Boomeritis : A Novel That Will Set You Free

Rating:
Summary: Review the Book apart from your view of Wilber
Review: How about a review of the book for what it is?

This is not much of a novel. Compared to other pieces Wilber has written, it is not much of a book. Wilber still has fascinating ideas all over the place, but fascinating ideas abounding doesn't make a book into a novel. What about plot, conflict, characterization -- the basics of novels?

Ezra Pound notes in ABC of Reading: "One definition of beauty is aptness to purpose. Whether it is a good definition or not, you can readily see that a good deal of BAD criticism has been written by men who assume that an author is trying to do what he is NOT trying to do."

I had to skim the surfaces of this one ... which is uncharacteristic of the way I've read other things Wilber has written --

Rating:
Summary: Narcissistic Regressives and the Lost Greens
Review: I have read many of Ken Wilber's books, and quite frankly find them to be well written and integral. Yet Boomeritis really misses the mark. I understand that Ken is attempting to point out the narcissitic regression of the Green meme, and it's attempt to reduce everything to a relativistic stance. Yet Ken makes no attempt to define the causes for this narcissism he claims is so prevalent in the current generation, except to say that the move to second tier consciousness is what is needed and that meditation is the way.

These are not new concepts by any stretch. Mindfulness has been written about for centuries. Apparently when Ken was transcending and including the earlier fulcrums of his own childhood he did not leave any disconnects behind, yet when reading all the fantasies interspersed in his book it appears that maybe he did.

The disconnect that remains is Ken cannot relate to energies which may be sequestered at earlier developmental levels, energies which would continue to cause and manifest a certain narcissism, not only in himself, but in others as well. It shows a lack of empathy, which is supposed to be the hallmark of evolution to second tier consciousness. Ken needs to go back to the hardware store in North Lake Tahoe and revisit his own breakdown. The earlier fulcrums cannot be totally transcended and included until they are integrated. Without this complete transcendence, a residual narcissism will remain. Without this journey through the dark night of the soul, those sequestered energies are not available to go second tier.

So, I see nothing great that can come from poking fun at the "Mean Green meme" as it is called, without understanding and addressing the way to mitigate and integrate the narcissism that Ken so vehemently attacks.

I see nothing new here in this poorly written excuse for a novel. Ken should stick to the writing style he is good at. He's not a writer of novels. I recommend you read "Grace and Grit" if you want to know who Ken really is, or "A Brief History of Everything" if you want to know what his writings are about. Reading Boomeritis was a waste of time.

Rating:
Summary: An honest attempt.
Review: I love Ken Wilber. His philosophy has pemanently changed the way I see the world for the better. I even agree completely with Wilber's diagnosis of culture in Boomeritis. But I'm sorry--this is a terrible novel. I couldn't even finish it. And I love long novels, like those by Mark Helprin.

Wilber's Sex Ecology Spirituality is one of my favorite books of all time. I recommend that book, A Theory of Everything, the CD-interview Speaking of Everything, or any music by Stuart Davis, instead of Boomeritis.

Rating:
Summary: Stick to technical manuals.
Review: I must admit that this is a tough book to review. That is because it is an unconventional book. Let me give some basic opinions that I hope will make sense here.

All the characters in this book are flat talking heads. They are barely 2D if that. The main characters go beyond passive though in their flatness, they are truly hateable. You keep wishing for an asteroid to fall out of the sky and annihilate them all. But that is the real point of the book isn't it? Wilber made these characters to be total ... lost in la la land so he could point out the extreme regressive state of modern affairs. He then contrasts them against the equally despicable lecturers at the integral institute. They are also talking heads, each one a personification of some aspect of Wilber's theories on human consciousness development.

I don't think Wilber intended this book to be entertaining (It's not) or the characters to have depth (they don't) I think he tried to create a regressive setting with regressive and unlikable people in which to contrast his high level theories. Taken this way the book does have reading value.

I do find Wilber to be a bit of an Orange Meme bigot however in this book and others. He is quick to dispose of lower meme truths as having no value other than serving as a foundation for higher advancement. But he attacks the lower memes from an Orange Scientific stance rather than from a second tier position. He dismisses the belief in magic, such as Purple and Red memes had, as being simply a way of seeing the world.

And he emphasizes that of course there is no "real" magic. The mind of an individual can not really alter space and time except in weak effects in the lab. Anyone that believes they can produce effects of a major type in the world through the power of thought is stuck in a regressive narcissistic stance. If by magic Ken means bewitched snap your fingers instant magic, then yes, he is right. But if he means that a mind cannot start a chain reaction of cause an effect that can over time alter reality on a large scale, then he better think again. This effect was what the early peoples observed and formed the basis of their world view. They may not have fully understood what it was or how it truly worked but they weren't just a bunch of projecting narcissists.

Also what's with Wilber's gay thing? He always seems to sneak some kind of gay promotion into his books. In this book when his main character learns that two of the "woman" professors are an item he almost jumps out of his seat in celebration! Give me a break. His book in this instance is no different than T.V. shows recently deciding it is almost a must to slip in a lesbian story line. It's always two chicks of course rather than two guys because I guess they want to break us in easily. Geez. I found it sad that Wilber had to resort to such a dumb and obvious tactic. Plus Wilber's sex fantasies in his book are super-bad. Let me quote another Amazon[.com]reviewer who said it best-

"These monologues are punctuated by character Wilber's erotic imaginings which arrive with the mindless frequency and communicative vacancy of a series of obscene phone calls."

Plus his rock star Stuart with his two/timing walking orgasm chick almost made me vomit! Ken was trying to explain Tantra's path to the infinite through these two, but gosh they were such shallow ... that well, if that is what Tantra is about, no thanks. Of course that is not what Tantra is about and I think Ken does Tantra a big disservice here by associating it with Stuart and his double/minded bimbo. I don't care how many walking orgasms she has, any girl that would make love to me (If that's what they call love) then run back to her old boyfriend then come back to me and want more after she broke my heart, well you get the picture. Stuart the dummy took her back.

One last rant, what's with Wilber and all the levels and evolution stuff? I don't even think there is 'real proof' yet of biological evolution and now there is evolution of consciousness too? But more importantly, such thinking flies directly in the face of the true nature of reality. Ramana Maharshi, Wilber's favorite sage, indicates clearly that not only was there 'no' evolution, but that there 'never' was creation! The idea of levels or evolution is part of the ignorance that we must free ourselves from. Ultimately there really is nothing. Yet Wilber not only accepts that there is an empirical reality 'out there' (something Ramana and other mystics deny) but that Wilber can map this ignorance in systematic fashion. This is the main contradiction in his work. Yet if we believe that ultimate reality is without levels then we are just a bunch of relativistic, pluralistic, flatlanders.

So in closing I would recommend Boomeritis for those interested in Ken's theories but you would be better off just reading "A Brief History of Everything" followed by, "A Theory of Everything" to get a more 'sane' presentation.

Rating:
Summary: Never buy a philosophical 'novel'.
Review: I should've known better, but being such a fan of Wilber I went ahead and bought this book. There is nothing more irritating than a 'novel' which is really a philosophical essay. I made it through this thing, but I regret wasting time and money on it. My conscience told me not to read this book, and I should've listened, but like I said I'm a fan. I've been waiting for the past 8 years for Wilber to write something new and exciting instead of re-hashing and re-publishing old stuff. I hope he hasn't fallen into this hypocritical capitalism-phase forever.

Rating:
Summary: Look Ma...no hands and no net!
Review: I understand the sharp critiques of Mr. Wilber's literary skill. However, given the universal high speed learning curve upon which the unsuspecting reader is placed, it proves to be a gift beyond measure. This book is worth the ride and the effort it takes to read. The open minded and open hearted reader will be richly rewarded. Those opening this book loaded down with the weight of expectation of what an entertaining read looks like will be greatly disappointed. Allow your most deeply held sacred cows to be challenged. Yes, it feels like tightwire walking on a gusty day without a net. Let these dearly held constructs fall, even if only for the duration of reading the book. All that's risked is profound spaciousness of being and ever broadening boundaries of the heart.

Rating:
Summary: K.W. -- synthetic theorist, not a sociologist nor a novelist
Review: I've read several books by Wilber, and learned something along the way. However, I don't seem to be the target audience for this one, so I'm taking a pass. I read an excerpt, or an outtake, on the Shambhala site prior to publication, and found it ludicrous. Wilber's idiosyncratic attempt to synthesize human wisdom is a noble one, if ultimately futile, and in particular his popularization of the Great Chain of Being is a worthy contribution to our "one-dimensional" age. But he is no sociologist, and when he applies his levels of consciousness hierarchy to actual groups of people, there are so many flaws that the whole scheme simply breaks down. Beyond not being clear on exactly what something like Orange or Green is in the real world, as opposed to the level of analytical abstraction, it is far from clear why Wilber is beating up on the poor Greens. Does Wilber really think the PoMos are that influential, or it just a target audience? I have never found postmodernism compelling, though I will confess to being a Boomer and an intellectual, and perhaps that's why the whole schtick is lost on me. But caveat emptor, it may be lost on you as well!

I give the book 3 stars because Wilber does have something important to say, but I recommend "The Marriage of Sense and Soul" if you've never read anything by him.

Rating:
Summary: Boomers Dialogue on Global Transformation...
Review: If you're a boomer like me, you're in for a treat! We (30% of the U.S. population!) have always declared that we'd save the world; so far an unrealized fantasy. Wilber (a boomer himself) holds up a mirror, so we can see that who we are is at odds with our commitment to produce a profound impact in the world.

This is a fine romp of a novel that combines brilliant social observations with gratuitous sex. Our young hero sorts out his plans to launch his consciousness from carbon (human) to silicon (computer), all the while fantasizing about his girlfriend, becoming infatuated with one his professors, and hanging out with his friends. Through the "Boomeritis" lectures he is attending, we see our boomer foibles and follow him to his conclusions about the nature of love, the future of computing, and our spiritual destiny. Boomeritis delivers on its promise: "A novel that will set you free."

Rating:
Summary: Just read it.
Review: If you're new to Wilber, just read it. It's worth it. See what you think.

Rating:
Summary: Is merit "boo"?
Review: Is merit "boo"?
Is it really true - as the zeitgeist suggests - that the world we're living in is only a random and shallow place of surfaces without any meanig and value, to which irony, devaluation and deconstruction are the only appropriate attitudes in response?
In his latest book "Boomeritis" - composed as a novel for a change - Ken Wilber chases the zeitgeist of boomeritis, as invented and spread all over the world by the baby-boomer generation, and he does this thoroughly, withou mercy - and with lots of humor. A roller-coaster ride from subjectivism to egocentrism, from astrology to mythology, from www.com to globalisation, gender issues to pussy heaven, from pluralism to ranking, from individualism to autonomy. From AI to introspection, from deconstruction to inquisition, feminism to the equal rights amendment, from Romanticism to the conquest of Paradise, from the pavement-under-the-beach to the Omega point, from facts to interpretations, from why-can't-we-all-be-friends? to controversary debate, from ecology to literature theory, from writing-a-perfect-postmodern-novel to healing, from integral politics to an integral transformative praxis...Ken Wilber poses the same question again and again, and offers different answers from different angles, lines and levels of consciousness, by telling the story through the eyes and emerging awareness of a 23 year old AI student, who stumbles into a series of lectures offered at Integral Center. This student - his name is incidentally Ken Wilber - is driven by the question, whether carbon-based consciousness or silicon-based consciousness will win the race to God, if He/She/It exists at all.
Be careful, the book is a terrific journey, a rapturous trip - once you're on, it's very hard to get off. By choosing a very common item which we are all familiar with - sexual fantasies - as explicit as one can imagine - Wilber makes it easy for us to start the journey, but he will only tell us during the journey where we are heading to, and even that remains an open story, full of wonderful surprising turns. So - get your ticket - or, if you are a boomer, you might prefer dodging the fare - and enjoy!