About the Book
After the conclusion of the Trojan War, the Greek hero Odysseus had to wander for ten years facing numerous difficulties in different lands before he could finally return to his kingdom Ithaca. These difficulties and wanderings of Odysseus came to be known as the Odyssey. The author too, in his quest for making sense of this complex world, undertook deep research and observation to write twenty essays over a period of ten years. After wandering through the various countries of the mind such as psychology, political philosophy, sociology, ecology, history, philosophy and the impact of technology on human society and culture – the author makes us face profound questions about the present state of our society, culture and civilization.
- Is the Internet taking a toll on our ability to focus and concentrate? On our very intelligence?
- Why do people suffer from Mid Life Blues?
- Is Artificial Intelligence an unmitigated blessing?
- Why do we suffer from loneliness and alienation in spite of being connected all the time?
- In an era of cyber connectivity and digital footprint, is freedom really possible?
- Why is identity politics erupting all over the world?
- With robots as baby sitters, sex companions and care givers for the elders, what is going to be the future of love and relationships?
- Is it possible to find security in an ever-changing dynamic world?
These are some of the enchanting countries of the mind that the author explores. This is a mental journey of epic proportions. This is an Odyssey of the Mind.
About the Author
Professionally, Narendra Murty worked as a Divisional Manager in the Life Insurance industry. However, the deep driving passion of his life has been the study of various religions and philosophies – both Eastern and Western – to which he has devoted more than three decades of his life. His first book Eating His Money – The Antics of a Metaphysical Clown (published by Alcove Publishers and available on Amazon) contains his commentaries on twenty-five stories of Mulla Nasrudin, the enigmatic clown. The book is an expression of his understanding of Sufi philosophy which he illustrates with concepts derived from all the wisdom traditions of the world making this subtle knowledge easily accessible to the general lay readers.
The present book, An Odyssey of the Mind – Journeys in the Modern Mindscape is a collection of twenty deeply thought-provoking essays written over a period of ten years. The subjects include psychology, philosophy, history, sociology, the impact of technology, ecology, political philosophy and even a couple of humourous and satirical jibes on our politics, society and culture.
Presently he is devoted full time to his study and writing. His next book explores the world of Zen where he has deciphered and provided commentaries on thirty enigmatic and enchanting Zen stories. Narendra is also working as a Course Developer for the Auro Leadership project of Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry, which offers training courses on Integral Leadership based on the spiritual wisdom of India.