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Old 01-14-2011, 10:06 PM   #63 (permalink)
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Originally Posted by ProggyMan View Post
How do you figure? His insight into the fundamentally Christian worldview of our supposedly post-Christian western world is still spot on.
I'm not talking about religious fundamentals. I'm talking about day to day reality which Watts claimed is the only thing that truly matters. Of course Watts formed a rational argument against Fundamental Christianity and obviously many others caught on at the same time and also many since.

The thing that seems outdated to me is Watts' mid-century behavior in relation to that of how someone with similar views today would be viewed by today's world society.

He was a Western intellectual living freely and drunkenly on the money of those who sorta worshiped him because he had a nice voice and appearance and they felt that he was saying something true (which he was).

Really all I mean is that Watts capitalized on the general concerns of his time and he happened to be relatively unique as a Westerner in the 1950s saying the things that he did. Today reality is different and I don't believe that he would have been able to live his lifestyle (i.e. however the **** he wanted) as easily today. I actually hope not.
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