Slavoj Žižek, a Slovene philosopher of international renown, will be giving a lecture in Zagreb tomorrow evening. Its title provides yet another example of his unabashed paradoxalizing in the manner of Jacques Derrida and Jacques Lacan: “The Situation is Catastrophic but it is Not Serious.” Having a feeling that the event should be rather popular with the dwindling intelligentsia of the Croatian capital, today I decided to witness it in person. The crowd itself will be of interest, no doubt. But I would like to hear him, too. “I can’t stand his writings,” I explained my decision to a few friends, “but I also can’t believe he can bullshit his way out of a live performance.” I can rest assured that Žižek will do his best not to disappoint, though.

Addendum (May 17, 2011)

Quick impressions? Well, there will be none beyond these few, anyway. And they will be quick, indeed. I remember an avalanche of disconnected tidbits, most of which were threadbare at best. Anecdotes, jokes, scenes from movies… An occasional lucid moment was not lucid enough to remember an hour later. But the only connecting thread was neurotic behavior punctuated by a wide repertoire of nose-scratching, hair-pulling, and T-shirt-tugging tics. The microphone he held now in one hand and now in the other was forever in the wrong place, from too close to too far from his mouth. Whispers followed earsplitting shouts at a mesmerizing pace. But he ended the paradoxalizing show in front of a crammed auditorium with a few sweet words. “Sorry I talked for so long,” he started. “At least that will cut short the discussion!” And it mercifully did, to a huge applause. The only mystery of Žižek’s lecture in Zagreb was the enthusiasm of the crowd. They all loved him, most likely on account of the only connecting thread.