Slavoj Zizek, one of today's most influential philosophers/theorists, spoke earlier this year at the Royal Society of the Arts (RSA). And now RSA has posted the video online with their patented animated treatment. Like other recent RSA speakers, Zizek makes modern capitalism his focus. This time, we see how contemporary capitalism has essentially reworked Max Weber's Protestant Ethic, or that strange relationship between money making and personal redemption. Zizek's critique isn't utterly damning. (No one will run to the barricades.) Nor do I think he intends it to be. But the observations hold a certain amount of interest, especially when placed alongside Barbara Ehrenreich and David Harvey's related RSA talks.

You can find the full 30 minute lecture (sans cartoons) here, or download the video as an mp4 here.