A year before the end of his long life (1895–1998), the German author Ernst Jünger converted to Catholicism, a late change on a tumultuous path of searching and adventures that were far from exclusively spiritual. Born into a Protestant family, he attended conventional boarding schools, but at . . . . Continue Reading »
Aurel Kolnai truly belongs in the pantheon of anti-totalitarian thought and a study of his writings can shed some light on the totalitarian nihilism all around us. Continue Reading »
If today’s street violence and political extremism serve any good purpose, it’s this: They remind us that humans have a chronic appetite for destruction. Continue Reading »
The totalitarian impulse can rear its ugly head in well-established democracies like the United States. Continue Reading »
Because of my legal work on behalf of groups persecuted by the Chinese government, I have been tortured three times since September 21, 2007. I have been subject to long periods of secret detention or formal imprisonment. At present, I can move freely within the bounds of a village in northern . . . . Continue Reading »
Did you know that William F. Buckley, Jr., considered The Lives of Others the best film he had seen in many years? Did you know that the central accomplishment of the film, is that while true tales of communist regimes slaughtering 2 million here(Cambodia), 30 million there(Mao’s 1958 . . . . Continue Reading »
Flagg Taylor is a professor of political theory and such at Skidmore College, a friend, and the editor of the essential new collection on totalitarianism and dissent called The Great Lie. And now he’s blogging at Ricochet, home of the blogosphere’s best comments section, writing posts . . . . Continue Reading »
Over at Ricochet. The Great Lie is the new book of essays on totalitarianism edited by my friend Flagg Taylor. UPDATE: Professor Taylor’s own words on the book, with some excellent material in the comments. . . . . Continue Reading »
F. Flagg Taylor’s The Great Lie: Classic and Recent Appraisals of Ideology and Totalitarianism is now out. I got my copy yesterday (Flagg’s a good friend and colleague) and the afternoon was shot. One brilliant essay after another: Aron, Havel, Milosz, Strauss, Solzhenitsyn, Arendt . . . . . . Continue Reading »
Subscribe
Latest Issue
Support First Things
