Today, Benjamin’s ‘angel of history’, his ‘angelus novus’ has to fight an even greater danger than the storm of progress that was characteristic for Benjamin’s time. Today’s force is more material, more powerful and perhaps even more catastrophic but just as total and real as was the storm blowing away the angel sixty years ago. The angel has finally found a counterpart that fights him, something that he can touch. But does this make it easier for the angel, the embodiment of history, “to stay, awaken the dead, make whole what has been smashed” (392) or are we still to await the coming of a messiah that can win over the antichrist (391)?
Table of Contents
1. Totaladler - Fragmentary remarks on Walter Benjamin’s ‘On the concept of history’
Objectives and Topics
The response paper analyzes the contemporary relevance of Walter Benjamin’s "Theses on the Philosophy of History" by contrasting his "angel of history" with modern phenomena of "counter-progress," such as global financial capitalism and political systemic failure. The author questions whether Benjamin’s theological framework remains applicable or requires secular translation to address current global crises.
- Analysis of the "angel of history" in the context of contemporary socio-economic catastrophes.
- Critique of modern progress as a destructive "counter-progress" or "Totaladler."
- Exploration of the intersection between historical materialism and Jewish theology.
- Discussion on the potential of "Jetztzeit" and messianic moments in revolutionary history.
- Comparative perspective on the applicability of Benjamin's theories to Western vs. non-Western contexts like the Arab Spring.
Excerpt from the Book
Totaladler - Fragmentary remarks on Walter Benjamin’s ‘On the concept of history’
Today, Benjamin’s ‘angel of history’, his ‘angelus novus’ has to fight an even greater danger than the storm of progress that was characteristic for Benjamin’s time. Today’s force is more material, more powerful and perhaps even more catastrophic but just as total and real as was the storm blowing away the angel sixty years ago. The angel has finally found a counterpart that fights him, something that he can touch. But does this make it easier for the angel, the embodiment of history, “to stay, awaken the dead, make whole what has been smashed” (392) or are we still to await the coming of a messiah that can win over the antichrist (391)?
Today, the storm is an eagle as Jonathan Meese envisages him. This eagle faces the backward turning angel; he is looking straight ahead at what stands in his way ready to free himself of any obstacle, ready to fight. Is the angel the obstacle? The angle’s eyes wide open (out of anxiety, out of shock, out of anger about his forced passivity?) are met by tightly closed eagle’s eyes, concentrating on their aim.
The eagle himself made out of debris, of waste, of rubbish is the one piling up “wreckage upon wreckage” (392) hurling at the angel’s feet. His chunky claws stand firmly on catastrophe after catastrophe that he himself is guilty of. He is not transcended as an angel, not fleeting as a storm, but of literal ‘flesh and blood’ – or rubbish and debris – that is, material in the highest sense.
Summary of Chapters
1. Totaladler - Fragmentary remarks on Walter Benjamin’s ‘On the concept of history’: The paper examines the tension between historical progress and catastrophe, arguing that contemporary financial and political crises represent a "total" counter-progress that demands a re-evaluation of Benjamin's original materialist and theological assertions.
Keywords
Walter Benjamin, Angel of History, Totaladler, Counter-progress, Historical Materialism, Jewish Theology, Financialization, Catastrophe, Jetztzeit, Messiah, Arab Spring, Historiography, Utopia, Capitalism, Debt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this paper?
The paper explores the contemporary relevance of Walter Benjamin’s "Theses on the Philosophy of History" by reinterpreting his metaphor of the "angel of history" in the light of 21st-century economic and political crises.
What are the primary thematic fields addressed?
The central themes include the critique of progress, the influence of financial capitalism on societal life, the integration of theological concepts into historical materialism, and the nature of revolutionary moments.
What is the primary goal of the research?
The author aims to investigate whether Benjamin’s analysis of history remains urgent and applicable in a modern world dominated by what the author calls "counter-progress" or "Totaladler."
Which scientific methods are utilized in the work?
The author utilizes philosophical and historical analysis, employing a close reading of Benjamin’s primary text and connecting it to contemporary sociological, political, and economic literature.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body contrasts the "angel of history" with the "Totaladler," analyzes the financialization of everyday life, discusses the potential synthesis of Marxism and theology, and considers the applicability of Benjamin's ideas to recent global events like the Arab Spring.
Which keywords characterize this publication?
Key terms include Walter Benjamin, historical materialism, Totaladler, financial capitalism, catastrophe, and messianic hope.
What does the term "Totaladler" represent in the text?
It is a term borrowed from artist Jonathan Meese, symbolizing a form of "counter-progress" that is totalizing, destructive, and embodied in contemporary American-led global economic structures.
How does the author propose bridging the gap between Benjamin's theology and secular society?
The author suggests that theological concepts like "redemption" and "messiah" might be understood as secular metaphors for utopian visions and the necessity of acting against destructive historical trajectories.
- Quote paper
- Johannes Lenhard (Author), 2012, Totaladler - Fragmentary remarks on Walter Benjamin’s ‘On the concept of history’, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/193221
