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Radicals
In the last few years the world has changed in unexpected ways. The power of radical ideas and groups is growing. What was once considered extreme is now the mainstream. But what is life like on the political fringes? What is the real power of radicals?
Radicals is an exploration of the individuals, groups and movements who are rejecting the way we live now, and attempting to find alternatives. In it, Jamie Bartlett, one of the world’s leading thinkers on radical politics and technology, takes us inside the strange and exciting worlds of the innovators, disruptors, idealists and extremists who think society is broken, and believe they know how to fix it. From dawn raids into open mines to the darkest recesses of the internet, Radicals introduces us to some of the most secretive and influential movements today: techno-futurists questing for immortality, far-right groups seeking to close borders, militant environmentalists striving to save the planet's natural reserves by any means possible, libertarian movements founding new countries, autonomous cooperatives in self-sustaining micro-societies, and psychedelic pioneers attempting to heal society with the help of powerful hallucinogens.
As well as providing a fascinating glimpse at the people and ideas driving these groups, Radicals also presents a startling argument: radicals are not only the symptoms of a deep unrest within the world today, but might also offer the most plausible models for our future.
Radicals is an exploration of the individuals, groups and movements who are rejecting the way we live now, and attempting to find alternatives. In it, Jamie Bartlett, one of the world’s leading thinkers on radical politics and technology, takes us inside the strange and exciting worlds of the innovators, disruptors, idealists and extremists who think society is broken, and believe they know how to fix it. From dawn raids into open mines to the darkest recesses of the internet, Radicals introduces us to some of the most secretive and influential movements today: techno-futurists questing for immortality, far-right groups seeking to close borders, militant environmentalists striving to save the planet's natural reserves by any means possible, libertarian movements founding new countries, autonomous cooperatives in self-sustaining micro-societies, and psychedelic pioneers attempting to heal society with the help of powerful hallucinogens.
As well as providing a fascinating glimpse at the people and ideas driving these groups, Radicals also presents a startling argument: radicals are not only the symptoms of a deep unrest within the world today, but might also offer the most plausible models for our future.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 13, 2017
51 people are currently reading
1269 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Bartlett
11 books149 followersJamie Bartlett is a journalist and tech blogger for The Telegraph and Director of The Centre for the Analysis of Social Media for Demos in conjunction with The University of Sussex.
In 2013, he covered the rise of Beppe Grillo's Five Star Movement in Italy for Demos, chronicling the new political force's emergence and use of social media.
In 2014, he released The Dark Net, discussing the darknet and dark web in broad terms, describing a range of underground and emergent subcultures, including social media racists, cam girls, self-harm communities, darknet drug markets, cryptoanarchists and transhumanists.
He regularly writes about online extremism and free speech, as well as social media trends on Wikipedia, Twitter and Facebook.
In 2013, he covered the rise of Beppe Grillo's Five Star Movement in Italy for Demos, chronicling the new political force's emergence and use of social media.
In 2014, he released The Dark Net, discussing the darknet and dark web in broad terms, describing a range of underground and emergent subcultures, including social media racists, cam girls, self-harm communities, darknet drug markets, cryptoanarchists and transhumanists.
He regularly writes about online extremism and free speech, as well as social media trends on Wikipedia, Twitter and Facebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 4, 2017
*Review originally published in the New York Journal Of Books: http://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-...
Jamie Bartlett is back, following up his stellar debut 'The Dark Net' with something equally enlightening and unnerving for the modern age. 'Radicals Chasing Utopia' is an in-depth look at a selection of outlying organizations that all feel they hold the key to the future, or at least the futures they envision. These radicals range from unconventional to unhinged, brilliant to bat-shit crazy. They’ve convinced themselves that their extreme ideas have merit, but hold back on judgment and hear them out because they just might convince you, too. Bartlett, ever the knowledgeable guide through murky political and technological waters, introduces us to the radicals he investigates with these words:
"It's the hubris of every generation to think that they have arrived at the best way of living. But all the things we now take for granted, all the modern wisdoms we hold to be self-evident, were once derided as dangerous or foolish radical thinking."
Seven groups are on the target list, with a chapter dedicated to each; transhumanists, European nationalists, a psychedelic society, an Italian Internet-based political party, a functioning free-love commune, a collection of climate change activists, and a tiny new country founded on Libertarian principles. Bartlett embeds himself with these groups and approaches each with a commendable balance of genuine open-mindedness and healthy skepticism. He’s the kind of writer that can sift through complexities to find value in supposedly absurd or dismissed ideas, be highly critical while avoiding cynicism, and also be skeptical of skeptics themselves.
A merchant of information, Bartlett offers readers a great deal within these pages. If knowledge is what you’re after, you won’t be disappointed. Each organization is outlined, infiltrated, dissected, and reviewed. Background and applicable history, multiple points of view, pros and cons are all presented. Bartlett’s writing is smooth and authoritative with a noticeably friendly tone. He doesn’t miss a beat, keeps you constantly interested, and even allows for the occasional good laugh. When subject matter gets complicated, the author thankfully doesn’t, breaking down and filtering the material so readers can digest it more easily.
These “radicals” often flourish, but sometimes squirm under the spotlight that Bartlett shines on them. They alternate between fascinating and frightening. They are people living on the fringes of society, intelligent misfits and outcasts dedicated to their causes and callings who view the paths they forge ahead as the only way forward. No doubt some of them are crazy, but readers won’t be able to shake the feeling that they may be “crazy as a fox.”
It would be easy to dismiss these radicals if they didn’t seem to constantly be on the cusp of what humanity potentially faces. What is it they know, or think they know, that the rest of us don’t? The answers may be surprising and the supporting data equally alarming. In a world where popular ideas are becoming more insular, radicals are the ones thinking outside the box. What’s more, they could very well be our best hope for the future.
“A liberal democracy with no radicals would atrophy and degenerate: society would become ossified, gripped by a dreary and monotonous set of unchallenged dogmas and received wisdoms that save people the trouble of thinking for themselves. This is precisely what has happened over the last thirty years. All the right words come out of the modern liberal’s mouth—listening to the people, human rights, democratic values, tolerance, etc.—but the brain isn’t properly engaged, it just auto-pilots through these platitudes.”
Most of us have been asleep at the wheel too long, lured into a false sense of security in a world that has the increasing potential to be turned on its head at any time. The radicals among us sense imminent danger and impending doom. The mainstream may not have the answers, so it’s society’s outsiders who try for more abstract solutions and do so on their own terms. A highly recommended read, 'Radicals Chasing Utopia' could influence you to chase after some of these utopian organizations and ideas, or make you want to flee from them just the same.
Jamie Bartlett is back, following up his stellar debut 'The Dark Net' with something equally enlightening and unnerving for the modern age. 'Radicals Chasing Utopia' is an in-depth look at a selection of outlying organizations that all feel they hold the key to the future, or at least the futures they envision. These radicals range from unconventional to unhinged, brilliant to bat-shit crazy. They’ve convinced themselves that their extreme ideas have merit, but hold back on judgment and hear them out because they just might convince you, too. Bartlett, ever the knowledgeable guide through murky political and technological waters, introduces us to the radicals he investigates with these words:
"It's the hubris of every generation to think that they have arrived at the best way of living. But all the things we now take for granted, all the modern wisdoms we hold to be self-evident, were once derided as dangerous or foolish radical thinking."
Seven groups are on the target list, with a chapter dedicated to each; transhumanists, European nationalists, a psychedelic society, an Italian Internet-based political party, a functioning free-love commune, a collection of climate change activists, and a tiny new country founded on Libertarian principles. Bartlett embeds himself with these groups and approaches each with a commendable balance of genuine open-mindedness and healthy skepticism. He’s the kind of writer that can sift through complexities to find value in supposedly absurd or dismissed ideas, be highly critical while avoiding cynicism, and also be skeptical of skeptics themselves.
A merchant of information, Bartlett offers readers a great deal within these pages. If knowledge is what you’re after, you won’t be disappointed. Each organization is outlined, infiltrated, dissected, and reviewed. Background and applicable history, multiple points of view, pros and cons are all presented. Bartlett’s writing is smooth and authoritative with a noticeably friendly tone. He doesn’t miss a beat, keeps you constantly interested, and even allows for the occasional good laugh. When subject matter gets complicated, the author thankfully doesn’t, breaking down and filtering the material so readers can digest it more easily.
These “radicals” often flourish, but sometimes squirm under the spotlight that Bartlett shines on them. They alternate between fascinating and frightening. They are people living on the fringes of society, intelligent misfits and outcasts dedicated to their causes and callings who view the paths they forge ahead as the only way forward. No doubt some of them are crazy, but readers won’t be able to shake the feeling that they may be “crazy as a fox.”
It would be easy to dismiss these radicals if they didn’t seem to constantly be on the cusp of what humanity potentially faces. What is it they know, or think they know, that the rest of us don’t? The answers may be surprising and the supporting data equally alarming. In a world where popular ideas are becoming more insular, radicals are the ones thinking outside the box. What’s more, they could very well be our best hope for the future.
“A liberal democracy with no radicals would atrophy and degenerate: society would become ossified, gripped by a dreary and monotonous set of unchallenged dogmas and received wisdoms that save people the trouble of thinking for themselves. This is precisely what has happened over the last thirty years. All the right words come out of the modern liberal’s mouth—listening to the people, human rights, democratic values, tolerance, etc.—but the brain isn’t properly engaged, it just auto-pilots through these platitudes.”
Most of us have been asleep at the wheel too long, lured into a false sense of security in a world that has the increasing potential to be turned on its head at any time. The radicals among us sense imminent danger and impending doom. The mainstream may not have the answers, so it’s society’s outsiders who try for more abstract solutions and do so on their own terms. A highly recommended read, 'Radicals Chasing Utopia' could influence you to chase after some of these utopian organizations and ideas, or make you want to flee from them just the same.
December 14, 2017
An excellent piece of investigative/political journalism which is funny and thoughtful and provocative all at once. Bartlett investigates a range of 'radical' groups, from the transhumanists seeking immortality, to the wacky but rather charming free-love community of psychadelics who create a 'ring of power' in order to stop the war in Syria by the power of their thoughts...
More chilling are the alt-right activists, yep the ones who claim they're not racist/fascist/neo-Nazis then call for 'gas chambers to be set up for Muslims'.
But where Bartlett challenges and provokes thought is where he addresses head on a kind of double-speak (and I would admit that I'm guilty of this): 'Yes, I agree we need radicals... but not those radicals'. His point is that a healthy, free, evolving and involving democracy has to allow space for those voices which are 'mistaken, absurd and offensive'. And his final point is, I think, one of the reasons he remains optimistic, even buoyant, in the face of the worst excesses of the emergent alt-right:
An oblique but relevant and intelligent look at contemporary ideas politics.
Thanks to Random House/Cornerstone for an ARC via NetGalley.
More chilling are the alt-right activists, yep the ones who claim they're not racist/fascist/neo-Nazis then call for 'gas chambers to be set up for Muslims'.
But where Bartlett challenges and provokes thought is where he addresses head on a kind of double-speak (and I would admit that I'm guilty of this): 'Yes, I agree we need radicals... but not those radicals'. His point is that a healthy, free, evolving and involving democracy has to allow space for those voices which are 'mistaken, absurd and offensive'. And his final point is, I think, one of the reasons he remains optimistic, even buoyant, in the face of the worst excesses of the emergent alt-right:
Tommy Robinson [ex-English Defence League] and Pegida-UK [an extreme nationalist, anti-immigration, anti-Islam group] are necessary for the existence of its opposite. Their presence forces us to examine our ideas, work out what we believe, why we believe it, and mobilise. If Pegida did not exist, the arguments against it - in this case in favour of multiculturalism, or an authentic British Islam - would lose their vitality and strength.
An oblique but relevant and intelligent look at contemporary ideas politics.
Thanks to Random House/Cornerstone for an ARC via NetGalley.
July 24, 2017
Radicals is 'an exploration of the individuals, groups and movements who are rejecting the way we live now, and attempting to find alternatives'. The introduction sets the scene: an age of unprecedented progress and achievement, yet one in which globalisation, income inequality, climate change and the impact of the internet (among many other issues and developments) have caused the social, economic and political consensus to shift in ever-changing, often unpredictable ways. As in Bartlett's previous book The Dark Net, each chapter of Radicals makes a study of a particular individual or smallish group, using them to represent and explore wider themes.
– Chapter 1 follows transhumanist Zoltan Istvan on his (futile) attempt to run for president of the USA, travelling from the west coast to Washington DC in his campaign vehicle, the 'Immortality Bus' (it's designed to look like a giant coffin on wheels).
– Chapter 2 revisits someone you might remember from The Dark Net: former EDL leader Tommy Robinson, who has attempted to reinvent himself as more of a respectable activist. This particular story finds him trying to start a UK arm of the 'peaceful' European anti-Islam group Pegida, along with ex-Labour and UKIP activist Anne Marie Waters and Liberty GB leader Paul Weston.
– Chapter 3 sees Bartlett attending a 'weekend experience' organised by the Psychedelic Society, and investigating the evidence that controlled use of psychedelic drugs can provide positive spiritual experiences and be used to treat mental health problems.
– Chapter 4 looks at the workings of Prevent, the UK's anti-terrorism initiative.
– Chapter 5 tackles populist politics: swerving the more obvious US/UK examples, here Bartlett focuses on the success of Beppe Grillo and the Five Star Movement in Italy.
– Chapter 6 is about communal living and eco-villages. Its main subject is Tamera, a rural Portuguese commune largely made up of German expats.
– Chapter 7 is about activism and direct action. It concentrates on climate change activism and sees the author joining a Reclaim the Power protest and meeting anti-fracking groups.
– Chapter 8 tells the intriguing story of Liberland, the newest country in the world, founded on disputed land (between Croatia and Serbia) and intended as the first free republic based on the principles of radical libertarianism.
The book I thought of most often while reading Radicals was Jon Ronson's Them, but Bartlett (mostly) avoids painting the people he encounters as humorous eccentrics. (Sometimes, however, their absurdities speak for themselves, as in a sequence when Anne Marie Waters turns out to be drunk during the launch of Pegida-UK, or one of the Tamerians claims she can communicate with wild boar through meditation. Sometimes they're a bit more disturbing – Tamera again: one of the senior members of the community gives a worryingly vague answer about its 'Love School', where children are 'accompanied' by adults through their first 'encounters and love experiences'.) Bartlett's writing is very straightforward, clear and fair, considering both sides of every argument and taking the radicals' ideas seriously. If there's a downside, it's that it can be a little dry in places – this isn't one of those non-fiction books that grips you like a novel might. That said, as someone who's used to racing through books, this was a welcome change of pace.
This shouldn't be confused for a comprehensive account of radical politics: it's more of a curated selection of (very different) fringe views, inviting the reader to consider which 'radicals' we might, one day, come to consider entirely reasonable. It's a thoughtful, considered study which perhaps doesn't match the sexier and more dramatic appeal of The Dark Net, but is no less engaging.
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– Chapter 1 follows transhumanist Zoltan Istvan on his (futile) attempt to run for president of the USA, travelling from the west coast to Washington DC in his campaign vehicle, the 'Immortality Bus' (it's designed to look like a giant coffin on wheels).
– Chapter 2 revisits someone you might remember from The Dark Net: former EDL leader Tommy Robinson, who has attempted to reinvent himself as more of a respectable activist. This particular story finds him trying to start a UK arm of the 'peaceful' European anti-Islam group Pegida, along with ex-Labour and UKIP activist Anne Marie Waters and Liberty GB leader Paul Weston.
– Chapter 3 sees Bartlett attending a 'weekend experience' organised by the Psychedelic Society, and investigating the evidence that controlled use of psychedelic drugs can provide positive spiritual experiences and be used to treat mental health problems.
– Chapter 4 looks at the workings of Prevent, the UK's anti-terrorism initiative.
– Chapter 5 tackles populist politics: swerving the more obvious US/UK examples, here Bartlett focuses on the success of Beppe Grillo and the Five Star Movement in Italy.
– Chapter 6 is about communal living and eco-villages. Its main subject is Tamera, a rural Portuguese commune largely made up of German expats.
– Chapter 7 is about activism and direct action. It concentrates on climate change activism and sees the author joining a Reclaim the Power protest and meeting anti-fracking groups.
– Chapter 8 tells the intriguing story of Liberland, the newest country in the world, founded on disputed land (between Croatia and Serbia) and intended as the first free republic based on the principles of radical libertarianism.
The book I thought of most often while reading Radicals was Jon Ronson's Them, but Bartlett (mostly) avoids painting the people he encounters as humorous eccentrics. (Sometimes, however, their absurdities speak for themselves, as in a sequence when Anne Marie Waters turns out to be drunk during the launch of Pegida-UK, or one of the Tamerians claims she can communicate with wild boar through meditation. Sometimes they're a bit more disturbing – Tamera again: one of the senior members of the community gives a worryingly vague answer about its 'Love School', where children are 'accompanied' by adults through their first 'encounters and love experiences'.) Bartlett's writing is very straightforward, clear and fair, considering both sides of every argument and taking the radicals' ideas seriously. If there's a downside, it's that it can be a little dry in places – this isn't one of those non-fiction books that grips you like a novel might. That said, as someone who's used to racing through books, this was a welcome change of pace.
This shouldn't be confused for a comprehensive account of radical politics: it's more of a curated selection of (very different) fringe views, inviting the reader to consider which 'radicals' we might, one day, come to consider entirely reasonable. It's a thoughtful, considered study which perhaps doesn't match the sexier and more dramatic appeal of The Dark Net, but is no less engaging.
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September 1, 2017
Radicals
Really enjoyed this book and it really got me thinking about the concepts mentioned in this book.
Will follow with a longer review on my second reading as it's one of those books that you really want to read again and again.
Highly recommended.
Really enjoyed this book and it really got me thinking about the concepts mentioned in this book.
Will follow with a longer review on my second reading as it's one of those books that you really want to read again and again.
Highly recommended.
January 31, 2018
In a world where the word 'radicalism' has become synonymous with terrorism, I wanted to learn more about other radical movements across the globe that are fighting for freedom, the environment and free love, as well as the more political or religious movements.
In this book, Jamie Bartlett discusses eight very distinct groups of people, from far right extremists to inhabitants of a free-love commune, and presents his findings in a brilliantly non-biased way. I found that he didn't take a side with any of these group's ideals, more focusing on experiencing their point of view and reporting it in an honest way. This made Radicals an enjoyable reading experience. It is the first book I've read that isn't angry with all of those that the author doesn't agree with. It brought different views from around the world into one place and presented everything in a clear way.
I would definitely recommend this book, particularly on audiobook, and I'm glad I picked it up as I feel I learnt a lot from it.
In this book, Jamie Bartlett discusses eight very distinct groups of people, from far right extremists to inhabitants of a free-love commune, and presents his findings in a brilliantly non-biased way. I found that he didn't take a side with any of these group's ideals, more focusing on experiencing their point of view and reporting it in an honest way. This made Radicals an enjoyable reading experience. It is the first book I've read that isn't angry with all of those that the author doesn't agree with. It brought different views from around the world into one place and presented everything in a clear way.
I would definitely recommend this book, particularly on audiobook, and I'm glad I picked it up as I feel I learnt a lot from it.
September 1, 2017
Never really knew many of the radicals I met in this book apart from the Muslim ones. But than the Muslim radicals were not described in much detail as compared to the other radical types. By the end of the book I had developed a sense of respect for most radical movements, apart from the Islamic one which o don't think really fits into the radical framework. I also agree with the authors deduction that the world changes constantly, therefore radicalism is an important indicator which can trigger controlled change saving us from nasty surprises. Therefore radicalism must be accepted and debated in any society and culture.
November 27, 2020
Felt more like an Op-Ed than a well researched story of different “radical” groups. While Bartlett notes that he is likely to receive hate about the chapter about the anti-Islam groups, he still downplays and seeks to legitimize these groups due to their peaceful protests without fully putting into the context that these groups are innately racist. While I enjoyed the structure of getting introduced to different radical groups, I felt that Bartlett often guided the narrative too much instead of letting the stories and the groups speak for themselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2025
Radicals, sous-titré Outsiders changing the world, est un livre du journaliste britannique Jamie Bartlett, publié en anglais en 2017.
In the last few years the world has changed in unexpected ways. The power of radical ideas and groups is growing. What was once considered extreme is now the mainstream. But what is life like on the political fringes? What is the real power of radicals?
Radicals is an exploration of the individuals, groups and movements who are rejecting the way we live now, and attempting to find alternatives. In it, Jamie Bartlett, one of the world’s leading thinkers on radical politics and technology, takes us inside the strange and exciting worlds of the innovators, disruptors, idealists and extremists who think society is broken, and believe they know how to fix it. From dawn raids into open mines to the darkest recesses of the internet, Radicals introduces us to some of the most secretive and influential movements today: techno-futurists questing for immortality, far-right groups seeking to close borders, militant environmentalists striving to save the planet's natural reserves by any means possible, libertarian movements founding new countries, autonomous cooperatives in self-sustaining micro-societies, and psychedelic pioneers attempting to heal society with the help of powerful hallucinogens.
As well as providing a fascinating glimpse at the people and ideas driving these groups, Radicals also presents a startling argument: radicals are not only the symptoms of a deep unrest within the world today, but might also offer the most plausible models for our future.
Le livre est composé de huit chapitres où Jamie Bartlett raconte son immersion dans huit communautés ou groupes qui défendent des idées que l’on peut qualifier de radicales, dans le sens où elles veulent changer radicalement le monde ou tout cas remettre en cause certains des principes communément admis dans nos sociétés contemporaines
Ces huit chapitres sont, dans l’ordre :
1. The Transhumanist’s Wager : sur la tentative de candidature du transhumaniste Zoltan Istvan à l’élection présidentielle américaine en 2016
2. Fortress Europe : c’est peut-être le chapitre qui m’inquiétait le plus, car l’auteur y suit Tommy Robinson dans sa tentative d’importer au Royaume-Uni le mouvement nationaliste et anti-Islam Pediga, mais le résultat est intéressant, car l’auteur essaye d’expliquer ce qui peut mener certains individus vers ces idées radicales
3. The Trip Resort : sur un « stage » psychédélique aux Pays-Bas, qui permet à l’auteur d’exposer l’histoire du psychédélisme depuis la seconde moitié du XXe siècle jusqu’à nos jours
4. Interlude : Prevent : sur le programme de prévention de la radicalisation islamiste au Royaume-Uni, l’auteur prenant le temps d’en décrire les intentions, les méthodes, les résultats mais aussi les limites et les risques, notamment en terme de stigmatisation des personnes musulmanes et donc de renforcement des tentations radicales
5. Grillo vs Grillo : sur le mouvement italien Cinq Étoiles insufflé par le comédien Bepe Grillo, analysé comme une alliance entre d’une part les possibilités offertes par Internet et les réseaux sociaux, et d’une part un ras-le-bol d’une partie de la population contre une classe politique corrompue et éloignée des préoccupations quotidiennes
6. Temple of Duhm : sur une communauté semi-autonome et basée sur l’amour libre, installée au Portugal depuis vingt-cinq ans
7. The Activist’s Paradox : sur les mouvements écologistes d’action directe, mais aussi les limites de la culture militante qui peuvent freiner la diversité et la massification des luttes
8. Looking for Liberland : sur une micro-nation libertarienne entre la Croatie et la Serbie, l’occasion d’interroger l’hégémonie de l’État-nation comme organisation politique depuis le XIXe siècle
J’ai bien aimé la démarche de l’auteur, qui suit ses interlocuteurs en essayant de mettre son jugement en veilleuse. Le ton est parfois sérieux, parfois plus ironique, mais toujours respectueux envers les personnes qu’il suit. Il essaye de les comprendre et d’imaginer comment leurs idées pourraient changer le monde si elles étaient généralisées. Evidemment, je n’ai pas été convaincu par toutes les idées exposées, j’ai même été horrifié par certaines, mais j’ai apprécié que l’auteur les examine et cherche à les comprendre, sans forcément les justifier ou leur donner raison.
Dans sa conclusion, tout en rappelant qu’il ne partage pas toutes les idées exposées dans le livre, qu’elles ne sont pas forcément réalisables ni même souhaitables, Jamie Bartlett défend le fait que les idées radicales permettent d’interroger nos sociétés contemporaines, de les faire évoluer, de remettre en cause certains principes qui nous semblent aujourd’hui intangibles, voire d’envisager des alternatives face aux crises multiples auxquelles nous faisons face.
In the last few years the world has changed in unexpected ways. The power of radical ideas and groups is growing. What was once considered extreme is now the mainstream. But what is life like on the political fringes? What is the real power of radicals?
Radicals is an exploration of the individuals, groups and movements who are rejecting the way we live now, and attempting to find alternatives. In it, Jamie Bartlett, one of the world’s leading thinkers on radical politics and technology, takes us inside the strange and exciting worlds of the innovators, disruptors, idealists and extremists who think society is broken, and believe they know how to fix it. From dawn raids into open mines to the darkest recesses of the internet, Radicals introduces us to some of the most secretive and influential movements today: techno-futurists questing for immortality, far-right groups seeking to close borders, militant environmentalists striving to save the planet's natural reserves by any means possible, libertarian movements founding new countries, autonomous cooperatives in self-sustaining micro-societies, and psychedelic pioneers attempting to heal society with the help of powerful hallucinogens.
As well as providing a fascinating glimpse at the people and ideas driving these groups, Radicals also presents a startling argument: radicals are not only the symptoms of a deep unrest within the world today, but might also offer the most plausible models for our future.
Le livre est composé de huit chapitres où Jamie Bartlett raconte son immersion dans huit communautés ou groupes qui défendent des idées que l’on peut qualifier de radicales, dans le sens où elles veulent changer radicalement le monde ou tout cas remettre en cause certains des principes communément admis dans nos sociétés contemporaines
Ces huit chapitres sont, dans l’ordre :
1. The Transhumanist’s Wager : sur la tentative de candidature du transhumaniste Zoltan Istvan à l’élection présidentielle américaine en 2016
2. Fortress Europe : c’est peut-être le chapitre qui m’inquiétait le plus, car l’auteur y suit Tommy Robinson dans sa tentative d’importer au Royaume-Uni le mouvement nationaliste et anti-Islam Pediga, mais le résultat est intéressant, car l’auteur essaye d’expliquer ce qui peut mener certains individus vers ces idées radicales
3. The Trip Resort : sur un « stage » psychédélique aux Pays-Bas, qui permet à l’auteur d’exposer l’histoire du psychédélisme depuis la seconde moitié du XXe siècle jusqu’à nos jours
4. Interlude : Prevent : sur le programme de prévention de la radicalisation islamiste au Royaume-Uni, l’auteur prenant le temps d’en décrire les intentions, les méthodes, les résultats mais aussi les limites et les risques, notamment en terme de stigmatisation des personnes musulmanes et donc de renforcement des tentations radicales
5. Grillo vs Grillo : sur le mouvement italien Cinq Étoiles insufflé par le comédien Bepe Grillo, analysé comme une alliance entre d’une part les possibilités offertes par Internet et les réseaux sociaux, et d’une part un ras-le-bol d’une partie de la population contre une classe politique corrompue et éloignée des préoccupations quotidiennes
6. Temple of Duhm : sur une communauté semi-autonome et basée sur l’amour libre, installée au Portugal depuis vingt-cinq ans
7. The Activist’s Paradox : sur les mouvements écologistes d’action directe, mais aussi les limites de la culture militante qui peuvent freiner la diversité et la massification des luttes
8. Looking for Liberland : sur une micro-nation libertarienne entre la Croatie et la Serbie, l’occasion d’interroger l’hégémonie de l’État-nation comme organisation politique depuis le XIXe siècle
J’ai bien aimé la démarche de l’auteur, qui suit ses interlocuteurs en essayant de mettre son jugement en veilleuse. Le ton est parfois sérieux, parfois plus ironique, mais toujours respectueux envers les personnes qu’il suit. Il essaye de les comprendre et d’imaginer comment leurs idées pourraient changer le monde si elles étaient généralisées. Evidemment, je n’ai pas été convaincu par toutes les idées exposées, j’ai même été horrifié par certaines, mais j’ai apprécié que l’auteur les examine et cherche à les comprendre, sans forcément les justifier ou leur donner raison.
Dans sa conclusion, tout en rappelant qu’il ne partage pas toutes les idées exposées dans le livre, qu’elles ne sont pas forcément réalisables ni même souhaitables, Jamie Bartlett défend le fait que les idées radicales permettent d’interroger nos sociétés contemporaines, de les faire évoluer, de remettre en cause certains principes qui nous semblent aujourd’hui intangibles, voire d’envisager des alternatives face aux crises multiples auxquelles nous faisons face.
June 18, 2018
A really interesting read. Bartlett makes sure to give his "radicals" a voice and lets them speak their views without being overly judgemental. In a world that has been taken over by Twitter quick takes, it was nice to read about groups you would normally dismiss as nutty (and tbh some of them still came off as nutty). I will say I got a bit bored towards the end, and would suggest maybe reading something else between each chapter to avoid burn out.
January 23, 2018
Super interesting read if you're interested in groups (not just political) that practice ways of living we rarely hear about. Bartlett gives a man on the street type account of each movement he covers.
August 29, 2017
I enjoyed this one very much. Great journalism.
Also, I would have loved it if Jamie Bartlett could moderate a debate between Christopher Hitchens and Ayn Rand.
Also, I would have loved it if Jamie Bartlett could moderate a debate between Christopher Hitchens and Ayn Rand.
December 6, 2018
An interesting mix of stories of "radicals" trying to change the world in their own image.
November 22, 2024
Never figured that Czech people have that much hate against Muslims.
Read
August 27, 2017DNF. Jamie Barlett's previous book The Dark Net was workmanlike in its style, but it zeroed in on some fascinating issues bubbling beneath the surface of the internet. This new book is similarly workmanlike, but (based on the first two chapters) his subjects are much, much less compelling. The lack of style also makes it quite a dull read on audio. I may revisit it as a physical book another time, but I'm setting it aside for now.
January 14, 2020
The author has traveled with several extreme liberals and discusses their viewpoints in an attemt to justify change for its own sake remaking America in the ideals of a minority.
January 21, 2018
A fascinating, well-researched book about some of our present-day radicals and the function (perhaps even import) of radical thinking in society. If you feel disconnected from some recent trends, or simply wish to gain a wider understanding of the current world, you should gain something from this work.
When you're younger (at University, for example) you feel relatively connected to whatever is the current vibe. You may not agree with the social experiments of all of your peers, but you get the lingo. And then it happens. One day you wake up and discover that you've aged. The world has moved on without you. It has new ways of speaking, dressing, and thinking. You'd stick out like a sore thumb were it not for the fact that, once you hit your 40's, you start to become miraculously and wonderfully invisible.
I'd never heard of Pegida-UK; and until I read this book I thought Five Star were just an American 80's pop group with astonishingly high-pitched female vocals. Bartlett introduces phenomena like Pegida, Five Star, the "alt right" and so on in a way that inspires fresh critical evaluation from the reader.
I think he encourages this "think again" response partly because of his humble approach. He has sat alongside his subjects; rubbed shoulders, shared meals, broken bread. His starting point has been one of respect, and he seems to have earned his respect in return. Hence the reader is invited to explore it all with him; to leave behind whatever comfort zones we make for ourselves and "go there" - to the places and people we have, perhaps, avoided because they don't fit our own sense of reality - our own echo chamber.
That means nothing gets objectified. Characters and subjects become more real. My own need to objectify in order to summarize, categorize, understand or dismiss is left without much function. I love this book for that, and I loved discovering how some brave souls choose to live, think, and act in ways I'm never likely to myself.
When you're younger (at University, for example) you feel relatively connected to whatever is the current vibe. You may not agree with the social experiments of all of your peers, but you get the lingo. And then it happens. One day you wake up and discover that you've aged. The world has moved on without you. It has new ways of speaking, dressing, and thinking. You'd stick out like a sore thumb were it not for the fact that, once you hit your 40's, you start to become miraculously and wonderfully invisible.
I'd never heard of Pegida-UK; and until I read this book I thought Five Star were just an American 80's pop group with astonishingly high-pitched female vocals. Bartlett introduces phenomena like Pegida, Five Star, the "alt right" and so on in a way that inspires fresh critical evaluation from the reader.
I think he encourages this "think again" response partly because of his humble approach. He has sat alongside his subjects; rubbed shoulders, shared meals, broken bread. His starting point has been one of respect, and he seems to have earned his respect in return. Hence the reader is invited to explore it all with him; to leave behind whatever comfort zones we make for ourselves and "go there" - to the places and people we have, perhaps, avoided because they don't fit our own sense of reality - our own echo chamber.
That means nothing gets objectified. Characters and subjects become more real. My own need to objectify in order to summarize, categorize, understand or dismiss is left without much function. I love this book for that, and I loved discovering how some brave souls choose to live, think, and act in ways I'm never likely to myself.
January 9, 2024
I listened to the audiobook, which was well read (though with some annoying accents when quoting people) and easy to follow. Each chapter describes the aims and nature of a group which is operating outside the 'Overton window', as witnessed personally by the author. He gets close to significant personnel through staying with the group or travelling with them and attending key events. After the description, the author evaluates their significance, and in an epilogue he discusses the importance of the existence of radical groups to societies, whether or not we agree with their particular aims.
The book was written 2014-2016 and does reference key events of 2016 which shook up global politics, such as President Trump's election in USA. Nonetheless, some of the groups seem dated by 2023. The main value of the book is in the evaluative sections, and reading it six years after publication I would have appreciated more emphasis on putting the particular groups he stayed with into a historical context, and drawing out general principles that can be learned from them. This might have stayed more relevant as some of the particular groups disappeared but the needs they fulfilled may be taken on by other groups, or indeed, become more mainstream.
The book does articulate some important ideas and provoke some thought, but left me feeling I would have got more from it at the time it was written. It might have been better reading rather than listening so I could skim the descriptions of the groups and focus on the discussion of ideas.
The book was written 2014-2016 and does reference key events of 2016 which shook up global politics, such as President Trump's election in USA. Nonetheless, some of the groups seem dated by 2023. The main value of the book is in the evaluative sections, and reading it six years after publication I would have appreciated more emphasis on putting the particular groups he stayed with into a historical context, and drawing out general principles that can be learned from them. This might have stayed more relevant as some of the particular groups disappeared but the needs they fulfilled may be taken on by other groups, or indeed, become more mainstream.
The book does articulate some important ideas and provoke some thought, but left me feeling I would have got more from it at the time it was written. It might have been better reading rather than listening so I could skim the descriptions of the groups and focus on the discussion of ideas.
June 5, 2023
Transhumanists, far right nationalists, psychedelic trippers, Islamist extremists, Italian populists, eco villagers, environmental activists, and libertarians...
...Walk into a bar. Not really. But these are the various types of Radicals Bartlett observes, interviews, spends time with and writes about across a series of chapters.
Barltett works for a think tank, and his writing style is slick and accessible, merging zeitgeist, journalism, policy and academic research with apparent ease. Shades of Louis Theroux or Jon Ronson as well, in the way he seems attracted to what might increasingly be called culture warriors, or simply people with alternative views and experiences outside of the mainstream.
I enjoyed the book, although not sure it has much of a thesis or unifying story. Radicals take many forms, and it is hard to predict exactly who becomes a radical, and under what conditions. Radicals coexist with the mainstream, and while their movements may never go anywhere, they nevertheless tell us potentially useful half-truths about what alternative systems and ways of life may one day become the new mainstream to some extent. Bartlett is skilled at not taking sides, while remaining bemused, skeptical and thoughtful about some of the clashes of views and ideologies that roam our world, especially cyberspace.
...Walk into a bar. Not really. But these are the various types of Radicals Bartlett observes, interviews, spends time with and writes about across a series of chapters.
Barltett works for a think tank, and his writing style is slick and accessible, merging zeitgeist, journalism, policy and academic research with apparent ease. Shades of Louis Theroux or Jon Ronson as well, in the way he seems attracted to what might increasingly be called culture warriors, or simply people with alternative views and experiences outside of the mainstream.
I enjoyed the book, although not sure it has much of a thesis or unifying story. Radicals take many forms, and it is hard to predict exactly who becomes a radical, and under what conditions. Radicals coexist with the mainstream, and while their movements may never go anywhere, they nevertheless tell us potentially useful half-truths about what alternative systems and ways of life may one day become the new mainstream to some extent. Bartlett is skilled at not taking sides, while remaining bemused, skeptical and thoughtful about some of the clashes of views and ideologies that roam our world, especially cyberspace.
March 24, 2018
The title is a bit misleading, since this book is not really about utopia in the sense of an alternative concept of a state (or simply living together). Bartlett portrays several radical movements from Pegida and Cinque Stelle to transhumanists and libertarians. While Pegida, for example, has a clear idea of what they don't want, they really have no concept of society. Likewise Cinque Stelle. For the transhumanists, society is not even a relevant category. The eco activists Barlettet describes are also not really utopians. The libertarians, on the other hand, have indeed an idea of the state they want, albeit a stupid one (rule of thumb: if a movement is dominated by well-educated and well-doing white men, it has a big chance of being stupid). Still, the book was quite interesting. At times a bit too journalistic for my taste, but good insights into various contemporary movements.
July 29, 2022
Very good overview of the new European radical movements of 2010´s. The book is a collection of interviews made "living among" the different radical groups that are not necessary extremist or violent, just outside of the norm. This style has its limitations, but the contextualisation is good enough
The main problem is that the author tries very hard to poke holes in the radicals thinking and making them look ridiculous. The group that is most criticized is the anti-Islam radical right that just shows how racism is too much for the author. Still the author lets the radicals speak their mind and most of the criticism is made at the end of each chapter
That is my main criticisms that the more extreme alt-right is not studied in this book. But the reason is in its European focus and alt-right is more of a US/Canada phenomenon.
The main problem is that the author tries very hard to poke holes in the radicals thinking and making them look ridiculous. The group that is most criticized is the anti-Islam radical right that just shows how racism is too much for the author. Still the author lets the radicals speak their mind and most of the criticism is made at the end of each chapter
That is my main criticisms that the more extreme alt-right is not studied in this book. But the reason is in its European focus and alt-right is more of a US/Canada phenomenon.
June 19, 2022
A liberal democracy without radicals will ossify, is one of the main tenants of this book. Jamie Bartlett joins several people in various groups that might be deemed radical and writes about his experiences with the groups or his encounters with key members of these groups. Radicals hold and test ideas that might be of value to society. Either as trials for future situations or as being valuable by being wrong, a warning as such.
He reports on some interesting groups (both positive and negative in my opinion) as an embedded journalist. The Prevent chapter seemed the most meaningless in terms of insight or reason to be included but I was interested in the others.
He reports on some interesting groups (both positive and negative in my opinion) as an embedded journalist. The Prevent chapter seemed the most meaningless in terms of insight or reason to be included but I was interested in the others.
October 4, 2018
The title is not representative of the books content nor the style of writing of the journalist. It is a light, intriguing journey into close encounter with fringe radical movements which we might find repulsive from a distance. But Jamie is a master at navigating a line between total derision and judgement of these characters and being embedded factual reporting.
I am not as sure as he seems to be of the value of all radical movements but he does make a point. And you do learn something from new sides of the world you will likely never meet in your regular life.
I am not as sure as he seems to be of the value of all radical movements but he does make a point. And you do learn something from new sides of the world you will likely never meet in your regular life.
October 15, 2017
A rather dull but very easily read mash-up of a book with only, for me, a really interesting chapter on Beppe Grillo. Half of the chapters were about totally odd-for-the-sake-of-it ideas/groups and the chapter about "activists" put a lid on the whole thing for me. These people just don't get it ... they should definitely be made to read "The Road to Somewhere" for a reality check. Very badly proof-read by the way.
January 29, 2018
Excellent book for getting an introduction to different type of movements across the world that are right now fringe, but might very well become mainstream. From the transhumanist movement in the US to the increasing use of psychedelics for the better understanding of our environment to the environmental activism, the book gives a glimpse of the several new initiatives that are taking place across the world.
July 1, 2018
The book is well written - well-paced, lively writing. Unfortunately, I didn't particularly enjoy reading more than half of the case studies the author selected. I'd class some of the movements/ experiments in living covered as not being credible. Reading about trans-humanists, right wing nut jobs and bitcoin warriors was a gruelling. Of course, this is probably a good thing as it burst my filter bubble
June 20, 2022
Immersive and informative. Though there's an overly simplistic coverage of crypto towards the end. So looking forward to The Missing Cryptoqueen: The Billion Dollar Cryptocurrency Con and the Woman Who Got Away with It.
July 10, 2017
Very entertaining book covering the opinions and topics of several groups. The author does a good job of understanding the position of the groups he documents and presenting their views in a way that at least feels unbiased. He concludes each presentation of the groups with his own skepticism. If you like the podcast Grow Big Always, you will likely enjoy this book.
July 25, 2017
This exceptionally well researched and well written book delves into a handful of fringe groups that believe they have the answer to all that ails modern western democracies. The author visits with the men and women whose passion for changing the world is sometimes bizarre but always sincere. It's exciting to consider which, if any of them, will evolve into the mainstream.
January 6, 2018
This is well researched. well written, and really a pretty phenomenal work of investigative, first-person journalism -- all of which made me think maybe I should have given it another star. But I didn't because somehow for me personally the content and conclusions weren't
compelling. The Epilogue about our willingness to embrace radical ideas no doubt applies to me!
compelling. The Epilogue about our willingness to embrace radical ideas no doubt applies to me!
November 29, 2018
“Ought we be so sure we’ve got it all figured out? That our way of living is the best one, and that alternatives could never work? It often takes outsiders to suggest that another world is possible. Even if they are not completely right - no single idea ever is - they are often half right. And we only know which half if radical ideas are allowed to flourish.”
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