The Culture Cult : Designer Tribalism And Other Essays / Roger Sandall.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sandall, Roger, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Alternative lifestyles.

Primitivism.

Civilization, Modern--Public opinion.

Civilization, Modern.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (225 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

London : Taylor and Francis, 2018.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

"The Culture Cultis an acerbic critique of that longing widespread in society today to retreat from civilization.? From Rousseau and the Noble Savage to modern defenders of ethnicity such as Isaiah Berlin and Karl Polanyi, a prominent intellectual tradition has over-romanticized the virtues of tribal life. In contrast, another tradition, represented by Karl Popper, Michael Polanyi, and Ernest Gellner, defends modern values and civil society. The Culture Cult discusses both sides of this divide between "culture" and "civilization," and between "closed" and "open" societies. The romantic insistence on the superiority of the primitive is increasingly grounded in a fictionalized picture of the past-a picture often created with the aid of well-meaning but misguided anthropologists. Such idealizations work to the detriment of the very people they are meant to help, for they isolate minorities from such undeniable benefits of modern society as literacy and health care, and discourage them from participating in modern life. Few will find comfort in The Culture Cult, but many will recognize a valuable criticism of currently popular social politics."--Provided by publisher.

Contents:

part I Romantic Primitivism

The Anthropological Connection

chapter 1 The New Stone Age / Roger Sandall

chapter 2 Designer Tribalism / Roger Sandall

chapter 3 Enter the Noble Savage / Roger Sandall

chapter 4 The Triumph of the Litterateur / Roger Sandall

part II Academic Primitivism

The Political Implications

chapter 5 What Karl Polanyi Found in Dahomey / Roger Sandall

chapter 6 The Book of Isaiah / Roger Sandall

chapter 7 Karl Popper in New Zealand / Roger Sandall

part III Civilization and Its Malcontents

The Economic and Cultural Implications

chapter 8 Why Cultures Succeed or Fail / Roger Sandall

chapter 9 Civilization and Its Malcontents / Roger Sandall.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-429-96526-5

0-429-49671-0

0-429-97634-8

1-4294-8906-5

9780429496714

OCLC:

1027756590