Watts argues that the Western, Christian-influenced sense of the self as a separate, skin-encapsulated ego is a culturally conditioned illusion — and that this illusion is the root of most human suffering, aggression, and ecological destruction. Drawing on Hindu Vedanta, Zen, and systems theory, he builds a compelling case that the individual self is not separate from the universe but an expression of it. For men doing identity work, this book offers a philosophical ground-clearing: if the defended, isolated ego is not who we really are, who are we? Watts writes with the rare combination of rigorous philosophical clarity and genuine playfulness, making an intrinsically difficult subject both accessible and exhilarating.
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