]

From skimming over Wikipedia he looks like a bullshit artist (among listed influences are Freud and Lacan).

And what's wrong with Freud and Lacan, exactly? :tt2:

[Dunk]

But what does he mean "start from scratch"? Throw Capital out the window? Does he think we should even reconsider the abolition of private property?

At most I would welcome the effort to produce a more accessible, modern, and complete scientific critique of capitalism than Capital. That is as far as I agree with Zizek that we must start from scratch. There are too many lessons to be learned from the successes and failures of our predecessors to simply "start from scratch".

[csquared]

I would consider myself a Freudian, when people use the human nature argument i can just throw Freud out at them. And what Zizek means by starting from scratch is by being very critical of the manifesto and picking things out that would work TODAY...ideals from the 1800's do not work in the 21st century

[Dunk]

I would consider myself a Freudian, when people use the human nature argument i can just throw Freud out at them. And what Zizek means by starting from scratch is by being very critical of the manifesto and picking things out that would work TODAY...ideals from the 1800's do not work in the 21st century

I don't think Zizek is commenting on the Manifesto alone.


The real tragedy is that from a "noble idea" sprung a horror, sometimes worse than the Nazi one...but to what extent is Marx's vision of the future complicit, how did it help to make way, for the catastrophe of 20th century. Stalinism, gulags, and so on...we must ask all these questions...We must start from the beginning. We must rethink everything.

Also, Zizek is smart, and enjoys the company of and connections with similarly intelligent leftists. If he thinks "we" need to rethink everything, then he should get on with whatever work he think needs to be done to redefine revolutionary strategy or goals.

[csquared]

yeah i know, hes talking about the IDEA as well

[Ballyfornia]

I think the orthodox marxists are the conservative ones on the Left. I agree with Zizek that we must start from scratch

I also agree with Zizek on a lot of things but what happens with these new left wingers is that they never point out the good things about certain systems

[csquared]

Im willing to point out good things, but we cannot look at them too much, because those systems failed.

[agnixie]

And what's wrong with Freud and Lacan, exactly? :tt2:
homophobia and misogyny; my theory is that they both wrote these papers about phallic envy due to their own latent homosexual desires ;)

[Gorilla]

homophobia and misogyny; my theory is that they both wrote these papers about phallic envy due to their own latent homosexual desires ;)

I don't think homophobia is a fair knock at Lacan.

[MoaninO'Cryin']

I would consider myself a Freudian, when people use the human nature argument i can just throw Freud out at them.
I am intrigued; what did Freud say about human nature?

[Kotze]

Ha, I'm just joshing you guys, I'm a big fan of Freud (http://www.revleft.com/vb/soviet-psychology-t145641/index.html?p=1942360#post1942360) and Lacan (http://www.richardwebster.net/thecultoflacan.html) :)

[csquared]

I am intrigued; what did Freud say about human nature?

That humans will never know their true nature

[ZeroNowhere]

I think the orthodox marxists are the conservative ones on the Left. I agree with Zizek that we must start from scratchAs a dogmatic Marxist dinosaur, I would like to assure you that we are in no way 'conservative'.

[jake williams]

Are the saloon intellectuals he's talking about, unconcerned with real problems and losing touch with reality... the ones who buy his books?