To start with, Laing states that the basic purpose of this book is to make madness, and the process of going mad, comprehensible.
The full title is The Divided Self: An Existential Study in Sanity and Madness. Okay, what’s the definition of existentialism? It’s a philosophical movement that stresses the individual’s unique position as a self-determining agent responsible for making meaningful, authentic choices in a universe seen as purposeless or irrational.
What did this all mean to Bowie? We do know that his brother was schizophrenic. And, we go into that in more detail in this episode.
Laing’s approach to understanding the schizophrenic is one of understanding a human being, who’s world is his reality, a reality just as valid as yours or ours. We agreed that if we were trying to understand a friend or family member who was schizophrenic, this would be the book to read.
That said, it is a lot to take in. So, if you’re reading along with the book club but haven’t completed the book yet, dive into the podcast anyway. It won’t spoil the book, and it just might give you another angle from which to view it. Maybe even one close to Bowie’s.
Bowie, Ep. 9 - Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Part 1 & Why We Have Conflicting Emotions
Bowie, Ep. 8 - Diamond Dogs and 1984
Bowie, Ep. 7 - 1984 by George Orwell, Part 2 & Why Now May Not Be The Best Time To Read This Book
Bowie, Ep. 6 - 1984 by George Orwell, Part 1 & Why It's Killing Us
Bowie, Ep. 5 - The Street by Ann Petry, Part 2 & Why It's So Frustrating
Bowie, Ep. 4 - The Street by Ann Petry, Part 1 & Why We Love It
Bowie, Ep. 3 - Happy Birthday
Bowie, Ep. 2 - Black Boy by Richard Wright, Part 2
Bowie, Ep. 1 - Black Boy by Richard Wright, Part 1
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Lit Society: Books and Drama
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The Turn of the Screw
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