Blooming in the Ruins: How Mexican Philosophy Can Guide Us toward the Good Life(Guides to the Good Life)

An introduction to major themes in 20th century Mexican philosophy, offering an array of fascinating concepts, from recommending cultivating a rival as a source of motivation to reminding us to respect other people on their own terms.When we think of philosophy that can guide us in our everyday lives, we are more likely to think of Ancient Greece or Rome than we are 20th-century Mexico. But Mexican philosophy, which came into focus in the last century, following the Mexican Revolution, is a rich and wide-ranging tradition with much to offer readers today. Emerging in defiance of the Western philosophy bound up with colonial powerDLfirst brought to Mexico with the Augustinians in the 16th century, and, like so much else, imposed on Mexicans for centuries after thatDLit boasts a range of powerful ideas and advice for modern-day life. A tradition deeply tied to Mexico's history of colonization, revolution, resistance, and persistence through hardship, this philosophy has much to teach us.Mexican philosophers had to grapple with questions particular to Mexico that have implications that anyone can and should learn from. Given the way we all must contend with life's unexpected twists and turns, how can we preserve a sense of ourselves, and a coherent way of thinking about the world? How can we deal with emotions that conflict with one another? How can we keep our spirits up when we feel like we are always on our way to a far-off goal? Mexican philosophy offers a specific, historically- and culturally-rooted way to think about these universal questions. We can appreciate the way its ideas followed from the accidents of history that created modern-day Mexico, while also appreciating that they are as universally profound as those passed down in the Western tradition.Mexican philosophy is a varied, dynamic, and deeply modern resource for meaningful, distinctive wisdom to guide us through our lives. Incorporating stories from his family's and his ancestors' Mexican and Mexican-American experiences, Carlos Alberto Sánchez provides an intriguing guide for readers of all backgrounds, including those who will be learning about philosophy (or Mexico) for the first time.

Table of Contents:
PREFACE Mexican Philosophy as a Guide to Life PART I TWO VERY SHORT INTRODUCTIONS TO MEXICAN PHILOSOPHY Chapter 1: In the Beginning. . .Philosophy in Mexico Chapter 2: In the 20th Century. . . Mexican Philosophy PART II 4 IMPORTANT THEMES Chapter 3: You are Always on the Way (On Nepantla) Chapter 4: You are Where You Are(On Circumstantialism) Chapter 5: (Un)Fortunate Destinies(On Accidentality) Chapter 6: About My Mother's Mole(On Anti-Essentialism) PART III INSTRUCTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, ORIENTATIONS Chapter 7: Listen In on Yourself Chapter 8: Be Charitable Chapter 9: Be Late to Parties Chapter 10: Don't Fear Ghosts Chapter 11: Be Originary Chapter 12: Embrace Zozobra Chapter 13: Don't Be a Relajiento Chapter 14: Don't be an Apretado Chapter 15: The Uses (and Abuses) of Socratic Irony Chapter 16: Model Personalities Chapter 17: Be a Dignified Cynic Chapter 18: Don't Be a Troll Chapter 19: Insert Yourself in the Narrative Chapter 20: A Lesson from the Invention of America Chapter 21: Love Without Violence Chapter 22: Value Other Perspectives Chapter 23: Be Like the Rabbit Chapter 24: When to Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth Chapter 25: Love What You Do Chapter 26: Avoid Cults Chapter 27: Enjoy an Occasional Rivalry PART IV DICHOS Chapter 28: My Abuelo's Favorite Dicho Chapter 29: My Abuela's Favorite Dicho PART V MORE ON MEXICAN PHILOSOPHY Chapter 30: Doing Philosophy Mexican Style! Bibliography & Further Reading

About the Author :
Carlos Alberto Sánchez is Professor of Philosophy at San José State University, where he teaches and publishes on Mexican philosophy and its history. He grew up in Michoacán, Mexico and King City, California. He is the co-founder and executive editor of the Journal of Mexican Philosophy.

Review :
Blooming in the Ruins is a rare achievement - a genuinely gripping philosophy book. Part introduction to major figures and themes in Mexican Philosophy, part autobiography, and part meditation on what it means to do philosophy while taking one's roots seriously, Sánchez blends accessibility and profundity with confidence and skill. Above all, this book shows how attending to cultural and historical particularity can offer insights and wisdom that speaks to everybody. Self-proclaimed 'accidental' philosopher Carlos Alberto Sánchez blooms again, delving into lived experience, circumstance, empiricism, death, choice, rights, education, and, above all, respect, this time against the backdrop of a pantheon of major Mexican philosophers including Antonio Caso, Samuel Ramos, Leopoldo Zea, Emilio Uranga, Abelardo Villegas, Luis Villoro, and Jorge Portilla, to reveal ultimately, in accessible and entertaining ways, how self knowledge and serious reflection benefit human experience. This book is beautiful and wise in equal measure. Only Carlos Sánchez could take us on this exhilarating, kaleidoscopic tour of 20th century Mexican philosophy. He shows how Mexican philosophy provides lessons in transmuting insecurity, violence, liberation, and catastrophe into lessons for living better every day. This is the kind of book that can change people's lives. Sánchez shows how Mexican philosophy inverts traditional assumptions and hierarchies ... and bolsters his analyses through historical context and resonant personal anecdotes ... This captivates. Surprisingly breezy to read, this book, subtitled "How Mexican Philosophy Can Guide Us Toward the Good Life," revealed mind-blowing concepts from a field I didn't know existed. The book is…a resounding success in that it leaves the reader with both a feeling of empowerment and a desire to learn more about Mexican philosophy.