Re: Moods of Mind(was Re:Psychedelic singularities)

Max More (maxmore@primenet.com)
Thu, 19 Dec 1996 12:11:34 -0700 (MST)

At 06:03 PM 12/18/96 PST, Michael Butler wrote:
>
>Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. I always pronounce it "Smith" :).
> He's written at least one other book (on creativity, I seem to
>recall).
>
>I was disappointed with the book--I found it mostly rather plodding
>and descriptive--hyperanalytical, perhaps :). YMMV.

My mileage is similar to yours. I can't really recommend the book. No, I
revise that -- I can recommend reading the first quarter or third of the
book only. Csikszentmihalyi made a full book out of what should have been a
booklet. His main point is very simple: flow states arise from engaging in
tasks that are neither too easy nor overtaxing.

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, by Mihalyi Csizszentmihalyi,
Harper and Row 1990.

Max

Max More, Ph.D.
more@extropy.org
http://www.primenet.com/~maxmore
President, Extropy Institute, Editor, Extropy
info-exi@extropy.org, http://www.extropy.org
(310) 398-0375