John Shook

The Dark Years?

Philosophy

“As a prophetic voice among leftists, Richard Rorty foresaw how the ‘culture wars’ polarized and paralyzed democratic politics. Jacob Goodson offers a sympathetic account of Rorty’s sincere regrets over the ‘academic Left’ and its focus on identity politics rather than capitalism’s victims. During the 1990s, Rorty predicted America’s descent into tribalism, a ‘strongman’ president, mass violence, a second Great Depression, and capitalism’s disbanding of democracy. This book must be read by anyone hoping that philosophy can re-awaken to its responsibility for our collective welfare.”