---
product_id: 603210442
title: "Vita Contemplativa: In Praise of Inactivity"
price: "€ 38.37"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 6
url: https://www.desertcart.fi/products/603210442-vita-contemplativa-in-praise-of-inactivity
store_origin: FI
region: Finland
---

# Vita Contemplativa: In Praise of Inactivity

**Price:** € 38.37
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** Vita Contemplativa: In Praise of Inactivity
- **How much does it cost?** € 38.37 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.fi](https://www.desertcart.fi/products/603210442-vita-contemplativa-in-praise-of-inactivity)

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## Description

desertcart.com: Vita Contemplativa: In Praise of Inactivity: 9781509558018: Han, Byung-Chul, Steuer, Daniel: Books

Review: A philosopher takes on the internal horrors of the 21st Century and wins - Can inactivity be vital? How does one live in a world that mines even our emotions and personhood as a resource? Han is a philosopher for the 21st Century, and he makes a powerful case for the need for all of life and personhood to be centered on contemplation rather than action. I'll be thinking about the concepts in this little book for a very long while, and seeking to put them into practice.
Review: Good book, even if you don't read it. - Bought this book, but didn't read it yet. Something about the title just makes me kind of not want to. I do already know what it's about, though, so I'm sure Han would be okay with me not reading it.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #96,938 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #51 in Philosophy (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (106) |
| Dimensions  | 5.4 x 0.3 x 8 inches |
| Edition  | 1st |
| ISBN-10  | 1509558012 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1509558018 |
| Item Weight  | 5.6 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 128 pages |
| Publication date  | January 17, 2024 |
| Publisher  | Polity |

## Images

![Vita Contemplativa: In Praise of Inactivity - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/915fa2+hlaL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A philosopher takes on the internal horrors of the 21st Century and wins
*by D***L on July 5, 2025*

Can inactivity be vital? How does one live in a world that mines even our emotions and personhood as a resource? Han is a philosopher for the 21st Century, and he makes a powerful case for the need for all of life and personhood to be centered on contemplation rather than action. I'll be thinking about the concepts in this little book for a very long while, and seeking to put them into practice.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good book, even if you don't read it.
*by M***L on April 24, 2025*

Bought this book, but didn't read it yet. Something about the title just makes me kind of not want to. I do already know what it's about, though, so I'm sure Han would be okay with me not reading it.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Calling for what he cannot offer
*by D***S on April 21, 2025*

Han's many works, all short and ponderous, can be insightful. I have read most of them in the past two years, and lectured on some of his ideas at the 2025 L'Abri conference in Rochester, MN. He is difficult to summarized, but he works within the critical theory tradition broadly, but without the animus toward religion that many of those thinkers evince. Han's critique of the effects of technology on society and self are often worthwhile and even memorable, putting him among the ranks of Jean Baudrillard, although he writes more clearly. Neil Postman developed his critique of image-based society and communication technologies more thoroughly, as did Jacques Ellul. To my knowledge, Han does not cite these authors in his works. In this book, Han tries to chart an alternative to "the burn out society" (the title of one of his books) of constant over exposure to communication technologies that demand we perform ourselves to death. The subtitle says it: "In praise of inactivity." However, Han has few intellectual resources to ground a meaningful sense of rest. In the last chapter, he draws on romantics poets and liberal theologians who speak vaguely of "the infinite" without specific content or meaning. It is as if Han is in search of a sabbath (he mentions it), but has neglected the Lord of the Sabbath, the only one who can give it objective meaning, value, and hope.

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*Product available on Desertcart Finland*
*Store origin: FI*
*Last updated: 2026-02-24*