review of Zizek ideas in NY review of books
Paul Mackin
mackin.paul at verizon.net
Sat Jun 23 10:20:23 CDT 2012
On 6/23/2012 10:24 AM, Keith Davis wrote:
> On a show no one would watch? (That's a cultural crit. not a personal
> attack!)
No attack taken :-)
P
>
> On Sat, Jun 23, 2012 at 9:20 AM, Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at verizon.net
> <mailto: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>
>> <mailto:mackin.paul at verizon.net>
>> *To:* pynchon-l at waste.org <mailto: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
>> <mailto:mackin.paul at verizon.net>>
>> > To: pynchon-l at waste.org <mailto: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
>> <mailto:siva.prashant.kumar at gmail.com>>
>> >> To: Matthew Cissell <macissell at yahoo.es
>> <mailto:macissell at yahoo.es>>
>> >> Cc: "pynchon-l at waste.org <mailto:pynchon-l at waste.org>"
>> <pynchon-l at waste.org <mailto: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
>> <mailto:fqmorris at gmail.com>>
>> >>> To: Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at verizon.net
>> <mailto:mackin.paul at verizon.net>>
>> >>> Cc: "pynchon-l at waste.org <mailto:pynchon-l at waste.org>"
>> <pynchon-l at waste.org <mailto: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 <http://nybooks.com>
>> >>>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> www.innergroovemusic.com <http://www.innergroovemusic.com>
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