A deeply original exploration of the power of spontaneity--an
ancient Chinese ideal that cognitive scientists are only now
beginning to understand--and why it is so essential to our
well-being
Why is it always hard to fall asleep the night before an important
meeting? Or be charming and relaxed on a first date? What "is" it
about a politician who seems wooden or a comedian whose jokes fall
flat or an athlete who chokes? In all of these cases, striving
seems to backfire.
In "Trying Not To Try, "Edward Slingerland explains why we find
spontaneity so elusive, and shows how early Chinese thought points
the way to happier, more authentic lives. We've long been told that
the way to achieve our goals is through careful reasoning and
conscious effort. But recent research suggests that many aspects of
a satisfying life, like happiness and spontaneity, are best pursued
indirectly. The early Chinese philosophers knew this, and they
wrote extensively about an effortless way of being in the world,
which they called "wu-wei" (ooo-way). They believed it was the
source of all success in life, and they developed various
strategies for getting it and hanging on to it.
With clarity and wit, Slingerland introduces us to these thinkers
and the marvelous characters in their texts, from the butcher whose
blade glides effortlessly through an ox to the wood carver who sees
his sculpture simply emerge from a solid block. Slingerland
uncovers a direct line from "wu-wei" to the Force in Star Wars,
explains why "wu-wei" is more powerful than flow, and tells us what
it all means for getting a date. He also shows how new research
reveals what's happening in the brain when we're in a state of
"wu-wei"--why it makes us happy and effective and trustworthy, and
how it might have even made civilization possible.
Through stories of mythical creatures and drunken cart riders,
jazz musicians and Japanese motorcycle gangs, Slingerland
effortlessly blends Eastern thought and cutting-edge science to
show us how we can live more fulfilling lives. "Trying Not To Try"
is mind-expanding and deeply pleasurable, the perfect antidote to
our striving modern culture.
"From the Hardcover edition."
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