Towards a New Manifesto
Towards a New Manifesto shows the two philosophers in a uniquely spirited and free-flowing exchange of ideas. This book is a record of their discussions over three weeks in the spring of 1956, recorded with a view to the production of a contemporary version of The Communist Manifesto. A philosophical jam-session in which the two thinkers improvise freely, often wildly, on central themes of their work—theory and practice, labor and leisure, domination and freedom—in a political register found nowhere else in their writing. Amid a careening flux of arguments, aphorisms and asides, in which the trenchant alternates with the reckless, the playful with the ingenuous, positions are swapped and contradictions unheeded, without any compulsion for consistency.
A thrilling example of philosophy in action and a compelling map of a possible passage to a new world.
Hardback, 128 pages
ISBN: 9781844678198
October 2011
$14.95 / £9.99 / $18.50CAN
Blog
Martin Jay on 'Towards a New Manifesto'
In a recent contribution to the Notre Dame Philosophical Review, Martin Jay reflected on Towards a New Manifesto, the lengthy exchange between Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, which Verso published last fall. The dialogue, which went on for several days in the mid 1950s and was initially transcribed by Adorno's wife Gretel, today stands as a fascinating document that touches on a wide range of issues central to Adorno and Horkheimer and to the broader trajectory of critical theory. As Jay notes in his review, the publication of this exchange offers rare insight into the thought processes of these two leading members of the Frankfurt School, veering from the highly abstract to the urgently concrete, and registering the live intellectual development of some of the ideas whose later evolution ended up being so decisive for the course of critical social, political and philosophical thought in the second half of the 20th century.
COMPETITION: Towards a twitter #manifesto? Win a set of books from Verso
Towards a New Manifesto. A philosophical jam session between the two Frankfurt School legends Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer, the book is a record of their free-flowing exchange of ideas in the spring of 1956, recorded with a view to the production of a contemporary version of The Communist Manifesto.
In the book, Adorno notes that "we live in the society we criticize." Furthermore, in the twenty-first century, we also tweet in the society we criticize.
Thus to launch the book, we are pleased to announce a brand-new twitter competition challenging you to tweet a #manifesto for a communism for the twenty-first century.
The five most creative participants will win a set of books:
Towards a New Manifesto, the titles of The Communist Hypothesis set, as well as The Communist Manifesto and the Scum Manifesto.
The rules:
No external links are allowed: you must be able to sum up your digital call for revolution in no more than 140 characters.
The competition closes on Friday 4 November at 3pm GMT; tweets after this time will not be considered.
The competition is open to #manifestos from all over the world.
Please do not respond via Facebook or email, and include the hashtag #manifesto. Tweeting @VersoBooks would also be helpful!
We are looking forward to reading your #manifestos—bearing in mind that, to paraphrase Adorno, a twitter account is of more use to thought than a battalion of assistants.
Discussions
Begin a discussion about this book-
'Twitter' a 'creative' communist manifesto, and win some books?
Oh dear, dear. I mean, what? Don't you think you are trivialising, not to mention commercialising, things?
Ah, but you have an argument. To wit: 'In the book, Adorno notes that “we live in the society we criticize.” Furthermore, in the twenty-first century, we also tweet in the society we criticize. Thus to launch the book, we are pleased to announce a brand-new twitter competition challenging you to tweet a #manifesto for a communism for the twenty-first century.' What kind of an inference is that, though? I also take baths within the society I criticise (well, for a certain sense of 'within'); so should we have a communist bathing competition? Perhaps you can spell out what you mean.
Other books by Theodor Adorno, and Max Horkheimer
-
Quasi Una Fantasia
Adorno’s own selection of his essays and journalism from more than three decades of music writing.
-
Minima Moralia
Adorno's literary and philosophical masterpiece, built from aphorisms and reflections.
-
Aesthetics and Politics
by Theodor Adorno, Walter Benjamin, et al.
The most remarkable aesthetic debates in European cultural history, with an afterword by Fredric Jameson.
-
In Search of Wagner
Adorno explodes the frontiers of musical and cultural analysis, with a foreword by Slavoj Žižek.