Name: Against Identity. The Wisdom of Escaping the Self
SKU: 65789077
Price: 40.85 NZD
Availability: InStock
Author: Alexander Douglas
ISBN: 9781802063318

portada Against Identity. The Wisdom of Escaping the Self

Against Identity. The Wisdom of Escaping the Self

Type

Physical Book

Publisher

Penguin

Author

Alexander Douglas

Year

2026

Pages

272

Format

Paperback

Dimensions

19.8x12.9x1.5 cm

ISBN13

9781802063318

Against Identity. The Wisdom of Escaping the Self

Alexander Douglas (Author) · Penguin · Paperback

New Book Imported to New Zealand

Delivery: 12 Nov - 19 Nov

NZ$ 40.85

Import costs and 15% GST included in the price ✅

NZ$ 40.85

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Synopsis "Against Identity. The Wisdom of Escaping the Self"

Modern life encourages us to pursue the perfect identity. Whether we aspire to become the best lawyer or charity worker, life partner or celebrity influencer, we emulate exemplars that exist in the world – hoping it will bring us happiness. But this often leads to a complex game of envy and pride. We achieve these identities but want others to imitate us. We disagree with those whose identities contradict ours – leading to polarization and even violence. And yet when they thump against us, we are ashamed to ring hollow. In Against Identity, philosopher Alexander Douglas seeks an alternative wisdom. Searching the work of three thinkers – ancient Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi, Dutch Enlightenment thinker Benedict de Spinoza, and twentieth century French theorist René Girard – he explores how identity can be a spiritual violence that leads us away from truth. Through their worlds and radically different cultures, we discover how, at moments of historical rupture, our hunger for being grows: and yet, it is exactly these times when we should make peace with our indeterminacy and discover the freedom of escaping our selves.