Current Events > Zizek defends feminist professor accused of sexual harassment

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://theoryilluminati.com/texts-and-contexts/f/a-brief-post-script-on-the-case-of-avital-ronell

Two questions arise as a result. First, was this just eccentric talk or a prelude to sex? This question is not difficult to answer, and not only because one was gay and the other lesbian. It was a pattern of eccentric rhetoric, which was so excessive precisely because it was based on the understanding that there is no actual sex involved. (Incidentally, I know dozens of people who interact in this way.) Second, how did this exchange function for each of the participants? It seems clear that Avital participated in it with no ulterior motives, just enjoying the game, while, as we know now, in his emails to third parties from the same period, the accuser referred to her as the monster and a witch. So what went on?

To explain the accusers participation in the game with Avital through her position of power is ridiculous. If he effectively felt oppressed and harassed, there were ways of signaling this, which would have definitely not hurt his position. The only reasonable explanation I see is that he engaged in (faking) a personal friendship with her to get her help in promoting his career, and then dropped her when he didnt get the desired results because she was ethical enough not to privilege him over others but continued to treat him professionally in professional matters its as simple as that. And he is now where he obviously wants to be: enjoying the media spotlight on a model victim, a position which gives him (and his supporters) all the actual social power to push Avital, the figure with power, to the brink of social impotence and exclusion.

man, the sheer hypocrisy in this case has entertained me

luckily only a narrow group of crazy people are really defending her though
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I said before. This is a "character is what you are in the dark" situation. You find out who is dedicated to the idea and who isn't.
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I read that as Zikten at first.

Balrog0 posted...

If he effectively felt oppressed and harassed, there were ways of signaling this, which would have definitely not hurt his position.

This seems like victim blaming. It's not up to the student to refuse the teacher in a particular way that would not "hurt [their] position", it's up to the professor to not engage with their student in a way such as this.

Don't know if I want to read the article beyond what TC posted. Has anyone else done so?
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I don't condone sexual harassment of anyone, but consider how people on CE constantly say shit like this if the victim is a woman (only worded in a far more crass manner). Just an observation.
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username191 posted...

Don't know if I want to read the article beyond what TC posted. Has anyone else done so?

it is very short

joestarrr posted...

I don't condone sexual harassment of anyone, but consider how people on CE constantly say shit like this if the victim is a woman (only worded in a far more crass manner). Just an observation.

yeah, isn't it weird how someone who would rightfully point that out is willing to use the same logic when the genders are reversed? fuckin hypocrites man
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Is Zizek famous at this point only for saying something stupid?

I get that she's quirky and eccentric or whatever, but the stuff I read was inappropriate between a student and advisor no matter the context
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