Walter Benjamin's 'The Concept of History'

In this episode, I cover Walter Benjamin's "The Concept of History."

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[BabyBat]

When you mentioned that to you it was unclear if the random collection of facts was a negative thing to Benjamin... He further explains this in a veeeery critical light in "Paris: Capital of the 19th Century" when talking about collectors. Its an amazing text that ellucidates some aspects of his thesis of history, I really recommend it

[geronimo]

you're doing great work! Benjamin is my favourite author of that period. Would have been extremely intersting to see what his later work would have been.

[thebenmiller]

These videos are so informative and eye-opening! Thank you for making. I had never even heard of Walter Benjamin!

[simonherckens]

The best part is the part where he compares redemption to the hapiness when you pick a woman 😂

[mtglolz]

Full transparency: I am a self-taught stoner sitting here trimming my legal Christmas harvest of cannabis. (This is mostly just ramblings.) I see Benjamin's and Nietzsche’s as approaching this from different ends. Nietzsche says no this isn’t religion.” If we look at the material underpinnings of this theology, we can see the hidden ideological reason that materially this "slave" thinking would have taken hold. But Benjamin says no you don’t have materialism here. You also have ideology without taking into context not only the present moment of history and the one before but the ideology moving the material.” But I see this through Hegel. The historical "moment" is always only referential to its position in the totality. And not being able to see the next moment clearly, we can only look to those before but essence and appearance, object and idea, are inextricably linked and must be examined with no privileged position given to either. Thanks for all the great content. You have taught me so much over the years! Happy Holidays!

[davidmencik]

Please continue with the videos on Benjamin!

[tilestwo]

I've come here from watching your series on Guy Debord's 'The Society of the Spectacle'

[klauserino]

The issue is: why do historians choose to focus on some things, at the expense of others? The answer will tell you what is important in the present state.

[walterbenjamin]

My take on the underlying theology influencing historical materialism is that up to that time philosophy had not been completely successful in separating from the unavoidable influence of God in their thinking. Maybe that’s wrong, but you’re correct in that Benjamin is extremely difficult and at times almost completely opaque. I’ve been trying to crack his thinking for a few years and now have the position that he was profoundly influenced by Gershom Scholem. I finally found a way into his mind via his writing on mimesis. He’s using new language to describe the ideas underlying the Emerald Tablet of Trismegistus, or, As Above, So Below. It’s a non-causal way of looking at interrelationships.
Maybe.

[veronicahahrr]

Also I think you were looking for the term preterist?

[stephenwestland]

I think you implied that the Mechanical Turk was so named because it was carried around by a Turk. But it was in fact, invented in Austria. I think the reason it was called the turk is that the puppet that seemed to be playing chess was dressed like a turk.

[kevingeorge]

I remember reading him 6 years ago. The part where you discussed Benjamin's take on Paul Klee's painting made me happy. Good job, man!

[frombeyond]

What's the name of the song in the beginning?
Thanks for your efforts.

[klauserino]

If one understands the motives, the conditions, the factors, which inform human activity, one has thereby already risen there above.

[klauserino]

Without meaning, there is no history.

[caiasmith]

I'm hearing your summation of this chronicler and this all sounds like the plot of Bionicle: Mask of Light 😂

[klauserino]

The Chronicler: Bartleby the Scrivener...

[klauserino]

We are aware of nothing but what has passed.

[beangobernador]

Wait… historical materialism… theology… science & religion…. oh god, no, not again, please

“myth (religion) is already enlightenment (science) and enlightenment reverts to mythology” — Dialectic of enlightenment

[BetsyWillie-tf]

Lewis Linda Williams Christopher Taylor Betty