The Call of Character

Living a Life Worth Living

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Social Work, Health & Well Being, Psychology, Applied Psychology
Cover of the book The Call of Character by Mari Ruti, Columbia University Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Mari Ruti ISBN: 9780231536196
Publisher: Columbia University Press Publication: December 3, 2013
Imprint: Columbia University Press Language: English
Author: Mari Ruti
ISBN: 9780231536196
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication: December 3, 2013
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Language: English

Should we feel inadequate when we fail to be healthy, balanced, and well-adjusted? Is it realistic or even desirable to strive for such an existential equilibrium? Condemning our current cultural obsession with cheerfulness and "positive thinking," Mari Ruti calls for a resurrection of character that honors our more eccentric frequencies and argues that sometimes a tormented and anxiety-ridden life can also be rewarding.

Ruti critiques the search for personal meaning and pragmatic attempts to normalize human beings' unruly and idiosyncratic natures. Exposing the tragic banality of a happy life commonly lived, she instead emphasizes the advantages of a lopsided life rich in passion and fortitude. She also shows what matters is not our ability to evade existential uncertainty but our courage to meet adversity in such a way that we do not become irrevocably broken.

We are in danger of losing the capacity to cope with complexity, ambiguity, melancholia, disorientation, and disappointment, Ruti warns, leaving us feeling less "real" and less connected and unable to process a full range of emotions. Heeding the call of our character means acknowledging the marginalized, chaotic aspects of our being, and it is precisely these creative qualities that make us inimitable and irreplaceable.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Should we feel inadequate when we fail to be healthy, balanced, and well-adjusted? Is it realistic or even desirable to strive for such an existential equilibrium? Condemning our current cultural obsession with cheerfulness and "positive thinking," Mari Ruti calls for a resurrection of character that honors our more eccentric frequencies and argues that sometimes a tormented and anxiety-ridden life can also be rewarding.

Ruti critiques the search for personal meaning and pragmatic attempts to normalize human beings' unruly and idiosyncratic natures. Exposing the tragic banality of a happy life commonly lived, she instead emphasizes the advantages of a lopsided life rich in passion and fortitude. She also shows what matters is not our ability to evade existential uncertainty but our courage to meet adversity in such a way that we do not become irrevocably broken.

We are in danger of losing the capacity to cope with complexity, ambiguity, melancholia, disorientation, and disappointment, Ruti warns, leaving us feeling less "real" and less connected and unable to process a full range of emotions. Heeding the call of our character means acknowledging the marginalized, chaotic aspects of our being, and it is precisely these creative qualities that make us inimitable and irreplaceable.

More books from Columbia University Press

Cover of the book Encountering Religion by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book Return of the Dragon by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book The Pariah Problem by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book On Suicide Bombing by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book Colonial Effects by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book One Out of Three by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book Beyond Biofatalism by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book History of the Mafia by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book Millennial Cinema by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book The Art of Sanctions by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book Forging the Golden Urn by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book In the Company of Strangers by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book Imitation and Creativity in Japanese Arts by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book Understanding Environmental Policy by Mari Ruti
Cover of the book The Holy Mountain by Mari Ruti
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy