Art of Life Bauman Hardback Polity Press 9780745643250

The Art of LifeAuthor(s): Zygmunt Bauman\nFormat: Hardback\nPublisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd, United Kingdom\nImprint: Polity Press\nISBN-13: 9780745643250, 978-0745643250\nSynopsis\nIn our individualized society we are all artists of life whether we know it or not, will it or not and like it or not, by decree of society if not by our own choice. In this society we are all expected, rightly or wrongly, to give our lives purpose and form by using our own skills and resources, even if we lack the tools and materials with which artists' studios need to be equipped for the artist's work to be conceived and executed. And we are praised or censured for the results for what we have managed or failed to accomplish and for what we have achieved and lost. In our liquid modern society we are also taught to believe that the purpose of the art of life should be and can be happiness though it's not clear what happiness is, the images of a happy state keep changing and the state of happiness .