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Cover of First as tragedy, then as farce

First as tragedy, then as farce

247 pages

A combative, take-no-prisoners philosophical autopsy of the twenty-first century's defining political and economic failures.

What it feels like

Reading this book feels like stepping into the ring for an intellectual sparring match. It is a brisk, take-no-prisoners analysis that pulls no punches in its critique of modern global ideology. The mood is urgent and combative, steeped in the bleak realization of systemic moral failures. As the text dissects the epoch-making events of the early twenty-first century, from the tragedy of terrorist attacks to the farce of the global credit crunch, it maintains a relentlessly critical and provocative tone. The prose is sharp and aggressive, designed to dismantle the political and economic doctrines of liberalism. It will deeply satisfy readers who crave unflinching philosophical autopsies of capitalism and those who want their political theory delivered with a cynical, heavy-hitting edge.

Mood
  • combative
  • urgent
  • bleak
Tone
  • provocative
  • unflinching
  • critical
  • cynical
Pace
brisk
Themes
moral failure · the death of liberalism · historical repetition · ideological collapse · capitalist crisis
The writing
Aggressive and analytical, delivering sharp ideological critiques with a take-no-prisoners rhetorical style.
The arc
Moves from a stark confrontation with global tragedy to a cynical dissection of systemic farce.
Who it's for
Readers who crave provocative, hard-hitting philosophical critiques of modern capitalism and global politics.
Content notes
  • discussions of terrorism
  • economic crisis

About the book

"In this take-no-prisoners analysis, [the author] frames the moral failures of the modern world in terms of the epoch-making events of the first decade of this century. What he finds is the old one-two punch of history: the jab of tragedy, the righthook of farce. In the attacks of 9/11 and the global credit crunch, liberalism died twice: as a political doctrine and as an economic theory"--P. [4] of cover.

Description from Open Library.

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