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A review by sofer_mahir
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution by Carl R. Trueman
4.0
This book is immensely helpful for understanding not only the sexual revolution but the deeper ideological shifts that made the sexual revolution possible. His argument is as thorough as possible in only 400 pages, and it puts matters in clear perspective. Moreover, Trueman helps to clarify the philosophical concepts that everyone in the West, whether approving of the sexual revolution or not, accepts by default.
He states at the outset that the book is meant neither as lament or polemic, but he does at times seem to slip into the latter. Nevertheless, his presentation is evenhanded and charitable.
There were a couple of key categories for which I could have done with further clarification. Namely, "anticulture" and "sittlichkeit." For the most part, however, Trueman is thorough and clear. He does an excellent job of showing the lines between dots rather than leave the reader to make every connection himself.
The intended audience is clearly believers, and believers certainly ought to read this book. But I imagine it would be helpful to those supportive of the modern cultural trends, too. For both sides to see the history of ideas that led to our modern situation can, I think, only help.
He states at the outset that the book is meant neither as lament or polemic, but he does at times seem to slip into the latter. Nevertheless, his presentation is evenhanded and charitable.
There were a couple of key categories for which I could have done with further clarification. Namely, "anticulture" and "sittlichkeit." For the most part, however, Trueman is thorough and clear. He does an excellent job of showing the lines between dots rather than leave the reader to make every connection himself.
The intended audience is clearly believers, and believers certainly ought to read this book. But I imagine it would be helpful to those supportive of the modern cultural trends, too. For both sides to see the history of ideas that led to our modern situation can, I think, only help.