Enlightenment is a very interesting concept when one thinks about what it entails. Enlightenment, as it is discussed in The Critique of Enlightenment, is a state of awareness due to the constant gain of knowledge and understanding. Horkheimer and Adorno bring some very interesting points to light on the topic of enlightenment that should be well considered when dealing with social issues. Why is it that man has such an intense attraction for knowledge apart from compassion? Is knowledge alone enough for our world to move forward? This book unpacks these questions and more in a very organized way that can be very beneficial to the reader. Enlightenment, taken as knowledge alone, can be a poison for our society and a hindrance to human progress. …show more content…
The program of the Enlightenment was the disenchantment of the world; the dissolution of myths and the substitution of knowledge for fancy” (3). I agree immensely with this statement for a few reasons. For one, the idea of enlightenment is primarily about the gain of knowledge. If one takes a step back and thinks about any given social issue, one would be in a safe spot to say that knowledge and understanding of said issue is a must. However, without compassion for the subject what good is knowledge? It seems to me that Horkheimer and Adorno might be stating that knowledge in and of itself is not a solution. In fact, enlightenment may lead to barbaric regimes and a platonic ideology. As the authors put it, “enlightenment is totalitarian” (6). To regain enchantment with the world, we need some sense of mystery and some amount of bold compassion paired with our knowledge and