{"product_id":"history-and-human-responsibility-the-unbearable-weight-of-freedom-in-a-dystopian-world-9781587314360","title":"History and Human Responsibility – The Unbearable","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The present crisis is felt more acutely than previous crisis situations,\" observes Dutch security expert Marcel van Herpen, largely because human beings are now projecting\u003cbr\u003e responsibility into history on all fronts––past and future, in addition to the present. Learning from the past has become an imperative to safeguard the well-being of\u003cbr\u003e future generations by never repeating negative experiences, so much so that it demands an explanation of culpability into the past that burdens the present under a\u003cbr\u003e weight that does not properly belong to actors who did not commit the deeds of the past and have yet to decide their futures.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In a time of crisis we face the accusations of history, however distant, and are subjected to the sound of its echoing ahead of us. But, Van Herpen asks, to what\u003cbr\u003e exactly (or to what extent) should we listen as we strive to respond to the challenges of present day? \"Is it true that history is a teacher for our lives? And has it ever been?\u003cbr\u003e In crisis periods this question becomes more urgent: old certainties disappear and––independently from our wishes––a new, unknown world is emerging, which\u003cbr\u003e seems to be at odds with our established ways of thinking and our existing value patterns.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Van Herpen scrutinizes modern European history and the post-modern man and offers the reader a compelling account of human freedom in politics, morality, and the\u003cbr\u003e ways in which history will or will not ever guide us into the future. He proves himself to be a very capable political scientist and sociologist, but more importantly he has\u003cbr\u003e now pronounced himself to be an optimistic (yet sober) observer of both human beings and history, willing to confront the present generation with possible future\u003cbr\u003e outcomes of contemporary crises.","brand":"St Augustine's Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50083783344471,"sku":"9781587314360","price":21.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9781587314360.jpg?v=1740725476","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/history-and-human-responsibility-the-unbearable-weight-of-freedom-in-a-dystopian-world-9781587314360","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}