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Decline of the American Empire #1
The Twilight of American Culture by Berman, Morris [W. W. Norton & Company, 2001] (Paperback) [Paperback]
The Twilight of American Culture by Berman, Morris [W. W. Norton & Company, 2...
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First published January 1, 2000
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February 8, 2017
Eh, not as great a book as I was hoping it might be. To sum it up, the author tells us what a lot of us already know - America is getting dumber, inequality between rich and poor continues to grow, we all exist only to serve as consumers of what the corporations sell us, etc. The problem is I don't think that most people who are going to read Twilight would dispute any of these ideas before having read the book. Is America in relative cultural, intellectual, and societal decline? Absolutely. That being the case, what more does the author have to say beyond this fact? Nothing much.
Not to say the book is a complete waste. There is admittedly a certain kind of morbid pleasure in reading about how absolutely ignorant some Americans are, not excluding those who are post-secondarily edumacated. (The author helps confirm my own view that the value of an advanced degree has become so overinflated in the last 50 years so as to make it virtually meaningless. That is to say there is no reason to assume someone with an advanced degree is necessarily better educated or learned than someone without one.)
But again,the question is, so what? What disappoints me is that some of Berman's ideas seem to be kind of simplistic and out-of-date. (And I don't mean the way he complains about the popularity of New Age thinking.) Berman seems to have this faith in Enlightenment rationalism as the answer and ultimate good. "If only people were better educated, more scientific, more knowledgeable, things would be better." But this philosophical idea has been in question since Kant's critiques at the tail end of the so-called Age of Enlightenment (and long before that, even).
The value of Enlightenment rationalism has been shown to be wanting by thinkers over the last couple of centuries. One cannot just assume that a better-educated people will be a better people. (The machine gun, world wars, poison gas, atomic bombs, colonialism, etc. are all products of the modern, scientific, post-Enlightenment world.) One can no longer just take it for granted that knowledge and reason have value in and of themselves or that their acquisition will provide satisfying answers to life's questions. These larger philosophical issues seem to have eluded Berman.
Not to say the book is a complete waste. There is admittedly a certain kind of morbid pleasure in reading about how absolutely ignorant some Americans are, not excluding those who are post-secondarily edumacated. (The author helps confirm my own view that the value of an advanced degree has become so overinflated in the last 50 years so as to make it virtually meaningless. That is to say there is no reason to assume someone with an advanced degree is necessarily better educated or learned than someone without one.)
But again,the question is, so what? What disappoints me is that some of Berman's ideas seem to be kind of simplistic and out-of-date. (And I don't mean the way he complains about the popularity of New Age thinking.) Berman seems to have this faith in Enlightenment rationalism as the answer and ultimate good. "If only people were better educated, more scientific, more knowledgeable, things would be better." But this philosophical idea has been in question since Kant's critiques at the tail end of the so-called Age of Enlightenment (and long before that, even).
The value of Enlightenment rationalism has been shown to be wanting by thinkers over the last couple of centuries. One cannot just assume that a better-educated people will be a better people. (The machine gun, world wars, poison gas, atomic bombs, colonialism, etc. are all products of the modern, scientific, post-Enlightenment world.) One can no longer just take it for granted that knowledge and reason have value in and of themselves or that their acquisition will provide satisfying answers to life's questions. These larger philosophical issues seem to have eluded Berman.
September 28, 2011
Morris Berman’s alarming book of 183 pages was written in 2001, and I read it a year or two later. I was curious to reread the book and see its relevance 10 years later. Closing the book, I think that its analysis of the decline of American culture is as true now as a decade ago. In fact, the situation is much worse.
Berman looked at the cult of money and consumerism that permeates U.S. life, the dominance of hype and propaganda, the squeezing of the middle class, and the redistribution of wealth upward (sound familiar?). He described the widespread solipsism and resentment of so much of the residents of this country. He saw colleges and universities becoming no more than providers of job training. He also examined the corporate oligarchy that devalues our democracy and the anti-intellectualism (and indeed anti-science attitude of one of our major political parties) that coarsens public discussion.
He wrote that the U.S. has reached the stage depicted by Ray Bradbury’s "Fahrenheit 451." However, unlike the situation in that 1953 book, now the government doesn’t have to ban books; people these days are ceasing to read books, magazines, and newspapers – and are abandoning critical thinking and the pursuit of knowledge – quite on their own. “It may even be the case that the number of genuinely literate adults in the United States amounts to fewer than 5 million people – that is, less than 3 percent of the total population.”
Little of this is new, but Berman was one of the earlier people to sound the alarm.
Berman thinks we are in a Dark Age and it is getting darker all the time. As was the case in medieval Europe where monasteries preserved the wisdom of ancient Greece and Rome until the flowering of the Renaissance, Berman proposes the “monastic option” in the 21st century. “We can include in it traditions of craftsmanship, care, and integrity; preservation of canons of scholarship, critical thinking, and the Enlightenment tradition; combatting the forces of environmental degradation and social inequality; valuing individual achievement and independent thought; and so on. But central to all these examples is the rejection of a life based on kitsch, consumerism, and profit, or on power, fame, and self-promotion.”
Anyone who reads this review and wants to study my manuscripts and discuss literature, music, philosophy, movies, politics, language, or the meaning of life is always welcomed to my monastery -- in person or my e-mail. I will even share my red wine.
Berman looked at the cult of money and consumerism that permeates U.S. life, the dominance of hype and propaganda, the squeezing of the middle class, and the redistribution of wealth upward (sound familiar?). He described the widespread solipsism and resentment of so much of the residents of this country. He saw colleges and universities becoming no more than providers of job training. He also examined the corporate oligarchy that devalues our democracy and the anti-intellectualism (and indeed anti-science attitude of one of our major political parties) that coarsens public discussion.
He wrote that the U.S. has reached the stage depicted by Ray Bradbury’s "Fahrenheit 451." However, unlike the situation in that 1953 book, now the government doesn’t have to ban books; people these days are ceasing to read books, magazines, and newspapers – and are abandoning critical thinking and the pursuit of knowledge – quite on their own. “It may even be the case that the number of genuinely literate adults in the United States amounts to fewer than 5 million people – that is, less than 3 percent of the total population.”
Little of this is new, but Berman was one of the earlier people to sound the alarm.
Berman thinks we are in a Dark Age and it is getting darker all the time. As was the case in medieval Europe where monasteries preserved the wisdom of ancient Greece and Rome until the flowering of the Renaissance, Berman proposes the “monastic option” in the 21st century. “We can include in it traditions of craftsmanship, care, and integrity; preservation of canons of scholarship, critical thinking, and the Enlightenment tradition; combatting the forces of environmental degradation and social inequality; valuing individual achievement and independent thought; and so on. But central to all these examples is the rejection of a life based on kitsch, consumerism, and profit, or on power, fame, and self-promotion.”
Anyone who reads this review and wants to study my manuscripts and discuss literature, music, philosophy, movies, politics, language, or the meaning of life is always welcomed to my monastery -- in person or my e-mail. I will even share my red wine.
September 15, 2023
كتاب مهم، جريء، وواقعي.
وأحاول أن أصيغ قليلا بعض ما فهمته منه..
في البداية؛ فالفكرة الأساسية التي يحاول موريس أن يرسيها هي أن الحضارة الأمريكية تمر بمرحلة الأفول وفي طريقها إلى نقطة إفلاس اجتماعي وحضاري وإن كان يخفي هذا الظاهر الاقتصادي والتكنولوجي. لكن موريس لم يجعل أميريكا هنا مجرد ظاهرة، بل الواقع لأي حضارة أن تمر بهذا الثالوث (ولادة، نضج، ثم تلاشي)، ليس في خط مستقيم نعم بل المسار معقد وملتو، لكن الأكيد أن المصير حتمي.
النموذج الكلاسيكي الذي يتخذه موريس لقولبة أفكاره هي الحضارة الرومانية -المقارنة المجفلة-، فيمثل بها، ويستنبط من خلالها عوامله التي يقرن اجتماعها ببزوغ نجم الأفول. وهم أربعة عوامل ناقشها بصورة مفصلة وافية وذكية جدا الحقيقة:
1. عدم مساواة اجتماعية واقتصادية متسارعة
2. مردود هامشي متناقص للاستثمار في المشكلات الاقتصادية والاجتماعية.
3. أمية متزايدة، ونقص متسارع في الفهم والوعي العام.
4. الموت.
ثم يتخذ منها كذلك النموذج الذي يمكن الاعتبار به واتخاذه كمشروع لحفظ بقايا من حضارة تتهاوى، هذا النموذج الذي سماه (الخيار الرهباني)، نسبة للحركة التي قام بها الايرلنديين في الكنائس والأديرة؛ فنسخوا الأعمال الكلاسيكية، والمخطوطات وما تبقى من الحضارة الرومانية في محاولات للحفاظ على شيء منها. ومع ذلك فقد انتقد هذا الخيار لأنه يرى أنه كانت بدون وعي وأن هذا قد ضيع منه الكثير، لذلك كان حلّه المستمد منها ليس حرفيا بل (خيار رهباني معدل) بما يناسب القرون ما بعد العشرين.
.
والخيار الرهباني المعدل عند موريس -كما فهمته- يتلخص كالآتي: هي أفعال يقوم بها أشخاص لا ينتموا لأي حركة، أو أي جماعة ينتهي اسمها ب إيزم. هم أشخاص ربما حتى يعدوا من المهمشين لكن تحيا في داخلهم رغبة الحفاظ. هؤلاء الأشخاص يعيشوا تحت وطأة الحضارة الطاغية في الغرب الغير متسامحة مع أي شخص يحاول أن يشق عن المفروض، لكن عدم التسامح هذا ربما يجعلهم أكثر حدة أو أكثر تمسكًا بالرغبة. وعلى كلٍ فهذا الخيار يمارس ليس كحركة سياسة أو إتجاه مؤقت بل كأسلوب للحياة.
وما يعجبني بشدة أن موريس لا يمارس التفاؤل بسذاجة بل بواقعية، وأنه لا يضع خطط محدودة بإطار، بل يؤكد أنها ما زالت في حيز المحاولات. وأنه لا يعد بمدينة فاضلة، بل ما يهدف له مجرد إقامة حيز جديد ذا معنى. وأن ما يعرضه لن يقلب الحياة رأسًا على عقب، لكن على الأقل يترك أثرًا.
ومن الأفكار التي عرضها بأمثله كخيار رهباني معدل كانت: (الإذاعة البديلة، التعليم البديل، تطوير في الهندسة والتصميم البيئي)
ولم يقف موريس عند هذا النموذج! فالجزء الخامس من الكتاب بعنوان (وجهات نظر بديلة) عرض فيه وجهات نظر آخرى مختلفة لما يمكن أن تؤول إليه الأمور. لكن النموذج الذي صرَّح باستحسانه؛ هو المستمد من القرن الثاني عشر حيث التأرجح بين الانحطاط والتفكك وبين النهضة. هذا النموذج الذي يجمع بين الخيار الرهباني وسؤال ماذا كان سيحدث لو لكن يوجه للمستقبل لا الماضي. والمثير للاهتمام أنه يضع احتمال أن هذا النموذج ربما،ربما! يساعد في خلق عصر تنويري جديد بما يناسب مقايس القرن الثاني والعشرين.
..
هذا الهيكل البسيط الذي استطعت استخلاصه من الكتاب، لكن تفاصيله أوسع من ذلك بكثير وفيه صدامات فكرية أعدها تستحق القراءة والاعتبار.
وأحاول أن أصيغ قليلا بعض ما فهمته منه..
في البداية؛ فالفكرة الأساسية التي يحاول موريس أن يرسيها هي أن الحضارة الأمريكية تمر بمرحلة الأفول وفي طريقها إلى نقطة إفلاس اجتماعي وحضاري وإن كان يخفي هذا الظاهر الاقتصادي والتكنولوجي. لكن موريس لم يجعل أميريكا هنا مجرد ظاهرة، بل الواقع لأي حضارة أن تمر بهذا الثالوث (ولادة، نضج، ثم تلاشي)، ليس في خط مستقيم نعم بل المسار معقد وملتو، لكن الأكيد أن المصير حتمي.
النموذج الكلاسيكي الذي يتخذه موريس لقولبة أفكاره هي الحضارة الرومانية -المقارنة المجفلة-، فيمثل بها، ويستنبط من خلالها عوامله التي يقرن اجتماعها ببزوغ نجم الأفول. وهم أربعة عوامل ناقشها بصورة مفصلة وافية وذكية جدا الحقيقة:
1. عدم مساواة اجتماعية واقتصادية متسارعة
2. مردود هامشي متناقص للاستثمار في المشكلات الاقتصادية والاجتماعية.
3. أمية متزايدة، ونقص متسارع في الفهم والوعي العام.
4. الموت.
ثم يتخذ منها كذلك النموذج الذي يمكن الاعتبار به واتخاذه كمشروع لحفظ بقايا من حضارة تتهاوى، هذا النموذج الذي سماه (الخيار الرهباني)، نسبة للحركة التي قام بها الايرلنديين في الكنائس والأديرة؛ فنسخوا الأعمال الكلاسيكية، والمخطوطات وما تبقى من الحضارة الرومانية في محاولات للحفاظ على شيء منها. ومع ذلك فقد انتقد هذا الخيار لأنه يرى أنه كانت بدون وعي وأن هذا قد ضيع منه الكثير، لذلك كان حلّه المستمد منها ليس حرفيا بل (خيار رهباني معدل) بما يناسب القرون ما بعد العشرين.
.
والخيار الرهباني المعدل عند موريس -كما فهمته- يتلخص كالآتي: هي أفعال يقوم بها أشخاص لا ينتموا لأي حركة، أو أي جماعة ينتهي اسمها ب إيزم. هم أشخاص ربما حتى يعدوا من المهمشين لكن تحيا في داخلهم رغبة الحفاظ. هؤلاء الأشخاص يعيشوا تحت وطأة الحضارة الطاغية في الغرب الغير متسامحة مع أي شخص يحاول أن يشق عن المفروض، لكن عدم التسامح هذا ربما يجعلهم أكثر حدة أو أكثر تمسكًا بالرغبة. وعلى كلٍ فهذا الخيار يمارس ليس كحركة سياسة أو إتجاه مؤقت بل كأسلوب للحياة.
وما يعجبني بشدة أن موريس لا يمارس التفاؤل بسذاجة بل بواقعية، وأنه لا يضع خطط محدودة بإطار، بل يؤكد أنها ما زالت في حيز المحاولات. وأنه لا يعد بمدينة فاضلة، بل ما يهدف له مجرد إقامة حيز جديد ذا معنى. وأن ما يعرضه لن يقلب الحياة رأسًا على عقب، لكن على الأقل يترك أثرًا.
ومن الأفكار التي عرضها بأمثله كخيار رهباني معدل كانت: (الإذاعة البديلة، التعليم البديل، تطوير في الهندسة والتصميم البيئي)
ولم يقف موريس عند هذا النموذج! فالجزء الخامس من الكتاب بعنوان (وجهات نظر بديلة) عرض فيه وجهات نظر آخرى مختلفة لما يمكن أن تؤول إليه الأمور. لكن النموذج الذي صرَّح باستحسانه؛ هو المستمد من القرن الثاني عشر حيث التأرجح بين الانحطاط والتفكك وبين النهضة. هذا النموذج الذي يجمع بين الخيار الرهباني وسؤال ماذا كان سيحدث لو لكن يوجه للمستقبل لا الماضي. والمثير للاهتمام أنه يضع احتمال أن هذا النموذج ربما،ربما! يساعد في خلق عصر تنويري جديد بما يناسب مقايس القرن الثاني والعشرين.
..
هذا الهيكل البسيط الذي استطعت استخلاصه من الكتاب، لكن تفاصيله أوسع من ذلك بكثير وفيه صدامات فكرية أعدها تستحق القراءة والاعتبار.
August 5, 2021
In which I reread a book for my Back to School 2021 talk on knowledge.
Hard to believe how much of this has played out in the last 30 years since it was written.
Hard to believe how much of this has played out in the last 30 years since it was written.
February 8, 2012
Essentially, America is one big hustla and corporatocracy has us in its death grip. Democracy, according to Berman, has come to mean the right to choose between Burger King and McDonald's or Target and Wal-Mart or other equally banal places where one can part from one's money. Furthermore, the sun is setting on the formerly flourishing American empire because our literacy levels and basic cultural and historical knowledge are declining; our youth all want to be celebrities and can barely write coherent sentences or read over a middle school grade level. His evidence for this isn't always what I imagine discerning readers would like, but we've all seen the idiocracy for ourselves in all probability. I want to say this is all alarmist bunk from a crotchety malcontent (after all, who hasn't been crying the end of some culture or another at pretty much every point in history?), and I suppose it is indeed bunk to some --- but only if you're fine with slogans replacing nuanced thinking, buying and branding replacing true choice and self-awareness, and knowledge and education as pure commodities, to be bought and sold like anything else.
The problem is that no period in history has had a population full of intellectuals or even literate people. And haven't folks always wanted material goods and to be either aspirational consumers or conspicuous ones? Berman is right, though, to emphasize that the extent corporations have provided bread and circus for the population is now hindering real thought and action, that this "democratizing of desire" has virtually swept the population adrift. All of this allows the wealthy to become even wealthier and virtually purloin the American economy, according to Berman.
He convincingly argues that the decadence of the U.S. parallels that of Rome in its decline, but that premise is staid and nothing new, honestly. More interesting is his solution to the demise of an intellectual America: a scattered class of New Monastic Individuals (NMIs) who reject corporate consumerism and business and commercial success to embrace the liberal arts and a life lived away from celebrity culture, malls, and 24 hour news cycles.
I like the NMI idea, but I also like activism, and Berman is unwilling to consider that civil disobedience, protest, and alternative news sources,among other things,can begin to awaken people from a corporation and commodities- induced zombie state. (We should not go gentle into that goodnight!)
Admittedly,I was fairly appalled by Berman's wholesale dismissal of postmodernism and multiculturalism/political correctness (his rebuttal might be that I can't see past the cultural constructions that I've been subjected to. You see how these rebuttals could go on and on and on...ad infinitum) As with anything, there are ridiculous extremes to these movements, but there are valuable elements to these -"isms" and, in fact, -"isms" can be productive. For example, in Berman's diatribe against them and group identification, he rails against women describing themselves as "feminist", saying that an NMI would call herself an "independent woman", not a feminist. It seems to me that cohesive communities of like-minded people are useful to the political life of a nation as well as the soul of a person, and where I come from (rural KY) I find a fearless identification with what is viewed as subversive and abnormal important (i.e. feminism to those in the bible belt). One can be a critical and independent thinker and still find group identities important and more than simply labels, as long as a dialectic is possible and the groups don't become ideological straightjackets.
This book, though, has changed my reading list for the next few years and further inspired me in my thus far pitiable and inadequate attempts to renounce (at least partially) Feudalism 2.0. I am inspired to take bits and pieces of Berman's New Monastic Individual idea and combine that with other philosophies and values I find important.
The problem is that no period in history has had a population full of intellectuals or even literate people. And haven't folks always wanted material goods and to be either aspirational consumers or conspicuous ones? Berman is right, though, to emphasize that the extent corporations have provided bread and circus for the population is now hindering real thought and action, that this "democratizing of desire" has virtually swept the population adrift. All of this allows the wealthy to become even wealthier and virtually purloin the American economy, according to Berman.
He convincingly argues that the decadence of the U.S. parallels that of Rome in its decline, but that premise is staid and nothing new, honestly. More interesting is his solution to the demise of an intellectual America: a scattered class of New Monastic Individuals (NMIs) who reject corporate consumerism and business and commercial success to embrace the liberal arts and a life lived away from celebrity culture, malls, and 24 hour news cycles.
I like the NMI idea, but I also like activism, and Berman is unwilling to consider that civil disobedience, protest, and alternative news sources,among other things,can begin to awaken people from a corporation and commodities- induced zombie state. (We should not go gentle into that goodnight!)
Admittedly,I was fairly appalled by Berman's wholesale dismissal of postmodernism and multiculturalism/political correctness (his rebuttal might be that I can't see past the cultural constructions that I've been subjected to. You see how these rebuttals could go on and on and on...ad infinitum) As with anything, there are ridiculous extremes to these movements, but there are valuable elements to these -"isms" and, in fact, -"isms" can be productive. For example, in Berman's diatribe against them and group identification, he rails against women describing themselves as "feminist", saying that an NMI would call herself an "independent woman", not a feminist. It seems to me that cohesive communities of like-minded people are useful to the political life of a nation as well as the soul of a person, and where I come from (rural KY) I find a fearless identification with what is viewed as subversive and abnormal important (i.e. feminism to those in the bible belt). One can be a critical and independent thinker and still find group identities important and more than simply labels, as long as a dialectic is possible and the groups don't become ideological straightjackets.
This book, though, has changed my reading list for the next few years and further inspired me in my thus far pitiable and inadequate attempts to renounce (at least partially) Feudalism 2.0. I am inspired to take bits and pieces of Berman's New Monastic Individual idea and combine that with other philosophies and values I find important.
January 19, 2026
Morris Berman's "Twilight of American Culture" presents a compelling analysis of the societal decay and cultural decline within the United States. Through a multidisciplinary approach, Berman examines various aspects of American life, including politics, education, media, and consumerism, to elucidate the erosion of cultural integrity and intellectual vitality.
Berman's exploration begins with an incisive critique of American politics, highlighting the pervasive influence of corporate interests and the erosion of democratic principles. He argues that the commodification of politics has led to a superficial engagement with issues and a disenfranchisement of the populace, resulting in a hollow democracy devoid of substantive change.
Moreover, Berman delves into the educational system, lamenting its transformation into a factory for producing obedient workers rather than nurturing critical thinking and creativity. He contends that standardized testing and rote memorization have stifled intellectual curiosity and independent thought, contributing to a decline in intellectual rigor and innovation.
Central to Berman's thesis is the role of mass media in perpetuating a culture of distraction and spectacle. He scrutinizes the proliferation of reality television, celebrity gossip, and sensationalized news coverage, arguing that these phenomena serve to trivialize public discourse and divert attention away from pressing social issues.
Furthermore, Berman interrogates the phenomenon of consumerism and its deleterious effects on individual identity and community cohesion. He posits that the relentless pursuit of material wealth and status has engendered a culture of narcissism and alienation, eroding the bonds of solidarity and mutual respect.
While Berman's critique is undeniably trenchant and thought-provoking, some readers may find fault with his tendency towards pessimism and fatalism. Although he offers glimpses of hope through alternative modes of cultural resistance and renewal, his overall prognosis for American society remains bleak.
“Twilight of American Culture" is a timely and provocative examination of the forces shaping contemporary American society. Berman's rigorous analysis challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the state of their nation and to contemplate pathways towards a more enlightened and humane future.
GPT
Berman's exploration begins with an incisive critique of American politics, highlighting the pervasive influence of corporate interests and the erosion of democratic principles. He argues that the commodification of politics has led to a superficial engagement with issues and a disenfranchisement of the populace, resulting in a hollow democracy devoid of substantive change.
Moreover, Berman delves into the educational system, lamenting its transformation into a factory for producing obedient workers rather than nurturing critical thinking and creativity. He contends that standardized testing and rote memorization have stifled intellectual curiosity and independent thought, contributing to a decline in intellectual rigor and innovation.
Central to Berman's thesis is the role of mass media in perpetuating a culture of distraction and spectacle. He scrutinizes the proliferation of reality television, celebrity gossip, and sensationalized news coverage, arguing that these phenomena serve to trivialize public discourse and divert attention away from pressing social issues.
Furthermore, Berman interrogates the phenomenon of consumerism and its deleterious effects on individual identity and community cohesion. He posits that the relentless pursuit of material wealth and status has engendered a culture of narcissism and alienation, eroding the bonds of solidarity and mutual respect.
While Berman's critique is undeniably trenchant and thought-provoking, some readers may find fault with his tendency towards pessimism and fatalism. Although he offers glimpses of hope through alternative modes of cultural resistance and renewal, his overall prognosis for American society remains bleak.
“Twilight of American Culture" is a timely and provocative examination of the forces shaping contemporary American society. Berman's rigorous analysis challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the state of their nation and to contemplate pathways towards a more enlightened and humane future.
GPT
May 10, 2015
Book Review: The Twilight of American Culture by Morris Berman
"History repeats itself" is a well-known aphorism, one which Morris Berman would agree with only in part. When history comes full circle, the rebound would more closely resemble a helix, a bit more complex than a simple replay of the past. Each time a culture rises to power, a decline is inevitable but seeds of rebirth lie within that cultural decay. Like the mythical phoenix bird, new life may emerge from the ashes.
The book The Twilight of American Culture details author Morris Berman's thoughts on the decline of America, how this decline mirrors that of great civilizations of the past, and his projections (not predictions) of what type of society might spring from the ashes of America the Beautiful.
"As the twenty-first century dawns, American culture is, quite simply, in a mess. Millions of Americans feel this, if only on a subliminal level, while a few hundred write books and articles about it, documenting the trends and analyzing causes. (snip) It doesn't take an Emerson or an Einstein to recognize that the system has lost its moorings, and, like ancient Rome, is drifting into an increasingly dysfunctional situation."
People who would choose to read a book by this title probably don't need to be convinced that our society is in a state of decay. Regardless, Berman catalogues the signs of impending culture death evidenced in the mindless media, consumptive corporate world, sick entertainment, and declining literacy. Faced with this litany of depressing facts, I felt a little overwhelmed at our downward spiral. There was a little comic relief when I read that a university graduate thinks the Gettysburg Address is "an address to Getty." But maybe I should be crying because this kind of widespread illiteracy portends a cultural collapse of huge proportions.
As might be expected, Berman reaches back into history in order to compare America's decline with that of Rome and other ruined civilizations. In reaching back, he "pulls out a plum"-- a little gem of an idea on which he chooses to base the theme of this book:
the monastic option.
"....civilizations rise and fall, and a class of 'monks' is always necessary to preserve the treasures of the dying civilization and use them, like seeds, to impregnate a new one. In the process, they create an authentic life for themselves' the personal benefits of such activity are as important as the possible historical outcome."
The lens through which I view life is Biblical, so these thoughts readily stirred to my remembrance the many times the nation of Israel was reduced to a "remnant," a small nucleus of people who were faithful to preserve scripture, tradition, and culture on behalf of future generations.
Berman does not write from a spiritual perspective, and his worldview is different from mine. Still, I find his thought intriguing. He says,
"One of my intentions in writing The Twilight of American Culture was to create a kind of guidebook for disaffected Americans who feel increasingly unable to fit into this society, and who also feel that the culture has to change if it is to survive. (snip) I have argued that we are in the grip of structural forces that are the culmination of a certain historical process, so a major change is not likely to be quick or dramatic; but individual shifts in life ways and values may just possibly act as a wedge that would serve as a counterweight to the world of schlock, ignorance, social inequality, and mass consumerism that now defines the American landscape. At the very least, these 'new monks,' or native expatriates, as one might call them, could provide a kind of record of authentic ways of living that could be preserved and handed down, to resurface later on, during healthier times."
The "new monks" that are spoken of in the above quote are, of course, not religious in any sense of the word. They are only monk-like in that they preserve and transmit culture as did the Irish monks after the fall of Rome. Berman sees them creating "zones of intelligence" in private, local ways. Notice the word private; they are not in this for recognition or to be in the limelight.
What types of activities might these new monastic individuals (NMIs) engage in ?
* craftsmanship- bucking the trend of buying imported, cheap junk and opting instead to create and invest in quality.
* preserving scholarly works* more on this later
* exercising stewardship over the environment~ could include gardening or agrarian pursuits
* rejecting consumerism- perhaps opting for a simple Christmas celebration?
Berman admits that there are no guarantees that these NMIs will succeed in their endeavors, however, that individual will reap great personal rewards in putting forth the effort to contribute to the future. He states,
"You and I can lead the 'monastic' life, and we can start to do it right now. And don't worry about being marginalized; this is good."
If Berman had stopped here, I might have closed the book encouraged, but his final chapter is entitled "Alternate Visions," in which he explores the could-be's of the future. This presented a fork in the road for me, because his plausible scenarios leave out one very important truth: there is a God who is Sovereign over the affairs of man. Knowledge of Him, and intimate knowledge of His Word enables me to face the future with hope.
I acknowledge that there may dark days ahead, but choose to believe that history is linear and will culminate in the wonderful events outlined in scripture. Monastic individuals such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and John the apostle get some of the credit for preserving those wonderful words of life.
As I grow older, I become more and more cognizant of the fact that my life has a very small sphere of influence. But it is a sphere and I do wield influence, and that should not be negated.
*My husband and I started collecting old books early in our marriage. At first it was just a hobby, but as time goes by we have both begun to feel that this little treasure cache is not just for us. There will be, perhaps, someone who will value them long after we are gone.
I get goosebumps when I open a well-preserved, old volume and read the inscription written on the flyleaf in loopy, intricate handwriting:
"To my Colorado Sweetheart. Christmas 1920"
Whose hands lovingly held this same volume? What did it mean to them? Will someone yet unborn hold it at some future date and count it as precious as we have?
Some of the antique books that we have collected have brought to light a practice that I find distasteful. Modern publishers will sometimes reprint a vintage gem, but will leave out whole chapters. I presume this is because they want to eliminate controversial subject matter in favor of securing more sales. My "monastic" instinct tells me this is wrong. I want to see the author as he really is, not how someone else dresses him up (or down) to be.
Berman makes note of the fact that individuality is under fire in a declining culture. The chapters that are expurgated from books are usually the very ones that define the individual and set him apart from the pack. Society loses its vitality when individuality is quenched.
I think we all have an inborn need to feel that our life pursuits connect us to something much bigger than ourselves. We all need to feel there is a place in history for "little me." I'm thankful that my Christian faith allows for that individuality, while at the same time connecting me to a great cloud of witnesses who have shared the passion for truth that will set apart a certain percentage of people of EVERY generation.
"LORD, Thou hat been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were born,
Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting,
Thou art God." Psalm 90:1-2
"History repeats itself" is a well-known aphorism, one which Morris Berman would agree with only in part. When history comes full circle, the rebound would more closely resemble a helix, a bit more complex than a simple replay of the past. Each time a culture rises to power, a decline is inevitable but seeds of rebirth lie within that cultural decay. Like the mythical phoenix bird, new life may emerge from the ashes.
The book The Twilight of American Culture details author Morris Berman's thoughts on the decline of America, how this decline mirrors that of great civilizations of the past, and his projections (not predictions) of what type of society might spring from the ashes of America the Beautiful.
"As the twenty-first century dawns, American culture is, quite simply, in a mess. Millions of Americans feel this, if only on a subliminal level, while a few hundred write books and articles about it, documenting the trends and analyzing causes. (snip) It doesn't take an Emerson or an Einstein to recognize that the system has lost its moorings, and, like ancient Rome, is drifting into an increasingly dysfunctional situation."
People who would choose to read a book by this title probably don't need to be convinced that our society is in a state of decay. Regardless, Berman catalogues the signs of impending culture death evidenced in the mindless media, consumptive corporate world, sick entertainment, and declining literacy. Faced with this litany of depressing facts, I felt a little overwhelmed at our downward spiral. There was a little comic relief when I read that a university graduate thinks the Gettysburg Address is "an address to Getty." But maybe I should be crying because this kind of widespread illiteracy portends a cultural collapse of huge proportions.
As might be expected, Berman reaches back into history in order to compare America's decline with that of Rome and other ruined civilizations. In reaching back, he "pulls out a plum"-- a little gem of an idea on which he chooses to base the theme of this book:
the monastic option.
"....civilizations rise and fall, and a class of 'monks' is always necessary to preserve the treasures of the dying civilization and use them, like seeds, to impregnate a new one. In the process, they create an authentic life for themselves' the personal benefits of such activity are as important as the possible historical outcome."
The lens through which I view life is Biblical, so these thoughts readily stirred to my remembrance the many times the nation of Israel was reduced to a "remnant," a small nucleus of people who were faithful to preserve scripture, tradition, and culture on behalf of future generations.
Berman does not write from a spiritual perspective, and his worldview is different from mine. Still, I find his thought intriguing. He says,
"One of my intentions in writing The Twilight of American Culture was to create a kind of guidebook for disaffected Americans who feel increasingly unable to fit into this society, and who also feel that the culture has to change if it is to survive. (snip) I have argued that we are in the grip of structural forces that are the culmination of a certain historical process, so a major change is not likely to be quick or dramatic; but individual shifts in life ways and values may just possibly act as a wedge that would serve as a counterweight to the world of schlock, ignorance, social inequality, and mass consumerism that now defines the American landscape. At the very least, these 'new monks,' or native expatriates, as one might call them, could provide a kind of record of authentic ways of living that could be preserved and handed down, to resurface later on, during healthier times."
The "new monks" that are spoken of in the above quote are, of course, not religious in any sense of the word. They are only monk-like in that they preserve and transmit culture as did the Irish monks after the fall of Rome. Berman sees them creating "zones of intelligence" in private, local ways. Notice the word private; they are not in this for recognition or to be in the limelight.
What types of activities might these new monastic individuals (NMIs) engage in ?
* craftsmanship- bucking the trend of buying imported, cheap junk and opting instead to create and invest in quality.
* preserving scholarly works* more on this later
* exercising stewardship over the environment~ could include gardening or agrarian pursuits
* rejecting consumerism- perhaps opting for a simple Christmas celebration?
Berman admits that there are no guarantees that these NMIs will succeed in their endeavors, however, that individual will reap great personal rewards in putting forth the effort to contribute to the future. He states,
"You and I can lead the 'monastic' life, and we can start to do it right now. And don't worry about being marginalized; this is good."
If Berman had stopped here, I might have closed the book encouraged, but his final chapter is entitled "Alternate Visions," in which he explores the could-be's of the future. This presented a fork in the road for me, because his plausible scenarios leave out one very important truth: there is a God who is Sovereign over the affairs of man. Knowledge of Him, and intimate knowledge of His Word enables me to face the future with hope.
I acknowledge that there may dark days ahead, but choose to believe that history is linear and will culminate in the wonderful events outlined in scripture. Monastic individuals such as Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and John the apostle get some of the credit for preserving those wonderful words of life.
As I grow older, I become more and more cognizant of the fact that my life has a very small sphere of influence. But it is a sphere and I do wield influence, and that should not be negated.
*My husband and I started collecting old books early in our marriage. At first it was just a hobby, but as time goes by we have both begun to feel that this little treasure cache is not just for us. There will be, perhaps, someone who will value them long after we are gone.
I get goosebumps when I open a well-preserved, old volume and read the inscription written on the flyleaf in loopy, intricate handwriting:
"To my Colorado Sweetheart. Christmas 1920"
Whose hands lovingly held this same volume? What did it mean to them? Will someone yet unborn hold it at some future date and count it as precious as we have?
Some of the antique books that we have collected have brought to light a practice that I find distasteful. Modern publishers will sometimes reprint a vintage gem, but will leave out whole chapters. I presume this is because they want to eliminate controversial subject matter in favor of securing more sales. My "monastic" instinct tells me this is wrong. I want to see the author as he really is, not how someone else dresses him up (or down) to be.
Berman makes note of the fact that individuality is under fire in a declining culture. The chapters that are expurgated from books are usually the very ones that define the individual and set him apart from the pack. Society loses its vitality when individuality is quenched.
I think we all have an inborn need to feel that our life pursuits connect us to something much bigger than ourselves. We all need to feel there is a place in history for "little me." I'm thankful that my Christian faith allows for that individuality, while at the same time connecting me to a great cloud of witnesses who have shared the passion for truth that will set apart a certain percentage of people of EVERY generation.
"LORD, Thou hat been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were born,
Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting,
Thou art God." Psalm 90:1-2
July 3, 2021
MCL.
I read this book because Cindy of Ordo Amoris had done a book club on it and Mental Multivitamin had reviewed it.
I finally finished reading The Twilight of American Culture by Morris Berman. I checked it out earlier in the year and read the first half, and checked it out again a couple weeks ago and got around to reading the second part, which was the substance for which I began the book in the first place.
In the first half of the book, Berman paints a picture of American culture as it stands, and all his observations — published in 2000 — are only more pronounced 8 years later. Our culture is a culture of kitsch and noise, he argues. But he’s not merely complaining about how bad it is. He’s doing so while drawing parallels to Rome’s culture just before it fell. He argues that America today is to the culture and ideals the country was founded upon as Rome before it fell was to Rome when it was at its peak. He also wonders aloud if any culture’s greatness necessarily also contains the seeds of its demise. He seems to think — though he is not certain — that history is cyclical, and what makes one nation rise will develop and mature into a hardness that will bring the nation down.
In the second half of the book, Berman argues that we do not need to wring our hands in despair, nor organize for political or social change. He suggests that those who see the problem, that those who love real substance and real thinking, should simply live quiet lives as much outside the pop culture as possible and immerse themselves and maybe a small local group with them (homeschooling, anyone?) in the heritage, the questions, the thinking and literature of Western civilization. The New Monastic Individual, he calls these people.
His idea is that these people are the type of civilized elite that every culture needs but that our current society hates and attempts to dumb down. The NMI, as he unfortunately refers to his new character, chooses quality over mass-produced, commercialized products, rejects the notion that buying power and the economy is more important than the soul of each and every individual, and refuses to take his message big-time. He lives within his personal, local sphere of influence and embodies culture. A message that has hit the big-time, Berman argues, must necessarily (in our current structure) have had its individuality and potentcy diluted to make it palatable to the masses.
While Berman does hope that having such a remnant in the society will make a renewal more likely, he does not guarantee it. He thinks that at least having such purposeful, informed people will at least make the inevitable (to him) Dark Ages shorter than they might otherwise be. He doesn’t offer the promise of becoming a hero or savior of society by pursuing the monastic option; he offers the prospect of having personal fulfillment amidst the sea of a rootless, muddled population, and being one who can awake others (individually and locally and personally) and show them the way out – a la The Matrix, though he doesn’t use that analogy. That, in turn, might become the catalyst for a new society after ours collapses, but we cannot predict how history will fall out.
I like his message and I like his solution. It was rather odd, however, to agree with so many observations while disagreeing with many of his conclusions. For example, he believes that faith is opposed to science. He believes the cycle of history is that faith is alive while science is dead, faith actually moves people to discover science (that much is true), but then as science grows, faith dies and as soon as faith is dead, science begins to die. It’s a reasonable observation, but it’s simply fascinating to see it discussed by someone who recognizes spirituality is important to the soul, yet despises Christian faith.
He also identified the primary problem of our society as being the economic disparity between rich and poor, yet he recognized that a culture cannot flourish under a leveling socialism. A cultured civilization does require a degree of hierarchy and distinction. Quality simply cannot be ubiquitous. He obviously thought that the “religious right” was ridiculous and backward — though he wasn’t too insulting — but though he was clearly a liberal, he still recognized that both the right’s and the left’s “isms” were problematic and designed to control the masses and their opinions, money, and votes.
It was fascinating reading, really. And all throughout, I could only be grateful that I do have a biblical worldview and know that all is God’s and He is sovereign, and also grateful I am a postmil and thus have a reason to hope even that a collapse might bring more good than a continuing of the current “progress.” The fall of Rome caused the spreading of the gospel to Europe. If our society falls, it will only be to bring about something better. And I think Berman did at least get our duty correct:
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification. … and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Berman explicitly calls for each of these three aspects in his New Monastic Individual: quiet lives, not trying to be a hero, and to learn and appreciate craftsmanship and scholarship.
As much as he contemns the Christian faith (he laments that the very monastic homeschooling option is dominated by people doing it for religious reasons), he is actually saying that our culture must have people who live like informed Christians (who else can truly love words, but those who love the Word — Jesus Christ?). I find it ironic. I also find that it gives him more credence. He came by the long route to this nugget of truth. We can get there directly, and we should.
Berman’s call is to not love this world and to not be of this world. I think that’s a critical message.
I read this book because Cindy of Ordo Amoris had done a book club on it and Mental Multivitamin had reviewed it.
I finally finished reading The Twilight of American Culture by Morris Berman. I checked it out earlier in the year and read the first half, and checked it out again a couple weeks ago and got around to reading the second part, which was the substance for which I began the book in the first place.
In the first half of the book, Berman paints a picture of American culture as it stands, and all his observations — published in 2000 — are only more pronounced 8 years later. Our culture is a culture of kitsch and noise, he argues. But he’s not merely complaining about how bad it is. He’s doing so while drawing parallels to Rome’s culture just before it fell. He argues that America today is to the culture and ideals the country was founded upon as Rome before it fell was to Rome when it was at its peak. He also wonders aloud if any culture’s greatness necessarily also contains the seeds of its demise. He seems to think — though he is not certain — that history is cyclical, and what makes one nation rise will develop and mature into a hardness that will bring the nation down.
In the second half of the book, Berman argues that we do not need to wring our hands in despair, nor organize for political or social change. He suggests that those who see the problem, that those who love real substance and real thinking, should simply live quiet lives as much outside the pop culture as possible and immerse themselves and maybe a small local group with them (homeschooling, anyone?) in the heritage, the questions, the thinking and literature of Western civilization. The New Monastic Individual, he calls these people.
His idea is that these people are the type of civilized elite that every culture needs but that our current society hates and attempts to dumb down. The NMI, as he unfortunately refers to his new character, chooses quality over mass-produced, commercialized products, rejects the notion that buying power and the economy is more important than the soul of each and every individual, and refuses to take his message big-time. He lives within his personal, local sphere of influence and embodies culture. A message that has hit the big-time, Berman argues, must necessarily (in our current structure) have had its individuality and potentcy diluted to make it palatable to the masses.
While Berman does hope that having such a remnant in the society will make a renewal more likely, he does not guarantee it. He thinks that at least having such purposeful, informed people will at least make the inevitable (to him) Dark Ages shorter than they might otherwise be. He doesn’t offer the promise of becoming a hero or savior of society by pursuing the monastic option; he offers the prospect of having personal fulfillment amidst the sea of a rootless, muddled population, and being one who can awake others (individually and locally and personally) and show them the way out – a la The Matrix, though he doesn’t use that analogy. That, in turn, might become the catalyst for a new society after ours collapses, but we cannot predict how history will fall out.
I like his message and I like his solution. It was rather odd, however, to agree with so many observations while disagreeing with many of his conclusions. For example, he believes that faith is opposed to science. He believes the cycle of history is that faith is alive while science is dead, faith actually moves people to discover science (that much is true), but then as science grows, faith dies and as soon as faith is dead, science begins to die. It’s a reasonable observation, but it’s simply fascinating to see it discussed by someone who recognizes spirituality is important to the soul, yet despises Christian faith.
He also identified the primary problem of our society as being the economic disparity between rich and poor, yet he recognized that a culture cannot flourish under a leveling socialism. A cultured civilization does require a degree of hierarchy and distinction. Quality simply cannot be ubiquitous. He obviously thought that the “religious right” was ridiculous and backward — though he wasn’t too insulting — but though he was clearly a liberal, he still recognized that both the right’s and the left’s “isms” were problematic and designed to control the masses and their opinions, money, and votes.
It was fascinating reading, really. And all throughout, I could only be grateful that I do have a biblical worldview and know that all is God’s and He is sovereign, and also grateful I am a postmil and thus have a reason to hope even that a collapse might bring more good than a continuing of the current “progress.” The fall of Rome caused the spreading of the gospel to Europe. If our society falls, it will only be to bring about something better. And I think Berman did at least get our duty correct:
Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification. … and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Berman explicitly calls for each of these three aspects in his New Monastic Individual: quiet lives, not trying to be a hero, and to learn and appreciate craftsmanship and scholarship.
As much as he contemns the Christian faith (he laments that the very monastic homeschooling option is dominated by people doing it for religious reasons), he is actually saying that our culture must have people who live like informed Christians (who else can truly love words, but those who love the Word — Jesus Christ?). I find it ironic. I also find that it gives him more credence. He came by the long route to this nugget of truth. We can get there directly, and we should.
Berman’s call is to not love this world and to not be of this world. I think that’s a critical message.
October 4, 2021
يرى الكاتب ان اعظم حضارة في القرن العشرين تتجه نحو الأفول الا وهي الحضارة الامريكية بشكلها الاستهلاكي وخاصةً بعد دخولها عصر القرن الواحد والعشرين وقد اسماه الكاتب ب"أمركة" الكوكب.
يقدم الكاتب في مختلف الفصول ويبين مظاهر الانحطاط خاصةً من الناحية التعليمية والمجال الثقافي ويرى ان الافول قد يذهب بإتجاه نموذج افضل او اسوء او لطريق تعرجات بين الحالتين تستمر لمدة قد تطول.
يتحدث الكاتب عن مايسميه "الخيار الرهباني" ودلالة هذا المصطلح تاريخيًا حيث عمدت الكنائس الايرلندية على نسخ كتب الحقبة التي سبقت سقوط الإمبراطورية الرومانية المقدسة دون دراية القساوسة لفحوى ما ينسخون وكل ذلك خلال حقبة "العصور الأوربية المظلمة وهو ماساعد على نهضة اوروبا خلال عصر الاصلاح وما اعقبه حتى عصر الثورة الصناعية، يزاوج الكاتب هذه الفكرة بخيار رهباني معاصر لما نحن عليه وكما تقدم من افول الحضارة وعلى ضرورة العمل الفردي من اجل ارشفة اهم المواد التي تمخضت من العصر الحديث واتباع سلوك الفردانية في ذلك دون التقييد بجمعيات ومؤسسات معينة من اجل هذا الهدف الا وهو محاولة الحفاظ على اهم مخرجات الحضارة من اجل حقبة قادمة ستكون بأمس الحاجة لهذه النصوص والمعارف المتراكمة.
كتاب صغير وفيه نفس سوداوي واقعي ويقدم ادلته على افول الحضارة الذي يمكن ان يتخذ عدة طرق نحو الانهيار قد لم يشهد العالم قبلها هكذا طريقة في التحلل، يستحق القراءة والتفكير الملم بما يطرحه الكاتب من سوء ادارة الموقف العالمي. لدي اعتقاد ان الكاتب محسوب على اليسار.
يقدم الكاتب في مختلف الفصول ويبين مظاهر الانحطاط خاصةً من الناحية التعليمية والمجال الثقافي ويرى ان الافول قد يذهب بإتجاه نموذج افضل او اسوء او لطريق تعرجات بين الحالتين تستمر لمدة قد تطول.
يتحدث الكاتب عن مايسميه "الخيار الرهباني" ودلالة هذا المصطلح تاريخيًا حيث عمدت الكنائس الايرلندية على نسخ كتب الحقبة التي سبقت سقوط الإمبراطورية الرومانية المقدسة دون دراية القساوسة لفحوى ما ينسخون وكل ذلك خلال حقبة "العصور الأوربية المظلمة وهو ماساعد على نهضة اوروبا خلال عصر الاصلاح وما اعقبه حتى عصر الثورة الصناعية، يزاوج الكاتب هذه الفكرة بخيار رهباني معاصر لما نحن عليه وكما تقدم من افول الحضارة وعلى ضرورة العمل الفردي من اجل ارشفة اهم المواد التي تمخضت من العصر الحديث واتباع سلوك الفردانية في ذلك دون التقييد بجمعيات ومؤسسات معينة من اجل هذا الهدف الا وهو محاولة الحفاظ على اهم مخرجات الحضارة من اجل حقبة قادمة ستكون بأمس الحاجة لهذه النصوص والمعارف المتراكمة.
كتاب صغير وفيه نفس سوداوي واقعي ويقدم ادلته على افول الحضارة الذي يمكن ان يتخذ عدة طرق نحو الانهيار قد لم يشهد العالم قبلها هكذا طريقة في التحلل، يستحق القراءة والتفكير الملم بما يطرحه الكاتب من سوء ادارة الموقف العالمي. لدي اعتقاد ان الكاتب محسوب على اليسار.
May 8, 2008
Shorter Berman: "The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers." Sorry that was Socrates 469–399 B.C. Morris basically says we live in a shallow society that frowns upon intellectual pursuits and our kids are getting progressively dumber. Reading it alternated between duh and thinking of an old man yelling at kids about "if that damn ball comes into my yard one more time..."
March 4, 2021
(reread in 2021)
This is really just a guidebook for those who've already made up their minds about whether America (and its culture) are in decline. Plenty of arguments for this position are given, but not enough attention is given to the opposite opinion. What if America is simply undergoing radical change and isn't really in a decline? This isn't really a position taken seriously here. In short, if you're looking for something that provides a true voice to either side of this issue, this isn't the book.
However, if your mind is already made up, then this book is for you. This is a book to ensure your thoughts about America's declining culture become well-entrenched. Don't get me wrong, I actually agree with most of it, but there's really no digging yourself out of this hole once you read this book. If you've already started digging, this book will help you dig deeper.
There is something constructive and hopeful about the general message of the book. Much of the book is an argument that we're entering another Dark Ages, and an argument that we need to prepare for another inevitable Renaissance where we recover what was once trashed. Then our task is to be guardians of this knowledge - scribes who might not even know the meaning behind these works, but who at least preserve it for the ages to come, when civilization begins to appreciate them again.
There's also a strong anti-consumerist and anti-globalization message behind this book, which is welcome in these uncertain times. There's no call to protest or any general hope in this book that these things can be fixed any time soon. In fact, the optimistic estimate for a fix for these things is about 20-30 years after this was written (around the year 2000). And that's only if there's some miracle!
Another current here is an anti-postmodern message. If renaissance and modernist thinkers swung the pendulum too far in one direction, the postmodernists swung it too far in entirely the opposite direction. The failure of renaissance thinking was to assume that we could know everything, and the failure of postmodernism was to assume we could know nothing. Instead, a balance must be struck between the two. Until then, we're cursed with the results of postmodernism, which unfortunately means that many still hold all opinions to be equal weight, resulting in more culture death. If one man's Mozart is another man's preference for junkfood, then Mozart effectively becomes drowned out in a sea of junkfood.
If anything, the big glaring flaw of this book is the assumption that this decline is happening worldwide, but the arguments and statistics used to support this are all from America. The author writes as if it's a bygone conclusion that globalization and consumerization is happening to the world (which of course it is, in different degrees), and that this is the cause for the massive decline of American and world society. This is also forgetting that the dark ages happened to Europe in general, while the East and the Arabic world in general arguably flourished. Then we have another position which hasn't been argued: the position that America is in fact in a decline, but there are some other parts of the world that are not, or at least are in a less steep decline. There's no objective way to measure decline, but surely there's no reason to think all countries are declining at the same rate (if they are all declining, that is).
This is really just a guidebook for those who've already made up their minds about whether America (and its culture) are in decline. Plenty of arguments for this position are given, but not enough attention is given to the opposite opinion. What if America is simply undergoing radical change and isn't really in a decline? This isn't really a position taken seriously here. In short, if you're looking for something that provides a true voice to either side of this issue, this isn't the book.
However, if your mind is already made up, then this book is for you. This is a book to ensure your thoughts about America's declining culture become well-entrenched. Don't get me wrong, I actually agree with most of it, but there's really no digging yourself out of this hole once you read this book. If you've already started digging, this book will help you dig deeper.
There is something constructive and hopeful about the general message of the book. Much of the book is an argument that we're entering another Dark Ages, and an argument that we need to prepare for another inevitable Renaissance where we recover what was once trashed. Then our task is to be guardians of this knowledge - scribes who might not even know the meaning behind these works, but who at least preserve it for the ages to come, when civilization begins to appreciate them again.
There's also a strong anti-consumerist and anti-globalization message behind this book, which is welcome in these uncertain times. There's no call to protest or any general hope in this book that these things can be fixed any time soon. In fact, the optimistic estimate for a fix for these things is about 20-30 years after this was written (around the year 2000). And that's only if there's some miracle!
Another current here is an anti-postmodern message. If renaissance and modernist thinkers swung the pendulum too far in one direction, the postmodernists swung it too far in entirely the opposite direction. The failure of renaissance thinking was to assume that we could know everything, and the failure of postmodernism was to assume we could know nothing. Instead, a balance must be struck between the two. Until then, we're cursed with the results of postmodernism, which unfortunately means that many still hold all opinions to be equal weight, resulting in more culture death. If one man's Mozart is another man's preference for junkfood, then Mozart effectively becomes drowned out in a sea of junkfood.
If anything, the big glaring flaw of this book is the assumption that this decline is happening worldwide, but the arguments and statistics used to support this are all from America. The author writes as if it's a bygone conclusion that globalization and consumerization is happening to the world (which of course it is, in different degrees), and that this is the cause for the massive decline of American and world society. This is also forgetting that the dark ages happened to Europe in general, while the East and the Arabic world in general arguably flourished. Then we have another position which hasn't been argued: the position that America is in fact in a decline, but there are some other parts of the world that are not, or at least are in a less steep decline. There's no objective way to measure decline, but surely there's no reason to think all countries are declining at the same rate (if they are all declining, that is).
December 21, 2013
It would be pretty trivial to pass off Professor Berman as a crank taking his argument at face value. In Twilight of American Culture, Berman claims that America is in clear decline which will lead to inevitable collapse sometime in the 21st century. The decline observed is primarily cultural and social but that these symptoms have serious impact on economic and political stability of the nation. Berman claims that the decline is irreversible and that the only option for those that see this decline and resent it, is to preserve the portions of the culture you appreciate (language, music, literature, etc., etc.) and roll with the impending punches. The primary point of his argument is that the behavior and actions of the American Empire today are analogous to Rome in its period of decline prior to the emergence of the European monarchies and the so-call Dark Age as brought about through institutionalization of religion by the state. This period was extremely protracted and only ended due to the Enlightenment which was a flowering of human intelligence and knowledge but has been giving diminishing returns since essentially its inception.
To a very large extent, a similar argument is presented very superficially in right-wing circles as evidence that we are getting off track in America and used as a call to return to traditional American values and the like. The primary difference between the two arguments though is that a central tenet of Berman's is that the United States is irrevocably and unequivocally in decline while right-wing folks still cling to American Exceptionalism despite perceiving this decline in some form. The problem is then that most on the right are perceiving this situation from a very myopic view of a few decades at best and moreso on scales associated with the last time their party was in power. Berman instead takes a very grand view of human history and sees the epochs and ages that defined major moments in history and is relating them back to our own time. Another difference between the right-wing formulation of this argument and Berman's clearly leftist rebuke of society is that there is no turning back from this decline while most commentators claim if only we did this one or handful of things (get more religion in your life, remove sex and violence from movies, ban video games, etc. etc.) then we can redeem ourselves once again.
Many of Berman's arguments are compelling, but I cannot accept a fatalistic notion that American culture is hopeless to return to a state like the Enlightenment. Culture has proven time and again to be a resilient and unexpected creature. Further, the social fabric we weave every day clearly trends towards diversity (which, certainly can be ugly on both sides of the spectrum) and complexity all while being more uniform. I suspect that if Berman were confronted with the notion that his ideas are purely pessimistic and only discourage those who he attacks from seeking to attain higher cultural experience, he would merely claim to be a realist.
To a very large extent, a similar argument is presented very superficially in right-wing circles as evidence that we are getting off track in America and used as a call to return to traditional American values and the like. The primary difference between the two arguments though is that a central tenet of Berman's is that the United States is irrevocably and unequivocally in decline while right-wing folks still cling to American Exceptionalism despite perceiving this decline in some form. The problem is then that most on the right are perceiving this situation from a very myopic view of a few decades at best and moreso on scales associated with the last time their party was in power. Berman instead takes a very grand view of human history and sees the epochs and ages that defined major moments in history and is relating them back to our own time. Another difference between the right-wing formulation of this argument and Berman's clearly leftist rebuke of society is that there is no turning back from this decline while most commentators claim if only we did this one or handful of things (get more religion in your life, remove sex and violence from movies, ban video games, etc. etc.) then we can redeem ourselves once again.
Many of Berman's arguments are compelling, but I cannot accept a fatalistic notion that American culture is hopeless to return to a state like the Enlightenment. Culture has proven time and again to be a resilient and unexpected creature. Further, the social fabric we weave every day clearly trends towards diversity (which, certainly can be ugly on both sides of the spectrum) and complexity all while being more uniform. I suspect that if Berman were confronted with the notion that his ideas are purely pessimistic and only discourage those who he attacks from seeking to attain higher cultural experience, he would merely claim to be a realist.
February 16, 2020
I started reading this and thought, "this sounds like Adbusters." Then lo and behold, a few chapters later he starts quoting Adbusters!
Interesting quick read but a bit lacking in substance. A few issues:
1. His perspective is limited by his left-wing, anti-religious viewpoint. I find Rod Dreher's Benedict Option much more plausible as a life raft for civilization than some of the examples in the book (eg Chamber music barges in the East River and teaching the classics to homeless people.)
2. He defines McWorld, ie globalization and corporate/consumer culture well, but doesn't really define what it is he is hoping to save. What exactly is the culture he is hoping to preserve? Enlightenment and Western Civ mean different things to different people. (And the title refers to "American Culture" meaning...? The Founding Fathers? The Puritans? Pioneers? Abolitionists? He seems to be referring to a time prior to 1989 certainly, but not clear what exactly.)
3. Is his pessimism justified? For example let's stipulate that the average university education is less rigorous than 100 years ago. But FAR more people receive a university education than did so then. So even if only 1% of students are exposed to the Great Books (or Enlightenment values, or scientific inquiry, or...again the author doesn't clearly define what he is hoping to preserve) that 1% probably constitutes a much large number of people in total than would have read those books in the past. So what is more important, absolute numbers? relative numbers? the quality of the individuals? In light of Steven Pinker's optimism I think all pessimists should at least address this.
4. For all his talk of dumbing down, his examples of dumbing down are pretty dumb. For example "Americans must be dumb, cause I saw people say dumb stuff on the Tonight Show!"
Things I did like:
1. Any "monastic" effort of preservation should be done for the act of doing it. Not with a grand plan in mind. Using corporate or institutional strategies of PR and SCALE undermine the values that are trying to be preserved.
2. I enjoyed learing a bit more about the medieval monasteries.
3. I enjoyed the consideration that the nature of "consciousness" has changed over time. Reminds me of Julian Jaynes.
4. I enjoyed the consideration of different theoretical frameworks of the decline of civilizations. I was familiar with Spengler but had not heard of Joseph Tainter.
A final warning. This book with many oblique references to obscure works and a vaguely conspiratorial tone has a "down the rabbit hole" quality that feels a bit dangerous to me. It's an interesting diversion but one must avoid crossing over the abyss.
Interesting quick read but a bit lacking in substance. A few issues:
1. His perspective is limited by his left-wing, anti-religious viewpoint. I find Rod Dreher's Benedict Option much more plausible as a life raft for civilization than some of the examples in the book (eg Chamber music barges in the East River and teaching the classics to homeless people.)
2. He defines McWorld, ie globalization and corporate/consumer culture well, but doesn't really define what it is he is hoping to save. What exactly is the culture he is hoping to preserve? Enlightenment and Western Civ mean different things to different people. (And the title refers to "American Culture" meaning...? The Founding Fathers? The Puritans? Pioneers? Abolitionists? He seems to be referring to a time prior to 1989 certainly, but not clear what exactly.)
3. Is his pessimism justified? For example let's stipulate that the average university education is less rigorous than 100 years ago. But FAR more people receive a university education than did so then. So even if only 1% of students are exposed to the Great Books (or Enlightenment values, or scientific inquiry, or...again the author doesn't clearly define what he is hoping to preserve) that 1% probably constitutes a much large number of people in total than would have read those books in the past. So what is more important, absolute numbers? relative numbers? the quality of the individuals? In light of Steven Pinker's optimism I think all pessimists should at least address this.
4. For all his talk of dumbing down, his examples of dumbing down are pretty dumb. For example "Americans must be dumb, cause I saw people say dumb stuff on the Tonight Show!"
Things I did like:
1. Any "monastic" effort of preservation should be done for the act of doing it. Not with a grand plan in mind. Using corporate or institutional strategies of PR and SCALE undermine the values that are trying to be preserved.
2. I enjoyed learing a bit more about the medieval monasteries.
3. I enjoyed the consideration that the nature of "consciousness" has changed over time. Reminds me of Julian Jaynes.
4. I enjoyed the consideration of different theoretical frameworks of the decline of civilizations. I was familiar with Spengler but had not heard of Joseph Tainter.
A final warning. This book with many oblique references to obscure works and a vaguely conspiratorial tone has a "down the rabbit hole" quality that feels a bit dangerous to me. It's an interesting diversion but one must avoid crossing over the abyss.
February 5, 2008
A book about the decline of civilization. The author says we are headed into a dark ages and need modern-day monks to be preserving for the future what knowledge we have.
At the very least, this book makes you think about stuff.
But the evidence he sites is hardly empirical in nature and suffers from anchoring bias.
At the very least, this book makes you think about stuff.
But the evidence he sites is hardly empirical in nature and suffers from anchoring bias.
August 10, 2020
No por evidente deja de ser menos certera la visión de Berman sobre la cultura americana (que bien puede aplicarse a otras, incluida la mexicana, a reserva de la proporción reducida de su poder adquisitivo y pecuniario). El incremento de la disparidad entre ricos y pobres, con la desaparición de la clase media (obviamente, incorporada a los sustratos bajos, no por alcanzar a la población multimillonaria); el analfabetismo funcional en que hemos caído, al tener acceso a prácticamente todo el conocimiento acumulado pero incapaces de analizarlo, refutarlo o apropiárnoslo; y la pérdida de la espiritualidad (no confundir la magnesia con la gimnasia: no hablamos de valores religiosos, sino humanísticos y ontológicos, que se pierden al volver nuestras aspiraciones a meras adquisiciones de objetos, a pensar que la ley de la oferta y le demanda es la que nos define como humanos, y que "entre más poseo más soy" debería aplicar al saber y al conocer, no al comprar en abonos chiquitos para tener mucho) son bofetadas y cubetadas de agua helada que deberían despertarnos a todos.
February 14, 2022
The best analysis I've ever read of where we are, how we got here, and where we may be going along with practical visions on how to engage with these subjects on an individual level. The fact that Berman's work, written in 2000, seems prophetic and apt to the 2020's in its descriptions is remarkable. These facts alone make this delightful and insightful essay one of the best socio-political analyses I've ever read. I bought two more copies immediately upon finishing this and plan to gift or loan this book to friends and family. Every thinking person should read this book.
October 20, 2013
I write from a British perspective & as someone who had a traditional british liberal education. I agree it is on the wane & often feel like "an expatriate in my own country" - this is a phrase I coined before picking up the book and it appears on p.26 so the book struck a chord with me. Since about 1979 popular culture became dumbed down in the UK. British TV has become a kind of 'sewage of the mind' compared with what people used to watch in the 70s. Similarly BBC output has gone from being trusted to being Orwellian in its obedience to the government line. The BBC doesnt tell you what to think but it does let you know what you *should* be thinking ie. political correctness. It no longer trusts or encourages you to make up your own mind. If you have a dissenting voice - dont even bother trying to talk to the BBC.
But do societies alternate between eras of enlightenment/reason and darker periods of unreason/barbarism?? This is a good question and one that is not often asked - perhaps because to ask it you have to understand the difference between the two. The book compares the current dumbing down of The West with the end of the Western Roman empire. The comparison is discussed at length & is really interesting.
A reflective and challenging view of history and the way many people live today. Mr Berman has written a later book called Why America Failed; I look forward to reading that soon.
There are other contemporary books which explain the end of american power & they are equally subversive; Tom Coburn, The Debt Bomb. Michael Levin, The Next Great Clash. Louis Hyman, Borrow. Jaron Lanier, Who Owns the Future. Melanie Philips, World Turned Upside Down etc etc.
I think enough people are questionning the twilight of American Culture for it to be around for sometime. But when people stop writing books like this - maybe that is the time to start worrying.
P.S. - if you read C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters - he writes a postcript about the end of traditional education in favour of protecting children's self esteem with teaching them modern garbage. And this was written in the 1930s. So the Berman book is part of the modern dumbing-down literature which first appeared 80 years ago!
But do societies alternate between eras of enlightenment/reason and darker periods of unreason/barbarism?? This is a good question and one that is not often asked - perhaps because to ask it you have to understand the difference between the two. The book compares the current dumbing down of The West with the end of the Western Roman empire. The comparison is discussed at length & is really interesting.
A reflective and challenging view of history and the way many people live today. Mr Berman has written a later book called Why America Failed; I look forward to reading that soon.
There are other contemporary books which explain the end of american power & they are equally subversive; Tom Coburn, The Debt Bomb. Michael Levin, The Next Great Clash. Louis Hyman, Borrow. Jaron Lanier, Who Owns the Future. Melanie Philips, World Turned Upside Down etc etc.
I think enough people are questionning the twilight of American Culture for it to be around for sometime. But when people stop writing books like this - maybe that is the time to start worrying.
P.S. - if you read C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters - he writes a postcript about the end of traditional education in favour of protecting children's self esteem with teaching them modern garbage. And this was written in the 1930s. So the Berman book is part of the modern dumbing-down literature which first appeared 80 years ago!
June 2, 2017
This is the third book I've cracked in the last few months that says darkness is descending on civilization and we the less unwise need a strategy to cope with the situation. This book was the least successful of the lot. The author succeeds mostly in showing us that he is curmudgeonly and thinks he's superior to the proles and corporate drones.
There's some erudition here, and since I espouse cultural pessimism, the book makes some points, but in the end the book is rather superficial. The author seems to be an academic gypsy and cultural leftist--why do these types seem to end up in Mexico?--but in the end I found this book shallow and derivative.
For one thing, he doesn't address religion. He seems to think "mere anarchy is loosed upon the world," but other than a nod to cyclical approaches to history such as those of Pitirim Sorokin and "A Canticle for Leibowitz," it's not clear why. He doesn't like anything corporate, or massified, or too organized, but why we should prefer "ironic points of light" emitted by those he likes to anything else is not clear. If the problems of our age do not relate to the rise of materialism and secularism, the author might have told us why he thinks they do not. And insofar as the likes of Michael Moore are his heroes, he has lost me.
Instead, the reader must endure, in this book, the disconnected grouches of a disappointed humanities professor. Occasionally he lurches into bits of truth, but it's pure lurch.
If you want some readable pessimism, try John Derbyshire's "We Are Doomed." Or try "The Benedict Option" if you want a Christian take on what might be done.
There's some erudition here, and since I espouse cultural pessimism, the book makes some points, but in the end the book is rather superficial. The author seems to be an academic gypsy and cultural leftist--why do these types seem to end up in Mexico?--but in the end I found this book shallow and derivative.
For one thing, he doesn't address religion. He seems to think "mere anarchy is loosed upon the world," but other than a nod to cyclical approaches to history such as those of Pitirim Sorokin and "A Canticle for Leibowitz," it's not clear why. He doesn't like anything corporate, or massified, or too organized, but why we should prefer "ironic points of light" emitted by those he likes to anything else is not clear. If the problems of our age do not relate to the rise of materialism and secularism, the author might have told us why he thinks they do not. And insofar as the likes of Michael Moore are his heroes, he has lost me.
Instead, the reader must endure, in this book, the disconnected grouches of a disappointed humanities professor. Occasionally he lurches into bits of truth, but it's pure lurch.
If you want some readable pessimism, try John Derbyshire's "We Are Doomed." Or try "The Benedict Option" if you want a Christian take on what might be done.
March 19, 2012
Morris Berman wrote this book in 2000...or at least, that's when it was copyrighted. Since then, we've experienced 9/11 and the resulting fear-based war on terrorism. After 9/11, I think many more Americans would side with Berman that the American culture is and has been on a downhill slide to something similar to the Dark Ages. The book is a good read but that's if you can stand the alarming nature of Berman's thesis that we should be gathering our 'culture' and storing it in secret places so that future generations will see that there was at one time something that qualified as an enlightened culture in the USA. It's also a good read because Berman has the ability to present his dialectical arguments in a way that engages the reader--at least this reader--and compels critical thinking, questioning, and reaction. I didn't always agree with Dr. Berman but never seemed bored by his thinking.
Some of Berman's 'data' is suspect since the data don't appear to have been gathered empirically. Rather, what Berman often presents as 'data' seems personal, emotional and based on undocumented bits of evidence that become generalized into his grand and sentimental argument. Most of the issues he addresses are not new but have been around for millennia, e.g, the widening gap between the have's and have nots, the diminishing literacy in our young people, the ruthlessness of the corporatocracy, a culture of kitsch.
Nevertheless, the book is worth reading if for no other reasons than to challenge your thinking and firm up your own dialectical skills.
Some of Berman's 'data' is suspect since the data don't appear to have been gathered empirically. Rather, what Berman often presents as 'data' seems personal, emotional and based on undocumented bits of evidence that become generalized into his grand and sentimental argument. Most of the issues he addresses are not new but have been around for millennia, e.g, the widening gap between the have's and have nots, the diminishing literacy in our young people, the ruthlessness of the corporatocracy, a culture of kitsch.
Nevertheless, the book is worth reading if for no other reasons than to challenge your thinking and firm up your own dialectical skills.
March 21, 2007
Bueno el análisis comparativo de la decadencia estadounidense con la del Imperio Romano. Buena la teoría de las oscilaciones entre culturas idealistas y culturas pragmáticas
Estimulante la propuesta de aspirar a un rol monástico para los tiempos de decadencia.
Cuestionables sus ejemplos de personajes monásticos (sobre todo, por supuesto, el ejemplo de Michael Moore)
Siempre que uno lee libros o mira películas que pretenden dar un diagnóstico sobre la cultura estadounidense, se tiene la sensación de que nos están contando cosas que ya sabíamos desde hacía (por lo menos) unos veinte años. Se entiende que los gringos no lo saben bien y por eso hay que decírselos. Pero entonces uno se queda con la pregunta: ¿para qué contarme a mi también algo que ya sabía desde hacía tanto tiempo?
Pero sí, es recomendable... de refilón, uno se queda pensando en su sitio dentro de la cultura McWorld y siente peor cargo de conciencia al quedarse más de un minuto viendo Ventaneando o cosas así.
Estimulante la propuesta de aspirar a un rol monástico para los tiempos de decadencia.
Cuestionables sus ejemplos de personajes monásticos (sobre todo, por supuesto, el ejemplo de Michael Moore)
Siempre que uno lee libros o mira películas que pretenden dar un diagnóstico sobre la cultura estadounidense, se tiene la sensación de que nos están contando cosas que ya sabíamos desde hacía (por lo menos) unos veinte años. Se entiende que los gringos no lo saben bien y por eso hay que decírselos. Pero entonces uno se queda con la pregunta: ¿para qué contarme a mi también algo que ya sabía desde hacía tanto tiempo?
Pero sí, es recomendable... de refilón, uno se queda pensando en su sitio dentro de la cultura McWorld y siente peor cargo de conciencia al quedarse más de un minuto viendo Ventaneando o cosas así.
May 24, 2021
Well-meaning if erratic critique of what passes for culture in the USA. Berman's dark view of the impending collapse of our culture is somewhat jarring for two reasons. The first is that he is a "man of the left", and most doomsayers come from the right. He does not discount government power, but believes that a corporate monoculture is more powerful and is the true threat. The second is that Berman does not offer a cure, as he believes that we are too late to save ourselves. What he does suggest, and goes into great detail describing, is for those who want to save civilization to create a new monasticism of preservation. This would entail living and saving culture on a small scale.
"This time around, we are drowning in information; hence, what is required is that it be embodied, preserved through ways of living. If this can get passed down, our cultural heritage may well serve as a seed for a subsequent renaissance."
"This time around, we are drowning in information; hence, what is required is that it be embodied, preserved through ways of living. If this can get passed down, our cultural heritage may well serve as a seed for a subsequent renaissance."
August 29, 2009
Berman is a doomsayer w/ yet a little hope. His enemy is gigantic Corporate America, which spreads its consumer values across the globe without regard for any of the people that it stomps & steamrollers. Berman is a classy writer; his prose is a model of clarity & persuasiveness. As a solution, he advocates people living lives of a sort of new monasticism, making their lives models of good living: honorable, respectful, et cetera. The hope is that this way of life will spread into the general public. By monasticism, he refers to the monks of the early Dark Ages, who acted as scribes, recording the best wisdom of the past, for a future that someday may be able to use & understand it.
November 16, 2007
This book gives an accurate account of current social, educational, economic, and political structures in America. In addition, Berman suggests a variety of future possibilities for America, along with ways of preserving our culture in the future. Overall, the book was very thought-provoking and influenced me to add about a dozen books to my 'to-read' shelf. I'll have to give Berman 5 stars if his predictions come true in 50 years or so. I'm betting that his predictions pertaining to higher education will be close to dead on.
February 8, 2018
You kids get off my lawn!
Just kidding. I appreciated that he makes his whole argument so concisely. I also agree with a good deal of his observations about the current state of cultural affairs — if one is a fan of classical “high” culture, this is not exactly a good time to be alive. But the arguments concerning causation and solutions were ultimately unpersuasive. It’s just not very tightly reasoned. And the fetishization of the past grates too. Meh.
Just kidding. I appreciated that he makes his whole argument so concisely. I also agree with a good deal of his observations about the current state of cultural affairs — if one is a fan of classical “high” culture, this is not exactly a good time to be alive. But the arguments concerning causation and solutions were ultimately unpersuasive. It’s just not very tightly reasoned. And the fetishization of the past grates too. Meh.
May 8, 2008
We all read a lot, so we know the world is ending and that the country is falling apart. This book will remind you of that, boring detail after boring, already-well-known detail. It's like reading a textbook from a communications class at a shitty state university (see: My Life 2002-2005,) and even includes the citations.
February 17, 2012
The only thing I took from this was that the author thinks younger people are stupid because they never learned to memorize Robert Browning poems in school, and that this was a sure sign the culture was falling into ruin. I'm sure there were some good bits in this, but they escape me now, and so couldn't have been all that brilliant.
May 16, 2007
what. a. jackass. manages to disregard all non-western history amongst swathes of irrelevant, pretentious rhetoric.
September 29, 2012
Remarkably prescient about the decay of America and actually inspiring - Berman's call for a monastic way of life is deeply moving.
August 9, 2020
This volume contains the refinement of an old white man who has discovered all by himself "the good old times".
May 8, 2025
The assessment of where we are resonates even more than when the book was written. It doesn’t feel like a stretch to speak of McWorld or the Coca-colonization of the planet, or to note that western culture couldn’t possibly get any dumber…until it does.
As for the monastic option, I am left to wonder if perhaps real culture has always been this way, as part of an underground. The whole definition given of the New Monastic Individual is that these people do what they do for purely intrinsic reasons, which makes them less of a revolutionary force than part of an underground tributary that runs counter to the mainstream waterways because that’s where their creek beds lead. The fact that they all flow back into the ocean eventually is inevitable. I think this has probably always been so, but in our time the stupidity has been magnified to epic proportions, and over time we tend to remember the highlights that survive and forget the banal status quo.
At any rate, this book is excellent food for thought.
As for the monastic option, I am left to wonder if perhaps real culture has always been this way, as part of an underground. The whole definition given of the New Monastic Individual is that these people do what they do for purely intrinsic reasons, which makes them less of a revolutionary force than part of an underground tributary that runs counter to the mainstream waterways because that’s where their creek beds lead. The fact that they all flow back into the ocean eventually is inevitable. I think this has probably always been so, but in our time the stupidity has been magnified to epic proportions, and over time we tend to remember the highlights that survive and forget the banal status quo.
At any rate, this book is excellent food for thought.
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