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Civilized to Death

By: Christopher Ryan
Narrated by: Christopher Ryan
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Publisher's Summary

The New York Times best-selling coauthor of Sex at Dawn explores the ways in which “progress” has perverted the way we live — how we eat, learn, feel, mate, parent, communicate, work, and die — in this “engaging, extensively documented, well-organized, and thought-provoking” (Booklist) book.

Most of us have instinctive evidence the world is ending - balmy December days, face-to-face conversation replaced with heads-to-screens zomboidism, a world at constant war, a political system in disarray. We hear some myths and lies so frequently that they feel like truths: Civilization is humankind’s greatest accomplishment. Progress is undeniable. Count your blessings. You’re lucky to be alive here and now. Well, maybe we are, and maybe we aren’t. Civilized to Death counters the idea that progress is inherently good, arguing that the "progress" defining our age is analogous to an advancing disease.

Prehistoric life, of course, was not without serious dangers and disadvantages. Many babies died in infancy. A broken bone, infected wound, snakebite, or difficult pregnancy could be life-threatening. But ultimately, Christopher Ryan questions, were these pre-civilized dangers more murderous than modern scourges such as car accidents, cancers, cardiovascular disease, and a technologically prolonged dying process? 

Civilized to Death “will make you see our so-called progress in a whole new light” (Book Riot) and adds to the timely conversation that “the way we have been living is no longer sustainable, at least as long as we want to the earth to outlive us” (Psychology Today). Ryan makes the claim that we should start looking backwards to find our way into a better future.

©2019 Christopher Ryan (P)2019 Simon & Schuster
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

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Chris , you’ve changed my life

When I first listened to you on Joe Rogan’s podcast I hated you - you touched every nerve of my fears and insecurities surrounding my relationship and femininity.
As I caught myself in the act of switching off the podcast , I stopped instead and decided to shore up my courage and continue to listen . I am profoundly grateful that I did . The more podcasts I listened to with you and Joe and Duncan the more I couldn’t help agreeing with so much of what you say.
I have now finished Sex at Dawn and now this incredible book , Civilized to Death and it has given me a great insight into how we interrelate and the cognitive dissonance suffered by so many of us living in this ‘civilized’ world.
I don’t know how to thank someone who has probably afforded the general populace with the two biggest paradigm-shifting works of all time , so...

Thank you x

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incredible

no non fiction book has made me question everything I know than this masterpiece.

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Listen, for it might change you.

A confirmation that this inner dissatisfaction is nothing to be ashamed of. Thank you Christopher

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  • Rob
  • 05-11-2019

Asking hard and interesting questions

It was great. Deeply interesting, revealing much about the human condition and our origins. This is then used to explore the ways our present fails to live up to these truths. I found the writing style to be informative and entertaining, as the author has a many moments of witty word play that kept me engaged. Definitely worth your time even if you don't argee with the conclusion. The information and ideas explored in the book are valuable and raise questions worth asking and answering.

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I wish everyone could read this

This is the sort of book, where in 10 years time I’ll see something in modern society, or feel a certain way, and I’ll remember a passage from this book.

Brilliant. I wish everyone could read this. It changes lives.

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Brilliant.

A must read for anyone feeling like something isn't right in this day and age despite all the reassurance life is the best it has ever been.

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like a 9 hour Ted talk, which I liked.

I love Christopher Ryan's reading, particularly for this style of non fiction, having the author read adds a natural passion via intonation that works.

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The Second Listen

Narrative non-fiction at its best. Wide-sweeping, insightful, funny, hopeful and wise. This is in my top ten NF favourites. A profoundly grounded voice of reason in unreasonable times.

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Change the way you look at civilisation

This book educated me on history, culture, gender, sex, politics and progress. It was a really captivating and insightful way to push a point, enlighten the perspective that 'civilised" doesn't always mean better. In fact, I feel that civilisation is the downfall of mankind now.

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A Challenging and Fascinating Book

At first I found this book somewhat difficult to get into. It challenged many of my preconceptions and actually dismantled the arguments of some of my heroes (Steven Pinker in particular) but the arguments were compelling. By the end I was raving about it to everyone I know. Christopher is a writer, not an academic, so you could argue that this work isn't as robust as it could be but I think that's a mute point given the volume of evidence and sources cited. Highly recommended

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