Men Among the Ruins, Julius Evola
Men Among the Ruins, Julius Evola
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Men Among the Ruins
Post-War Reflections of a Radical Traditionalist

Author: Julius Evola

Narrator: Robin Douglas

Unabridged: 16 hr 35 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/30/2024


Synopsis

Julius Evola's masterful overview of the political and social manifestations of our time, the "age of decline" known to the Hindus as the Kali Yuga.

• Reveals the occult war that underlies the crises that have become a prevailing feature of modern life.

• Includes H. T. Hansen's definitive essay on Evola's political life and theory.

Men Among the Ruins is Evola's frontal assault on the predominant materialism of our time and the mirage of progress. For Evola and other proponents of Traditionalism, we are now living in an age of increasing strife and chaos: the Kali Yuga of the Hindus or the Germanic Ragnarok. In such a time, social decadence is so widespread that it appears as a natural component of all political institutions. Evola argues that the crises that dominate the daily lives of our societies are part of a secret occult war to remove the support of spiritual and traditional values in order to turn man into a passive instrument of the powerful.

Evola is often regarded as the godfather of contemporary Italian fascism and right-wing radical politics, but attentive examination of the historical record--as provided by H. T. Hanson's definitive introduction--reveals Evola to be a much more complex figure. Though he held extreme right-wing views, he was a fearless critic of the Fascist regime and preferred a caste system based on spirituality and intellect to the biological racism championed by the Nazis. Ultimately, he viewed the forces of history as comprised by two factions: "history's demolition squad" enslaved by blind faith in the future and those individuals whose watchword is Tradition. These latter stand in this world of ruins at a higher level and are capable of letting go of what needs to be abandoned in order that what is truly essential not be compromised.

About Julius Evola

A controversial philosopher and critic of modern Western civilization, Julius Evola (1898-1974) wrote widely on Eastern religions, alchemy, sexuality, politics, and mythology. Inner Traditions has published his Eros and the Mysteries of Love: The Metaphysics of Sex, The Yoga of Power, The Hermetic Tradition, Revolt Against the Modern World, The Mystery of the Grail and Ride The Tiger.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jacob on November 27, 2014

Another excellent book by Evola, and quite interesting since it deals with the post-war period, and the failure of the totalitarian Fascism and Nazism. A guide for the few 'men among the ruins' (of everything after 1789/French Revolution).......more

Goodreads review by Καιρὸς on May 28, 2023

Definitely a must read for anyone who wants to get into Evola especially those who are interested in his political views. Another thing I would like to add is that I found Julius Evola's critiques against Catholicism to be rather weak and typical of a traditionalist that doesn't uphold one specific t......more

Goodreads review by Tvrtko on December 15, 2016

If you are looking for a good book by Evola, this is not it, go read Revolt Against the Modern World instead. That still has some flaws, but they are only amplified here. I admire Evola's idealism, I really do, but if you wondered if one can be too idealistic, the answer is here and the answer is yes......more

Goodreads review by Matt on November 25, 2017

A brilliant critique of capitalism, economics and the modern world system from the political right. Evola's only failings are his occasional slip into racism, and sexism - though I'd be remiss to call him xenophobic - his views are complex and a reflection of his time. While his call for an imperium......more

Goodreads review by Jonathan on January 21, 2021

This is in one part a revealing historical document of the post world war 2 ruins of European ideas and values, in another an early warning of what was logically inevitable to come for western society by following the path we did, and in a third aspect it suggests some ways and means of resisting th......more


Quotes

"Evola is one of the most interesting minds of the [world] war generation. He has a really astounding knowledge at his disposal."

"Evola writes in lively prose with fascinating detail. . . . To read his description of higher spiritual states is like watching a champion mountain climber on a vertical glacier."

"Disgusted by the cruelty and artificiality of communism, scorning the dogmatic, self-centered fascism of his age, Evola looks beyond man-made systems to the eternal principles in creation and human society. The truth, as he sees it, is so totally at odds with the present way of thinking that it shocks the modern mind. Evola was no politician, trying to make the best of things, but an idealist, uncompromising in the pursuit of the Best itself."

"Men among the Ruins is Julius Evola's most notorious work: an unsparing indictment of modern society and politics. Evola rises above the usual dichotomies of left and right, liberal and conservative, through a trenchant critique of the metaphysics that lies at the base of modern values, challenging us to reconnect our lives and our institutions to the timeless spiritual standard that guided our ancestors. Men among the Ruins is not a work for complacent, self-satisfied minds . . . it is a shocking and humbling text that will be either loved or hated. Evola's enemies cannot refute him; they can only ignore him. They do so at their peril."

"Not for the feint of heart. His writing typically demands a concentration of focus and a strong level of comprehension."