Awkwardness has been one of the defining traits of the awkwardly unnamed first decade of our young century, dominating comedy on both the big and small screens. Could this trend point toward something deeper? In Awkwardness, Adam Kotsko answers that question with a resounding yes. Drawing on key insights of cultural theory, he argues that awkwardness is a structuring principle of human experience, something that the particular conditions of our time allow us to see with greater clarity than ever before. In an analysis that begins with the difference between the US and UK versions of Ricky Gervais's The Office, passes through the films of Judd Apatow, and culminates in the apotheosis of awkwardness, Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm, Kotsko looks at the ways we cope with our awkwardness and the unexpected opportunities awkwardness opens up when we stop resisting it and learn to enjoy it.
Awkwardness: An Essay
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It is easy to write a deep book on a big crucial concept like anxiety love or evil but it takes a true master to do for awkwardness what Heidegger in his Sein und Zeit did for anxiety and this is what Kotsko does. In his book which combines philosophical stringency with references to popular culture awkwardness is elevated into a universal singularity: a prismatic knot in which our entire historical moment is reflected. If this will not become an instant classic then we really live in awkward times. --(Slavoj Zizek, Slovenian continental philosopher & Professor at the European Graduate School)
About the Author
Adam Kotsko holds a PhD from the Chicago Theological Seminary. He is the author of Zizek and Theology and blogs at The Weblog and An und fur sich.
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1 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A speculative purchase that I was very happy with. Simple yet profound. No need for an existing expertise but insightful even if you're already familiar with the area. Cheap and short - well worth the risk.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Indispensable and insightful cultural criticism
18 Mar 2013
By Josh
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Despite the bounty of the Internet, it's still hard to come by thoughtful and enjoyable criticism of pop culture at book length. Most of the really heavy hitters right about music -- consider Greil Marcus's books -- but there's precious little when it comes to either comedy or television. This book (and its follow-up Why We Like Sociopaths) is among the best in class -- like the best long essays, it builds an argument slowly, carefully and -- crucially -- enjoyably, and after a few chapters in, you've not only got a whole new way of looking at the comedy of the past ten years but you also understand a fair bit of Heidegger.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
enjoyable
21 Jun 2012
By xtan
- Published on Amazon.com
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Kotsko's work is a noble effort to capture the feeling and meaning of awkwardness, leveraging the role of popular culture as a reflection of ourselves. This book is perfect for anyone who's enjoyed Apatow's movies, Curb your Enthusiasm, or The Office, and has a taste for thinking about human culture and relationships.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great read
4 April 2012
By Paul Ennis
- Published on Amazon.com
I'm surprised this book does not have any reviews yet. It's a great mix of pop culture and philosophy written in an accessible style. There are insights all over the place about just why it is that we have become fascinated by awkwardness. Full marks with no reservations.
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