In Tune With The World: A Theory of Festivity
In this stimulating and still-timely study, Josef Pieper takes up a theme of paramount importance to his thinking – that festivals belong by rights among the great topics of philosophical discussion. As he develops his theory of festivity, the modern age comes under close and painful scrutiny. It is obvious that we no longer know what festivity is, namely, the celebration of existence under various symbols.
Pieper exposes the pseudo-festivals, in their harmless and their sinister forms: traditional feasts contaminated by commercialism; artificial holidays created in the interest of merchandisers; holidays by coercion, decreed by dictators the world over; festivals as military demonstrations; holidays empty of significance. And lastly we are given the apocalyptic vision of a nihilistic world which would seek its release not in festivities but in destruction.
Formulated with Pieper's customary clarity and elegance, enhanced by brilliantly chosen quotations, this is an illuminating contribution to the understanding of traditional and contemporary experience.
Mentioned in:
- Episode #61 – Have Your Humble Pie … And Eat It, Too! by Mystie during the Scholé Everyday segment
- Episode #62 – The Scholé Sisters Go Liberal
- Episode #64 – How Christmas is Like a Funeral – as the main book under discussion
- Episode #68 – Make Classical Education Scholé Again
- Episode #72 – The Grammar of Grammar
- Episode #73 – A Scholé for All Seasons by Mystie in the Scholé Everyday segment
- Episode #85 – Beyond restful learning – as the source for an understanding of festivity
- Episode #146 – Religious Habits by Brandy as her Scholé Everyday pick
- Episode #149 – Reimagining School
- Episode #150 – ‘Tis the Season of Joyful Sacrifice
