Against Romanticism: From Enlightenment to Enfrightenment and the Culture of Slavery: Caoimhghin Ó Croidheáin
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This book looks at the philosophy, politics and history of many different art forms arguing that Romanticism is dominating modern culture to the detriment of Enlightenment ideals. In recent times Enlightenment ideas have been characterised as cold, hard science, while Romanticism has been perceived as the ‘caring’ philosophy.
However, Romanticist emotions lead to self-absorption, escapism and diversion, yet during the Enlightenment, emotion was not only a very important part of Enlightenment philosophy but was the basis of the philosophes’ ideas for combating injustice in society. Throughout the last two centuries, any Enlightenment movements that tried to highlight the plight of the poor or unite the working class (Sentimentalism, Realism, Social Realism, Socialism) have been excluded, swamped or submerged by Romanticist movements that ultimately pose no threat to the status quo.
In other words, just as the Right tries to remake the Left in its own image (to disarm it), the Romanticists try to remake the Enlightenment in theirs (catharsis without progressive social change), thus, maintaining a ‘culture of slavery’.
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Through developing an awareness of the socio-political fault lines in today’s culture, cultural practitioners can create a new democratic spirit with an emphasis on the value of ordinary people, while at the same time making an important contribution to the fight against poverty, oppression, and injustice.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
What’s the matter with Romanticism?
Chapter 1 – Philosophy
Re-Examining Emotion and Justice in Enlightenment Ideals
Chapter 2 – Politics
Romanticism as a Tool for Elite Agendas
Chapter 3 – Art
Art Movements and the People’s Movement
Chapter 4 – Music
The Conversion of Music into a Mass Narcotic
Chapter 5 – Opera
Opera in Crisis: Can It be Made Relevant Again?
Chapter 6 – Dance
Diversity in Dance Today
Chapter 7 – Poetry
The Dialectics of Rhyme
Chapter 8 – Literature
Literature Serving Human Liberty
Chapter 9 – Theatre
Popular Theatre as Cultural Resistance
Chapter 10 – Architecture
Neoliberalism, Climate Change and Architecture
Chapter 11 – Cinema
Individual and Collective Struggles in Cinema
Chapter 12 – Television
Game of Thrones: Olde-Style Catharsis or Bloody Good Counsel?
Chapter 13 – Culture
The Culture of Slavery v the Culture of Resistance
Conclusion
The Power of Romanticism today: 21st Century Irrationalism
Bibliography
Index
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Against Romanticism: From Enlightenment to Enfrightenment and the Culture of Slavery
By Caoimhghin Ó Croidheáin
Publisher: Gaelart Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-3999-1964-7
Design: Ieva Grbacjana (https://igrbacjana.com/)
Cover photography: Philip O’Neill (https://www.philiponeillphotography.com/)
Cover painting: Sapere Aude! by Caoimhghin Ó Croidheáin (http://gaelart.net/)
Back cover: Pallas and the Centaur (Public domain / Wikimedia Commons)
Printer: Paceprint (https://paceprint.ie/)
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Caoimhghin Ó Croidheáin is an Irish artist, lecturer and writer. His artwork consists of paintings based on contemporary geopolitical themes as well as Irish history and cityscapes of Dublin. His blog of critical writing based on cinema, art and politics along with research on a database of Realist and Social Realist art from around the world can be viewed country by country here. Currently working on a book entitled Against Romanticism: From Enlightenment to Enfrightenment and the Culture of Slavery. It looks at philosophy, politics and the history of 10 different art forms arguing that Romanticism is dominating modern culture to the detriment of Enlightenment ideals.
He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG).
