Customer Reviews

The Transparent Self

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Jourard's premise is that self-concealment can lead to "sickness, misunderstanding, and alienation from self." He argues that " man can attain health and fulest personal development only insofar as he gains courage to be himself with others and only when he finds goals that have meaning for him, goals which include the reshaping of society so that it is fit for all to live and grow in." Remarks from the back cover. Includes chapters on sex and self-disclosure in marriage, dialogue vs manipulation in counseling, etc. Revised edition, 250 pages with index.

Jourard's book is an excellent example of the rules that we live by. We keep ourselves hidden and we do not disclose who we really are for fear of being rejected or shamed. Jourard proposes that we become transparent and if we do we will become healthy and happy people. It is rather simple.

Jourard discusses education as nothing more then training to do a job for someone else. He believes that others would benefit from education that was aimed at producing growth rather then training students to be a certain way. Although these things are necessary he believed that teachers and professors should share their ideas more fully with their students to assist in the growth process.

He discuss ways to have a better marriage and ways to be a better person through self-disclosure and trust.

This is a great book I would recommend it to anyone looking to break free from the hoard mentally and live their lives and be who they really are.

"Shall I permit my fellow men to know me as I truly am, or shall I seek instead to remain an enigma, and be seen as someone I am not. Throughout history, Sidney M. Jourard maintains, man has chosen the road of concealment rather than openness, a route that all too often results in sickness, misunderstanding and alienation of self."

Overall i really liked the book...I find many of the ideas to be dead on, and the author makes some excellent points about reciprocity in a helping relationship. I did not particularly like the style of the writing at times...the language was a bit flowery for my taste, but then again the book was written many years ago. All in all a good read.