The Temptation of Innocence: Living in the Age of Entitlement
A philosophical essay that criticizes contemporary entitlement and the culture of dependency while rethinking the relation between freedom and responsibility. It argues that innocence can become a tempting refuge from the burdens of freedom.
Work Information
It asks why innocence can become a refuge from the burdens of freedom.
An essay that critiques the emotional structure of contemporary European society through questions of individualism, responsibility, dependency, and autonomy.
Book Information
- Publisher
- Algora Publishing
- Published
- 2000-11-01
- Pages
- 336 pages
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 13.97 x 2.13 x 21.59 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9781892941565
- ISBN-10
- 1892941562
- Price
- 3137 JPY
- Category
- 洋書/Nonfiction/Philosophy/Ethics & Morality
In this highly insightful essay on the culture of dependency and its damaging effects on the moral fiber of society; from corporate welfare to affirmative action, the author takes on the culture of copping out. It's a book against depression, existential angst, cry-babies and whining "victims," either acting like kids in a candy store or martyrs of their own fears. Men against women, women against men - isn't it time to grow up and take charge of our own destiny?
Pascal Bruckner is an acclaimed essayist and novelist, whose Bitter Moon was made into a film by Roman Polanski. Awarded the prestigious Académie Française Prix 2000 and Medici Prize 1995 for Essays
Reviews
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still actual, a mirror of current western humanity
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Good thoughts, but uneven writing, sometimes clumsy translation (does not even say who did it, my feeling is, the author himself). It is really more of a collection of essays than a book with a consistent line of thought. On a good side, lots of detailed references and interesting, unorthodox ideas. It is still worth reading but could and should have been better. The main themes, infantilism and (self)victimization of modern man have been circumscribed but not elaborated. It feels like Bruckner is broadly painting the surrounding areas and lets us divine the substance of his thoughts. And despite the title, there is very little word in the book about the expectation of entitlement, the malaise from which Europe, even more than US, definitely suffers today. (Had I not expected more, maybe it would have been a 4 star book...) => obsolete comment, see below Update Jan 2015: re-reading the book after 3 years, I think it actually does merit 4 stars. It is refreshing to see the modern philosopher on the left call things as they are, not as the political correctness would want them to be. I do recommend reading the book.
Related Literary Awards
- Prix Médicis Edition 10 (1995) ・Winner