Nietzsche, narwhals and the burden of consciousness
Justin Gregg’s witty exploration of animal intelligence is a useful guide – but there is more to human life than a search for contentedness.
By
John Gray
John Gray is an author and contributing writer to the New Statesman. He has written on various political and cultural subjects, from Boris Johnson's premiership to the life of HG Wells.
Latest articles
All Articles
Adam Curtis’s magic lantern through Russia
The documentary-maker’s new series shows how a country traumatised by the failures of communism and capitalism ended up with…
By
What the Huxleys got wrong
Aldous, Julian and Thomas saw themselves as arbiters of the good life – but they fell prey to prejudice…
By
The coming autumn crisis
The new government faces a national emergency. If it responds accordingly, the Conservatives could yet remain in power.
By
The deep realism of Better Call Saul
This Breaking Bad spin-off was a high point in television drama: never has a series better conveyed the complexities…
By
Nietzsche before the breakdown
In the 1880s, the ailing philosopher prophesied the West’s violent decline – but not even he could prevent it.
By
The hollowness of Boris Johnson
The Prime Minister’s gift for shape-shifting powered his ascent – but in his downfall the emptiness of his politics…
By
The Death of Consensus: the recurring nightmares of British politics
From strikes to Brexit, a new book by the BBC producer Phil Tinline explores how the UK has been…
By
The secret world of Mick Herron
How the author of Slow Horses and Bad Actors became the foremost living spy novelist in the English language.
By