Description:A biography of the late Meiji social and cultural critic Taoka Reiun who was known for his fierce attack on modernity. Reiun was convinced that the western conception of modernity in the late 19th and early 20th century was based on an overly narrow, materialistic view of the world-one that placed too much emphasis on commerce, profit, and utilitarianism-and he believed that this concept was rapidly emptying life of its richness, depth, and meaning. He, therefore, could not help but decry a world that had "squandered its spirit and vitality, forsaken its grandiose visions, and lost its sense of mystery, its very soul!" A careful reader of philosophy, religion, and literature, Reiun embraced a vision of history, society, and the future that marks him as an original and creative thinker whose understanding of what it means to be modern and human remains alive and vital today. "Vividly brings to life an overlooked contrarian whose writings show that Japan's modernization process was much more complex and controversial than the standard Meiji progress narrative would have us believe. Reiun comes through in this exhaustively researched study as a powerful critic who thought capitalist materialism had robbed Japan of its soul-a much-censored opponent of slavish Westernization who insisted that modernity should spring from the creation of autonomous individuals. Loftus's attention to Reiun's tumultuous personal life brings special energy to the work."- James L. Huffman, Wittenberg University "An excellent introduction to the intellectual life of perhaps the most critical period of Japan's modern experience. Reiun's courage, thoughtfulness and imagination are the kind of critical intellectual energy and intervention that are called for today, making the book an important read for students of modern Japan and East Asia."- Sho Konishi, University of OxfordWe have made it easy for you to find a PDF Ebooks without any digging. And by having access to our ebooks online or by storing it on your computer, you have convenient answers with The Turn Against the Modern: The Critical Essays of Taoka Reiun (1870-1912). To get started finding The Turn Against the Modern: The Critical Essays of Taoka Reiun (1870-1912), you are right to find our website which has a comprehensive collection of manuals listed. Our library is the biggest of these that have literally hundreds of thousands of different products represented.
Pages
315
Format
PDF, EPUB & Kindle Edition
Publisher
Association for Asian Studies, Inc.
Release
2018
ISBN
0924304847
The Turn Against the Modern: The Critical Essays of Taoka Reiun (1870-1912)
Description: A biography of the late Meiji social and cultural critic Taoka Reiun who was known for his fierce attack on modernity. Reiun was convinced that the western conception of modernity in the late 19th and early 20th century was based on an overly narrow, materialistic view of the world-one that placed too much emphasis on commerce, profit, and utilitarianism-and he believed that this concept was rapidly emptying life of its richness, depth, and meaning. He, therefore, could not help but decry a world that had "squandered its spirit and vitality, forsaken its grandiose visions, and lost its sense of mystery, its very soul!" A careful reader of philosophy, religion, and literature, Reiun embraced a vision of history, society, and the future that marks him as an original and creative thinker whose understanding of what it means to be modern and human remains alive and vital today. "Vividly brings to life an overlooked contrarian whose writings show that Japan's modernization process was much more complex and controversial than the standard Meiji progress narrative would have us believe. Reiun comes through in this exhaustively researched study as a powerful critic who thought capitalist materialism had robbed Japan of its soul-a much-censored opponent of slavish Westernization who insisted that modernity should spring from the creation of autonomous individuals. Loftus's attention to Reiun's tumultuous personal life brings special energy to the work."- James L. Huffman, Wittenberg University "An excellent introduction to the intellectual life of perhaps the most critical period of Japan's modern experience. Reiun's courage, thoughtfulness and imagination are the kind of critical intellectual energy and intervention that are called for today, making the book an important read for students of modern Japan and East Asia."- Sho Konishi, University of OxfordWe have made it easy for you to find a PDF Ebooks without any digging. And by having access to our ebooks online or by storing it on your computer, you have convenient answers with The Turn Against the Modern: The Critical Essays of Taoka Reiun (1870-1912). To get started finding The Turn Against the Modern: The Critical Essays of Taoka Reiun (1870-1912), you are right to find our website which has a comprehensive collection of manuals listed. Our library is the biggest of these that have literally hundreds of thousands of different products represented.