Alain Badiou. Political Perversion and Democracy. 2004 1/12

[Krelianx]

Two essential points here, outlining our epoch's relation to enjoyment (jouissance):

a) Leftist

Self proclaimed as radical and emancipatory. Disconnected conception of the world; an existential negation of the world. Relapse into nihilistic self-indulgence by denying the world's meaning. (Drugs, hedonism). Unconnected conception of existence. Logic of individualism

b) Rightist/liberal - Purchase of false enjoyment. Consumerism nihilism, capitalist mechanics. Impossible in formulation.

[TheMariborchan]

Haven't watched the lecture yet... but isn't this dichotomy you're presenting itself nihilistic?

[Krelianx]

How so?

[Zadokor]

Yes, Badiou is brilliant. It's so nice to be able to watch these talks.

[benchimin]

I've watched two Alain Badiou talks on here, and no one ever comments on him. It's really sad. He's a damn genius and it seems a little neglected.

[getthis162001]

I agree..it seems that Zizek exhausts all attention, though he himself at least alludes to Badiou often, and credits his work.

[Krelianx]

Badiou is in my opinion the most important living philosopher, but he is very profound and demanding. It is not easy to understand him without knowing a lot of philosophy, and even then Being and Event is no easy feat. Without that book, nothing of what Badiou says sounds very coherent. But the book has not been translated into English until recently. So there's a natural lack of understanding at this point. It will change, however, as time goes by.

[Victimoftheinsane]

i have being and event on my shelf, and have tried several times to read it, without great success. this is largely due to the fact that i have scant knowledge/ability in mathematics. it's THE obstacle you need to overcome if you want to understand badiou, i think.

i admire books like 'infinite thought', 'ethics' and 'inaesthetics' a lot, which is why i'm rather frustrated with myself for not being able to read the cornerstone of his thought.

[Krelianx]

I didn't know much of math myself; the book provides the necessary information to understand what's in it. Just try harder. Logics of Worlds is much, much harder.