Person
Every book Michael Burns recommended on podcasts
Michael Burns appeared on Behind the Bastards to discuss philosophy, political thought, and strategies for maintaining psychological resilience. Responding to a request for philosophy books that can help people stay sane during difficult times, Burns recommended Søren Kierkegaard's The Present Age, which is collected in the volume Two Ages, praising it as a useful text that describes a society overly consumed by media and superficial public opinion. He also recommended Fredric Jameson's An American Utopia: Dual Power and the Universal Army as a recent read that deeply engaged him with its alternative visions of leftist power and political structure. Furthermore, Burns brought up Friedrich Nietzsche's On the Genealogy of Morals while analyzing the philosophical roots of nihilism, arguing that European culture influenced by idealist philosophy fostered nihilistic worldviews. Through these works, Burns explored the intersection of historical philosophy, media critique, and utopian political theory.
Books recommended by Michael Burns
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An American Utopia
An American Utopia by Fredric Jameson is a political and theoretical work that explores alternative visions of leftist power, state organization, and dual power structures within the United States.
Recommended“I've been very Frederick Jameson pilled recently and I think I mean I've read Jameson before on and off but recently dove in more deeply and there's one okay I have it arms reach so I can say the title correctly that I've really been enjoying it's um called an American utopia dual power and the universal army by Frederick”
Where to get it
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Present Age and of the Difference Between Genius and an Apostle
Present Age and of the Difference Between Genius and an Apostle by Søren Kierkegaard is a philosophical work that examines the spiritual and moral condition of modern society.
Recommended“I mean a really simple one that I talk about way too much is um Kierkegaard's the present age which you find in this book called Two Ages that's easy to buy. It's normally really cheap or you can just read it online someplace that kind of describes a society in which people get caught up in media and reflection”
Where to get it
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Two Ages
Two Ages by Robert L.
Recommended“I mean a really simple one that I talk about way too much is um Kierkegaard's the present age which you find in this book called Two Ages that's easy to buy. It's normally really cheap or you can just read it online someplace that kind of describes a society in which people get caught up in media and reflection”
Where to get it
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On the Genealogy of Morals
On the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche is a foundational philosophical work that investigates the historical evolution of human moral concepts, famously contrasting master and slave morality to critique modern societal values and nihilism.
Discussed“And when Nietzsche is talking about nihilism especially in a book like the genealogy of morality in a lot of other places he is making the argument that sort of Christian European culture and in particularly a Christian European culture influenced by idealist philosophy creates nihilism.”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| It Could Happen Here Weekly 179 | Behind the Bastards | 2025-04-26 | 4 |