John N. Gray, British philosopher -- anyone familiar with his work, in particular, "Straw Dogs"? Your views?

Question

"Straw Dogs" received immensely positive reviews despite it being incredibly pessimistic (perhaps to the point of misanthropic nihilism.) I have decidedly mixed feelings about Gray's work. I applaud any philosopher who attempts to bring together Western and Eastern philosophy... but I am unsure whether or not Gray has succeeded. What do you think?

I didn't say that pessimism was a bad thing! :-)

Indeed this talk of pessimism comes from one of the positive reviews for the book. Richard Holloway (for whom this was his book of the year) called it a "book of gloriously exhilarating pessimism."

Personally, I love the book. Not because I simply agree with it but because each time I read it I find something new to agree with and disagree with.

The secondary question remains... does anyone more familiar with both Western and Eastern philosophy think Gray has made a successful attempt at bringing them together?

Answer 1

I found 'Straw Dogs' revelatory; having read it I was able to disseminate my own thoughts and feelings into something approaching a philosophy. Prior to this I knew for certain that I was an atheist but little more.
I find it interesting that you describe it as pessimistic, I found it more to be realistic. The problem with Western philosphies is that they are focussed on glossing over the truth, that we are merely animals, that we are no better or worse than any other creature on the planet and that eventually we die and that's the end. It might come across as misanthropic but by the same token, if we accepted these fundamental truths we might as a species actually come to the point where we recognise the value of all life and seek to protect and nurture all creatures.

Answer 2

I would say that he has failed in at least one respect.

Most Eastern philosophy that I am familiar with views the universe as grand, powerful, complex, and wonderful, and it is the goal of those philosophies to produce a life that is just as grand, powerful, complex, and wonderful. They see nature as purposeful and attractive and want to harmonize and assist those purposes.

Gray does not seem to find nature to be wondrous and beautiful. He instead finds it to be indifferent, brutish, and meagre, which seems to be the main thrust of his argument that humans are indifferent, brutish, and meagre. He sees no grand scheme that it would be wonderful to be a part of, but insteads suggests that anyone who is not as nihilistic as he is can only be delusional.

But you know what they say... if you see delusion and violence in EVERYONE around you, maybe the madness is in you instead of them.

I would also disagree that the work received 'immensely positive reviews'. Most of the reviews I have seen cited it as creative but analytically lacking... a nice rant but not something to be taken seriously by individuals interested in reason.