Natural causes : an epidemic of wellness, the certainty of dying, and killing ourselves to live longer Cover Image

Book

Natural causes : an epidemic of wellness, the certainty of dying, and killing ourselves to live longer / Barbara Ehrenreich.

Summary:

Barbara Ehrenreich explores how we are killing ourselves to live longer, not better. She describes how we over-prepare and worry way too much about what is inevitable. One by one, Ehrenreich topples the shibboleths that guide our attempts to live a long, healthy life, from the importance of preventive medical screenings to the concepts of wellness and mindfulness, from dietary fads to fitness culture. We tend to believe we have agency over our bodies, our minds, and even over the manner of our deaths. But the latest science shows that the microscopic subunits of our bodies make their own "decisions," and not always in our favor. We may buy expensive anti-aging products or cosmetic surgery, get preventive screenings and eat more kale, or throw ourselves into meditation and spirituality. But all these things offer only the illusion of control. How to live well, even joyously, while accepting our mortality -- that is the philosophical challenge of this book.

Record details

ISBN: 9781455535910
ISBN: 1455535915
ISBN: 9781538747117
ISBN: 1538747111
Physical Description: xv, 234 pages ; 22 cm
Edition: First edition.
Publisher: New York : Twelve, 2018.
Copyright: ©2018

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references (pages 213-234).
Formatted Contents Note:	Midlife revolt -- Rituals of humiliation -- The veneer of science -- Crushing the body -- The madness of mindfulness -- Death in social context -- The war between conflict and harmony -- Cellular treason -- Tiny minds -- "Successful aging" -- The invention of the self -- Killing the self, rejoicing in a living world.