Cover Image: The Revolt Against Humanity

The Revolt Against Humanity

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Member Reviews

I accessed a digital review copy of this book from the publisher.
This book gives an in-depth investigation into the differing, yet similar, views of believers of Anthropocene antihumanism and Transhumanism. Both posit that the time of humanity is coming to an end. That it is a natural progression and will be better for the earth and nature. The author uses quotes and excerpts from various essays, books, and articles to support their claims.
The claims that were made in this book were interesting and something that I had not considered before. The author makes a well-thought-out argument to support their view.

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The book is an introduction of two different ways of thinking that will likely influence our near future, if not turn out to be our future itself. The first half of the book explains the reasons for wanting the end of humans as a species by antihumanists, the second by transhumanists.
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It’s a great read to get in touch with something that is not widely discussed, and yet already touches us, making it presently relevant.

Full review here
https://wordpress.com/post/inkylighthouse64669137.wordpress.com/153

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The end of humanity’s reign on Earth is imminent, and that we should welcome it. We're fucked. The only questions are how soon and how badly.

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A heavy (leaden at times but extinction is t lighthearted) treatise on a planet on the brink, really hanging on by a pinky.
Had to read in chunks, even when you know this stuff it still affects you.
The world has to change but for that to happen we need to put people before profits.
Everything CAN change over night but whether or will…. I guess there’s always hope.

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Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very interesting read about two rather radical modern philosophical viewpoints that - as the author states - actually come together under one overarching idea. That humanity is at a turning point and has to either "climb higher", through the use of technology and AI or "take the fall" and go (almost) extinct, wich might be the better option for our environment.

This was a fascinating read and I could connect to many of the discussed arguments. It was especially interesting for me since I am on one end of the mentioned spectrum and my boyfriend on the very other - so this was the perfect book to get into a well informed discussion.

I recommend this if you also think about how humanity is supposed to go on and what might be our future. It certainly makes a few very convincing arguments for both sides.

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Columbia Global Reports has done a justified service to readers by publishing these novella-sized books that explain the current scenario of issues around the globe. Readers who are not aware of the idea of Anthropocene antihumanism or doomerism as it is called in Twittersphere will get a nice introduction from this volume. Movements stemmed from environmental disasters in the Anthropocene get diligent yet concise treatment here. Kirsch has lined up a number of figures for the reader to explore further. From antihumanism, he explores the rise and prevalence of transhumanism supported by genetic engineering and artificial intelligence. A guide book for further study. Not a nuanced analytical work.

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One of the most excellent non-fiction books I've ever picked up. Though it is fairly short, this book is also very dense. There is a good overview of the general concepts of antihumanism and transhumanism, as well as the well known thinkers belonging to each group. What I enjoyed most about this read was that it was unflinching. Kirsch's direct look at the scientific facts that have brought about these two schools of thought is refreshing. This book was incredibly thought provoking, one of those reads that you immediately want to pick up again to skim for anything you may have missed.

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The Revolt Against Humanity is a fascinating exploration of the idea that humanity’s end is nigh, and that that’s not a bad thing. Compiling the recent history of this idea as written about by poets, scientists, philosophers, and novelists, columnist/editor/poet Adam Kirsch divides our impending extinction into two schools of thought: The Anthropocene Antihumanists (who believe that we are killing the Earth to the point that it can’t sustain us; and good riddance) and Transhumanists (who believe that we are approaching the “Singularity”; the point at which we will create the AI that replaces us as Earth’s so-called apex creation). At heart a philosophical treatise, Kirsch repeatedly makes it clear (through the writing of others) that there really is no point to the continuance of the human race: we are bad for the environment, bad to each other, not particularly happy as individuals, and there’s nothing inherently valuable in the way our species has evolved to interact with reality. I was surprised and provoked by many of the statements in this book, but I didn’t actually find it bleak: the events predicted by the assembled experts will either happen or they won’t, but there is value in contemplating how to find meaning in the present (at both personal and societal levels) if humanity doesn’t have a long future. I think that Kirsch definitely met his brief with this and I can’t give fewer than five stars.

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