Slavoj Zizek: Marriage between democracy and capitalism is over

Slovenian philosopher and public intellectual Slavoj Zizek appeared at the "Occupy Wall Street" protest in lower Manhattan on Sunday, where he encouraged the demonstrators to "think about alternatives."

"We can see that for a long time we allowed our political engagement also to be outsourced," he said. "We want it back. We are not communists. If communism means the system which collapsed in 1990, remember that today those communists are the most efficient ruthless capitalists. In China today we have capitalism which is even more dynamic than your American capitalism but doesn’t need democracy.

"Which means when you criticize capitalism, don’t allow yourselves to be blackmailed that you are against democracy. The marriage between democracy and capitalism is over."

"But the conservative fundamentalists who claim they are really American have to be reminded of something," Zizek continued. "What is Christianity? It’s the Holy Spirit. What’s the Holy Spirit? It’s an egalitarian community of believers who are linked by love for each other."

"And who only have their own freedom and responsibility to do it. In this sense the Holy Spirit is here now. And down there on Wall Street there are pagans who are worshipping blasphemous idols."

Watch video, courtesy of occupywallst.org, below:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Photo credit: Andy Miah