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Alan Watts: Man is a Hoax – Being in the Way Ep. 20 - Hosted by Mark Watts

Be Here Now Network・25 minutes read

Living in the present moment is crucial for happiness as opposed to focusing on future promises or achievements. The podcast "Man is a Hoax" by Alan Watts explores societal conditioning, retirement disillusionment, and the flawed business system, emphasizing the importance of detentive awareness and interconnectedness to the universe.

Insights

  • Happiness should be derived from immediate experiences rather than future promises, emphasizing the importance of living in the present moment.
  • The prevailing myth of man as a random event in an indifferent universe fosters feelings of alienation, highlighting the interconnectedness between individuals and the ongoing cosmic creation.

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Recent questions

  • How important is living in the present?

    Living in the present is crucial for enjoying the future as happiness should come from immediate experiences, not just future promises.

  • What is discussed in Alan Watts' podcast?

    Alan Watts' podcast focuses on the talk "Man is a Hoax" recorded in Sausalito, emphasizing the societal conditioning of children and the flawed business system that separates work and play.

  • Why is retirement critiqued as the ultimate goal?

    Retirement is critiqued as the ultimate goal due to the disillusionment that often accompanies it, highlighting the discrepancy between the promise of future enjoyment and the reality of present experiences.

  • How are children conditioned to focus on the future?

    Children are conditioned to focus on the future, leading to a defective sense of identity and perpetual frustration, as they are constantly prepared for the future but never truly live in the present.

  • What is the concept of detentive awareness versus co-tension?

    The concept of detentive awareness versus co-tension is introduced, highlighting the tension between the ego and a more open, interconnected view of the world, emphasizing the inseparable yet different nature of self and other.

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Summary

00:00

"Living in Present: Key to Future Happiness"

  • Living in the present is crucial to enjoying the future as happiness should come from immediate experiences, not just future promises.
  • The concept of "Tomorrow Never Comes" is highlighted, emphasizing the importance of living in the present moment.
  • Alan Watts' podcast is introduced, focusing on the talk "Man is a Hoax" recorded in Sausalito.
  • The societal conditioning of children is discussed, highlighting how they are constantly prepared for the future but never truly live in the present.
  • The idea of retirement as the ultimate goal is critiqued, pointing out the disillusionment that often accompanies it.
  • The flawed business system that separates work and play is criticized, with money being unable to buy true pleasure.
  • The discrepancy between the promise of future enjoyment and the reality of present experiences is emphasized.
  • The conditioning of children to have a defective sense of identity is explored, leading to perpetual frustration and a focus on the future.
  • The contradiction in defining oneself as a free agent while being unable to resist societal definitions is discussed.
  • The concept of detentive awareness versus co-tension is introduced, highlighting the tension between the ego and a more open, interconnected view of the world.

19:03

Interconnectedness and Responsibility in a Disconnected World

  • Self and other are like the front and back of a coin, inseparable yet different, forming polarities necessary for understanding each other.
  • Civilized language and thought ignore the interconnectedness of opposites, leading to a sense of alienation and disconnection from the world.
  • The idea of responsibility for one's actions is often shifted, with blame passed from one generation to another, tracing back to the story of Adam and Eve.
  • The universe is compared to a continuous explosion, with all events, including human existence, being part of this ongoing cosmic process.
  • The concept of distinct events and things in the physical world is a construct for measurement, similar to pretending a curve is a series of points.
  • Each individual is seen as a unique expression of the original cosmic event, existing as a part of the ongoing creation rather than a separate effect.
  • The notion of personal identity and responsibility is challenged, with the idea that individuals are fundamentally connected to the universe and its processes.
  • The prevailing 19th-century myth of man as a chance occurrence in a blind, indifferent universe shapes modern beliefs, leading to a sense of alienation and disconnection from the world.
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