Slavoj Žižek hardly needs an introduction. He is regarded as one of the greatest thinkers of our time, although he would certainly not say so himself. There are many different ways to describe him, and he is being called both a 'Marxist' and a 'rockstar philosopher' – often in the same sentence.

What makes Žižek so interesting is that he knows how to trace the values of the present time, such as 'woke' and 'populism,' back to their roots to show the values they conceal. Reality is not very real for Žižek; it is just a construction consisting of symbols, which can only be regarded as relatively real. When Žižek talks about the many political crises of our time, he does not just repeat what others have already pointed out but instead, he gives an original interpretation of the world that becomes visible when you look past the clichés.

These thoughts and insights put him in the forefront of many of our time's debates – whether it is about identity, sex, popular culture, power, or war. His most recent book is titled:"Too Late to Awaken: What Lies Ahead When There is no Future?" It will be published on November 2 by Viking Penguin.

To understand Žižek's vision is to understand a piece of a possible future – whether or not that future is one we would want to be a part of.