Unknown Knowns

After reading Slavoj Zizek’s chapter on Laibach I found the critique of ideology to be multifaceted and interesting, though it may not be an effective form of intervention for contemporary society. As explored in the article, the 1980’s group Laibach attempted to “move the underground” through an ideological critique which did not try to change the law but rather intervene in its obscene qualities. One example used in the article was the isolation of homosexuals in the military community. Homosexual Individuals identified in the military community may be treated with violence and oppression. This behavior is supported and sustained by the “underground” intolerance of obscene homosexual jokes. This negative thought pattern is often unspoken and denied by society but plays a large role in violent behavior as it applies pressure on individuals to act a particular way to homosexuals. The Laiback group attempted to teach people not to take norms so seriously and to recognize that they are governed by unacknowledged injunctions.
Another aspect of the reader which I found interesting, was the distinctions between types of knowledge as categories identified by Donald Rumsfeld. These are: Known knowns (things which we are aware that we know) Known Unknowns (things which we are aware of not understanding) unknown unknowns (things which we are completely unaware of not knowing) and a forth category added by the author Slavoj Zizek unknown knowns (things which we are not consciously aware that we know, the content of our unconscious).
This categorization of thought process has helped me to understand the critique approach of the Laibach group in that they endeavored to reveal that it’s the “unknown knowns” the unconscious ignored tendencies which make up the “background” of a societies values.