Civilized to Death: The Price of Progress

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Synopsis
The New York Times bestselling coauthor of Sex at Dawn explores the ways in which &“progress&” has perverted the way we live—how we eat, learn, feel, mate, parent, communicate, work, and die—in this &“engaging, extensively documented, well-organized, and thought-provoking&” (Booklist) book.Most of us have instinctive evidence the world is ending—balmy December days, face-to-face conversation replaced with heads-to-screens zomboidism, a world at constant war, a political system in disarray. We hear some myths and lies so frequently that they feel like truths: Civilization is humankind&’s greatest accomplishment. Progress is undeniable. Count your blessings. You&’re lucky to be alive here and now. Well, maybe we are and maybe we aren&’t. Civilized to Death counters the idea that progress is inherently good, arguing that the &“progress&” defining our age is analogous to an advancing disease. Prehistoric life, of course, was not without serious dangers and disadvantages. Many babies died in infancy. A broken bone, infected wound, snakebite, or difficult pregnancy could be life-threatening. But ultimately, Christopher Ryan questions, were these pre-civilized dangers more murderous than modern scourges, such as car accidents, cancers, cardiovascular disease, and a technologically prolonged dying process? Civilized to Death &“will make you see our so-called progress in a whole new light&” (Book Riot) and adds to the timely conversation that &“the way we have been living is no longer sustainable, at least as long as we want to the earth to outlive us&” (Psychology Today). Ryan makes the claim that we should start looking backwards to find our way into a better future.
Copyright:
2019

Book Details

Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
Book Size:
304 Pages
ISBN-13:
9781451659122
Related ISBNs:
9781451659108, 9781451659115
Publisher:
Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster
Date of Addition:
Copyrighted By:
Christopher Ryan
Adult content:
No
Language:
English
Has Image Descriptions:
No
Categories:
History, Nonfiction, Social Studies
Submitted By:
Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:
This is a copyrighted book.

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