Thoughts on Alan Watts?
What's he all about? Is he full of shit? What are his philosophical influences?
I only know of him briefly through his audio on Carl Jung.
Alan Watts
Nathaniel Perry
Julian Garcia
His zen isn't orthodox, and if anything he uses it as an extension to daoism.
His daoism is pretty much on point though and he's a blast to read if you pick up the right book.
Gabriel Green
He lived by his philosophy and had a personal interpretation on zen Buddhism and daoism (never had any teacher with training in both religions). He deliberately chose to drink incredible amounts of alcohol to reach a zen like state of being.
The guy can't get any more chill
Jackson Anderson
dide he really drink?! I didn't know this.
Michael Price
charlatan whose work has the sole purpose to pander to bored middle class people
Luke Perry
This. People forget Watts wasn't trying to be didactic or pass off as an authority, and that he dealed with things very much outside Zen, including Hinduism, Christianity and cybernetics. His position in the end is more to the side of Daoism, which fits his childhood dream of being a Chinese villain.
Juan Flores
>...Anonymous
>09/02/17(Sat)03:33:01 No.9969277
>charlatan whose work has the sole purpose to pander to bored middle class people
I get this feeling when listening and seeing some of his audio on YouTube.
But then I have come across some insightful and interesting thoughts.
For example life not being a journey, but being a dance or music. Since hearing that analogy I have been a lot more relaxed and fulfilled in my day to day activities.
Dylan White
The genuinely wise neighbor kid across the street really liked him. This kid was one of the least pseud people that I have ever known. He was always better-read than me at our respective life-stages (he was four years older) and actually did know about Plato and western philosophy in general, in addition to his college speciality, East Asian studies (he visited Taiwan for a time and I think spent time on mainland China). We both really liked Final Fantasy VI and other Square games, and we had an old practice of talking about these games and philosophy in a general way. We would sit on or around his house stoop often and I think he actually knew things about Nietzsche when I had only 2001-tier memes.
He (my old friend) really is a very smart man and so it stings my pride a bit by proxy, that Veeky Forums looks down on this Alan Watts.
Adrian James
My life improved significantly after reading The Wisdom of Insecurity. That was many years ago, and though my interest in Eastern philosophy has since waned, I'm still very grateful to him.
Camden Allen
He was an alcoholic - it's well known and acknowledged by his family.
My favorite quote of his: 'I'm not a drunk; I drink in an enlightened way'.
Apparently he had some issues with regards to himself when sober, and drinking allowed him to chill out.