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The Age Of Absurdity: Why Modern Life Makes It Hard To Be Happy
The good news is that the great thinkers from history have proposed the same strategies for happiness and fulfilment. The bad news is that these turn out to be the very things most discouraged by contemporary culture. This knotty dilemma is the subject of The Age of Absurdity - a wry and accessible investigation into how the desirable states of wellbeing and satisfaction a...more
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452nd out of 538 books
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I picked this one up in the American Bookstore in Amsterdam to read while on some work travels. I've never laughed out loud like this while reading a book of philosophy. I also have rarely been so moved by the prose of a work of non-fiction.
Foley takes a tour of the things that make us unhappy, shows why we spend much of our time doing the opposite of what might make us happy, and gives a few hints regarding new paths to take if we want to improve our outlook on life and ourselves. It's not a se...more
Foley takes a tour of the things that make us unhappy, shows why we spend much of our time doing the opposite of what might make us happy, and gives a few hints regarding new paths to take if we want to improve our outlook on life and ourselves. It's not a se...more
This is about 50% of the greatest self-help book ever written. Only '50%' becaise while Foley is able to nail down - with the support of many a Stoic, Buddhist and psychologist - precisely what makes people unhappy, he stumbles significantly when musing on how to overcome those things.
In short, everything which western civilisation is striving towards is precisely what's making us all so miserable. Americans are apparently the most likely people to suffer from depression, little wonder in a land...more
In short, everything which western civilisation is striving towards is precisely what's making us all so miserable. Americans are apparently the most likely people to suffer from depression, little wonder in a land...more
Jan 21, 2012
Bataviaan
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Adolescents, existentially burdened people
Shelves:
interesting
Highly valuable book, with very wise insights, spot-on analyses and laughing out loud humor. A feast of recognition that provides a much needed mirror and suggestions for living better.
Long lasting happiness is elusive and hard to attain. Even more so in our affluent culture where the focus seems to be on the external at the cost of inner emptiness.
I am very happy to have read this book. The author's honest realism helps to reflect on the things that are happening before our eyes everyday. The t...more
Long lasting happiness is elusive and hard to attain. Even more so in our affluent culture where the focus seems to be on the external at the cost of inner emptiness.
I am very happy to have read this book. The author's honest realism helps to reflect on the things that are happening before our eyes everyday. The t...more
This is a sharp, witty, highly intelligent and really quite brilliant book. Foley reminds us that our yearning for authenticity is not found only in novelty—a new place, a new lover, a new job: “More effective is to see the familiar with new eyes . . . to smash the crust of habit and see life anew.” He exhorts us to “begin a new job in your current post, enjoy a holiday where you actually live, and most thrillingly, plunge into a tumultuous affair with your own spouse.” (139)
The book is full of...more
The book is full of...more
I agree with Chris in that some people wouldnt read this book because it would actually expose their own limitations and people dont like to hear that their belief system is rather vapid. There are some great insights in this book and the moments of mocking are delivered with great aplomb. One of my favourite lines in this book is when he is talking about 2nd Life "2nd life is the only place where 2 heterosexual men can have a lesbian affair".
He also shares my views that "difficulty is crucial,...more
He also shares my views that "difficulty is crucial,...more
A fascinating, erudite, compelling exploration of the philosophy and science of happiness - whether it's achievable as a sustained state, what brain chemistry tells us about love and infatuation, our biological drive for transcendent states and why they are essentially unsustainable, why variety may be wildly overrated and misunderstood, why the great philosophers all seem to arrive at the same conclusions about man's search for meaning...
I've recommended this book to at least a dozen friends. I...more
I've recommended this book to at least a dozen friends. I...more
The fact that modern life can make it hard to be happy is undoubtedly true. And nostalgia isn't what it used to be either. Michael Foley has clearly been brooding for some time over the cause(s) of his dissatisfaction with the world, and has produced a comprehensive, convincing, and enjoyably readable, analysis of why he feels it is so.
This is a "practical philosophy" book akin to any one of Alain de Botton's, with almost as many references to Proust, though slightly less pretentious and with ma...more
This is a "practical philosophy" book akin to any one of Alain de Botton's, with almost as many references to Proust, though slightly less pretentious and with ma...more
I'm afraid I found this a bit of a grumblefest.
It might be because I spotted this in the bookshop of the Whitechapel Gallery that I expected more about art. I thought I was going to learn about Kierkegaard, Kafka, and Camus, and their relation to the modern age. All that is mentioned, but for the most part this book concentrates on a detail of the things which make us unhappy.
Not that he doesn’t do a good job of explaining the difficulties in finding happiness. Just sometimes it felt like it was...more
It might be because I spotted this in the bookshop of the Whitechapel Gallery that I expected more about art. I thought I was going to learn about Kierkegaard, Kafka, and Camus, and their relation to the modern age. All that is mentioned, but for the most part this book concentrates on a detail of the things which make us unhappy.
Not that he doesn’t do a good job of explaining the difficulties in finding happiness. Just sometimes it felt like it was...more
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When I surf the net and read the blogs ..I have the impression that a lot of sites are dedicated to the pursuit of happiness. You can achieve happiness with meditation, diet or sports, by becoming a digital nomad, by keeping your possessions under 50 items, by living smaller, by becoming your own boss etc...the list goes on and on. Never have we been more unhappy in a more affluent society. Michael Foley does a good job in going for the roots and causes of this very difficult and possibly very t...more
Good, but not great. Worth reading, but meh :-)
I don't know. On the one hand, Blessed are the Grumpy. It's nice to see somebody shaking a curmudgeonly fist at society and with a bit of style. And it's nice to see a book and ties together a lot of different sources of ideas from Buddhism, literature, philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, etc; especially if you have exposure to a subset of the stuff (for example Buddhism and some of the pop psych stuff like the “hedonic treadmill“ from the Paradox...more
I don't know. On the one hand, Blessed are the Grumpy. It's nice to see somebody shaking a curmudgeonly fist at society and with a bit of style. And it's nice to see a book and ties together a lot of different sources of ideas from Buddhism, literature, philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, etc; especially if you have exposure to a subset of the stuff (for example Buddhism and some of the pop psych stuff like the “hedonic treadmill“ from the Paradox...more
Any passionate writer taking on the "This is what's wrong with the world today" project is doomed to polarize his readers. Most can agree that every generation sees new trends, beliefs and technologies that are taken too far, but few can agree on the exact point at which "too far" occurs. Bearing that in mind, I was not surprised to find many of Foley's arguments to be absolutely spot-on, while others were too broad-sweeping.
Let's start with his mistakes. Steeped in his own social privilege, he...more
Let's start with his mistakes. Steeped in his own social privilege, he...more
This is my second reading of this great critique of modernity. I love the length and breadth of the extensive critique on offer in this book, ranging from love to corporate cultures. Where the narrative drifts is the author's insistence on value of detachment in this very open and crowded modern life of ours. If detachment was so important to human survival than why has its use receded? For I believe that Human beings are only looking to survive in this world in the best possible manner and evol...more
Human beings understand more about the world than ever before, but as we confront our insignificance in the scale of the universe, most of us have actually become more and more egotistical. We demand instant gratification in every arena, from work to love to being entertained. Without pointing his finger at any particular cause, Foley does suggest a unitary solution, which is to enjoy the inherent meaninglessness and Kafka-esque futility of existence. Foley ends the book by summarising the Myth...more
Michael Foley with ‘The Age of Absurdity’ will make you sit down and look at the world around you more closely. Or will put you under the cold shower while you will be reading about how the satisfaction and well-being are constantly undermined by modern lifestyles. The author explores the unattainable state of happiness, confirming his allegations with examples in philosophy, modern psychology, science, religious teachings and everyday life.
No, this is not about self-help literature. Self-help l...more
No, this is not about self-help literature. Self-help l...more
A wonderfully witty debunking of the false claims of modern life. Foley reasons beautifully for a little more detachment and difficulty in our lives to counter our innate sense of entitlement (itself a logical continuation of the battle for rights in the 1970s and subsequent eschewing of duties). He also outlines the importance of the dying art of gratitude and questions the conformity and passivity induced by organised religion - characterising both Jesus and the Bhudha as activists.
Fairly good book that mostly serves as a reminder that the greatest satisfactions in life come from the struggle of making something for ourselves and finding our meaning. There are no end points, just a constant slogging up a hill that can sometimes feel pointless. The only solution is to love the journey, because there is no such thing as a "destination"...as soon as we find that elusive thing that makes us "happy," it isn't long before we set our sights on something else.
At times it can come...more
At times it can come...more
An enjoyable rant at the state of modern life but like a good cranky dinner party. Drawing heavily on his favourite books (Satre, Joyce, Nietzsche) and on much anecdotal evidence, Foley jumps from topic to topic about the absurdness of modern life. Which would be great at a dinner party but after the first chapter is a bit tiring in a book. Smile or Die by Barbara Ehrenreich is a more analytical look at a similar issue.
I may not agree with Mr Foley on everything (I have my doubts about the existence of free will, something that in the books is regarded nearly as an act of faith), but I agree, wholeheartedly, with most of what he criticises in this book. Like the uncommited, inconsistent approach to relationships that is becoming the norm in our society, something that Bauman also criticised with far less conscision and humour.
This i s a treasure of a book. Foley approaches all lifes traps and pitfalls and systematically attacks them.
This book shines a light of skewed or faulty thinking, WHY people think such things and believe other things and gives starling ideas on how to improve ones self without the pat crassness of self help books by using psychology to understand ones nature and philosophy to understand general nature.
This book shines a light of skewed or faulty thinking, WHY people think such things and believe other things and gives starling ideas on how to improve ones self without the pat crassness of self help books by using psychology to understand ones nature and philosophy to understand general nature.
Oct 11, 2014
Rachel Lindan
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction,
philosophy
Delightfully written and infinitely readable, this is not the chronicle of despairing resignation one might expect it to be, title and tagline considered. Full of underlineable lines and quotable quotes that cohabit most amiably, it is a pleasure to amble through, nodding, smirking, and pausing to ponder frequently. There are few pitfalls, but they are too forthright to ignore - the tines Foley gets a little too pleased with himself, or reveals woefully clanging views of trans* people and bisexu...more
A great collection of insights and thoughts, accessible and still scientific with amongst others many quotes of and references to great philosophers (Kierkegaard, Schopenhauer, Kant, Nietzsche, Arendt,...) and authors (Proust, Joyce, Rilke,...)
I wouldn't say that I agree with the whole content of the book. It's witty and at times challenging, as it sends you back a not so glossy and glamorous image of yourself. The author introduces himself as a non-believer but seems biased towards Buddhism which he appears to consider a pretty positive religion compared to the nonsense other religions are. As far as I'm concerned, they are all based of bs, and you shouldn't consider one above the other if you haven't studied each one profoundly.
Apar...more
Apar...more
Life is so absurd that no one points out how absurd it is. Just like King's new clothes, no one points it out until a boy shouts it aloud. So ridiculous this book is that I couldn't help laughing and nodding my head after all the laughter subsided and the truth emerged.
What's the King's new clothes here? It is to criticize the contemporary ways of living, such as work, leisure and love. The amount of self-entitlement, ego-inflation, despise towards difficulty, distracting information in modern e...more
What's the King's new clothes here? It is to criticize the contemporary ways of living, such as work, leisure and love. The amount of self-entitlement, ego-inflation, despise towards difficulty, distracting information in modern e...more
SAÇMALIKLAR ÇAĞI
(http://www.kitabinomurgasi.com/2013/0...)
Kitaptan Alıntılar ve Sentezler:
-Mutluysan farkedemezsin, fark ediyorsan da mutlu değilsindir; bu en ciddi SAÇMALIKtır. Yaşam, Anlamsız ve Saçmadır. Bu saçmalıktan keyif çıkarabilmek, Tanrı ile birlikte Tanrı'nın yaptığı şakalara gülebilmekle mümkündür (S.Beckett).
-Yaşam Cini'nin toniği Nietzsche, limonu ise Schopenhauer'dir.
-İP ÜSTÜNDE SADECE İLERİ GİDİLEREK AYAKTA KALINABİLİNEN dünyada mutlulukçok da kolay değildir.
-Günümüz sisteminin a...more
(http://www.kitabinomurgasi.com/2013/0...)
Kitaptan Alıntılar ve Sentezler:
-Mutluysan farkedemezsin, fark ediyorsan da mutlu değilsindir; bu en ciddi SAÇMALIKtır. Yaşam, Anlamsız ve Saçmadır. Bu saçmalıktan keyif çıkarabilmek, Tanrı ile birlikte Tanrı'nın yaptığı şakalara gülebilmekle mümkündür (S.Beckett).
-Yaşam Cini'nin toniği Nietzsche, limonu ise Schopenhauer'dir.
-İP ÜSTÜNDE SADECE İLERİ GİDİLEREK AYAKTA KALINABİLİNEN dünyada mutlulukçok da kolay değildir.
-Günümüz sisteminin a...more
With the pace that culture has been changing over the past few decades, it easy to lose context and sink into abjectly absurd behaviours. Their description is the main thrust of The Age of Absurdity, uncovering a wide variety of peculiar modern attitudes in all spheres of human life. Foley uses witty anecdotes and aphorisms to create a concise book of wise crankiness, of quality marred but not entirely negated by the his dogmatism.
In his enthusiasm for disabusing the reader of his assumed, outra...more
In his enthusiasm for disabusing the reader of his assumed, outra...more
Have you ever wondered why life today is so bizarre? People feel entitled to have everything now without responsibility or effort - education, career, and even love - all of which actually require years of hard work. Most think they are so important they are all above average, especially in skills and abilities, although numerically, half of the population must be below it. Everyone is obsessed with recording everything because they seem to think nothing really happened unless it is documented o...more
I initially thought that this would be a simple piss take of the consumer society, but before long I realised this was a much more serious study of why, in this day and age, we are increasingly unsatisfied with our lot. Well, what else is new, the book initially asks? From the Greeks to the Romans, from Buddha to Christ, from Anthony Robbins to Jerry Springer, we are constantly striving to find a new answer as to what might make us happy. It's a big question. The author delves into a variety of...more
this is aimed at the malcolm gladwell type reader but is a bit more serious and less anecdotal than one might expect . so it is a bit more than " Big Brother has ruined our world " sort of analysis .
the fact is that after a certain point there seems to be an inverse relation between increased wealth and happiness so that the USA has more depressed people than a much poorer country .poverty may be depressing but increased wealth does not mean increased happiness
after trying to define happiness w...more
the fact is that after a certain point there seems to be an inverse relation between increased wealth and happiness so that the USA has more depressed people than a much poorer country .poverty may be depressing but increased wealth does not mean increased happiness
after trying to define happiness w...more
Foley, delivers some extreme insightfulness at the beginning and throughout, but near the end I felt he lost some traction. I felt that he started to generalize closer to the end and that his arguments were more based on bias and emotion instead of taking a critical thinking route. He dismisses many areas that don't necessarily fit his arguments. I couldn't help but notice that many of his arguments were centred around some brief case studies and generalizations of culturally specific studies. I...more
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| The Age Of Absurdity: | 1 | 11 | Oct 09, 2013 11:35AM |
Originally from Killavullen, Co Cork, Michael Foley has written Kings of September, winner of the 2007 BoyleSports Irish Sportsbook of the year. He also ghostwrote Harte: Presence Is the Only Thing, the autobiography of Tyrone gaelic football manager Mickey Harte, shortlisted for the 2009 William Hill Irish Sportsbook of the Year.
Winner of the GAA’s McNamee Award in 2008 and shortlisted for Sports...more
More about Michael Foley...
Winner of the GAA’s McNamee Award in 2008 and shortlisted for Sports...more
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“The talent for self-justification is surely the finest flower of human evolution, the greatest achievement of the human brain. When it comes to justifying actions, every human being acquires the intelligence of an Einstein, the imagination of a Shakespeare, and the subtlety of a Jesuit.”
—
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“To learn to die is to learn to live. Death is the giver of life.”
—
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More quotes…
Nov 11, 2013 11:40AM
Dec 16, 2013 10:27PM