Byung-Chul Han - Why so many of us feel so empty today!

Byung-Chul Han's "The Disappearance of Ritual" explores the decline of rituals in modern society and its impact on our sense of meaning. Han argues that the relentless pursuit of efficiency and productivity has eroded traditional rituals, leading to feelings of emptiness and alienation. He examines how rituals provide a sense of belonging, structure, and shared experience, contrasting them with the atomized and individualistic nature of modern life. The book offers a critical perspective on the societal shift away from ritualistic practices and their consequences for individual well-being and community cohesion. Han's work encourages a re-evaluation of our values and a potential return to ritualistic practices to combat the pervasive sense of meaninglessness.

Byung-Chul Han interprets the widespread malaise in modern society as an inability to manage negative experiences in an age characterized by excessive positivity and the universal availability of people and goods. He argues that the shift from a disciplinary society to an achievement society, where individuals are driven by self-monitoring and the desire to achieve, leads to auto-exploitation and burnout. Han draws on literature, philosophy, and the social and natural sciences to explore the consequences of sacrificing intermittent intellectual reflection for constant neural connection and the impact of hyperattention and multitasking on mental health and culture.