Choice and Identity: A No-self Help Book

By Wm McDonald and W.M. McDonald

The notion of no-self typically conjures up images of spiritual-looking folk engaged in meditation and ritual practice. Many of them fast, pray, and are celibate. They lead simple, disciplined lives, striving to gain peace of mind or a pure heart. And while many of us may learn from their writings and adopt some of their practices, we really aren't interested in pursuing no-self. On the contrary, twenty-first century America exults the 'self', the "who I am" of each person's individual identity. Our culture and society foster self-expression, self-realization, and self-interest. And yet, it is this very 'self' which, upon reflection, lies at the root of many of our problems, both individually and societally: self-absorption, immediate gratification, and, during periods of an identity crisis, self-destructive behavior.Specifically, the 'self' impedes our ability to make "good" choices and increases our chances of making "bad" ones. Too many "bad" choices threaten our survival and our happiness. Quite simply, the choice-making process is corrupted when we interject a 'self' into it. Contrary to common sense, we cling to a manufactured identity (the 'self') even though it too often prevents us from fulfilling our survival needs and happiness wants.If we admit that some degree of faith is required to believe in a 'self', we can begin to remove its shackles, freeing us to abandon self-making. The void left behind by abandoning 'self' can be filled by focusing on our true identity: choice-makers. Every human being who has walked the earth has been a choice-maker. Our human nature and the essence of our existence lies in our making choices. Our individual identity, the "who I am", is revealed not through a 'self' we create, but the choices we make. Ideally, we should strive to become no-self choice-makers who master the choice-making process as we become wise choice-makers.TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction01: The Essential Question01.1: Basic, Universal TruthsTHE 'SELF'02.1: The 'Self's' Predecessor02.2: The Three Modes of the 'Self'02.3: The Self-Making Process02.4: Personality and Choice AssessmentCHOICE-MAKING03: The Choice-Making Process04: The Choice-Making Process in Action04.1 Skills and Dispositions for Making "Good" Choices05: The Created-Self and the Choice-Making Process05.1: Self-Absorption and Immediate Gratification05.2: The 'Self' AuthoritiesConclusion: Part One06: The Metaphysics of Choice-Making and Self-Making06.1: The Metaphysical 'Self'07: The Metaphysical Choice-Maker07.1: The Wisdom of Choice-Making08: Choice-Making and the Soul-Identity08.1: Does God Make Choices?08.2: The Choice-Making Process of the Soul-Identity08.3: The Process08.4: Fate and FortuneConclusion (Treatise)

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1074643925
• ISBN13: 9781074643928
• Release Date: July 2019
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 0.24 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"