The Wisdom of Insecurity: A Message for an Age of Anxiety

Chapter V is a crucial turning point in the book. Instead of merely alluding to the revolutionary manner of thinking he prescribes, Watts starts to describe it. A major theme in this chapter is the distinction between the attempt at psychological and spiritual security (Watts makes clear that he is not discussing basic physical sustenance) and the nature of life. The more one chases security, the more painful that pursuit becomes; at the end of the day, “there is no safety or security” (79).

Watts is not arguing that people should not want to feel safe, and notes that “calling a desire bad names doesn’t get rid of it” (79). Instead, he promotes awareness of the current moment. Since awareness is understood as a way of perceiving reality independent of judgements, thoughts, or ideas, it cannot be easily described through those things. Instead, we must inhabit our insecurity. In a Persian parable, a sage receives admittance into the house of God only once he understands that he is not separate from God. Similarly, for Watts, we can only understand our situation when we become properly aware that we are that situation and not outside it.