Slavoj Žižek is a theorist whose work on psychoanalysis, 'after Freud', has managed to make the transfer to contemporary culture. Here, he discusses the claim that Marx 'invented the symptom' in a post-Lacanian tradition, claiming 'According to Lacan, it was none other than Karl Marx who invented the notion of symptom [1]'. He discusses the effect of 'capitalist' values upon the human psyche, suggesting money has become an immutable substance in society, due to its non-degradable properties. This ties into the Marxian idea of the 'fetishism' of elements of culture - Žižek proves that even after a note has been mauled or damaged, it still holds the same fundamental value.
Of course, Žižek differs from Marx on many subjects and actually had his Masters thesis rejected for being 'un-marxist'. He has become a contemporary icon for his famous comedic lectures and unusual behaviour - running for the Presidency of Yugoslavia being a good example. He has carved out a niche as a dissident intellectual, even in the modern mind, campaigning for the popular causes of today
It's interesting to see Žižek participating in modern culture in this way (speaking at Occupy Wall Street). Previous writers of the course, such as Horkheimer and Adorno, have eschewed such an opportunity for their own reasons. It's a great way to end this course, with a writer who not only exists as part of the post-Marxist, post-Lacanian tradition, but who takes his interpretation of these works and submits it to the scrutiny of the campaigners of the modern day.
[1] Žižek, Slavoj, The Sublime Object of Ideology, London, Verso
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