The Evolving Self: A Psychology for the Third Millennium

The acclaimed sequel to the international bestseller Flow: an intelligent, inspiring guide to unlocking the evolutionary history of our present consciousness, and “becoming at one with the power that is the universe.”

“A book of singular importance and timeliness, one with momentous implications for the future.”— Howard Gardner

In Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s bestselling Flow, he introduced readers to a radical new theory of happiness. Now in The Evolving Self—his breakthrough sequel—he demonstrates how we can understand and overcome our evolutionary shortcomings. Premised on the idea that only through a reckoning with our evolutionary past can we build a stable, meaningful future, The Evolving Self covers the challenges associated with our cognitive evolutionary history (“As far as controlling the mind is concerned, we are like a novice driver behind the wheel of a racing car”); the distortions of reality we experience due to genes, culture, and our sense of self; and the central importance of “flow” from an evolutionary perspective as we look toward the future.

Erudite, perceptive, and insightful—and more important now than ever, as our consciousnesses are increasingly mediated by electronic devices—The Evolving Self is a timely resource for anyone looking to improve our world for ourselves and for generations to come.

"A book of singular importance and timeliness, one with momentous implications for the future." - Howard Gardner

“An enormously helpful resource for thinking about the world that lies ahead and how we can influence it for the better.” - Robert N. Bellah, coauthor of Habits of the Heart

“The author believes that becoming an active, conscious part of the evolutionary process can give our lives meaning and joy. In fact, the fate of humanity in the next millennium depends on the kind of selves we become today.” - Library Journal

“The Evolving Self suggests that only a collaborative effort of individuals willing to bring the creative zest of flow to the hard questions of moral choice will ensure a viable and harmonious future.” - San Francisco Chronicle