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The Fall:the Insanity of the Ego in Human History and the Dawning of a New Era: The Insanity of the Ego in Human History and the Dawning of a New Era

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Author: Steve Taylor
Publisher: O Books
Category: Book

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Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars

10 reviews
Sales Rank: 3634

Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.4 x 1

ISBN: 1905047207
Dewey Decimal Number: 909
EAN: 9781905047208
ASIN: 1905047207

Publication Date: October 13, 2005
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 6-10 of 10

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A book with a vast scope March 6, 2007
28 out of 30 found this review helpful

This book is amazing - a review of human history over thousands of years and looking into the future as well - it has a vast scope. But most of all it has a powerful spiritual perspective, looking at how the human mind (the over-developed ego as the author calls it) has given birth to most of our problems in history and in terms of our own psychology. For the last 6000 years human life has been full of suffering - but now, according to the this book, we may be moving into a new evolutionary phase, in which we are beginning to transcend our insanity and the social and psychological problems which come from it. I saw this book recommended on Eckhart Tolle's website, and have not been disappointed. A powerful combination of history, psychology and spirtuality.

5 out of 5 stars

liberating and enlightening August 8, 2006
35 out of 37 found this review helpful

I bought this book after reading Eckhart Tolle's endorsement: "A fascinating and important book on the origin, development and the imminent demise of the ego...Highly readable and enlightening, as the author's acute mind is imbued with the higher faculty of spiritual awareness." Eckhart Tolle's books have changed my life so I was sure this book would be important for me too, and haven't been wrong. I've read it through over the last three days and feel also though my whole outlook on the world has been altered. This book is a complete revisioning of human history from a spiritual point of view, seeing human history in terms of the development of the ego, looking at how the ego has given rise to thousands of years of violence and oppression. Taylor looks in turn at warfare, male domination, social inequality, alienation from the body, abuse of the natural world and so on, showing how the over-developed sense of ego produces these problems.

The book makes the important point - using a massive range of research - that earlier human beings and many of the world's native peoples - did not have our strong sense of self or ego and so were free from all of this disorder. The book's depiction of how the insanity of so much human behaviour is produced by the ego is riveting and extremely impressive. After reading this there is no way you can look at "normal" human behaviour in the same way. Taylor makes it absolutely clear that what we consider as normal is, in many ways, insane. And just as impressively, Taylor puts together an extremely good case for the idea that we are beginning to transcend the insanity of the ego and moving into a new era. This is one of those books which makes you look at the world in a new light, and gives you inspiration and hope for the future. Somehow it gives me the inspiration to try to fight for a better world, to contribute to the collective change which is taking place, and rekindle the state of harmony which the human race has lost.

5 out of 5 stars

Thought provoking and new March 30, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

Steve Taylor manages to come up with a seemingly obvious but until now neglected theory about the development of civilisation. He analyses not only where we went wrong historically but also where we are still going wrong today.
Patriachy plays a role in distorting the way we behave, as does the establishment of a culture that rewards selfishness, aggressiveness and the whole me-me-me I-want-it-now childishness that embodies the modern world.
He says what a lot of people (well me at least) have been thinking for a while. If there is war and hunger in the world - well, how did we get here? And can we ever change? Steve Tayor has the answers - well, I was impressed enough to give up my job and house and go and live in a field growing my own vegetables... well, maybe not yet - but he made me think - and that, surely, is the main thing.

5 out of 5 stars

An excellent book to make you think March 11, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful

I loved Steve Taylor's lucid account of why he thinks the world is in such a bad way, how we got to be in this sorry state and how we can get out of it. It skillfully blends history, psychology, sociology and spirituality to produce a book that is not only thought provoking and enlightening but also enjoyable to read. Despite the potentially depressing nature of the issues covered, Steve Taylor manages to remain positive and provide solutions for a way forward to a better world. This is an uplifting book and recommended to anyone searching for answers to difficult questions.

5 out of 5 stars

excellent read December 4, 2005
20 out of 21 found this review helpful

This is one of the most thought provoking books I have read in a very long time. Even if you don't agree with all the points made by Steve Taylor, it is still interesting and, for such a potentially heavy subject, very readable.