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The Awakened Ape: A Biohacker's Guide to Evolutionary Fitness, Natural Ecstasy, and Stress-Free Living
What secrets do Amazonian tribes, Himalayan hermits, and enlightened monks know about health and happiness that have been lost to the world today?
In The Awakened Ape Jevan Pradas uses evolutionary psychology to hack the human mind and body to answer the question: "How can we enjoy life to the fullest?" The results, while unexpected, are completely backed by science.
Perpetually bored, anxious, fatigued and overweight, modern society has failed to deliver the happiness it promised. The remedy, Jevan argues, is in a unique synthesis of a Paleolithic lifestyle and Buddhist meditation.
A sprawling journey, featuring Jevan's adventures with naked Amazonian tribes and retreats with enlightened monks to learn the secrets of optimal well-being, The Awakened Ape will teach you how to achieve deep states of bliss. All while shaping your body into the fit and healthy animal millions of years of evolution programmed you to be.
You will learn:
How to meditate -- from instructions for the absolute beginner to techniques for deep states of ecstasy and awakening
How to eat the optimally healthy diet for both physical and mental health
How to train the attention span so you can be focused and efficient all day long
How to exercise so that is fun, enjoyable, and something you look forward to
How to get rid of the habit of negative thinking in just one week
How to live like a caveman in the modern world in order to get the most out of your genetics
How to properly go to the bathroom (Yes, you have been doing it wrong)
And much, much, more..
Finalist for Next Generation's Health and Wellness Book of the Year in 2018
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
572 people are currently reading
867 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
February 13, 2018
You know the drill. The paleo story: blahblahblah adapted for nomadic tribal hunter gather life blahblahblah in some ways hunter-gatherers had it better blahblahblah sleep lots lift heavy things don't eat processed foods blahblahblah. And the Buddhist story: Attachment and craving cause suffering, which we can mitigate (or by some accounts eliminate) via meditation. This book puts the stories together, arguing that primitive hunter-gatherers didn't suffer in the Buddhist sense. Two great stories, together at last!
On the one hand, I basically agree with most of the suggestions and advice and even "philosophy" in the book. I find the basic argument more than plausible. On the other hand, if you're already at all familiar with the traditions and arguments involved, this is a pretty weaksauce book on both fronts. There's lots of "studies have shown" but no citations or footnotes. All the advice is standard fare. I doubt anyone could learn to meditate from this book: if you want a lightweight intro use an app and if you're serious go read "The Mind Illuminated." The writing is generally annoying.
Additionally, the book is clearly written for men, and arguably for "bro men", without this being spelled out at front. The author obviously believes that the pinnacle of maleness is to mate with "pretty girls", and while I'm admittedly sympathetic to this view, the book felt a little icky.
Closer to one star than three.
On the one hand, I basically agree with most of the suggestions and advice and even "philosophy" in the book. I find the basic argument more than plausible. On the other hand, if you're already at all familiar with the traditions and arguments involved, this is a pretty weaksauce book on both fronts. There's lots of "studies have shown" but no citations or footnotes. All the advice is standard fare. I doubt anyone could learn to meditate from this book: if you want a lightweight intro use an app and if you're serious go read "The Mind Illuminated." The writing is generally annoying.
Additionally, the book is clearly written for men, and arguably for "bro men", without this being spelled out at front. The author obviously believes that the pinnacle of maleness is to mate with "pretty girls", and while I'm admittedly sympathetic to this view, the book felt a little icky.
Closer to one star than three.
January 23, 2019
Couldn't get past the borderline misogyny
I wanted to like this book, I was hoping for a fresh take on some unoriginal ideas. As an anthropology major, it was difficult to read some of the anecdotes that the author is trying to correlate with causation. I realize this isn't a textbook, but still, the sweeping, oversimplified, and almost problematic ideas posited by the author are almost laughable at times. Sprinkled throughout, there are so many derogatory references to women, I honestly can't believe this book in this form was approved by an editor. I sincerely feel the author didn't mean to purposefully come across this way, but that is almost shocking because it's so diametrically opposed to some of the bigger concepts in his own writing. I'm not a prude by any means, but the remarks and stories seem to serve no literary purpose, reminded me of high school locker room talk. I don't normally read many reviews prior to reading a book, but this was so bad, I couldn't wait to find out if my opinion was in the minority, thankfully, others seem to agree. If the topics in this book interest you, there are many many better examples to be found. Sadly, this is a poorly researched, watered down, juvenile attempt at trying to explain some honestly good concepts, it really doesn't do them the justice they deserve.
I wanted to like this book, I was hoping for a fresh take on some unoriginal ideas. As an anthropology major, it was difficult to read some of the anecdotes that the author is trying to correlate with causation. I realize this isn't a textbook, but still, the sweeping, oversimplified, and almost problematic ideas posited by the author are almost laughable at times. Sprinkled throughout, there are so many derogatory references to women, I honestly can't believe this book in this form was approved by an editor. I sincerely feel the author didn't mean to purposefully come across this way, but that is almost shocking because it's so diametrically opposed to some of the bigger concepts in his own writing. I'm not a prude by any means, but the remarks and stories seem to serve no literary purpose, reminded me of high school locker room talk. I don't normally read many reviews prior to reading a book, but this was so bad, I couldn't wait to find out if my opinion was in the minority, thankfully, others seem to agree. If the topics in this book interest you, there are many many better examples to be found. Sadly, this is a poorly researched, watered down, juvenile attempt at trying to explain some honestly good concepts, it really doesn't do them the justice they deserve.
April 25, 2018
I’ve always liked people who think for themselves. Those who look at life objectively and originally, who consider alternatives and use rational reflection to inform their own perception. I think it’s important to question the “why” of things. To try not to mindlessly exist, following the path of least resistance and behaving in a pre-ordained, predictable pattern like so many others.
Go to school, pass your exams, go to university, get a job, get married, get a house, have kids, etc. There is nothing wrong with these things in themselves, but in an ideal world, we would make these choices at least after conscious consideration of all our options. After having honestly pursued some real exploration of ourselves and the life we would like.
Should I go to university just because everyone is telling me I have to? Do I have to take this boring job to pay off the loans I took to buy that stuff I don’t need? Am I making the choices that will help me be as healthy and happy as possible?
Are we, individually and societally, making the choices that will help us be as healthy and happy as possible?
That question and some suggested answers, form the essence of Jevan Pradas’ The Awakened Ape.
The book is split into two main sections. The first section tackles the topic of optimal human health, both physical and mental. The second section proposes how to train your mind into developing a more serene and content default mode of being: happiness.
With themes like those, evidently this is a book that should appeal to everyone except masochists and nihilists. But does it deliver?
In short, yes.
Although the tips are often derived from communities pretty far removed from modern western society, e.g. remote jungle tribes and Buddhist monks, Pradas explains each idea in a simple, accessible and logical way that anyone can follow. This book is aimed at modern, western, male readers and understands that they are accustomed to bite-size pro-tips and life-hacks. It’s an effective introduction for the guy who has been drifting along and doesn’t quite understand why he isn't really enjoying life.
Presenting the principle of ethical hedonism - the pursuit of pleasure and positivity in a non-self-centered way - Pradas familiarises the reader with behaviours of a variety of apparently happy tribes from around the world.
The usual themes you would expect are all here - paleo dietary habits, regular exercise, supportive social relationships. Also here are less commonly preached practices like the physically and mentally tangible benefits of just being outdoors in natural light, especially for children. The suggestions are not all high-level concepts either, with some quick and easy tips to consider. There’s even some advice on how to hark back to natural personal hygiene and toilet techniques, if you’re willing to hark. Squatty Potty anyone?
Pradas skips merrily through his list of life-improvement methods citing both anecdotal experience - indeed he has apparently spent time with some of the tribes described - and the occasional scientific study. The lack of specific references may harm the credibility for some readers looking for something more serious than the “common sense” vibes presented here.
The second section of the book centres around the benefits of meditation and this is backed up by mind-blowing scientific evidence, for example the story of the “happiest man in the world”, Matthieu Ricard. As a slightly clumsy gesture of guidance, Pradas provides a crash course in beginner’s meditation and the Buddhist Dharma, including the marvelous, ego-melting illusion of the self.
Pradas’ belief is that fusing elements of a Paleolithic tribal lifestyle with regular Buddhist meditation is probably the best we can do to be happy and healthy humans. By no means an academic thesis, this proposal is made more convincing by some empirical evidence and his own natural charm and charisma. At times his views come off as immature, but his genuine enthusiasm for a laudable subject shines through.
These are the thoughts of an open-minded young man, writing for other young men, although they can certainly be considered by humans of the female type also interested in becoming awakened apes. Now, I’m off to climb a tree.
Go to school, pass your exams, go to university, get a job, get married, get a house, have kids, etc. There is nothing wrong with these things in themselves, but in an ideal world, we would make these choices at least after conscious consideration of all our options. After having honestly pursued some real exploration of ourselves and the life we would like.
Should I go to university just because everyone is telling me I have to? Do I have to take this boring job to pay off the loans I took to buy that stuff I don’t need? Am I making the choices that will help me be as healthy and happy as possible?
Are we, individually and societally, making the choices that will help us be as healthy and happy as possible?
That question and some suggested answers, form the essence of Jevan Pradas’ The Awakened Ape.
The book is split into two main sections. The first section tackles the topic of optimal human health, both physical and mental. The second section proposes how to train your mind into developing a more serene and content default mode of being: happiness.
With themes like those, evidently this is a book that should appeal to everyone except masochists and nihilists. But does it deliver?
In short, yes.
Although the tips are often derived from communities pretty far removed from modern western society, e.g. remote jungle tribes and Buddhist monks, Pradas explains each idea in a simple, accessible and logical way that anyone can follow. This book is aimed at modern, western, male readers and understands that they are accustomed to bite-size pro-tips and life-hacks. It’s an effective introduction for the guy who has been drifting along and doesn’t quite understand why he isn't really enjoying life.
Presenting the principle of ethical hedonism - the pursuit of pleasure and positivity in a non-self-centered way - Pradas familiarises the reader with behaviours of a variety of apparently happy tribes from around the world.
The usual themes you would expect are all here - paleo dietary habits, regular exercise, supportive social relationships. Also here are less commonly preached practices like the physically and mentally tangible benefits of just being outdoors in natural light, especially for children. The suggestions are not all high-level concepts either, with some quick and easy tips to consider. There’s even some advice on how to hark back to natural personal hygiene and toilet techniques, if you’re willing to hark. Squatty Potty anyone?
Pradas skips merrily through his list of life-improvement methods citing both anecdotal experience - indeed he has apparently spent time with some of the tribes described - and the occasional scientific study. The lack of specific references may harm the credibility for some readers looking for something more serious than the “common sense” vibes presented here.
The second section of the book centres around the benefits of meditation and this is backed up by mind-blowing scientific evidence, for example the story of the “happiest man in the world”, Matthieu Ricard. As a slightly clumsy gesture of guidance, Pradas provides a crash course in beginner’s meditation and the Buddhist Dharma, including the marvelous, ego-melting illusion of the self.
Pradas’ belief is that fusing elements of a Paleolithic tribal lifestyle with regular Buddhist meditation is probably the best we can do to be happy and healthy humans. By no means an academic thesis, this proposal is made more convincing by some empirical evidence and his own natural charm and charisma. At times his views come off as immature, but his genuine enthusiasm for a laudable subject shines through.
These are the thoughts of an open-minded young man, writing for other young men, although they can certainly be considered by humans of the female type also interested in becoming awakened apes. Now, I’m off to climb a tree.
January 14, 2018
Not a typical bio hacking book
This is a good read. Goes quickly. Not your typical bio hacking book. This is more about living a paleo life (not just nutritionally) with mediation thrown on top.
The beginning and ending thirds are very strong. In the middle third (roughly), the author comes across as a horny college-aged stoner. Some of the science is a bit thin in a few areas and the author doesn't completely understand what he is citing.
Despite the negatives, the good parts are so strong that I will reference my highlights frequently.
This is a good read. Goes quickly. Not your typical bio hacking book. This is more about living a paleo life (not just nutritionally) with mediation thrown on top.
The beginning and ending thirds are very strong. In the middle third (roughly), the author comes across as a horny college-aged stoner. Some of the science is a bit thin in a few areas and the author doesn't completely understand what he is citing.
Despite the negatives, the good parts are so strong that I will reference my highlights frequently.
December 6, 2019
A very generous 2* at that. A lot of this is trash in both style and content, made worse by the sense that the author knows better - at least for the content parts. Fast an loose with science, reason, argumentation, anthropology, and evidence, despite knowing better.
Some of the writing, especially the stories of his sexual conquests, is repulsive, condescending, and gross. I feel it is not a book women will enjoy. I could see male teenage virgins enjoying it though, and I actually think much of the content would benefit that demographic too.
On a good note there is wisdom and knowledge here, it is just better found elsewhere. Almost anywhere elsewhere. A quick synopsis would be live a 'paleo lifestyle' (get back to nature, eat right, exercise, build meaningful realtionships) and meditate a lot.
Solid advice, poorly communicated!
Some of the writing, especially the stories of his sexual conquests, is repulsive, condescending, and gross. I feel it is not a book women will enjoy. I could see male teenage virgins enjoying it though, and I actually think much of the content would benefit that demographic too.
On a good note there is wisdom and knowledge here, it is just better found elsewhere. Almost anywhere elsewhere. A quick synopsis would be live a 'paleo lifestyle' (get back to nature, eat right, exercise, build meaningful realtionships) and meditate a lot.
Solid advice, poorly communicated!
October 22, 2020
Really good, makes perfect sense in almost every aspect. There's even clear recipe for how to solve the human "cultured" situation, which was not coded in our genes.
Although, I'm not completely sold on that "no wash" idea :) It's perfectly logical, but I'm not sure I could power through that mid-phase in which I'm still out of balance and contaminate my environment with my stink, alienating everybody who comes in vicinity.
Females, though... Exactly two (2) times in my whole life did I sample that natural, untampered, female smell. And I thought I could die right there from the warm, pleasant, extatic rush. It's the best drug there is. When I read about so called scientific assessments of how "humans don't react to pheromones"... I can only laugh. But I understand. In this washed up society, the real stuff never comes in high enough concentration.
However, there's a lot more to this book than smell. If it's possible to be common sense and intelligent at the same time, this book is a proof.
Although, I'm not completely sold on that "no wash" idea :) It's perfectly logical, but I'm not sure I could power through that mid-phase in which I'm still out of balance and contaminate my environment with my stink, alienating everybody who comes in vicinity.
Females, though... Exactly two (2) times in my whole life did I sample that natural, untampered, female smell. And I thought I could die right there from the warm, pleasant, extatic rush. It's the best drug there is. When I read about so called scientific assessments of how "humans don't react to pheromones"... I can only laugh. But I understand. In this washed up society, the real stuff never comes in high enough concentration.
However, there's a lot more to this book than smell. If it's possible to be common sense and intelligent at the same time, this book is a proof.
April 16, 2018
Claim your birthright.
I throughly enjoyed reading this book. It reminded me that our modern day society is not in line with the way we were meant to be. Plenty of tips to help get back to being a real human, as close as possible at least. I'll probably be giving this another read through in the near future.
I throughly enjoyed reading this book. It reminded me that our modern day society is not in line with the way we were meant to be. Plenty of tips to help get back to being a real human, as close as possible at least. I'll probably be giving this another read through in the near future.
June 25, 2017
good overview of how to incorporate evolutionary health and mindfulness practices into everyday life
February 3, 2017
First off, to clear things up, this is not another Paleo cookbook, nor is it your average self-help book. This book goes much deeper into the social and psychological factors that we all should consider in our pursuits to be happy humans. Jevan Pradas does this spectacularly by blending in the scientific and anthropological data with funny short stories. These short stories will have you rolling on the floor laughing like a Piraha one second (you'll get this joke after reading the book) and pondering if you are living your life all wrong the next.
This book was so entertaining I literally read it front to back in one go. If you, or someone you love, is in need of some encouragement and guidance to lead a better life, but you want to be entertained as well, this book will do.
This book was so entertaining I literally read it front to back in one go. If you, or someone you love, is in need of some encouragement and guidance to lead a better life, but you want to be entertained as well, this book will do.
August 30, 2017
Very Knowledgeable Book
Very Informative Book that makes you Think and Change your Lifestyle. Every Page makes Sense. Had a Great Impact on Me. I Strongly Suggest this Book. One of the Best Books I read.
Very Informative Book that makes you Think and Change your Lifestyle. Every Page makes Sense. Had a Great Impact on Me. I Strongly Suggest this Book. One of the Best Books I read.
May 27, 2020
This is watered-down Paleo and bullshit meditation for the pickup artist crowd.
Skip this book. You will learn far more from any of the Paleo blogs and small Buddhist handbooks out there than you will from this book. The research is a tepid sampler of cherry-picked armchair anecdotes and as a result, the conclusions are quite shaky. There's more than a whiff of old-school Colonialism (weird!). Yuval Noah Hirari's work makes this book look like a reddit meme. As many have pointed out, the author is still fixated on sex with hot ladies (and on objectifying women) - some mention of the men going off with PYTs makes an appearance every couple of pages. And if all that "locker room talk" is just an attempt to make the book more marketable and appealing, he's revealing his lack of faith in the information he's putting out into the world or perhaps his own insecurity as a writer.
There's some wack meditation advice, too. The author cherry-picked again from several different disciplines and made a separate chapter for each type of meditation. This is a very "bio-hacky" approach to meditation that unfortunately misses the point. Buddhist meditation promises that if you do the work of practicing its prescribed technique diligently every day, you'll find liberation from suffering. This book suggests you can achieve similar results by cutting corners. If that were so, Buddhist meditators would not be torturing themselves for hours on the cushion! Later, he promises ecstasy through Jhana meditation. If you're claiming to follow Buddhist teachings but you're still chasing a sensation, which Buddha says is the root cause of suffering, how enlightened can you be?
It appears the ape is still asleep.
Skip this book. You will learn far more from any of the Paleo blogs and small Buddhist handbooks out there than you will from this book. The research is a tepid sampler of cherry-picked armchair anecdotes and as a result, the conclusions are quite shaky. There's more than a whiff of old-school Colonialism (weird!). Yuval Noah Hirari's work makes this book look like a reddit meme. As many have pointed out, the author is still fixated on sex with hot ladies (and on objectifying women) - some mention of the men going off with PYTs makes an appearance every couple of pages. And if all that "locker room talk" is just an attempt to make the book more marketable and appealing, he's revealing his lack of faith in the information he's putting out into the world or perhaps his own insecurity as a writer.
There's some wack meditation advice, too. The author cherry-picked again from several different disciplines and made a separate chapter for each type of meditation. This is a very "bio-hacky" approach to meditation that unfortunately misses the point. Buddhist meditation promises that if you do the work of practicing its prescribed technique diligently every day, you'll find liberation from suffering. This book suggests you can achieve similar results by cutting corners. If that were so, Buddhist meditators would not be torturing themselves for hours on the cushion! Later, he promises ecstasy through Jhana meditation. If you're claiming to follow Buddhist teachings but you're still chasing a sensation, which Buddha says is the root cause of suffering, how enlightened can you be?
It appears the ape is still asleep.
December 14, 2020
Super interesting. Comparing lifestyle of today to hunter gatherer lifestyle. Lots of thought provoking info. Actual actions to try implement and improve yourself and outlook.
May 26, 2020
Didn't enjoy this book, seemed under researched and laddish. Not what I was expecting at all...
February 22, 2019
Found this book interesting. It's not all about the paleo diet as one reviewer said, although nutrition is brought up. We ALL know that eating natural foods are better than processed foods. That our modern diet is making us fatter and more unhealthy. He goes deeper into WHY we eat these natural foods and a core reason is so that we have the happy hormones be released (serotonin & dopamine). Indigenous people did not suffer the same ailments we do. They did not suffer obesity. They did not suffer depression. These are all modern issues.
The author shares the lives of indigenous people, one of those being the Pygmies. I did some research on these people and unfortunately, they are now being mistreated and even enslaved by the Bantu people which are of the same race but different cultural lives.
It's AMAZING to me how perfect the Pygmies lives were and how they literally lived off the forests. Their medicine was the forest. The reason Pygmies are now dying and having issues is that the villagers, conservationists, and loggers are taking away their land, introducing diseases that are not natural to the group, etc.
Overall it's an interesting read and I recommend for those interested in how to live a more simple and joyful life. We truly do overcomplicate it and it's not difficult but you might be perceived as a little weird. I'll take weirdness over depression, anxiety, and disease though :)
The author shares the lives of indigenous people, one of those being the Pygmies. I did some research on these people and unfortunately, they are now being mistreated and even enslaved by the Bantu people which are of the same race but different cultural lives.
It's AMAZING to me how perfect the Pygmies lives were and how they literally lived off the forests. Their medicine was the forest. The reason Pygmies are now dying and having issues is that the villagers, conservationists, and loggers are taking away their land, introducing diseases that are not natural to the group, etc.
Overall it's an interesting read and I recommend for those interested in how to live a more simple and joyful life. We truly do overcomplicate it and it's not difficult but you might be perceived as a little weird. I'll take weirdness over depression, anxiety, and disease though :)
July 10, 2018
This book was a nice surprise. Unlike many other books about biohacking, this doesn't try to push you anything high-tech that would cost you a fortune. Instead, it goes back to the roots of humankind and shows what "hacks" can we learn from currently living tribal societies as well as our ancestors. The book starts with asking the question many people ask: "what is the meaning of life?" Then, Jevan explores daily habits of tribes such as Pygmies, New World Savages, Cannibals, Masai and Piraha. And shows us what we can learn from these societies to improve our daily lives. After that, Jevan takes a deep dive into our history, how we evolved and how we can use this information to bring more happiness into our lives. Next, Jevan ends this book with exploring habits of shamans, monks and shows how to train our mind through meditation practice. The book ends with questions about what is a self, reality and awakening. Overall, this book offers many very good and thought-provoking "hacks" that are accessible and affordable for everyone.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to make his or her life at least a little bit better, without spending a fortune on some cutting-edge high-tech gadgets. As this book demonstrates, some of the best hacks are actually for free, or very very cheap and basic.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to make his or her life at least a little bit better, without spending a fortune on some cutting-edge high-tech gadgets. As this book demonstrates, some of the best hacks are actually for free, or very very cheap and basic.
May 12, 2020
This book was immensely frustrating and can only be described as a brilliant example of how not to write about either science or philosophy. The author seems to make two entirely separate arguments - half of the book was about paleo living but was seemingly based in anecdote rather than evidence (I found myself shouting 'citation needed' at it more than once); the other half consisted of badly, badly misunderstood Buddhism. The author also doesn't coherently link the two strands of his argument together.
It's also the first book I've read that really shows the concept of 'the male gaze' in action. It was clearly written by a heterosexual man for a heterosexual male audience. This isn't *innately* a bad thing, but in this case the writing comes off as rather misogynistic.
The undertones of able-ism were perhaps unintentional but were unfortunately obvious enough to be very grating, especially the dismissive reference to people with disabilities in the final chapter.
One star for the writing style, which flowed nicely and was easy to read. Zero stars for the argument; it was utterly lacking in substance.
It's also the first book I've read that really shows the concept of 'the male gaze' in action. It was clearly written by a heterosexual man for a heterosexual male audience. This isn't *innately* a bad thing, but in this case the writing comes off as rather misogynistic.
The undertones of able-ism were perhaps unintentional but were unfortunately obvious enough to be very grating, especially the dismissive reference to people with disabilities in the final chapter.
One star for the writing style, which flowed nicely and was easy to read. Zero stars for the argument; it was utterly lacking in substance.
May 21, 2020
It is disappointing to write a negative review on a book that overall (minus Paleo) provides a message I would agree with. I found the book seriously lacking and its tone, at times patronising, really grated at me. The arguments were not presented in a balanced way, the book tried to capture too much and its light conversational language came across as immature – this combination really affected the quality in my eyes. The only thing I liked is description of the Positivity Challenge, something I’m looking forward to trying out.
I was very surprised by an unexpected – and no doubt unintentional – display of male unconscious bias. Almost every time a woman was mentioned, misogyny raised its ugly head – you can ignore a tongue-in-cheek reference here and there but when every time a woman is only presented as an object of sexual desire, weak or neurotic you start taking issue with it. I’m sure the author did not intend for this to happen and I hope this was highlighted to him to learn from for the next endeavor.
I was very surprised by an unexpected – and no doubt unintentional – display of male unconscious bias. Almost every time a woman was mentioned, misogyny raised its ugly head – you can ignore a tongue-in-cheek reference here and there but when every time a woman is only presented as an object of sexual desire, weak or neurotic you start taking issue with it. I’m sure the author did not intend for this to happen and I hope this was highlighted to him to learn from for the next endeavor.
July 24, 2020
While I agree with a lot of concepts in this book, not everything struck home. The facts are usually either pretty thin or already widely known. For me personally, there was little to gain here. I felt it was still not a waste of my time because it once again lays out a very simple, yet important message: Live a simple life. Don't eat crap. Be more mindful. Don't be a greedy a**. Can't hear these things often enough.
January 29, 2024
Whereas some of this book is interesting, it is completely ruined by the author's constant misogyny the whole way through the book and shame tactics to live a "better life". He does have some interesting points on meditation, but he is obsessed with sex and positioning women as objects, and it's cringey at points to read.
August 7, 2018
Wow
Excellent!,
Excellent!,
May 17, 2019
I guess it takes much more than the cheesy self help books style enthusiasm to awake me, so I didn't find this book particular enlightening or mind opening. I gave it a generous 3 stars for the first somewhat entertaining part of the book, the second was irritating beyond belief! What I found especially frustrating with these books that promote paleo or pre agriculture lifestyle is the simple fact that there are very few evidence that this was actually benefiting humans and , most importantly, that it is in any way feasible to live like that now. I, for example, would find terrifying a mere prospect of living close to nature. I'm a city girl and actually thrive in cities. I like my nature limited to the park or a day hike in the wild the most. High culture inspires and brings me enormous pleasure, not the wilderness. And many of my friends are the same! And I love the solitary exercise at the gym, despite being female and supposedly preferring a company of other girls.
That brings me to the next thing I dislike about the book. All the advantages of modern life right now are especially great for women. I doubt I would be able enjoy my subservient role in the pre historic societies.
The author points to a few societies where there are no diseases and who even look better (imagine that!) than modern humans, yet again there is no evidence that these people are suitable for any kind of modern living. This time as in paleo era is long gone and cannot be reproduced now. And I also doubt that theses people live to any old age. Most of our genes are suited to live to a ripe old age of 40 the most, to reproduce and die young. I found the notion of stress free living laughable. Even animals have all the diseases of the mind, suffer from anxieties, depressions and stress related illnesses. Ask any dog owner!
To summarize, this book would be great if you are a man (I doubt any woman would try to live shower free or stop washing her hair) looking for yet another excuse to consume yet more meat (imagine the impact on the planet resources!) and to skip on hygiene, go for it! To help you cope with an obvious lack of sex (manly smells have very limited appeal) there is the second part on meditation.
That brings me to the next thing I dislike about the book. All the advantages of modern life right now are especially great for women. I doubt I would be able enjoy my subservient role in the pre historic societies.
The author points to a few societies where there are no diseases and who even look better (imagine that!) than modern humans, yet again there is no evidence that these people are suitable for any kind of modern living. This time as in paleo era is long gone and cannot be reproduced now. And I also doubt that theses people live to any old age. Most of our genes are suited to live to a ripe old age of 40 the most, to reproduce and die young. I found the notion of stress free living laughable. Even animals have all the diseases of the mind, suffer from anxieties, depressions and stress related illnesses. Ask any dog owner!
To summarize, this book would be great if you are a man (I doubt any woman would try to live shower free or stop washing her hair) looking for yet another excuse to consume yet more meat (imagine the impact on the planet resources!) and to skip on hygiene, go for it! To help you cope with an obvious lack of sex (manly smells have very limited appeal) there is the second part on meditation.
Read
May 17, 2023Way more bang for your buck than I expected from such a short book. Pradas covers all of the standard fun hunter-gatherer stuff before making a case for Buddhist mindfulness, which definitely comes as an interesting and helpful companion. In addition to the idyllic descriptions of daily life for primitive societies we know and love, he throws in some really fascinating info about how they tend to raise children with way more physical contact and breastfeeding than most people are used to, leading to both the fabled lactation-as-birth control and babies who cry way less. This is also serves to stagger the birthing order, giving parents a few years to recuperate and making sure infants get lots of individual attention before being turned over to the rest of the tribe. A couple choice anecdotes also serve to illustrate the profoundly different mental landscape these people tend to inhabit at all times, as many tend to lack even a word to correspond to routine ideas such as low self-esteem or suicide. I might counter that these terms might find their equivalents in concepts such as possession or soul-loss, but the point still stands.Most salient, however, was the author's comparison of relative stress levels, as one might expect a literal life-or-death approach to food and shelter to take a toll. It does, but in most cases, the stress is so total and concentrated that sweating the small stuff becomes a non-starter. This struck me as almost Epicurean, and that is probably no accident: no one wants to be eaten by a puma or crushed under a falling tree, but shit happens and if it does it'll be quick. Indeed, the deaths reported in many such societies are usually from some sort of accident (with trees playing a rather conspicuous culprit). The book then goes into a no-nonsense account of the practical benefits of meditation and the logic of non-duality, but from more of a rational and scientific angle than a mystical one.
November 27, 2018
Big Ideas:
+ There are several disconnects (or mismatches) between modern society and the hunter gatherer (HG) societies in which humans evolved. These disconnects cause us many problems but some of these can be corrected for
- HG societies are not very hierarchical, but modern society is rife with hierarchy. HG society is egalitarian, since everyone has to share food and resources for survival. Coercion is frowned upon to the point that parents often don’t even keep their children from imminent danger (like touching fire) because they figure the child will learn on its own and will learn better that way. The author doesn’t address this, but Jordan Peterson talks about why alphas can’t just be dominant and coercive: several other non-alphas would then get together and depose the alpha if he acted like that. Alpha status is about protecting all members of the group, not about dominance in the sense of stealing from or beating up on the little guy
- Every member of HG society is recognized for some skill they possess. Because societies are small, everyone is therefore “famous,” or well-known for something, like basket-making or singing. In our large-scale modern societies this may explain why we feel such a desire for significance that often goes unmet
- HG societies engage in much more human conversation, they practically talk all day and all night long, when they aren’t hunting and gathering (which actually only takes about 15-20 hours per week)
- Because HG groups are relatively small and are comprised of members of one extended family, bonds are much tighter and childcare is much more of a community effort. In modern society, we no longer have our required villages to raise our children, or if we do, the members of our villages aren’t all blood relatives that we can rely on in the same way
- HG people get much more exposure to sunlight from an early age and gaze into the distance often (to hunt and to gather), so rates of myopia and other eye problems are extremely low (1.5% for HGs vs. 51-90% in modern societies). We need 10,000 lux for optimal eye development, but our indoor environments only provide about 500 lux.
+ Some tips for being more HG in your modern life (unless you just want to go all out and move to the rainforest to live with the Amazon tribes)
- Socialize: join a group with shared interests; pursue active leisure because passive activities like TV don’t improve your happiness
- Diet: dopamine and serotonin are critical for happiness; obesity decreases our dopamine receptors; serotonin requires building blocks like the amino acid tryptophan (found especially in spinach, crab, lobster, fish, pork, goat, eggs) and B6 (found especially in tuna, turkey, beef, chicken, salmon, sweet potatoes, spinach, bananas) and magnesium (found especially in green leafy vegetables, pumpkin, sesame seeds)
- Exercise: a brisk walk three times a week is more effective than medication at reducing depression over the long term; join a group exercise class and aim for variety; the four cornerstones of fitness are cardio, strength, flexibility, and skill
- Posture: hang from a pull-up bar for at least 30 seconds; lay on your back with your feet on a chair at 90 degrees to help with hip position
- Hygiene: you don’t need shampoo or soap (except on your hands for disease prevention. PS, such frequency of infectious disease is a side-effect of large-scale modern society and occurs much less often in HG groups); after a few weeks of giving them up, your sebum levels will stabilize; use the squatting position to poop, your colon will thank you
- Train the mind: use mindfulness of breathing, count breaths for concentration when necessary; use metta meditation to expand compassion and sense of interconnectedness; after sufficient concentration, you can focus in on the feeling of peace and joy that comes from a clear and stable mind; 1st jhana = excited ecstasy - pleasurable but unstable feelings of rapture, ecstasy, supreme delight; 2nd jhana = stable joy - focus shifts to positive emotional qualities, more stability than 1st jhana, intense pleasure actually becomes tiresome; 3rd jhana = contentment, serenity, or stillness - serene, deep, happy contentment from letting go of the energetic sensations of the 1st and 2nd jhanas; 4th jhana = equanimity or peace or imperturbability; beyond 4th jhana, consult with a meditation teacher
+ Our perception of reality is not reality itself
- Reality is like a movie made up of pixels on a screen and yet we get all wrapped up in the content; quantum particles are like the pixels on the screen, this is what reality actually “looks like,” but we perceive it the way we do through our human brains; dogs and flies have a very different perception of reality and we must acknowledge that our human perception is just another perception, it’s not equivalent to the whole of reality
Potent Quotables:
“A human being is part of the whole, called by us 'Universe,' a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Nobody is able to achieve this completely, but striving for such achievement is, in itself, a part of the liberation and a foundation for inner security.” Albert Einstein
It’s perfectly fine to enjoy pleasures, a sunny day or a nice cup of tea, as long as we don’t crave them. The brain has different mechanisms for craving and enjoyment. That’s why an addict can still crave his addiction long after he stops receiving pleasure from it.
Consciousness can be thought of as a screen that other subconscious modules can then “see” to gather information. In this case, instead of consciousness being a “doer” or “thinker,” consciousness is more like a community bulletin board or information exchange, where various subconscious modules can learn what the other modules are up to.
November 25, 2020
I bought The Awakened Ape from Audible - probably a deal of the day, or some other offer - as it looked interesting and worth a punt at a reduced price.
I kept speeding it up in the hope that the author would move onto something new and interesting. The opening sections are full of annoying rhetorical questions, padding and obvious information
The first half of the book focuses on the lifestyle of various simpler cultures (e.g. Mbuti pygmies) and the key message can be distilled down to simpler, hunter-gatherer societies have greater levels of happiness, health and well being. This point is laboured to a ridiculous extent.
The second half advocates the usual mishmash of standard health and lifestyle advice aligned to Buddhist philosophies and a paleo diet and lifestyle.
Some examples include:
Social contact is integral to well being
Sufficient good quality sleep is the single most important key to good health
No shampoo and no soap
Meditation (lots on this)
The positivity challenge
Mindfulness
Flow state
Cultivate empathy and compassion
Jhana meditation (trying to achieve a natural form of ecstatic feeling)
If you’ve never encountered this stuff before you might find it informative and inspirational. Sadly I found the repetitive style, and assumption that the author was sharing arcane, life changing knowledge, a bit tedious and annoying.
I kept speeding it up in the hope that the author would move onto something new and interesting. The opening sections are full of annoying rhetorical questions, padding and obvious information
The first half of the book focuses on the lifestyle of various simpler cultures (e.g. Mbuti pygmies) and the key message can be distilled down to simpler, hunter-gatherer societies have greater levels of happiness, health and well being. This point is laboured to a ridiculous extent.
The second half advocates the usual mishmash of standard health and lifestyle advice aligned to Buddhist philosophies and a paleo diet and lifestyle.
Some examples include:
Social contact is integral to well being
Sufficient good quality sleep is the single most important key to good health
No shampoo and no soap
Meditation (lots on this)
The positivity challenge
Mindfulness
Flow state
Cultivate empathy and compassion
Jhana meditation (trying to achieve a natural form of ecstatic feeling)
If you’ve never encountered this stuff before you might find it informative and inspirational. Sadly I found the repetitive style, and assumption that the author was sharing arcane, life changing knowledge, a bit tedious and annoying.
July 20, 2024
Wait, is this a self-help book? But it's good!
I don't usually like this genre of poorly argued for books that force the desired lifestyle of the author onto me, but this was liberating, interesting and at times absolutely hillarious. The best self-help book I've ever read.
Jevan Pradas endorses as a simplistic and hedonistic life with plenty of meditation and not so much modern worries. While he didn't exactly convince me of much, he somehow, like a good satire or a unique adventure, made me appreciate my life all the more.
The book is far from intellectual, yet I still found some insight from it. A suiting metaphor might be that of a meditation session, that gives you perspective but no knowledge.
What I liked the most, though, is the humour, which is raw, ironic, silly and clever. Reading some of the other reviews here on Goodreads, it seems most of the jokes flew by some people.
I don't usually like this genre of poorly argued for books that force the desired lifestyle of the author onto me, but this was liberating, interesting and at times absolutely hillarious. The best self-help book I've ever read.
Jevan Pradas endorses as a simplistic and hedonistic life with plenty of meditation and not so much modern worries. While he didn't exactly convince me of much, he somehow, like a good satire or a unique adventure, made me appreciate my life all the more.
The book is far from intellectual, yet I still found some insight from it. A suiting metaphor might be that of a meditation session, that gives you perspective but no knowledge.
What I liked the most, though, is the humour, which is raw, ironic, silly and clever. Reading some of the other reviews here on Goodreads, it seems most of the jokes flew by some people.
October 17, 2020
Nuostabi knyga lyginanti medžiotojų rinkėjų gentis su šiuolaikine visuomene. Autorius atskleidžia daug įdomių skirtumų, kurie paaiškina dabartinės kartos "negalavimus" (fizinius ir protinius), kurie visiškai nebūdingi pirmykštėms bendruomenėms. Antroji knygos dalis apžvelgia meditacijos svarbą. Įdomi, žavi ir intriguojanti knyga. Drąsiai rekomenduoju, tikrai patirsite netikėtų įžvalgų.
September 15, 2021
Everyone should read this
Nothing unknown to humans
A lovely summary of accumulated human knowledge
But unfortunately a major proportion of human population won't know or won't bother to know the contents of this book even though it could immensely benefit and change their life
For that reason alone everyone should read this
Thanks to Jevan Pradas for the brilliant piece of work
Nothing unknown to humans
A lovely summary of accumulated human knowledge
But unfortunately a major proportion of human population won't know or won't bother to know the contents of this book even though it could immensely benefit and change their life
For that reason alone everyone should read this
Thanks to Jevan Pradas for the brilliant piece of work
March 30, 2023
Very nice to read with interesting ideas but most of them not really true. Own research is needed to check what is actually true and applicable and not just some douchebag talking.
Still I enjoyed it and it made me think about some stuff differently even though I do not agree with 70% of what he says.
Still I enjoyed it and it made me think about some stuff differently even though I do not agree with 70% of what he says.
June 24, 2018
A nice read
A good reminder of how we've evolved as a species,and how we need to live in order to return to our primordial state.it's sure to awaken you to a new state of consciousness.loved it!
A good reminder of how we've evolved as a species,and how we need to live in order to return to our primordial state.it's sure to awaken you to a new state of consciousness.loved it!
November 27, 2022
A handbook for anyone seeking happiness.
Very easy to read.
A must for anyone seeking happiness and health.
What I loved the most about this book was the in-depth research and the simple easily doable directives.
Very easy to read.
A must for anyone seeking happiness and health.
What I loved the most about this book was the in-depth research and the simple easily doable directives.
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