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The Disappearance of Rituals

A Topology of the Present

Byung-Chul Han author Daniel Steuer translator

Format:Hardback

Publisher:John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Published:4th Sep '20

Should be back in stock very soon

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The Disappearance of Rituals cover

In The Disappearance of Rituals, the author examines the erosion of community in contemporary society, highlighting the impact of neoliberalism on identity and connection.

In The Disappearance of Rituals, the author explores the profound impact of neoliberalism on modern community structures. The relentless drive for production has led to a crisis characterized by a growing narcissism and a troubling inward focus among individuals. This analysis reveals how contemporary society has become increasingly atomized, with people drifting apart in a world that once thrived on shared rituals and collective identities. The loss of these symbolic structures has resulted in a reliance on superficial markers of identity, leaving individuals vulnerable and disoriented.

The author avoids idealizing the past, instead offering a critical examination of how rituals have faded from our lives. By tracing the genealogy of their disappearance, The Disappearance of Rituals sheds light on the pathologies that plague our current social landscape. The book contrasts a community defined by silent recognition and deep connections with today's environment, where communication lacks true meaning and collective emotions are stifled. This shift has rendered individuals susceptible to the manipulations of neoliberal ideologies, stripping away the essence of what it means to belong.

Ultimately, this work argues for the necessity of reinvigorating community through the shared experience of rituals. The author posits that it is through mutual recognition and the symbolic exchange between community members that we can reclaim our sense of time and identity. This thought-provoking book is sure to resonate with a diverse audience seeking to understand the complexities of modern existence.

“Byung-Chul Han's new book challenges the reader to go far beyond the worn-out critique of neoliberalism. On the one side, there is the progressive replacement of substance through communication, painted as a road to existential perdition; it contrasts, on the other side, with the utopian view of a return towards the security of rituals in their form and appearance. This reversal of long-established thought is expressed in a compressed and energetic language that reads like a manifesto.”
Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht, Stanford University

“The kind of book … that leads one to rethink our standard narratives of history and to see our society and era in a fresh light.”
Steven Mintz, Inside Higher Ed

 

ISBN: 9781509542758

Dimensions: 216mm x 145mm x 13mm

Weight: 272g

186 pages