menu Home chevron_right
PHILOSOPHY

Slavoj Žižek: Don’t Act. Just Think. | Big Think

Big Think | March 21, 2026



Don’t Act. Just Think.
New videos weekly: https://bigth.ink
Join Big Think+ for exclusive video lessons from top thinkers and doers: https://bigthink.com/plus/
———————————————————————————-
Philosopher and cultural critic Slavoj Žižek has a bone to pick with the PC movement. While he doesn’t buy into the right-wing paranoid view that the politically correct among us are “evil people who want to destroy the American way of life,” he does think they’re doing some damage. Žižek questions whether censoring our expression really addresses racial tension – or does it merely give birth to a politer form of racism (or sexism, or religious and political differences)? Tolerance has started to work against its own agenda, becoming a patronizing insult to those who think differently to you, a way of brushing off and compartmentalizing differences rather than listening and connecting. Žižek recommends we add a tasteful dose of obscenity and humor to our interactions with each other in order to make them more genuine. Covering up racism with nicer words doesn’t eradicate it, but laughing at each other’s differences – in the right way – can unite a world of “others”. Slavoj Žižek’s most recent book is Refugees, Terror and Other Troubles with the Neighbors: Against the Double Blackmail
———————————————————————————-
SLAVOJ ŽIŽEK:

Slavoj Žižek is a Slovenian philosopher and cultural critic. He is a professor at the European Graduate School, International Director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities, Birkbeck College, University of London, and a senior researcher at the Institute of Sociology, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. His books include Living in the End Times, First as Tragedy, Then as Farce, In Defense of Lost Causes, four volumes of the Essential Žižek, and Event: A Philosophical Journey Through a Concept.

rnŽižek received his Ph.D. in Philosophy in Ljubljana studying Psychoanalysis. He has been called the “Elvis of philosophy” and an “academic rock star.” His work calls for a return to the Cartesian subject and the German Ideology, in particular the works of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Immanuel Kant and Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling. Slavoj Žižek’s work draws on the works of Jacques Lacan, moving his theory towards modern political and philosophical issues, finding the potential for liberatory politics within his work. But in all his turns to these thinkers and strands of thought, he hopes to call forth new potentials in thinking and self-reflexivity. He also calls for a return to the spirit of the revolutionary potential of Lenin and Karl Marx.
———————————————————————————-
TRANSCRIPT:

Slavoj Žižek: I know that there is a lot of sexual harassment, racism and so on in our lives and I don’t doubt that the majority of people who promote political correctness mean it sincerely. I’m not saying that. I’m not saying in the way of right wing paranoia that they are evil people who want to destroy American way of life, I’m just saying this that the way they approach the problem is that instead of resolving it the predominant effect is just to keep it under check and allowing the true problem, racism, sexism, to survive in a more covered up version and so on and so on. For example, I always like this extreme example. Let’s take racist jokes. Yes they function in a racist way, but for me the true overcoming of racism is not that you prohibit racist jokes, but that you establish a social, not even only social change, new society, but even such a change of atmosphere that you can tell exactly the same jokes without appearing a racist. When you are simply in a true relationship of equality, respect and so on, sometimes dirty jokes, even gently racist jokes done in a non-racist way, by this I mean that you including yourself and you make fun of yourself and so on, they’re incredible. I think your American term is icebreakers.

Because it’s easy to be a non-racist in this political correct way oh I respect your food, your national identities, no. When does it happen real contact with another? I claim it’s very difficult to arrive at it without a small exchange of an obscenity. It works in a wonderful way. So I claim for me and ideal post racist situation is let’s say I am an Indian and you are an African American. We are telling all the time dirty jokes to each other about each other about ourselves, but in such a way that we just laugh and the more we are telling them the more we are friends. Why? Because in this way we really resolved the tension of racism. What I’m afraid, now coming back to your question, with political correctness is that it’s a des…

For the full transcript, check out https://bigthink.com/videos/dont-act-just-think/

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Written by Big Think

Comments

This post currently has 49 comments.

  2. @benjaminsanders-oz5nu

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    This dude is a nutbag that hates your freedom remember that fuck whatever this communist has to say. I'll never be for an evil collectivist society that will kill you when you disagree and don't want to live like them. Talk to a person who has escaped this dudes ideology and you'll thank me later.

  9. @ouicommunicate

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    You have some things so wrong it's actually alarming. But we see how the limitation of language forces one to speak within categories. There is a positive spiritual side to business that you must include in the debate.

  10. @Living_Connectedness

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    We have great healthcare in Australia, it’s not a Leftist ideology, it works well. If we put all the great systems that already exist, into one, we’d have an outstanding way of life.

  21. @GungaGaLunga777

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    Is it just me, or are both Marxism and Capitalism just utter bullshit? By 2025, Im pretty sure it is. Both seem to end up with tyrants, psychopaths, and dou che bags hoarding all the money for themselves and their friends. Same as all history,

  24. @heisenberg5747

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    I am alittle bit disgusted by the comments..so many people just making remarks and jokes about him, yet they fail to understand what he tries to say.

    And I have to admit that his character of this sligthly mad man has attracted me at the first sign to learn more about him and what his mind has to offer..but people please you have to get over the point of pure entertainment.

  30. @SanderBessels

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    I’m from the Netherlands and I think we have the least bad of all systems. The basis is free market, restrained by social democratic and individual freedom (a welfare state that cares for the individuals that “lose” in the free market competition), but we only have as much leftists moralism as the people can handle.

    Currently, the people are fed up because of the pandemic, inflation and immigration and there is a lot of right wing populism, but the idea is that by giving them power, we show they cannot offer a valid alternative.

    This “mild opposition from the masses” and the corresponding “mild civil unrest” to whatever political system becomes popular has kept our government close to the middle for centuries. We are very critical of our leaders.

    Not as critical as the Germans, who are so critical of everything that they don’t have a nice and relaxed life anymore, but we are definitely not satisfied easily.

    Now, I’m a member of the Green Left party and I’m also very critical, and I see a big threat in the right wing populists, but as long as they are not violent, it’s not a huge threat and we can wait for the wind to blow in the other direction.

  32. @TheCactusjack1

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    He has no answers but he knows he does not like capitalism; so he is ahead of most college kids who just read Marx and are all excited about it. His knowing there is pile of millions of dead bodies in Marxism and Communism's back yard means he is a genius compared to the kids but not really actually a genius. Why people are impressed with Slavoj a mystery. He just seems like a guy who drank too much tea and states the obvious. Anyone can see capitalism is flawed but the alternatives are evil.

  33. @jamboreez

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    Thank You Mr Zizek. Is it even possible to establish system in human society without postions of dominance and servitude. This is in human nature, we could only imagine some utopian environment, and if it will be established it will soon be converted in same relations as known systems.

  35. @Realliberal

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    The lack of depth is astounding. Inability to think through the concept of ‘free health care. ‘
    Free means the state will decide if you get cardiac bypass pass or not.
    Free means no entrepreneurial activity to improve surgery and care. Why?
    Because there’s no incentive. It’s a waste of time. In the end death comes faster. Because it’s easier for the state to kill you than keep you alive

  36. @marshalmcdonald7476

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    He, as usual, oversimplifies and caricatures capitalists. He describes them as obsessed. That is not a typical capitalist. We all have to put up with many kinds of obsessive people. I'm a professional musician–some musicians are obsessed with music, but not most. Same with dancing, New Age religions and comic book collecting. The same is true with capitalists, most are NOT obsessed with capitalism. Many people just see it as the flawed but best of the smelly alternatives. Zizek seems to me to have the emotional arguments of a bright teenager. He's a text-book complainer, envious of the skills and achievements of others thinking they know some trick/hack/magic that is being withheld from him. Been around those types all my life….let 'em gab away, they expose themselves and their ideas for the wind they are…..

  38. @santaclaus0815

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    A heretical objection: When it comes to this topic, we like to look back into the 20th century and analyze (over and over again):
    1. There was communism and capitalism in the 20th century.
    2. History teaches us: Communism failed.
    3. Capitalism is therefore the best form we know

    But already 1. is wrong, because one overlooks 1 economic model: how was the Nazi economic model created? It was neither communist nor capitalist. It was a little bit of both. Just “national-socialist”. It is difficult to say whether this economic system failed like communism, because the war brought the downfall of the Nazis, not the economy. On the other hand, the German economy would never have been so strong during the war without forced labor. However, this forced labor did not exist from the beginning. Of course, it seems very morally questionable to use the economic model of such a brutal regime as a model. But if you look at it objectively and unemotionally… in the economy of that time we find neither the grievances of capitalism nor those of communism.

  43. @thebearded4427

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    I think the reason that capitalism works is because it caters to both sides of greed, which i deem to be the strongest force in humans aside from survival. It is easy to embrace and its easy to hate. Once survival is ensured we all strive for more, be it monetary, physical or spiritual. I recently thought about why i was unhappy and why people around me made so many mistakes, but just minutes before i found this video i came to the realization that i should just be, and not think.
    The big issue is that we as humans love to think that we think we know the answer, but no one knows, we just think we do. All this means is that we are all wrong since no one is proven right. Humans judge peers by different values and if your friends or community dont value you as a person you are not in the right community. If you feel right as you are you do not need to change and you have no right to change others, just like they dont have the right to change you, but it is your responsibility and interest to move on to find where you belong.
    I think the reason so many people are unhappy today is because they are just guessing what is right and going against their nature to achive that, despite knowing that they are lying to themselves.

  44. @jazzman2516

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    A fascinating argument indeed, but I fail to see where he mentions that we must think, not act. I believe critical thinking comes first, but action must be taken for the greater good. Let’s be honest, Philosophy has become all too concerned with naval-gazing existential doubt, and far less concerned with how we must live as good humans.

  47. @prajnaseek

    March 21, 2026 at 2:28 am

    Stupid title – totally misrepresents what he said. But he has some good points: such as, think before you act! Stop and reflect, first!

    Slow down, and take time to think, read, and reflect, I would say, and have been saying for a long time.

Comments are closed.

Related
What Is Nostalgia & Why Is It So Important?
Pursuit of Wonder | April 17, 2026
Related
Steven Pinker on Language | Big Think
Big Think | April 17, 2026
Related
4 Ways of Thinking About Abstract Objects – Philosophy Tube
Philosophy Tube | April 17, 2026

This area can contain widgets, menus, shortcodes and custom content. You can manage it from the Customizer, in the Second layer section.

 

 

 

Go to album
  • play_circle_filled

    92.9 : The Torch

  • play_circle_filled

    AGGRO
    'Til Deaf Do Us Part...

  • play_circle_filled

    SLACK!
    The Music That Made Gen-X

  • play_circle_filled

    KUDZU
    The Northwoods' Alt-Country & Americana

  • play_circle_filled

    BOOZHOO
    Indigenous Radio

  • play_circle_filled

    THE FLOW
    The Northwoods' Hip Hop and R&B

play_arrow skip_previous skip_next volume_down
playlist_play