Future Primitive: And Other Essays (Autonomedia New Autonomy) [Paperback]

John Zerzan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1994

This neo-Luddite sequel to Elements of Refusal includes “Future Primitive,” “The Mass Psychology of Misery,” “Tonality and the Totality,” “The Catastrophe of Postmodernism,” excerpts from “The Nihilist’s Dictionary,” and other essays, columns, and reviews. From the editor of Against Civilization and the confidant of alleged Unabomber Ted Kazcynski.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Autonomedia (December 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570270007
• ISBN-13: 978-1570270000
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #987,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great contribution to radical thought, August 2, 2000

By 

mrgrieves08 (tucson) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Future Primitive: And Other Essays (Autonomedia New Autonomy) (Paperback)

I have only recently became acquainted with John Zerzan, and this is the first work of his that I have read. Having said this, I would have to say that this is one of the best works of Anarchy, and radical thought that has been written since the turn of the century. I say this because of the high level of intellectual development that this work reveals. Zerzan, instead of using anarchic stereotypes, instead writes with wit, humor, originality, and passion; as he delves into areas such as archeaology, anthropology, political science, and even postmodern philosphy. In doing so he illustrates the importance and veracity of anarchism, with a complex and intelligent argument that is hard to refute.

This is not just a great work of anarchist thought it is a tour de force of intellectual vigor and philosophical investigation. To anyone who says anarchy is dead, this book will go along way in changing their minds. It might even transform the way you look at the world. Zerzan is possibly the most significant anarchist thinker since the likes of Emma Goldman and Prince Petr Kropotkin, to which his wide intellectual breadth bears a great resemblance. This is a great book that should be read by anyone concerned with the future of the world, and humanity's place in it.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ARCHAIC REVIVAL, June 17, 2000

By 

ken johnson (ny, usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Future Primitive: And Other Essays (Autonomedia New Autonomy) (Paperback)

Zerzan develops the ultimate revolutionary critique: he takes on no particular, historical civilization, but "civilization" itself, in general. His argument is intriguing; essentially, the transition from gatherer-hunters to agricultural civilizations is the original cause of all social misery. To the point, in fact, where he seems to equate this transition to the biblical Fall. His ideas are spectacular--not because he always convinces me, but because he makes a plausible case for civilization in general as an evolutionary dead-end. He brings a posture of skepticism toward the modern world to its ultimate conclusion. Read this and gain new perspective on the world you live in.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zerzan is the Man, December 11, 2003

By 

J.W.K (Nagano, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Future Primitive: And Other Essays (Autonomedia New Autonomy) (Paperback)

Zerzan's razor-sharp prose cuts through the fluff of postmodernism and sears away the thin ideological veneer of technological, industrial progress.�@He cites and highlights the ecological, social, spiritual and material catastrophes of modern life by juxtaposing them with harmonious, egalitarian, and relatively peaceful indigenous cultures. Referencing a wealth of anthropological research that documents the superior health, well-being, freedom and equality of so-called primitive, uncivilized peoples, Zerzan subverts the age-old fallacy of modernism and calls for a revival of a "future primitive." Never lacking in originality, clarity or depth, Zerzan's writing forces the reader to question the fundamental assumptions upon which modern life hinges. As with everything this author has penned, this book is not to be ignored.