Paperback, 160 pages
English language
Published Sept. 12, 1968 by Vintage.
In this fascinating book, Alan Watts explores man's quest for psychological security, examining our efforts to find spiritual and intellectual certainty in the realms of religion and philosophy. The Wisdom of Insecurity underlines the importance of our search for stability in an age where human life seems particularly vulnerable and uncertain. Watts argues our insecurity is the consequence of trying to be secure and that, ironically, salvation and sanity lie in the recognition that we have no way of saving ourselves.
I don't know who this book is for, but it's not me. It felt like the same 4 sentences about how the past and future don't matter and avoiding the "divided mind" repeated with a splash of eastern religions thrown in.
In sum: Live in the moment.
My first Alan Watts and very surprisingly, I didn't find it interesting enough. I hope I like his other books though, as every single person I meet who knows about Alan Watts highly recommends him. Fingers crossed for The Way of Zen.
I took away some important new insights from this book, but I found it to be too repetitive.
The Matrix captures the essence of this book quite simply: "Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth." Neo: "What truth?" Boy: "There is no spoon."
