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edmondduong 's review for:
The Revolution of Everyday Life
by Raoul Vaneigem
The Revolution of Everyday Life is a Situationist treatise that opposes Power, whether in capitalist or in authoritarian communist countries. In this review, I split the book into two parts: the first being the discussion of the problems within hierarchical structures with the power dynamics inherent in them; and the second, Vaneigem's proposals on the overturning of Power.
A problem I had throughout the book was that Vaneigem's writing was, if anything, too poetic, to the point of being sometimes unintelligible. Very often I find myself reading the same paragraphs over and over again without gaining any understanding of what he's trying to get across at. However, I have to mention that his ideas and observations in the first part were very astute and insightful, often able to strike at the heart of the problems.
The second part, I had greater disagreements with. In true Situationist fashion, Vaneigem asserts that the power of human subjectivity and creativity is the greatest weapon for the person in everyday life. He speaks of the development of the consciousness of our own free wills and the recognition of each others' creativity as something that would surely usher in a revolution that overturns Power. I feel like his optimism here is derived from a sincere belief in the destruction of current structures and conventions (which, curiously, includes the taboo of incestuous relationships), but I think his optimism is misplaced. However, despite so, even if you disagree with the overall sentiments, he has many insights in this part that unmasks the structures that we are subject to, and the tendencies we may have that have been caused by discontent with and conformity to current society (when we have partially identified the problems but are unwilling or unable to completely comprehend or do away with these structures and their indoctrination).
An advice for future readers that I have regretfully realised only towards the end of the book: don't worry if you don't understand what is written there, you shouldn't try to reread the same parts over and over again to try to glean some information off it. The writing sometimes is a bit too dense to penetrate, but he does repeat his points in multiple different ways that, at the end of the chapter, you would understand precisely what he was trying to tell you.
I'm not sure if this is due to the translation or the writer himself, but I do absolutely adore the summary blurbs at the start of every chapter that allows you to know exactly what to look forward to. They also help when you want to refresh your memory on chapters that you've read before.
I do believe that there is much to learn from this book, as insightful as it is inciteful. Incidentally, the (overly) poetic nature of his writing makes this book endlessly quotable.
A problem I had throughout the book was that Vaneigem's writing was, if anything, too poetic, to the point of being sometimes unintelligible. Very often I find myself reading the same paragraphs over and over again without gaining any understanding of what he's trying to get across at. However, I have to mention that his ideas and observations in the first part were very astute and insightful, often able to strike at the heart of the problems.
The second part, I had greater disagreements with. In true Situationist fashion, Vaneigem asserts that the power of human subjectivity and creativity is the greatest weapon for the person in everyday life. He speaks of the development of the consciousness of our own free wills and the recognition of each others' creativity as something that would surely usher in a revolution that overturns Power. I feel like his optimism here is derived from a sincere belief in the destruction of current structures and conventions (which, curiously, includes the taboo of incestuous relationships), but I think his optimism is misplaced. However, despite so, even if you disagree with the overall sentiments, he has many insights in this part that unmasks the structures that we are subject to, and the tendencies we may have that have been caused by discontent with and conformity to current society (when we have partially identified the problems but are unwilling or unable to completely comprehend or do away with these structures and their indoctrination).
An advice for future readers that I have regretfully realised only towards the end of the book: don't worry if you don't understand what is written there, you shouldn't try to reread the same parts over and over again to try to glean some information off it. The writing sometimes is a bit too dense to penetrate, but he does repeat his points in multiple different ways that, at the end of the chapter, you would understand precisely what he was trying to tell you.
I'm not sure if this is due to the translation or the writer himself, but I do absolutely adore the summary blurbs at the start of every chapter that allows you to know exactly what to look forward to. They also help when you want to refresh your memory on chapters that you've read before.
I do believe that there is much to learn from this book, as insightful as it is inciteful. Incidentally, the (overly) poetic nature of his writing makes this book endlessly quotable.