Professor Slavoj Žižek | Full Address and Q&A | Oxford Union

Oxford Union on Twitter: @OxfordUnion

A Hegelian philosopher and leading figure on the academic left, Žižek is the International Director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities and the author of numerous books. His critical analysis of popular culture has gained him international recognition, and he has been called the ‘Elvis of cultural theory.’ His most recent book, Like A Thief In Broad Daylight, discusses the dangers and possibilities thrown up by recent advances in technology, and the electrifying implications for us all.

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[jackbannan]

Uncle Slavoj's guide to telling a joke:

Repeatedly announce that you are about to tell joke.
Give brief summary of the of the person who told you this joke
Tell first 30 seconds of joke
Pause to explain key information required to understand joke
Return to joke. Bury punchline in lengthy ramble
Immediately begin exploring philosophical ramifications of joke.


That's why we love him

[LateStart]

For all it's faults the internet has allowed someone like myself, with a very poor educational background, to listen and learn from this important thinker! Thank you OxfordUnion!

[chrishiew]

Nobody at all:

Slavoj Žižek: "I want to begin with two Jewish jokes..."

[hotdog]

He's a smart fella, but you wouldn't want him to make you a sandwich

[evanryan]

this is the weirdest standup set I've ever seen

[spurezurko]

I'm Slovenian, I lived next door to Slavoj for a few years back in my studying years and had an honor to talk to him couple of times. He's certainly is one of the most famous contemporary Slovenians and a great promoter of Slovenia (next to Melania trump lol) and I'm proud of him. He tells it like it is...

[AakashBhadoriaHAL]

I'm addicted to listening to this man. 4-min news channel snippets to hours long free-wheeling talks. Anything. Just give me my dose of Zizek.

[Luemml]

I find it incredibly interesting how he can go off tangent and at the end of his ramblings somehow arrives at the initial question or the point he was trying to make... it is like travelling from A to B via a map and then deciding to think you know better and take a shortcut, only that this supposed shortcut takes you through roads you haven't even seen on the map and you end up arriving later at your destination, but have seen some incredible interesting things on the way.

[extraemails]

"I'm not saying ordinary people are stupid, intellectuals are not. They are also."

Gotta love this guy 😂😂

[laaaarwood]

"I will not go into it now"

*precedes to go into it*

[Compassiron]

I’m always staggered by how someone can express themselves with such nuance and adept articulation in a second language. Incredible.

Also clearly an original, intelligent and charismatic man. Great watch

[RoanElvis]

Zizek going to a British university and saying no trigger warning needed and then making a holocaust joke XD

[VanlifewithAlan]

I was expecting his full address but I never got to find out where he lives!

[johnd]

Smart man. Great sense of humor. And no bullshit. Grips one’s attention in the most unusual way.

[jonathanalexander]

I don't understand half of what Slavoj is saying but I love listening to the man, and so on and so on.

[danielsadicon]

My heart goes out to the next speaker that came after this man

[benjones]

he speaks publicly in a kind of beautiful stream of consciousness, his mind is buzzing with idea, love it

[MIGALA]

My man looking like some enlightened commie Freddie Krueger

[glblcitizn]

How this guy fights Covid-19 is beyond my understanding. . . .

[onlysecondbest]

To have an intellectual speech like this interrupted by an ad every 5 minutes is a travesty. It's a greedy shame