Age of Anxiety: Meaning, Identity, and Politics in 21st-Century Film and Literature

The Age of Anxiety: Meaning, Identity, and Politics in 21st Century Film and Literature explores how the decline of narratives that provided individuals with a meaningful human life has led to anxiety. The authors argue that the twentieth-century sought to free individuals from the constraints of authoritative cultural traditions and institutions, but this has led to anxiety rather than liberation. The book also examines how the rapid pace of technological development is driving an unprecedented faith in the malleability of human beings, raising doubts as to what it means to be a person.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 268 pages
Publication date: 23 June 2021
Publisher: Lexington Books

The Age of Anxiety: Meaning, Identity, and Politics in 21st Century Film and Literature delves into the examination of literature and films that address the prevailing anxiety of our time, stemming from the loss of narratives that once offered individuals a meaningful human existence. The authors contend that the twentieth century aimed to liberate individuals from the confines of authoritative cultural traditions and institutions, fostering the development of the autonomous self. However, this pursuit has inadvertently led to anxiety rather than liberation. Instead of finding purpose in one's role and place within a community, individuals have been misled into believing that their identity can be purchased through the symbolic meaning associated with the conspicuous consumption of a brand. This same phenomenon manifests itself in politics, particularly in recent populist revolts against globalist politics. Furthermore, the rapid pace of technological development is instilling an unprecedented belief in the malleability of human beings, raising questions about what it means to be a person. By drawing upon paradigms from the fields of Communication/Rhetoric and Political Philosophy, the book explores how the self has been displaced from its natural habitat within local communities. It traces the origins of modern anxiety and explores potential remedies. The book also considers popular culture artifacts such as Downton Abbey, WALL-E, Hacksaw Ridge, Westworld, and Lord of the Rings, as well as zombie films, in its analysis.

Weight: 404g
Dimension: 218 x 154 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781498575201