A. Badiou, Pornography of the Present - Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

French Literature Reviews - 2026

A. Badiou, Pornography of the Present
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

Pornography of the Present
Alain Badiou

Publication Date : 03/04/2013
Series : Essays
Retail Price (incl. VAT) : 3,99 €
ISBN / EAN Code : 9782213679587 / hachette : 3645611

What kind of world do we live in? What do we really want? Immersed in a consumer society that feeds us desirable images with which we content ourselves, and governed by a politics of consensus singularly lacking in vision, we have lost sight of the possibility of revolution. Today, we are like the prisoners in Plato's cave, who do not know reality, but only its shadow.
In this inspired text, Alain Badiou urges us not so much to feel outraged as to refuse to acquiesce to the world as it is, to practice a truly emancipatory critique, to imagine new liberating values, and ultimately, to recreate ourselves.

Alain Badiou is one of France's most prominent contemporary philosophers, known for his rigorous engagement with politics, mathematics, and ontology. In this essay, he draws on a long tradition of Western political philosophy, specifically referencing Plato's famous allegory of the cave to diagnose the stagnation of modern democratic societies. By comparing contemporary consumers to Plato's chained prisoners who mistake shadows for reality, Badiou positions his work within the lineage of critical theory and radical philosophy, challenging the post-ideological consensus of the early twenty-first century.

This brief but potent text addresses readers seeking to understand the psychological and systemic barriers to social change in a media-saturated world. Badiou asks how we can reclaim a sense of collective agency and vision when political discourse has been reduced to mere management and consumption. The book serves as an accessible introduction to Badiou's political thought, making it highly valuable for students of continental philosophy, critical theory, and anyone interested in the possibilities of modern activism and intellectual resistance.