Homo americanus: Child of the Postmodern Age

by Tomislav Sunić

In this book Dr. Tomislav Sunic describes the origins and dynamics of America's founding myths. Quoting and translating from many long-forgotten or suppressed sources from the fields of literature, history, anthropology and philosophy, the book represents an interdisciplinary compendium dealing with the topic of Americanism. The genealogy of early Calvinist Puritanism mixed with the techno-scientific religion of boundless economic progress and legally veiled in the obscure para-Biblical and Jewish-inspired sense of political self-chosenness, created a system that has little in common with its original design. Postmodern Americanism, with its abstract theories of multiculturalism and its global desire for world improvement, turned America into a menacing and self-destructive continent that puts not only the survival of America's European heritage at risk, but threatens the heritage of other peoples worldwide as well.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Philosophy, American, History

252 pages, Paperback

First published February 23, 2007

About the author

Croatian-American writer, translator and a former professor.

He is best known for his books and writings critical of egalitarianism, biblical monotheism and liberal political discourse. His views are often cited as part of the Nouvelle Droite movement in Europe.

Reviews

[Tvrtko Balić]

This book is an interesting overview of various views on Americans and Americanism, as such it is rather good. But it is all over the place and when it comes to political views Sunić tends to put liberalism and communism in the same basket as a typical right winger. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, there are common tendencies to which one can be opposed, but when he goes more in detail while examining them the waters get muddled, one is presented more favourably than the other except soon the roles get reversed soon after and this all is made worse by misrepresenting and misevaluating communism as well as the not very strict structure of the work. Which means that my final thoughts are "OK, that's interesting..." and not really wanting to discuss it further.

[D]

I've subtracted one star mostly because the English is not very good, which is understandable coming from a quadruple-language polyglot. Much of the material is in dire need of an editor. Clarity, organization, spelling, and punctuation are lacking in places. In short, this book is an expose of Homo americanus, the American spirit which now haunts the entire globalized world. Sunic argues that the logical conclusion of the America's founding myths of infinite economic progress and egalitarianism, couched in Enlightenment and Judeo-Christian Puritan values, is the America we have today, which has fervently proselytized its ideology to the world. In the 21st century, essentially the whole world has been forcefully converted to Homo americanus in the name of freedom and profit. Who is at the head of this regime and who embodies the ideal form to aspire to? Scorched-earth zealots who have been "stripped of their cumbersome past and [are] ready to enter the lala-land of a radiant egalitarian future," revelling in the end of history and rejecting the veracity of time's cyclical nature. Quoting de Benoist, Sunic demonstrates that the "problem is not that Americans do not have history; they do not wish to have one." One cannot imagine a more spiritually bankrupt and deleterious mindset as this, yet Homo americanus has the insolence to proclaim its knowledge of absolute truth and foist it upon humanity. The first half of the book is prone to pontifical rambling which is worsened by the questionable formatting and wording of the material, whereas the second half proves shrewd enough to redeem the work as a whole. Especially refreshing is his criticism of White advocates who are too quick to blame their woes on "the Jews" or other enemies without realizing that they are the ones allowing themselves to be repeatedly hoodwinked, oftentimes as a result of certain behavioral and ideological tendencies which have been either ignored or erroneously held in esteem. It is important to be objective and self-critical, but not to the point of self-flagellation or capitulation. His emphasis of an interdisciplinary approach to education, research, and advocacy is much appreciated and dovetails nicely with his discussions of ideal organic societies. He also emphasizes that, along with being comprehensive, the Third Position and related groups must improve the legitimacy and efficacy of their discourse by remaining connected to the grassroots though accessible and legitimate mediums rather than remaining in the ivory tower to be eclipsed by the mainstream. Though he holds much of what America stands for in contempt, Sunic expresses confidence in the possibility of a renewed spirit that rejects the harmful hyperreality of atomized postmodern America and its international discontents, pointing to the unique position the United States occupies geopolitically (and otherwise) in contrast to Europe. The author even goes so far to say that the United States has better preserved the "true" European spirit, or at least has had a greater capacity to do so. Knowing Homo americanus is essential to plotting the course for the 21st century and Sunic does a great job of introducing the concept and its importance.

[Pinky 2.0]

Rather disappointing. It is a standard work within the framework of the New European Right with all the usual notes of criticism of liberalism, Christianity, Jewish liberal or communist influence. But, there's a strong lack of a proper structure where the reader is introduced to core ideas and the necessary attempts to make the thesis plausible. Most of the interesting things can be found in some of the authors Sunić often quotes, Nietzsche, Cioran, Schmitt, Solzhenitsyn and a few others.

[Greg Paulson]

Excellent book. Should be required reading for those who consider themselves on the "New Right," especially those in America.

I particularly liked what Sunic had to say concerning Puritanism.

[Pinkyivan]

Rather disappointing. It is a standard work within the framework of the New European Right with all the usual notes of criticism of liberalism, Christianity, Jewish liberal or communist influence. But, there's a strong lack of a proper structure where the reader is introduced to core ideas and the necessary attempts to make the thesis plausible. Most of the interesting things can be found in some of the authors Sunić often quotes, Nietzsche, Cioran, Schmitt, Solzhenitsyn and a few others.

[John Smith]

Meh. Great ideas but author desperately needs a forceful editor, for chatty is he, and excessive at times. But, substantially, I would say: The guys on Exodus Americanus a while ago made the smart point that the author, understandably as a foreigner, appears to not know that the Homo Americanus of which he writes is a recent invention, perhaps but 153 years old. The true ancestral American is the still hearty and extant Amerikaner, which see.