The Disappearance of the Other / Author: [Germany] Han Bingzhe Publisher: CITIC Publishing Group Producer: Jianshichengbang

The time of the Other is gone.

The friend, the infernal, the mysterious, the seductive, the erotic other has given way to the same. Today, the spread of homogeneity is a pathological change that harms the social body. It is spreading more and more. What makes the social body sick is not alienation, withdrawal, prohibition and repression, but overcommunication, overinformation, overproduction and overconsumption.

The symbol of today’s era is not oppression caused by others, but depression caused by the same. There are many iconic phenomena in today’s society, such as fear, globalization, terrorism, etc. Han Bingzhe’s new work explores the homogenized violence hidden behind these phenomena.

Han Bingzhe has opened up a path through the forest of contemporary literature with his articles and books. His books do not seek praise from you or me, but only seek to warn the world.

——Deutschlandfunk

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1. What is this book about?

In a world without others (friends, love, or even hell), a completely narcissistic self will only fall into depression, disorientation, and meaninglessness, ultimately leading to self-harm or harming others. This book deeply reveals the "fear of homogenization" - all people and things are assimilated to the point of losing boundaries; the author's analysis and criticism of homogenization is still carried out in the context of the digital information age, and strives to explore the space for "coexistence" between self and others from tradition and classics.

2. What is the author’s point of view?

(1) The hallmark of today’s sick era is not repression but depression. The destructive pressure does not come from others but from within. The Internet and digital media have changed all of this. The digital world has eliminated the existence of others, and the fear of homogenization has swept the entire society.

(2) Terrorist activities are a consequence of homogenized violence, using unique terror to counter globalized terror.

(3) Being yourself, seeking your true self, self-realization, self-perfection, these words have become compulsory narcissism in the context of contemporary society. I am addicted to myself. Depression is caused by the narcissistic stagnation of self-energy.

(4) Digital media is “deembodied.” It blocks the exchange of eyes, takes away the “texture” of sound, and makes the language, thoughts, and time of others disappear.

(5) In today’s tired society with so many voices, there is no listening. The future society may be called a society of listeners. People need a time revolution to start a completely different kind of time, a sacred time that accommodates others.

3. What inspiration does it give us?

(1) People have been narcissistic since ancient times. In contemporary society, online platforms, digital media, and smart phones have fueled this trend. But do people feel that their values ​​have been realized and their personalities are complete? In the little self surrounded by "likes", laughter gradually fades and voices become quieter. Love has been annoyed by ruthlessness! This book is of great inspiration for reflecting on the impact of technology, especially digital information technology, on people's perception, self-perception, communication, and social control in contemporary society.

(2) What will the thinking say in the face of the current social situation? How should thinkers think and write? The themes and styles of Han Bingzhe's works also provide us with reference samples for reference.

4. What kind of person is the author?

(1) Han Bingzhe is hailed as "a rising star in the German philosophical world" (El País, Spain). He returned to the humanistic and critical traditions of philosophy. Beyond academic philosophical research, he pioneered a new realm of philosophical writing, observing social conditions and the human mind in the digital media era. He is hailed as "a psychoanalyst in the Internet age" (Yang Xiaogang) and "a guide to philosophical criticism in the big data era" (Si Yu).

(2) He possesses both the romantic temperament of Koreans and the rational critical spirit of the German philosophical tradition. Han Bingzhe has a profound insight into contemporary society and sharp judgments, but his inner spiritual pursuit is a quiet, contemplative, and aesthetically meaningful life, which has "the delicacy and charm of an oriental philosopher" (Xia Kejun).

(3) The writing style is like a philosophical essay, which is good at thinking and better at expressing. Han Bingzhe's works are concise and bright, "full of spirituality and sharp" (Jia Kefang). The carefulness, meticulousness and sharpness of the Chinese translators also add a lot of color to the Chinese version.

(4) French philosopher Alain Badiou wrote the preface to his book The Death of Eros. Han Bingzhe has had a great influence in Europe and the United States, and his works have been translated into nearly 20 languages. Many scholars, including Badiou, have responded to and praised Han Bingzhe.

Reading Han Bingzhe's works is an enjoyable experience full of talent and wisdom.

—Alain Badiou, French philosopher

Han Bingzhe belongs to this group of philosophers. Before them, no one sought to change the world, or even fully realized the necessity of such change.

——Inside Higher Ed

Han Bingzhe reveals that in the era of big data, critical theory will and must regroup.

—Will Davies

5. Chinese version of the work and its evaluation.

(1) There are 9 books in the Han Bingzhe series, including the author's major and representative works, which are scheduled to be published in July 2019.

Han Bingzhe's works series (produced by Jianshi Chengbang)

"Psychopolitics" (published)

Psychopolitik

Death of Eros (out now)

Agonie des Eros

"In the Group" (out now)

Im Schwarm

The Disappearance of the Other (coming in June)

The Sale of Anderson

"The Tired Society" (coming in June)

Müdigkeitsgesellschaft

What is Entertainment? (coming in June)

Uninterrupted work

"Violent Topology" (coming in August)

Topography of Gewalt

"Transparent Society" (coming in August)

Transparenzgesellschaft

"Redemption of Beauty" (coming in August)

How to Retrieve the Schönen

(2) He quickly found like-minded people in the domestic academic community. Many big names from the fields of philosophy, art, literature, communication, and IT responded positively and highly praised Han Bingzhe and his works.

The complex phenomena formed in the era of big data require new philosophical thinking and framework. Han Bingzhe's several books can be regarded as the most sensitive and sharpest detectors of the times and are a guide to philosophical criticism in the era of big data.

——Si Yu, freelance writer

The several small books by German philosopher Han Bingzhe make a big deal out of small matters and touch upon many aspects of modern people's lives. They are the result of the collision of Eastern and Western humanistic spirits and have entered the hearts of readers.

——He Daokuan, senior translator, Shenzhen University

Han Bingzhe further reveals the dilemma faced by people in the digital age: we are obsessed with digital media and thus reprogrammed, but we are blind and numb to the consequences. In a group, everyone is an individual, but no one is himself.

——Zhang Zhiwei, historian of philosophy, School of Philosophy, Renmin University of China

Han Bingzhe, with his philosophical wisdom and sharp analysis, forces us to reflect on the existential sentiment and ethical situation in the digital network media era. ... His thinking reveals the delicacy and charm of an oriental philosopher.

——Xia Kejun, philosopher and curator, School of Literature, Renmin University of China

Han Bingzhe, an intellectual scholar trained in German philosophy and immersed in Korean culture, has activated our long-numbed love abilities.

——Lin Guanghua, School of Chinese Studies, Renmin University of China

The application of big data makes everything more and more precise... In such an era, individual space and freedom need to be rethought and redefined.

——Zheng Yue, IT Manager World magazine

The analysis of neoliberalism and digital class society is not just a work of philosophical archaeology; it is fundamentally political, and the answer lies in the transcendence of the subject by philosophers such as Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Derrida.

——Mao Zhu, World Philosophy Magazine

Han Bingzhe's philosophical thinking is full of spirituality and sharp. ... With its usual sharpness, it gives me the courage to stare into the abyss.

——Jia Kefang, Department of Philosophy, Northwest Normal University

Han Bingzhe is a psychoanalyst in the Internet age. Under his precise and calm diagnosis, the technological advances of smart phones, social media, big data, and the Internet of Things all show the comprehensive domination of human life by the neoliberal order. ... With concise and powerful words, he collides with Foucault, Adorno, Levinas, and Agamben, revealing the serious crisis of this era.

——Yang Xiaogang, Department of Philosophy, Sun Yat-sen University