The Evolving Self

A Psychology for the Third Millennium

De: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Narrado por: Sean Pratt

In this wise, humane inquiry, Csikszentmihalyi (Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience) argues that genetically programmed behaviors that once helped humans adapt and multiply now threaten our survival. These traits include obsessions with food and sex, addiction to pleasure, excessive rationality, and a tendency to focus on the negative. A University of Chicago psychology professor, the author also believes we must free our minds of cultural illusions, such as ethnocentric superiority or identification with one's possessions. He urges listeners to find ways to reduce the oppression, exploitation, and inequality that are woven into the fabric of society. Further, he wants us to control the direction of human evolution by pursuing challenging activities that lead to greater complexity while opposing chaos and conformity.

Each chapter concludes with self-help questions and mental exercises designed to help listeners apply the insights of this literate manifesto to their daily lives.

©1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. (P)2016 Gildan Media LLC

Really puts life and evolution in perspective.

Great book! Just had to speed up the narration to 1.5x to stay engaged.

awesome piece of work

beautiful piece of work well work the read for anyone who wants to understand a bit more about us humans

Must experience

The ideas in this work are timeless. He gives you a lot to think about even in modern times.

Insightful Yet Overextended

"The Evolving Self" presents a fascinating exploration of human development and personal growth. The author’s philosophy shines through with thought-provoking insights that challenge conventional ideas about identity, purpose, and the evolution of our inner lives. The core concepts are genuinely impactful, offering readers a fresh perspective on how we understand ourselves and our role in the world.

However, while the philosophy is compelling, the book feels unnecessarily long, and the dense writing style can be challenging. The depth of content occasionally gets lost in extensive explanations, making it less reader-friendly. For those ready to commit to a more intensive read, it’s a rewarding journey, but casual readers may find it requires patience.

More than Profound

Take a journey out of Self and into the granular constructs of existence at large.

Essential reading for the species

So much valuable information, should be on the school curriculum, everyone needs to be exposed to these ideas

Impressive

Enjoyed every page and e every new insight. The comprehensiveness of the authors knowledge is remarkable.

Must read book for a good future of ONE mankind.

Must read book for a good future of ONE mankind. We need to connect according author in a flow of ONE mind. Nice :)

Foundational to a responsible and enjoyable life.

I found this and “Flow” both life-changingly insightful.

I wish it were read by the author or someone more engaging, for I found this narrator to have a somewhat condescending tone that does not fit the content.

The “Inescapable Omission” of this book

I must first caveat this review with the admission that I am only on chapter 5 of this book.

However, the inescapable omission of this book - given the otherwise in-depth and thoughtful analysis of “exploitation and oppression” during the first 5 chapters - is the nearly complete and blatant absence of the African American experience in the United States.

This omission relegates a fairly serious analysis of the ‘evolution of self’ to yet another rather mundane and pedestrian and grossly incomplete, and disturbingly lacking - particularly given the author’s frequent references to time periods in which African captives represented nearly half the population of the U.S.

We must do better in asserting a truly human condition of fairness, justice and meritorious social order, unless our aims are clearly otherwise.

I welcome the author’s public or private response. I’m sure Audible could provide me with contact information of a verified source (if offered)

In good health,