In an era of misinformation, digital spectacle, and declining literacy, this book examines the historical resilience of humanism and the challenges it faces in the modern world. From the Renaissance scholars who revived intellectual inquiry to the revolutionary salons, labor halls, and universities that fostered debate and dissent, humanist thought has always thrived in moments of resistance. But today, new forces-algorithmic manipulation, social media-driven self-worth, and the dominance of visual culture-threaten to erode the very foundations of reason, autonomy, and personal dignity.

This book explores how humanist values have historically been challenged and how they prevailed, offering a comparative analysis between past intellectual struggles and today's crises of thought and identity. It delves into how the digital age, while democratizing information, has also fragmented attention, heightened social comparison, and replaced depth with spectacle. The decline of reading culture, the rise of aestheticized self-worth, and the transformation of universities into elite, corporatized institutions have all contributed to an environment where critical thinking is devalued, history is flattened, and intellectual engagement is increasingly passive.