Exploraciones: Hombres y Problemas

by Julius Evola, Santiago de Andrés (Translator)

A medida que vaya avanzando en su lectura no resultará difícil al lector vislumbrar el hilo que entreteje la presente recopilación de artículos, a primera vista muy dispares, que vio la luz en 1974, año que será también el del fallecimiento de su autor. Pero antes de comenzar su lectura, tanto título como índice le habrán permitido constatar que esta obra no constituye, como lo han sido otros de sus libros, un ensayo pormenorizado dedicado a una determinada doctrina tradicional o una exposición relativa a la actitud existencial a adoptar ante un mundo cuya trama se va disgregando con el transcurso del tiempo. Porque, en efecto, estas exploraciones, estos reconocimientos en territorios en parte enemigos, en parte amigos y en parte grises -zonas intermedias-, prestas a ser ocupadas por unos u otros, son en verdad admoniciones, planteamientos de ideas, sugerencias de caminos a tomar o tentativas de prevenir extravíos a quienes han ido a solicitar guía y consejo a su autor. Son, en definitiva, pues así lo muestran con claridad tonos y contenidos, escritos seleccionados o redactados muy especialmente para creyentes –por emplear un término bastante inadecuado–unos creyentes, además en pleno combate o en vísperas de entrar en él.

Genres: Philosophy, Politics, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Julius Evola (19 May 1898 – 11 June 1974), born Giulio Cesare Andrea Evola, was an Italian philosopher and esoteric scholar. Born in Rome to a family of the Sicilian landed gentry, Evola was raised a strict Catholic. Despite this, his life was characterised by 'an anti-bourgeois approach' hostile to both 'the dominant tradition of the West—Christianity and Catholicism—and to contemporary civilization—the 'modern world' of democracy and materialism'.

By turns 'engineering student, artillery officer, Dadaist poet and painter, journalist, alpinist, scholar, linguist, Orientalist, and political commentator', he has been described as a 'rare example of universality in an age of specialization'. Yet behind it all lay a singular emphasis on, and pursuit of, a 'direct relationship to the Absolute'. For Evola, 'the center of all things was not man, but rather the Transcendent.' This metaphysical conviction can be seen to have determined both Evola's stance on socio-political issues, and his antipathetic attitude towards 'all professional, sentimental and family routines'.

The author of many books on esoteric, political and religious topics (including The Hermetic Tradition, The Doctrine of Awakening and Eros and the Mysteries of Love), his best-known work remains Revolt Against the Modern World, a trenchant critique of modern civilisation that has been described as 'the gateway to his thought'. Since his death, also in Rome, his writings have influenced right-wing, reactionary and conservative political thought not only in his native Italy, but throughout continental Europe and, increasingly, the English-speaking world. Nevertheless, he should not be considered primarily as a political thinker, but rather as an exponent of the wider Traditionalist School that encompasses the work of such individuals as René Guénon, Titus Burckhardt and Frithjof Schuon.

Reviews

[Bobby Daugherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written towards the end of his life, a collection of essays that are direct as well as informative on the value of our heritage and birthright as well as the putrid elements opposing our very existence.

[Mariasole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una buona fonte di brevi saggi su società, politica e storia Mi sarebbe piaciuto però che la casa editrice avesse inserito la data per ogni scritto,in modo da contenstualizzarli e relazionarli tra loro,

[Radu · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Evola is Cognac for the soul.

Perhaps not as insightful as his other works, but still a good collection of mostly post-WWII essays about the world as Evola saw it.