Escapism

by Yi-Fu Tuan

Acclaimed cultural geographer Yi-Fu Tuan considers humanity's enduring desire to escape reality― and embrace alternatives such as love, culture, and Disneyworld In prehistoric times, our ancestors began building shelters and planting crops in order to escape from nature's harsh realities. Today, we flee urban dangers for the safer, reconfigured world of suburban lawns and parks. According to geographer Yi-Fu Tuan, people have always sought to escape in one way or another, sometimes foolishly, often creatively and ingeniously. Glass-tower cities, suburbs, shopping malls, Disneyland―all are among the most recent monuments in our efforts to escape the constraints and uncertainties of life―ultimately, those imposed by nature. "What cultural product," Tuan asks, "is not escape?" In his new book, the capstone of a celebrated career, Tuan shows that escapism is an inescapable component of human thought and culture.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Geography, Psychology, Cultural Studies, Essays, Cultural

264 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 1998

About the author

Fu Tuan (Traditional Chinese: 段義孚, born 5 December 1930) is a Chinese-U.S. geographer.
Tuan was born in 1930 in Tientsin, China. He was the son of a rich oligarch and was part of the top class in the Republic of China. Tuan attended University College, London, but graduated from the University of Oxford with a B.A. and M.A. in 1951 and 1955 respectively. From there he went to California to continue his geographic education. He received his Ph.D. in 1957 from the University of California, Berkeley.

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books you're likely to read if you want to understand the nature of human behaviour, and why some of us felt the need and necessity to invent distractions to occupy us throughout our daily lives. On top of that, Tuan writes not only in very specific terms, but has a lovely ability to stream sentences which lends itself the ability to seem more like poetry than non-fiction.

[Chelsia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book during my final year at NUS... Somehow the title provoke me... I am someone who doesnt really like to inform people of my whereabouts and loves to run away whenever I could. Tuan looks at the notion of escapes from everyday notions of life to soul migration from physical being to something really immaterial.. not everyone's cup of tea though.. chapter 3&4 are my favs! sometimes it is just a thin line between reality and fantasy....

[kennedie · Rating 3 out of 5]

very interesting and eye-opening perspectives relating to human nature, though i didn’t enjoy how many chapters were written with a pessimistic tone. i think human beings are much kinder and more selfless than they are given credit for in many parts (maybe i am too much of an optimist) and i felt some points and the language used were outdated- of course, this was expected. tuan offered insight into religion, nature, and language that i’ve never considered before. overall loved the way it was written poetically despite how academic and philosophical the topics.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dense and philosophical, but with very interesting statements about human nature. I'm sure I'll have to reread this at least once to understand all the points that Tuan makes.

[Boaz Frissen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Echt een heel raar boek

[Zanne D'Aglio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I dove into this book with gusto which then petered off somewhere in the middle; certain examples just didn't interest me. I picked it up again a few weeks later and voilà even those sections (about heaven for example) aroused reflections.

[Mampfwurm · Rating 5 out of 5]

So sollte man philosophische Werke verfassen!

[麗瑩 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Mr. Tuan’s writing. He is adorable.

[maha]

ما زلت في بداية الكتاب

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يفتتح المؤلف الكتاب بسرده لقصة دعوة لكتابة ورقة بحث عن لاندسكيب ديزني

ولكون تخصصه في الجغرافيا بدلا من اللاندسكيب، خصوصا لاندسكيب الملاهي، كاد أن يرفض
فلدى الاكاديميين ميل نحو القاء الملاهي الترفيهية كملهاة لذوي العقول البسيطة

لكنه استجاب للدعوة واستغرب من استمتاعه بهذا المهرب
ومن هنا ولدت فكرة الكتاب، لماذا يهرب الانسان..
وما هي وسائل هروبه؟

فكرة الهرب من شيء ما ليست جديدة علي.. ولكن ربما هي متغلغلة في لا وعينا
اجتذبتني عبارته ان الانسان هو الحيوان الذي يقفل عيناه ليهرب، ويحلم، ويتأمل.. ريثما الحيوانات لا تحلم وتشرد بذهنها بعيدا، لأن بقائها ونجاتها معتمدة على وجودها في اللحظة وفي العالم الحقيقي..
بينما الانسان هو الحيوان الوحيد الذي لا يرى الاشياء على ما هي عليه
P. 6
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تطرق بشكل سريع الى قابلية أغلبية الناس، في حال انكارهم للحياة الاخرى، بالايمان بجهنم أكثر من ايمانهم بجنة، لأنهم رأوا الكثير من الجحيم وربما لحظات من النعيم في دنياهم

يقول بأن الكثير في الثقافة الأكاديمية السائدة يميل للنظرة التشاؤمية، كيف لا ونحن نرى الاشياء كما هي عليه؟ هذا الكتاب، على العكس، ينظر الى العالم بنظرة ايجابية، لكن ما قرأته الى الن، يحلل بنظرة موضوعية البشر وثقافتهم.. اتسائل حاليا ان كان المؤلف سيفي بوعده عندما أقفل الكتاب وقد تكونت لدي فكرة ايجابية..

p. XVI
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تطرق الى تكوين المجتماعات البشرية للثقافات كمهرب ايضا

فمع أن البشر بنوا المباني واستخدموا الأدوات المعقدة للتغلب على قوى الطبيعة، فإن الكبيعة ظلت متربصة بهم، هي الأم والوحش في آن.. الأم التي تغذي البشر، والوحش الذي قد يثور عليهم قيبقلب ظواهر الطبيعة من فيضان وزلزال عليهم

ولكن ما بناه البشر من عمران ليس دوما تفوق على الطبيعة، وأعطى مثال مباني الصينيين الأثرية وثقافة الأزتك بنت المعابد ليس للتكبر على الطبيعة، ولكن لمراضاتها، فالمعابد الضخمةى بنيت لتقديم الأضاحي لهذه الطبيعة الأم..
فقدني قليلا في ارتباط هذه النقطةو بالهروب، هل هو هروب من الغضب، مثال (ففروا الى الله) أو اننا لن نفر من ذاك الذي هو أكبر منا الا بالهروب اليه؟ ربما.. وربما اسقط فهمي على ما يقوله المؤلف توان..


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الطبيعة الحيوانية

كلما تحضر الانسان، كلما ابتعد عن طبيعته. p. XIV

نحن أيضا نهرب مما يذكلانا بأصلنا الحيواني، نهرب من رائحتنا البشرية، وننظر لى الاخرين اذا ما فاحت روائحهم بنظرة دونية، لأنهم اقرب الي الحيوانات

اننا نهرب بذلك ونوهم انفسنا بأننا افضل من سائر المخلوقات
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يتبع
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[Bill Gholson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just "discovered" Yi-Fu Tuan, although he has been around for a long time. I just finished this book and have begun another, Who Am I. Also, I have purchased Topophilia, but haven't started it yet. Yi-Fu Tuan is a geographer who is interested in human relationships and geography. Escapism is a book which explores the role of escape in the evolution of cultures. Tuan writes clearly and elegantly. I am not sure I can adequately summarize what his book means to me, but I can say that it is a book that is beginning to change my thinking about so much. For Tuan, escape is a fundamental aspect of being human. Some escape is bad, especially if it becomes obsession. Other forms of escape are necessary and take us to places we need or want to be.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This text explore the psychological/philosophical factors associated with tourism, nature, and consumption, organized around the theme of escape. The parts about people attempting to escape from the animality of their own bodies was most interesting to me. The author spends significant time discussing food, the act of eating, and the steps we've taken to distance this necessary action from its animal connections.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

My other 5 star book...I can't even begin to explain what this book really is about...it is fascinating and one of the very few books I've ever re-read parts of...a philosophical look at many cultural issues..it starts with a meditation on the human desire to escape the humdrum and goes on to astute analyses of morality, ideas of heaven and earth, Christianity...not one bit dry...very global thinker.

[Erin Mccarty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been (slowly) reading this book for a couple months now. The depth to which it explains modern human behavior is impressive. It outlines how we try and escape our animal selves in such ways as using utensils to separate ourselves from the gruesome act of eating. (Still haven't gotten to the other "selves" yet...will update ;)

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea this is what "Geographers" wrote about. Maybe it isn't. Tuan looks at what it means to be human, with all its weirdness, contradictions, and possibility. What is imagination? Culture? Sex? Violence? Art? Escape? It's the smartest, plainest, most earnest book I've read in years.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting viewpoint - how humankind's essential nature is to escape whatever situation we are in: brutal nature to civilized society, civilization's "back to nature" movement, etc. While I agree with the premise, I thought the author ultimately got carried away with, and over-extended, his subject matter, research and observations. I am frankly surprised by all the raving reviews.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells you a lot about how we humans layer our reality with distractions, as to soften the blow of our corporal existence. Even if you disagree with some of Tuan's points - it gets you thinking.

[Jerad · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for someone looking for symmetry between disciplines in the humanities. It basically sums up human nature in a new light, and light that hopes the reader will be more thoughtful towards the real and unreal.

[Elise Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Tuan's prose is elegant yet daring, and he dives into human taboos - ranging from eating to more violent actions - with wonderfully confrontational descriptions that made me uncomfortable then in turn question my discomfort. He argues that culture IS escape, and I am convinced.

[Amir · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about a lot of things, and nothing in particular. The author --a Chinese-American-- is the definition of erudite. A mine of ideas and insights. Impressive!

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

culture as escape from facing the world "as it is"

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is pretty damned amazing. I left it feeling anxious and pessimistic and yet at the same time oddly comforted.

[Maryrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting...philosophy and literature...some pyschology