review of Zizek ideas in NY review of books

[Keith Davis]

On a show no one would watch? (That's a cultural crit. not a personal
attack!)

On Sat, Jun 23, 2012 at 9:20 AM, Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at verizon.net>wrote:

>  On 6/23/2012 5:06 AM, Matthew Cissell wrote:
>
>  Me? Intellectual class? Nah, mediocre grades kept me out. I might fit in
> with the church of the subgenius, but ahm not shur 'bout the dawgma. Ah
> always figured the dawgma was a bitch.
>
>  Yeh, i guess Z gettin the Rob treatment does seem fitting.
>
>
> Einstein had mediocre grades I think I might possibly had read somewhere.
>
> The intellectual class would be people who think deep thoughts about
> things that don't necessariy relate to defense budgets. America doesn't
> have such people anymore.  Back when it did they went to CCNY and then on
> to Columbia, Harvard or U. of Chicago. As for grades, their mothers had
> told them don't bother to bring your report card home if it has anything
> less than A pluses on it. Today, good grades get you into computer science
> or biz school.  Europe still has intellectuals.  They go to places like
> Ecole Normale Superieure .  Do they even bother to have grades in such
> exulted climes  (you have to pass tests to get in I suppose).  If you're
> brilliant, everyone picks up on it quickly and thereafter you can write
> your own ticket--in that small but arguably important world at least.
>
> Anyway, Matthew, if you're NOT one, you could play one on television.
>
>
>
> P
>
>
>
>
>
>  cheers
> mc
>
>    ------------------------------
> *From:* Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at verizon.net> <mackin.paul at verizon.net>
> *To:* pynchon-l at waste.org
> *Sent:* Friday, June 22, 2012 6:48 PM
> *Subject:* Re: review of Zizek ideas in NY review of books
>
> On 6/22/2012 12:01 PM, Matthew Cissell wrote:
> > Let me follow on your analogy but with a twist. Diseases do not create
> vaccines, people do in response to disease. In the same way criminals do
> not produce criminal law (except maybe in the IL state legislature and some
> other failing nation states), people produce laws to deal with criminal
> behaviour. So I agree that Z not only produces confusion and disbelief
> (there agreement ends), he produces a comfortable life for himself.
> "...must be profoundly shocking to the Intellectual Class", I don't know. I
> suspect I don't belong to that group. Read the bit in Lingua Franca and you
> will find something shocking, but mabye that has something to do with my
> work ethic.
> >
> > Go back to square one? The earth has been reset a couple of times but
> that is the type of hard boot that we don't want. Year one? That's been
> tried. The Kmer Rouge is somehow admirable for Zizek (proof the guy has his
> head too far up his own intellectual ass)? The kind of radical
> quasi-messianic break that Z wants is not for me, those things always go
> wrong. He should study more history. Rapid radical change brings bad
> consequences from the French Revolution to Iraq regime change. When will we
> learn? This big boat that we are all in takes a long time to change course.
> You can free slaves, and get rid of Jim Crow laws, and that's a good start,
> but it will not solve racism suddenly. Zizek wants a quick fix written in
> blood on the books of history (having the picture of Stalin above the bed
> is idiotic for being a childish shock factor or for sincere belief). the
> irony is that in some purge Z would probably get the Robespierre treatment.
> >
> >
> > It's not for me to tell people what to think, but when I see the emperor
> has no clothes I speak up.
> >
> > not so radical mc
> >
> > p.s. I love that the membership for the Zizek journal is through
> Facebook. What would Foucault say?
>
> Good reply, Matthew.  Are you sure you're not a member of the
> Intellectual Class?
>
> Still, I like it that, in my hyperbolic scenario, Z is the messenger
> (bearer) of ill tidings who gets killed.
>
> Revolutionary justice.
>
> P
>
>
> >
> >
> > ________________________________
> > From: Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at verizon.net>
> > To: pynchon-l at waste.org
> > Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 5:24 PM
> > Subject: Re: review of Zizek ideas in NY review of books
> >
> >
> > On 6/22/2012 5:43 AM, Matthew Cissell wrote:
> >
> > I thought I had better look up the citation for what I wrote. If you
> want to read for yourself check Lingua Franca Oct 1998 "Enjoy Your Zizek"
> >> I guess it wasn't so long ago.
> >>
> >>
> > Isn't Zizek a necessary and useful worker in the fields of Late
> >      Capitalism.  Just as criminals produce not only crime but also
> >      criminal law, Zizek produces not only confusion and disbelief  but .
> >      . . . well, something I probably don't really GET exactly, but do
> >      sense  must be profoundly shocking to the Intellectual Class. (the
> >      bourgeoisie is beyond shock) Little gems like Marx wasn't radical
> >      enough and Bush wasn't imperialist enough are only a start. Maybe
> >      it's time to go back to square one and start all over. Get a new
> >      paradigm, or something.
> >
> > Hopefully
> >
> > P
> >
> >
> >
> > mc otis
> >>
> >>
> >> ________________________________
> >> From: Prashant Kumar <siva.prashant.kumar at gmail.com>
> >> To: Matthew Cissell <macissell at yahoo.es>
> >> Cc: "pynchon-l at waste.org" <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> >> Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 9:36 AM
> >> Subject: Re: review of Zizek ideas in NY review of books
> >>
> >>
> >> Wow and here I was about to defend him! I can never bring myself to
> trust people who treat students badly. Such a concerted attempt to quash
> discussion is shameful, and invites obvious questions.
> >>
> >>
> >> Prashant
> >>
> >> On Friday, 22 June 2012, Matthew Cissell wrote:
> >>
> >> Thanks for sending this along, Paul. The piece is more measured than
> the one that came up not long ago (by one Johann Hari) but it still hits Z
> hard, which he deserves.
> >>>
> >>> I read an article about 2 decades ago about Z. He was very open about
> being a scoundrel. It was the 90's and he started to be a big name (riding
> that cool theory wave) so he was in demand. This got him an invitation to
> teach at I forget which Uni in the US. He demanded a position for his wife
> as I recall - ok, fair enough. He would only teach one class (i don't think
> pay was mentioned, but is it necessary?) and they would provide him with
> accomodation. So far just a tough negotiator. Now the good part.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> For the class he told his students that they didn't have to write
> anything, but if they did want him to evaluate their work, he would
> (imagine how this appeals to the slothful and intimidates the uncertain -
> genius). IN the case that someone wanted to talk to him they could only
> come in certain hours (understandable and standard) but they would have to
> come with their queries  and talking points written out (this avoids loose
> rambling students, so i can understand) and they would have to sign up on
> the list on his door. In the article he admitted to filling the list with
> false students names so that the others couldn't get in. I was shocked when
> I read that. It still sounds extremely low, even with  some years of
> teaching experience. I don't think I could bring myself to do that. It was
> then that I suspected that the man was running one on people who were ready
> to get taken in.
> >>> 200 yrs later we still discuss Hegel, 100 yrs later we still read and
> talk about Joyce. I think we all know that no one will be studying Dan
> Brown in 100 yrs. And Zizek? What will be his legacy?
> >>> That jazzy stuff sure sells to some, but long ago I began to think
> that the sparks and obfuscation were covering something up.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> mc otis - still damn sick
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> ________________________________
> >>> From: David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>
> >>> To: Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at verizon.net>
> >>> Cc: "pynchon-l at waste.org" <pynchon-l at waste.org>
> >>> Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 5:50 AM
> >>> Subject: Re: review of Zizek ideas in NY review of books
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Don't know Mr Z, but don't think I want to.
> >>>
> >>> On Thursday, June 21, 2012, Paul Mackin
> >                              wrote:
> >>>
> http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/jul/12/violent-visions-slavoj-zizek/?page=2
> >>>> I hope this works without a subscription
> >                                but if not go to their web site
> nybooks.com
> >>>
> >>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


-- 
www.innergroovemusic.com
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