Episode 183: The Remains of the Day

What might at initial glance seem like the story of a sad, delusional English butler and the story of his life, is actually much more. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro is an absolute classic, and one of the great modern novels. At the historical level it's a hidden snapshot into how fascism starts, what it leads to, and how and why people collaborate with ideologies that in hindsight they would say are horrible. Psychologically it teaches us about memory, nostalgia, humor, loyalty, dignity...and how sometimes these concepts are beautiful and sad and human, but they can also lead us down the wrong path. The remains of the day is a beautiful book about the spectre of fascism, the ordinary nature of evil, and the psychology of people who get swept up in a memory.

This is Part I in an 8 part series on The Remains of the Day. It gives a chapter by chapter breakdown into the history, psychology, and philosophy behind one of my all time favorite books. Hope you'll read and come along for the ride! You can listen to the rest of this podcast series on my Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.

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Check out my podcast series on The Remains of the Day, Aftersun, Piranesi, Arcane, The Dark Knight Trilogy, and Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart here: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.

Try my podcast series "Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart"- What led to the rise of Nazi Germany? The answer may surprise you…Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? To what extent are ordinary people responsible for the development of authoritarian evil? This 13 part podcast series explores these massive questions and more through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who collaborated or resisted as the Third Reich expanded. You'll not only learn about the horrifying, surprising, and powerful ways in which the Nazis seized and maintained power, but also fundamental lessons about what fascism is-how to spot it and why it spreads. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that everyone can apply to the present day. Check it out on my Patreon page at: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory.

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