Review of In It Together (2nd Edition Hardcover from B&N)
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Angela Lammott
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Review of In It Together (2nd Edition Hardcover from B&N)
[Following is a volunteer review of "In It Together (2nd Edition Hardcover from B&N)" by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes.]
Do you feel you are toiling to live this life on your own? Do you suffer in silence thinking no one understands what you are going through? Do these problems we face separate us from one another or is there a common thread that bonds and unifies us? In this non-fiction,200-page book of Philosophy, In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes, Hughes examines the beauty that is to be found in these hindrances we all face. The book is an examination of our innermost difficulties and how they relate to humanity as a whole. What are truths that we can all agree upon despite global diversity? It is true that within the constructs of our individual lives, we do have experiences that are different from one another. One such endeavor we all share and is a main theme throughout the book is our desire to attain internal peace. We can take comfort in finding common ground with our brothers and sisters around the world. The proofs for the existence of these uniting struggles are offered and defined. Hughes doesn't challenge us to change our belief system, rather he shows us that the connection already exists. Hughes doesn't just leave you there with all the difficult struggles in your lap to figure out on your own. He offers eleven strategies that you can apply to improve your life.
One of the real positive concepts in the book that Hughes repeats is that if you base your happiness on when and ifs, it will never be obtained. One example is that we will be happy once we get the house with the white picket fence. Our human nature is to always set new goals and to always have new desires thus leaving happiness always out of reach. I also very much appreciate the concept of darkness not being in opposition to light but that which aids the light to shine. I imagined a scale with darkness in the form of discomfort, pain, death, and tears on one side and light in the form of comfort, pleasure, birth, and laughter on the other side. These two perform a perfect dance that balances the scale. Overall, the challenges we face in life are exactly what is necessary to allow for our triumphs.
The negative aspect of this book for me is my struggle to understand philosophical proofs. I struggled to earn a C in a college course on Philosophy and that was with a tutor. I appreciate critical thinking, but where I come up short is in the proper form. To argue philosophical questions, one must present a proposition and the evidence with a particular well-reasoned structure. I tend to get more confused than enlightened. I truly made every effort to fathom the first half of this book. One concept I particularly tried to grasp was the discussion on philosophical zombies. Secondly, there is an entire chapter devoted to Hughes' argument that There Is No Problem of Evil. Having read it twice, I do not feel the arguments justify the proposition. You should, however, decide for yourself.
In closing, this book seeks to connect us all and give us solace that we are not at all alone. You will find a plethora of great quotes that provoke thought or provide relief. You will find yourself underlining so many of them for future reference. At the end of the book, Hughes writes a love letter to mankind that holds his heartfelt desire for all humans to have victory over all obstacles. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. I found the book to be competently edited. The topics were covered extensively. I certainly did not take a star away due to my struggle with logical proofs because I was stretched and prodded to expand my thinking. That deserves my high rating. I recommend this book to any young adult or adult reader that likes a challenge to think critically.
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In It Together (2nd Edition Hardcover from B&N)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Do you feel you are toiling to live this life on your own? Do you suffer in silence thinking no one understands what you are going through? Do these problems we face separate us from one another or is there a common thread that bonds and unifies us? In this non-fiction,200-page book of Philosophy, In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes, Hughes examines the beauty that is to be found in these hindrances we all face. The book is an examination of our innermost difficulties and how they relate to humanity as a whole. What are truths that we can all agree upon despite global diversity? It is true that within the constructs of our individual lives, we do have experiences that are different from one another. One such endeavor we all share and is a main theme throughout the book is our desire to attain internal peace. We can take comfort in finding common ground with our brothers and sisters around the world. The proofs for the existence of these uniting struggles are offered and defined. Hughes doesn't challenge us to change our belief system, rather he shows us that the connection already exists. Hughes doesn't just leave you there with all the difficult struggles in your lap to figure out on your own. He offers eleven strategies that you can apply to improve your life.
One of the real positive concepts in the book that Hughes repeats is that if you base your happiness on when and ifs, it will never be obtained. One example is that we will be happy once we get the house with the white picket fence. Our human nature is to always set new goals and to always have new desires thus leaving happiness always out of reach. I also very much appreciate the concept of darkness not being in opposition to light but that which aids the light to shine. I imagined a scale with darkness in the form of discomfort, pain, death, and tears on one side and light in the form of comfort, pleasure, birth, and laughter on the other side. These two perform a perfect dance that balances the scale. Overall, the challenges we face in life are exactly what is necessary to allow for our triumphs.
The negative aspect of this book for me is my struggle to understand philosophical proofs. I struggled to earn a C in a college course on Philosophy and that was with a tutor. I appreciate critical thinking, but where I come up short is in the proper form. To argue philosophical questions, one must present a proposition and the evidence with a particular well-reasoned structure. I tend to get more confused than enlightened. I truly made every effort to fathom the first half of this book. One concept I particularly tried to grasp was the discussion on philosophical zombies. Secondly, there is an entire chapter devoted to Hughes' argument that There Is No Problem of Evil. Having read it twice, I do not feel the arguments justify the proposition. You should, however, decide for yourself.
In closing, this book seeks to connect us all and give us solace that we are not at all alone. You will find a plethora of great quotes that provoke thought or provide relief. You will find yourself underlining so many of them for future reference. At the end of the book, Hughes writes a love letter to mankind that holds his heartfelt desire for all humans to have victory over all obstacles. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars. I found the book to be competently edited. The topics were covered extensively. I certainly did not take a star away due to my struggle with logical proofs because I was stretched and prodded to expand my thinking. That deserves my high rating. I recommend this book to any young adult or adult reader that likes a challenge to think critically.
******
In It Together (2nd Edition Hardcover from B&N)
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Snatched Up to Heaven! by Jemima Paul and Arvind Paul
