The Barbarians

January 20, 2014
In this insightful book, which reads as an episodic essay, Baricco (Emmaus) addresses the widespread fearâat least among intellectuals and academicsâthat we are facing a âcultural apocalypse,â that civilized culture is being sacked by âpredators with no culture or history.â These are his titular âbarbarians.â Baricco begins by discussing three specific areas in which he sees the effects of this so-called apocalypse: âHollywood wine,â with its appealing color and lack of complexity; soccer with a tendency toward âmiddlingness,â and a book publishing industry driven by âmarket logic.â But, he saysâand herein lays the main argument of his bookâthese are not, in fact, irrational, culturally destructive changes. Rather, these changes evidence a âmutation,â âa sort of mental and architectural restructuringâ that results from a shifting cultural landscape dominated by forces such as Google. Baricco characterizes this mutation as a fundamental change in the âidea of what constitutes experienceâ and how meaning is made. Though often theoretical, Barrico is an excellent guide and presents each short installmentâ in a highly conversational, op-ed style. Ultimately the book is an optimistic defense for this mutation, a mutation âthat concerns everyone, without exception.â