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Age of Anger
Age of Anger: A History of the Present | Pankaj Mishra
23 posts | 7 read | 1 reading | 43 to read
One of our most important public intellectuals reveals the hidden history of our current global crisis How can we explain the origins of the great wave of paranoid hatreds that seem inescapable in our close-knit world - from American 'shooters' and ISIS to Trump, from a rise in vengeful nationalism across the world to racism and misogyny on social media? In Age of Anger, Pankaj Mishra answers our bewilderment by casting his gaze back to the eighteenth century, before leading us to the present. He shows that as the world became modern those who were unable to fulfil its promises - freedom, stability and prosperity - were increasingly susceptible to demagogues. The many who came late to this new world or were left, or pushed, behind, reacted in horrifyingly similar ways: intense hatred of invented enemies, attempts to re-create an imaginary golden age, and self-empowerment through spectacular violence. It was from among the ranks of the disaffected that the militants of the 19th century arose - angry young men who became cultural nationalists in Germany, messianic revolutionaries in Russia, bellicose chauvinists in Italy, and anarchist terrorists internationally. Today, just as then, the wider embrace of mass politics, technology, and the pursuit of wealth and individualism has cast many more billions adrift in a literally demoralized world, uprooted from tradition but still far from modernity - with the same terrible results. Making startling connections and comparisons, Age of Anger is a book of immense urgency and profound argument. It is a history of our present predicament unlike any other.
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Cartoom
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“The current vogue for the zombie apocalypse in films seems to have been anticipated by the multitudes on city pavements around the world, lurching forward while staring blankly at screens.”

Litsy? 😉

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Oblomov26
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Bad busy day at work, quick walk to the bookshop... two books later.

Libby1 I hope work will improve. 7y
Oblomov26 @Libby1 thanks for that- work is over for the week apart from a quick teleconference tomorrow, so all good (edited) 7y
TrishB I hear you! But you‘re better than me as I had a bad day and ordered 10 books online 👍🏻 7y
57 likes3 comments
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needleminding
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Current lunch (& walking) listen. 😬

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theshrinkette
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Our October 2017 selection for Social Justice Book Club is AGE OF ANGER by Pankaj Mishra, that discusses the rise of nationalism and a resurgence of right-wing political movements in recent times. The book club is hosted by @kerry and me over on Slack so if you'd like to join us, drop your email in the comments and we'll add you. Looking forward to an interesting read and insightful conversations. #SJBookClub #nonfiction #bookclub #octoberpick

mrozzz I'd much rather get this edition!! On my TBR.. 7y
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PacingTheCage
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More brews...loving the brewery scene in Raleigh NC today

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PacingTheCage
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Brewery touring today...free pretzels!

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PacingTheCage
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#beer #book #chickenandbiscuits

Saturday in Apex, NC

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Laalaleighh
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When the non-fiction book you're reading seems to be expounding upon a major theme in the big buddy read you are participating in. #TheSatanicVersesBuddyRead

batsy That is perfect book synchronicity. And I'm going to have to add Mishra to the TBR. 7y
Laalaleighh @batsy I'm reading around 16 pages a day and it's working pretty well for me. I decided to break it into chunks so I had time to process. It's a really interesting perspective. Hope you enjoy it! 7y
Lcsmcat Wow. I'm stacking this! 7y
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Laalaleighh @batsy @lcsmcat hope you enjoy it! (edited) 7y
batsy Thanks @Laalaleighh! I just don't know when I'll get to it 😬 I love the parts you've quoted. 7y
Laalaleighh @batsy haha I meant that second one for Lcsmcat. Sorry for repetitively tagging you twice. 7y
batsy @Laalaleighh Ah, OK no worries 😀 7y
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Laalaleighh
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Sorry for all the quote pics, I'm just finding the premise of this book seriously fascinating.

We need a political science buddy read group on Litsy for us politics junkies.

Kathrin I am in! 7y
Laalaleighh @Kathrin haha someone sooo much more organized than me would have to be in charge of such a thing. 🙈 7y
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Laalaleighh
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Laalaleighh
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Laalaleighh
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Decided to go ahead and add a non-fiction to my current reads list. I figure if I'm gonna do this book polygamy thing I might as well go all out! 16 pages a day= finished by the end of July!

I'm excited. I've been wanting to get around to my nonfiction stack forever, but the siren songs of fiction books always sway my little serial monogamist heart away when it's time to choose what to read next.

Zelma I find it pretty easy to juggle a fiction with non-fiction. Best way to multitask since they tend to be so different. 7y
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Leelee.reads
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Grabbed this at the library knowing nothing about it. Already I am wishing the copy was my own - this is an "underline as you read and make notes" kind of book.

Megabooks 👍🏻👍🏻 7y
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Floresj
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Mehso-so

Listened to this on audio....I found a lot of the information really interesting and well researched. Basically, can you have nationalism and still respect other cultures? (You would hope so, but it seems there is a lot of data to prove otherwise.) Just a little meandering for me to rave about it, but many cultures and governments featured from the French Revolution to ISIS to Trump.

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mllemay
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Pickpick

This was like brain candy for the political science nerd in me. His thesis and argumentation is so on point in my opinion, so if you're curious but don't think you can stomach 300 pages of deeply detailed political philosophy, just read the epilogue - you'll get the essential and impactful idea in a more succinct and approachable manner. Definitely buying my own copy of this so I can underline like crazy.

RaimeyGallant I love the cover. 8y
mllemay @RaimeyGallant me too! And the paper quality is also really nice. 8y
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mllemay

Only 15 pages into the introduction and he's already quoted Hannah Arendt 8 times... I think this book and I will be great friends 😃

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Vikz
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Dorianna
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Reading a very timely book this afternoon.

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Books_Wine_Repeat
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Pickpick

This is a look at the history of the global crisis affecting us, the disenfranchised who turn to scapegoating and violence. From Hindu nationals, Russian anarchists to Isis to Trump, the tangerine demagogue. I felt this book could have been twice as long and it wouldn't have covered everything. This is a must read for everyone.

Librariana Yes, mamá! Preach!! 🙌😄😊 8y
Laalaleighh Im adding this to my collection post-haste 8y
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Laalaleighh @Books_Wine_Repeat my bookstore was sold out completely! 8y
Books_Wine_Repeat @Laalaleighh Wow!! 😮Hopefully they restock soon. 8y
Laalaleighh @Books_Wine_Repeat I ordered it. They apparently ran out of the first printing for B&N. 8y
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IReadThereforeIBlog
Pickpick

Inspired by the rise of the Hindu nationalists to government in India in 2014, Pankaj Mishra attempts in this book to explain that the rise of the demagogues together with the attraction of extremist groups such as ISIS to westernised youth.