Difference between revisions of "The Plague of Fantasies"

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{{BBSZ}}
  
Žižek, S. (1997) The Plague of Fantasies, London and New York: Verso.
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=====Book Description=====
This is an extended explanation of the psychoanalytical concept of
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[[Image:The.Plague.Of.Fantasies.jpg|200px|thumb|Book Cover]]
fantasy. The 'plague' of the title refers to the deluge of pseudo-concrete
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'''[[Zizek]] returns to untangle a heady mix of [[fantasy]] and [[ideology]]'''
images which Žižek places in an antagonistic relationship to the ever
 
greater abstractions which determine our lives. As part of this discus-
 
sion, Žižek advances one of his most considered analyses of cyberspace
 
which, he avows, threatens to abolish the dimension of Symbolic virtu-
 
ality. Given that fantasy plays such a key role in Žižek's anatomy of
 
the human condition, the first chapter here      - which is a seven-point
 
clarification of the concept    - is a particularly valuable addition to the
 
Žižekian corpus, making this one of the books most suited to a first-
 
time Žižek reader. As an added enticement, this work also contains
 
Žižek's famous Hegelian analysis of German, French and English toilet
 
designs.
 
  
[[Category:Works]]
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“The Giant of [[Ljubljana]] provides the best [[intellectual]] high since Anti-[[Oedipus]].” — ''[[Voice]] [[Literary]] [[Supplement]]''
[[Category:Books]]
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[[Category:Žižek]]
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With his idiosyncratic blend of [[ideas]] from [[Lacan]] and [[Hegel]], the Slovenian [[philosopher]] [[Slavoj Zizek]] has emerged as one of the most original thinkers of our [[time]]. Never [[missing]] an opportunity to recount a revealing anecdote or [[joke]] his [[writing]] is as entertaining as it is informative.
[[Category:Psychoanalysis]]
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In his latest book, Zizek approaches [[another]] enormous [[subject]] with characteristic brio. The current epoch is, he claims, plagued by phantasms. There is an intensifying [[antagonism]] between the ever greater abstraction of our lives … whether in the [[form]] of [[digitalization]] or [[market]] relations and the deluge of pseudo-[[concrete]] [[images]] which surround us. Traditional critical [[thought]] traces the connections between abstract notions and concrete [[social]] [[reality]]: but today, Zizek suggests, the correct procedure is the [[inverse]] … to [[work]] from pseudo-concrete imagery towards the abstract.
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Ranging in his examples from national differences in toilet [[design]] to cybersex, and from intellectuals' responses to the Bosnian war to [[Robert Schumann]]'s [[music]], Zizek explores the relations between fantasy and ideology, the way in which fantasy animates [[enjoy]]-ment while protecting against its excesses, the [[associations]] of the [[notion]] of [[fetishism]] with fantasized [[seduction]], and the ways in which digitalization and [[cyberspace]] [[affect]] the status of [[subjectivity]]. To the already initiated, The Plague of [[Fantasies]] will be a welcome reminder of why they enjoy Zizek's writing so much. For new readers, it will be the beginning of a long and meaningful [[relationship]].
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=====Product Details=====
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{| style="width:100%; border:1px solid #aaa;text-align:left; line-height:2.0em; padding-left:10px;"
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|width="100%"| [[Slavoj Žižek|Zizek, Slavoj]]. '''''[[The Plague of Fantasies|The Plague of Fantasies (Wo Es War)]]'''''. [[London]]; New York: Verso. October 1997, Hardcover, 248 pages, [[Language]]: [[English]], ISBN: 1859848575. <small>Buy it at [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859848575/nosubject-20/ Amazon.com], [http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859848575/nosub07-20/ Amazon.ca], [http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859848575/nosub-21/ Amazon.de], [http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859848575/nosubjencyofl-21/ Amazon.co.uk] or [http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859848575/nosub04-21/ Amazon.fr]</small> or Verso. November 1997, Paperback, 248 pages, Language: English, ISBN: 1859841937. <small>Buy it at [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859841937/nosubject-20/ Amazon.com], [http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859841937/nosub07-20/ Amazon.ca], [http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859841937/nosub-21/ Amazon.de], [http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859841937/nosubjencyofl-21/ Amazon.co.uk] or [http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/1859841937/nosub04-21/ Amazon.fr].</small>
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|}
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{{CBBSZ}}

Latest revision as of 01:01, 21 May 2019

Books by Slavoj Žižek

Book Description
Book Cover

Zizek returns to untangle a heady mix of fantasy and ideology

“The Giant of Ljubljana provides the best intellectual high since Anti-Oedipus.” — Voice Literary Supplement

With his idiosyncratic blend of ideas from Lacan and Hegel, the Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek has emerged as one of the most original thinkers of our time. Never missing an opportunity to recount a revealing anecdote or joke his writing is as entertaining as it is informative.

In his latest book, Zizek approaches another enormous subject with characteristic brio. The current epoch is, he claims, plagued by phantasms. There is an intensifying antagonism between the ever greater abstraction of our lives … whether in the form of digitalization or market relations and the deluge of pseudo-concrete images which surround us. Traditional critical thought traces the connections between abstract notions and concrete social reality: but today, Zizek suggests, the correct procedure is the inverse … to work from pseudo-concrete imagery towards the abstract.

Ranging in his examples from national differences in toilet design to cybersex, and from intellectuals' responses to the Bosnian war to Robert Schumann's music, Zizek explores the relations between fantasy and ideology, the way in which fantasy animates enjoy-ment while protecting against its excesses, the associations of the notion of fetishism with fantasized seduction, and the ways in which digitalization and cyberspace affect the status of subjectivity. To the already initiated, The Plague of Fantasies will be a welcome reminder of why they enjoy Zizek's writing so much. For new readers, it will be the beginning of a long and meaningful relationship.

Product Details
Zizek, Slavoj. The Plague of Fantasies (Wo Es War). London; New York: Verso. October 1997, Hardcover, 248 pages, Language: English, ISBN: 1859848575. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr or Verso. November 1997, Paperback, 248 pages, Language: English, ISBN: 1859841937. Buy it at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.de, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.fr.