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On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs: Teaching, Writing, Playing, Believing, Lecturing, Philosophizing, Singing, Dancing Hardcover – January 1, 2002
Following Plato, Schall shows why singing, dancing, playing, contemplating, and other "useless" human activities are not merely forms of escape but also indications of the freedom in and for which men and women were created. The joy that accompanies leisure, festivity, and conviviality, he demonstrates, give us a glimpse of the eternal. On the Unseriousness of Human Affairs offers a vital message that is truly countercultural.
- Print length205 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherISI Books
- Publication dateJanuary 1, 2002
- Dimensions5.75 x 0.65 x 8.5 inches
- ISBN-101882926633
- ISBN-13978-1882926633
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Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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Review
"He urges letting the world go by...pursue the so-called useless, which he says is the best thing about us " -- Philadelphia Inquirer, December 6, 2001
"Schall...is one of the most valuable participants in the public life of our nation s capital...." -- National Review, March 25, 2002
"[F]inely crafted essays...." -- The Weekly Standard, February 25, 2002
...[C]all[s] us to consider...the insignificance of what we deem critical, and the significance of what we deem unserious. -- Washington Times, December 16, 2001
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Product details
- Publisher : ISI Books (January 1, 2002)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 205 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1882926633
- ISBN-13 : 978-1882926633
- Item Weight : 1.05 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.75 x 0.65 x 8.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,091,138 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #3,212 in Consciousness & Thought Philosophy
- #11,153 in Inspirational Spirituality (Books)
- #19,284 in Happiness Self-Help
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2013The book was even better that described. I was also impressed with how it was packaged-- sealed in plastic to prevent any potential water damage.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2003The Unseriousness of Human Affairs is a title almost certainly written to give the modern reader a jolt-what, is not everything I work for pretty serious? Our country, my job, my family, these are not serious?
Prof. Schall shows us how leisure and play is in fact crucial to our nature as human beings, that our learning and growth develops through something that is spontaneous, as he demonstrates by pointing out that the Greek and Latin terms for school (skole and otium, respectively) can also mean "leisure". So begins an intellectual romp that includes Jesus, Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, Aquinas and G.K. Chesterton along with some more unlikely companions, like Robert Pirsig's _Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance_ (good book, by the way), Charlie Brown, and Friederich Nietzsche. The latter, while a powerful voice in his own right, is not someone you would expect a rather cheerful Christian like Prof. Schall to cite, but in fact he makes great use of Nietzsche's observation that dissipation is the result not of joy but of joylessness, which is a key point in the book.
The result is a Christian humanism that is intelligible to people of all walks of life and beliefs, and points to a learning that is engaged with the classics and the great, hard questions of life, but does so in a pleasurable, positive way. Many modern figures have commented that Christians (or perhaps religious folk in general) are distracted from solving this world's problems by the promise of an afterlife in Paradise. John Lennon's song "Imagine" is a good example of this thinking. Prof. Schall shows, however, that the very transcendence in the Judeo-Christian worldview in fact gives us what needed to handle those problems that Lennon et al. rightfully rail against.
In the middle of this book, Prof. Schall pays tribute to the teachers he never met, such as Augustine and Hilaire Belloc, and I must say that he has become a teacher that has touched my life, though I have not met him. God willing, perhaps I shall, but this book is profoundly enriching and inspiring, and I trust he will influence many more lives through it.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2007This is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a while. In a collection of essays, Schall synthesizes the philosophy of the greats within the Western tradition, including Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, St. Augustine, Aquinas, Chesterton, and even some twentieth-century figures such as Voegelin, Strauss and Arendt. These thinkers teach us to be skeptical of the purported wisdom and sophistication of humanity and to rather focus our deepest selves on the highest things, namely the things of God. The surprising twist of this book is that Schall shows that we are at our best in focusing on the highest things when we are engaging in activities most of us would consider inherently unserious, such as dancing, singing, playing sports, writing letters, looking at art, praying, or talking with friends. Unlike work, even the most noble work, these activities don't exist for a purpose, but are rather an end unto themselves, just like God. And because it is through these seemingly unserious activities that we best approach an authentic understanding of God they become, in a sense, the most serious things we do.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is a "serious" thinker about the highest things. Schall's style is very fun to read and his authentic self is easy to grasp in the words. This book is an intellectual challenge, to be sure; there is a ton in this book that I know I didn't quite understand, though I hope I will some day. This book tells of what is dignified, wonderful, and beautiful about the Western/Classical Christian tradition. Enjoy!
- Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2009This is a very enjoyable excursion with a warm and engaged teacher into the realm of "the higher things." It is a book to read a bit and then stop and ponder. Certainly the young would be well served in reading this fine work - very valuable for the college student. But graybeards could find it irresistible too. That is if their minds are not hardened against self-examination because Schall can cause you to look closely at your life and how you are living it.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2007There are certain books that can simply be described as enlightening. This is one of them. I was a philosophy student when I read this book. And it brought the subject alive. It is an enjoyable read. Highly recommended.