I’m now three books in to his works. I came upon him due to is heavily lauded writing on post-modernism. A few Amazon searches and review-reading sessions later, I had picked up the first of what now know will be many of his books. Like most thinkers on the subject, their actual background is literary criticism. So when I found out he had tackled the subject by turning it onto films, I couldn’t resist.
But rather then go over the whole book, which i worth reading, I’m going to talk about the first chapter. Like most I know, the author looks around and sees the influence of one book everywhere he goes. The bible. Depressingly so, actually. The Xians used to have a saying (Jesuits, to be exact):
Give me a child for the first 7 years, and you may do with him after that as you please
Those familiar with the saying know the prevalence of this belief, and the sad truth behind it. Many we know are raised in mentally oppressive homes where the first 7 years of life are spent in humble service of a God that does not exist. This service effects humans so greatly that most ever break out of it and those that do keep such baggage with them for a very, very long time.
Zizek seems this and is saddened like us. However, he sees hope in a place that never occurred to me. Shel Silverstein. As Zizek explains, the most important book ever written is actually The Missing Piece and the Big O. Remember it? The story of a triangular piece looking for a circle that is missing a piece just the right size? I haven’t read the book since I was quite little, but memory serves me well. Everything of Shel’s is quite memorable, actually. And amazingly subversive, given the intended audience.
The story Shel tells is that of a person as they make their way through life. At first, we generally try to be a piece of the life of someone else, hoping another person will complete us and we will complete them.Over time, we learn that no two people grow at the same rate, and we move on. We just don’t fit the same.
Eventually, we meet someone who is complete on their own. They have no place for a missing piece to fit. In the book, the Missing Piece is puzzled and asks the Big O what it should do, especially since it has these pointy edges that make rolling (getting through life) very difficult. The Big O answer that it should try to roll on its own without any help.
So the Missing Piece rolls on its own, not a part of anything bigger then itself. Slowly the edges wear off, then the piece becomes a Big O itself.
The allegory is obvious, and Zizek attaches to this story as the very antithesis of standard religious upbringing. Rather then teach children they must be a small part of a larger ‘Big O’, they can also head out on their own. Perhaps becoming one themselves.
Damn, I love Shel.
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Posted: June 28th, 2010
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Now moving into my second year at Lucas, and well into my second year of city living, I have changed a great deal since I first left the strange land of Suburban Denver. For the best, generally. Now it is time to move beyond sitting back, and get out there and take charge.
What an odd life I lead.
However, I do love this new iPhone. It is damn nice, especially for this setup, as you can see.
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Posted: June 27th, 2010
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