What Are We Living For? By J.G. Bennett
I recently read this book and think it is a very good, concise summary of Gurdjieff’s ideas without going into any details about Gurdjieff’s methods for the Work. It was written in 1948 and originally published in 1949, during the last year of Gurdjieff’s life. The version I read was published in 1991 with new material added. It gives a good overview of the human condition / the state of modern "civilization," while deferring to Gurdjieff for the details of his system when he publishes his own writings. It alludes to a way out for humanity existing via Gurdjieff’s teachings for the problems outlined in the book. I think it is a pretty good pre-introduction to the Fourth Way ideas of Gurdjieff and a fast read.
Contents/Chapter Headings:
Foreword by A.L. Staveley
Introduction
Chapter 1: Man – Thinking Animal or Reasonable Being?
Chapter 2: Education – How People Are Deprived of Their Souls
Chapter 3: Science and Philosophy – The Fount of Unwisdom
Chapter 4: The Tragedy of Contemporary Religion
Chapter 5: The Aimlessness of Our Existence
Chapter 6: What Shall It Profit a Man?
Postscript: Who is Gurdjieff?
Bibliography of J.G. Bennett
I recently read this book and think it is a very good, concise summary of Gurdjieff’s ideas without going into any details about Gurdjieff’s methods for the Work. It was written in 1948 and originally published in 1949, during the last year of Gurdjieff’s life. The version I read was published in 1991 with new material added. It gives a good overview of the human condition / the state of modern "civilization," while deferring to Gurdjieff for the details of his system when he publishes his own writings. It alludes to a way out for humanity existing via Gurdjieff’s teachings for the problems outlined in the book. I think it is a pretty good pre-introduction to the Fourth Way ideas of Gurdjieff and a fast read.
Contents/Chapter Headings:
Foreword by A.L. Staveley
Introduction
Chapter 1: Man – Thinking Animal or Reasonable Being?
Chapter 2: Education – How People Are Deprived of Their Souls
Chapter 3: Science and Philosophy – The Fount of Unwisdom
Chapter 4: The Tragedy of Contemporary Religion
Chapter 5: The Aimlessness of Our Existence
Chapter 6: What Shall It Profit a Man?
Postscript: Who is Gurdjieff?
Bibliography of J.G. Bennett
