Amid countless prescriptive self-help manuals, The Power of Being a Subject: Transcending Myth and Machine emerges as a refreshing intellectual cornerstone in contemporary psychology and personal development literature.

Dr. Bowker dismantles the persistent "myth of human mechanics" - the flawed belief that individuals and their psyches "function" like computers or machines. He argues compellingly that authentic self-improvement demands embracing our full subjectivity, with all of its putative dysfunction, and recognizing our agency, creativity, and complexity. Through thoughtful exploration, readers learn how critical thinking, honesty, patience, and bravery can help them achieve deeper maturity and genuine freedom.

This is essential reading for those disillusioned with surface-level solutions and hungry for meaningful transformation.

About the Author

Matthew H. Bowker, PhD, is the author of more than 20 books and more than 40 papers on psychoanalysis and political theory. He teaches at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Reviews

"In this honest, probing, and inspiring book, Dr. Matthew H. Bowker sheds light on a life of greater authenticity, bravery, and freedom. The Power of Being a Subject will be of interest to anyone yearning to transform legacies of trauma and suffering, escape from unconscious internal and societal forces and self-defeating patterns, and live a more creative and empathic life."

Jeffrey B. Rubin, PhD, Psychoanalyst, American Institute of Psychoanalysis and Object Relations Institute

"This is fascinating study of subjectivity and its relation to one's self. It is also a powerful and moving account of Bowker's own struggle with subjectivity and its impact on both his personal and professional life. An intense and scholarly inquiry into this critical idea and what its pursuit means for our day-to-day lives, Bowker's book is a must read."

James M. Glass, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland, College Park

"Dr. Bowker's book is perhaps best described as an intimate 'travelogue,' something akin to an innerscape version of Mark Twain's remote journeys. Weaving ideas with personal reflections, Dr. Bowker takes an honest claim to the title of 'poet-philosopher' or 'philosopher-poet.' "

Dan Livney, PsyD, Psychologist in private practice

Book Information
ISBN 9781041040095
Author Matthew H. Bowker
Format Hardback
Page Count 94
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd