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pklawton's review against another edition
4.0
In The Burnout Society, Byung-Chul Han captures the reality of our modern era, exposing how relentless productivity and overachievement have created an exhausting culture.
Here are 5 ideas that stuck with me.
Era of Excess Positivity: Society no longer targets the Other as a threat. Instead, it overproduces, overcommunicates, and oversaturates us with positivity. This overabundance doesn't exclude; it overwhelms, leaving minds and bodies drained and burned out.
Achievement Society: The culture of "can" burdens individuals with unlimited potential while demanding self-imposed achievement. This turns people into relentless self-exploiters, constantly waging an internal war in search of perfection. Depression and boredom are the byproducts of this unceasing drive.
Neuronal Power and Tiredness: Han points to the rise of neuro-enhancers in a "doping society" that prizes productivity over vitality. Treating minds and bodies like machines to optimize denies the intricate layers of human life. Chasing this productivity exhausts us, producing a "society of tiredness" that replaces real connection with shallow achievement.
Self-Exploitation: People internalize the demand to produce and convince themselves of autonomy, but self-exploitation binds them to burnout. They create new limits in pursuit of perfection, never satisfied, always striving for unattainable goals.
Isolation and Narcissism: Technology and media deepen narcissistic self-focus, disrupting genuine human bonds. Without meaningful connections, isolation grows, driving individuals further into the burnout spiral.
Han's work is a clear critique of the forces shaping our world, revealing the destructive energy behind the endless pursuit of achievement. It's a sobering insight into the demands of modern life that compels reflection.
Here are 5 ideas that stuck with me.
Era of Excess Positivity: Society no longer targets the Other as a threat. Instead, it overproduces, overcommunicates, and oversaturates us with positivity. This overabundance doesn't exclude; it overwhelms, leaving minds and bodies drained and burned out.
Achievement Society: The culture of "can" burdens individuals with unlimited potential while demanding self-imposed achievement. This turns people into relentless self-exploiters, constantly waging an internal war in search of perfection. Depression and boredom are the byproducts of this unceasing drive.
Neuronal Power and Tiredness: Han points to the rise of neuro-enhancers in a "doping society" that prizes productivity over vitality. Treating minds and bodies like machines to optimize denies the intricate layers of human life. Chasing this productivity exhausts us, producing a "society of tiredness" that replaces real connection with shallow achievement.
Self-Exploitation: People internalize the demand to produce and convince themselves of autonomy, but self-exploitation binds them to burnout. They create new limits in pursuit of perfection, never satisfied, always striving for unattainable goals.
Isolation and Narcissism: Technology and media deepen narcissistic self-focus, disrupting genuine human bonds. Without meaningful connections, isolation grows, driving individuals further into the burnout spiral.
Han's work is a clear critique of the forces shaping our world, revealing the destructive energy behind the endless pursuit of achievement. It's a sobering insight into the demands of modern life that compels reflection.
natanbcpc's review against another edition
Very abstract and hard to follow. If you want to read this, definitely avoid the audio version, but I'm honestly not interested enough to give it a second chance.
guts_'s review against another edition
4.0
According to Han, society in the 21st century has transitioned from a disciplinary society in which individual behavior is regulated by disciplinary institutions (prisons, hospitals, schools, etc.) through surveillance and the regulation of time and space; to an achievement society in which the achievement-subject is no longer compelled by external forces but by an inner compulsion to achieve, to "be somebody", to maximize productivity. Power is no longer exerted through discipline but through "projects, initiatives, and motivation".
The transition into this new society is according to Han, the root cause of the modern epidemic of depression and anxiety. The constant pressure to achieve and failure to become who you really are results in burnout. Disciplinary society "produces madmen and criminals. In contrast, achievement society creates depressives and losers.".
The achievement-subject in modern society is fragmented, atomized and profoundly anxious due to the accelerated fleetingness of modern life. Likewise our perception of the world and the self becomes increasingly fragmented, we find in ourselves the compulsion to multitask, to maximize productivity and utility at all costs. This erodes our ability to focus on deep, creative work from which the cultural achievements of humanity have sprung. Our new hyperattention requires constant stimuli, constant influxes of information and simply cannot endure boredom. Han likens multitasking with an animal-like sense of perception, a regression rather than a progression. The replacement of contemplation with the mere consumption of information is a sign of a "new barbarism" and probably what motivated me to actually write a review instead of simply giving it a star-rating and moving on to passively consuming my next book. With the loss of contemplation and boredom, cultural production and spirituality are increasingly inaccessible to an achievement-subject who merely reacts to stimuli, passively consumes information, and is incessantly scrolling content on the hedonic hamster wheel.
Ultimately depression is a result of an excess of positivity in contrast with melancholy which is defined by negativity due to the absence or loss of an object of attachment. Depression is "objectless and therefore undirected". The Hegelian notion of the self emerges from negativity and conflict, that is, it is defined by its relation to the other but depression is "characterized by an absent relation to conflict". Thus the achievement-subject is not only alienated from society but also from themselves, from obtaining a healthy notion of self. I am not a philosophy or psychology student so there was quite a bit of Freudian psychoanalysis and references to Agamben regarding this topic towards the end that went over my head but I tried my best. Despite this, there were some very interesting ideas discussed in this short book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in how modernity has changed our relationship to society and ourselves.
The transition into this new society is according to Han, the root cause of the modern epidemic of depression and anxiety. The constant pressure to achieve and failure to become who you really are results in burnout. Disciplinary society "produces madmen and criminals. In contrast, achievement society creates depressives and losers.".
The achievement-subject in modern society is fragmented, atomized and profoundly anxious due to the accelerated fleetingness of modern life. Likewise our perception of the world and the self becomes increasingly fragmented, we find in ourselves the compulsion to multitask, to maximize productivity and utility at all costs. This erodes our ability to focus on deep, creative work from which the cultural achievements of humanity have sprung. Our new hyperattention requires constant stimuli, constant influxes of information and simply cannot endure boredom. Han likens multitasking with an animal-like sense of perception, a regression rather than a progression. The replacement of contemplation with the mere consumption of information is a sign of a "new barbarism" and probably what motivated me to actually write a review instead of simply giving it a star-rating and moving on to passively consuming my next book. With the loss of contemplation and boredom, cultural production and spirituality are increasingly inaccessible to an achievement-subject who merely reacts to stimuli, passively consumes information, and is incessantly scrolling content on the hedonic hamster wheel.
Ultimately depression is a result of an excess of positivity in contrast with melancholy which is defined by negativity due to the absence or loss of an object of attachment. Depression is "objectless and therefore undirected". The Hegelian notion of the self emerges from negativity and conflict, that is, it is defined by its relation to the other but depression is "characterized by an absent relation to conflict". Thus the achievement-subject is not only alienated from society but also from themselves, from obtaining a healthy notion of self. I am not a philosophy or psychology student so there was quite a bit of Freudian psychoanalysis and references to Agamben regarding this topic towards the end that went over my head but I tried my best. Despite this, there were some very interesting ideas discussed in this short book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in how modernity has changed our relationship to society and ourselves.
xln98's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 Stars.
This is a serious case of "it's not you, it's me". Although Chul-Han presents incredibly provacative ideas, it is often hidden In beteeen very dense paragraphs about things which I do not understand. The writing also lacks clarity at times, but this may be because of the translation.
May have to revisit this when I have read more.
This is a serious case of "it's not you, it's me". Although Chul-Han presents incredibly provacative ideas, it is often hidden In beteeen very dense paragraphs about things which I do not understand. The writing also lacks clarity at times, but this may be because of the translation.
May have to revisit this when I have read more.
ziliav's review against another edition
4.0
Mi primer acercamiento a Byung-Chul Han ha sido interesante. Plantea situaciones que se pueden constatar con cierta facilidad, y aunque no esté de acuerdo con todo lo que expuso en este ensayo sí me parece que tiene momentos de mucha relevancia.
“Así, el sujeto de rendimiento se abandona a la libertad obligada o a la libre obligación de maximizar el rendimiento. El exceso de trabajo y rendimiento se agudiza y se convierte en autoexplotación. Esta es mucho más eficaz que la explotación por otros, pues va acompañada de un sentimiento de libertad. El explotador es al mismo tiempo el explotado. Víctima y verdugo ya no pueden diferenciarse.”
“Así, el sujeto de rendimiento se abandona a la libertad obligada o a la libre obligación de maximizar el rendimiento. El exceso de trabajo y rendimiento se agudiza y se convierte en autoexplotación. Esta es mucho más eficaz que la explotación por otros, pues va acompañada de un sentimiento de libertad. El explotador es al mismo tiempo el explotado. Víctima y verdugo ya no pueden diferenciarse.”
alexm0101's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
4.5
serenade's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
3.75
continental philosophy. re-read this at some other date.
tyndareos's review against another edition
3.0
Short little interesting Book with only around 60 pages.
So his main claim is that we live in an undisciplined society in which we don't require discipline anymore but desire to archive instead.
Reminds me of Michel Foucault's book :Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison.
Of his vision of a Pan optic Prison to a Pan optic society with a self monitoring mechanism, declining privacy for comfort.
Instead, there is an indoctrinated perceived need of self optimizing through outer input as advertisement. Focused on societally formed issues as : “don't be a health burden” “do sports stay slim” “smoking kills”. Still positive, but slowly turning to a pathological need of self optimizing with no end.
Han makes some weird claims about God, of course with no further proof, and rests on the burden of proof. From a Judaic view, he argues that we should undergo Sabbath and rest and restrain from the modern distractions.
He also continues to argue how our modern society burns itself out through over working and trying to do more in less time and burden less employees with more work and expose them to unhealthy working practices, ignoring mental health issues.
Han critiques a surplus of positivity in our culture, everything is framed as achievable and positive, ignoring the natural existence of negativity.
This constant pressure to be happy and productive paradoxically could lead to burnout.
It denies the need for rest and discourages acknowledging challenges.
Further hindering growth is the concept of achievement without negativity.
It suggests success comes solely through positivity and effort, overlooking the valuable lessons learned from mistakes and failures.
Reflection on negative experiences is crucial, but this cultures discourages it.
Finally, the like culture on social media creates a system where self worth is tied to external validation. The constant need for approval creates a fragile sense of value, easily shattered by negativity. This dependence on external validation fuels a cycle of needing to constantly perform and achieve for social approval, ultimately contributing to burnout.
So his main claim is that we live in an undisciplined society in which we don't require discipline anymore but desire to archive instead.
Reminds me of Michel Foucault's book :Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison.
Of his vision of a Pan optic Prison to a Pan optic society with a self monitoring mechanism, declining privacy for comfort.
Instead, there is an indoctrinated perceived need of self optimizing through outer input as advertisement. Focused on societally formed issues as : “don't be a health burden” “do sports stay slim” “smoking kills”. Still positive, but slowly turning to a pathological need of self optimizing with no end.
Han makes some weird claims about God, of course with no further proof, and rests on the burden of proof. From a Judaic view, he argues that we should undergo Sabbath and rest and restrain from the modern distractions.
He also continues to argue how our modern society burns itself out through over working and trying to do more in less time and burden less employees with more work and expose them to unhealthy working practices, ignoring mental health issues.
Han critiques a surplus of positivity in our culture, everything is framed as achievable and positive, ignoring the natural existence of negativity.
This constant pressure to be happy and productive paradoxically could lead to burnout.
It denies the need for rest and discourages acknowledging challenges.
Further hindering growth is the concept of achievement without negativity.
It suggests success comes solely through positivity and effort, overlooking the valuable lessons learned from mistakes and failures.
Reflection on negative experiences is crucial, but this cultures discourages it.
Finally, the like culture on social media creates a system where self worth is tied to external validation. The constant need for approval creates a fragile sense of value, easily shattered by negativity. This dependence on external validation fuels a cycle of needing to constantly perform and achieve for social approval, ultimately contributing to burnout.
paragon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
4.75
"concern about living the good life yields to the hysteria of surviving" " they are too alive to die, and too dead to live."