[lbo-talk] Zizek on Obama

[Mark Bennett]

One thing Zizek overlooks (I think; I've only read the piece once) is the
scale of Obama's victory.  I think this might also be an important element
in the world-wide celebration.  It was the largest victory by a
non-incumbent since Eisenhower in '52 - a friggin' war hero who both parties
wanted as their candidate. The first Black President didn't just win; he
rolled into office with an electoral ass-kicking. That really struck me and
dampened my cynicism.  So many citizens of this country want change, they
really want it to be a different place.

On Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 6:12 PM, Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:


>
> On Nov 15, 2008, at 6:46 PM, John E. Norem wrote:
>
>  Why Cynics Are Wrong
>>
>>
>>  The sublime shock of Obama's victory
>>
>>
>>    By SLAVOJ ZIZEK <http://www.inthesetimes.com/community/profile/70>
>>
>>  Obama's victory is a sign in which the long past of slavery and the
>>  struggle for its abolition reverberates.
>>
>> Days before the election, Noam Chomsky told progressives that they should
>> vote for Obama, but without illusions. I fully share Chomsky's doubts about
>> the real consequences of Obama's victory: From a pragmatic-realistic
>> perspective, it is quite possible that Obama will just do some minor
>> face-lifting improvements, turning out to be "Bush with a human face." He
>> will pursue the same basic politics in a more attractive mode and thus
>> effectively even strengthen U.S. hegemony, which has been severely damaged
>> by the catastrophe of the Bush years.
>>
>> http://voidmanufacturing.wordpress.com/2008/11/14/zizek-on-the-obama-victory/
>>
>
> Touching. Really. I mean that.
>
> Doug
>
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