The Wisdom of Insecurity

A Message for an Age of Anxiety

An acclaimed philosopher shows us how—in an age of unprecedented anxiety—we can find fulfillment by embracing the present and living more fully in the now. He is "the perfect guide for a course correction in life" (from the Introduction by Deepak Chopra).

The brain can only assume its proper behavior when consciousness is doing what it is designed for: not writhing and whirling to get out of present experience, but being effortlessly aware of it.Alan Watts draws on the wisdom of Eastern philosophy and religion in this timeless and classic guide to living a more fulfilling life. His central insight is more relevant now than ever: when we spend all of our time worrying about the future and lamenting the past, we are unable to enjoy the present moment—the only one we are actually able to inhabit.

Watts offers the liberating message that true certitude and security come only from understanding that impermanence and insecurity are the essence of our existence. He highlights the futility of endlessly chasing moving goalposts, whether they consist of financial success, stability, or escape from pain, and shows that it is only by acknowledging what we do not know that we can learn anything truly worth knowing.

In The Wisdom of Insecurity, Watts explains complex concepts in beautifully simple terms, making this the kind of book you can return to again and again for comfort and insight in challenging times.

“Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable.’” —Los Angeles Times

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable.’”
—Los Angeles Times

“The wisdom of insecurity is not a way of evasion, but of carrying on wherever we happen to be stationed—carrying on, however, without imagining that the burden of the world, or even of the next moment, is ours. It is a philosophy not of nihilism but of the reality of the present—always remembering that to be of the present is to be, and candidly know ourselves to be, on the crest of a breaking wave.”
—Philip Wheelwright, Arts and Letters

“This book proposes a complete reversal of all ordinary thinking about the present state of man. The critical condition of the world compels us to face this problem: how is man to live in a world in which he can never be secure, deprived, as many are, of the consolations of religious belief? The author shows that this problem contains its own solution—that the highest happiness, the supreme spiritual insight and certitude are found only in our awareness that impermanence and insecurity are inescapable and inseparable from life. Written in a simple and lucid style, it is a timely message.”
—Book Exchange (London)

Genius

Perfect. There were a few times when his voice trailed off and I can hear words. Otherwise very welcome delivered.

Being as a child

Having read "The Book" decades ago, I find that Watts' explanations expand my thinking. I appreciate how he does that.

It is ironic, then, that his message points to the idea that thinking gets in the way of experiencing life. And experiencing life, here and now, is what it's all about. Past and future get in the way.

The most profound insights for me are found in the last 30 minutes. But you must follow his argument laid out throughout the book to have the last 30 minutes make sense.

Experience the book.
Take what you will.
Enjoy today.

Wrong Reader

Its as though whoever was in charge of selecting the reader for Alan Watts had never listened to him or read his material. Alan Watts was brilliant and all of his stuff on YouTube, due to both the calmness of his voice and subject matter, regulates my central nervous system. However, while I'm sure this reader would be great at many animated and fantastical books, this was NOT the right choice for Watts. He was a cross between Sean Connery and William Shatner. I found myself not only unregulated, but pressing my foot on the gas with the continuous ebb and flow of the reading while driving. I couldn't ever get past it or finish the book. Super disappointed.

It was a great listen

I like the expansive nature of its main message. I could see AW reading it with the peaceful music in the background

Meh

I love Alan Watts via YouTube especially After Skool but this is a nope. First, it's important to have the real Watts speaking. And second, he really loves to bash western Judeo-Christian religions. There's nothing enlightening about that. He also makes a convoluted justification for his drinking. Not a judgment. Just an observation. The end result is the same--nothing truly moving here, for me anyway.