There is only one way left to escape the alienation of present

The words of Roland Barthes, “There is only one way left to escape the alienation of present day society: to retreat ahead of it,” strike like a riddle, a paradox wrapped in fire. Here the philosopher-poet does not speak of fleeing backward into nostalgia, nor of surrendering to the crushing weight of the alienation produced by modernity. Instead, he urges a bold retreat—not into the past, but into the future, a step beyond the very structures that bind and suffocate us. To “retreat ahead” is to move beyond the emptiness of present society, to imagine and create new forms of life before its chains have fully shackled the soul.

The origin of this vision lies in Barthes’ lifelong wrestling with language, culture, and meaning. Living in the twentieth century, he witnessed the rise of mass media, consumerism, and the ways in which society reduced the individual to mere object—classified, labeled, consumed. For him, the modern person was trapped in webs of signs and systems that drained life of authenticity. To endure such a world was to feel estranged not only from others, but from oneself. Yet he did not despair; he proposed instead a leap forward, an act of retreat ahead, to resist not by looking back, but by stepping outside the dominant rhythms of society and creating something freer.

History shows us vivid examples of such retreat. Consider the early monastics of the desert—men and women who, in the crumbling days of the Roman Empire, withdrew not in defeat, but in vision. They left the corrupt cities not to escape life, but to preserve its deepest truths, creating communities of prayer, work, and knowledge that would one day become the seeds of medieval learning and culture. They retreated ahead, refusing the alienation of their age, and in doing so, laid the foundations of the future.

Another striking example lies in the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Faced with the alienation of colonial India, he did not seek to imitate the modern industrial powers, nor did he simply cling to the traditions of the past. Instead, he retreated ahead by envisioning a new society built upon nonviolence, self-reliance, and truth. His spinning wheel was more than a tool; it was a symbol of stepping outside the alienating systems of imperial economics, pointing toward a future not yet born. In his retreat was the seed of India’s independence and a vision that inspired the world.

The meaning of Barthes’ paradox is that to escape alienation, we must dare to step beyond the terms of the present. To retreat ahead is not cowardice, but courage; not withdrawal, but vision. It is the refusal to let today’s society dictate the boundaries of what is possible. When the world drowns in consumption, retreat ahead by creating simplicity. When the world drowns in noise, retreat ahead by cultivating silence. When the world drowns in division, retreat ahead by embodying community. In this way, one lives not as prisoner of the present, but as forerunner of the future.

The lesson for us is clear: do not be conformed to the alienation of your age. If you feel estranged in a world of endless consumption, of shallow connections, of mechanical routines, do not despair. Retreat ahead—create rhythms of life that nourish the spirit, relationships that honor truth, and communities that resist the flattening forces of modernity. Do not wait for society to offer freedom; forge it now, ahead of the world that seeks to trap you.

Practical actions shine plainly. Step away from the endless cycles of distraction and reclaim time for reflection, art, or silence. Build communities—small but strong—that value authenticity over appearance, connection over consumption. Resist alienation by planting seeds of meaning in your own life: acts of kindness, words of truth, practices of care. Teach children not only how to adapt to society, but how to imagine a better one. For every act of retreat ahead becomes a light in the dark, a beacon showing others the way beyond alienation.

Thus let Roland Barthes’ words endure as a paradox that saves: to retreat ahead of society is not escape, but creation. The alienation of the present is not destiny; it is only the condition that challenges us to move forward, beyond it. And those who dare to retreat ahead will not only save themselves—they will build the foundations of a freer and more human future.