I found quite an interesting free online book from one of the most ‘biting’ critics of Ken Wilber, whom Geoffrey D. Falk calls “Norman Einstein”. And here is how he introduces it:
Ken Wilber is the “long-sought Einstein of consciousness research,” having been generously regarded as such since the late 1970s.
Ken Wilber is “a genius of our times.”
Ken Wilber is “the world’s most intriguing and foremost philosopher.”Ken Wilber’s ideas have influenced Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Jeb Bush, Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins, and a host of other luminaries, spiritual and otherwise. Writer Michael Crichton, leadership guru Warren Bennis, playwright Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues), alternative medicine’s Larry Dossey, the Wachowski Brothers (directors of The Matrix), and a handful of rock stars have all lent their voices in support of the “integral” community.
Yet Ken Wilber, his celebrated theories of consciousness, and the increasingly unquestioning population of “second-tier” spiritual aspirants surrounding him and participating in his Integral Institute (I-I) and Integral University, are not what they appear to be.
“Norman Einstein”: The Dis-Integration of Ken Wilber will show you why the community around Wilber is being increasingly called a “cult,” even by former founding members of I-I who have seen it first-hand.
Read the online-book here…
I had a quick look ( 2 hour read ) at the book . Sure Ken Wilber is not perfect and Geoffrey Falk grasps on to a couple of mistakes ( is his opnion) Ken has made . To me it sounds like he is a bit sore over the Legal Threats that Ken made . ( Which could have been out of line )
History will be the best judge of this one .
Namaste
Al
Yes, I think that Geoffrey Falk goes a bit over the top, and I think that Ken Wilber does too, especially in the way he deals with serious critics.
And I’m sure that there will be a time when we’ll look back on this historical period and smile – at least I hope so. And I sincerely hope that the Integral Movement – if such it is – grows beyond Wilberism and the emphasis on theory and ‘covering all quadrants’ in everything.
Thanks for responding, Al.
Mushin