Feedback for initial draft of my book - Reinventing Psychology Using Objectivism: Exploring deepest foundations of self-esteem.

[RohinGupta]

I am happy to announce that my second book is now available for a select audience.

Please register for alpha and beta release in the link. 
https://sites.google.com/view/reinventing-psychology/

Title of the book is Reinventing Psychology Using Objectivism: Exploring deepest foundations of self-esteem.

 

Details can be viewed in the link, but here I would like to share the changes in my world view since publication of the first book

1. Better understanding of the market:  While marketing the first, I was not clear about the intended audience. But now,for reasons mentioned in chapter 13 - Central Purpose of Life in Theory, I know my primary audience are Objectivist intellectuals, secondary are psychology and other intellectuals, then social and political activists (including fiction writers), and then curious but non intellectual individuals.

2. Better understanding of how culture changes: Again,as a result of insights in CPL in theory, and foundations from prior chapters, I now know that businesses and engineering alone cannot change culture, no matter how efficient, effective, and innovative. At best, business, engineering and political systems can slow or accelerate the cultural progress or decline.

In order to move culture in the direction of rational ideas like Objectivism, the philosophy needs to be applied to subjects like Psychology, Sociology, even Theology, law, history, education, economics, etc. Only then can we have social movement, political movement, and then movement of businesses/engineering in a new direction.

3. Better understanding of mistaken premises of more than 20 years: Based on empirical data, but wrong interpretation, I was driven by the premise I corrected in (2.). That is, data showed significant social changes through business, engineering and politics in post-1991 India, post iPhone and post internet world, post ChatGpt tech etc. 

This was the premise which motivated me for my first book Reinventing Management. Even this second book was initially motivated by the premise of businesses and engineering as prime mover of culture. That is, I inferred that the psychology of business / engineering leaders was more fundamental than their management practices.

Only now I realise the narrowness of my interpretation. I inferred what was a change in speed of culture due to businesses and politics, as a change in the direction of culture.

This brings me to the final point.

4. The mistaken premise in (3.) was not limited to my choices as a writer. It cascaded into my professional choices. I considered businesses and associated people as mistaken but intrinsically good. Agreed,there are some decent people in business and even politics, but currently, business culture is driven mostly by those with irrational but consistent ideologies. ( When such individuals reach the logical conclusion of their irrationality in the form of bad consequences for customers and employees, they double down instead of  course correct ).

Still, I am proud that when faced with specific contradictions due to wrong premises,I did not become a pragmatist and gave up on the principle of being principled. Or like Communists started considering myself like a victim. Instead, I acted on what I thought were the right ideas badly applied, and continued. That is, until I independently became aware of my ideological shortcomings.

The 5 years I spent in writing this second book, reflect ideas I discovered and presented in the book. Standing on the shoulders of giants... 

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Rohin,

I love it that you are out there producing your work and getting exposure to it.

Reading an entire book takes a lot of investment of time, energy and attention and right now I do not have space left over in my own ventures to give feedback. Maybe later.

But here is an idea on reading your post. As you commented, you have changed your views on some aspects from former work. This is normal and good. No. In my book, it is outstanding. That takes courage and self-honesty and hard thinking.

So releasing this book is part of a journey, not just an end in itself.

I wish you well and success. 

I hope you keep on keeping on...

 

Michael