Preview
  • The Decadent Society

  • How We Became a Victim of Our Own Success
  • By: Ross Douthat
  • Narrated by: Ross Douthat
  • Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (604 ratings)

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The Decadent Society

By: Ross Douthat
Narrated by: Ross Douthat
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Publisher's summary

From the New York Times columnist and best-selling author of Bad Religion, a powerful portrait of how our wealthy, successful society has passed into an age of gridlock, stalemate, public failure, and private despair.

The era of the coronavirus has tested America, and our leaders and institutions have conspicuously failed. That failure shouldn’t be surprising: Beneath social-media frenzy and reality-television politics, our era’s deep truths are elite incompetence, cultural exhaustion, and the flight from reality into fantasy. Casting a cold eye on these trends, The Decadent Society explains what happens when a powerful society ceases advancing - how the combination of wealth and technological proficiency with economic stagnation, political stalemate, and demographic decline creates a unique civilizational crisis.

Ranging from the futility of our ideological debates to the repetitions of our pop culture, from the decline of sex and childbearing to the escapism of drug use, Ross Douthat argues that our age is defined by disappointment - by the feeling that all the frontiers are closed, that the paths forward lead only to the grave. Correcting both optimism and despair, Douthat provides an enlightening explanation of how we got here, how long our frustrations might last, and how, in renaissance or catastrophe, our decadence might ultimately end.

©2020 Ross Douthat (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
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What listeners say about The Decadent Society

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    3 out of 5 stars

Glad I listened to this book -

The author makes some interesting points that need to be considered. Unfortunately, he skips over historical/political and scientific facts when they don’t support his position. His case would be stronger if he addressed them. Overall, a good book. His ideas gave me a lot to think about.

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Thoughtful and Challenging

The breath and width of Douthat’s insight will open new vistas of thought for attentive readers. While clear about his own positions, the author is exceedingly careful to present a wide spectrum of reflections and options. I strongly recommend this book.

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Brilliant insight

The author makes his point of our country resting on its laurels since the time we landed on the moon and built the interstate highways. He accurately describes how we are in decay and have run off course from our great achievements prior to 1970. We are in a state of decay simply put. However, the author makes it a point to not blame any political party or president. All are equality at fault and he even suggests that this decadence may be a natural occurrence in the evolution of civilizations. Very well presented and thought provoking.

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Excellent book!!

A profound analysis of the limits of our perceived successes and what has brought B us here.

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Timing

The timing of this work is incredible. Full of insight and on point references

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Captivating book, and very well written

One thing I came out with after listening to this book is how good a writer Ross Douthat is. His style is unique and captivating, though at times that may veer off into the too-abstract and make understanding slightly challenging. Still, I'm impressed with his skill with words.

The book is immensely pleasurable, and full of fascinating observations on the state of the Western world today, where it may be headed, what it's going through, and what options appear on the horizon. What does it mean when the Pentagon releases what it claims to be possible UFOs? Will it turn to Islam as the final savior from the abyss of malaise, dread and confusion? Why are there so many manifestations of fatigue and decadence in our civilization that we still don't see clearly, and just blithely dismiss? How is the rise of China and Africa going to affect the political, cultural and religious characters of Western society? And other fascinating topics.

Douthat's observations are original and enjoyable to think about. His thoughts are meaningful and make a lot of sense, you will find it impossible to stop listening/reading, and will continue till the end thanks to his originality and entertaining writing style (oh and great narration too). What a pleasure this book is.

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A look in the mirror, and into the future

I have often found myself thinking about this book and bringing it up in conversations since listening to it. I hope that we can right the ship and find our way out of decadence.

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Excellent 👍

loved it from start to finish. A prescient examination and just comparison of decline and likely solutions posited. Wonderful to hear in the author's own voice!

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A piercing look at our present moment

Ross Douthat cements his place as one of my favorite cultural commentators.

We keep repeating the recent past; technological innovation has slowed, with nothing as life-altering as running water being invented in the tech era; our politicians are feckless; institutions have weakened and turned sclerotic. These are some of the problems of a decadent society, a society that has become too comfortable with its own success.

Douthat’s book joins other recent conservative books in trying to diagnose our current political moment with ideas that go beyond the typical left/right binary. For an American conservative he’s quite suspicious of free markets, but he’s also suspicious of statism from the American left. He certainly thinks the decline of American religion is a problem, but unlike other religious conservatives he doesn’t assume that us becoming more secular has been what has caused our problems. But he’s also not within the ‘post-liberal’ camp, calling for a new right that’s protectionist, socially conservative, and supplies a generous social safety net.

Most interesting are the final chapters, where Douthat focuses on the cures for decadence. He moderates his pessimism by outlining a few different ways we might become less decadent. Some are catastrophic, where the West collapses. Some are hopeful, where a thriving Africa supplies a new way forward for the rest of the world. In all of them, the role of the West must change.

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Yuliya

I found this book by chance and am glad to have read it. I like the way author expresses his thoughts of the society, the analogies he draws and the literary means he uses (something like “all dreams evaporate into the warming air”- about global climate change). The narrative provides a positive outlook despite the grim title.

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1 person found this helpful