Obama as a "Blank Screen" - Simon Critchley

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/09/18/Branding_Democracy_Barack_Obama_and_the_American_Void

Simon Critchley, Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research, argues that part of Barack Obama's appeal comes from his ability to act as a "blank screen" onto which his supporters can project their own views and values.

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Simon Critchley delivers a lecture entitled Barack Obama and the American Void. He examines Obama's subjectivity, the existential detachment that seems to haunt him, and its relation to democracy.

Simon Critchley is an English philosopher now teaching in the United States. Critchley works in continental philosophy, history of philosophy, literature, ethics and politics. He is Professor of Philosophy at the New School for Social Research.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• barack
• obama
• blank
• slate
• screen
• values
• beliefs
• politics
• political
• candidate
• president
• presidential
• audacity
• hope
• foratv
• fora.tv
• fora
• tv

[MementoExpose]

he is right

I learned about this in Psychology class

[noordinarylife7]

Obhama is very clever he is a narcissist, hence he is a blank screen projecting whatever people want people to see. I dont agree that is not about him. Its all about him but he chooses his words very carefully. I think this video was long before people saw through the mask

[vita9n]

Critchley for all his brilliance misses the point that Obma was crafted well in advance by outside handlers! Indeed Obama is the master of artifice and knavery. . . .excellent material for the 'Power Elite' to work with. If by some chance there/their is a shred of decency in Obama, he should resign from office ASAP.

[mwpunk182]

@ThunderAppeal wait i dont get it at all. what does his nationality have to do with his right to an educated opinion? also you didnt explain why its Absurd watching him? I mean, if you think its senseless watching him then dont? and what makes him a retard despite his "insight" which apparently wasnt senseless, since you agree with it. The contradiction in your sentiments is literally what's absurd, lol.

[mwpunk182]

@ThunderAppeal well lets think about voting for mccain regardless of age. hmm if he dies, which seems pretty likely when you pile on all those stressful presidential responsibilities onto his barely beating heart, you end up with sarah palin as president. i'd rather risk voting for the other side of the same coin and avoiding that than voting for a base line republican that would be equally as ineffective.

[NinkasiDelight]

Obama is a salesman. period.

[banti631]

I dont fucken understand why Obama"s ability has to be explained by this guy, the difference is you watch and try to explain things on your mind and people like Obama do things...............he is Able is the answer, you trying to answer the question why he is able as if you were trying to answer a question about inablity,

[ThunderAppeal]

@FOOFOOKITTY If Americans cant discern between fluffy silly little vain promises and all the glitter that goes with it, and someone who actually had executive experience regardless of his age. That to me is a demonstration of how stupid the majority of Americans are, that they would be ageist vain self-serving little toads than making the hard choice that is correct.

[FOOFOOKITTY]

@ThunderAppeal ... the truth is Obama got a little more than half of the votes Americans cast and McCain got a little less than half. On that basis, MORE Americans are idiots, as you call them, than not, but still the country was pretty much divided in half over the election. If Conservatives had had a stronger candidate than the aging John McCain, the election might have turned out differently ... even WITH America's "idiots."

[ThunderAppeal]

@FOOFOOKITTY Obama was elected because most Americans are idiots and they'll vote for anyone who can flower their plagarized speeches with opaque sound bites that dont mean anything but sound really pretty.

[ThunderAppeal]

@MementoExpose Yeah, youre a real fucking genius.