The society of fatigue (Spanish edition)

La sociedad del cansancio by Byung-Chul Han is a contemporary philosophical essay that dissects the profound transformations of Western society in the late modern age. In this influential work, Han argues that traditional disciplinary structures based on external constraints have been supplanted by a new societal paradigm of performance and self-optimization. In this “performance society,” individuals no longer respond primarily to external commands or prohibitions; instead, they push themselves relentlessly toward ever-greater productivity, achievement, and self-improvement.

This shift, according to Han, carries significant cultural and psychological consequences. The relentless internal drive for efficiency and success creates an environment in which exhaustion, impatience, distraction, and burnout become defining features of modern life. The book explores how this constant self-imposition leads to a depletion of joy, diminished capacity for celebration, and a subtle form of self-destruction masked by an ideology of positivity and accomplishment. Drawing on insights from philosophy, social theory, and cultural critique, Han offers readers a lens for critically examining how performance pressures shape contemporary identity and wellbeing.

Ideal for students, thinkers, and readers interested in critical theory, sociology, cultural studies, and philosophy, this Spanish edition provides an accessible yet rigorous introduction to Han’s work and its relevance to the challenges of 21st-century life.