nihilistic times

Author Name: Wendy Brown

In this profound work, Wendy Brown explores the concept of nihilism and its relevance to contemporary society, drawing on the ideas of sociologist Max Weber. Brown explores nihilism as a state of meaninglessness that strips traditional values ​​and beliefs of their authority and significance. The political writer examines how capitalism and modernity have led to nihilistic times where individualism and the controlling logic of the market obscure social bonds and moral frameworks. She demonstrates that this shift toward nihilism has profound repercussions for political, social, cultural, cognitive, and academic spaces, and for the precarious status of the concept of value within them.

By engaging with Weber's writings, particularly his two lectures "Science as a Vocation" and "Politics as a Vocation," Brown seeks, through her questions, to break out of this crisis-ridden nihilistic situation by examining the roots and manifestations of nihilism, shedding light on its effects on contemporary politics and the undermining of democracy, and its repercussions on the reality of knowledge in the university and academic spheres. Drawing on Weber's understanding of bureaucratic and charismatic foundations, and the importance he placed on values ​​and ethics, she offers a critical assessment of the nihilistic tendencies prevalent in our contemporary crisis. Relying on thought-provoking analysis and multidisciplinary perspectives, Brown encourages the reader to reflect on the challenges posed by nihilism and presents her vision for navigating these challenges to reconstruct political, social, and ethical frameworks and formations, recover the meaning stripped of them, and construct new meanings that are relevant to our times.