Slavoj Žižek: "I'm generally opposed to wisdom"
Summary
TLDRThe speaker in the transcript expresses a strong aversion to the concept of 'wisdom,' viewing it as conformist and justifying any action, whether successful or not. They illustrate this with proverbs and examples, highlighting the irony in society's pursuit of wisdom. The speaker also contrasts the pursuit of earthly pleasures with the contemplation of eternity, suggesting that true wisdom lies in finding eternity within the fleeting moments of life. The transcript challenges the listener to question conventional wisdom and the role of wisdom in society, with a nod to Kierkegaard and Jesus Christ as non-conformist figures.
Takeaways
- 🤔 The speaker expresses a strong opposition to the concept of 'wisdom', viewing it as conformist and justifying actions regardless of their nature.
- 📚 Wisdom is criticized for being able to rationalize both success and failure, using proverbs and sayings to support its justifications.
- 🧐 The speaker challenges the audience with a mental experiment, suggesting that wisdom can be used to justify any perspective, making it seem both profound and trivial.
- 🌐 The transcript discusses the pursuit of earthly pleasures versus the consideration of eternity, questioning the depth of such philosophical musings.
- 💭 The speaker presents three variations on the theme of wisdom and existence, emphasizing the contrast between seeking eternal satisfaction and grasping temporary pleasures.
- 🔄 The concept of 'intermediate temporary existence' is introduced, suggesting that true wisdom lies in finding eternity within fleeting moments.
- 🤷♂️ The speaker implies that whatever stance one takes can be labeled as 'wisdom', highlighting the subjective and potentially empty nature of such labels.
- 📖 Reference is made to Kierkegaard and Jesus Christ, with the latter being described as not fitting the mold of a 'wise man' in the traditional sense.
- 🤝 The transcript suggests that true wisdom might be found in the rejection of conventional wisdom, aligning with the philosophies of certain thinkers and religious figures.
- 🔍 The speaker encourages the audience to question the value and authenticity of wisdom, urging them to look beyond surface-level justifications and societal norms.
Q & A
What is the speaker's general stance on wisdom?
-The speaker is generally opposed to wisdom, finding it conformist and disgusting.
Why does the speaker consider wisdom to be conformist?
-The speaker believes wisdom justifies any action, whether it succeeds or fails, making it a tool for conformism.
What example does the speaker give to illustrate the conformist nature of wisdom?
-The speaker provides examples where a wise man justifies success by saying 'only those who risk profit' and justifies failure by saying 'you cannot urinate against the wind.'
How does the speaker view the relationship between philosophers and wisdom?
-The speaker suggests that philosophers, like Kierkegaard, can be against wisdom, viewing it as superficial.
What mental experiment does the speaker describe?
-The speaker describes a mental experiment where different statements about eternity and earthly pleasures can all sound wise, regardless of their content.
What does the speaker imply about statements that sound wise?
-The speaker implies that statements can be made to sound wise regardless of their content, suggesting the superficial nature of what is often considered wisdom.
What is the speaker's opinion on chasing earthly pleasures versus eternity?
-The speaker mocks both the pursuit of earthly pleasures and the pursuit of eternity, showing how both can be framed as wise.
How does the speaker use irony in their discussion of wisdom?
-The speaker uses irony to highlight the emptiness of wisdom, demonstrating how opposing statements can all be framed as wise.
What lesson does the speaker believe can be learned from Kierkegaard?
-The speaker believes Kierkegaard teaches that Jesus Christ was not a wise man, challenging traditional views of wisdom.
What does the speaker mean by 'we are forever between the two wise men'?
-The speaker means that people are always caught between conflicting pieces of wisdom, suggesting the relativity and futility of such advice.
Outlines
🤔 The Problem with Wisdom
In this paragraph, the speaker expresses a strong opposition to the concept of wisdom. They argue that wisdom is inherently conformist and can be used to justify any action, regardless of its outcome. The speaker uses examples to illustrate how wise sayings can be applied to both successful and failed risky actions, showing that wisdom often serves to rationalize rather than challenge. They reference Slovene proverbs to emphasize their point and critique the superficiality of wisdom.
🔄 The Irony of Wisdom
Here, the speaker continues to critique wisdom by demonstrating how seemingly opposite statements can both be perceived as wise. They present various philosophical statements about eternity and temporary pleasures, showing that regardless of the position taken, each can be framed as a wise insight. This reinforces the idea that wisdom is flexible and can be manipulated to suit different narratives. The speaker mentions Kierkegaard as an example of someone who understood that true wisdom often lies in rejecting conventional wisdom.
🔍 Examining Philosophical Contradictions
In this concluding section, the speaker underscores their main argument that wisdom is adaptable and can be used to justify any stance. They highlight that Jesus Christ, according to Kierkegaard, was not a conventional wise man, implying that true wisdom might be found in challenging established norms and wisdom itself. The paragraph emphasizes the need to question and critically assess what is commonly accepted as wisdom.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Wisdom
💡Conformist
💡Justification
💡Risk
💡Proverb
💡Eternity
💡Earthly Pleasures
💡Irony
💡Philosopher
💡Jesus Christ
💡Mental Experiment
Highlights
Opposition to the concept of 'Christian wisdom', suggesting it is conformist and justifies any action.
Definition of wisdom as the ability to justify any action, whether successful or not, with proverbs or sayings.
Proverb from Slovene culture about profiting from risk-taking, illustrating the justification of success.
Contrasting Slovene saying about the futility of going against the wind, used to justify failure.
The idea that wisdom is relative and can be used to justify any outcome.
Philosophical stance against wisdom, aligning with the views of Kierkegaard and the character Yudhisthira.
The assertion that Jesus Christ was not a 'wise man' in the conventional sense.
A mental experiment questioning the pursuit of earthly pleasures versus the contemplation of eternity.
The suggestion that the ultimate satisfaction lies in eternity, not in temporary pleasures.
The irony of advocating for the opposite view, questioning the pursuit of eternity.
The contrast between intermediate temporary existence and the concept of seeing eternity in fleeting pleasures.
The idea that true wisdom may lie in finding eternity within the temporary aspects of life.
The notion that any statement can be framed as wisdom, regardless of its content.
The critique of wisdom as being too malleable and used to justify any perspective.
The philosophical questioning of the value of wisdom in the face of diverse and often contradictory interpretations.
The importance of critically examining the concept of wisdom and its role in justifying actions and beliefs.
The final point that wisdom can be both conformist and a tool for justification, questioning its inherent value.
Transcripts
there is a point of so-called Christian
not
wisdom to reach I'm totally opposed I'm
generally a both wisdom I think wisdom
is the most disgusting thing you can
imagine wisdom is the most conformist
thing you can imagine
wisdom is this you know whatever you do
a wise man will come and justify it you
know like you do something risky and you
succeed there will come there will be a
wise man who will come and say something
like I don't know we in Slovene we have
a proverb maybe you have a similar one
only those who risk profit and so on and
so on let's say you do the same thing
but fail a wise man will come and he
will say something like in Slovene we
had vulgar saying which says you cannot
urinate against the wind or something
like that you know this is wisdom
whatever you do a wise guy will come and
and we should not act but it's so
interesting that a philosopher should be
against with them we all are when you're
turkey garden yudhisthira guard was anti
wise men but excellent wisdom is phagon
liquid not going to buy stolen stuff but
what I wanted once I made a mental
experiment if you don't believe me let's
take I will say something I will say I
don't know how to say it I'm to ironic
with all these pathos you know why are
we why are we running after this
miserable earthly pleasures think about
eternity the only satisfaction is
eternity if I were to say it with proper
pathos it would sound the deep thing to
say it sounded let's say the opposite
why run after the specter of eternity
per diem grasp what you have here it
sounds wise now I will say the third
option
why decode in a contrast between
intermediate temporary existence the
drew wisdom is to see eternity in
fleeting temporary pleasures
it is wise then I say the fort variation
we are forever
between the two wise men except this you
know whatever I say that's my point you
can sell it as a wisdom this is a wisdom
and if from no one else from your
Kierkegaard you can learn this that
whatever Jesus Christ was he wasn't a
wise guy
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