Thoughtful, thorough, and flags some positives

Well researched and illustrated arguments build through a quagmire of depressing histories towards a few positive insights.

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Really very good yet utterly depressing

I read this in search of some hope for the future, even a glimmer of a Roadmap to a better more Utopien future rather than a dystopian one, but I seriously can't see this happening... If there is such a thing as reincarnation I really don't want to come back.

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Brilliant but flawed analysis! Read it!

Paul Mason is a treasure-no doubt about it. He's a Northener-that always helps! But he is widely read, deeply thoughtful, of an original cast of mind, and dedicated to humanity. He is also a great journalistic writer with all the advantages and the flaws of such-meaning, a too ready acceptance of his sources which he plunders with little scepticism or a willingness to subject to hard academic analysis and most disturbingly for me, he creates a most awful blaming analysis of Nietzsche for individualised selfishness and nihilism that, as a keen reader of this remarkable philosopher, I find unpalatably shallow and indicative therefore of a shallow analysis of the work. True-a reading of the awful 'Triumph of the Will' cobbled together by his psychopathic Nazi-sympathising, mate of Hitler- Sister, Elisabet, would lead one to deduce that Nietzche proposed a fascistic analysis of the Superman supporting a Nazi totalitarianism, but in fact, nothing could be further from the truth of his philosophical system which supported genuine love and engagement with humanity. Nietzsche was at pains to constantly point out that political control leads us to barbarism and so we must take individual responsibility for our life's MEANING. I offer no defence of his tragic misogyny other than to say it is rooted in his personal flawed experience of relationships and his natural 'turn' to a 'tragedic' interpretation of his relationships no doubt encouraged by his Wagnerian associations with Richard and Cosima which also ended in tragedy but have a beauty derived from the meeting of great but flawed minds.
Whatever, Paul Mason has written a book full of fire and well worth reading as an explanation offering some understanding of: potentially viable solutions to, our current pre-apocalyptic dilemmas. I would also urge a radical defence of the non-human being!

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2 people found this helpful

Excellent

Thought provoking de and reconstruction of why and how we should mobilise to defeat the reemergence of fascism.

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Interesting If Flawed

Paul Mason has written a broad tome here with some fantastic theories sandwiched in between some more peculiar thoughts. The general thesis, returning humanism to the core of futurist thinking, is a noble one for its opposition to the far-right, neo-nazis and nihlistic misognyists. (There's a gaping hole on the limits of humanism which is not addressed here). It is chapters around these topics Mason is at his strongest.
The weaker parts of the book, however, are when Mason discusses cybernetics and postmodernism - these parts seem less well researched than the rest of the chapters here and, crucially, Mason does a poor job of rebutting the abhorent theses which drives the Cultural Marxism is a conspiracy theory.
It's a wide-reaching book which doesn't always hit the expansive targets it aims for, but you have to respect anyone who tries to put together such a cohesive map for the future.

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4 people found this helpful

Weaves many strands towards a central theme so stick with it

As I get older I’m constantly reminded how little I know compared to how much I could & indeed want to know.

For some years now I’ve felt uncomfortable with the market led, selfish society in which I live & worked but could not articulate why.

Whilst not providing all the answers this book has at least provided me with a framework for my discomfort, sign posted where to read and research further and how I might live a none selfish none fascist life.

Two ideas that resonated personally were first “the networked self” utilising and embracing technology to find others who are equally uncomfortable with system and its current development trajectory. Second platform cooperation, a fairer human centred business model.

Thank you Paul for writing this book.

PJ

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Importand and worth your time

This is the first one of Paul's books I've read. I enjoy listening to him when he appears on TV or in youtube shows, so I expected I'd find this a good listen.

To be fair, its more substantial and serious than I expected and quite a detailed examination of science, philosophy of various flavours with his own analysis and unique experiences to fit it together. Given many works on philosophy are immense, it says a lot without being so voluminous it would not reach a wide audience.

The book does tackle some areas in depth but complex language is avoided so it is a relatively easy listen, which does not require a frequent run to the dictionary. Nevertheless there is enough in there to require more than one read.

Essentially, we are looking at a range of trends, from the rise of AI, fascism in various forms and a number of slave philosophies, which tend in the direction that a human is in fact no more than an object without free will of any sort and how these have impinged on the society in which we live; and what could happen in the future.

I am not a particularly ideological person, but have concluded that a substantial change is needed in the way things work. For me this book does explain some things I have observed and suggests some ways forward and makes many good points about how to go about it.

It is also useful that the writer worked many years as a reporter, is comfortable operating out of riots, various places across the world. A philosophy is one thing but if you never leave your home and go see what is actually happening, your philosophy and writings might have mathematical precision and be logically consistent but are likely to be of little application to actual lives.

If you haven't studied philosophy (I haven't but I used to live with someone who had) it may surprise you to find out just how negative some of them are. Whatever the writer intended, some 'slave philosophies' that regard man as no more than an animal are used to justify atrocities and awful regimes.

Not always an easy listen but worth the effort!

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Excellent

Written with clarity of purpose and vision mapping out moral pathways to a brighter future

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reminds me why I stopped reading the guardian

Obama good Trump bad, Putin super-villain Russia bad, first book of his have got. watched him on BBC and interviews etc. but this book is a rehash of the thinking that brought us trump and Russigate,
Paul, Heather Heyer and 28 other people where run over by a CAR why did you state a truck, does a red neck in a truck fit your narrative better, would you call this fake news or poetic licence. And was your man at the start from Tennessee real or made up.was Tennessee used as an address because hicks come from there, please read Matt Taibbi hate inc. first..Clear bright further is a truly awful book.
Would see my political leanings as OLD LEFT

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Parts good, but heavy underlying left wing slant

a bit anti white and misogyny obsessed but some good parts if you can ignore that

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