It's great to read clear thinking about present day economics. Judt gives a sweeping view of popular and economic thinking and politicking since before World War II. For all it's damning of our putting individual profit above shared social welfare, and our lack of caring for one another and sense of ethical community (without which Judt feels one cannot have a nation that holds together--a thought I personally am still finding provocative to consider), Judt's clarity makes this a hopeful book. Judt's thinking itself stands as a statement that in all the noise and current nonsense it is still possible for a person to talk sense and believe in the best in people and want change for the better. Social Democracy is a fantastic idea, but Judt's hopefulness is a bit too dreamy for my cynical, apolitical bones. His writing, as always, is a model of clarity, but his harping about civic-mindedness (while another fantastic idea) felt like a purposeful avoidance of reality. Take a trip on the tube these days: everyone's head is bowed in front of a tablet or iphone. We've created a perfect world of distraction. We're contented conformists, and have found ingenious ways to cope with our alienation. Perhaps it's the new way: atomistic numbness writ large across the culture. The general busyness of the modern world precludes any greater uptake of concerted collective mindedness, and we all seem quite satisfied with the progression otherwise we'd smash our iphones and tablets and help each other be better!
Footnotes? Psh. I'm old and speak with authority. I don't need footnotes.
—Tera
Incredible. Insightful, inspiring, evocative, clear and compelling.
—Karen
This is a rare book that deserves multiple readings.
—sv_nedkelly
An absolutely essential book for our times.
—chimiBeuden
Pretty good, will read it again!!
—roxy
