Self Improvement Books

Against Identity: The Wisdom Of Escaping The Self Alexander Douglas Penguin

Modern life encourages us to pursue the perfect identity. Whether we aspire to become the best lawyer or charity worker, life partner or celebrity influencer, we emulate exemplars that exist in the...

Modern life encourages us to pursue the perfect identity. Whether we aspire to become the best lawyer or charity worker, life partner or celebrity influencer, we emulate exemplars that exist in the world – hoping it will bring us happiness. But this often leads to a complex game of envy and pride. We achieve these identities but want others to imitate us. We...

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  • Release Date 01/06/2026
  • Language French
  • Number of pages Number of pages 272
  • Cover Cover Soft
  • Year of publication Year of publication 2026
  • Publisher Publisher Penguin
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Description & Specifications

Modern life encourages us to pursue the perfect identity. Whether we aspire to become the best lawyer or charity worker, life partner or celebrity influencer, we emulate exemplars that exist in the world – hoping it will bring us happiness. But this often leads to a complex game of envy and pride. We achieve these identities but want others to imitate us. We disagree with those whose identities contradict ours – leading to polarization and even violence. And yet when they thump against us, we are ashamed to ring hollow.

In Against Identity, philosopher Alexander Douglas seeks an alternative wisdom. Searching the work of three thinkers – ancient Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi, Dutch Enlightenment thinker Benedict de Spinoza, and twentieth century French theorist René Girard – he explores how identity can be a spiritual violence that leads us away from truth.

Through their worlds and radically different cultures, we discover how, at moments of historical rupture, our hunger for being grows: and yet, it is exactly these times when we should make peace with our indeterminacy and discover the freedom of escaping our selves.

Manufacturer

Publisher
Penguin
Award
-
Language
French
Subtitle
-
Cover
Soft
Number of Pages
272
Release Date
01/06/2026
Publication Date
2026
Dimensions
12.9x19.8 cm
ISBN-13
9781802063318

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17,21 €
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