Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
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Book Summary Information
Author: Mihaly CsikszentmihalyiEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1991-03-13
ISBN: 0060920432
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Book Reviews of Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Book Review: Falls Flat
Summary: 2 Stars
The main issue I have with this book is that it is a fairly boring read. The second is that it is filled with vague generalities that don't fit into any recognizable scientific or psychological norms. It is essentially one man's take on what it means to be happy. As a definition of happiness, it sort of works, but there isn't really any substance to the book. Filled with oblique metaphor, anecdotal evidence, and a loosely defined spiritualism that is most similar to Zen Buddhism, the book does nothing to provide any answers on how one can truly be happy. The pursuit of 'flow,' admirable as it may be, is in no way definable as making one happy any more than any other esoteric personal philosophy. If you're interested in the nature of happiness or in invigorating your own creative spirit, there are much better resources available.
2/5 Stars. Turbid, unscientific, and lacking any philosophical base aside from its own claims. Give Aristotle a read instead.
Summary of Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
The bestselling introduction to "flow"--a groundbreaking psychological theory that shows readers how to improve the quality of life. "The way to happiness lies not in mindless hedonism, but in mindful change."--New York Times Book ReviewYou have heard about how a musician loses herself in her music, how a painter becomes one with the process of painting. In work, sport, conversation or hobby, you have experienced, yourself, the suspension of time, the freedom of complete absorption in activity. This is "flow," an experience that is at once demanding and rewarding--an experience that Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi demonstrates is one of the most enjoyable and valuable experiences a person can have. The exhaustive case studies, controlled experiments and innumerable references to historical figures, philosophers and scientists through the ages prove Csikszentmihalyi's point that flow is a singularly productive and desirable state. But the implications for its application to society are what make the book revolutionary.
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