The Present Age: On the Death of Rebellion

In The Present Age, Søren Kierkegaard analyzes the philosophical implications of a society dominated by mass media. What makes this essay so remarkable is that, although it was written in 1846, it seems to speak directly to twenty-first century culture, where life is dominated more by "information" than actual "knowledge." Kierkegaard goes so far as to say that advertising and publicity almost immediately co-opts and suppresses revolutionary thoughts or actions. The Present Age is essential reading for anyone who wishes to explore the role of media in the modern world. Walter Kaufmann, in his introduction to the book, says: "In The Present Age we find the heart of Kierkegaard."

Søren Kierkegaard (1813-55) continues to exercise a wide influence on philosophy, literature, and theology. Many of his books were published under exotic pseudonyms, and explored different dimensions of life outside Christianity. These include Either/Or, Fear and Trembling and The Concept of Anxiety. He also wrote a number of more directly devotional works, including Works of Love, but in the last years of his life attacked the established Church in a series of polemical leaflets.

"By far the most profound thinker of the 19th century."

- Ludwig Wittgenstein

--Walter Kaufman, from the Introduction