Ride the Tiger - Julius Evola | Part 2, Reading & Discussion

Hi all,

This is part two of a two-part reading of superfascista Julius Evola and his esoteric far-right philosophical survival manual for modernity, Ride the Tiger: A Survival Manual for the Aristocrats of the Soul.

I'm partially copy and pasting from the first event here BUT - heavily inspired by the Traditionalist philosophy of René Guénon - our first reading in this adventure months back - and Friedrich Nietzsche, Evola's final text is written against the backdrop of the Second World War, the failure of Fascism, the rise of materialism, secularism, and moral decline - all of which Evola swiftly describes as an age of dissolution. Somewhat similar to Simone Weil's self-emptying attention recently discussed in our reading of On the Abolition of All Political Parties and the necessary presence in the world of Ellul, Evola advances in his twilight years a notion of apoliteia, an inner distance unassailable by society and its (as he perceives it) increasingly amoralistic and barbaric attitudes and values, a stance unaccepting of anything binding one to the present, a man both differentiated but integrated, not modern but capable of suffering modernity with nobility, etc. As with all of our thinkers, Evola is pursuing transcendence, via a defense of the world of being and dignity of those aristocrats who feel they belong to a different modality of humanity, wherein one might exist in full recognition of the desert that surrounds us, enabling us to "ride the tiger" so that we might supra-navigate the chaos and degeneration of the modern, technologically-saturated world that we're so unfortunate to inhabit. Or something like that, I don't know.

We will be picking things up starting with Part 5 (Dissolution of Consciousness and Relativism) and reading through the remainder of the text. So, pages 130 through 227. Read what you can, we had great discussions in the first meet-up even with folks that were only able to read a portion of the book.

I will be reading Godwin and Fontana's translation published by Inner Traditions. It is available here for purchase. Also available for free here.

As always, if you're unable to complete the book prior to our meeting, no worries - it's lengthy so we're just happy to have you and welcome whatever insights, critiques, questions, etc. you may have based on what you were able to read.

We will be meeting in the Ace Hotel lobby on W 29th. It's cozy, there are couches, there is lunch, there is wine (thank god), and there is a Stumptown Coffee in the front. It's great. Message me the day of if you can't find us. I usually sit toward the back next to the bar.

It bears repeating, this group is open to newcomers to Evola (preferred in this case), novices of philosophy, ragamuffins, ne'er-do-wells, urchins of all sorts, etc. Purely biographically, Evola is fascinating, and his recent resurgence and resonance with fringe fellas online is worth considering. Just be respectful and kind - it'll be great.

Alright, looking forward to it, and reach out to me with any questions in the meantime.

See y'all then!