The Resilient Mind When You Can't Let Go - Alan Watts
Oct 22, 2025
Alan Watts, a British-American philosopher renowned for making Eastern wisdom accessible, dives into the intricate dance between control and surrender. He discusses how the quest for control often leads to frustration and explores Buddhism's wisdom on letting go of craving for true peace. Watts also ponders whether genuine mental transformation is achievable or if we’re caught in a self-defeating cycle. He emphasizes that personal change is crucial for solving societal issues, highlighting the intersection of individual growth and collective responsibility.
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The Paradox Of Self-Improvement
- Alan Watts frames the self-improvement problem as a paradox: the agent who must change is the one that needs changing.
- This creates a vicious circle where self-effort alone cannot fully transform selfish habits.
Letting Go Is Like Exhaling
- Watts explains Buddhist teaching: abandoning selfish craving leads to nirvana, which he likens to exhaling the breath.
- He emphasizes that clinging to life (holding the breath) undermines living fully and leads to self-strangulation.
Societal Problems Rooted In Selfishness
- Watts links global crises to individual selfishness, arguing wrong people, not just systems, cause societal failure.
- He suggests personal transformation is essential for cooperative solutions to complex problems.