The Art of Life

More about the book

Zygmunt Bauman's new book is not a catalog of the art of life or a guide on how to master it; rather, it emphasizes that the responsibility for constructing a life plan, the manner in which life is conducted, and its outcomes rests solely with the individual. It offers a brilliant description of the conditions under which we choose our life plans, the obstacles that may limit this choice, and the interplay of plans, chance, and character that influence their realization. Furthermore, it is a study of how our society—characterized as a liquid modern, individualized society of consumers—affects (but does not determine) the ways in which we build and reflect on our life paths.