The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

Like a number of the reviewers here, I have a decades-long history with THE BOOK. In my case, it launched a life-long pilgrimage marked by the study of Vedanta, mysticism, and religious philosophy, and a deep existential craving to understand. THE BOOK sparkles with quotable lines on almost every page, some witty, some profound. Watts had discovered the mother-lode of spirituality, Advaita Vedanta, and he expressed it in a form that (literally) children can understand. The central thesis of THE BOOK can be expressed in a single sentence: "Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe." (p. 9). From the beginning, Watts insists that what is needed is not "words to live by," but a new sense of self and the world. When confronted by a world it perceives as alien and hostile to itself, the reaction of the empty and impoverished ego is to attack. While our present limited view has led us into a cycle of violence against our environment and each other, the first battle field is intimately personal: "Our generation knows a cold hell, solitary confinement in this life, without a God to damn or save it. Until man figures out the trap and hunts ... "the Ultimate Ground of Being," he has no reason at all for his existence. Empty, finite, he knows only that he will soon die. Since this life has no meaning, and he sees no future life, he is not really a person but a victim of self-extinction." (p. 17) The internecine human conflicts Watts has observed and the rapacious resolve to subjugate nature are rooted, not only in the "ego-trick," but in the "dualism" that Vedanta also denies, the conviction that Reality divides neatly into two opposed halves, whether man and nature, life against death, or pure good vs. pure evil. Moreover, rather than see these dualities as poles of a single process, we see within each dyad two bitter enemies of one another. We play "the game of black and white," as Watts calls it, not as a game at all, but as a war. At this writing, the same ancient warfare is being enacted between Republicans and Democrats, and between Moslems and the West. Not content to moderate and "contain" the conflict, each side works to exterminate the other. From beginning to end, Watts returns again and again, ever more elegantly to restate the original problem: "The sensation of "I" as a lonely and isolated center of being is so powerful and commonsensical, and so fundamental to our modes of speech and thought, to our laws and social -institutions, that we cannot experience selfhood except as something superficial in the scheme of the universe. I seem to be a brief light that flashes but once in all the aeons of time-- a rare, complicated, and all-too-delicate organism on the fringe of biological evolution, where the wave of life bursts into individual, sparkling, and multicolored drops that gleam for a moment only to vanish forever. Under such conditioning it seems impossible and even absurd to realize that myself does not reside in the drop alone, but in the whole surge of energy which ranges from the galaxies to the nuclear fields in my body." (pp. 12-13) On the other hand, Watts is eager to disabuse us of the notion that, now we must strive with all our might to realize that this is so. There is an ancient traditional formula that "The One has become many for the sake of reunion through Love." If this is so, the Self is free to awaken or not in its own good time. In the meantime, our adventure will not leave a trace on its original nature. What then ARE we to do with this astonishing revelation? "If, then, after understanding, at least in theory, that the ego-trick is a hoax and that, beneath everything, "I" and "universe" are one, you ask, "So what? What is the next step, the practical application?"-- I will answer that the absolutely vital thing is to consolidate your understanding, to become capable of enjoyment, of living in the present, and of the discipline which this involves. Without this you have nothing to give-- to the cause of peace or of racial integration, to starving Hindus and Chinese, or even to your closest friends," (p. 115-116) I have been cultivating that advice ever since. Review by the author of: Redesigning God: Nuts and Bolts of the Emerging Religion

On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are is an absolutely mind-expanding book that challenges everything you think you know about yourself and the world around you. From the very first page, I was drawn into a deep, compelling exploration of identity, consciousness, and the subtle forces that shape our lives. The author writes with both clarity and intensity, making complex philosophical and psychological ideas accessible without ever watering them down. What makes this book truly remarkable is how it blends personal insight, spiritual wisdom, and practical guidance. Each chapter feels like a journey, encouraging you to question assumptions, look inward, and confront the social and psychological pressures that often prevent genuine self-knowledge. It is not a light read, but every paragraph rewards careful attention with profound insight. I found myself pausing to reflect repeatedly, scribbling notes, and revisiting passages that resonated deeply. The concepts presented are revolutionary yet grounded. Ideas about the hidden dynamics of consciousness, the nature of identity, and the ways in which society subtly enforces conformity opened my mind in ways few books ever have. I feel more aware, more present, and more courageous in questioning my own patterns and choices after reading this. Overall, On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are is a transformative book that I would recommend to anyone seeking deeper understanding, self-awareness, and clarity in a confusing world. It challenges you, inspires you, and leaves a lasting impression that continues to unfold long after the final page. If you are ready to confront your own mind and awaken to your true self, this book is an absolute must-read.

Great read.

An essential book. The Western world is a wasteland of self-involved narcissitic idiots, such as me and you. If you wish to confront what most spend their entire lives avoiding, then read this book. If you are a coward afraid to examine yourself openly and honestly, then this book is not for you. Watts says what few will bother to address. He uncompromisingly condemns the self-involved idiocy endemic within Western culture that values trivial things like TV, advertising, brand names etc and other meaningless distractions that add nothing to our self knowledge. Why are people in poor countries who live simple lives generally happier than complicated wealthy westerners? If you want to know why happiness is not something to buy or or gain or achieve, then read this highly intelligent book, hell read it twice amigo.

Alan watts is truly a genious. There is a part in the book which really left me dumbfounded! I will not spoil what it is(or I can't because you have to read the previous chapters to understand it), but the whole book leads to that moment. If you comprehend and correctly understand the points he makes, when you arrive to that page, Watts will do the following: he will explain how it feels to grasp the thing he is explaining (it feels like the first time riding a bicycle) and then, as you understand the thing it hits you in the same way he describes it! When I understood his point I was laughing out loud, filled with joy and amazement and it really felt in the way he described it! If you manage to keep reminding your self of the knowledge this book gives to you, life is irrefutably easier. The graphic design and typography job in this copy are overall average. A must read for lovers of philosophy!

Great book

Very easy to read and understand. Answered my questions. This book is recommended for all those who are seeking to understand what in general cannot be understood by words alone.

This is the basis of All that is and not. With love and light !

This book reads like a never ending fortune cookie. Beautifully written, but impossible to extract any singly important central message. Just an endless string of societal observations and philosophical comments on the nature of society. The focus constantly shifts in the way a conversation might between two old friends on a Sunday afternoon. I think possibly that Alan Watts wrote this book in one sitting. The chapters were created when he paused to light a fresh spliff. An utterly boring read.