@@Infotainment-cb6cythere are a million academics and philosophers out making serious well thought out arguments, go read them and let zizek be zizek. You don’t always have to agree with him or think he’s the most thorough guy in the world but he’s one of a kind.
Why are people so negative about me being a person without any conditional realization of my life or the life of the mind on an experiential I of not being itself dulled in terms of what I want to be differententiated as the only other of you ?
I have never seen someone handle Zizek as a guest so well. He tends to go over the same points in every interview I find, but you managed to squeeze a lot of interesting things out of him that I haven't heard before. Well done.
I'd love to watch an interview without a deadline to be finished, to see how long it lasts. Zizek is so passionate about talking about important topics, I think he would spend two days in a row speaking non stop. And I would totally listen to it.
I got into a very interesting Žižek style conversation with a person I met in a hostel kitchen this summer. We spent the next 3 nights (yes, until dawn!) in that kitchen. It totally is possible!
@@aoeu256 This is a wonderful idea. It would shift the IQ of younger generations up by a statistically significant amount. Now all we have to do is to convince Zizek…
@@FloatingErgonaut No, I think they mean the end of the world came earlier to the Native Americans (specifically) during the Native American genocide that created the modern-day political order of the Americas.
This is honestly the best interview with Zizek I’ve ever seen. You’re awesome, it’s good you let him speak and not rush him but also it’s clear you’ve done your research as your questions are really relevant and great to lead the discussion. Well done, subscribed!
A very *very* fruitful and addictive conversation in whicht many different topics were mentioned and analized. Žižek has the same energy he had 10 years ago and you managed to let him speak out while still non-invasively guiding him. Greets to Slavoj from his old homecountry.
@@NikolaAvramov reci mu brate. Staljinisti kao on treba da zavrse tamo gde treba. Zamisli da slavis coveka i bude ti idol neko ko je poubijao 200 miliona "svojih" ljudi. Ajmo udri po istini kazem pod navodnicima "svojih" jer on sam nije bio Rus vec jedno obicno cionisticko govno kao i onaj njegov Lenjin obojca skolovani u Austriji. Cak i njegova cerka je uspela da pobegne od njega u Ameriku.
seeing him guided non invasively is ok, but personally i like it better when the interviewer leads him to the point using fully penetrative interviewing techniques
Agreed. He used to make great little history segments which I found really interesting and enjoyable. Not sure why they stopped making those, but I would happily see them return, or maybe a once-per-week history themed podcast episode similar to Downstream
What was meant by "history"? World history? Modern Western civilisations history? History as a series of cycles? History of thought movements (just the modern ones or all of them)?
😂...I knew about this man already but in first minute he made me want to bow to him..."Never get drunk in public, world is a dangerous place and someone will use your moment of not being sober to undermine you".....😂....So true.
@@Virjunior01 Well, everything in the world has a good side and bad side. Important is to know, to understand, to try to avoid doing anyone any harm but remaining true to yourself. You are right, a pen can be mightier than the sword.
Žižek is in high-flying good form in this excellent talk/interview. Host, Aaron Bastani, knows how to deal with his subject and lets Slavoj riff fairly freely, knowing exactly when to step in and ask the right questions to inspire his subject. Thank goodness for this right now. I really enjoyed it.
Zizek? Calmly? My god, I had to tie my laptop down. it was jumping all over the place as soon the video started 😄 By the way, this is a compliment to Mr Zizek.
@@markpostgate2551gota be honest.. I prefer when he gets to the point of what he actually has to say 😵💫 all that rambly digression stuff drives me a bit loopy, especially when it relates to a question that’s been posed by the interviewer regarding some urgent issue or other
Really really interesting conversation! Zizek's unconventional way of putting things in perspective (and sometimes a bit overwhelming lol!) is just amazing and you did a great job managing it Aaron. Things I wanted to hear from a leftie with honesty for a long time, and Zizek just delivered that so well.
He is chaotic and I here for it😂❤ I love how productive he is (3 books a year!? wow) and he has sparks in his eyes while discussing his ideas. Admirable❤ ❤❤
seriously a great interview. Novara has been putting out the best content on the net, incredibly nuanced, thank you. Zizek is always so incredibly insightful and genuine
Can we have a moment of appreciation for Aaron’s professionalism. He is a fantastic interviewer (as well as a great source of information). 👏 I would have loved this to be more of a discussion but that is very difficult with Zizek. Aaron knew that and adapted to it accordingly, not getting frustrated and clarifying points at key times. Very impressive.
1:30:10 Aaron's professionalism soared to a new level when he did not correct Zizek upon hearing that Iran is totally different from OTHER Arab countries.
Absolutely, the interviews with John Gray and Zizek were brilliantly managed. Norman Finkelstein next? Harare? Chomsky? There are always speakers with different views from across the political spectrum.
You really have to marvel at his great mind. I love his animated expressions which really help us to better understand his thinking. Hats off to Aaron, too for giving Slavoj the space to express fully his ideas. It was so refreshing to see the discussion transcend left/right politics and challenge mainstream narratives. One of your best yet. Bravo Novara Media. 👏
Downstream has been exceptional lately, at a critical point in our time. I must say this might be the greatest Zizek interview. His points about Robespierre, Bolivia, 1968 and the task of the left are fascinating. Also spot on about anti semitism being absorbed as part of the growing anti western coalition. Also loved the point made by Trotsky on Ukraine, will have to look that up.
Zizek thinks that Israel has a right to exist. he support settler colonialism and is closer to a fascist than being on the left. you are not part of the left at all.. you would have supported apartheid South Africa and European colonialism back in the day...
Telling how Novara are so prepared to platform right-wing cisgender transphobes over the age of 50 but not left-wing trans people over the age of 50. We get the message.
i love zizek - i disagree with him, then he convinces me, then he switches positions mid-interview and convinces me of that position too - so much fun. i'm not sure engaging with him ever makes me smarter, but it always makes me happier
Aaron PLEASE interview Zizek again. You have helped me understand so much about things he usually has trouble explaining because you ask him provocative questions. Incredible.
00:03 Juice should be valued and not threatened. 02:34 Stay sober and vigilant to recognize attacks. 07:32 We live in dangerous times and thinking is needed. 10:22 Revolutionary movements can have unintended consequences. 16:09 The film 'Oppenheimer' received backlash in India for the portrayal of Bhagavad Gita in a sexual context. 18:34 The left should focus on building a broad coalition instead of engaging in divisive censoring. 23:53 Safety of social order is essential for normal life. 26:23 Leftist should focus on changing power structure for real impact 31:37 Robespierre consciously risked his life to stop the horror of Terror 34:06 Violent measures can lead to a better state in the long run. 39:38 Violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can lead to catastrophic consequences for all sides. 42:19 Putin aims to create a perverted anti-Western coalition, using issues like feminism, homosexuality, and anti-Semitism to fight against the West. 47:33 The rise of European Jewry is intertwined with the idea of cosmopolitanism. 50:09 Leftist anti-Semitism is a sign of a problem with their leftism. 55:14 The result of granting full citizenship rights to Jews was a stronger form of anti-Semitism. 57:58 The legacy of modern Europe, with its strong sovereign nation-states, is a catastrophe today. 1:02:46 Modernization through controlled capitalism and national traditions 1:05:06 A new form of power is emerging in today's global economy, where conglomerates and mega corporations exploit both productive capitalists and workers. 1:10:10 Maintaining support for Ukraine to maintain the military stalemate is the best option. 1:12:24 Putin's view on Ukraine and his plans for decommunization 1:16:54 The decline of the United States may lead to the end of Western Civilization. 1:19:03 Global rise of extreme right-wing parties and the potential for a new form of fascist capitalism. 1:24:13 Socialism taught us that actual freedom requires certain material conditions. 1:27:08 Preparing for emergency states and addressing ecological catastrophes is crucial to counter right-wing authoritarianism. 1:31:36 The left analyzes underdevelopment caused by global capital, but fails to apply this analysis to the topic of occupation capitalist underdevelopment. 1:34:16 American intervention in Iraq led to the rise of ISIS and increased Iranian influence. 1:39:13 Be cautious of toxic relationships and false admiration for other cultures
My God, what a spectacular gadfly Žižek is. The more I hear from him, the more I like him. Also, props to Bastani for the analysis of the Chinese economy through the lens of car sales. That was a good approach.
I enjoyed this. I wrote my Master's thesis on Zizek some years ago and still like to check in with him from time to time. Interviewer wasn't "an idiot" and let the man speak, while also following up where it wasn't clear Zizek had answered the point. Excellent sound quality by the way.
Well this has cheered me up no end. A very heart warming interview. Once I have figured out away to cancel my momentum subscription, I'll make the regular payment to Novara instead.
The unrealized potential of Palestinian oil and gas reserves. Oil and natural gas resources in the occupied Palestinian territory could generate hundreds of billions of dollars for development. Geologists and resources economists have confirmed that the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) lies above sizeable reservoirs of oil and natural gas wealth, in Area C of the West Bank and the Mediterranean coast off the Gaza Strip, according to a recent UNCTAD study. Israel approves development of gas field off the coast of the Gaza Strip and expel all Palestinians from Gaza, recommends Israeli intelligence ministry document revealed and shows how the idea of population transfer to the Sinai is reaching official discussions. Europe wants gas from Israel due to that is why they do nothing and let genocide continue.
The chosenites have a three thousand year-old claim on that land based on an invisible sky God's inchorent rantings. They will suck ALL the Oil & Gas out of that land and the Gazans & the Westbank Palestinians won't know what hit'em. 😅
Hmmmm! Good to see someone mentioning this. I don't know anything about the oil in that Region but I do know that in 2000 they detected 1.5 TRILLION cubic feet of natural Gas in the Gaza Strip. They now call it "Gaza Marine." As far as I know the discussions between Israel, Palestine, UK and others are still ongoing (or until recently) For me, this changes the whole, bloody, sordid, narrative. Makes me question If it's a Proxy war and If so, then I've lost faith in HUMANITY....to kill so inhumanely for GREED. I just think this information should be more publicaly discussed....it's such a Red flag. ( I was getting constantly blocked with this comment.....so let"s See now)
Well, so far Aaron has been the only interviewer I've seen that stands up to the tsunami of random thoughts, including plenty of BS that explodes out in the heat of the moment, that Slavoj spews... I'd have no objection to him interrupting more and keeping things in some kind of (self)coherent track. Even so, nice job! "Is that why you wrote 1000 pages on Hegel during the Arab Spring?" 🤣🤣 Simply the best😎❤️
@@captainskylight942that's the point. No one is really much more than this. Monkey. Typing. Sorry for the horror and absurdity of it all. Did you think you were going to transcend reality listening to someone from this gen? My guess as to what he would say. Not hard.
@@captainskylight942 Zizek is hard to follow if you're not paying attention, granted, but no more to offer than a monkey with a typewriter? Dismissing people doesn't actually prove anything, right or wrong. It says more about you than it does about him.
Great conversation. I listen to a lot of zizek and naturally that leads to hearing him say things multiple times. Aaron, well done for bringing more out of him with your questions and points of contention!
I've never seen an interviewer both let Žižek go on his trademark wild tangents and steer the conversation in a clear trajectory at the same time. Bravo!
MCC has a whole new meaning! Fabulous discussion threading together events in history. Definitely need Slavoj to be invited back for your new Novara History channel. 1968 and all that!
this guy is on another level of knowledge. I really appreciate zizek for his honesty and even though his thoughts are all over the place i could understand his ideas
I love this guy. He's such an easygoing mad man, has so many thoughts I've never explored, even though I disagree with many (possibly most) - It would be a genuine pleasure to sit down and have a talk.
Aaron Baastani, out of respect, was being extra polite and didn't correct Slavoj Zizek, when he said that, 'Iran is not like the other Arab states.' Iran is not an arab country and Iranians are not Arabs. Iranians ethnically are 'Persians.'
This philosopher can never stop talking. 😂 Whew. The host did a wonderful job managing the intense energy! First time watching this channel. It was very interesting. I will subscribe.
if communism was going to result in anything other than authoritarianism it'd have got there by now in my humble opinion. I'm more Libertarian for the same reason I think communism appeals to most people
@@NiskaMagnusson I was a kid when communism was around so I feel I didn't have a fair chance to judge it myself as I would now that I am older. I wanted to have my own opinion about it and now yeah, it maybe too late, but I still find it fascinating.
I am fortunate to have married into a Russian family and culture. This has been a great gift from fate to me and now our children. We know and live both sides of these worlds with friends & family living in Russia + the immigrant community here in USA, as well as knowing people from all over the former Soviet Union. One thing is for certain--- almost nobody in the West knows anything true and real about Russia, what is beautiful about that place and what is not, or for that matter how people really lived in CCCP.
Ой как хорошо, что я прочитал такой комментарий, а то прям совсем страшно стало... Про СССР это вообще отдельная история! Его часто используют на Западе как страшилка, но они даже не представляют, насколько у них сегодня в каких-то вопросах ХУЖЕ ЧЕМ БЫЛО В РЕАЛЬНОМ СССР!!!!
He repeats this Bhagwad Geeta story a lot while not disseminating why it is wrong, just because it was used by someone doesn't make it a horrific book, the direct conclusion is that the person's interpretation of it was horrific. This is something I wouldn't expect of a philosopher to do.
zizek casually ignoring us sanctions on cuban then presenting his cuba visit as if cubans are poor by choice and then presenting their poverty as sign of leftist moral superiority blows my mind
@@HowardPLovecraft4ever Actually China trades a lot with Taiwan. Or at least it had for a long time, recent politics have put a massive dent in that relationship that started in the 80s. That point isn't necessarily refuted however, when you consider the fact that both Taiwan and Hong Kong were wealthier than mainland China while not trading with them for decades. What's more if the point is that the only way for a country like Cuba or Venezuela to be rich is through access to capitalist markets and resources you really have to ask yourself is a socialist command economy really a justifiable economic model. The answer could of course be yes, morally it is justifiable, even if it doesn't provide the same material quality of life as so called capitalist economies. Indeed many on the right would also say that capitalism's and communism's inherent materialism makes the both deeply immoral systems and therefore not sufficient for human flourishing. If not everything that maximizes profit is ethical or morally good then certainly it is possible that so called "capitalism" is also immoral even if it provides substantial economic benefits over Marxist ideations. I guess the greatest issue is what these kinds of political economies claim to want to do and what they do. It seems difficult for me to discern the compelling difference between true socialist economies and their "free market" counter parts save worse administration and lower average quality of life, but the devil is in the details to be sure.
I'm sorry but what else are you supposed to do but to ignore it? If Diaz returned to Castro's detente policy the embargo would end; if Cuba had not invited the USSR to station nuclear missiles, none of it would have happened. To point at the sanctions is still admitting to Cuba's failure.
@@MrRrusiii That would require admitting fault in a Marxist government's geo-political strategy as opposed to foisting the blame on a third party which they already were sworn rivals with. Like "my enemy is refusing to trade with me so it's ok my system is struggling." Maybe don't make enemies with your largest trade partner.
You have now both introduced me to a great mind (John Gray) and conducted a fantastic interview with a modern intellectual giant like Zizek, this is quickly becoming my new favourite channel!
@@robertbrandywine really, any particular reason why? I found his views on the crisis of liberal values & democracy straining under capitalism refreshing, if not well argued and poignant, when compared to the many idealistic accounts of globalisation that are starting to curdle given recent events. Many of his takes do seem quite traditionally conservative and leaning pessimistic at times so I can understand why he wouldn’t be everybody’s cup of tea though.
Just a few things. He's wrong about Ukraine and accepts the Ukrainian propaganda. Wrong about Russia having any designs on the Baltic states. China hasn't expanded into Latin America or Africa, or anywhere else. He thinks Liberal Democracy is threatened by populism when actually populism is true democracy. He's wrong about anti-semitism, since I don't believe being anti-Israel is anti-semitism. He thinks Trump might be re-elected. I do agree with him that HS2 should be canceled. I also found enlightening his idea that under Liberalism the government can't do anything. @@conorknapp6764
That‘s what I thought as well. I was waiting for the disagreement that never occurred - no wonder I thought, Janis‘ analysis is brillant regarding the accumulation of capital by online service platforms like Alphabet/Amazon asf. and describing it as „rent“.
It was like a light breeze pushed the window open …..and a while later a gust of fresh air came through and was welcomed…..Zizek at his best. Keep it up guys , you are entering the debate just in time , good luck.
Fantastic interview. Thanks NM for having intellectual and informative conversations with your guests, rather than than snapping short Q&A into soundbites, like Sky, BBC et all ❤
It was FANTAstic. I was in one of his post-pandemic conferences in Spain, where I'm from. But lately I lost Zizej's track and I confess I was missing and wondering what he had to say about this every time more feroceous times we survive in. Big thanks for this, honestly, and for the great team work that the video suggest. Is not easy to interview Slavoj for obvious reasons. But the presenter shows lot of calm and expertice on listening and also trying to managing his volcano behaviour, the explosive, unpredictable and copious lots of lava of his argumentation.
Absolutely right about Iran and it's rich history and culture, not to mention it was the Persian Empire that rebuilt Jerusalem but now they are forbade from seeking any claim over it. I consider that part of the reason the west tries so hard to alienate Iran as it has the potential to unite the Arab world more than any other nation.
The West tries to alienate Iran because we consider them "baddies." And with good reason, too. Take a look at their allies. Their leaders, their values, belief's and morals. Wake up.
As you well said and that's the mistake Zizek made, Iranians are Persian and not Arabic. Also he made a bad comparison between Iran and the Arabic countries that didn't make sense. Iran so far didn't have a war and most of the Arab countries were either invaded and destroyed or had government change. When he says he is surprised Iran still has a big Civic society, philosophers and it's a lively intellectual country he seems not to realize Arab countries also used to have them but all those professionals either died during the wars or had to emigrate.
@@ramplense01 You say Iran didn't have a war but I think the 80s and Iraq would maybe disagree. Also, the peaceful revolution and overthrow of the shah led to a major shift not just in politics, also in society more generally and this caused more progressive thinkers and ideas of be overtaken or overrun. I am a great admirer of the longer history of Persia and it's leaders as well as the Zoroastrian religion which still exists today. Although I do not agree with some of the stricter religious adherence and laws I also think Iran suffers more from outside interference as opposed to bad government or governance.
But not sure Slavoj would want to be known as 'moral' ... or even an 'authority'. He's certainly passionate on most levels. He'd prob be up for a debate on moral authorities :)
@@00st307-m - Oh for sure man, yeah. I listen to Mozart lectures with dirty jokes on RU-vid all the time. All the cool kids love when Mozart makes fart jokes while asserting his moral authority. Say ... did you happen to eat many paint chip when you were a child?
