An imaginative, incisive exposition of everything you don't know you know about ideology — and ruthlessly then some.
An imaginative, incisive exposition of everything you don't know you know about ideology — and ruthlessly then some.
Do not use, Philosophy (general)
By situating objectivity at the level of ideology, while placing it within a dynamic, experimental and, at times, unorthodox interplay with Hegelian and Lacanian philosophy, The Night of the World offers a unique and radical re-thinking of objectivity. Encompassing a constellational array of wide-ranging subjects, from popular culture, politics, history, science, and philosophy, while deploying an engaging prose that is both incisive and seamlessly tangential, Smecker is both an ally with, and emerging voice in, the field of Zizekian dialectics. Incorporating Zizek's philosophy, Smecker speculates over both objectivity and ideology, evoking methods of thought not so prevalent since German Idealism was all the rage. In the spirit of Kierkegaard, The Night of the World is the result of an imaginative hypothesis. And that is only the half of it. Written in a style that will undoubtedly leave the reader itching to read it again once finished, The Night of the World is an ongoing engagement with an abundance of additional postulations, whose sole purpose is to produce more products of thought.
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Frank Smecker's mesmerizing book Night of the World has weaved the threads of our disjointed consciousness into a narrative that is eloquent, coherent and illuminating. Smecker is an exciting new voice in contemporary cultural theory and philosophy. ~ Stephen Lee Naish, author of U.ESS.AY: Politics and Humanity in American Film
Night of the World seamlessly weaves through complex philosophical conjunctions and cultural practices in order to articulate a theory of ideology for today's world. Smecker argues that objectivity has become the prevailing ideological form, but he refuses to surrender the terrain of objectivity to ideology. His book is a struggle against this ideological structure, in an effort to reclaim a new mode of objectivity that has its basis in the contradictions of subjectivity. It provides a thorough overview of how contemporary ideology penetrates into our being and proffers a political antidote. ~ Todd McGowan, author of Enjoying What We Don't Have: The Political Project of Psychoanalysis
An original, truly refreshing endeavour to situate objectivity at the level of ideology. Smecker makes use of Žižek's trademark blend of Hegel and Lacan to delve into, unpack and reconfigure what we regard as "objective" reality. More importantly, he reminds us that any blind acceptance of objectivity today equals serving the interests of capital and feeding the criminal divisions it produces. In pursuing its critical aims, Smecker's book is theoretically sophisticated while attaining high readability almost effortlessly. ~ Fabio Vighi, codirector of Žižek Centre for Ideology Critique at Cardiff University, UK
