First as Tragedy, Then as Farce audiobook cover - Why the crises keep happening

First as Tragedy, Then as Farce

Why the crises keep happening

Slavoj Žižek

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Society & CulturePoliticsEconomics

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First as Tragedy, Then as Farce
The Nature of Capitalist Ideology+
False Freedoms and Permissions+
Ideological Fetishes and Consumption+
The Four Great Antagonisms+
The Communist Hypothesis+
The Failures of Socialism and Alternatives+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 9
According to the text, how does capitalism typically react to its own crises?
  • A. Crises cause people to abandon capitalism for alternative economic systems.
  • B. Crises act as shock therapy that strengthens the ideology by making people double down on its basics.
  • C. Crises force capitalist societies to permanently adopt purely socialist policies.
  • D. Crises reveal the neutral, mechanical nature of capitalism to the working class.
Question 2 of 9
Based on the book's arguments, what is the true origin of societal freedoms like universal suffrage and labor laws?
  • A. The natural evolution of free trade and open markets.
  • B. The inherent democratic nature of the capitalist system.
  • C. The benevolence of early capitalist leaders.
  • D. Revolutionary and emancipatory left-wing movements.
Question 3 of 9
How does the text characterize the modern organizational structure of 'teams and projects' in contemporary capitalism?
  • A. It completely eliminates hierarchical structures and redistributes power equally among workers.
  • B. It grants workers absolute rights that cannot be revoked by executive management.
  • C. It creates an illusion of egalitarianism while actual power remains at the top.
  • D. It shifts the ultimate decision-making power from executives to the consumers.
Question 4 of 9
In the context of the book, what purpose does an 'ideological fetish' (such as Western Buddhism or scapegoating) serve?
  • A. It masks the harsh realities and underlying class conflicts of the capitalist system.
  • B. It encourages individuals to rebel against the ruling class through spiritual awakening.
  • C. It provides a genuine solution to the environmental crises caused by capitalism.
  • D. It exposes the flaws of capitalism by highlighting the absurdity of consumerism.
Question 5 of 9
What does the example of Starbucks’s 'ethical coffee' illustrate about modern consumption?
  • A. Consumers prioritize the material usefulness of a product over its brand image.
  • B. Corporations are successfully shifting towards entirely non-profit business models.
  • C. Buying products has become an experience used to demonstrate personal beliefs and identity.
  • D. Ethical consumption has a massive, measurable political impact on global labor laws.
Question 6 of 9
How does communism fundamentally differ from capitalism and socialism regarding property, according to the text?
  • A. Capitalism defends private property, socialism defends state property, and communism questions the idea of property altogether.
  • B. Capitalism distributes property based on wealth, while socialism and communism distribute it equally among citizens.
  • C. Communism advocates for corporate ownership of property, unlike the state ownership of socialism.
  • D. Socialism abolishes all property, whereas communism allows for personal but not private property.
Question 7 of 9
Which of the following is NOT one of the three antagonisms concerning the shared resources (commons) of society mentioned in the text?
  • A. The commons of culture, such as language and education.
  • B. The commons of external nature, such as the environment and clean water.
  • C. The commons of economic distribution, such as currency and stock markets.
  • D. The commons of internal nature, such as human genetics.
Question 8 of 9
What is the communist solution to the conflict between the 'Included' and the 'Excluded'?
  • A. To gradually reform society so that everyone eventually becomes part of the Included.
  • B. To prioritize the perspective of the Excluded and transform society to fit their needs.
  • C. To create a completely separate society exclusively for the Excluded.
  • D. To rely on capitalist market forces to naturally integrate the Excluded into the workforce.
Question 9 of 9
What does the text argue about the relationship between capitalism and democracy, using China and Singapore as examples?
  • A. Capitalism always inevitably leads to a liberal democracy.
  • B. Capitalism cannot function properly without a democratic government.
  • C. Capitalism can thrive alongside totalitarian, non-democratic regimes.
  • D. Totalitarian regimes inevitably destroy capitalist economies through over-regulation.

First as Tragedy, Then as Farce — Full Chapter Overview

First as Tragedy, Then as Farce Summary & Overview

First as Tragedy, Then as Farce (2008) sets out to uncover the hidden ideology that surrounds us in our everyday lives. In examining how capitalist society affects our lives and permeates the way we think, the book ultimately offers a new and better alternative to the way our world is structured today.

Who Should Listen to First as Tragedy, Then as Farce?

  • People interested in politics, society and philosophy
  • Fans of Noam Chomsky, Naomi Klein and Alan Badiou
  • Students of philosophy or psychoanalysis

About the Author: Slavoj Žižek

Slavoj Žižek is a philosopher and cultural critic from Ljubljana, Slovenia, and is a senior researcher at the University of Ljubljana. He is also Global Distinguished Professor of German at New York University and international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities in London.

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