Surplus-Enjoyment

A Guide For The Non-Perplexed
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( 176 ratings, 16 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Surplus-Enjoyment, Slavoj Žižek explores the concept of pleasure and its excesses, focusing on how modern society navigates between enjoyment and restraint. Examining cultural phenomena, he draws on psychoanalysis and philosophy to unravel the complexities of human desire. The book challenges readers to reflect on the paradoxes of modern existence and the surplus that often accompanies our pursuit of satisfaction.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're fascinated by contemporary socio-political analysis, enjoy exploring critical theory, or have an interest in the intersection of psychoanalysis and philosophy. Slavoj Žižek's unique approach offers a provocative perspective on societal structures and human behaviour, ideal for those who appreciate bold and thought-provoking insights.

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Surplus-Enjoyment

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Contemporary life is defined by excess. There must always be more, there is never enough. We need a surplus to what we need to be able to truly enjoy what we have.

Slavoj Žižek’s guide to surplus (and why it’s enjoyable) begins by arguing that what is surplus to our needs is by its very nature unsubstantial and unnecessary. But, perversely, without this surplus, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy what is substantial and necessary. Indeed, without the surplus, we wouldn’t be able to identify what was the perfect amount.

Is there any escape from the vicious cycle of surplus enjoyment, or are we forever doomed to simply want more? Engaging with everything from The Joker film to pop songs, and Thomas Aquinas to the history of pandemics, Žižek argues that recognising the society of enjoyment we live in for what it is can provide an explanation for the political impasses in which we find ourselves today. And if we begin, even a little bit, to recognise that the nuggets of ‘enjoyment’ we find in excess are as flimsy and futile, might we find a way out?

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Reviews of Surplus-Enjoyment highlight Žižek's ability to engage and challenge readers with his inventive and insightful analyses. He is praised for his boldness in calling out what he perceives as absurdities while also displaying surprising enthusiasms. The book tackles urgent contemporary issues, advocating for global solidarity closely tied to egalitarian values.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781350409392

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 19 October 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 196.0mm

Weight: 420g

Pages: 400

About the Author

Slavoj Žižek is a Hegelian philosopher, a Lacanian psychoanalyst, and a Communist. He is International Director at the Birkbeck Institute for Humanities, University of London, UK, Visiting Professor at the New York University, USA, and Senior Researcher at the Department of Philosophy, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

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