Demanding the Impossible

Where are we today and what is to be done? Slavoj ?i?ek pondersthese questions in this unique and timely book. Based on liveinterviews, the book captures ?i?ek at his irrepressible best,elucidating such topics as the uprisings of the Arab Spring, theglobal financial crisis, populism in Latin America, the rise ofChina and even the riddle of North Korea. ?i?ek dazzlesreaders with his analyses of Hollywood films, Venezuelan policereports, Swedish crime fiction and much else. Wherever theconversation turns, his energetic mind illuminates unexpectedhorizons. While analyzing our present predicaments, ?i?ek also explorespossibilities for change. What sort of society is worth strivingfor? Why is it difficult to imagine alternative social andpolitical arrangements? What are the bases for hope? A keyobligation in our troubled times, argues ?i?ek, is to dare to askfundamental questions: we must reflect and theorize anew, andalways be prepared to rethink and redefine the limits of thepossible. These original and compelling conversations offer an engagingand accessible introduction to one of the most important thinkersof our time.