The Significance Impulse

With clear prose and enticing examples, Joshua Glasgow argues that being highly significant or important is neither possible nor advantageous; letting go of the urge to be highly important can improve life considerably. This book may benefit many people's lives.

Auteur

Joshua Glasgow works on a wide range of topics in moral and political philosophy, philosophy of race, and value theory. Currently Professor of Philosophy at Sonoma State University, he has also taught at Victoria University of Wellington, University of California Berkeley, and Occidental College. This is his first book about being important. Other books with Oxford University Press include The Solace: Finding Value in Death through Gratitude for Life and Four Views on Race (co-authored).

Texte du rabat

Why should we strive to be important? Does it make our lives go better if we are especially significant? The Significance Impulse argues that the common impulse to seek exceptionally high levels of significance is misguided. Although many people strive to be extraordinarily significant, ultimately cosmic importance is out of reach for us. And though we do matter somewhat, it can be a liberating relief to take a more irreverent stance towards our lives and embrace our unimportance. This book is a testament to being ordinary.

Contenu

• 1: The Splinter and the Dove

• 2: Value Rare and High

• 3: The Sage's Argument

• 4: Living Your Best Life

• 5: Meaning

• 6: The Significance of Insignificance

• References