The Decadent Society
How We Became the Victims of Our Own Success
Ross Douthat
"The Decadent Society" offers a powerful portrait of the stagnation and decay that define our turbulent times. As the Western world struggles with economic stagnation, political stalemates, cultural exhaustion, and demographic decline, society is caught in a strange kind of "sustainable decadence" that threatens to endure for longer than we think. Through a broad range of topics, from earthbound surveillance to recycling of Baby Boomer pop culture, Douthat provides an enlightening diagnosis of our modern condition, offering insight into how we got here, how long our malaise might last, and how it might ultimately end."
Publish Date
2020-02-25T00:00:00.000Z
2020-02-25T00:00:00.000Z
Goodreads Rating
3.77
ISBN
9781476785240
Recommendations
3
Recommendations
2020-02-16T00:00:00.000Z
I benefitted from reading this strikingly well-written book that ranges widely and intelligently over politics, economics, and culture, and captures something very essential about America today. – sourceSets the stakes for the most urgent public debate of the 2020s: How do we get back to the future? – source
2019-11-16T00:00:00.000Z
Excellent book! It has a real dose of Peter Thiel (and some Tyler Cowen), and most of it comes as fresh material even if you have read all of Ross’s other columns and books. Imagine the idea of technological stagnation tied together with a conservative Catholic critique of decadence, and in a convincing manner with a dose of pro-natalism tossed in for good measure. There is commentary on Star Wars, Back to the Future, Jordan Peterson, and much more. – source