Rosa, H. (2018), Unverfügbarkeit, Wien: Residenz Verlag.

In "Unverfügbarkeit," or "Unavailability," Harmut Rosa argues that modern life is driven by the desire to make the world available and knowable, but that true vitality and real experiences come from encounters with the unavailable. He discusses how this aggression towards the world leads to fear, frustration, and even despair, and how it can be reflected in political aggression. Rosa also examines the way in which we, as individuals and as a society, relate to the unavailable, and how this is influenced by cultural and structural factors. He argues that modern societies are characterized by the need for constant growth, acceleration, and innovation in order to maintain their status quo, and that this leads to a feeling of claustrophobia and a fear of falling behind. Rosa ultimately suggests that we need to find ways to embrace the unavailable and find meaning in it, in order to truly live fully and authentically.

Hartmut Rosa discusses the concept of resonance as a fundamental mode of human relationships with the world. Resonance is characterized by affection, self-efficacy, transformation, and unavailability. It is in tension with the modern social logic of constant improvement and optimization, and the corresponding aggressive attitude towards the world. Rosa argues that resonance requires a balance between full availability and total unavailability, and that it involves a feeling of inner transformation and the assumption that it is worth engaging with something that we do not fully understand or have not yet exhausted. He also suggests that the modern focus on control and optimization in interaction processes silences the resonance axis, and that resonance is a gift-like experience. Rosa discusses the fundamental conflict between making things available and letting them happen, and how this plays out in different stages of the life course. He ultimately suggests that we need to find ways to embrace the unavailable and let things happen, in order to experience a more authentic and meaningful life.