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This book fundamentally challenges the radical credentials of post-structuralism.Though Derrida, Foucault and Deleuze claim to have 'deconstructed' metaphysics, their work has much in common with previous attempts to 'end' the metaphysical tradition, from Kant to Nietzsche and Heidegger, and by sociology in general. Gillian Rose shows that this anti-metaphysical writing always appears in historically specific jurisprudential terms, which themselves found and recapitulate metaphysical categories.She reconsiders post-structuralism in this light and assesses the relationship between deconstruction and the earlier structuralism of Saussure and Levi-Strauss.She argues in conclusion that the choice between post-structuralist nihilism and Hegelian and Marxist dialectic is spurious. ... Read more

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The totalitarianism of non-trinitarian Western thought
Gillian Rose'sDialectic of Nihilism is one of the best portraits of Reason out of control, severed from tradition or any other restraint. Rose shows how the logic of the Western forensic (legal) metaphor is ceaselessly played out by the social sciences, which find human worth and freedom problematic. In this metaphor, as in a Kafka novel, we are alternately the accused (or the victim) and the judge (or tyrant). The charge is never made clear - but it is only that nothing in the world pleases us, everyone else enrages us - simply because they are not us. Rose sets out the dark and vicious outcome of the intellectual bankruptcy of the enlightenment, which cannot allow that other people may truly be other than ourselves. In 'Hegel Contra Sociology' Rose argued that, even though he diluted it, Hegel realized that the Christian trinitarian doctrine of persons in constitutive relationship was the antidote to the totalitarian tendency of Western thought and the institutions it creates.

Intriguing study of modern "radical" streams of thought.
Frankly, I read this a long time ago.But this book was critical for me to get out of the ambitof post-structuralist thinking and to begin to see its flaws. Rose's starting point is Hegel's critique of Kant: Hegel saw both why Kant was led to his radical separation of noumenon and phenomenon and the dreadful intellectual and spiritual consequences of the separation. In the 1970s, post-structuralism (Foucault, Derrida)sought to get past the stale formulas of French leftism by adopting a new and stylish positivism, to put it simplistically. Attempting to by-pass the traditional problems of philosophy, post-structuralism gets ensnared in a dialectic, which, Rose shows, repeats the theoretical problems of the neo-Kantians of the Nineteenth Century.More later. ... Read more

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While the movies of Frank Capra once celebrated thetriumph of good over evil, George Bailey has given way to HannibalLecter, who through raw power and bold creativity lives "beyond goodand evil." Professor Hibbs follows the trajectory of evil in Americanfilm and television, linking it to the spread of nihilism-a state ofspiritual impoverishment and shrunken aspirations to which, bothTocqueville and Nietzsche warned, democracies are especiallysusceptible. The most recent product of Hollywood's fascination withevil is the comic nihilism of Seinfeld, in which the distinctivelyAmerican pursuit of happiness is endlessly frustrated by dark forcesbeyond our understanding or control.

Professor Hibbs probes the themes and artistry of the landmark worksof the cinematic quest for evil. A series of grisly films from TheExorcist to Cape Fear and Silence of the Lambs reveals a preoccupationwith the power of evil. When evil ceases to terrify, it becomes banal,producing a comic view of the meaninglessness of life (Forrest Gump,Natural Born Killers, Titanic, The Simpsons). Seinfeld andTrainspotting represent nihilism's last stage, but not the last word,and Professor Hibbs considers how classical ideals-partially recoveredin recent comedy (Pulp Fiction) and film noir (L.A. Confidential,Seven)-might point the way out of nihilism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Interesting
A study of nihilism in television and movies--including The Exorcist, Trainspotting, Natural Born Killers, The Silence of the Lambs, Seinfeld, and The Simpsons (ouch). Mentions some of popular nihilism's antecedents in philosophy and literature.

Q: What's on TV tonight?A: Nothing.
Thomas Hibbs reveals a new dimension to American popular culture with his book, Shows About Nothing. Many people are not going to know what nihilism is, or who Nietzsche was, but they can quote Seinfeld. Hibbs spends much time expanding this common thread, and examines the philosophical undertones of popular movies like Cape Fear and se7en. By doing so, he demonstrates that what the themes these movies teach us are either dangerously close to, and sometimes outright, nihilistic.

Before this book, I thought of nihilism as full-blown anarchy, and modern American society as only 'halfway down the road' to Nietzsche. Hibbs provides a more refined explanation of what nihilism is, and it is not necessarily the nightmarish struggle between 'ubermensch' one imagines. Sometimes nihilism can be quite pleasant, since you are 'beyond their good and evil' and see all morality as mere constructs of man. The flight from responsibility is one possible reason nihilism hangs around - human nature, another - and perhaps is why some dedicate their lives to 'deconstructing' our civilization to a collection of artifices. But there is great danger in this newly acquired freedom. As Hibbs once said in a speech, nihilism brings you both Seinfeld and Columbine.

It seems to me that nihilism, existentialism and deconstructionists are all sides of the same triangle. Many people blow off these schools of thought, because 'who cares what's in some book?' Well, Marxism also started out in book form, and ultimately grew to an opponent in the nuclear stalemate of MAD. Therefore, even bad ideas have power if professors or governments choose to endorse them. We spent thousands of years crawling out of the jungle; nihilism returns us there, and to this I feel there are only two logical ends. One is looking to a lonely sky and merely blinking at what was once God's kingdom to your forefathers. The other ends on your knees, bloodied, looking up the barrel of a gun.

Pretty good
If you have any knowledge of modern philosophy you will probably find this book an engaging application of Nietzsche in pop culture. Otherwise you may have some trouble getting into it. I liked it well enough but I have read better (Neil Postman and Roger Scruton come to mind). The book will become dated as the examples used pass away into the forgotten archives of memory. But for now it does the trick.

I agree with the theory that influential philosophy (such as Nietzsche) eventually trickles down from its lofty intellectual heights to the lowest levels of society. From the episodes of popular film and TV the author teases out the underlying philosophic assumptions our culture has accepted. Some are overt but many operate below our personal radar--we simply take it for granted.

Overall the book was like a very long but very good film criticism. Fun.

An eye-opening expose of our Nihilistic culture
Nihilism comes in many forms, a natural result of the democratic liberalism that our culture has enshrined in its desire for individual self-actualization.Such is the assessment of Thomas Hibbs in "Shows About Nothing".In his inimitably prescient perspective, Hibbs sees this reflection of Nietschian thought especially predominant in the kind of entertainment that we watch.

In a particularly rigourous way, we are shown how seemingly disparate films or TV shows exhibit ways that we have approached issues of Good and Evil, ultimately indicating our collective agreement that there is little meaning in either term; instead we are subjected to coincidences and the capricious desires of a dark God who often makes lilfe one great comedy of the absurd.Hibbs shows the link between a movie like Pulp Fiction and Seinfeld, two sides of the same nihilistic coin.

The reader is left wondering where we will go next, once evil is merely and banal as goodness, and God is relegated to a being conspiring to make us unhappy and evil is always just around the corner.

At times Hibbs writes in a way that does not make his point clear.It is not always obvious if he approves of the film or movie he is discussing; on the other hand, perhaps his very ambiguity is indicative of the very problem we face.

What is remarkable is that Hibbs cannot contain his clearly Christian perspective.It is refreshing to see a Christian write a thoroughly engaging and scholarly analysis of where our culture is at.With the death of God comes comic meaninglessness and quests for meanings that ultimately have no end.He convinces us that we may indeed be Nietsche's last men.

A philosophical perspective on movies & TV
Dr. Hibbs writes how Seinfeld and Trainspotting have anesthetized their viewers to the fundamental concepts of good and evil. Although most people understand and welcome the change, most viewers seem unaware how theirbeliefs have changed over time. Unfortunately, Dr. Hibbs spends few pagesexplaining how to escape the pervasive nihilism of Seinfeld. Albeit,Seinfeld is raucously funny Dr. Hibbs admits. ... Read more

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Friedrich Nietzsche. Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, God is dead, Nihilism, Will to power, Übermensch, Eternal return, List of works by Friedrich Nietzsche, Influence and reception of Friedrich Nietzsche ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Journal of Thought, published by Thomson Gale on September 22, 2006. The length of the article is 1988 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Meaning matters: education and the nihilism of the neocons.
Author: David Gabbard
Publication: Journal of Thought (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 41Issue: 3Page: 39(6)

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This digital document is an article from The Review of Metaphysics, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2007. The length of the article is 1101 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Australasian Journal of Philosophy: Vol. 85, No. 2, June 2007.(PHILOSOPHICAL ABSTRACTS)(Report)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: The Review of Metaphysics (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 61Issue: 2Page: 462(3)

Article Type: Report

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This digital document is an article from Catholic Insight, published by Catholic Insight on November 1, 2004. The length of the article is 2209 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Nihilism and Christianity: a war of religion.
Author: Richard Bastien
Publication: Catholic Insight (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2004
Publisher: Catholic Insight
Volume: 12Issue: 10Page: 16(3)

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This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of Philosophy, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 3073 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Explores major marketing and advertising campaigns from 1999-2006. Entries profile recent print, radio, television, billboard and Internet campaigns. Each essay discusses the historical context of the campaign, the target market, the competition, marketing strategy, and the outcome. ... Read more

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Essays describe Italian philosopher Gianni Vattimo's unique and radical hermeneutic philosophy. ... Read more

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a valiant effort to rehabilitate Whitehead
I sympathize with the intense effort and noble intentions invested in this work. I appreciate the scholarship evident in it. But I cannot accept the muddle of Whitehead, and I don't accept Athearn's Whiteheadian bias.

If you are a Whitehead fan, then you will enjoy this book immensely. ... Read more

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In the turbulent period between 1870 and 1930, the contours on modernity were taking shape, especially the connections between technology, politics and aesthetics. The trilogy "The Nihilist Order" traces the genealogy of the nihilist-totalitarian syndrome. Until now, nihilism and totalitarianism were considered opposites: one an orderless state of affairs, the other a strict regimented order. On closer scrutiny, however, a surprising affinity can be found between these two concepts that dominated the history of the first half of the twentieth century. Starting with Nietzsche's philosophy, this book traces the development of an intellectual school characterised by the paradoxical dual purpose of a wish to destroy, coupled with a strong desire to create imposing structures. This explosive combination of nihilist leanings together with a craving for totalitarianism was an ideal of philosophers, cultural critics, political theorists, engineers, architects and aesthetes long before it materialised in flesh and blood, not only in technology, but also in fascism, Nazism, bolshevism and radical European political movements.Friedrich Nietzsche, Georges Sorel, the Italian Futurists, led by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, and Ernst Junger were all well-known intellectual and cultural figures. Here they are seen and understood in a different light, as creators of a modern political mythology that became a source of inspiration for belligerent ideological camps. Among the ideas propagated by this school, and later adopted by totalitarian regimes, were historical nihilism, a revolt against the rationalistic and universalistic pretensions of the Enlightenment, an affirmation of the dynamism of modern life, and the replacement of the traditional Judeo-Christian values of good and evil by other dualities such as authenticity and decadence. Concurrently there took place affirmation of the technological era, the creation of a 'new man' and a violent order, and the birth of a new political style in place of traditional world-views. When channeled into the political sphere, these aesthetic nihilist ideas paved the way for the rise of totalitarianism. ... Read more

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The thesis investigates the role of technology in the formation of the artistic avant-garde, along with various forms of philosophical reflection on this development, with a particular emphasis on Heidegger.Setting out from an analysis of three paradigmatic cases in the interplay between art and technology the invention of photography, the shift from Futurism to Constructivism, and the interpretation of technology in debates on architectural theory in the 1920s and 30s it proceeds to a discussion of three philosophical responses to this development, those found in Walter Benjamin, Martin Heidegger, and Ernst Jünger, all of which share a certain avant-garde sensibility and a notion of art as a response to nihilism.In Heidegger s postwar writings we see a retreat from the positions of the mid 1930s, and in his reflections on technology a different answer emerges to the question of whether great art is still possible: great art is an art that exists precisely by making the founding of a world into something problematic.The fourth part confronts Heidegger s analysis of technology with the work of an individual artist, the architect Mies van der Rohe, and asks how the silence the withdrawal of language, sense, aesthetic perception, etc. that is often understood as a precondition for the critical potential of his work should in fact be understood. By examining interpretations that draw on Heidegger via comparisons with other types of critical theory, a different understanding emerges of the relation among nihilism, art, and technology. They form a field of constant modulation, which implies that the concepts that have been the foundation of critical theory, nature, subjectivity, experience, even being in Heidegger s sense, must be subjected to a historical analysis that acknowledges them as ongoing processes of construction, and that also accounts for the capacity of technologies and artistic practices to intervene in the formation of philosophical concepts. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Catholic Insight, published by Catholic Insight on October 1, 2008. The length of the article is 763 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: The Skies of Babylon: Diversity, Nihilism, and the American University.(Book review)
Author: Brian Welter
Publication: Catholic Insight (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2008
Publisher: Catholic Insight
Volume: 16Issue: 9Page: 40(1)

Article Type: Book review

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This digital document is an article from The Review of Metaphysics, published by Philosophy Education Society, Inc. on September 1, 2000. The length of the article is 816 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Terza Navigatione: Nichilismo e metafisica The Third Voyage: Nihilism and Metaphysics.(Review)
Author: Peter A. Redpath
Publication: The Review of Metaphysics (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2000
Publisher: Philosophy Education Society, Inc.
Volume: 54Issue: 1Page: 165

Article Type: Book Review

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Chapters: Tristan Tzara, Jean Baudrillard, Philosophy of Max Stirner, Will to Power, Absurdism, God Is Dead, Gianni Vattimo, the Will to Power, Moral Nihilism, Mereological Nihilism, Gesya Gelfman, Circle of Tchaikovsky, Epistemic Loneliness, Nihilist Movement, Metaphysical Nihilism, Therapeutic Nihilism, Last Man, Political Nihilism, Elisha Shapiro, Nadaism, Blob Theory, the Solar Anus, Nihilist Faction. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 171. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Tristan Tzara (French pronunciation: ; born Samuel or Samy Rosenstock, also known as S. Samyro; April 16 1896December 25, 1963) was a Romanian and French avant-garde poet, essayist and performance artist. Also active as a journalist, playwright, literary and art critic, composer and film director, he was known best for being one of the founders and central figures of the anti-establishment Dada movement. Under the influence of Adrian Maniu, the adolescent Tzara became interested in Symbolism and co-founded the magazine Simbolul with Ion Vinea (with whom he also wrote experimental poetry) and painter Marcel Janco. During World War I, after briefly collaborating on Vinea's Chemarea, he joined Janco in Switzerland. There, Tzara's shows at the Cabaret Voltaire and Zunfthaus zur Waag, as well as his poetry and art manifestos, became a main feature of early Dadaism. His work represented Dada's nihilistic side, in contrast with the more moderate approach favored by Hugo Ball. After moving to Paris in 1919, Tzara, by then one of the "presidents of Dada", joined the staff of Littérature magazine, which marked the first step in the movement's evolution toward Surrealism. He was involved in the major polemics which led to Dada's split, defending his principles against André Breton and Francis Picabia, and, in Romania, agai...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=36885 ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from The Review of Metaphysics, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2005. The length of the article is 1171 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Kroker, Arthur. The Will to Technology and the Culture of Nihilism. Heidegger, Nietzsche, and Marx.(Book Review)
Author: Miles Groth
Publication: The Review of Metaphysics (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 59Issue: 2Page: 435(3)

Article Type: Book Review

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This digital document is an article from The Review of Metaphysics, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2007. The length of the article is 1330 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Reginster, Bernard. The Affirmation of Life: Nietzsche on Overcoming Nihilism.(Book review)
Author: Nectarios G. Limnatis
Publication: The Review of Metaphysics (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 61Issue: 1Page: 153(3)

Article Type: Book review

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