Most of us experience the world through competing perspectives. A job or
a religion seems important and fulfilling when looked at in one way, but
from a different angle they seem tedious or ridiculous. A friend is
obtuse from one point of view, wise from another. Continuing to hold
both views at once can be unsettling, highlighting conflicts between our
own judgments and values and undermining our ability to live
purposefully and effectively.
Yet, as Jennifer Church argues in this book, inner conflict can be a
good thing, and not just as a temporary road bump on the road to
resolution. This book describes several desirable types of "double
consciousness" - or being of two minds - and explains why and how they
should be maintained. Church looks critically at some common ideas about
identity, including a popular belief about narratives that suggests our
lives should "make sense" as a story. She also examines how empathy can
helpfully cause us to be of two minds, and how various forms of irony
and laughter enable us to benefit from holding onto opposing views.
Finally, Church shows the merit of acknowledging reality while sometimes
being guided by fantasy.
Why It's OK to Be of Two Minds is for anyone who's held two opposing
views simultaneously, which is to say it's for everyone.
Key Features
- Argues against a long-standing philosophical idea: that it is
important to resolve inner conflicts that result from competing systems
of beliefs.
- Examines the role of empathy and friendship in maintaining a valuable
form of double consciousness.
- Considers how irony and laughter allow us to dedicate ourselves to
our particular projects while acknowledging their ultimate
insignificance.
- Shows how fantasies that conflict with our beliefs can make a
positive contribution to the way we live our lives.
