ARA Review by jimsarvadi13 of In It Together

[jimsarvadi13]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, In It Together.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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It takes a lot of courage to take on big, important issues. And what can be more important today than taking on the divisiveness and outright hatred that permeates our daily lives. Avenues for level-headed discourse seem to have vanished. We are bombarded daily with hate filled diatribes from both sides.

In It Together is an attempt to find common ground in a world torn apart by bitter intransience. Hughes approach is to investigate the human spirit at its most basic level in an attempt to find that common ground upon which to build a future where we can live together. Basically, it is a guide to human survival.

The main tenant of the book is that we as humans consist of two separate components -- our physical selves (our bodies) and our spiritual selves, (what many people would call our souls). Hughes prefers to call it "the real you". He is adept at giving examples of how to differentiate between the two.

In delving into the human condition, Hughes contends that to be spiritually free one must become free from all human encumbrances, thus achieving a state of total consciousness, -- a oneness with the universe. The nature of the book and its arguments suggests a belief in life after death, but Hughes never expressly says this. He claims, "The book seeks to present deep spiritual truths that are very agreeable to all, most of which are self-evident truths."

But therein lies one of the most problematic issues with the book. Just saying something is self-evident does not make it so. Many of the "truths" presented in the book are anything but self-evident and require a complete rewiring of one's world view.

Perhaps that is the point of the book, that we as a species require a major revamp if we are to find a way to survive together.

If you are a fan of philosophy and enjoy a good discussion about the human condition, this is the book for you. 4 out of 5.

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