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The Age of Insecurity

Coming Together as Things Fall Apart
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Age of Insecurity by Astra Taylor explores the pervasive feeling of insecurity affecting society today, from financial stress to emotional overwhelm. The book examines how crises such as rising inequality, mental health decline, ecological concerns, and authoritarian threats all stem from a social system built on insecurity. Taylor challenges traditional notions of security by analysing institutions like home ownership, education, and policing, revealing how they often worsen our vulnerabilities. Combining social critique, memoir, history, political analysis, and philosophy, the book proposes embracing vulnerability to forge more caring and sustainable forms of security.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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This thought-provoking work will appeal to readers interested in social issues, political analysis, and contemporary philosophy, as well as those seeking to understand the root causes of modern crises and explore paths to meaningful societal change.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Finalist, 2024 Governor General's Literary Award for Nonfiction
Finalist, 2024 Writers' Trust Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing

These days, everyone feels insecure. We are financially stressed and emotionally overwhelmed. The status quo isn't working for anyone, even those who appear to have it all. What is going on?

In this urgent cultural diagnosis, author and activist Astra Taylor exposes how seemingly disparate crisesβ€”rising inequality and declining mental health, the ecological emergency, and the threat of authoritarianismβ€”originate from a social order built on insecurity. From home ownership and education to the wellness industry and policing, many of the institutions and systems that promise to make us more secure actually undermine us.

Mixing social critique, memoir, history, political analysis, and philosophy, this genre-bending book rethinks both insecurity and security from the ground up. By facing our existential insecurity and embracing our vulnerability, Taylor argues, we can begin to develop more caring, inclusive, and sustainable forms of security to help us better weather the challenges ahead. The Age of Insecurity will transform how you understand yourself and societyβ€”while illuminating a path toward meaningful change.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781487011932

Publisher: House of Anansi Press Ltd ,Canada

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 19 October 2023

Country: Canada

Imprint: House of Anansi Press Ltd ,Canada

Illustration: Illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 127.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 353g

Pages: 352

About the Author

ASTRA TAYLOR is a filmmaker, writer, and political organizer, born in Winnipeg, MB, and raised in Athens, GA; she currently lives in New York. Her latest book is Remake the World: Essays, Reflections, Rebellions, and her other books include the American Book Award winner The People’s Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital Age. She regularly writes for major publications, has directed multiple documentaries, toured with the band Neutral Milk Hotel, and co-founded the Debt Collective.

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