The Freedom Paradox Towards a Post-Secular Ethics

Why is it so many of us lack contentment, despite all the wealth and freedoms we enjoy? Clive Hamilton argues that the paradox of modern consumer life is that we are deprived of our inner freedom by our very pursuit of desires. His search takes him to an unexpected conclusion: we cannot be truly free unless we commit ourselves to a moral life.



Why is it so many of us lack contentment, despite all the wealth and freedoms we enjoy? The past two centuries delivered individual and political freedoms that promised unprecedented opportunities for personal fulfilment. Yet citizens of affluent countries are encouraged to pursue lives of consumerism, endless choice and the pleasures of the body. Clive Hamilton argues that the paradox of modern consumer life is that we are deprived of our inner freedom by our very pursuit of our own desires. He turns to metaphysics to find a source of transformation that lies beyond the cultural, political and social philosophies that form the bedrock of contemporary western thought. His search takes him to an unexpected conclusion: that we cannot be truly free unless we commit ourselves to a moral life. The implications of this conclusion are profound, and they challenge many deeply held beliefs in modern secular society. The Freedom Paradox is a bold and important work that goes to the heart of what it means to be human.