Introduction to the Book's Premise

Hospicing Modernity by Vanessa Machado De Oliveira challenges readers to confront the complexities of modernity dying within and around us. The book refrains from prescribing solutions for fixing, transcending, or rejecting modernity but instead focuses on offering it compassionate palliative care. The reader is asked to sit with a decaying modernity, bearing witness to its struggles and learning from its history, gifts, and failures with integrity. The process depicted is not meant to be an effortless task; it can be fraught with difficulty, pain, and instability, posing a real challenge for some readers while offering potential growth for others.

Reflection on Reader Responsiveness

The book confronts how modernity conditions us to seek definite answers and solutions, which could lead to frustration for those looking for clear-cut strategies or manifestos. Instead, it draws a distinction between solvable "problems" and complex "predicaments" that are endemic to modernity. Readers might experience a range of emotional reactions, from defensiveness to resistance, based on their preconceived notions and investments in modernity. The author warns that those heavily invested in modernity may find the book particularly jarring, while those sensing the dis-ease of modern times may see a beneficial disruption. Strategies are provided within the book to navigate these affective responses.

Reader Profiles and Potential Responses

Five general profiles of readers are introduced, characterizing different relationships with modernity. From those thoroughly enchanted by modernity (Profile A) to disillusioned seekers of guarantees from alternative lifestyles (Profile D), the book posits a spectrum of attitudes and investments. These profiles serve as a thought experiment to bring the reader's emotional landscape into focus and identify potential areas of resistance to the book's content. The reader is encouraged to anticipate psychological discomfort and use it as a springboard for personal growth.

The Book's Analytical Approach

In contrast to narratives that view the ills of modernity as resolvable problems, this book proposes that the inherent violence and unsustainability of modernity are integral to its existence and our complicity in it. It urges readers to grapple with the addictive nature of modernity's comforts and promises, the denial of its destructive consequences, and the resulting limitations on our abilities to sense, relate, heal, and imagine. This analysis is directed at those who already experience disenchantment with aspects of modernity and who are searching for ways to process these complex feelings.

Disenchantment and the Process of Change

Hospicing Modernity emphasizes the need to confront the realities of modernity as a necessary precursor to fostering new forms of existence. It draws on the metaphor of water levels rising, suggesting that we might learn to swim—that is, to exist differently—only once faced with no other choice. The book highlights teachings from Indigenous communities, advocating for awareness, preparation, and an embrace of alternative practices, even if they are context-specific and not universally applicable.

Handling Modernity's Mortality and Ours

The final section addresses potential feelings of patronization and emphasizes the need for readers to respond maturely to modernity's mortality. The book stresses the significance of ceasing self-infantilizing behaviors, questioning whether the discomfort and possible risks of a new understanding are worth undertaking. Vanessa Machado De Oliveira invites readers to consider the potential transformative power of the text with caution, pondering the consequences of a shift in perspective and the readiness for profound change. The choice to continue is ultimately left to the reader's discretion, responsibility, and willingness to engage with modernity's truth without turning away.