> Isn't Eric's point similar to one Zizek makes in the
> movie about him (Zizek, that is), about apparently
> liberal parents actually utilizing more finessed,
> slick methods of control?
Well here's the quote you're referring to. I don't think he necessarily means that there's something wrong with encouraging children to explore themselves. Just that such encouragement isn't _necessarily_ liberating.
-WD
http://distint.blogspot.com/2007/02/zizek.html
Zizek: "Let's say you have a good old-fashioned father. It's Sunday afternoon, you have to visit grandma. The father would, old-fashioned totalitarian father, will tell you, 'Listen, I don't care how you feel (if you are a small kid of course), I don't care how you feel you have to go - go to grandmother and behave there properly.' Thats good. You can resist. Nothing is broken. But let's say you have this so-called tolerant postmodern father. What he will tell you is the following. 'You know how much your grandmother loves you, but, nonetheless you should only visit her if you really want to.' Now, every child who is not an idiot (and they are not idiots) knows that this apparent free choice secretly contains an even much stronger order. Not only do you have to visit your grandmother but you have to like it."
Interviewer: "I'm beginning to like this book all the more."
Zizek: "That's one example of how apparent tolerance, choice, and so on can conceal a much stronger order."
Interviewer: "So we should go back to more like the dad that just says 'cause I said so.'?"
Zizek: "Absolutely. It's more honest."