Name: Faustian Bargain, No Thanks: Staying Sane in a Polarised Age
Author: Erik Pleijel
ISBN: 979-8303795198

This is what's at stake:

Those who love to hate are easy to control and manipulate. Give in to toxic impulses, and you surrender your freedom, dancing to someone else’s tune. Your soul goes up for sale...

Here’s how to choose a different path:

🧭️

Faustian Bargain,

No Thanks

Staying Sane in a Polarised Age

Many people are drawn to the spectacle of power. They cheer when charismatic demagogues sow division and spread chaos. They are entertained by shamelessness and meanness. In the process, both reason and compassion are lost.

The 'Faustian bargain' means trading your soul for power, wealth or success. But how do you say ‘no thanks’ to the offer – and keep your sanity?

There is a time-tested strategy for building resilience against this temptation: the seven classical virtues. Discover an ancient way to defy the demagogues of our time!

Faustian Temptation: How to Build Resilience the Classical Way

Audio narration included.

Read & listen here!

In-depth exploration

Long-form essay, 10 chapters.

ABOUT ME. My name is Erik Pleijel. For me, theology and philosophy should offer help and guidance in practical life – not just remain abstract theories. My journey has led through programming and hands-on work in water supply across Africa.

In my book Adventures and Reflections, I tell the story of that journey.

Here’s what others have said about it:

In fast-moving, sometimes dramatic texts , he takes us to genocidal Rwanda, civil war Sri Lanka and an absurdly closed North Korea. ... But he is not an ordinary technology nerd, rather a humanist, philosopher and theologian. Who thrives on human diversity, listens, learns, reflects and tries to empathise with the history and identity of other individuals and cultures. ... [Swedish prime minister], give this book to your ... minister for international development ...!

— Column in Bohusläningen newspaper (6 Oct 2014), by Stefan Edman

Based on his life experience, he reflects on aid, philosophy and Christian faith on a Lutheran basis. It is a wise man who writes and his wisdom is often easily transferable to everyday life in Sweden.

— Review in KT, the Swedish church newspaper (issue 34-2014), by Bishop Mikael Mogren

Want to explore more? Begin with a chapter and get the full story in print or on Kindle ebook:

Faustian Bargain, No Thanks: Staying Sane in a Polarised Age, Copyright © 2025 Erik Pleijel. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International. You must include this link: ErikPleijel.se/eng. You can view the full license details here: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 .

Illustrations: Cartoon queen, sloth: FriendlyStock; Cartoon priest: Copyright Brad Fitzpatrick; Aristotle Kaio hfd CC BY-SA 3.0;

Contact: email