The Big Other

In Slavoj Zizek’s article on The Matrix, he talks about the “Big Other” a lot like we have done in class so far this semester. Zizek states “the “Big Other” determines what counts as normal and accepted truth, what is the horizon of meaning in a given society” and “the “Big Other” pulls the strings, doesn’t speak, he “is spoken” by the symbolic structure.” We have talked about how the “Big Other” refers to God or a higher power, and in my opinion Zizek is saying the same thing. God has a plan for every person on this earth and he “pulls the strings” as Zizek says. Human beings make their own choices on a daily basis, but the “Big Other” has a strong influence on us even if we do not know it. According to Zizek, the “Big Other” does not speak to us, but this could be a strong topic for debate. God is not physically present with us in our everyday lives and cannot sit down and have a long conversation with us, but religious people and even non-religious people can have conversations with the “Big Other” when they are going through a hard time and they need His advice. I think Zizek is trying to say the “Big Other” is not physically present with us in our lives, but I think he could have mentioned the point I made above.

Zizek goes on to say that “the subject never fully dominates the effects of his acts, i.e. on account of which the final outcome of his activity is always something else with regard to what he aimed at or anticipated.” In my opinion, Zizek is saying the “Big Other” has a plan for everyone and wants all of us to be good people who make wise decisions, but human beings have the freedom to do what they want and make whatever choice seems right in the heat of the moment. God always wants the best for us, but free choice is a great privilege to have even though we take advantage of it at certain points in our lives.