Flood Response

   Even if the connection between Gilgamesh and the flood and Genesis and the Quran are similar I don't see how that would disprove that it happened. To me it proves it even more that it was possible, but it's interesting to note how different the opinions of different people are. I feel like this is  similar with everything in the world, even science. When I learn biology I think that there has to be a God and that I am simply discovering the small complexities in the vast universe that He has created. Other people see it as proof that there is no way that any being could have created something so complex. It's all a matter of perspective.

The Epic of Gilgamesh

Shortly after starting the video of the Epic of Gilgamesh, I could tell that this would be an interesting story. Starting off with the fact that he was 2/3 divine and 1/3 human. That fun fact sparked interest in me. Then one of the commentators said that he pictured him to be around 8 or 9 feet. That made me wonder, how would someone who is 2/3 a God and 1/3 human appear. Would he be invincible, is he similar to a modern day superman and has a weakness? Then it really got interesting when they said that basically a clone of Gilgamesh was sent down, from what I understood as the Heavens. They then come across each other and have a battle that lasted 40 days and 40 nights. If I was to meet my clone, I would have definitely handled that situation a little differently. But after the reasoning behind the fight and the story of Enkidu and him having sex, I realized that this epic has some very valuable lessons. One being that a person needs to humble their self and the other lesson being that a man is nothing but a wild animal without a woman.

09/15/2014 - Casey Batterbee

I found Zizek's point of view that there are inherent benefits to the inevitability of global warming to be fascinating. It is of course crucial to note (as Zizek does in Living in the End Times) that even though there may be inherent benefits that come from global warming, that we should still do our best to prevent it. This brings up the further point that global warming may have already progressed far enough that the world has already somewhat adapted to it. This causes quite a predicament: Surely we cannot continue on the same path we are going down, but at the same time, it may already be too late. The best we can do is settle somewhere in the middle, reducing our harm to the environment as much as we can, thereby slowing the progression towards the inevitable.

Another point that Zizek touches on, is whether or not humanity is a force of nature. He argues that originally we were not a force of nature in that our impact on the environment around us was not strong enough to influence the world in any significant way. However, with the development of technology and our carelessness with using that technology efficiently and to the benefit of the world, Zizek argues that we have indeed become a force of nature. I agree with this point, but on a level that Zizek himself would likely not agree with: I find great importance in the act of seeking out our natural roots as humans, and returning to nature to some degree, whereas Zizek envisions a future where technology progresses far enough that we are able to exist no matter the conditions we cause around us.

Slavoj Zizek

I was actually surprised to see a lot of similarities between Junot Diaz and Slavoj Zizek. This was not the first time I was introduced to the idea that a catastrophe should be regarded as a revelation. In “Apocalypse: What Disasters Reveal,” Diaz interpreted apocalypses as ways to learn something about ourselves and that they reveal important insights about human nature. Also, I want to point out how Zizek illustrates the situation or the veil of ignorance America experiences on a daily basis. Yes, 9/11 was a catastrophe and a horrible event. But the reality that we live in also includes millions of people dying in third world countries or in places we don’t know are occurring because of our own selfish need to live in a fantasy.

Living in the End of Times - Slavoj Žižek

I was terribly enthralled in this article, as it dealt with one of my favorite topics: genetic engineering. I find the notion that genetic engineering can be used for profit to be a little disturbing, and i find what China's research labs are studying to be absolutely horrifying; the manipulation of genomes for any end can have severe consequences. The notion of eliminating certain genetic diseases seems so ideal, yet in practice, would prove to be as commercial as any other industry. This connects back to the central ideal of using something for the gains of a society, such as using these genetic technologies to improve upon society, or to use them for the benefit of the individual as another source of profit. It's rather depressing to realize the amount of damage that could come from such a promising field, especially since we have no idea if the genetically synthesized organisms will even function in the way we intend them to.

Zizek Response

     The video based on Zizek's four horsemen was profound and really demonstrated a feeling of uncertainty in the world. Zizek takes a different approach than Diaz on catastrophe by saying that humans should not blame themselves or blame ecology for Mother Nature being "a crazy bitch." Diaz on the other hand viewed all natural disasters as being man-made, almost like a red flag to show that a certain region has been neglected for too long. I do not agree with many of Zizek's beliefs because even if humans are not entirely responsible for catastrophes, the wastefulness that has become the culture of our societies could be reduced. However, belief that humans should love the world even for its imperfections is something to reflect upon.

     I did agree with much of what he said in "Welcome to the Desert of the Real." I found the question "Does not this surprise reveal the rather sad fact that we, in the first world countries, find it more and more difficult even to imagine a public or universal Cause for which one would be ready to sacrifice one's life?" very interesting because in many other countries and some sets of belief, there are things that people would be willing to sacrifice their life for, whether it be their countries or their family etc. Although obviously not in wrong causes that hurt even one innocent person. What can be said for a person has not belief strong enough to fight for?

Slavoj Zizek: Living in the End Times

After reading selections from Living in the End Times by Slavoj Zizek, what stood out to me the most was his idea of keeping an open mind when it came to catastrophes.  This ideology really knocked me off my feet because it had never crossed my mind to look at the positive results of catastrophic events.  Although it is always good to look on the positive side of any situation, I think it is also necessary to look on the negative side of things.  If people were to only look at the positive results of catastrophes, people would not learn from the negative effects.  To learn and grow from mistakes, one should evaluate both the rewards and consequences in order to make future decisions with a better mindset and approach.

Zizek's Ideas: Are they too Extreme or Do they Lead to Important Morals?

The apocalypse is less about catastrophes and disasters than it is about revelations. While a brief concept, this ideology draws revelations in itself. So often we think of the apocalypse as being the end of the world, filled with tornadoes and volcanoes and other disasters (possibly ending phonetically with "Oes"), but as Zizek puts it, the apocalypse that "we are currently living in" is filled with new opportunities for understanding and other revelations. Zizek talks about a possible technological breakthrough called the Sixth Sense that allows humans to be in contact with all possible information. However, as Zizek states, "Sixth Sense does not really represent a

radical break with our everyday experience; rather, it openly stages what was always the case" (Zizek 338). This simple sentence allows for person revelations in that we already do certain things that Sixth Sense does, like projecting our personal beliefs out for the world to see. His ideas, while often radical and extreme, allow us to come to the realization that we are creating things that have the ability to end our personal lives, in this case socially. I firmly believe that these ideas are extreme and probably unlikely, but they open up for possibilities in the future that seem like a great idea, but in reality prove to hinder us. Through Zizek's ideas, we are able to come the realization that while something may sound great and look great and seem to fix all our problems, we can be causing more and more problems, eventually leading to a different type of world where new problems will be found and eventually lead to a new downfall. Although we have heard it a million times before from our mothers, there are consequences to our actions, and we need to be aware of what those consequences are so that we don't lead ourselves to the downfall of our civilization. 

Zizek and ecology

Many of the things Zizek talked about in his works were eye opening to me. Out of the four “horsemen” that he named: ecology, economy, biology, and society, the discussion that interested me the most was that of ecology. As I am currently taking an environmental science course, I found many parallels between what Zizek said and what I have learned in the first few weeks of class. Although his thought process was difficult to follow and at times seemed unbelievable, it is true that the majority of scientists now agree that we have entered a new era of existence, which they have labeled the “Anthropocene” (which Zizek refers to). There is irrefutable evidence that our human activities have shaped the Earth and caused the problems of water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity, and deforestation. As Zizek states, our actions are simply disturbing the conditions we need to maintain our own survival. His main argument is that our human denial of problems until they are too obvious to deny, which makes us accept the situation of the world without hope of changing the course of events, will be our downfall. I think this point is so true and reveals the basic fact of human nature that many people do not realize the harm in denying problems. We must instead look to the problems at hand and take responsibility to work for our survival.

Conclusions from Slavoj Zizek

Reading and viewing the various selections by Slavoj Zizek proved to be some of the most peculiar activities I’ve taken part in. As such, there are many small details of his assertions which I disagree with, but by which I was not surprised, my political upbringing being as it were. What I found to be most interesting though was the incredible crossover his theories had with my own thoughts, and presumably, with many of your thoughts. He is certainly more radical than I, but his ideas concerning the means by which apocalypse (revelation) will occur, namely, through the three versions which he enumerates in Living in the End Times.  So how is this relevant to our nation and to the world regarding apocalypse? I think the significance lies in this statement from “Welcome to the Desert of the Real!”: “The United States just got a taste of what goes on around the world on a daily basis, from Sarajevo to Groznyy, from Rwanda and Congo to Sierra Leone.” The danger is the fact that the anguish American’s felt on that day was comparable to the daily life of many people in third world countries. As a rule, most people in developed nations are oblivious (in that they can’t fathom it) to the horrors going on in their less developed counterparts’ countries. To the people living in a place constantly under plague, apocalypse will be just a magnification of what they normally experience, but to us and other developed countries, apocalypse will appear to be an insurmountable calamity on both the individual and corporate level, leaving the modernized groups as helpless as we tend to view the third world inhabitants.