Ben E P reviewed First as tragedy, then as farce by Slavoj Žižek
Review of 'First as tragedy, then as farce' on 'GoodReads'
3 stars
My first time reading Žižek, rather than watching him speak. Mid-way through this book, I heard about comments he had made that many found Islamophobic and others that were considered transphobic. However, even before this, I recognized that he was a controversial figure, known for incendiary and provocative remarks which he often seems to contradict shortly after they're presented in a lecture or book.
This book contains some very prescient commentary on populist right movements which, in the wake of the election of Donald Trump, caught my attention immediately. Discussions of the fetishization of the Other for purposes of establishing an ideological straw man held my attention, as did comments on the need for the Left to come together and figure out how to work toward their main values (or, at least, against the worst of the Right's encroachment on human rights) under late-stage capitalism.
But the book is wildly …
My first time reading Žižek, rather than watching him speak. Mid-way through this book, I heard about comments he had made that many found Islamophobic and others that were considered transphobic. However, even before this, I recognized that he was a controversial figure, known for incendiary and provocative remarks which he often seems to contradict shortly after they're presented in a lecture or book.
This book contains some very prescient commentary on populist right movements which, in the wake of the election of Donald Trump, caught my attention immediately. Discussions of the fetishization of the Other for purposes of establishing an ideological straw man held my attention, as did comments on the need for the Left to come together and figure out how to work toward their main values (or, at least, against the worst of the Right's encroachment on human rights) under late-stage capitalism.
But the book is wildly unfocused, with a final chapter that spans over 40 pages, if I remember correctly, and touches on everything from a Marxist defense of Ayn Rand's hymn to money to Bill Gates' success in a post-product, perhaps even post-services economy.
If you enjoy watching Žižek's rambling lectures, cherry picking his best points and quizzically interpreting his worst, this might be the book for you. Much of it encompasses well-worn territory, but at 157 pages, it's easy enough to rouse oneself from any fatigue induced by the mystifying jargon that often obscures the author's point (or call for a point, in some cases). I'm sure I'd have to read more Žižek to know whether or not reading this book (as opposed to his many others) is "worth it," but the prospect seems exhausting. Someone get this man an overbearing editor.
