RSA Animate - First as Tragedy, Then as Farce

In this short RSA Animate, renowned philosopher Slavoj Zizek investigates the surprising ethical implications of charitable giving.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• the rsa
• rsa
• royal society of arts
• slavoj zizek
• zizek
• philosophy
• first as tragedy then as farce
• cultural capitalism
• slovenia
• european graducate school
• charity
• cultural theory
• morality
• ethics
• capitalism
• RSAnimate
• RSA Animate

[SpartanM621]

@paulblaq

Holy christ, has the message of this video flown completely over your head? Not only does Zizek admit that charity is better then nothing, but that the point is that we should not demolish charity, but demolish what caused the point to charity.

[c0unterph0bia]

@songaway13mkify There are four steps to problem solving. Step one, understand the problem. Step two, devise a plan.  There's a reason he doesn't offer a solution; too many people still misunderstand the problem. Once enough people realize the problem, then we can progress towards devising a plan as one.

[lamborger]

The artwork helps, actually. And it's pretty good. Keep em coming.

[kazamakooza]

I didn't really get this one

[franklymydearx]

@GameAlot1231 I think the point is that sometimes humanitarian efforts don't actually help -- yeah, you gave someone money today, but that doesn't cause any real change. the underlying causes of their poverty haven't disappeared.

[ziglaus]

@c0unterph0bia Wouldn't it have been faster, had he just shared the solution, started working on it with those who DO realize the problem, and just let the others catch up on them later? or, since misantrophy is so great, why not just force the solution on others? its not that i have a problem with Zizek per se, its that i have problem with whole idea of philosophy =) gr8, you (you being philosophy) know whats wrong. now do something to fix it!

[TheHounfrosh]

aha! I see the flaws in his arguments

[thevideovan]

I like his idea and from it i have my own veiw on that of charity from goverments, try healing your population from poverty instead of other countries that will almost never survive.

[sofalofa77]

SLAAHVOJJJJJJJJJJJJZIZAK

[edslerson]

@ShitboxXx360 you obviously dont understand the basis of communism and see it as a terrible thing seeing as the most well known communists were self interested tyrants and the opposing forces were well, a little more subtle about their ideas about their controlling economic system. Communism without the military force and corrupt politics WOULD work beautifully IF society as a whole could even comprehend a world were you work for what need/want rather than the money.

[TheEdzombie1968]

I keep the idea of erradicating the roots of poverty and inequality which justify the existence of charities, welfare state and so on... In fact the origin of this mess is root in the origins of the fossil fueled, unsustainable civilization and I'm not sure we will be able to sort it out before a bloodshed ending of the current way of western societies and now China are doing its dirty bussiness

[ReeceofConsciousness]

In the present, yes, we need to continue to provide to charity. However, as the argument goes, we need to look towards fixing the issue from its very starting point. We can't just continue to provide charity forever, that won't solve anything.