For common things : irony, trust, and commitment in America today / Jedediah Purdy.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Avoiding the world -- The absence of politics -- The practice of the public -- The law of the land: political choice and attentiveness -- The neighbor and the machine: technology and responsibility -- Irony and ecstasy.

"Informed by a wide range of cultural and literary influences, from the works of Montaigne and Thoreau to the popularity of empty entertainment to the breathless chroniclers of an exploding technological age, Purdy raises potent questions about our stewardship of civic values. He argues for a return to responsibility for the environment, education, culture, law, and government, and paints a vivid and convincing picture of the contemporary cynicism and malaise that infect policymaking and public discourse."--BOOK JACKET.