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1-Page Summary of The Wisdom Of Insecurity

Overview

Insecurity is a major source of frustration and anxiety in the modern world. The solution to this problem is not psychological security, but rather living fully in the present moment and accepting that life itself will always be uncertain. We can learn this by studying Eastern philosophy like Buddhism which teaches us how to live with uncertainty.

Many people are unhappy and anxious about the future. They try to find ways of feeling secure in their lives, whether it’s through religion or material possessions.

But neither option is guaranteed to give people the happiness and security they want, because the future isn’t concrete (it’s made up entirely of projections). Furthermore, it’s flawed to pursue a future that doesn’t include pain. Pleasure can’t exist without pain, so both are necessary for human experiences.

Despite this, humans continue to resist the truth that they cannot control the future. Many people believe experience is separate from their body and mind or self. People who think like this divide reality into an inner and outer world, separating their body and surroundings from themselves. But these divisions are not real. An individual’s experience is part of a greater consciousness in which everything exists as one unitary whole; so long as people don’t understand this, they will live in conflict with themselves and others around them.

Ultimately, people have to stop looking for security and understanding in life. They should only live in the present because that’s all there is. Life by its very nature is uncertain and insecure; if you embrace this fact, you can be free from fear and anxiety.

Key Point 1: Human beings live in a constant state of dissatisfaction and anxiety.

Some people seek psychological security by adhering to a spiritual belief system, such as Christianity. This is because it promises the ultimate security: eternal salvation in the afterlife. It helps give purpose and meaning to their lives. Other people might turn instead to consumerism, and work for worldly pleasures like an expensive house or luxury car.

Spirituality is a way to achieve happiness and security. However, it can be destructive because people don’t know the answers to life’s biggest questions, such as why humans exist or whether there is an afterlife. In his book Stillness Speaks (2010), spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle argues that religious dogmas are simply conceptual prisons that cause great human suffering. Even though they aren’t true, people continue to follow them because they offer a sense of security and certainty in their lives.

In order to be happy, one must not chase outward symbols of happiness and security. For example, wealth or career success will never provide lasting happiness. People are born with a certain level of happiness which can’t be changed by material things or events. One study found that the well being of high-level managers increased after they were promoted but then dropped significantly back to baseline levels within a year. Another study found that lottery winners experienced an initial spike in their happiness but returned to previous levels shortly thereafter.

Key Point 2: Humans strive to feel pleasure and exclude pain in their lives. They fail to accept that one cannot exist without the other.

Pleasure and pain are both part of the human experience. People spend their time trying to avoid pain and seeking pleasure, which can make them unhappy in the long run. For example, a man might work hard to afford a vacation but not realize he’s miserable at his job; that kind of pursuit is shortsighted.