Weirding Civilization: The Strange Foundations of the Modern World

Weirding Civilization examines the irrational foundations of civilization, from the Bronze Age to the Anthropocene. Inspired by Twin Peaks and Lovecraftian horror, it reveals how weirdness – disorienting, monstrous, and ambivalent – has shaped human society since the rise of the first complex civilizations.

Taking ‘weirding’ as its conceptual lens, the book examines hallmarks of civilization such as urbanism, money, and writing, uncovering their layered and often non-rational nature. While t...