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The Wisdom of Insecurity
- A Message for an Age of Anxiety
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
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The Wisdom of Insecurity
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Summary
Alan W. Watts' "message for an age of anxiety" is as powerful today as it was when this modern classic was first published. We spend too much time trying to anticipate and plan for the future, too much time lamenting the past. We often miss the pleasures of the moment in our anxious efforts to ensure the next moment is as enjoyable.
Drawing from Eastern philosophy and religion, Watts argues that it is only by acknowledging what we do not and cannot know that we can find something truly worth knowing. In order to lead a fulfilling life, one must embrace the present - live fully in the now.
Elegantly reasoned and lucidly written, this philosophical achievement contains all the wisdom and spirit that distinguished Watts' long career and resonates with us still.
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What listeners say about The Wisdom of Insecurity
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Paul Williams
- 16-01-18
Still a must read for all
I first read this book 20 years ago and was struck by its clarity on the problems of being alive in this modern world. It's incredible that Alan Watts wrote this book in 1951 and his thoughts about man's predicament are still the same and maybe worse today. This is not a self help book but anyone reading it cannot help to be helped. Enjoy. Ps the reading is very very good but not sure why an English reader was not chosen as Alan Watts spoke with an English accent and it would have made it he reading more authentic, only a small gripe.
11 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- John mason
- 09-10-18
A book of wisdom!
Sometimes hard to follow but packed full of wisdom if you can stick with it!
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jay Bee
- 02-09-17
excellent
runnette has a very soothing voice that delivers the message of watts' words perfectly I loved it.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Daniel
- 19-01-19
Brings me out of my mind
I didn't understand much of it, but I feel tremendously better for having read it.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Nelson Adoglio
- 19-08-18
Best book ever written
This is probably the best Philosophy book ever written, also marvellously frequently touching on Psychology and Theology. Short and sharp, not dwelling on theories - a great introduction and also conclusion from other topics explored by Watts in other works.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- gillian f.
- 02-08-18
voice is jarring.
Try Watts just So lectures. This ruins the message. :/ distracting not relaxing. Ive read the book, this is poor like AI
2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Angela
- 13-07-18
Incredible human being
Alan Watts had incredible insight...thoroughly enjoy everything by this philosopher! Comical, enquiring and calming...try it!
2 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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- S Whittle
- 28-02-19
The mind boggles....
I like Alan Watts. Gotta hand it to him, back in the day boggling minds was a walk in the park for him or a walk in a diverse realm on hot but cold day. See, even I can boggle your mind. Sounds good though doesn’t it. Up for boggling your own mind? This is for you.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs E.
- 17-01-23
Life changing
An amazing but largely indescribable listening experience. I was previously unaware of Watts’ work but it has had a big impact on the way I think, act and feel, which was always within me. Watts just helped to tease it out. I wished it had been narrated by an English person for greater authenticity, having since listened to some of Watts’ original recordings online (highly recommended). I hope to dip into this book from time to time to keep me on track and to live in the present…
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 25-08-22
Endlessly enlightning
Such a timeless piece of literature containing a great amount of ideas to open people's minds to life, death, the meaning
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 23-06-17
Should be required reading!
I grew up a preacher's kid, became a Vascular Surgeon, and today I am also as an Addiction Medicine physician. This concise book encompasses the things I was really seeking on this journey but did not realize I was seeking. Religion vs Science, Mind vs Body, Connection vs Separation, Self vs self. All of these and more are brilliantly stated and reconciled, not in a way to provide answers, but to bring wonder. These puzzle pieces are arranged enough to bring form and shape to big questions. I gave the performance a 4 only because I have heard tapes spoken by Alan Watts himself, and no one compares.
33 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amin
- 03-12-16
Very very deep...
This was my first book by Alan Watts and I loved it so much. He explains insecurity in a whole new level of understanding, and if you think you are capable to understand, go ahead and dive.
I will definetly reread this book. This book is in a Top 10 book, that I read for the whole time, and the best book on insecurity. I Highly recommend it.
PS: I write this addition afterward reading this book after 2 weeks, and I can say, that this book have something really deep inside. I can definetly say, that it changed a lot of aspects of my life, on different levels of conciousness. I never before done rewieing afterward, but this book trully and absolutly worth it.
26 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- IW, Albuquerque
- 16-03-16
more pointed and considerate than his lectures
narrator was very good. easy to understand and pronounced words in the conventional way. Refreshing, especially if you ve only listened to Watts speak extemporaneously
20 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 24-05-18
Can't handle Sean Runnette's voice and narrating
This book is incredible, I will have to read it.
The way it is ready by this guy Sean Runnette is So bad! I couldn't even make it past the first few minutes.
Terrible lispy, juicy S's. Pauses in all the wrong places, emphasis on the wrong words and unecessary commentary that takes you off track. Get someone who sounds Like Alan to narrate this book.
12 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- michael norris
- 05-01-19
Absolutely awful
The material is Alan watts...so it's great, but whoever readers sounds like he's got a piece of candy and too much saliva in his mouth and every "S" sound is an irritating slurpy hiss.
Gross
Unlistenable
10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jah Alexander
- 09-07-17
Relief
I was raised as a Christian, my parents, both mother and father are pasters. Wisdom is the structure for successful religions, in Christianity there is much to be found, yet I can't deny that I have heard life changing wisdom outside of my own beliefs. I am at the age now where I have began to question and keep an open mind, a game of, follow the wisdom. Anxiety disorder is something I continue to fight, win and lose on a daily basis, I see as well as who I am suppose to be in my religion contributes to that anxiousness I feel.
I would be a fool and have no since of wisdom in me if I where to deny this book, it speaks to me on a level I can't deny.
10 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- alex
- 01-09-17
Skipped it
I found it just didn't really feel like Alan Watts without having him be the narrator, the entertainment value just drops. Probably a good book, and nothing against the narrator, but it's just not as good
8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Darren Cadora
- 24-10-17
Alan said it best.
Lacking the enthusiasm that Alan would have if he told it. Alan had a magical way of expression that would have been magnificent to hear. Sean did make me laugh and smile. The depth of this book is not easy to present but I find it was worth the price
6 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
- anthony
- 19-03-21
sleepy time.
may be a great book but the reader was a professional sleep hypnosis guru. I couldn't stay focused on the book. not good if your job requires hours of driving between sites daily. I love the material and if this reader does a help you sleep meditation session I'd definitely read it. had to return. I'll look for another version.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jordan Williams
- 11-06-19
Amazing Book, Amazing Author.
One of the greatest reads of my life, I dont doubt for a second that I will listen to this book countless times over, my only complaint is that the narrator seems poorly chosen, such a monotonous and somehow miserly sounding voice does no justice to the lively firey flare and humor of Alan Watts' speeches, stories, analogies, and anecdotes. 10/10 book, worth re-narrating. Sorry Sean-Runnette I'm sure you're a cool guy.
4 people found this helpful