The disappearance of the other

Die Austreibung des Anderen

The era of the Other is gone.
The friendly, infernal, mysterious, seductive, and erotic Other has given way to the Same. Today, the spread of homogeneity is a pathological change, damaging the social body. Its spread is accelerating. What sickens the social body is not alienation, withdrawal, prohibitions, or repression, but overcommunication, overinformation, overproduction, and overconsumption.
Today's era is marked not by oppression brought on by others, but by depression caused by those who are like us. Han Bingzhe's new work explores the homogenized violence hidden behind many of the defining phenomena of contemporary society, such as fear, globalization, and terrorism.
Han Bingzhe has blazed a trail through the forest of contemporary literature with his articles and books. His books seek not only to inspire praise but also to awaken the world.
— German Radio (Deutschlandfunk)
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1. What is this book about?
In a world devoid of others (friends, love, even hell), a thoroughly narcissistic self can only sink into depression, disorientation, and a sense of meaninglessness, ultimately leading to self-harm and harm to others. This book deeply explores the "fear of homogenization"—the homogenization of all people and things to the point of losing their boundaries. The author's analysis and critique of homogenization, still within the context of the digital information age, strives to explore the space for "coexistence" between self and others from tradition and classics.
2. What is the author’s point of view?
(1) The hallmark of today’s morbid era is not repression but depression. The destructive pressure comes not from others but from within. The Internet and digital media have changed all of this. The digital world has eliminated the existence of others, and the fear of homogenization has swept across society.
(2) Terrorist activities are a consequence of homogenized violence, using unique terror to counter globalized terror.
(3) Being oneself, seeking one’s true self, self-realization, and self-improvement—these words have become a form of compulsive narcissism in the contemporary social context. I am lost in myself. Depression stems from the narcissistic stagnation of one’s own sexual energy.
(4) Digital media is “de-embodied.” It blocks the exchange of eyes, takes away the “texture” of sound, and makes the language, thoughts, and time of others disappear.
(5) In today’s clamorous and languid society, there is no room for listening. The future society might be called a society of listeners. People need a time revolution to open up a completely different kind of time, a sacred time that accommodates others.
3. What inspiration does this give us?
(1) Human narcissism has existed since ancient times. Modern society’s online platforms, digital media, and smartphones have fueled this trend. But do people feel fulfilled and their personalities are complete? In a small self surrounded by “likes,” laughter fades, and voices become quieter, while affection is irritated by ruthlessness! This book is highly insightful in reflecting on the impact of technology, especially digital information technology, on human perception, self-perception, communication, and social control in contemporary society.
(2) What will the mind say in the face of the current state of contemporary society? How should thinkers think and write? The themes and style of Han Bingzhe's works also provide us with reference samples for reference.
4. What kind of person is the author?
(1) Han Bingzhe is hailed as "a rising star in German philosophy" (El País, Spain). He has returned to the humanistic and critical traditions of philosophy. Beyond academic philosophical research, he has pioneered a new realm of philosophical writing, examining social conditions and the human mind in the digital media era. He has been hailed as "a psychoanalyst in the internet age" (Yang Xiaogang) and "a guide to philosophical criticism in the era of big data" (Si Yu).
(2) He possesses both the Korean romantic temperament and the rational critical spirit of the German philosophical tradition. Han Bingzhe has a profound insight into contemporary society and sharp judgments, but his inner spiritual pursuit is a quiet, contemplative, and aesthetically meaningful life, with "the delicacy and charm of an Eastern philosopher" (Xia Kejun).
(3) The writing style is philosophical and essay-like, good at thinking and good at expressing ideas. Han Bingzhe's works are concise and clear, "full of spirituality and sharp" (Jia Kefang). The meticulousness and sharpness of the Chinese translators also add a lot of color to the Chinese version.
(4) French philosopher Alain Badiou wrote the preface to his The Death of Eros. Han Bingzhe has had a great influence in Europe and the United States, and his works have been translated into nearly 20 languages. Many scholars, including Badiou, have responded to and praised Han Bingzhe.
Reading Han Bingzhe's works is an enjoyment full of talent and wisdom.
- Alain Badiou, French philosopher Han Bingzhe belongs to this category of philosophers. Before them, no one sought to change the world, and no one even fully realized the necessity of such change.
—Inside Higher Ed
Han Bingzhe reveals that in the era of big data, critical theory will and must regroup.
—Will Davies
5. Chinese version of the work and its evaluation.
(1) There are 9 books in the series of Han Bingzhe's works, including the author's major and representative works, which are scheduled to be published in July 2019.
Han Bingzhe's Works Series (Produced by Jianshi Chengbang)
Spiritual Politics (published)
Psychopolitik
Death of Eros (out now)
Agonie des Eros
In the Group (released)
Im Schwarm
The Disappearance of the Other (coming in June)
Die Austreibung des Anderen
The Weary Society (coming in June)
Müdigkeitsgesellschaft
What is Entertainment? (coming in June)
Gute Unterhaltung
"Brute Force Topology" (coming in August)
Topologie der Gewalt
Transparent Society (coming in August)
Transparenzgesellschaft
The Redemption of Beauty (coming in August)
Die Errettung des Schönen
(2) He quickly found like-minded people in the domestic academic community. Many prominent figures from the fields of philosophy, art, literature, communication, and IT responded positively and highly praised Han Bingzhe and his works.
The complex phenomena formed in the era of big data require new philosophical thinking and framework. Han Bingzhe's several books can be regarded as the most sensitive and sharpest detectors of the times and are a guide to philosophical criticism in the era of big data.
——Si Yu, freelance writer German philosopher Han Bingzhe's several short books, which make light of important matters while making big ones big, touch upon multiple aspects of modern people's lives. They are the crystallization of the collision of Eastern and Western humanistic spirits and have entered the hearts of readers.
He Daokuan, a senior translator, and Han Bingzhe of Shenzhen University further reveal the dilemma facing people in the digital age: we are obsessed with digital media and thus reprogrammed, yet we are blind and numb to the consequences. In a group, everyone is an individual, but no one is himself.
—Zhang Zhiwei, historian of philosophy. Han Bingzhe, of the School of Philosophy at Renmin University of China, with his philosophical wisdom and analytical sharpness, compels us to reflect on the existential mood and ethical predicament in the digital, networked media age. … His reflections reveal the subtlety and charm of an Eastern philosopher.
——Xia Kejun, philosopher and curator, Han Bingzhe of the School of Literature at Renmin University of China, this thoughtful scholar trained in German philosophy and immersed in Korean culture has activated our long-numbed love ability.
——Lin Guanghua, School of Chinese Studies, Renmin University of China The application of big data makes everything more and more precise... In such an era, individual space and freedom need to be rethought and redefined.
——Zheng Yue, IT Manager World magazine’s analysis of neoliberalism and digital class society is not just a work of philosophical archaeology; it is fundamentally political. The answer lies in the transcendence of the subject by philosophers such as Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Derrida.
— Mao Zhu, World Philosophy magazine. Han Bingzhe's philosophical reflections are full of spirituality and sharp. ... His consistent sharpness gives me the courage to gaze into the abyss.
—Jia Kefang, Department of Philosophy, Northwest Normal University. Han Bingzhe is a psychoanalyst of the internet age. His precise and calm diagnosis reveals that technological advances such as smartphones, social media, big data, and the Internet of Things all demonstrate the neoliberal order's total domination of human life. ... Using concise and powerful prose, he engages with the ideas of Foucault, Adorno, Levinas, and Agamben, revealing the grave crisis of our era.
—Yang Xiaogang, Department of Philosophy, Sun Yat-sen University

2019-06-01

中信出版集团

Experiencing the city-state

136

9787521704709