Chapter 28: The Age of Anxiety

1919-1939George Grosz: Eclipse of the Sun, 1926. "Since the politicians seem to have lost their heads, the army and capitalists are dictating what is to be done. The people, symbolized by the blinkered ass, simply eat what is put before them."

Modern Philosophy

Friederich NietzcheFriederich Nietzche called for superior individuals to recognize the emptiness and meaningless of life. “There is no God”

“A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything.”

“After coming into contact with a religious man I always feel I must wash my hands.”

Modern Philosophy

Henri BergsonHenri Bergson believed that experience and intuition are as important as rationale thinking and science.

“Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought.”

“To perceive means to immobilize. We seize, in the act of perception, something which outruns perception itself.”

Modern Philosophy

George SorelGeorge Sorel ( a French Socialist thinker) believed the Marxian Socialism would end up with a small revolutionary elite running society.

“Hate is able to provoke disorders, to ruin a social organization, to cast a country into a period of bloody revolutions; but it produces nothing.”

Philosophy splits due to Philosophy splits due to World War IWorld War I

Logical EpiricismLogical Epiricism (positivism) takes hold (positivism) takes hold in English Speaking in English Speaking countries.countries.

Ludwig WittgensteinLudwig Wittgenstein reduced philosophy to language, arguing that philosophers could not rationalize God, freedom, morality. (scientists love him)

EXISTENTIALISMEXISTENTIALISM - In Europe were basically atheists who were searching for morals. (We exist, then we die) How depressing :~(

Jean Paul SarteJean Paul Sarte argued that human beings are defined about making choices of the conscious, not in faith!

Flowered in Germany. . . But it was in France during and after WWII when it took off (accept Hitler or resist to the death!

Revival of Christianity

Loss of faith in human reason and progress led to renewed interest in Christianity.Karl Barth and Gabriel Marcel were top leading theologians who turned to having faith in God!

“The goal of human life is not death, but resurrection.”

The New Physics

Research of Maire Curie and Max PlanckResearch of Maire Curie and Max Planck discovered radium emits subatomic particles. The atom is discovered! (not “little hard balls”

The New Physics

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein undermines Newton by stating that matter and energy are interchangeable and that even a particle of matter contains energy.

“heroic age of physics”

Psychology

Before Freud the belief was that human behavior was the result of rationale calculations by the conscious mind.

Freud believes that behavior is irrational and unconscious; primitive like. – the idFreud believes the unconscious is driven by sexual, aggressive, and pleasure seeking desires locked in a constant struggle with the rationale mind. – the ego (sex is good for mental health!)

Freud believes that the id and ego are also persuaded my moral values on what a person should do – the superego

Modern Art

Impressionistic art sought to capture the momentary overall feeling, impression, of light on real life scenes. (Monet, Renoir, Pissaro)

Modern Art

“Post-Impressionism or Expressionists” (late 1800’s). Try to show your intense inner emotions of wild imagination; desire to depict worlds other than visible world of fact. . Dream like.

Vincent Van Gogh

– “Starry Night”

Modern Art

After 1905 art becomes abstract/nonrepresentational and moves into CUBISM

Pablo Picasso is noted as the founder of “modern art” introducing Cubism; complex geometric lines and sharply overlapping planes; tried to portray all perspectives at once!

Modern Art

After WWI art moved into Dadaism and Surrealism. This form art attacked all accepted standards and became outrageous behavior. The confusion after WWI is displayed; everything is detached and there is NO ORDER of society!

Surrealism is attempting to paint the unconscious mind; DREAMS! Most noted for this is Salvador Dali

Movies

Movies began in naughty peepshows and penny arcades (Paris)Charlie Chaplin became the “king” of the silver screen in the 1920’s.

Movies became an extremely useful tool for propaganda. (Indoctrination)

Mass Media

The radio, and movies allowed governments to persuade people’s opinions on a mass level (propaganda)

“Triumph of the Will”

Political Uncertainty1920-1930

John Keynes, and economist denounces the Treaty of Versailles and said the harness will lead to economic hardship in all countries.

Political Uncertainty

France’s aggression towards Germany made Britain and U.S.A. distant from agreeing to any alliance.France, turned to the “Little Entente”; Czechoslovakia, Romania, and Yugoslavia

Political Uncertainty

In 1922, Germany announces it could not pay reparations (war damages)

In response, France moved into the Ruhr district, the heart of Germany’s industrial center.

Political Uncertainty

Germany printed billions of marks to pay off the reparations. . Severe inflation followed. The German Mark was worthless.

The Dawes Plan (1924)

The U.S. would loan Germany money so it could re-build and pay off the war debt.

Hope for Future Peace

1. Germany joins the League of Nations (1926)

2. Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed by 15 nations denouncing war as a instrument of foreign policy (1928)

The Great Depression

1. People were buying “stocks on margin”: People bought a fraction of the stock and borrowed the rest from banks, and investors.

Causes:

2. People speculated that the stock market would make them money with borrowed money

The Great Depression

Economic Effects:Widespread panic took place. Production decreased. Businesses closed. Triggered a worldwide depression; mass unemployment everywhere.

The Great Depression

Social Effects:

People lost their spirit; suicide, abondonment of children, marriage and birthrates declined. People lost HOPE!

The Great Depression

Political Effects:

Roosevelt implemented the “New Deal”. Essestially Socialism. The federal government put people back to work. Scandanavian countries went the full distance towards Socialism.

New Deal handout.