“Ideology is strong exactly because it is no longer experienced as ideology… we feel free because we lack the very language to articulate our unfreedom.” LanguageFreedomCapitalismIdeology Book:In Defense of Lost Causes Source: In Defense of Lost Causes
“Was 9/11 not the 20th congress of the American Dream?” RealityCapitalismCommunismAmerican Dream Author:Slavoj Žižek
“Think about the strangeness of today's situation. Thirty, forty years ago, we were still debating about what the future will be: communist, fascist, capitalist, whatever. Today, nobody even debates these issues. We all silently accept global capitalism is here to stay. On the other hand, we are obsessed with cosmic catastrophes: the whole life on earth disintegrating, because of some virus, because of an asteroid hitting the earth, and so on. So the paradox is, that it's much easier to imagine the end of all life on earth than a much more modest radical change in capitalism.” ThinkingYearsStillsEndsWholeHandsTodayEarthSituationAcceptingIssuesImagineEasierCapitalismYears AgoWhole LifeDebateRadicalObsessedThirtyFortyParadoxCommunistCosmicCapitalistHittingModestCatastropheVirusesFascistsStrangenessAsteroidsRadical Change Author:Slavoj Žižek
“There is an old joke about socialism as the synthesis of the highest achievements of the whole human history to date: from prehistoric societies it took primitivism; from the Ancient world it took slavery; from medieval society brutal domination; from capitalism exploitation; and from socialism the name.” WorldHumansWholeNamesAchievementHighestJokesCapitalismSlaveryAncientSocialismBrutalExploitationDominationHuman HistoryMedievalSynthesisPrehistoricAncient WorldOld Jokes Book:Revolution at the Gates: A Selection of Writings from February to October 1917 Source: Revolution at the Gates: A Selection of Writings from February to October 1917
“Global capitalism is simply accepted as a fact that you cannot do anything about. The only question is, Will you accommodate yourself to it, or will you be dismissed and excluded?” FactsCapitalismAcceptedAccommodateExcluded Author:Slavoj Žižek
“Liberal democracy - as you know, in the old days, we were saying we want socialism with a human face. Today's left effectively offers global capitalism with a human face, more tolerance, more rights and so on. So the question is, is this enough or not? Here I remain a Marxist: I think not.” ThinkingKnowsWantHumansEnoughTodayFacesLeftDemocracyRightsOffersCapitalismToleranceSocialismOld DaysMarxistHuman FacesLiberal Democracy Author:Slavoj Žižek
“There is a contradiction between market liberalism and political liberalism. The market liberals (e.g., social conservatives) of today want family values, less government, and maintain the traditions of society (at least in America's case). However, we must face the cultural contradiction of capitalism: the progress of capitalism, which necessitates a consumer culture, undermines the values which render capitalism possible” WantGovernmentTodayAmericaFacesPoliticalValuesCultureSocialCasesProgressCapitalismTraditionConsumersLiberalismContradictionFamily ValuesConsumer Culture Author:Slavoj Žižek