Reply to Angela, Ken M, Doug, and Z

kenneth.mackendrick at utoronto.ca kenneth.mackendrick at utoronto.ca
Sun May 7 07:36:59 PDT 2000


Ken Lawrence,

You know what the annoying thing is, and it certainly isn't that I'm not familiar with the Paris Commune (which was more of a joke than anything), is something that Angela mentioned. Zizek is a potential resource for all theorists on the left, probably most activists too (and anyone interested in the critique of power and authority). You see him as a threat, an obscurantist with bad politics. However - you'll never find a more muscular universalist *in the face of* a radical defence of pluralism. Of all the universalist, relativists, perspectivists that I've come across, Zizek is by far the most consistent defending of both pluralism and universalism. He's an evangelical for left, without apology or compromise, an avid and capable critic of popular culture, social theory, and philosohy. Zizek's theoretical work is completely incommensurate with any kind of authoritarian politics - and lends itself, quite easily, to a pragmatic and forceful political practice.

And, you asked for slogans - Lacan is full of them. So it looks like Lenin and Lacan are on the same team. Short and sweet, comprehensible, the people.

The rest would simply be cheap shots that you've opened yourself up to in the way you've caricatured Angela, Doug and myself.

putting it to rest, ken



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