ENGL 251B Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Individualism
Document Summary
Malaises of modernity: features of our contemporary culture that people experience as a loss or a decline, even as our civilization develops" (1): individualism. Also considered one of the greatest achievements. People have the right to choose for themselves. But we lose the concept of social order and reliance on each other in the universe. Note: but this concept is still seen in science, especially environmentalism. People no longer have a sense of higher purpose. Note: you"re acting as if religion and the order of god and humans and animals no longer exists. It very much does: disenchantment of the world/instrumental reason. Concentration of rationality, efficiency, and economic pursuits. And even if our technical definition of religion has disappeared, people still show tendencies to religion in how they deal with stress, community events, and even everyday actions. Politics as run by money and technology.
