Alex Lefebvre

A Life Without Art

New podcast alert: The Philosophy of Living Well

Happiness, art, politics, forgiveness, blame — philosophers at the University of Sydney dive into all of it.

Give it a listen here👇

open.spotify.com/show/1jUIb70...

This! The habit of liberals to dismiss the right as mere greed-driven vulgarians devoid of serious ideas is a weakness.

Haven’t read the book yet, but heard Field outline the argument on a couple of podcasts and she’s excellent.

Leon Craig and Heidi Studer she tells me (literally, on a group zoom call and she's on it)

“This is sociologically rich and intellectually precise political theory of and for the moment.“

Thanks Jeff, I hear you. Still, Snyder thinks the rulers are just animated by the goods of tyranny: power, money, sex, etc. I reviewed his book On Freedom in TLS on this point.

Applebaum strikes me as the anti-mole. Lived in Eastern Europe, but zero sympathy or even curiosity of these movements.

Maybe... but liberalism is kind of handcuffed, no, in that it wants to abstain on prescribing anything about the good life? Its opponents really don't have that scruple!

my sense is that it would be democratic, in the sense of majoritarian. but definitely not liberal or liberal democratic.

We've launched a new podcast called Ideology Unbound. Host @lkatfield.bsky.social will be interviewing guests on ideas and liberalism. This first episode is with @lefebvrealex.bsky.social. Check it out and subscribe!

www.illiberalism.org/ideology-unb...

A Mole in MAGA’s Midst | Los Angeles Review of Books Alexandre Lefebvre reads “Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right” by Laura K. Field.

"It takes a Straussian to catch a Straussian."

In case you missed it, here's my LARB review of @lkatfield.bsky.social terrific new book, Furious Minds, published by @princetonupress.bsky.social.

lareviewofbooks.org/article/a-mo...

Great piece but missing something, I feel: progressives need to better understand the MAGA mindset not primarily so we can "strategize" more effectively, but as a way to engage our own blind spots (our attachment to the institutions that gave rise to Trump).

lareviewofbooks.org/article/a-mo...

This review is SO fun to read and @lefebvrealex.bsky.social really gets it.

A Mole in MAGA’s Midst | Los Angeles Review of Books Alexandre Lefebvre reads “Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right” by Laura K. Field.

“Few books in political theory foreground the author’s biography this much. But it lands.”

My LARB review of Furious Minds by Laura Field. A terrific book. @princetonupress.bsky.social:

lareviewofbooks.org/article/a-mo...

Last response on this one, sorry: she's actually going to do White Lotus and the movie Triangle of Sadness. The latter is pure Rousseau (even got a state of nature). I bet you'd "enjoy" it (in the manner of white lotus).

Short and sweet review of Bergson's Lectures on Freedom
@bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social

"This compilation of Henri Bergson's 1904–05 lectures at the Collège de France exemplifies the dynamic nature of philosophy as an evolving discourse delivered in an oral format."

muse.jhu.edu/pub/105/arti...

hahaha, I've read all three. Yours is best.

True Liberal? The Record and Legacy of the Fraser Government, 1975-1983 True Liberal? The Record and Legacy of the Fraser Government, 1975-1983

Big conference on the Dismissal and the Fraser Government, 12–13 Dec at Trinity College, Melbourne.

I’m speaking on a panel, “What Is Liberalism Today?”, with Senators James Paterson and Sarah Henderson.

Come on down! www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/whats-happen...

A talented student artist drew some of the authors we read this semester.

Name them from clockwise (no big points for 1 and 2):

hahah, my daughter can't believe you replied! You made her day.

Also, the same post on X did really well.

Love this book. And now my daughter is using it for her Year 12 English project on White Lotus and Rousseau's Second Discourse.

Fun for the whole family! Thanks @laywilliams.bsky.social

I did a thing and got a thing.

John Rawls, liberalism and what it means to live a good life | Aeon Essays For John Rawls, liberalism was more than a political project: it is the best way to fashion a life that is worthy of happiness

Wonderful statement of what is so inspiring in Rawls by @lefebvrealex.bsky.social

aeon.co/essays/john-...

Liberalism As Mob Boss How to respond to conservative critiques of actually existing liberal societies.

Liberalism As Mob Boss @lefebvrealex.bsky.social substack.com/@alexlefebvr...

John Rawls, liberalism and what it means to live a good life | Aeon Essays For John Rawls, liberalism was more than a political project: it is the best way to fashion a life that is worthy of happiness

‘Rawls is often treated as an austere theorist of justice, but I wanted to recover the moral and even spiritual warmth at the heart of his liberalism — and Aeon was the perfect place to do that’, – @lefebvrealex.bsky.social, winner of the Australasian Association of Philosophy’s Media Prize

Paperback day for Liberalism as a Way of Life, @princetonupress.bsky.social

I’ve been moved and amazed by the book’s reception—thank you to everyone who’s read, taught, or shared it.

If you’re so inclined, give it one more repost for the road.

John Rawls, liberalism and what it means to live a good life | Aeon Essays For John Rawls, liberalism was more than a political project: it is the best way to fashion a life that is worthy of happiness

Won a couple of awards last week. Woo!

One is the Australasian Association of Philosophy’s Media Prize for Rawls the Redeemer in @aeon.co: shorturl.at/vPOxH

The other is a Teaching Leadership Award for my work on the new PPE degree The University of Sydney: shorturl.at/MAHtd

Liberalism as a Way of Life by Alexandre Lefebvre. "Lefebvre offers a rousing case that liberalism is not only the best political system, but also a spiritual touchstone that makes for a rewarding life, warm relationships and a thriving society."—Suzanne Nossel, New York Times

Why #liberalism is all you need to lead a good, fun, worthy, and rewarding life—and how you can become a better and happier person by taking your liberal beliefs more seriously.

Alexandre Lefebvre's Liberalism as a Way of Life arrives in #paperback on 28 Oct: press.princeton.edu/books/paperb...

Bergson and Affect Bergson and Affect

Dear friends, I'm very happy to share the link to my upcoming book on Bergson and Affect published with @edinburghup.bsky.social !

Those interested in #Bergson, #affect, #virtuality, #embodiment, or even #philosophy in general might find it interesting.

Forthcoming March or so next year!

Both Luara Ferracioli and I have been shortlisted for the AAP Media Prize — Luara for two excellent ABC radio pieces, and me for Rawls the Redeemer in Aeon.

Great to see public philosophy getting some love.
👉 aap.org.au/AAP-Media-Pr...

When Philosophy Stopped the Traffic in New York City | Los Angeles Review of Books Alexandre Lefebvre explores Emily Herring’s “Herald of a Restless World: How Henri Bergson Brought Philosophy to the People.”

@alexandrelefebvre.bsky.social's review of my biography of Henri Bergson is still the most popular article on the @lareviewofbooks.bsky.social website! The people yearn for durée!
lareviewofbooks.org/article/when...

In case you missed it: my lead essay in the new print issue of @noemamag.com, "From Statecraft to Soulcraft."

After 70 years, states are back in the business of shaping the good life. Welcome to the post-liberal era.

www.noemamag.com/from-statecr...