The Philosophical Theater of the progressive activist Srećko Horvat on 17th January 2022 hosted the world philosopher Slavoj Žižek at the Zagreb Croatian National Theater (HNK) once again. Collaborators as good friends informally (with some swearing) discussed the world power lines.
Congratulating the distinguished French leftist Alain Badiou on his birthday, they found that the dynamics between the left and the right are disappearing on a global level. Žižek claimed that capitalism is turning into a kind of internationalization of organizations and that he sees a communism in that. Namely, the communism occurs at the level of cooperation of powerful organizations.
Furthermore, Žižek believes that it is desirable to reaffirm the state that gives room for maneuver, because people would like changes, but that it “costs them nothing”. As an opponent of the state’s fetishism, Horvat asked his interlocutor a key question about the status and perspective of the left regarding the fossil fuel economy and the green new deal, thus isn’t the left in contradiction in the search for a “way out”? On the example of Bolivia, Žižek argued that the left must face power/government and stop being too comfortable… no one needs poverty. Horvat encouraged the discussion by claiming that it was a “catch-up” and that in this way the left is doing the same as the right. Žižek noticed the difference: the left should be pragmatic and remove comfort. Horvat opposed the forcing of the state, explaining that the state = nation and affirm that he is an anarchist. Žižek commented on the view that the state is a nation by claiming that Marxism really needs to be corrected. Srećko Horvat insisted on a certain subversive and insider action within the state, since he, as one of the founders of DiEM25, has fought extremely pragmatically on several levels, for permaculture, digital currencies, gender equality, artistic and philosophical emancipation in general – for the common good!
The question from the audience was about contradictions in the left and how to move forward, and in response, both philosophers agreed that progress is possible only with “the pleasant antagonism”! In his humorous tone, Žižek concluded that “there is no freedom for the enemies of freedom” and that “politics is a perverse thing”.
PhD. Vesna Srnić
MV
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