Man and Technics

A Contribution to a Philosophy of Life

By: Oswald Spengler

Narrated by: Jeremy Taescher

Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

In this new and revised edition of Oswald Spengler's classic Man and Technics, Spengler makes a number of predictions that today, more than 80 years after the book was first published, have turned out to be remarkably accurate.

Spengler predicted that industrialization would lead to serious environmental problems and that countless species would become extinct. He also predicted that labor from Third World countries would increasingly outcompete Western workers by doing the same work for much lower wages and that industrial production would therefore move to other parts of the world, such as East Asia, India, and South America.

According to Spengler, technology has not only made it possible for man to harness the forces of nature; it has also alienated him from nature. Modern technology now dominates our culture instead of that which is natural and organic. After having made himself the master of nature, man has himself become technology's slave. "The victor, crashed, is dragged to death by the team," Spengler summarizes.

Finally, Spengler foresaw that Western man would eventually grow weary of his increasingly artificial lifestyle and begin to hate the civilization he himself created. There is no way out of this conundrum, as the unrelenting progress of technological development cannot be halted. The current high-tech culture of the West is therefore doomed, destined to be consumed from within and destroyed. A time will come, Spengler writes, when our giant cities and skyscrapers have fallen in ruins and lie forgotten "[J]ust like the palaces of old Memphis and Babylon." It remains to be seen if this last, and most dire, of Spengler's prophecies will also come true.

©2015- Arktos Media Ltd. (P)2019- Arktos Media Ltd.

Oswald Spengler: Not what I thought

Due to the unfortunate coincidence of his name and nationality, I made assumptions as to his ideology.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Now, as was Nietzsche,
I’m a yes-sayer 👍👍

Very Interesting

A very interesting look into the philosophical mindset of Spengler in the 1930s. A good read.

Analysis of the decline of Western social order.

Excellent reading. The author describes this work as a brief explication of his earlier work,The Decline of the West. He provides a pointed analysis of what was then the "modern" European and North American world, and how its intellectual, social, political, and economic order were setting the stage for its decline, by a kind of "de-industrialization". The argument is not so much a critique, with suggestions of how to avoid this outcome, as that it is inevitable for the West and possibly for any nation.

He litteraly predicted the future!!!

Very logical order of facts with a chilling analysis and prediction. He clearly sees where this has now become.

Let the man talk

Great little book, a lot of interesting ideas that need further development. Only problem is that about 20% is the intro, which is superfluous. Let the work stand on its own feet!

A book for greatness

A truly wonderful book I recommend it for those who feel a sense of regality

Oswald Spengler

The Mechanization of the World: Spengler starts by discussing the pervasive influence of technology in modern civilization. He argues that technology has extended its reach into all spheres of human life, altering the way people perceive and interact with the world.

Machine and Apparatus: Spengler examines how machines and apparatuses have become integral to human existence. He asserts that technology transforms not only the external environment but also the inner psychology of individuals. People start to think and behave in mechanistic ways.

The Illusion of the Technical: Standardization: Spengler highlights the illusion of technical progress as an indicator of genuine human development. He argues that while technology might appear to enhance human life, it often leads to standardization, eroding uniqueness and cultural diversity.

The Problem of Numbers: In this chapter, Spengler addresses the consequences of the rise of numerical thinking and quantitative approaches. He expresses concerns about the reduction of human experiences, emotions, and values to quantifiable measures.

The Metropolis: Spengler explores the transformation of societies from rural, agrarian communities to bustling metropolises. He examines how urbanization and industrialization impact the character of civilizations.

The Giant City: Building on the previous chapter, Spengler delves deeper into the dynamics of urbanization. He discusses the power structures, challenges, and psychological effects of life in large cities.

The Turn of the World: Spengler contemplates the cyclical nature of civilizations and their eventual decline. He suggests that technological advancement contributes to a civilization's downfall as it leads to a detachment from nature and a focus on materialism.

Economic Life: This chapter explores the interconnectedness of technology, economy, and society. Spengler discusses how economic systems evolve in response to technological changes.

Growth and Duration: Spengler reflects on the balance between growth and duration in civilizations. He argues that technological growth might accelerate a civilization's decline due to overextension and lack of sustainability.

The Law of the Line: In the final chapter, Spengler outlines his views on historical cycles and the rise and fall of civilizations. He posits that a civilization's trajectory follows a predictable pattern influenced by its relationship with technology.

Slightly diluted desperation, slavery, racism, and rape on the spiritual level

This book makes me feel that a lot of the history of Western philosophy is a chorus of unusually sickly, bookish, marginalized, incels, who by the very virtue of being so desire unbridled material power at all costs. Why are so many of the right’s beloved philosophers guys chronically ill and chronically single atheists? And why do they so often position themselves not only as atheists, but effectively as Satanists, “Prometheists,” or “Faustians”; agents of Eternal rebellion for its own sake?

I foreknew he was chronically single as I read it, and that he would complain that his magnum opus was misunderstood in his day, because I think in every single time period these ideas would read as psychopathic and antisocial by healthy people.

I started this a long time ago and quit by the second chapter because I could predict the tenor of the whole book by then. But I was brought back because I’ve been reading the works of Jason Reza Jorjani, who is also unfortunately an alt-right-winger and crypto-racist in my estimation. But he is also a genuinely interesting thinker worth reading, despite the problematic undertones. I reread this book in a similar spirit of trying to dig deep into what such people are thinking, and Spengler structures a lot of Jorjani’s, and the alt-right’s philosophy.

I give this a 3 because although it is predictable, cringe, and potentially dangerous, I recommend it to anyone interested in mapping out this territory who does not yet wish to invest (possibly waste) months into The Decline of The West.