During the last two centuries, Western philosophy has developed in the shadow of Hegel, whose imposing influence each new thinker-in vain tries to escape, either on behalf of the prerational will, the social process of production or contingency of individual existence. The absolute idealism of Hegel has thus become, in the bogeyman of philosophy, hiding the fact that Hegel himself is the fundamental philosopher of a historical moment, the transition to modernity, which has great similarities with our present.
As global capitalism collapses, we are witnessing a new transition. Least of all, the great work that culminates the deep commitment of the author with the Hegelian legacy, Žižek argues that it is no longer necessary to return to the philosophy of Hegel and emulate, but even go beyond Hegel's own. This approach not only allows Žižek diagnose and assess our current situation, but also establish a critical dialogue with the main landmarks of contemporary thought; with Heidegger, Badiou, speculative realism, quantum physics and cognitive science. For modernity begin and end with Hegel.