On Giving Up
On Giving Up by Adam Phillips, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux on March 26, 2024, is a thought-provoking exploration of the complexities surrounding the act of giving up. This 160-page book delves into the nuances of sacrifice, examining the fine line between positive self-sacrifice and the unsettling notion of giving up on life itself. Phillips, an acclaimed psychoanalyst, invites readers to reflect on the motivations behind their choices and the implications of those decisions on their sense of vitality.
In On Giving Up, readers will find a meditation on the various forms of giving up, framed as a critical moment that can lead to a different future. The book addresses the dual nature of sacrifice, highlighting that not all sacrifices are straightforward or easily categorized as good or bad. Phillips encourages contemplation on what we must relinquish to enhance our sense of aliveness, making this work relevant to those interested in psychology, interpersonal relations, and the intricacies of human behavior.
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One of The New York Times Critics’ Picks of the Year
From acclaimed psychoanalyst Adam Phillips, a meditation on what we must give up to feel more alive.
To give up or not to give up?
The question can feel inescapable but the answer is never simple.
Giving up our supposed vices is one thing; giving up on life itself is quite another. One form of self-sacrifice feels positive, something to admire and aspire to, while the other is profoundly unsettling, if not actively undesirable.
There are always, it turns out, both good and bad sacrifices, but it is not always clear beforehand which is which. We give something up because we believe we can no longer go on as we are. In this sense, giving up is a critical moment—an attempt to make a different future.
In On Giving Up, the acclaimed psychoanalyst Adam Phillips illuminates both the gaps and the connections between the many ways of giving up and helps us to address the central question: What must we give up in order to feel more alive?
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