I've had Pronoia on my reading list for awhile now. While I haven't finished it, I'm going to do a commentary now.
The notion of Pronoia - that everything is conspiring to work for [one] - is an interesting one. For whatever reason, I was unconvinced, unenthusiastic, unengaged as I read. Didn't really want to participate in many of the exercises, because they seemed forced. The notable exception is one near the beginning that is something of a goal-setting exercise.
There is a gem here and there, but by and large, i just didn't connect. I'd describe another book the same way - read it, had it on the list, didn't review it... didn't connect. The text was too drawn out, and didn't hold my attention. Same with this.
Skepticism - picking the Pronoia point of view is likely a subjective choice rather than an objective reality. Creating reality is a tricky thing. Best to put in the intention and leave the mechanics to figure themselves out.
In general I don't condemn the book, though. There are lots of ways of thinking that serve to give people hope, and generally that's a good thing. How faith weathers a storm, that's another matter entirely.
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9 comments:
Agreed. I suggested the book way too early (like right after the first couple of chapters) - I'll be the first to admit that.
Forced is a good way to put it. Do I think one can intentionally live a life in which the goal is to spend every moment creating either love, beauty and/or truth? Sure, I think that one can aspire to that. That's obviously the writer's "soul mission." This doesn't necessarily mean its anyone else's though.
That said, some of the pages can be a good pick-me-up in down times. I, in particular, like one of the early pages that goes into detail about how miraculous and interconnected this very moment is and therefore challenges us to let loose of silly surface drama.
So... some hits, lots of misses. I find it's usually good to read different kinds of things now and then...
It's cool. You wrote awhile back that you're not sure you'd recommend the book anymore. I know the feeling, having been gung-ho about things, only to find a month or two later that the feeling's faded.
Funny, there are a lot of people who think they have something really amazing to offer the world... the world doesn't always think so. Life's a lot more fun when I know I'll do something fantastic today, rather than having no hope that anything of meaning might occur. Whether that's a universal key to contentment, who knows. Other people might be comforted by thinking that they won't be called upon to do something fantastic - thus relieving all pressure to perform.
Agree with you guys about Pronoia. To me, it seemed largely a razzle-dazzle display: "look at me--I'm happy" more than substance, although it really has some excellent moments.
I particularly enjoyed the chapter on sacred sexuality, including its wild language and stuff. I had originally titled the "sex" post on my blog as something else, but decided to tone it down a bit.
But THE ARTIST'S WAY by Julia Cameron is the book, which in my humble opinion, Pronoia was aiming for (and missing). I went through the book with a group of friends, actually did most of the exercises, and really did have a transformation of mind and heart.
I can only imagine what happened between the editor and the author.
FYI, the URL of the mentioned blog post didn't change with the title :)
THE ARTIST'S WAY sounds interesting from the Amazon description. Just the tip of spending some time being creative every day, and spending some time being quiet every week, makes me want to skip the rest of the book and just go with that. :P
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
Buddha
Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.
Buddha
Nice.
I liked it, it's written in a weird sorta vein (yes, what did the editor really think!)
Not a top 10 or 20 but gotta give the author props for pushing towards the edge.
Ever read, "Be Here Now" by Ram Dass?
J-You've had Soooo many interesting thoughts here on your blog that I just haven't had time to comment on... I've just been swamped with the business and travel. I wanna go back and add thoughts to yers and others posts of late and try and keep up, get back into writing and commenting---as... I do miss it very, very much.
Miss connecting- ya know?
Didn't read the book, but I toured Fallingwater this weekend and thought of you. (You're one of only two architects I know.) I still have trouble believing that Frank Lloyd Wright came up with such a thing in the 1930's. It looks like 60's architecture.
Also, the buildings in downtown Atlanta were interesting, a couple of weeks ago. One was a shaped like a very tall parallelogram, and from the side it looked bizarrely like it was simply a thin slab, as if the office space inside was perhaps two feet wide.
How's that for off-topic? :-)
Night Sky,
I deeply appreciate the thought.
Tommy, I've really missed connecting, too.
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