Review of Compass

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 09 Nov 2021, 13:34

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Compass" by I. Asturias & X. Guurink.]

3 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

Are you an ethical person? Are you a moral person? If you think I just asked the same question twice, consider reading the book Compass: The Crucial Difference Between Ethics and Morality, which gives an enlightening description of the difference.

The authors are a husband-and-wife team. Ingrid Asturias conceived the approach of defining human responses to situations by using relative and absolute terms. When she shared her ideas with her husband, Xander Guurink, he encouraged her to document them. Asturias’s background in graphic design and clinical psychology and the couple’s love of philosophy combined to make this read easy to comprehend, encompassing both spatial and linguistic learning preferences.

The theory is defined by four quadrants created by two axes. The x-axis holds relative values and is in grayscale. Everything on the relative axis is based on perception and can vary from situation to situation. For instance, whether something is big or small depends on what it’s being compared to. The y-axis holds absolute values and is in black and white. The authors describe the maximum positive y value as absolute good, while the maximum negative y value is absolute bad. Absolute values are based on adherence to intuition, which the authors define as “‘deep knowledge,’ which cannot be explained by reasoning or logic. It can be recognized as our inner guidance or inner voice.” Examples of absolute good (or goodness) include benevolent love, peace, thoughtfulness, and kindness. Examples of absolute bad (or evilness) include malevolence, hate, envy, and vengefulness.

As skillfully depicted on the book’s cover, the four quadrants outline different scenarios affecting human beings. Here is a simple illustration using one’s health on the relative axis. A person in the NE quadrant, “Living Heaven,” is experiencing relatively good health and operates in a spirit of kindness. A person in the NW quadrant, “Ataraxia,” may be suffering relatively bad health but still operates in a spirit of thoughtfulness and benevolent love. A person in the SW quadrant, “Living Hell,” is also suffering relatively bad health, but they operate out of hate and envy. And finally, a person in the SE quadrant, “Malevolence,” is fortunate to be experiencing relatively good health, but they operate out of vengefulness.

The first half of the book focused on giving clear definitions of words commonly treated as meaning the same thing. For example, the authors stressed the difference between guilt, a feeling (on the negative x-axis), and remorse, a knowledge of wrongdoing (on the negative y-axis). Sometimes this part felt tedious, but I appreciated the distinctions when I got to the second half of the book, which examined situations in each quadrant using the terms defined.

One thing I most appreciated was that the authors used a variety of scenarios to illustrate what happens when morality is no longer ethical or when ideas that start with good intentions become oppressive. They cited examples from different times in history and various countries around the world, using illustrations from religion, science, government, law, and journalism. The breadth of areas covered reinforced their concepts well.

An aspect I struggled with was the description of the absolute axis. Although I agree that absolute good and evil exist, defining it as a “deep knowledge” did not seem concrete enough to me. However, I do not have any suggestions for how it could be defined more tangibly. How does one describe one’s conscience concretely, or how does a Christian describe the Holy Spirit tangibly? It is truly an act of knowing. To gain the most from this book, the reader must accept that a conscience is a part of every human and they have the ability to access it.

I reviewed the PDF version of this text and have two suggested formatting changes. First, the table of contents was located before the references at the end of the book; I recommend moving it to the beginning. Second, the standard notation for the first quadrant in the Cartesian plane is in the NE quadrant (+x, +y), and the second quadrant is in the NW quadrant (-x, +y). The discussions reverse the locations of these two quadrants, referencing the NW quadrant as the first quadrant and the NE quadrant as the second. I suggest making them consistent with standard Cartesian coordinate system references.

I rate Compass 3 out of 4 stars, deducting 1 star because of the number of grammatical errors found and the formatting issues noted previously. This was a thought-provoking read that outlined a thorough proposition, and it contained no erotic content or profanity. I recommend this book to those who enjoy philosophical discourses about human nature and how we act and interact both individually and corporately.

******
Compass
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Apple 7 · Post by **Apple 7** » 10 Nov 2021, 18:37

Very relatable and purposeful write up....great review, would love to give the book a read..

Clare Jose · Post by **Clare Jose** » 11 Nov 2021, 09:51

The book talks about a very unique concept. I've never heard anything quite like it. While this aspect of the book intrigues me, I'm a bit worried about whether I'll fully understand what's being said. Nevertheless, I won't know until I read it.
Thank you for your review.

John Karanja 1 · Post by **John Karanja 1** » 11 Nov 2021, 13:14

The quadrants in this book can be helpful in changing or improving ones character, and understand how other people view you.

Fareed Regal · Post by **Fareed Regal** » 11 Nov 2021, 18:48

Great review as you simplified some quite "heavy" concepts. I enjoy being challenged by books that encourage me to question myself. Based on your review I will give this one a try.

Unosthetic · Post by **Unosthetic** » 11 Nov 2021, 18:55

I liked how Ingrid and Xander team up to write this artwork. Thanks for sharing your great review.

Janet Kimetto · Post by **Janet Kimetto** » 12 Nov 2021, 01:53

I've always found philosophy to be interesting, and I'd love to read the concepts presented in this book. Thanks for another wonderful review!

Raluca_Mihaila · Post by **Raluca_Mihaila** » 12 Nov 2021, 03:39

The book discusses some very important aspects, and it might prove some valuable answers. I am currently in the middle of a situation that relates to ethics and morality

. So thank you for your great recommendation and the amazing review!

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 13 Nov 2021, 00:40

Apple 7 wrote: ↑10 Nov 2021, 18:37 Very relatable and purposeful write up....great review, would love to give the book a read..

It is a very interesting read. Since reading this book, I have found myself thinking of situations and decisions in terms of quadrants. I hope you decide to check it out.

Thank you for your comment.

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 13 Nov 2021, 00:48

Clare Jose wrote: ↑11 Nov 2021, 09:51 The book talks about a very unique concept. I've never heard anything quite like it. While this aspect of the book intrigues me, I'm a bit worried about whether I'll fully understand what's being said. Nevertheless, I won't know until I read it.
Thank you for your review.

There is a lot of information covered in this book, but the illustrations drawn and the examples the authors share make it easier to understand. I really appreciated the illustrations.

Thank you for your visit and your comment.

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 13 Nov 2021, 00:55

John Karanja 1 wrote: ↑11 Nov 2021, 13:14 The quadrants in this book can be helpful in changing or improving ones character, and understand how other people view you.

They really can. I was intrigued by how the quadrant examples can apply to both individual and corporate situations. It all boils down to understanding the choices we make as human beings.

Thank you for your comment.

Mody C · Post by **Mody C** » 13 Nov 2021, 01:12

As I've guessed from the title, this book will be very straightforward about its content. Judging from your review, reading this book mist be thoughg-provoking, but annoying at the same time due to the errors.

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 13 Nov 2021, 01:23

Fareed Regal wrote: ↑11 Nov 2021, 18:48 Great review as you simplified some quite "heavy" concepts. I enjoy being challenged by books that encourage me to question myself. Based on your review I will give this one a try.

Thank you for your acknowledgment. This book has much to consider. I think I spent more time editing the review down to an acceptable length than I did actually writing the contents.

Asturias’s framework makes a lot of sense. I can only imagine the mental intensity of formulating these concepts. It was a brilliant move to include the diagrams, and the various cases the authors used as illustrations were enlightening. I hope you enjoy this read.

Thanks again for your visit.

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 13 Nov 2021, 01:36

Unosthetic wrote: ↑11 Nov 2021, 18:55 I liked how Ingrid and Xander team up to write this artwork. Thanks for sharing your great review.

Yes, I think it would have been interesting to have had breakfast with them one day while they were discussing one of their philosophical ideas incorporated into the book.

Thank you for stopping by!

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 13 Nov 2021, 01:50

C Janet wrote: ↑12 Nov 2021, 01:53 I've always found philosophy to be interesting, and I'd love to read the concepts presented in this book. Thanks for another wonderful review!

I think you would enjoy this book. Sometimes I get frustrated when I feel philosophical discussions don’t reach any conclusion, but this book had great balance. I appreciated that the authors included historical illustrations to support their ideas.

Thank you for your comment, C Janet. I always appreciate your visit!