Aegis 2015
86
Book Review >>> Nicole Starling
Authentic Being McCartney, James R. Bloomington: Xlibris Corporation, 2013. 97 pp.
“I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive” -Joseph Campbell (65). Campbell’s quote, one of the many quotes James McCartney includes in Authentic Being, showcases a major point in the argument he makes for living authentically. The experience of being alive is what drives people to dig deep and discover who they truly are and to live their lives to their fullest potential. Contrary to the Cartesian belief, “I think therefore I am,” existentialism decrees: “I exist, therefore I think, and life is incomprehensible until I create meaning through the choices I make (57).” It is through this belief that McCartney asserts that we are responsible for finding and creating our own authentic selves. The choices that we make shape who we are, and through our choices we become accountable for the world that we allow to manifest around us. In Authentic Being, McCartney explores authenticity by comparing existentialism and New Thought philosophies. McCartney also addresses the topics of religion and spirituality, including theism, agnosticism, and atheism. McCartney begins with New Thought philosophy, giving the reader a brief historical overview as well as touching upon possible philosophical influences, such as The Science of Mind philosophy and Buddhism. McCartney goes on to explore existentialism by including a short history, and the contributions of major figures such as Jean-Paul Satre and Albert Camus. In his work, McCartney highlights the contributors’ findings that relate to authenticity, such as Satre’s classifying of emotions as choices, and Camus’ interpretation of the Greek myth of Sisyphus. After establishing a foundation of beliefs, all centered around expressing one’s authentic self, McCartney draws the reader back into more contemporary topics such as the influence educators, such as parents, teachers, and religious leaders, have on our being and our beliefs. McCartney also touches on the topic of technology, citing Martin Heidegger who deliberated the correlation between inauthenticity and technical devices when it came to man’s distorted relationship with the natural world. McCartney also addressed chemical imbalances in our bodies and the fact that “the four top-selling items in grocery stores are used to manage our energy: caffeine, sugar, alcohol, and nicotine” (52). Because each part of us is connected, our mind and body and vice versa, it’s important to think twice about the substances society promotes that affect our minds, moods, and energy – especially when we desire a natural state of mind. Authentic Being is peppered with quotes from transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson and fellow philosophers including Ernest Holmes and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. There are also vignettes of McCartney’s own experiences. These experiences allow McCartney to
