The Age of Absurdity: Why Modern Life makes it Hard to be Happy

I never read something better than this. This synopsis of psychology and philosophy. I highlighted dozens of lines in this book. And I want to reread this book.

more thought provoking than Bertrand Russels Age of Reason.

I initially thought that this would be a simple puss take of the consumer society, but before long I realised this was a much more serious study of why, in this day and age, we are increasingly unsatisfied with our lot. Well, what else is new, the book initially asks? From the Greeks to the Romans, from Buddha to Christ, from Anthony Robbins to Jerry Springer, we are constantly striving to find a new answer as to what might make us happy. It's a big question. The author delves into a variety of sources across the centuries to discover if there are any answers from religion, or Marx, or Freud, or Nietchze, Camus, the Stoics and on and on, the learning being worn lightly as the chapters proceed. This is no academic treatise, however, and to highlight the absurdity of today we are often served up some daft and amusing examples of how shallow, infantile and inane our culture has become. We want it all, we want it now and we want it with no effort. Once we've got it, we no longer want it at all, and we move our fleeting attention to the new new thing, whatever that might be.Foley has an aptitude for pointing out what might be wrong with contemporary society while joyfully admitting that he's as prone to distraction and buying stuff (providing it's stuff HE likes) as the next shallow person. He keeps interest by pulling in some quite arresting and jarring examples to capture flagging attention - sex sells, as no doubt Foley would be first to point out, while going on to demonstrate that kinky sex sells even better. The examples he chooses to highlight how our attention and pleasures can be divided across several areas at once will stay with me for some time. You too might end up wondering where exactly he gets his hair cut as he overhears a hairdresser talking about her suffocating sex life with a squaddie.I finished the book thinking it's one of the few I'd want to refer to again due to the multitude of ideas and opinions expressed about modern life. The author offers a few pointers about what you might do in order to find happiness, but the overall advice is to keep striving to find out what it is - after all, it's better to travel than to arrive.

Michael Foley has certainly not produced a book for those taking themselves very seriously here. Instead he uncovers chapter by painful chapter our wants and needs and how modern society is fanning the flames of them, at the same time making us feel entitled and ultimately unhappy.Topics such as a reduced sense of responsibility, an increased feeling of entitlement and a striving towards minimizing hard work and effort, while glorifying the end goal of achievement (and making it seem that the possibility thereof is just around the corner) are all covered and they together build up to explaining the reasonably unhappy bunch that modern 'developed world' humanity is, in spite of rationally speaking being healthier and wealthier overall than any previous generation.While this all sounds grim and depressing, the author does an excellent job in my opinion of covering the topics in a style that is readable, enjoyable and darkly funny, to boot. Sure, you need to bring a sense of introspection to the party, as well as enough ability to take yourself less than seriously at times and to laugh at your own drives and mistakes (and it is difficult that one would not fall prey to many of the things discussed) in order to fully enjoy the book.But if you do, I find the book a work of pure genius, which - if nothing else - will lift your mood temporarily and enable you to take certain issues that seemed deadly serious previously in a slightly more relaxed manner.And the re-framing of how we perceive certain things, be it career wise or in our private lives, may well be enough to at least put us on the path of being happier. The author also helps along by not only being a prophet of doom (albeit in a very humorous way) but also providing plenty of concrete examples of how one can resist the pressures of the times and it is up to the reader to then choose what suits best.Overall, I find this one of the best and most insightful books I have read this year and can certainly recommend it to anyone feeling in need of change personally, or professionally. Success may well lie where we are, rather than in chasing the next hot thing but one needs to at least be prepared to look at it that way - something I find much easier after reading this book.

Usually I find the large majority of self-help books at best a continuous source of amusement (there seems to be no limit to the wonders these books claim to be able to help you achieve, where do their authors continue to get the inspiration?) and bewilderment (how is it possible that these books sell in their millions?), and in fact I started 'The age of absurdity' - judging mostly by its' subtitle 'why modern life makes it hard to be happy' - expecting a scathing criticism of self-help books.Partly it is, but lo and behold: in fact 'The age of absurdity' is itself a self-help book! There is a difference however, and an important one: whereas others promise virtually instant results whatever your objective, Foley (refreshingly, and to my mind correctly) is not unafraid to shout out loud it is by no means easy to be (or become, and then stay) happy. So instead of 'Lose 12 pounds a month without any effort' it's rather a sort of 'Lose 1 pound a month with a lot of hard work'...I'm not entirely convinced of the thoroughness and validity of some of Foley's research (what he says on cognitive dissonance for instance is not entirely correct according to me) but, on the whole, the reasons he gives for modern man's constant feeling of dissatisfaction ring true, if only because I cannot feel but observe them all around me. On the other hand, the strategies he proposes towards possible remedies may be good ones too, but they are ultimately subjective: what works for Foley may or may not work for you!All in all, a refreshing, thought-provoking book on what is perhaps man's single most important quest (assuming food & shelter do not pose a problem). One final point perhaps: having recently read  The Ends of Life: Roads to Fulfilment in Early Modern England  I was struck by how little actually has changed. We may have at our disposal - perhaps Foley would argue 'get forced upon us' - a lot more possibilities to strive towards fulfillment, but the basic drives are still very much the same: status, honour, reputation, fame, ... The Ends of Life: Roads to Fulfilment in Early Modern England

I can't say that I'm entirely sure what I've taken from Michael Foley's work, but what is clear that it has posed thought, challenged certain personal perceptions and, in some cases, pointed out the things that 'drive us' in life as needing to be given that very thought and challenged.What this examines, is 'Society' (as we might describe it), cultures, mindsets and, yes, philosophies. I agree with others that Foley's knowledge, perception and writing skills are quite humbling; as he brings a certain clarity to what it a very complex, and difficult to 'pin' concepts.The concepts (or chapters) of the books are all delicately found against quotes and references to numerous other great thinkers and it's refeshing to have these views (and his own) clearly marked out. His preferences and thoughts are clear, so the reader is empowered to do with this information, guidance or thoughts, as they will.Rather refreshing to have something, what could be seen as so 'spanning', stay well away from being dogmatic.It's a book that I would certainly recommend. I just hope that peole will put in the effort to read, think, absorb and then utilise as they see fit.

There are some excellent reviews on here, so I won't rewrite some already well made points. I just want to express my personal gratitude to 'Mike' for providing a sane voice and conceptual framework for understanding the absurdity of much modern life. I found myself nodding sagely on many pages and thanking God/common sense that there are others out there, who can think 'out of the box' and not be completely sucked in by the outrageous conformity of the modern world.In order to justify this as a review, I offer a few words on the book: It's very well written, with reference to a wide variety of sources ranging from Buddha and Jesus to Marx and Freud. It's split up into clear chapters with each one being dealt with comprehensively. The writing is lively and amusing. And to be frank, if you've arrived at this page because 'The Age of Absurdity' rings a bell, then you're going to like and appreciate this book. A little effort may be required, but the journey will be worth the effort!