No idea is as absurd as the idea of progress, which together with
its corollary notion of the superiority of modern civilization, has
created its own "positive" alibis by falsifying history, by
insinuating harmful myths in people's minds, and by proclaiming
itself sovereign at the crossroads of the plebeian ideology from
which it originated. In order to understand both the spirit of
Tradition and its antithesis, modern civilization, it is necessary
to begin with the fundamental doctrine of the two natures.
According to this doctrine there is a physical order of things and
a metaphysical one; there is a mortal nature and an immortal one;
there is the superior realm of "being" and the inferior realm of
"becoming." Generally speaking, there is a visible and tangible
dimension and, prior to and beyond it, an invisible and intangible
dimension that is the support, the source, and the true life of the
former.--from chapter one. With unflinching gaze and uncompromising
intensity Julius Evola analyzes the spiritual and cultural malaise
at the heart of Western civilization and all that passes for
progress in the modern world. As a gadfly, Evola spares no one and
nothing in his survey of what we have lost and where we are headed.
At turns prophetic and provocative, Revolt against the Modern
Worldoutlines a profound metaphysics of history and demonstrates
how and why we have lost contact with the transcendent dimension of
being. The revolt advocated by Evola does not resemble the familiar
protests of either liberals or conservatives. His criticisms are
not limited to exposing the mindless nature of consumerism, the
march of progress, the rise of technocracy, or the dominance of
unalloyed individualism, although these and other subjects come
under his scrutiny. Rather, he attempts to trace in space and time
the remote causes and processes that have exercised corrosive
influence on what he considers to be the higher values, ideals,
beliefs, and codes of conduct--the world of Tradition--that are at
the foundation of Western civilization and described in the myths
and sacred literature of the Indo?Europeans. Agreeing with the
Hindu philosophers that history is the movement of huge cycles and
that we are now in the Kali Yuga, the age of dissolution and
decadence, Evola finds revolt to be the only logical response for
those who oppose the materialism and ritualized meaninglessness of
life in the twentieth century. Through a sweeping study of the
structures, myths, beliefs, and spiritual traditions of the major
Western civilizations, the author compares the characteristics of
the modern world with those of traditional societies. The domains
explored include politics, law, the rise and fall of empires, the
history of the Church, the doctrine of the two natures, life and
death, social institutions and the caste system, the limits of
racial theories, capitalism and communism, relations between the
sexes, and the meaning of warriorhood. At every turn Evola
challenges the reader's most cherished assumptions about
fundamental aspects of modern life. A controversial scholar,
philosopher, and social thinker, JULIUS EVOLA (1898-1974) has only
recently become known to more than a handful of English?speaking
readers. An authority on the world's esoteric traditions, Evola
wrote extensively on ancient civilizations and the world of
Tradition in both East and West. Other books by Evola published by
Inner Traditions include Eros and the Mysteries of Love, The Yoga
of Power, The Hermetic Tradition, and The Doctrine of Awakening.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
