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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
I remember starting (though not finishing) The Origins of Totalitarianism many years ago. Back then I thought it great and put Arendt on my list of thinkers to follow.
With the Human Condition, I have no idea what I just read.
Believe me, I tried, and I'm not completely ignorant of the topics she discusses. But if there ever was a stream-of-consciousness book, this was it. The first twenty pages and the last twenty pages make some sense, but the rest I don't get. I get what she says about a great many things, but I don't get how what she says is relevant most of the time.
There might be a familiar case of mistaking obscurantism for profundity in some of the praises here. I'm happy to be corrected, but this was an unqualified miss.
With the Human Condition, I have no idea what I just read.
Believe me, I tried, and I'm not completely ignorant of the topics she discusses. But if there ever was a stream-of-consciousness book, this was it. The first twenty pages and the last twenty pages make some sense, but the rest I don't get. I get what she says about a great many things, but I don't get how what she says is relevant most of the time.
There might be a familiar case of mistaking obscurantism for profundity in some of the praises here. I'm happy to be corrected, but this was an unqualified miss.
um...amazing book...for as far as got in it before i lost it (lost it)....i'm sorry stas...
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Too many library holds at the same time!! Want to come back. Dense, but interesting.
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Updating from 4->4.5 because I keep thinking about the ideas here.
So many of the ideas here (especially about work vs. labor, public vs private life, etc.), will stick with me for many years, and I anticipate I will want to reference them in conversation, so I am grateful to have Arendt's thoughts to chew on.
All the same - this was a book where I often found myself drifting off a bit as she went through complex explanations, until some line or piece of wisdom struck me with its brilliance.
I have purchased an anthology of her works so that I have a better idea of the specific threads I'd like to pull on, but will also be revisiting the sections of this book to chew on some of these quite fascinating ideas.
So many of the ideas here (especially about work vs. labor, public vs private life, etc.), will stick with me for many years, and I anticipate I will want to reference them in conversation, so I am grateful to have Arendt's thoughts to chew on.
All the same - this was a book where I often found myself drifting off a bit as she went through complex explanations, until some line or piece of wisdom struck me with its brilliance.
I have purchased an anthology of her works so that I have a better idea of the specific threads I'd like to pull on, but will also be revisiting the sections of this book to chew on some of these quite fascinating ideas.
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
10 de 10. Me ha cambiado completamente la forma de ver el mundo y abierto posibilidades que jamás había contemplado
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
I will describe my journey reading Arendt’s The Human Condition with the words “fair/unfair”. I was introduced to this book last year from a friend who wanted to share a different take on ideas surrounding globalization, capitalism, and other histories of labor. My friend was sharing this book while we were in Accra, the capital of Ghana. He said this book deals with the big three aspects of human existence—labor, work, and action—exploring how humans interact with the world, create meaning, and shape political life. His reflection also included insight on whether or not we could or should fairly judge Hannah Arendt on her opinions and descriptions of enslavement, exploitation, and joy because 1. She’s dead, we’re never going to hear from her ever again. 2. It’s quite powerful and profound that Accra reminded him of Arendt’s book so it’s possible that societies far and wide are mirroring what Arendt wrote.
Content Warnings
Minor: Slavery, Colonisation
challenging
reflective
slow-paced