Self-education and self-deception. Review of Tomasz Olchanowski’s book: Magia samooszustwa, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku, Białystok 2025, pp. 244
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.16926/Keywords:
self-deception, self-education, critical humanism, simulacras, non-dualism, Olchanowski, zen, stoicismAbstract
This review concerns Tomasz Olchanowski’s latest monograph, Magia samooszustwa (The
Magic of Self-Deception), devoted to the phenomenon of self-deception from an interdisciplinary
perspective. Drawing on philosophy, depth psychology, pedagogy, and cultural studies, the author
critically analyzes contemporary civilization, its paradoxes, and spiritual crises. The central theme
is the question of the sources of human self-deception, considered in the light of the ideas of
Nietzsche, Adler, Jung, and other more or less well-known thinkers. Olchanowski points to the
destructive aspects of postmodern culture, including dehumanization, the domination of technol-
ogy, the collapse of humanistic institutions, and the instrumental treatment of work. The mono-
graph also reflects on pseudo-therapies that replace authentic spiritual development with simulacras and market mechanisms. The author refers to Eastern traditions, especially Zen Buddhism,
juxtaposing the experience of non-dualism with the thinking of Western philosophers. He empha-
sizes the importance of self-knowledge, spiritual awakening, and critical vigilance against per-
sonal, social, and political illusions. The reviewer notes that the work is a continuation of Olchan-
owski’s earlier works, combining scientific analysis with personal reflection based on Jung’s
method of amplification. He also finds a certain lack of depth in the treatment of feminist issues
and the analysis of the immaturity of social leaders. Ultimately, the reviewer considers the mon-
ograph to be an important contribution to humanities and social sciences research and an inspi-
ration for self-reflection on the condition of contemporary man in the process of self-education.
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