Flashback 2: French Philosopher Andre Glucksman tries to grasp the Zeitgeist

[Jurriaan Bendien <bendien@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A brief review of : Penser la violence, by André Glucksmann (Editions Robert
Laffont, 2002)

The end of the Cold War did not mean the end of History, but the beginning
of the new era. The tragic events of the 11th of September dramatically
confirm the triumph of Nihilism. Indeed, ancestral traditions and beliefs
are dying, and two thirds of humanity are excluded from Euro-American
prosperity. Four billion human beings are living in economic, social and
moral instability: the Promise Land of Nihilism.

Russia has been testing this out for three centuries with regard to her own
situation: her ancestral morality hasn't progressed and the extent of her
Europeanisation is still uncertain. Only Russian literature has got the
measure of the nihilistic phenomenon, from Oneguin to Raskolnikov.

What is Nihilism? The notion of Nihilism is directly connected to cruelty:
it's practice, legitimisation and acceptance. Nihilism is a post-ideological
concept; it speculates on power, is understood as a capacity for nuisance:
"Destroy!" is its slogan. Nihilism is harmful physically and
psychologically: its fundamental principles are corruption, terror and
destruction. The Nihilist does not care anymore about great ideals, does not
ask "why?" or "what for?". He dares to and asks "why not?": everything is
permitted.

The nihilistic challenge is as old as Occidental civilisation. And the
resistance to Nihilism characterises civilisation. Today, after two thousand
years of maturation, Nihilism challenges the whole planet. Political
courage, endurance and ethics are the only ways to fight against the eternal
temptation of Nihilism.

(André Glucksmann is one of Europe's leading contemporary philosophers.
Renowned for being fearlessly controversial, he has written an eclectic
range of political and philosophical works. He is a regular contributor to
European newspapers and magazines, like Der Spiegel, El Pais and Il Corriere
della Sera).

Reproduced from:
http://www.laffont.fr/ForeignRights/livre.asp?code=2221093214