The Age of Anxiety Chapter 28-1

Post WWI Political Order End of old dynasties: Hohenzollern, Ottomans, Hapsburgs, Romanovs End of old dynasties: Hohenzollern, Ottomans, Hapsburgs, Romanovs Democracies remained and took root: France and Britain Democracies remained and took root: France and Britain Germany: Weimar Republic Germany: Weimar Republic Czechoslovakia: a new republic Czechoslovakia: a new republic 1920’s communist totalitarianism in Russia, fascism in Italy, 30’s Nazism in Germany 1920’s communist totalitarianism in Russia, fascism in Italy, 30’s Nazism in Germany

Post WWI: Age of Anxiety WWI was a blow to Western civilization WWI was a blow to Western civilization People felt they had little control to change things for the better People felt they had little control to change things for the better People saw themselves living in an age of continual crisis: People saw themselves living in an age of continual crisis: WWI WWI Revolutions Revolutions Political and financial crisis in 20’s Political and financial crisis in 20’s Depression, WWII, Cold War Depression, WWII, Cold War

Modern Philosophy: New and Upsetting Before WWI most people still had the Enlightenment view: reason, rights of the individual, progress possible Before WWI most people still had the Enlightenment view: reason, rights of the individual, progress possible Earlier critics of Pre WWI view rejected the general faith in progress and the power of the rational human mind

The Early Critics of Enlightenment Philosophy Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Nietzsche Important critic of rationalism of the Enlightenment Important critic of rationalism of the Enlightenment In Thus Spake Zarathustra claimed “God is Dead” In Thus Spake Zarathustra claimed “God is Dead” Claimed Christianity embodied a “Slave Morality” which glorified weakness, envy, and mediocrity Claimed Christianity embodied a “Slave Morality” which glorified weakness, envy, and mediocrity Individualism had to be quashed Individualism had to be quashed

Nietzsche In Will to Power said that only the creativity of a few supermen (ubermenschen) could successfully reorder the world In Will to Power said that only the creativity of a few supermen (ubermenschen) could successfully reorder the world Not widely read and appreciated until after WWI Not widely read and appreciated until after WWI

Henri Bergson In the 1890’s he had convinced many young people that immediate experience and intuition were as important as rational and scientific thinking for understanding reality In the 1890’s he had convinced many young people that immediate experience and intuition were as important as rational and scientific thinking for understanding reality

Georges Sorel Syndicalism: a manifestation of anarchism Syndicalism: a manifestation of anarchism His ideas foreshadowed the Bolshevik Revolution and the control of an elite few in Russia His ideas foreshadowed the Bolshevik Revolution and the control of an elite few in Russia Believed that socialism would come to power through a great violent strike of all of the working people of the world Believed that socialism would come to power through a great violent strike of all of the working people of the world

Sigmund Freud Freudian psychology first developed in the 1880’s Freudian psychology first developed in the 1880’s Traditional psychology assumed a single unified conscious mind processed sensory experiences in a rational and logical way Traditional psychology assumed a single unified conscious mind processed sensory experiences in a rational and logical way Freudian psychology emphasized the greedy, irrational nature of humans Freudian psychology emphasized the greedy, irrational nature of humans By 1910 had gained a wide following By 1910 had gained a wide following

Freudian Psychology The ID (human unconscious) is driven by sexual, aggressive and pleasure-seeking desires so humans are not rational The ID (human unconscious) is driven by sexual, aggressive and pleasure-seeking desires so humans are not rational The ID battles the Ego and the Superego The ID battles the Ego and the Superego Ego: Rationalizing conscious that mediates what a person can do Ego: Rationalizing conscious that mediates what a person can do Superego: Ingrained moral values specifying what a person should do Superego: Ingrained moral values specifying what a person should do

Freudian Psychology Shattered the enlightenment view of rationality and progress Shattered the enlightenment view of rationality and progress Agreed with Nietzsche: rational thinking and traditional moral values could cripple individuals with guilt and neurotic fears Agreed with Nietzsche: rational thinking and traditional moral values could cripple individuals with guilt and neurotic fears Many drew the conclusion that the first requirement for mental health is an uninhibited sex life Many drew the conclusion that the first requirement for mental health is an uninhibited sex life Much post WWII sexual experimentation Much post WWII sexual experimentation

Post War Critics and Pessimists Paul Valery Poet Paul Valery Poet Spoke of the “cruelly injured mind” besieged by doubts & suffering from anxieties due to economic, political, social disruptions of the 1920’s Spoke of the “cruelly injured mind” besieged by doubts & suffering from anxieties due to economic, political, social disruptions of the 1920’s

Ludwig Wittgenstein Part of the “Vienna Circle” of the 1920’s and 30’s Part of the “Vienna Circle” of the 1920’s and 30’s Developed Logical Empiricism (logical positivism): Philosophy is the only logical clarification of thought Developed Logical Empiricism (logical positivism): Philosophy is the only logical clarification of thought Abstract concepts: God, freedom, morality, etc. are senseless since they cannot be tested by scientific experiment or demonstrated by the logic of mathematics Abstract concepts: God, freedom, morality, etc. are senseless since they cannot be tested by scientific experiment or demonstrated by the logic of mathematics Only experience is worth analyzing Only experience is worth analyzing

Anti-utopian Authors Oswald Spengler Oswald Spengler The Decline of the West The Decline of the West Every culture experiences a life cycle of growth and decline Every culture experiences a life cycle of growth and decline Western civilization is in old age Western civilization is in old age Rise of the Eastern races Rise of the Eastern races

T.S. Eliot The Waste Land The Waste Land Depicted a world of growing desolation Depicted a world of growing desolation Considered the most famous long poem of the 20 th century Considered the most famous long poem of the 20 th century

Franz Kafka Portrayed helpless individuals destroyed by inexplicably hostile and surreal forces Portrayed helpless individuals destroyed by inexplicably hostile and surreal forces The Trial The Trial The Castle The Castle The Metamorphosis The Metamorphosis

Erich Remarque All Quiet on the Western Front All Quiet on the Western Front Novel detailing the horrors of trench warfare during WWI Novel detailing the horrors of trench warfare during WWI

Existentialism Took root in Continental countries after WWII Took root in Continental countries after WWII Saw life as absurd with no inherent meaning Saw life as absurd with no inherent meaning The individual has to find his own meaning The individual has to find his own meaning Most but not all were atheists Most but not all were atheists Prominent existentialists: Martin Heideggerf, Karl Jaspers Prominent existentialists: Martin Heideggerf, Karl Jaspers

More Existentialists Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Sartre Wrote that life had no meaning and that humans simply exist Wrote that life had no meaning and that humans simply exist Was strongly attracted to communism Was strongly attracted to communism Albert Camus people have to find meaning by taking action against that with which they disagree Albert Camus people have to find meaning by taking action against that with which they disagree

Christian Existentialists Shared the loneliness and despair of atheists Shared the loneliness and despair of atheists Stressed sinful nature of man, need for faith and for God’s forgiveness Stressed sinful nature of man, need for faith and for God’s forgiveness Soren Kierkegaard : the rediscovery of his works led to a revivalism of fundamental Christian belief Soren Kierkegaard : the rediscovery of his works led to a revivalism of fundamental Christian belief T.S. Eliot: worked within a Christian framework T.S. Eliot: worked within a Christian framework

George Orwell The concept of “Big Brother” and his totalitarian state 1984 The concept of “Big Brother” and his totalitarian state Used a new kind of language, sophisticated technology and psychological terror to strip a weak individual of the last shred of human dignity Used a new kind of language, sophisticated technology and psychological terror to strip a weak individual of the last shred of human dignity

Theater of the Absurd Samuel Beckett Irish Playwright Samuel Beckett Irish Playwright Waiting for Godot Two characters wait for Godot (GOD?) but he never comes Waiting for Godot Two characters wait for Godot (GOD?) but he never comes Dialogue is disjointed and convoluted Dialogue is disjointed and convoluted

The New Science Undermined the optimism of the enlightenment and faith in natural law Undermined the optimism of the enlightenment and faith in natural law The New Physics: Challenged long-held Enlightenment ideas and led to uncertainty The New Physics: Challenged long-held Enlightenment ideas and led to uncertainty Max Planck: Basis for quantum physics Max Planck: Basis for quantum physics Albert Einstein: Theory of Relativity Albert Einstein: Theory of Relativity Ernest Rutherford: split the Atom Ernest Rutherford: split the Atom Werner Heisenberg: principle of uncertainty” Werner Heisenberg: principle of uncertainty”

Principle of Uncertainty Since it is impossible to know the position and speed of an electron, it is impossible to predict its behavior Since it is impossible to know the position and speed of an electron, it is impossible to predict its behavior Heisenberg Principle: The dynamics of an experiment alters the state of the subject Heisenberg Principle: The dynamics of an experiment alters the state of the subject

Impact of the New Physics The new universe seemed strange and troubling The new universe seemed strange and troubling Universe is now “relative” except the speed of light Universe is now “relative” except the speed of light Universe has no stable building blocks Universe has no stable building blocks Physics no longer provided for easy, optimistic answers…or any answers Physics no longer provided for easy, optimistic answers…or any answers

Art Louis Sullivan (U.S.) Late 19 th century pioneered skyscrapers Louis Sullivan (U.S.) Late 19 th century pioneered skyscrapers Form follows function Form follows function Bahaus Movement Bahaus Movement Walter Gropius: designed the Fagus Shoe Factory 1911 Germany Walter Gropius: designed the Fagus Shoe Factory 1911 Germany Clean, light, elegant Clean, light, elegant A real break with traditional architecture A real break with traditional architecture

Painting Cubism: Picasso (with Georges Braque) Cubism: Picasso (with Georges Braque) Complex geometry, zigzaggy lines, angles Complex geometry, zigzaggy lines, angles Guernica 1937 bombing of Spain by the German Luftwaffe Guernica 1937 bombing of Spain by the German Luftwaffe Non-representational art: Kandinsky Non-representational art: Kandinsky

Dadaism Dada: a nonsensical word Dada: a nonsensical word The art mirrored the belief that the world did not make sense The art mirrored the belief that the world did not make sense Delighted in outrageous conduct Delighted in outrageous conduct Marcel Duchamp’s Mona Lisa with a mustache Marcel Duchamp’s Mona Lisa with a mustache

Surrealism Salvador Dali Salvador Dali Influenced by Freud Influenced by Freud The Persistence of Memory The Persistence of Memory

Music Igor Stravinsky: Most important composer of the 20 th century Igor Stravinsky: Most important composer of the 20 th century “Rite of Spring” experimented with new tonalities “Rite of Spring” experimented with new tonalities Arnold Schonberg pioneered 12-tone technique Arnold Schonberg pioneered 12-tone technique

Movies First moving pictures 1890’s naughty peepshows and penny arcades…Paris first First moving pictures 1890’s naughty peepshows and penny arcades…Paris first Charlie Chaplin (English) 1920’s first king of the Silver Screen Charlie Chaplin (English) 1920’s first king of the Silver Screen German studios specialized in expressionist dramas: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) German studios specialized in expressionist dramas: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) Talkies in 1927 Talkies in 1927

Movies Motion Pictures were the main form of entertainment of the masses until after WWII Motion Pictures were the main form of entertainment of the masses until after WWII Motion Pictures, like the radio, became powerful tools of indoctrination…especially in countries with dictatorial regimes: Russia, Germany Motion Pictures, like the radio, became powerful tools of indoctrination…especially in countries with dictatorial regimes: Russia, Germany

Motion Pictures Lenin encouraged the Soviet film industry Lenin encouraged the Soviet film industry Sergei Eisenstein directed the most famous Russian films Sergei Eisenstein directed the most famous Russian films He dramatized the Soviet view of history He dramatized the Soviet view of history Leni Riefenstahl in Germany specialized in documentary propaganda like Triumph of the Will of Nazi Party Rally at Nuremberg in 1934 Leni Riefenstahl in Germany specialized in documentary propaganda like Triumph of the Will of Nazi Party Rally at Nuremberg in 1934

Radio Marconi developed transatlantic “wireless” communication in 1901 Marconi developed transatlantic “wireless” communication in 1901 Used by military in WWI Used by military in WWI 1920 first major public broadcasts in U.S. and Great Britain 1920 first major public broadcasts in U.S. and Great Britain Most countries (not U.S.) had direct control of radio by the government ie. BBC Most countries (not U.S.) had direct control of radio by the government ie. BBC Used for political propaganda Used for political propaganda