For They Know Not What They Do

With the disintegration of state socialism came the re-emergence of aggressive nationalism and racism. The lid of repression lifted, the desires that emerged have been far from democratic. To explain this apparent paradox, socialist critical thought must turn to psychoanalysis says Slavoj Zizek. For they know not what they do seeks to understand the status of enjoyment within ideological discourse, from Hegel through Lacan to these political and ideological deadlocks. The author's own enjoyment of popular culture makes this an engaging and lucid exposition.