The Age of The Age of AnxietyAnxiety

1914-19501914-1950Chapter 28-1Chapter 28-1

Post WWI Political OrderPost WWI Political Order

End of old dynasties: Hohenzollern, End of old dynasties: Hohenzollern, Ottomans, Hapsburgs, RomanovsOttomans, Hapsburgs, Romanovs

Democracies remained and took root: Democracies remained and took root: France and BritainFrance and Britain

Germany: Weimar Republic Germany: Weimar Republic Czechoslovakia: a new republicCzechoslovakia: a new republic 1920’s communist totalitarianism in 1920’s communist totalitarianism in

Russia, fascism in Italy, 30’s Nazism Russia, fascism in Italy, 30’s Nazism in Germanyin Germany

Post WWI: Age of Post WWI: Age of AnxietyAnxiety

WWI was a blow to Western WWI was a blow to Western civilizationcivilization

People felt they had little control to People felt they had little control to change things for the betterchange things for the better

People saw themselves living in an People saw themselves living in an age of continual crisis:age of continual crisis: WWIWWI RevolutionsRevolutions Political and financial crisis in 20’sPolitical and financial crisis in 20’s Depression, WWII, Cold WarDepression, WWII, Cold War

Modern Philosophy: New Modern Philosophy: New and Upsettingand Upsetting

Before WWI most people still had Before WWI most people still had the Enlightenment view: reason, the Enlightenment view: reason, rights of the individual, progress rights of the individual, progress possiblepossible

Earlier critics of Pre WWI view Earlier critics of Pre WWI view rejected the general faith in rejected the general faith in progress and the power of the progress and the power of the rational human mindrational human mind

The Early Critics of The Early Critics of Enlightenment PhilosophyEnlightenment Philosophy

Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche 1844-1900 1844-1900 Important critic of rationalism of the Important critic of rationalism of the

EnlightenmentEnlightenment In In Thus Spake ZarathustraThus Spake Zarathustra claimed claimed

“God is Dead”“God is Dead” Claimed Christianity embodied a Claimed Christianity embodied a

“Slave Morality” which glorified “Slave Morality” which glorified weakness, envy, and mediocrityweakness, envy, and mediocrity

Individualism had to be quashed Individualism had to be quashed

NietzscheNietzsche

In In Will to PowerWill to Power said that only the said that only the creativity of a few supermen creativity of a few supermen (ubermenschen) could successfully (ubermenschen) could successfully reorder the worldreorder the world

Not widely read and appreciated Not widely read and appreciated until after WWIuntil after WWI

Henri Bergson 1859-Henri Bergson 1859-19411941

In the 1890’s he had convinced In the 1890’s he had convinced many young people that immediate many young people that immediate experience and intuition were as experience and intuition were as important as rational and scientific important as rational and scientific thinking for understanding realitythinking for understanding reality

Georges Sorel 1847-Georges Sorel 1847-19221922

Syndicalism: Syndicalism: a manifestation of a manifestation of anarchismanarchism

His ideas foreshadowed the Bolshevik His ideas foreshadowed the Bolshevik Revolution and the control of an elite Revolution and the control of an elite few in Russiafew in Russia

Believed that socialism would come to Believed that socialism would come to power through a great violent strike of power through a great violent strike of all of the working people of the world all of the working people of the world

Sigmund Freud 1856-Sigmund Freud 1856-19391939

Freudian psychology first developed Freudian psychology first developed in the 1880’sin the 1880’s

Traditional psychology assumed a Traditional psychology assumed a single unified conscious mind single unified conscious mind processed sensory experiences in a processed sensory experiences in a rational and logical wayrational and logical way

Freudian psychology emphasized the Freudian psychology emphasized the greedy, irrational nature of humansgreedy, irrational nature of humans

By 1910 had gained a wide followingBy 1910 had gained a wide following

Freudian PsychologyFreudian Psychology

The ID (human unconscious) is driven by The ID (human unconscious) is driven by sexual, aggressive and pleasure-seeking sexual, aggressive and pleasure-seeking desires so humans are not rationaldesires so humans are not rational

The ID battles the Ego and the SuperegoThe ID battles the Ego and the Superego Ego: Rationalizing conscious that Ego: Rationalizing conscious that

mediates what a person can domediates what a person can do Superego: Ingrained moral values Superego: Ingrained moral values

specifying what a person should do specifying what a person should do

Freudian PsychologyFreudian Psychology Shattered the enlightenment view of Shattered the enlightenment view of

rationality and progressrationality and progress Agreed with Nietzsche: rational Agreed with Nietzsche: rational

thinking and traditional moral values thinking and traditional moral values could cripple individuals with guilt and could cripple individuals with guilt and neurotic fearsneurotic fears

Many drew the conclusion that the first Many drew the conclusion that the first requirement for mental health is an requirement for mental health is an uninhibited sex lifeuninhibited sex life

Much post WWII sexual experimentationMuch post WWII sexual experimentation

Post War Critics and Post War Critics and PessimistsPessimists

Paul Valery 1871-1945 PoetPaul Valery 1871-1945 Poet Spoke of the “cruelly injured mind” Spoke of the “cruelly injured mind”

besieged by doubts & suffering from besieged by doubts & suffering from anxieties due to economic, political, anxieties due to economic, political, social disruptions of the 1920’ssocial disruptions of the 1920’s

Ludwig Wittgenstein Ludwig Wittgenstein 1889-19511889-1951

Part of the “Vienna Circle” of the 1920’s Part of the “Vienna Circle” of the 1920’s and 30’sand 30’s

Developed Developed Logical Empiricism Logical Empiricism (logical (logical positivism): Philosophy is the only logical positivism): Philosophy is the only logical clarification of thoughtclarification of thought

Abstract concepts: God, freedom, morality, Abstract concepts: God, freedom, morality, etc. are senseless since they cannot be etc. are senseless since they cannot be tested by scientific experiment or tested by scientific experiment or demonstrated by the logic of mathematicsdemonstrated by the logic of mathematics

Only experience is worth analyzingOnly experience is worth analyzing

Anti-utopian AuthorsAnti-utopian Authors

Oswald Spengler 1880-1936 Oswald Spengler 1880-1936 The Decline of the WestThe Decline of the West Every culture experiences a life Every culture experiences a life

cycle of growth and declinecycle of growth and decline Western civilization is in old ageWestern civilization is in old age Rise of the Eastern racesRise of the Eastern races

T.S. Eliot 1888-1965T.S. Eliot 1888-1965

The Waste Land The Waste Land Depicted a world of growing Depicted a world of growing

desolationdesolation Considered the most famous long Considered the most famous long

poem of the 20poem of the 20thth century century

Franz Kafka 1883-1924Franz Kafka 1883-1924

Portrayed helpless individuals Portrayed helpless individuals destroyed by inexplicably hostile and destroyed by inexplicably hostile and surreal forcessurreal forces

The TrialThe Trial The CastleThe Castle The MetamorphosisThe Metamorphosis

Erich RemarqueErich Remarque

All Quiet on the Western FrontAll Quiet on the Western Front Novel detailing the horrors of trench Novel detailing the horrors of trench

warfare during WWIwarfare during WWI

ExistentialismExistentialism

Took root in Continental countries after Took root in Continental countries after WWIIWWII

Saw life as absurd with no inherent Saw life as absurd with no inherent meaningmeaning

The individual has to find his own meaningThe individual has to find his own meaning Most but not all were atheistsMost but not all were atheists

Prominent existentialists: Martin Prominent existentialists: Martin Heideggerf, Karl JaspersHeideggerf, Karl Jaspers

More ExistentialistsMore Existentialists

Jean-Paul Sartre Jean-Paul Sartre 1905-1980 1905-1980 Wrote that life had no meaning and Wrote that life had no meaning and

that humans simply existthat humans simply exist Was strongly attracted to communismWas strongly attracted to communism

Albert Camus Albert Camus 1913-1960 people have 1913-1960 people have to find meaning by taking action to find meaning by taking action against that with which they disagreeagainst that with which they disagree

Christian ExistentialistsChristian Existentialists

Shared the loneliness and despair of Shared the loneliness and despair of atheistsatheists

Stressed sinful nature of man, need for Stressed sinful nature of man, need for faith and for God’s forgivenessfaith and for God’s forgiveness

Soren KierkegaardSoren Kierkegaard 1813-1855: the 1813-1855: the rediscovery of his works led to a rediscovery of his works led to a revivalism of fundamental Christian beliefrevivalism of fundamental Christian belief

T.S. Eliot: worked within a Christian T.S. Eliot: worked within a Christian frameworkframework

George Orwell 1903-George Orwell 1903-19501950

19841984 The concept of “Big Brother” The concept of “Big Brother” and his totalitarian stateand his totalitarian state

Used a new kind of language, Used a new kind of language, sophisticated technology and sophisticated technology and psychological terror to strip a weak psychological terror to strip a weak individual of the last shred of human individual of the last shred of human dignitydignity

Theater of the AbsurdTheater of the Absurd

Samuel Beckett Samuel Beckett 1906-1989 Irish 1906-1989 Irish PlaywrightPlaywright

Waiting for GodotWaiting for Godot Two characters Two characters wait for Godot (GOD?) but he never wait for Godot (GOD?) but he never comescomes

Dialogue is disjointed and Dialogue is disjointed and convolutedconvoluted

The New ScienceThe New Science

Undermined the optimism of the Undermined the optimism of the enlightenment and faith in natural lawenlightenment and faith in natural law

The New Physics: Challenged long-held The New Physics: Challenged long-held Enlightenment ideas and led to uncertaintyEnlightenment ideas and led to uncertainty

Max Planck: Basis for quantum physicsMax Planck: Basis for quantum physics Albert Einstein: Theory of Relativity Albert Einstein: Theory of Relativity Ernest Rutherford: split the AtomErnest Rutherford: split the Atom Werner Heisenberg: principle of Werner Heisenberg: principle of

uncertainty”uncertainty”

Principle of UncertaintyPrinciple of Uncertainty

Since it is impossible to know the Since it is impossible to know the position and speed of an electron, it position and speed of an electron, it is impossible to predict its behavioris impossible to predict its behavior

Heisenberg Principle: The dynamics Heisenberg Principle: The dynamics of an experiment alters the state of of an experiment alters the state of the subjectthe subject

Impact of the New Impact of the New PhysicsPhysics

The new universe seemed strange The new universe seemed strange and troublingand troubling

Universe is now “relative” except Universe is now “relative” except the speed of lightthe speed of light

Universe has no stable building Universe has no stable building blocksblocks

Physics no longer provided for easy, Physics no longer provided for easy, optimistic answers…or any answersoptimistic answers…or any answers

ArtArt

Louis SullivanLouis Sullivan (U.S.) Late 19 (U.S.) Late 19thth century century pioneered skyscraperspioneered skyscrapers

Form follows functionForm follows function Bahaus Movement Bahaus Movement Walter Gropius: Walter Gropius: designed the Fagus designed the Fagus

Shoe Factory 1911 GermanyShoe Factory 1911 Germany Clean, light, elegantClean, light, elegant A real break with traditional A real break with traditional

architecturearchitecture

PaintingPainting

Cubism: Picasso (with Georges Cubism: Picasso (with Georges Braque)Braque)

Complex geometry, zigzaggy lines, Complex geometry, zigzaggy lines, anglesangles

GuernicaGuernica 1937 bombing of Spain by 1937 bombing of Spain by the German Luftwaffethe German Luftwaffe

Non-representational art: Non-representational art: KandinskyKandinsky

DadaismDadaism

Dada: a nonsensical wordDada: a nonsensical word The art mirrored the belief that the The art mirrored the belief that the

world did not make senseworld did not make sense Delighted in outrageous conductDelighted in outrageous conduct Marcel Duchamp’s Mona Lisa with a Marcel Duchamp’s Mona Lisa with a

mustachemustache

SurrealismSurrealism

Salvador DaliSalvador Dali Influenced by FreudInfluenced by Freud The Persistence of MemoryThe Persistence of Memory

MusicMusic

Igor Stravinsky: Igor Stravinsky: Most important Most important composer of the 20composer of the 20thth century century

““Rite of Spring” experimented with Rite of Spring” experimented with new tonalitiesnew tonalities

Arnold Schonberg Arnold Schonberg pioneered 12-pioneered 12-tone techniquetone technique

MoviesMovies

First moving pictures 1890’s naughty First moving pictures 1890’s naughty peepshows and penny arcades…Paris peepshows and penny arcades…Paris firstfirst

Charlie Chaplin (English) 1920’s first Charlie Chaplin (English) 1920’s first king of the Silver Screenking of the Silver Screen

German studios specialized in German studios specialized in expressionist dramas: expressionist dramas: The Cabinet of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Dr. Caligari (1919)1919)

Talkies in 1927Talkies in 1927

MoviesMovies

Motion Pictures were the main form Motion Pictures were the main form of entertainment of the masses until of entertainment of the masses until after WWIIafter WWII

Motion Pictures, like the radio, Motion Pictures, like the radio, became powerful tools of became powerful tools of indoctrination…especially in indoctrination…especially in countries with dictatorial regimes: countries with dictatorial regimes: Russia, GermanyRussia, Germany

Motion PicturesMotion Pictures

Lenin encouraged the Soviet film industryLenin encouraged the Soviet film industry Sergei EisensteinSergei Eisenstein directed the most directed the most

famous Russian filmsfamous Russian films He dramatized the Soviet view of historyHe dramatized the Soviet view of history

Leni RiefenstahlLeni Riefenstahl in Germany specialized in Germany specialized in documentary propaganda like in documentary propaganda like Triumph Triumph of the Willof the Will of Nazi Party Rally at of Nazi Party Rally at Nuremberg in 1934Nuremberg in 1934

RadioRadio

Marconi developed transatlantic Marconi developed transatlantic “wireless” communication in 1901“wireless” communication in 1901

Used by military in WWIUsed by military in WWI 1920 first major public broadcasts in 1920 first major public broadcasts in

U.S. and Great BritainU.S. and Great Britain Most countries (not U.S.) had direct Most countries (not U.S.) had direct

control of radio by the government ie. control of radio by the government ie. BBCBBC

Used for political propagandaUsed for political propaganda