How to Save the West: Ancient Wisdom for 5 Modern Crises

The fate of our civilization depends on whether ordinary people internalize the truth and beauty conveyed in the masterpieces of Western culture, according to Spencer Klavan, a classicist, and podcaster. He argues that the West faces five essential crises: the crisis of reality, the crisis of the body, the crisis of meaning, the crisis of religion, and the crisis of the regime. Klavan brings to the West's defense the insights of Plato, Aristotle, the Bible, and the Founding Fathers to show that in the wisdom of the past lies hope for the future.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 13 April 2023
Publisher: Regnery Publishing Inc

The wisdom of the ages can guide us through the struggles of the present, and the fate of our civilisation depends on whether ordinary people internalise the truth and beauty conveyed in the masterpieces of Western culture. Spencer Klavan, a classicist and podcaster, defends that culture and explains why and how we must hand it on to the next generation.

It has been proclaimed many times, but perhaps never more convincingly than now, when every news cycle seems to deliver further confirmation of a world gone mad. Is this the endgame? Have we come to closing time in the West?

Author Spencer Klavan is a classicist, with a Ph.D. from Oxford, and a deep understanding of the West. His analysis: The situation is dire. But every crisis we face today, we have faced before. And we can surmount each one. Today's "five essential crises" are:

The Crisis of Reality: Is there such a thing as objective truth—and even if there is, can "virtual reality" replace it?

The Crisis of the Body: Not just the "transgender" insanity, but the push for a "transhumanist" future

The Crisis of Meaning: Evolution—both biological and cultural—is a process of endless replication, of copying. But is there an original model that gives us an aspiration to aim for? Do our lives and actions have meaning?

The Crisis of Religion: Science has not eliminated man's religious impulse, but rather misdirected it—and wrongly dismissed the profound philosophical plausibility of Judeo-Christian revelation.

The Crisis of the Regime: Has America reached a point of inevitable collapse? Republican government was meant to end the destructive cycle of regimes rising and falling—but can it?

Klavan brings to the West's defence the insights of Plato, Aristotle, and other great thinkers who have shaped our understanding of the world. He argues that the West is facing a crisis of identity, but that there is hope for a revival. He calls on readers to embrace the values of Western culture, such as individualism, freedom, and democracy, and to reject the ideologies of hate and oppression that are threatening to tear us apart.

In conclusion, Spencer Klavan's book is a powerful and timely reminder of the importance of Western culture and the values that have shaped it. He offers a vision for a future that is both prosperous and just, and that is based on the principles of reason, compassion, and respect for human dignity. It is a call to action that we cannot afford to ignore.

Weight: 438g
Dimension: 161 x 237 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781684513451