Byung Chul Han: Books

If you like to read books of different genres and writers, it is possible that you have been interested in one with a more philosophical theme and surely you have come across Byung-Chul Han. His books are among the most acclaimed because they make you think a lot, in addition to adapt to the times we live in.

But Who is Byung Chul Han? And what are your books? On this occasion we are talking about an author who may be unknown to you, or who may be among your favorites in your readings.

Who is Byung Chul Han?

First of all, if you don't know him yet, we are going to introduce you to Byung-Chul Han. He is a South Korean philosopher and essayist, currently a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts. Despite his nationality, he writes in German and is one of the most important philosophers of contemporary thought.

He was born in Seoul in 1959 and as a child he is known to have loved radios and technological gadgets, although his career focused on metallurgy (at Korea University). However, it seems that he was not very good at it and after causing an explosion in his house he decided to abandon the race, and his country, to go to Germany.

He landed there at the age of 26, with no idea of ​​German or philosophy. The author himself said that his dream was to study German literature, but, because he did not read very fast, he decided to study philosophy at the University of Freiburg (and he did not give up his dream of literature as he also studied it, along with theology, at the University of Munich.

It was in 1994 when he received his doctorate in Freiburg and, 6 years later, he entered the philosophy department of the University of Basel. 10 years later, he managed to become a member of the Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung Karlsruhe faculty, focusing on various topics such as philosophy (XNUMXth, XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries), ethics, social philosophy, cultural anthropology, religion, phenomenology, aesthetics…

Since 2012 he has been a professor of philosophy and cultural studies at the Berlin University of the Arts, in addition to being the director of the general studies program.

However, That hasn't stopped him from releasing 16 books, all of them from philosophy, but with a great capacity to make him understand in the times we live in. Thus, through his books, the author is able to reflect on situations and see the path to a better lifestyle more clearly.

Byung-Chul Han: books he has written

As we have told you, Byung-Chul Han has so far written 16 books. Their titles are as follows:

• The transparency society
• The salvation of the beautiful
• The expulsion of the different
• Shanzhai – The art of forgery and deconstruction in China.
• Psychopolitics
• Good entertainment
• hyperculturality
• Absence
• The society of tiredness
• The agony of Eros
• Topology of violence
• The work and performance society
• The scent of time: A philosophical essay on the art of lingering
• in the swarm
• about power
• Capitalism and the death drive

Byung Chul Han's best books

If this is the first time you meet this author, it is normal that, after seeing the list of his books, you don't really know which one you should read to test whether you like it or not. Therefore, we are going to leave you here some recommendations of his books.

The society of tiredness

This was the first work that catapulted Byung-Chul Han to stardom, and the reason why his works began to sell and be known throughout the world. In addition, it deals with a very current topic, such as the situation in modern society, affected by information overload and the constant need to be connected and productive.

Among the author's arguments, this performance and productivity have led to widespread exhaustion and the loss of the ability to reflect and think critically.

The transparency society

If you have seen the list above, you may have noticed that this It was the first book he published. an essay that is linked to the previous one and that talks about how transparency, understood as a hyperexposure, has affected society since every person thus becomes a marketing object (and of their own brand), achieving an obsession that avoids privacy is hard to find, let alone protected.

And it is that in today's society you have to be totally exposed, and if you don't, you feel that it separates you from what is "normal".

Psychopolitics

This book, if you are interested in politics, or being prepared for an election, could be quite interesting. Although it is quite short, it must be read with great serenity and tranquility, since it is one of the author's densest texts. In it Byung-Chul Han examines how political and economic power is exercised through psychology and culture. For the author, power is now achieved through persuasion and psychological manipulation, control and manipulation of people's emotions and behaviors. And this can bring negative consequences for both democracy and individual freedom.

the agony of eros

The author has also had time to carry out essays related to love. This is one of them where he talks about both love and desire. And it is that, according to Han, both feelings are hard to find and experience, especially in a society where the main thing is to be productive and efficient.

Thus, love and desire have been displaced by the above, leading to an empty and superficial emotional and sexual life.

in the swarm

Finally, the book In the swarm, you are going to have a vision about how technology and constant connectivity have made a dent in society. For Han, a "swarm society" has been created in which people have become increasingly dependent on the network and have lost the ability to think for themselves. According to the author, this entails a loss of individuality and the creation of a culture of conformism and obedience.

Do you dare to read any of Byung-Chul Han's books?