The Future and Its Enemies: In Defense of Political Hope (Cultural Memory in the Present)

Humans may be the only creatures conscious of having a future, but all too often we would rather not think about it. Likewise, our societies, unable to deal with radical uncertainty, do not make policies with a view to the long term. Instead, we suffer from a sense of powerlessness, collective irrationality, and perennial political discontent. In __The Future and Its Enemies__, Spanish philosopher Daniel Innerarity makes a plea for a new social contract that would commit us to moral and political responsibility with respect to future generations. He urges us to become advocates for the future in the face of enemies who, oblivious to the costs of modernization, press for endless and unproductive acceleration. His accessible book proposes a new way of confronting the unknown—one grounded in the calculation of risk. Declaring the classical right-left divide to be redundant, Innerarity presents his hopes for a renewed democracy and a politics that would find convincing ways to mediate between the priorities of the present, the heritage of the past, and the challenges that lie ahead. Introduction : The Future Taken Seriously -- The Future Of Democratic Societies : A Theory Of Intergenerational Justice -- The Temporal Landscape Of Contemporary Society : A Theory Of Acceleration -- How Do We Know The Future? : A Theory Of Future Studies -- How Is The Future Decided? : A Theory Of Decision -- Who Is In Charge Of The Future? : A Theory Of Responsibility -- Chronopolitics : A Theory Of Social Rhythm -- Politics In A Post-heroic Society : A Theory Of Political Contingency -- The Political Construction Of Collective Hope. Introduction: The Future Taken Seriously -- The Future Of Democratic Societies: A Theory Of Intergenerational Justice -- The Temporal Landscape Of Contemporary Society: A Theory Of Acceleration -- How Do We Know The Future?: A Theory Of Future Studies -- How Is The Future Decided?: A Theory Of Decision -- Who Is In Charge Of The Future?: A Theory Of Responsibility -- Chronopolitics: A Theory Of Social Rhythm -- Politics In A Post-heroic Society: A Theory Of Political Contingency -- The Political Construction Of Collective Hope. Daniel Innerarity ; Translated By Sandra Kingery. Translation Of: El Futuro Y Sus Enemigos / Daniel Innerarity. Barcelona : Paidós, 2009. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [127]-134). An impassioned plea for democratic societies to take the future seriously at a time when all our energies seem focused on the present.